Building Business w/ the Mount Pleasant Chamber of Commerce

The Building Business podcast provides compelling stories of the Mount Pleasant Chamber of Commerce's journey, its steadfast commitment to the local community, and its forward-thinking approach to addressing the needs of businesses in an ever-changing landscape. It stands as an invitation to listeners to become part of a movement that values growth, connection, and the collective progress of the Mount Pleasant, South Carolina community. Be prepared to be inspired, informed, and motivated, as we provide a rich tapestry of stories that celebrate the dynamic interplay of business and personal growth right here, in our own backyard. Interested in Sponsorship? Find out more: https://canva.link/an5n4zvm49q6u8t

Building Business w/ the Mount Pleasant Chamber of Commerce is a business podcast hosted by Mount Pleasant Chamber of Commerce, with 50 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

Mount Pleasant Chamber of Commerce hosts Building Business w/ the Mount Pleasant Chamber of Commerce, a business show with 50 episodes published.

Our AI reads these to draft pitches. Use them as grounding for a pitch that cites a real guest and a specific topic.

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  Episode #19

  What Happens When Community Becomes A Growth Strategy w/ Alison Reed

  Aug 18, 20266 minS5

  Your numbers can either cloud your decisions or sharpen them fast. We sit down with Alison Reed, a Mount Pleasant small business owner who runs a local bookkeeping company and practically lives in QuickBooks, helping clients turn day-to-day transactions into clean, usable financials they can actually trust. We talk about what her bookkeeping services look like in the real world, from supporting trades like construction, plumbing, and landscaping to helping nonprofits stay organized and accountable. Alison shares why being based at the Harbor Entrepreneur Center matters, how remote work fits into her model, and what she’s learned after nearly three full years in business. If you’ve ever wondered what “good books” should feel like, this conversation breaks it down in plain language: clarity, consistency, and fewer surprises. We also dig into small business marketing that doesn’t feel gimmicky. Alison explains why the Mount Pleasant Chamber and local networking drive so much of her growth, what changes when you show up as a vendor at an expo instead of only attending, and how word of mouth spreads when you serve your neighbors well. She also shares her path from middle school math teacher to business owner and why stepping into a treasurer role is a natural extension of doing careful financial work. If you’re building a business in Mount Pleasant or anywhere else and want better bookkeeping, stronger QuickBooks systems, and a smarter approach to local referrals, hit play. Subscribe, share this with a fellow owner, and leave a review with your biggest bookkeeping challenge so we can tackle it next. This is a grounded guide for founders, contractors, agency owners, manufacturers, and service leaders across Charleston and beyond who want a no-nonsense path to an exit. We share red flags that can sink deals, the role of local market knowledge, and how Viking’s success-based model aligns incentives. Join us, get practical next steps, and walk away knowing exactly how to make your future sale smoother. www.vikingmergers.com Presenting Sponsor: Mount Pleasant Chamber of Commerce Studio Sponsor: Charleston Media Solutions Episode Sponsor: Viking Mergers & Acquisitions Expo Podcast Sponsor: ‪ Pollen Social‬ Production Sponsor: RMBO.co Design Sponsor: DK Design Interested in Sponsorship? Click here . Committee: Kathleen Herrmann | Host | MPCC Past President | Mount Pleasant Towne Centre Mike Compton | Co-host | Podcast Committee | RMBO.co Rebecca Imholz | Co-host | MPCC Executive Director Amanda Bunting Comen | Co-host | MPCC Marketing & Communications Benjamin Nesvold | Co-host | MPCC President | Edward Jones

