Mike Switzer interviews John Warner, a serial entrepreneur and founder of Innoventure in Greenville, S.C. John tells us about BMW employing humanoid robots in their Spartanburg County plant.

Have you ever found yourself needing to check out of your hotel many hours before your flight and wondering what to do about your luggage while you got out and enjoyed the local sights one last time? Our next guest has and she decided to do something about it by forming her own luggage logistics service. And it was recently recognized with the 2023 InnoVision Small Business Award. Mike Switzer interviews Amanda Sheridan, founder and CEO of Charleston Bag Valet in Charleston, SC.

If your doctor told you that the shot he has been giving you is now available to be taken orally through tiny glass bubbles, would you give it a try? Well, it is actually a groundbreaking innovation pioneered by a South Carolina start-up biotech company that has earned an endorsement from the US National Science Foundation and the 2023 InnoVision Technology Integration Award. Mike Switzer interviews George Weeks, chief technology officer with SpheroFill in Aiken, SC.

The US Small Business Administration facilitates a lot of small business loans all across the country. A small Upstate bank actually broke into the top 25 list of SBA lenders last year with more than $177 million in SBA loans. That’s out of more than 1,500 banks nationwide. Mike Switzer interviews Beth Hallock, president of SBA lending at United Community Bank in Greenville, SC.

It’s early in the year still, but as was the case last year, economic forecasts continue to be upended. The latest example just recently when a national jobs report came in stronger than expected and dampened prospects for interest rate cuts. Today we’ll check in with one of our resident economists to get his take. Mike Switzer interviews Frank Hefner, director of the Office of Economic Analysis and a professor of economics at the College of Charleston.

An update of the news, events, and issues that are trending right now across South Carolina's business community. Mike Switzer interviews Jason Thomas, executive editor of SCBizNews, the company that publishes the Columbia Regional Business Report, Charleston Regional Business Journal, GSA Business and SCBizNews magazine.

For decades, there has been software available to help you learn to play musical instruments. Our next guest says they have now been able to incorporate machine learning into their gaming-style music learning software that is increasing the likelihood of students to continue their lessons. And this technology recently earned them the 2023 InnoVision Education Award. Mike Switzer interviews Mak Grgic, co-founder of Notey, Inc. in Cayce, SC. YouTube video of awards presentation - Notey presentation starts at 19:15

We recently learned that one of our state agencies involved in job creation and retention has a new leader. Today, we have him on the phone. Mike Switzer interviews Jesse Smith, the new executive director of the South Carolina Jobs-Economic Development Authority (JEDA) in Columbia, SC.

With so many German businesses located in our state, it only makes sense that someone should host a conference focused on growing that relationship. And that’s exactly what our next guest’s institution has been doing for several years now. Mike Switzer interviews Paul Schwager, dean of the School of Business at the College of Charleston, host of the German-American Business Summit on Feb. 7th.

If you’ve been investing in the financial markets for a long time, you could have a portfolio that has grown significantly in value. Which could present a tax problem. Our next guest says there is a way to avoid some of these capital gains and it involves tax planning across generations. Mike Switzer interviews Stephen Maggard, a certified financial planner with Abacus Planning Group in Columbia, SC.

Mike Switzer interviews John Warner, a serial entrepreneur and founder of Innoventure in Greenville, S.C. John tells us about a smart innovation report for SC that he has compiled.

You may remember that late last year the United Nations held its annual climate conference, COP28, in Dubai, where world leaders addressed climate change and environmental challenges. Also attending that conference were 151 mayors from around the world including our next guest. Mike Switzer interviews Daniel Rickenmann, mayor of Columbia, SC.

Our state has been blessed for many years now with a robust economy. We’ve weathered a financial crisis, a 1,000-year flood, and a pandemic. But can we weather the weather? One of our major cities is taking part in a nature-based program to improve and strengthen its level of resilience. Mike Switzer interviews Dale Morris, chief resilience officer for the City of Charleston, SC. Nature Based Exchange

Entrepreneurial resources in our state continue to expand. Our next guest’s accelerator, for example, is looking for applicants from around South Carolina for its next spring cohort. Their goal, in particular, is to address the gap in venture capital access for women, minority, veteran, and other underfunded demographics. Mike Switzer interviews Millicent Lann, program director at the Benedict College Statewide Investment Accelerator, part of the Tyrone Adam Burroughs School of Business and Entrepreneurship.

With Bitcoin all over the news lately, we thought it might be worthwhile to dig a little deeper into blockchain technology, how it works exactly, and what is the role of Bitcoin in a blockchain anyway? Mike Switzer interviews Ashton Lawrence, a certified financial planner with Mariner Wealth Advisors in Greenville, SC.

Mike Switzer interviews Alan Cooper, founder and editor of three online business news websites in South Carolina: MidlandsBiz, UpstateBizSC, and LowCountryBizSC.

InnoVision Awards is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the advancement of innovation and technology in our state. And each year, as their name implies, they recognize companies, organizations, and individuals toward that end. 2023’s Community Service Award was recently announced and our next Internet solutions company was the recipient. Mike Switzer interviews Kent Winrich, chief technology officer with Open Broadband in Greenville, SC.

