South Carolina’s Small Business Resources Abound

By Mike Switzer

Published March 16, 2017 at 4:51 AM EDT

South Carolina’s reservoir of small business assistance resources has grown exponentially over the past 10 years. However, one such organization has been here for decades and their services have grown, as well.

Mike Switzer interviews Martin Short, economic development and public affairs specialist for the South Carolina district office of the US Small Business Administration in Columbia.

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Mike Switzer

After almost 20 years, Mike Switzer retired from Wells Fargo Securities in 2001 as Senior Vice President/Investment Officer and Certified Portfolio Manager. In 1999, he and his wife, Maggie, purchased and operated for eight years the Baskin Robbins ice cream store on Forest Drive in Columbia. They grew the store from a bottom-tier operation in the Baskin Robbins franchise system to one in the top 5% nationwide within three years, tripling sales along the way. While operating the ice cream store, Mike and Maggie received patents for a portable ice cream sink and fold-down sneezeguard they invented and in 2002 started Magnolia Carts, an ice cream cart manufacturing company, which they sold in 2013.

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