April 26, 2019 Upstate Business Journal

APRIL 26, 2019| VOL. 8 ISSUE 10

Striving to

Serve USC Upstate leads the way for growth in Greenville

Brendan Kelly chancellor

University of South Carolina Upstate

The 2019 A 220 Sedan

A is for attention-getting.

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*Available only to qualified customers through Mercedes-Benz Financial Services at participating dealers through April 30, 2019. Not everyone will qualify. Advertised 36 months lease payment based on MSRP of $34,045 less the suggested dealer contribution of $750 resulting in a total gross capitalized cost of $33,295. Dealer contribution may vary and could affect your actual lease payment.

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TOP-OF-MIND AND IN THE MIX THIS WEEK

| THE RUNDOWN

VOLUME 8, ISSUE 10 Featured this issue: A look inside design group Jack Porter’s new office................................ 4 Family-owned Rush Wilson Limited all about relationship.................. 8 Village Launch teaches entrepreneurs skills for success.......................14

WORTH REPEATING

“We’re trying to create a better place to live for students, a better place to learn and certainly a better to work for everybody who is part of this university community.”

Chancellor Brendan Kelley, Page 10

“We like to say, running a business is not hard work, but you have to work hard.”

The long-awaited opening of Topgolf Greenville, the 55,000-square-foot golf entertainment venue, is here. At 9 a.m. on April 26, the public can access the 72 climate-controlled hitting bays and eat and drink from the full service kitchens and bars that occupy all three levels.

Mallory Boyd, Page 15

Greenville, meet Fifth Third Bank.

Front: Steven Niedringhaus, Regan McClain, Angie Long, Charlie Arndt Back: Richard Crumpler, Matt Gearhart, James Jones, Todd Ripley, Gency Kirk

We are proud to introduce you to our new Commercial and Private Bank team.

To get in touch, contact James Jones at James.Jones2@53.com or call us at 864-558-2483.

Fifth Third Bank, Member FDIC. CS5031

4.26.2019 | upstatebusinessjournal.com

3

DESIGN

Jack Porter’s new space n photos by WILL CROOKS

Jack Porter, an experiential design group specializing in branded sports environments and interactive design, recently moved into their new office space on West Stone Avenue.

The newly renovated, 7,000 square-foot space has an open floor plan that makes it easy for designers, strategists, media specialists and production team members to collaborate. The office’s front retail façade features large glass windows. The

DESIGN

We arepleased pleased to announce We are to announce to announce William A.A. Murphy William Murphy o announce Murphy

is now Director – Investments is nowaaManaging Managing Director – Investments g Director – Investments Murphy William A. Murphy We are pleased to announce A. Murphy SeniorWilliam Financial Advisor - Wealth Management Senior Financial Advisor - Wealth Management gphy Director – Investments William A. 15 S MainMurphy St Fl 2 dvisor - Wealth Management

wooden and steel awning that spans the storefront is a nod to mid-century modern design.

Christina Harrell and Danny Stemann founded Jack Porter nine years ago to create transformative, high-impact designs in college athletic facilities.

“Danny and I saw this as an opportunity to create an office space that reflects who we are as a firm and accommodate our growth,” said Harrell.

Greenville, SC 29601

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Greenville, SC 29601 William A. Murphy

Direct: 467-2580 llsfargo.com Investment and InsuranceisProducts: NOT FDIC Insured u NO Bank Guarantee– u MAY Lose Value now au (864) Managing Director Investments will.a.murphy@wellsfargo.com Wells Fargo Advisors is a trade name used by Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC, Member SIPC, a registered broker-dealer and non-bank affiliate of Wells Fargo & fargoadvisors.com/will.a.murphy William A. Murphy

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Company. © 2009, 2013, 2016 Wellshttps://home.wellsfargoadvisors.com/will.a.murphy Fargo ClearingSenior Services, LLC. All rights reserved.

Financial Advisor - Wealth Management

Wells Fargo Advisors is a trade name used by Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC, Member SIPC, a registered broker-dealer and non-bank affiliate of Wells Fargo & Wells Fargo Advisors is a trade name used by Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC, Member SIPC, a registered broker-dealer and non-bank affiliate of Wells Fargo & Company. © 2009, 2013, 2016 Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC. All rights reserved.

4

UBJ | 4.26.2019

0718-01805

92979-v2 A1547

© 2009, 2013, 2016 Wells Clearing Services, LLC. All rightsaffiliate reserved.of Wells Fargo & ng Services, LLC,Company.