I didn’t know this but apparently, photographers and videographers in the real estate industry have a hard time finding skilled editors to help them improve the quality of their photos and videos. So our next guest’s company created a software solution that resulted in an investment of a quarter million dollars from SC Launch. Mike Switzer interviews Moses Nickerson, co-founder and CEO of Pixlmob in Greenville, SC.

We’ve interviewed a few companies over the years in the vertical farming industry, also known as CEA or controlled environment agriculture, which usually involves growing plants (mostly greens) in a controlled indoor environment. We recently learned that our next guest’s company was selected to install a vertical farm at a local prison, the first time this has been done onsite at a correctional institution in the U.S. Mike Switzer interviews Don Taylor, founder and CEO of AmplifiedAG in Charleston, SC.

As we start a new year, it’s natural to have concerns about whether the financial decisions you made last year or will be making this year, are the best ones for you and your family. Especially when stock and bond market environments like we’ve seen the last couple of years happen, which can shake the confidence of even the most seasoned investors. Our next guest has some suggestions for us on how to be more confident in financial decision-making. Mike Switzer interviews David Turner, a certified financial planner in Greenville, SC.

Mike Switzer interviews John Warner, a serial entrepreneur and founder of Innoventure in Greenville, S.C. John tells us about AI’s presence in industry in our state.

Thanks to many old, empty, commercial buildings and tax credits, historic preservation continues to be a significant part of local economic development. Our next guest says that this preservation work is also starting to influence residential design. Mike Switzer interviews Dale Marshall, president of Architrave in Columbia, SC.

Another new year is underway and many sales people are putting into action their plan for growing sales in this new year. Our next guest is a 20-year sales veteran who says that growing the revenue from your existing customers can be as important as prospecting. Mike Switzer interviews Jermaine Edwards, a business growth consultant in Columbia, SC.

We interview companies in our state each year who have been recognized by one publication or another as a best place to work. But I believe this is the first time we’ve seen one receive this award from an outdoor lifestyle magazine, and for a company that is not even in that line of work. Mike Switzer interviews Lee Deas, founder of Obviouslee, a global marketing company in Charleston, SC, recently recognized as a "Best Place to Work" by Outside Magazine, coming in at #20 out of more than 50 companies nationwide.

Now that we’re into a brand new year, many people begin to think about getting their financial house in order so today we have one of our resident certified financial planners with us to help. Mike Switzer interviews John Cooper with Greenwood Capital in Greenwood, SC.

Today is our final excerpt from the most recent University of South Carolina Darla Moore School of Business Economic Outlook Conference. Today’s excerpt comes from South Carolina Representative Gary S. Brewer Jr., during the panel discussion on the coming infrastructure expansion and its role in South Carolina's long-run economic competitiveness.

This is the time of year when we share with you some excerpts from the most recent University of South Carolina Darla Moore School of Business Economic Outlook Conference. Today’s excerpt comes from Bonnie Ammons with the South Carolina Rural Infrastructure Authority during the panel discussion on the coming infrastructure expansion and its role in South Carolina's long-run economic competitiveness.

This is the time of year when we share with you some excerpts from the most recent University of South Carolina Darla Moore School of Business Economic Outlook Conference. Today’s excerpt comes from Justin Powell with the South Carolina Department of Transportation, during the panel discussion on the coming infrastructure expansion and its role in South Carolina's long-run economic competitiveness.

This is the time of year when we share with you some excerpts from the most recent University of South Carolina Darla Moore School of Business Economic Outlook Conference. Today’s excerpt comes from Matt Reiffer with the American Council of Engineering Companies, during the panel discussion on the coming infrastructure expansion and its role in South Carolina's long-run economic competitiveness.

This is the time of year when we share with you some excerpts from the most recent University of South Carolina Darla Moore School of Business Economic Outlook Conference. Today’s excerpt comes from Doug Woodward, professor of economics, Darla Moore School of Business.

This is the time of year when we share with you some excerpts from the most recent University of South Carolina Darla Moore School of Business Economic Outlook Conference. Today’s excerpt comes from Doug Woodward, professor of economics, Darla Moore School of Business.

This is the time of year when we share with you some excerpts from the most recent University of South Carolina Darla Moore School of Business Economic Outlook Conference. Today’s excerpt comes from Doug Woodward, professor of economics, Darla Moore School of Business.

This is the time of year when we share with you some excerpts from the most recent University of South Carolina Darla Moore School of Business Economic Outlook Conference. Today’s excerpt comes from Joey Von Nessen, chief economist at the Moore School’s Division of Research.

This is the time of year when we share with you some excerpts from the most recent University of South Carolina Darla Moore School of Business Economic Outlook Conference. Today’s excerpt comes from Joey Von Nessen, chief economist at the Moore School’s Division of Research.