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  Episode #18

  Washington Cafe, Community, And Culture w/ Peter Washington

  Aug 4, 202628 minS5

  You can feel it when a business is built on purpose and the Washington Cafe is exactly that. Mike Compton sits down with Peter Washington, a Lowcountry native who left for the DC and Baltimore area, built a corporate IT career (including PayPal and Happy Returns), then came back home and decided Mount Pleasant needed more than just another place to grab caffeine. What started with a ribbon cutting and a warm welcome quickly turned into neighborhood momentum, daily regulars, and a clear mission: create a space that feels like community, not just commerce. We talk through the real origin story, from landing the physical space near Highway 17 North to learning the craft behind quality coffee through Counter Culture Coffee’s tasting program. Peter shares how he thinks about consistency, partnerships that keep ownership in your hands, and why “the right people” matter as much as the right product. Then we get into the fun part: tea sourced through Donna Tea, specialty drinks like the Washington Fizz, matcha, hibiscus, and refreshers designed for a South Carolina summer. The conversation also goes beyond the cup. Peter explains how he curates local art to spotlight up-and-coming artists, why the cafe doubles as a mini gallery, and how his food program leans into memory and tradition with pastries and breakfast sandwiches from local baker Christina Miller. If you care about Mount Pleasant small business, Charleston coffee culture, or how to build a community-focused cafe with real personality, you’ll leave with ideas you can use. Subscribe, share this with a friend who loves great coffee, and leave a review telling us your go-to cafe order. This is a grounded guide for founders, contractors, agency owners, manufacturers, and service leaders across Charleston and beyond who want a no-nonsense path to an exit. We share red flags that can sink deals, the role of local market knowledge, and how Viking’s success-based model aligns incentives. Join us, get practical next steps, and walk away knowing exactly how to make your future sale smoother. www.vikingmergers.com Presenting Sponsor: Mount Pleasant Chamber of Commerce Studio Sponsor: Charleston Media Solutions Episode Sponsor: Viking Mergers & Acquisitions Expo Podcast Sponsor: ‪ Pollen Social‬ Production Sponsor: RMBO.co Design Sponsor: DK Design Interested in Sponsorship? Click here . Committee: Kathleen Herrmann | Host | MPCC Past President | Mount Pleasant Towne Centre Mike Compton | Co-host | Podcast Committee | RMBO.co Rebecca Imholz | Co-host | MPCC Executive Director Amanda Bunting Comen | Co-host | MPCC Marketing & Communications Benjamin Nesvold | Co-host | MPCC President | Edward Jones

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  Episode #17

  How Chamber Networking Turns Into Real Community Growth w/ Keith Lovas of Graze Craze

  Jul 21, 202615 minS3

  A lot of “networking” feels like walking around with your pitch loaded. Live from the Mount Pleasant Chamber Expo, we talk with Keith Lovas, a local entrepreneur and dad, about a different approach: build trust first, help other businesses, and let the growth follow. Keith shares why the Mount Pleasant Chamber became a key part of launching Graze Craze and how showing up consistently creates the kind of community connections you cannot buy with ads. We get into the practical side of community-based marketing: supporting schools, donating for teachers, running give-back months, and saying yes to local events because it creates real goodwill and real visibility. Keith breaks down why a genuine post recommending another local business can be more powerful than a “salesy” promotion, especially when it’s tied to authentic stories about who you are, where you live, and why you care. If you’re focused on local SEO, word of mouth, and five-star reviews, this conversation connects the dots between relationships and discoverability. Keith also shares the personal pivot behind the brand, leaving a lucrative corporate construction career because it lacked happiness and joy. We talk about running a two-person operation, protecting a high-end standard, and balancing long days with family boundaries. Plus, we cover what goes into premium charcuterie boards, why quality ingredients drive price, and how corporate gifting can be more memorable than another basket of crackers and mustard. If you like conversations about small business growth, community partnerships, and doing work you’re proud of, subscribe, share this with a local owner, and leave a quick review so more people can find the show. This is a grounded guide for founders, contractors, agency owners, manufacturers, and service leaders across Charleston and beyond who want a no-nonsense path to an exit. We share red flags that can sink deals, the role of local market knowledge, and how Viking’s success-based model aligns incentives. Join us, get practical next steps, and walk away knowing exactly how to make your future sale smoother. www.vikingmergers.com Presenting Sponsor: Mount Pleasant Chamber of Commerce Studio Sponsor: Charleston Media Solutions Episode Sponsor: Viking Mergers & Acquisitions Expo Podcast Sponsor: ‪ Pollen Social‬ Production Sponsor: RMBO.co Design Sponsor: DK Design Interested in Sponsorship? Click here . Committee: Kathleen Herrmann | Host | MPCC Past President | Mount Pleasant Towne Centre Mike Compton | Co-host | Podcast Committee | RMBO.co Rebecca Imholz | Co-host | MPCC Executive Director Amanda Bunting Comen | Co-host | MPCC Marketing & Communications Benjamin Nesvold | Co-host | MPCC President | Edward Jones