Member SIPC, a registered Fargo broker-dealer and non-bank Investment and Insurance Products: u NOT FDIC Insured u NO Bank Guarantee u MAY Lose Value . All rights reserved.

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0718-01805 S MainFDIC St Fl 2 Insured u NO Bank Guarantee u MAY Lose Value Investment and Insurance Products: u15NOT u NO Bank Guarantee u MAY Lose Value Greenville, SC 29601 Direct: (864) 467-2580 Wells Fargo Advisors is a trade name used by Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC, Member SIPC, a registered broker-dealer and non-bank affiliate of Wells Fargo & ing Services, LLC, Member SIPC, a registered broker-dealer and non-bank affiliate of Wells Fargo & Company. © 2009, 2013, 2016 Wells Fargo will.a.murphy@wellsfargo.com Clearing Services, LLC. All rights reserved. https://home.wellsfargoadvisors.com/will.a.murphy LC. All rights reserved.

Investment and Insurance Products: u NOT FDIC Insured u NO Bank Guarantee u MAY Lose Value u NO Bank Guarantee u MAY Lose Value 0718-01805

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is now a Managing Director – Investments

15 S Main St Fl 2 hy Direct: (864) 467-2580 Greenville, SC 29601 visor - Wealth Management will.a.murphy@wellsfargo.com 01 William A.Direct: Murphy(864) 467-2580 https://home.wellsfargoadvisors.com/will.a.murphy 2580 Senior Financial Advisor - Wealth Management will.a.murphy@wellsfargo.com ellsfargo.com We are pleased to announce 1 15 S Main Sthttps://home.wellsfargoadvisors.com/will.a.murphy Fl 2 lsfargoadvisors.com/will.a.murphy 580

0718-01805

NEED TO KNOW

| NEWS

REAL ESTATE REAL ESTATE

The Cliffs Q1 sales increase, break ground on Lakehouse n story by ARIEL TURNER | photos PROVIDED

Under new ownership as of February, The Cliffs logged a nearly 30 percent increase of Q1 sales over last year’s numbers, and also broke ground on The Cliffs at Keowee Vineyards Lakehouse.

South Street Partners announced both of these initial benchmarks of their recent ownership, indicating their growth trajectory in both sales and amenities.

“This project aligns strongly with our vision to take The Cliffs communities to new heights through a well-rounded, lifestyle-focused approach to the

private club experience,” said South Street partner Will Culp of the Lakehouse addition.

During the first quarter, Cliffs Realty and Walnut Cove Realty closed a total of 37 sales, equaling $24 million, at the luxury mountain and lake club communities in Upstate South Carolina and Western North Carolina.

“Each of our regions continues to attract new buyers, and we are seeing an increase in listing prices for both homes and lots,” said Chris Randolph, South Street partner. “This is a great time for prospective buyers to invest at The Cliffs.”

Poe West development to include new coffee roastery and cafe n story by ARIEL TURNER | photos PROVIDED

The 60,000 square-foot mixeduse development Poe West in The West Village of Greenville announced a coffee roaster tenant to its lineup of culinary and maker-focused occupants.

Unlocked Coffee Roasters, a local startup owned by Andres Camargo and Rocío Salazar, plans to open its first shop and café at the property located at 556 Perry Ave. in late summer 2019.

Camargo and Salazar, a married couple with Colombian heritage and a social impact mission, plan to use the shop and roastery to empower local women in shelters and support Colombian farmers while providing high quality coffee.

CBRE’s Blaine Hart and Tommy Molin are spearheading leasing efforts at Poe West and represented the landlord and developer, The

Furman Co., in the lease transaction.

The Poe West development, which broke ground in March, is anchored by Greenville Technical College Center for Culinary and Hospitality Innovation (CHI). Carolina Bauernhaus, LaRue Fine Chocolate, and Six & Twenty Distillery announced their occupancy earlier this year.

GREAT CONTRACTORS + GREAT BENEFITS = STAFFING REINVENTED We built The Hiring Group because we knew there was a better way to treat the technical professional community in the staffing space. By doing so, we’ve created the only true retention-focused technical staffing firm in the Southeast.”

www.TheHiringGroup.com 4.26.2019 | upstatebusinessjournal.com

5

NEWS |

NEED TO KNOW

WELCOME TO YOUR CONFERENCE ROOM. RETAIL & HOSPITALITY

Plankowner Brewing Co. opens in Boiling Springs n story by ARIEL TURNER | photos PROVIDED

APRIL 30 FLUOR FIELD FIRST PITCH @ 2PM Join us for a beautiful day of baseball & networking as we celebrate the businesses & leaders most responsible for the economic success of our downtown community.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT GreenvilleDrive.com 6

UBJ | 4.26.2019

Don’t let the Boiling Springs address deter you.