This is the time of year when we share with you some excerpts from the most recent University of South Carolina Darla Moore School of Business Economic Outlook Conference. Today’s excerpt comes from Joey Von Nessen, chief economist at the Moore School’s Division of Research.

An update of the news, events and issues that are trending right now across South Carolina's business community. Mike Switzer interviews Jason Thomas, executive editor of SCBizNews, the company that publishes the Columbia Regional Business Report, Charleston Regional Business Journal, GSA Business and SCBizNews magazine.

One of the first former railroad tracks in our state to be converted to a trail, known as rails-to-trails, was the Swamp Rabbit Trail creating a shared-use bike and pedestrian trail from Greenville to Travelers Rest. One of the first businesses to take the plunge and open up on that trail was a small restaurant and market founded by two women entrepreneurs. Twelve years later it’s still going strong. Mike Switzer interviews Mary Walsh, co-founder of Swamp Rabbit Cafe & Grocery in Greenville, SC.

In case you didn’t know, Lancaster County is one of the fastest-growing counties in our state, probably in part, because it is in the Charlotte metro area. Our next guest’s digital marketing company has decided to tap into some of that growth by opening a new office there. Mike Switzer interviews Tom Sliker, president and CEO of Broadstreet.net headquartered in Camden, SC.

Most of the time when we hear of a new company expanding its operations in our state, we expect it to involve manufacturing because, quite honestly, we do have a reputation as a manufacturing state. But then we heard about our next guest’s national research and engineering company announcing a significant expansion of its Upstate operations. Mike Switzer interviews Matthew Fordham, with Applied Research Associates in Greenville, SC.

Imagine that you have saved diligently over the years to fund your child’s 529 education savings plan, but instead of the expensive private college originally planned for, your daughter chose to enroll at a public university. So now that you have money left over in that 529 plan, what can be done with it? Our next guest says that the good news is that a new option is available now that could help build a retirement fund for your daughter. Mike Switzer interviews Laird Green, a certified financial planner with Abacus Planning Group in Greenville, SC.

Even though inflation continues to be on everybody’s minds these days, the American Farm Bureau Federation’s recent annual survey showed that the average cost of your recent family Thanksgiving dinner should have actually dropped by about 4.5% from last year. But our next guest also completed a recent survey of business leaders in our state and found that while inflation is not number one on their list of concerns, it’s very close. Mike Switzer interviews Bob Morgan, president and CEO of the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce in Columbia, SC.

Ever since China stopped importing recyclable materials from the US several years ago, we have been hearing from people who say they believe recycling doesn’t matter anymore, and that everything is just going to the landfill anyway, so why bother? But the facts are that our state is home to over 300 recycling companies, a number which actually grew last year, bringing with them over $4 billion in capital investments, and over 1,800 new jobs. Mike Switzer interviews Anna DeLage, recycling market development manager at the SC Dept. of Commerce.

In case you didn’t know, the 90-mile corridor between Columbia and Charlotte sees more than 145 million people passing through each day. It’s an area that encompasses five South Carolina counties and two metropolitan areas with almost 3.5 million people. That’s a lot of potential commerce and economic development which is why our next guest’s organization was formed. Mike Switzer interviews Chris Finn, the current president and CEO of the I-77 Alliance.

Last year, our next guest’s organization was awarded a grant of $1 million with more coming this year, all with the mission of funding collaborative projects benefiting our state’s citizens and NASA. Mike Switzer interviews Catherine Hayes, executive director of CORE SC and an industry manager with the South Carolina Research Authority (SCRA) in Charleston, SC.

Many people who solicit the assistance of a financial advisor have preconceived notions of what to expect involving investment management, tax planning, estate planning, etc. However, our next guest says there is often a disconnect between those client expectations and the actual services provided by financial advisors. He says the solution may be a virtual family office. Mike Switzer interviews Jeremy Finger, a certified financial planner with Riverbend Wealth Management in Myrtle Beach, SC.

Alan tells us about the current challenges to bettering education levels in our state and the recent task force survey from the SC Dept. of Education. Our prior interviews with teacher groups in SC: Teacher Shortage Continues Unabated in SC and Recruiting teachers is a priority in SC. Mike Switzer interviews Alan Cooper, founder and editor of three online business news websites in South Carolina: MidlandsBiz, UpstateBizSC, and LowCountryBizSC. Disclaimer: Alan Cooper’s company has a business relationship with Voterheads.com, an affiliate of Magnolia Media, which is the producer of the South Carolina Business Review.

Our state is home to a family-owned paint manufacturer that has been in business for over 100 years and we just learned that they are celebrating another milestone as the two brothers leading the company have now reached fifty years in that business together. They are Pope and Bobby Walker, who run the Rose Talbert Paint Company in Cayce, SC and today, we have Pope on the phone.

If you’ve ever worn earbuds or the mini earphones that fit into your ears, you have probably experienced the hassle of them falling out or not being comfortable in your ears. Our next guest thinks his Upstate company has found the solution using 3D printing and as a result has spurred the South Carolina Research Authority’s investment affiliate, SC Launch, to invest a quarter million dollars into the company. Mike Switzer interviews Ric Hoke, founder and CEO of WAVS Custom, in Greenville, SC.