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  Episode #16

  How Wonderworks Built A Community-Famous Toy Store w/ Christine Osborne

  Jul 7, 20261h 4mS3

  A toy store doesn’t end up in the Hall of Fame by accident. When Christine Osborne walks into a room, she brings the kind of energy that makes people say yes, show up, and feel like they belong and that same spirit turned Wonderworks Toys into one of Mount Pleasant’s most loved small businesses. Christine joins us to share how she built “magic” with smart retail fundamentals, relentless community care, and relationships that compound over decades. We get into the real origin story: leaving a career in occupational therapy, pitching a science and nature store idea, and getting turned down until the moment the right banker understood the vision and wrote the check. From there, Christine explains how independent retail grows through vendor partnerships, product testing, and honest feedback loops that help brands improve. She also challenges the usual idea of competition, describing how local shops refer customers to each other because serving people matters more than “winning” a single sale. Some of the most moving moments are about impact. Christine tells the story of Harper, a young cancer patient who pushed for thousands of toys for the children’s hospital and how a simple social media promise became a massive community-powered delivery. After selling Wonderworks to a dedicated team member who spent 26 years learning the business, Christine keeps paying it forward as entrepreneur in residence at the College of Charleston, mentoring students, promoting boards of advisors, and helping founders learn from mistakes without getting stuck in them. If you care about entrepreneurship, independent retail, small business marketing, and Charleston community leadership, hit play. Then subscribe, share this with a local business owner, and leave a review so more people can find the show. This is a grounded guide for founders, contractors, agency owners, manufacturers, and service leaders across Charleston and beyond who want a no-nonsense path to an exit. We share red flags that can sink deals, the role of local market knowledge, and how Viking’s success-based model aligns incentives. Join us, get practical next steps, and walk away knowing exactly how to make your future sale smoother. www.vikingmergers.com Presenting Sponsor: Mount Pleasant Chamber of Commerce Studio Sponsor: Charleston Media Solutions Episode Sponsor: Viking Mergers & Acquisitions Expo Podcast Sponsor: ‪ Pollen Social‬ Production Sponsor: RMBO.co Design Sponsor: DK Design Interested in Sponsorship? Click here . Committee: Kathleen Herrmann | Host | MPCC Past President | Mount Pleasant Towne Centre Mike Compton | Co-host | Podcast Committee | RMBO.co Rebecca Imholz | Co-host | MPCC Executive Director Amanda Bunting Comen | Co-host | MPCC Marketing & Communications Benjamin Nesvold | Co-host | MPCC President | Edward Jones

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  Episode #15

  Charleston RiverDogs Season Preview: Live at the MPCC Expo

  Jun 16, 20268 minS3

  You can feel it when a local team isn’t just playing games, it’s building a community calendar. From the floor of a bustling expo, we sit down with Keith Millick from the Charleston RiverDogs to talk about what happens after a season ends and how a club keeps its momentum rolling into the next year. The 2026 schedule is out, and Keith makes it clear they’re not going anywhere. We get practical about offseason engagement and what the RiverDogs ballpark can be beyond minor league baseball. Think social media updates that actually tell you what’s happening, plus real event options at the stadium like the Segra Club for weddings, seminars, and business meetings. Keith even shares how groups have rented the whole stadium for creative team days, proof that this venue can flex for Charleston corporate events and community gatherings. Then we shift to the on-field pipeline and the bigger baseball ecosystem. Keith breaks down the RiverDogs’ role as a Low-A affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays and why the MLB draft is a yearly spark for new talent and new storylines. We also talk about what fans really come for: entertainment, traditions, family-friendly nights, and a ballpark experience that keeps attendance strong across the Carolina League. If you’ve been looking for a reason to plan a RiverDogs night, or a new place to host your next group outing, this conversation points you in the right direction. Subscribe, share this with a Charleston friend, and leave a review so more people can find the show. What’s your favorite minor league ballpark memory? This is a grounded guide for founders, contractors, agency owners, manufacturers, and service leaders across Charleston and beyond who want a no-nonsense path to an exit. We share red flags that can sink deals, the role of local market knowledge, and how Viking’s success-based model aligns incentives. Join us, get practical next steps, and walk away knowing exactly how to make your future sale smoother. www.vikingmergers.com Presenting Sponsor: Mount Pleasant Chamber of Commerce Studio Sponsor: Charleston Media Solutions Episode Sponsor: Viking Mergers & Acquisitions Expo Podcast Sponsor: ‪ Pollen Social‬ Production Sponsor: RMBO.co Design Sponsor: DK Design Interested in Sponsorship? Click here . Committee: Kathleen Herrmann | Host | MPCC Past President | Mount Pleasant Towne Centre Mike Compton | Co-host | Podcast Committee | RMBO.co Rebecca Imholz | Co-host | MPCC Executive Director Amanda Bunting Comen | Co-host | MPCC Marketing & Communications Benjamin Nesvold | Co-host | MPCC President | Edward Jones

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