The new Plankowner Brewing Co. at 109 Sloane Garden Road, Boiling Springs, is literally steps from Interstate 85 exit 75, making it a straight 25- to 30-minute shot from Greenville and even closer to downtown Spartanburg.

Plankowner is hosting its grand opening from 3 p.m.-midnight April 26 with food, live music, and several of their beers.

In the former Abbott Farms store, the 6,335-square-foot brewery is the passion project of a former Navy man, Shawn Waggoner, who was commissioned on the USS Cowpens. The name of the ship led him to the Revolutionary War battleground in Spartanburg County, and after visiting Cowpens for five years, he decided to move to the area.

The name, Plankowner, refers to an individual who was a member of the

crew of a United States Navy ship or United States Coast Guard cutter when that ship was placed in commission.

So far, the majority of the brewery’s hires are former military, in keeping with Waggoner’s vision of supporting his fellow veterans.

“It’s very important to put our values out there,” he says.

Waggoner says that outworking of the motto entails the commitment to making good-quality beer, being as sustainable as possible, and being a part of the community.

Waggoner, as 42 percent owner, and a group of investors bought the property earlier this year and over the last few months they have renovated the interior into a nautical-themed space.

Whites, navy blue, and teak wood tones are the main decor elements, with ropes as accents. Each of the tanks of the seven-barrel system is named after a Caribbean island.

The space and seating are designed for guests to kick back and stay awhile, Waggoner says.

Beers planned for opening are Frigate Ale (ale-lager hybrid), Beam Reach (blackberry blonde ale), John Paul Jones (colonial ale), Scurvy Dog (citrus pale ale), Coastal Carolina Wheat (using all wheat from South Carolina), and Busted Rudder (porter with peanut and chocolate).

The food menu will include Old Bay popcorn, charcuterie, conch fritters, hot and cold sandwiches, chicken wings, fish sandwiches, and bangers and mash.

The family friendly brewery will be open seven days a week. Planned hours are 4-10 p.m. Monday-Thursday, noon-midnight Friday-Saturday, and noon-7 p.m. Sunday, with a goal of eventually serving brunch.

Visit plankownerbrewing.com for more information.

SPONSORED

HEALTH & WELLNESS

Sugar - not a foe, but no friend either A BALANCED APPROACH CAN BLEND HEALTH AND ENJOYMENT Dr. Jana Morse says that while sugar is vilified in many diet plans, it’s not the enemy - though processed sugar adds no nutrition and is frequently consumed in much greater quantities than our bodies can burn.

“If I’m out cycling and I need something to burn, sugar is not a bad option,” said Morse, an avid cyclist.

“It’s fuel.” But for those with a sedentary lifestyle, processed sugar is unnecessary because the extra fuel is not needed - and can cause inflammation, along with other deleterious effects.

Our bodies produce insulin to absorb the sugar into our fat cells and remove it from our bloodstream, but too much sugar and our body can’t produce enough insulin to control it.

“Excess consumption of sugar or simple carbohydrates can lead to the development of Type II diabetes,” Morse said.

Chronic inflammation caused by extra sugar intake can increase risk for autoimmune disease, cardiovascular disease such as heart attack and stroke, and neurodegenerative disease such as Alzheimer’s.

While processed sugar is okay in limited amounts, especially for active people, unprocessed sugar is a much healthier choice, Morse said. Unprocessed sugar such as that found in fruits comes blended with fiber, which slows absorption of sugar, as well as key vitamins and minerals. And, most

importantly, unprocessed sugars in fruit come in a more appropriate portion.

“If you’re eating oranges, you might eat one or two, but not six,” Morse said. “But if you drink a glass of juice, it might contain the juice of six oranges. If you eat fruit, you’ll be getting a smaller quantity of sugar than you would if you have juices, sweets and desserts.”

Morse, who has long advocated a healthy, balanced lifestyle for her patients, said that strict diets eliminating all processed sugars are unnecessary and can backfire.

Keepingshe your “There is a lot of individuality,” leadership said. “If I have one cookie, I need 10 more, so I might stay away.

If you at the leading can limit your consumption, go edge health. ahead. You just have to knowof yourself.”

When craving sugar, a great first step is to have a glass of water, as people often confuse sugar cravings and thirst.