Although we’ve been doing this show for over 23 years, we continue to learn about niche segments of the business world that we hadn’t heard of before. And so it goes with our next guest’s company, owner of a local franchise that specializes in paving and maintaining parking lots. Mike Switzer interviews Charlie Mimms, who along with his wife, Melissa, own and operate Everline Coatings in Columbia, SC

As the year winds down, a lot of financial reviews start to take place. And one of those can involve estate planning. Mike Switzer interviews Chris Cabri, a certified financial planner with Wells Fargo Advisors in Greenwood, SC.

It’s that time of year when many people take a look at making year-end charitable donations. But before you make that donation, you might want to review their financial information and check to see if that charity is even registered to solicit in our state. And that’s where our next guest comes in. Mark Hammond is the Secretary of State for South Carolina and his office is not only in charge of that information, but they also release their charity”Angel List” each year.

Our next guest and her husband are filmmakers who recently relocated to our state’s Lowcountry. Their documentary about a Native American youth art project and its role in revitalizing their language and culture has won multiple awards across the country, most recently the Susan A. K. Shaffer Humanitarian Award at the Beaufort International Film Festival. Mike Switzer interviews Heather Steinberger, producer of Waniyetu Wowapi: Winter Count.

You may have heard us interview companies who have received SBIR or STTR grants to help them fund the research that their young companies depend on to continue to grow and validate their business models. However, applying for these grants or practically any grant can be a daunting process. And that’s why the SC Department of Commerce is now making available free services to companies and entrepreneurs in our state to help them with these grant programs. Kyle Salazar is with the department’s 3PhaseSC program in Columbia.

Three years ago, Clemson University received its largest ever gift: $60 million from Wilbur and Ann Powers in an effort to transform the university’s business school, which now bears their names. What has happened since then? Mike Switzer interviews Wendy York, dean of the Wilbur O. and Ann Powers College of Business at Clemson University.

When the end of the year rolls around, it seems like there is always a lot to talk about when it comes to the economy and what the experts believe will be coming next year. And that’s why our next guest’s business school always hosts an economic outlook conference at this time of year. Mike Switzer interviews Joey Von Nessen, chief economist at the University of South Carolina’s Darla Moore School of Business, whose annual conference is coming December 5th.

An update of the news, events and issues that are trending right now across South Carolina's business community. Mike Switzer interviews Jason Thomas, executive editor of SCBizNews, the company that publishes the Columbia Regional Business Report, Charleston Regional Business Journal, GSA Business and SCBizNews magazine.

For a very long time, our state has been known as a manufacturing state. And during that time, a lot has happened with technology, enough so that a new segment has emerged known as advanced manufacturing. The recent announcements of several large, new such factories coming to our state has brought to the forefront the need not just for the specialized workforce training but also leadership training specifically tailored to advanced manufacturing. And that’s where our next guest comes in. Mike Switzer interviews Mark Cecchini, associate dean for Executive Education at the University of South Carolina’s Darla Moore School of Business in Columbia, host of the South Carolina Manufacturing Leadership Program.

Nonprofit organizations are an integral part of the business community. In fact, board members of nonprofits are often local business leaders. Yet nonprofits also often struggle to recruit new board members which is why our next guest’s organization recently launched a new tool to help with that process. Mike Switzer interviews Madeleine McGee, president of TogetherSC in Columbia.

It’s not often we hear of a local start-up raising big money from outside the state, but that is what has happened with our next guest’s socially-minded e-commerce company, which has received $750,000 so far this year, most of which has come from a Cleveland-based venture capital firm. Mike Switzer interviews Jeff Spencer, CEO and co-founder of Playfora, in the Boyd Innovation Center in Columbia, S.C.

Hard to believe but true, 2023 is winding down and 2024 is right around the corner. For investors, this is the time of the year for retrospection and prognostication. So let’s check in with one of our experts on these issues. Mike Switzer interviews Wes Johnson, a certified financial planner with ACT Advisors in Charleston, S.C.

If the tight labor market, inflation, and rising interest rates weren’t enough for the business community to worry about in 2023, then came artificial intelligence. Suddenly, it’s all companies can talk about…how can we use AI to grow our business and protect our business from competition? Our next guest’s business school has put together a conference to address these issues. Mike Switzer interviews Dirk Brown, director of the McNair Institute for Entrepreneurism and Free Enterprise at the Darla Moore School of Business at the University of South Carolina, host of the upcoming Carolina Connect AI conference on December 1st.

Our state has long been a proponent of sustainability, and our next guest’s North Carolina company has long been a part of that, with three of its nationwide locations in South Carolina. Wes Carter is president of Atlantic Packaging in Summerville, S.C.

Our next guest’s company recently received a $250,000 investment from the South Carolina Research Authority’s investment affiliate, SC Launch. An investment he says will help them scale up their services for independent pharmacies. Darren Schaupp is CEO of SiteLabs, at the Duke Energy Innovation Center in the Clemson Research Park.

If you heard our recent interview with Laura Hutchinson who runs the Advanced Manufacturing and Skills Trade school at Midlands Technical College, you might remember her mentioning that the building construction class won the 2022 national championship and placed second in the nation this year. And so today, we have on the phone the director of that program. Mike Switzer interviews Robbie Sharpe, the Building Construction Program Director at Midlands Technical College in Columbia, S.C.

A lot has happened in the cryptocurrency market over the past several months so we thought it might be a good time to check in with our resident crypto expert to get his thoughts. Mike Switzer interviews Allen Gillespie, chief investment officer at FinTrust Capital Advisors in Greenville, S.C.

An update of the news, events, and issues that are trending right now across South Carolina's business community. Mike Switzer interviews Alan Cooper, founder and editor of three online business news websites in South Carolina: MidlandsBiz, UpstateBizSC, and LowCountryBizSC.

Many people are familiar with the term social entrepreneurship which involves creating companies that strive to solve social problems, such as poverty, education, healthcare, and environmental sustainability. Our next guest’s college has initiated a program to attract like-minded students. Mike Switzer interviews Dr. Ben Bailey, a political science professor at Presbyterian College and the director of the college's Service Entrepreneurship Program.

The current unemployment rate in our state is about 3%, with companies continuing to struggle to find qualified workers, especially because so many are already employed and not actively seeking work. However, our next guest says that many underemployed people can be exposed to job opportunities that are a better fit for their skilled qualifications by using a technology known as programmatic advertising. Mike Switzer interviews Holly Rollins, CEO of 10X Digital, a marketing firm in Greenville, S.C.

With 26+ daily, nonstop flights to nine major cities, our next guest’s airport has decided that they will soon update the restaurant and shopping opportunities available to the one million+ passengers that use this airport. Mike Switzer interviews Mike Gula, president and CEO of the Columbia Metropolitan Airport.

Rising interest rates and more global conflict continue to put pressure on financial markets so we thought now might be a good time to check in with one of our resident investment analysts to get his take on the current situation. Mike Switzer interviews Tyson Halsey, a chartered financial analyst with Income Growth Advisors in Daniel Island, SC.

Low unemployment, an aging population, higher interest rates and inflation, and global conflict are all factors our next guest says are weighing on our economy. Mike Switzer interviews Bruce Yandle, Dean Emeritus at the College of Business & Behavioral Science and Alumni Professor of Economics Emeritus, both at Clemson University. He is also the Distinguished Professor of Economics at George Mason University’s Mercatus Center which publishes his Economic Situation Report.

Our next guest has discovered that there are a lot of interesting and talented people in our state who need help connecting with others and showcasing those talents across the state, the nation, and even the world. Mike Switzer interviews Neal Kinard, founder of The Palmetto Network in Charleston, S.C.

It’s that time of year again when a popular music festival returns to the streets of our capital city, bringing with it a significant economic impact. Mike Switzer interviews Jay Matheson, owner of the Jam Room Recording Studio and founder of the Jam Room Music Festival coming November 4th to Columbia, S.C.

Our state has definitely built up a solid reputation as a manufacturing state over the past several decades, and that reputation has been built on the success of our technical school system and its workforce development programs. That’s something our next guest is thick in the middle of. Mike Switzer interviews Laura Hutchinson Davis, chair of the School of Advanced Manufacturing and Skilled Trades at Midlands Technical College in Columbia, S.C.

As we approach the end of the year, opportunities to optimize your tax situation begin to diminish. But our next guest says that there are still several strategies that you have time to employ. Mike Switzer interviews Beth Jeter Hrubala, a certified financial planner in Spartanburg, S.C.

An update of the news, events, and issues that are trending right now across South Carolina's business community. Mike Switzer interviews Jason Thomas, executive editor of SCBizNews, the company that publishes the Columbia Regional Business Report, Charleston Regional Business Journal, GSA Business, and SCBizNews magazine.

SCBizNews recently announced their annual Best Places to Work list in our state, and our next guest’s recruiting company came in at number one in the small company category. Mike Switzer interviews Steve Bryant, CEO of SystemTec in Columbia, S.C.

After their population had been shrinking for four decades, our state’s oldest inland city has reversed its fortunes over the past 15 years, and that has resulted in more commercial investment over the past five years than in each of the prior 25. Mike Switzer interviews Shawn Putnam, planning and development director for the City of Camden, S.C.

Successful careers often lead to successful philanthropy. And that’s the case with our next guest who, over three decades ago, used his basketball success to create a charity that raises funds for children and families in need with the ultimate goal of fostering civic engagement and leadership, and driving economic growth. Mike Switzer interviews Alex English, co-founder of the Let’s Share Foundation in Columbia, S.C., host of the 3rd annual Alex English Celebrity Golf Tournament happening at the end of this month.