Another technique is to think about why you are craving sugar, since people sometimes use itYou to soothe their emotions. know healthy leadership is essential to business success. So do we.

The same We’re calming effect could be leading might enjoy oncare certain occasions and PartnerMD, Greenville’s concierge practice specializing achieved through walking, listening in executive physicals and primary care to equip progressive businesses in moderation. to music orlike reading. yours with the latest advancements in medicine holistic wellness “My goal is not toand have people weigh Another for wayyou to and think about pro- We your leadership. tailor ouramount,” programs she to your a certain said,exacting ”but to cessed sugar is to view it as customized similar to control needs, providing enables executives to perform enjoythat their life disease-free and enjoy alcohol - something that know at the peak of you health and is excelwhat everythey day love through care soas personal, to do for long as not improving your health but you it’s like having a doctor in thepossible.” family.

It’s your health.

What are you waiting for?

n story by LEIGH SAVAGE

“If I have one cookie, I need 10 more, so I might stay away. If you can limit your consumption, go ahead. You just have to know yourself.”

Dr. Jana Morse

Greenville’s leading concierge care and corporate health provider.

12 Maple Tree Ct. Ste 103, Greenville, SC 29615

Experience more personalized care today.

Call 864-315-1340 to schedule your free consultation with a concierge primary care physician or a free wellness assessment with a health coach.

Greenville’s leader in concierge primary care.

partnerMD.com 12 Maple Tree Ct., Ste 103 Greenville, SC 29615 4.26.2019 | upstatebusinessjournal.com

7

NEWS |

SMALL BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT

INSIDE

‘Building relationships’: Family-owned Rush Wilson Limited menswear store nearing 70 years n story by ARIEL GILREATH | photos by JACK CONNOLLY

Rush Wilson Jr. was only 23 years old when he entered into a partnership to co-own a men’s clothing store called Wilson Wright in Davidson, North Carolina on Aug. 20, 1950.

A World War II veteran of the U.S. Marines, Rush Wilson Jr. started worked in department stores throughout high school and college, and once he finished military service, he decided to open his own store. He became the full owner just a few years after Wilson Wright opened and renamed it Rush Wilson Limited.

In 1959, he opened a second store on Main Street in Greenville, where he moved his family six years later, and closed the Davidson store in 1969. At the time, Rush Wilson Limited was one of less than a dozens menswear stores downtown.

His trademark was one the store still specializes in today — suits with natural shoulders.

“

Rush Wilson III started working in his dad’s store when he was 12 years old — sweeping the floors, washing w indows, rigging mannequins. At 15 years old, he sold his first suit.

Like his dad, Rush Wilson has an uncanny ability to remember names and faces — he’s been in charge of the store for about 21 years now, and he can remember all of his loyal customers.

“Our business is based on relationships and giving good service,” Rush Wilson III said.

“Offering products that fit our customer’s lifestyle, and then building relationships with the customer where they want to come back.”

His son, Rush Wilson IV — who goes by Jay — is planning to take over the store once his father retires.

Like his dad, Jay started working in the store as a teenager and in college

Our business is based on relationships and giving good service. Offering products that fit our customer’s lifestyle, and then building relationships with the customer where they want to come back.

RUSH WILSON III

At the time, most suits had rigid, squared-off shoulders, but Rush Wilson Jr. looked to styles in New York and New England and discovered the sloped, natural shoulders he would market for decades.

Now, Rush Wilson Limited has been on West North Street right off Main for 41 years, and it’s been run by three generations of Rush Wilsons.

8

UBJ | 4.26.2019

— six years ago, he quit his job at T.D. Bank to work in the shop full time.

“I was nervous about making the change,” Jay Wilson said. “But as soon as I got here, I recognized all the brands because I grew up in it.

It was an easy transition. It just felt natural.”

It’s been 69 years since Rush

Wilson Jr. first opened his Davidson store, and 60 years since its move to Greenville. Now, the store has been in a fixture for menswear in Downtown Greenville. Almost every customer gets fitted before leaving Rush Wilson Limited, the Wilsons remember them.

“I would say we know every single one of them,” Rush Wilson III said.

This series is made possible by the support of our community partners at

864.908.3062 atlocke.com

The Baton Rouge Topgolf, pictured, is a similar style to Greenville’s.

The view from Topgolf Greenville’s second deck

RETAIL & HOSPITALITY

Topgolf opens April 26 n story by ARIEL TURNER | photos provided by TOPGOLF

photo by ARIEL TURNER

Each of the three floors has a full kitchen and bar

Topgolf Greenville at 201 Clifton Court opens April 26 at 9 a.m.