We’re almost a year away now when employers will be required to automatically enroll eligible employees in retirement savings plans, such as a 401(k) or 403(b) plan. That all starts December 31, 2024, and our next guest says “You know how time flies, best to get prepared as soon as you can.” Mike Switzer interviews Scotty Scott, a certified financial planner with Abacus Planning Group in Columbia, S.C.

Each year, our next guest’s investment banking firm names their top 50 fastest growing companies in our state which were recently announced for 2023 at a celebration in Columbia, SC. Dan Adams is president and CEO of The Capital Corporation in Greenville, S.C.

Several years ago, we interviewed our next guest about a chatbot service his company had developed to help residents communicate with their local governments about various issues, such as potholes. Now they have added a multilingual version because many cities are finding that their non-English speaking population is on the rise. Mike Switzer interviews Bratton Riley, cofounder and CEO of Citibot in Charleston, S.C.

Ten years ago, our next guest and his partner decided to leave their leadership positions at GE in the Upstate and start their own company because they believed they could develop a better way to manage the transportation of large cargo loads. Will Stephan is co-founder of Logisticus in Greenville, S.C.

Most people are aware that there are many services available to our community of veterans to help them succeed after their military service is finished. But not even many veterans themselves are aware of our next guest’s resource that can help them start or grow a business. Mike Switzer interviews CJ Williams, director of the South Carolina Veterans Business Outreach Center at the Citadel in Charleston, SC.

If you’ve got your eye on some stocks but want to wait to buy because you think the market may be heading a little lower, then our next guest has a portfolio strategy that will pay you while you wait. Mike Switzer interviews Ashton Lawrence with Mariner Wealth Advisors in Greenville, S.C.

An update of the news, events, and issues that are trending right now across South Carolina's business community. Mike Switzer interviews Alan Cooper, founder and editor of three online business news websites in South Carolina: MidlandsBiz, UpstateBizSC, and LowCountryBizSC.

By now, most of us have heard the phrase “call before you dig,” which is an effort to prevent underground cables, wires, and pipes from being damaged. It’s actually a law in our state and part of a nationwide network. Our next guest runs the company responsible for these efforts in South Carolina and was recently named by SCBizNews as one of the best places to work in our state. Mike Switzer interviews Misty Wise, executive director of SC811 in Columbia, SC.

In case you haven’t noticed, the number of senior living communities has been increasing dramatically over the past decade. Which means it's a fast-growing business to be in, which is right where our next guest is. Danny Sanford is CEO of Still Hopes Episcopal Retirement Community in West Columbia, SC.

In case you haven’t heard, there is a new dean at our state’s flagship university business school. And we have him on the phone. Mike Switzer interviews Rohit Verma, dean of the Darla Moore School of Business at the University of South Carolina in Columbia.

Our state’s economy continues to move forward regardless of the recent rise in inflation and interest rates. How long can this scenario continue? Mike Switzer interviews Joey Von Nessen, chief economist at the Darla Moore School of Business at USC in Columbia, SC.

Mike Switzer interviews John Warner, a serial entrepreneur and founder of Innoventure in Greenville, S.C. John shares an update from the recent Innoventure Futures Festival and about the upcoming Upstate Talent Forum.

Most small companies would love to have millions of followers on social media to help them get their business to the next level. So, most entrepreneurs would be understandably envious of our next guest’s small farm that has over 4 million followers on TikTok. Mike Switzer interviews Jason Southers, co-founder of Goat Daddy Farm in Elgin, S.C.

Most people have heard of angel investors, and angel funds that invest in early stage start-up companies that haven’t quite made it to the level of venture capital funding yet. Angels are usually for-profit investors, but we recently discovered a non-profit angel fund in our state and thought you might want to learn more, too. Mike Switzer interviews Mike Gatchell, CEO and co-founder of Abundance Capital in Greenville, S.C.

As you may have heard on a previous episode of the program, Forbes magazine recently announced their “50 Over 50” Women list, and in the Lifestyle category, the owner of a distillery and women’s magazine in the Lowcountry of our state made that list. Mike Switzer interviews “Pixie” Paula Dezzutti, founder of Striped Pig Distillery and Skirt! magazine in Charleston, SC.

Not many folks can say that they have actively participated in their profession since its infancy. But our next guest has done so for nearly 40 years with a professional designation that can trace its origin to only 54 years ago. Mike Switzer interviews Rick Van Der Noord, one of the inaugural Certified Financial Planners in the nation, and he joins us from his office in Greenville S.C.

An update of the news, events and issues that are trending right now across South Carolina's business community. Mike Switzer interviews Jason Thomas, executive editor of SCBizNews, the company that publishes the Columbia Regional Business Report, Charleston Regional Business Journal, GSA Business and SCBizNews magazine.

Social media has become a major industry over the past decade and a big influence in the advertising industry. Which is keeping our next guest and his students busy at an Upstate university. Mike Switzer interviews Dr. Brandon Boatwright, director of the Social Media Listening Center at Clemson University.

According to our next guest, the real estate market in South Carolina is currently experiencing a great deal of confusion due to recent market shifts, changes in interest rates, and other developments. Mike Switzer interviews Nick Carlson, co-founder of Wilson Associates and current president of the Greater Greenville Association of Realtors in Greenville, SC.

With so many foreign companies locating in our state and buying products made in our state, most people would agree that global engagement is critical to the health of the economy. Which is why our next guest’s organization holds an event for the business community in our Upstate that focuses on international business topics. Mike Switzer interviews Tracie Frese, executive director of the World Affairs Council Upstate, host of the 2023 Global Upstate Conference on International Business and World Affairs taking place in Greer, SC, between October 3 & 4.

Interest rates are on a lot of people’s minds these days as they continue to inch higher. So, we are going to check in with one of our resident financial advisors to see what his advice is for individuals and companies that may need some portfolio rebalancing or loan reshuffling. Mike Switzer interviews Jared Crawford, a certified financial planner in North Myrtle Beach, SC.

Mike Switzer interviews John Warner, a serial entrepreneur and founder of Innoventure in Greenville, S.C. John talks about a recent Post and Courier article about our state’s brain drain and how that will be addressed at the upcoming Innoventure Futures Festival in Greenville, S.C. Sept. 22, 2023.

An upstate business owner was recently named to the prestigious 50 Over 50: Impact list at Forbes magazine, recognizing the achievements of female entrepreneurs and leaders across the country over the age of 50. And that’s putting her in pretty good company alongside names such as Viola Davis, Jamie Lee Curtis and Gloria Steinem. Mike Switzer interviews Britt Vergnolle, founder and CEO of BDV Solutions in Greenville, SC.

Most business owners would agree that a city’s quality of life is an important factor in the recruitment and retainment of quality employees. And that includes art and cultural events. Our next guest is working hard to maintain and grow the level of cultural activity in our state’s capital city. Mike Switzer interviews Mark Rapp, founder and executive director of ColaJazz Foundation, host of the upcoming ColaJazz Fest in Columbia, SC September 30 - October 1.

Careers in environment, agriculture, and forestry are becoming more and more popular in our state thanks to numerous job opportunities in those areas as well as to educational opportunities such as those offered by our next guest’s Upstate university. Mike Switzer interviews Kirby Player, coordinator of the Palmetto Leadership Program for the Environment, Agriculture and Forestry (PLEAF) at Clemson University.

When was the last time your investment advisor suggested to you that CDs were the best place to put your money. I mean, they’re normally all about stocks, right? But our next guest says that, indeed, CDs are his favorite right now. Mike Switzer interviews Doug English, a certified financial planner with ACT Advisors in Charleston, SC.

An update of the news, events and issues that are trending right now across South Carolina's business community. Mike Switzer interviews Alan Cooper, founder and editor of three online business news websites in South Carolina: MidlandsBiz, UpstateBizSC, and LowCountryBizSC.

The start-up community in our capital city recently gained a new resource when our next guest’s nonprofit organization opened up their new facility which is providing co-working and networking opportunities and more thanks to some outside funding that they were able to attain last year. Mike Switzer interviews Caroline Crowder, executive director of GrowCo in Columbia, SC.

Like many states around the country, ours also has pockets across the state’s metropolitan areas where fresh foods are hard to come by…areas known as food deserts. Our next guest is a journalist that has been reporting on this issue and the new trend toward mobile grocery stores. Mike Switzer interviews Jessica Holdman, with the Post and Courier in Columbia, SC.

When the COVID-19 pandemic essentially shut down the international supply chain, many American businesses realized that locally sourced suppliers were going to be essential in avoiding future disruptions in the manufacturing process. As a result, our next guest’s organization decided to help bring a new tool to our state’s manufacturers in an effort to avoid this problem in the future. Mike Switzer interviews Sara Hazzard, president and CEO of the South Carolina Manufacturers Alliance in Columbia. Companies can sign up for Connex South Carolina by visiting SCMEP.org/Connex.

It’s that time again when we like to check in with one of our resident economists to get their perspective on the outlook for our state’s economy and the national picture. Mike Switzer interviews Frank Hefner, Director of the Office of Economic Analysis and Professor of Economics at the College of Charleston.

Mike Switzer interviews John Warner, a serial entrepreneur and founder of Innoventure in Greenville, S.C. John tells us about five big advanced manufacturers in our state that will be presenting the innovation needs at the Innoventure Futures Festival in Greenville, SC Sept. 22, 2023.

A 50-year-old Midlands-area agricultural supply company recently received a $150,000 South Carolina Agribusiness Incentives Grant to help with their $1.2 million expansion into a new county. Mike Switzer interviews Robert Ethridge, president of Mixon Seed Service in Orangeburg, SC.

Over 60 years ago, our next guest’s company got its start in New York launching a line of maintenance products for boats. Then, in 1995, after a merger with a coatings and flooring manufacturer, they relocated to our state and have since expanded into products for the light aviation and recreational vehicle markets and contract manufacturing. Mike Switzer interviews Maike Kowal with Life Industries in North Charleston, SC.