At a preview of the new location, guides said reservations would not be available immediately -- possibly until mid-May. In other words, get ready to wait in long lines if you plan to check out the venue when it first opens.

The three-floor, 55,000-squarefoot, golf entertainment venue is located on the 77-acre property near the intersection of Pelham and Garlington roads, anchoring Garlington Park, a new mixedused development along I-85 that is currently under construction for occupancy this year.

All three levels have full service

kitchens and bars and 72 climate-controlled hitting bays that can accommodate up to six players. Players can bring their own clubs or use ones provided to hit golf balls with computer microchips to track the distance and accuracy of shots. Private event spaces for company use, birthday parties, and even baby gender reveals are available.

Programming includes a kids summer golf academy, memberships, lessons from golf pros, and more.

Hiring for the this 54th Topgolf location continues for all positions with more than 450 hirings expected total.

Learn more at topgolf.com.

4.26.2019 | upstatebusinessjournal.com

9

F E A T U R E

photo by WILL CROOKS

Up. Together.

USC Upstate leads the way for growth in Greenville n story by BOB CASTELLO | photos PROVIDED

10

UBJ | 4.26.2019

Brendan Kelly realizes he’s an easy target.

“I’m 6-5, I’m always in a suit and I walk fast,” said Kelly, who is two years into his position as chancellor at the University of South Carolina Upstate.

He can be caught, but more often than not, he stops on his own to talk with students, faculty members, various other employees of the school — anyone from whom he can gain insight.

Since his arrival in March 2017, USC Upstate, which Kelly said has an economic impact of $506 billion in a 10-county region of the Upstate, has seen its enrollment rise from 5,821 to 6,175 (it’s the fifth-largest university in the state); its academic affairs undergo a total reorganization; and its athletic teams switch conferences.

Kelly also has overseen the implementation of a strategic plan — “Up. Together” — that he hopes will lead the way for even more growth in the years to come.

“We’re trying to create a better place to live for students, a better place to learn and certainly a better place to work for everybody who is part of this university community,” Kelly said.

Kelly, 44, a native of Flint, Michigan, has merged simple roots with a background in speech and debate in order to not only speak to the masses but listen to them.

“I worked in restaurants while I was in college and high school,” he said. “The only thing that makes a successful restaurant is, how much does the customer enjoy the food and the experience? That’s a lot of things tied together. How clean is

the University of West Florida.

Kelly and his wife, Tressa, both have their PhD’s. Tressa Kelly was on the staff at EMU and UWF and is now an adjunct instructor at both Wofford and UWF. The couple has three children: Bree, 18, Liam 15, and Kieran 12.

Brendan Kelly earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Eastern Michigan and a doctorate from Wayne State University in

“

F E A T U R E

The only thing that should be hard about going to college is the work you do in class. Everything else should be easy. If it’s not, then we’re doing it wrong.

BRENDAN KELLY

chancellor, University of South Carolina Upstate

photo PROVIDED

the floor? How good is the service?

How does the food taste? Do I feel like people were grateful that I came? I think those same principles work anywhere.

“For us, we have to be assessing the national landscape in higher education and addressing all of the institutional priorities, of course.

But at the end of the day, it’s the user experience. … The only thing that should be hard about going to college is the work you do in class.

Everything else should be easy. If it’s not, then we’re doing it wrong.

We have to make it so that we remove impediments.”

Kelly has been all about creating more and better opportunities for both the students and the area businesses for which they are likely to serve. After all, more than 80 percent of the university’s graduates remain in the Upstate.

Kelly has engrained himself in the community after beginning his career in his home state at Eastern Michigan University, his alma mater, and serving for 13 years at

Detroit. He was a faculty member and the director of the speech and debate program at EMU, which was one of the top three programs in the country.

In 2004, he moved to West Florida, which didn’t even have a speech and debate team.

“Four years later,” he said, “we were one of the top 20 teams in the country.”

He went on to become chair of the Department of Communication Arts, then director of the School of Fine, Performing and Communication Arts and then vice president of university advancement.

Kelly said he was being recruited by several universities, but USC Upstate stood out.

“All I saw was opportunity, because there weren’t other large regional comprehensive universities providing for the needs of this region,” Kelly said.