You may have heard our recent interview with Sherry East, president of the South Carolina Education Association about the current teacher shortage in our state. Today, we will hear from someone affiliated with a teacher recruitment initiative funded by the SC Dept. of Education. Mike Switzer interviews Katie Crews, a senior program manager with TEACH South Carolina in Columbia. TeachSC Community Interest Survey for those interested in becoming teachers, volunteers, and/or substitute teachers.

Paying off your mortgage early can seem like a great idea - who wouldn't want to own their home free and clear and stop making monthly payments? But is it always the best move financially? We’ve invited our next guest to the show today to help answer that question. Mike Switzer interviews Garet Strange, a certified financial planner with Hobbs Group Advisors in Columbia, SC.

An update of the news, events and issues that are trending right now across South Carolina's business community. Mike Switzer interviews Jason Thomas, executive editor of SCBizNews, the company that publishes the Columbia Regional Business Report, Charleston Regional Business Journal, GSA Business and SCBizNews magazine.

As we’ve noted recently, the pandemic motivated many people to start their own companies, and in one category more than others - food. After starting her own food truck last year, our next guest recently decided to also enter the commercial kitchen business. Mike Switzer interviews Carena Jones, co-owner of Just Jonesin’ Commissary Kitchen in Columbia, SC.

We’ve come to learn that while many companies closed during the pandemic, many also began. Our next guest is one such example. During the economic shutdown, she and her co-founder turned their hobby of jam-making into a growing enterprise with the help of a grant from the South Carolina Department of Agriculture’s Agribusiness Center for Research and Entrepreneurship, known as ACRE. Mike Switzer interviews Jessica Henry, co-founder of Sakhar Jams in Columbia, SC.

For some reason, most people still believe Georgia is the leading peach grower in the country but actually our state produces three times as much. In fact, only California is ahead of us and the second-largest peach farm in the country is here and is run by our next guest. Mike Switzer interviews Chalmers Carr, CEO of Titan Farms in Ridge Spring, SC.

Everyone’s heard the old adage “don’t put all your eggs in one basket”. And you probably also know this is often applied to investment strategy. Unfortunately, the top 10 stocks in the US market, mostly technology companies, are now concentrated in major indices, like the S&P 500, to the highest degree in nearly five decades. While the performance of this handful of stocks has been terrific over the past 10 years, our next guest says that this concentration now presents a dilemma for investors going forward. Mike Switzer interviews Rob DeHollander, a certified financial planner in Greenville, SC.

Mike Switzer interviews John Warner, a serial entrepreneur and founder of Innoventure in Greenville, S.C. John tells us about new electric vehicle news in SC and the director of the Center for Connected Multimodal Mobility (C2M2) at Clemson University receiving a $20 million grant from US Dept. of Transportation and starting a new center: the National Center for Transportation Cybersecurity and Resiliency (TraCR).

Over the years, we’ve come across many entrepreneurs who have utilized the free mentoring services provided by our next guest’s organization but it’s been a while since we’ve checked in with them. So today we’re ringing them up. Mike Switzer interviews Jim Helfgott, district director for the South Carolina chapter of SCORE.

Natural gas is often listed in the clean energy category. Some people might say a more appropriate moniker would be “cleaner than oil”. But either way, our next guest is plugging away at furthering the growth of the industry as part of a recently formed organization in the Carolinas that represents all parts of the natural gas supply chain, along with public gas entities and economic development groups. Mike Switzer interviews Bruce McKay, a board member of the Carolinas Natural Gas Coalition in Columbia, SC and a senior director of external affairs at Berkshire Hathaway Energy Gas Transmission & Storage in Richmond, VA.

After over 20 years of planning, our next guest’s museum officially opened to the public this June, with a mission of helping visitors learn the full story of the African American journey. Mike Switzer interviews Dr. Tonya M. Matthews, president and CEO of the International African American Museum in Charleston.

We’re in that time of year where many people are going through open enrollment to determine their employer benefits for the next year. So our next guest says that makes this a perfect time for individuals and business owners alike to evaluate their 401(k)s and retirement plans. Mike Switzer interviews Anne Marie Ashworth, a certified financial planner with Abacus Planning Group in Greenville.

An update of the news, events and issues that are trending right now across South Carolina's business community. Mike Switzer interviews Alan Cooper, founder and editor of three online business news websites in South Carolina: MidlandsBiz, UpstateBizSC, and LowCountryBizSC.

Our state has thousands of small businesses and many of them are involved in e-commerce. Our next guest’s nonprofit organization is currently developing a statewide, commission-free, online marketplace that connects our state’s small companies to a centralized e-commerce South Carolina-centric community. Mike Switzer interviews Jenny Boulware with the Municipal Association of South Carolina in Columbia, creators of WeShopSC.

So you have a smartphone and maybe a smartwatch, how about trying smart jewelry? Our next guest’s Upstate start-up has, in fact, patented a smart earring that tracks biodata, such as body temperature, activity, sleep, and even women’s fertility and menstrual cycles. Mike Switzer interviews Lindsey Calcutt, CEO of Incora Health in Greenville, SC.