Since Kelly’s arrival, academics have undergone a facelift. The College of Arts and Sciences has been eliminated and University

What they’re [up] to n Better opportunities After all, more than 80 percent of the university’s graduates remain in the Upstate.

n An academic facelift The College of Arts and Sciences has been eliminated and University College has been created.

n Upgraded athletics USC Upstate moved from the Atlantic Sun Conference to the Big South Conference.

n More Places to Sit Initiative Calls for improving education, enhancing the quality of life in the Upstate and being the “university of choice” 4.26.2019 | upstatebusinessjournal.com

11

photos by LES DUGGINS

A DIALOGUE FOR WOMEN IN SALES This lunchtime event will explore the nuances of being both female and a sales professional. Join us to hear from two expert speakers, a panel discussion, and lunch.

April 29, 2019 • 10:30AM - 2PM • The Commerce Club TICKETS: $20, includes lunch ———————— SPEAKERS ————————

Lorraine Ferguson

11:00 AM - 12:00 Noon The Unapologetic Saleswoman

Dr. Rebecca Heiss

1:00 PM – 2:00 PM The Biology of Business

PANEL DISCUSSION: 12:00 NOON - 1:00 PM

PERSONAL STORIES OF CHALLENGES AND VICTORIES Moderator: Emily Yepes, Director of Sales, Community Journals — HOSTED BY —

Stephanie Lewis

Jada Magiera

Office Managing Principal HR Business Partner with of the Greenville law office Propel HR – a professional of Jackson Lewis P.C. employer organization (PEO)

Leslie Haas

Founder and CEO of Haas Social

TICKETS: EVENTS.BLACKBIRDRSVP.COM/SHE-MEANS-BUSINESS 12

UBJ | 4.26.2019

College has been created, which he said is “all of the component parts of academic affairs that are focused on students staying in college and graduating successfully.”

“That’s been a difference-maker for us,” he said.

The College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences and the College of Science and Technology, both smaller, have been created to help everyone within each program to speak the same language. The Center for African American Studies also has been added.

The school also has added programs in supply chain logistics and business analytics, and the Medical development program has been expanded.

USC Upstate already has the largest bachelor of science in nursing program in the state.

Seventy percent of Spartanburg Regional’s nursing workforce is comprised of USC Upstate graduates.

Where athletics are concerned, Kelly had USC Upstate move from the Atlantic Sun Conference to the Big South Conference. In the A-Sun, the Spartans had one opponent less than 300 miles away; in the Big South, they have one that is more than 300.

“Last year, our students missed 1,200 classes for travel that they are back in this year,” Kelly said.

“The cost savings creates an opportunity to invest more in making positive student experiences.”

In addition, 71 percent of the school’s 257 student-athletes have above a 3.0 grade-point average, with 10 percent at 4.0.

Kelly turned a conversation with the vice president of a local company into the school’s More Places to Sit initiative, which put a plan in place that invited students to stay on campus.

The strategic plan involved about 500 people, with chamber of commerce and community leaders, donors, faculty, staff and students all participating in the process.

The plan calls for improving education, enhancing the quality of life in the Upstate and being the “university of choice” for employees and students.

“We need to be much more visible than we’ve been,” Kelly said. “We’ve been a quiet partner to the region, and that shouldn’t be the case. We should be a point of pride for everyone.

“We’re not competitors with a Clemson or a USC Columbia.

Those are institutions that have different missions than we do.

There is no reason why people can’t love more than one university, and there is no reason why everybody shouldn’t love this one, because it is really in service to the place in which we live.

That is where I hope we are in a few years, that that’s how we’re viewed as an institution in the hearts and minds of our many stakeholders.”

presents

A casual networking event in a relaxed atmosphere.

No pressure. No presentations.

Bring your friends, grab your business cards and meet interesting people who have new ideas to share.

WHAT:

WHERE:

WHEN:

with Upstate Professionals

200 E Washington St., Greenville

5:30pm - 7:00pm

Conversations

NETWORKING SPONSOR

Oak & Honey

Wednesday, May 22

PRESENTING SPONSOR

4.26.2019 | upstatebusinessjournal.com

13

F E A T U R E

Tyler Kelley

Javela Singleton

chef/owner

owner

Emerald Plate Experience LLC

Gifted Hands Artisan Soaps

taking off

Village Launch leads entrepreneurs toward success n story by SARAH BOURLAKAS | photos by WILL CROOKS

She calls herself a “solopreneur.”

From paying the bills, to navigating social media, to washing dishes coated in essential oils and soapy residue, Javela Singleton knows how to run a business. But she, like many other graduates of Village Launch’s Business Entrepreneur’s Academy, was hardly alone in the process.

Singleton, the founder and business owner of Gifted Hands Artisan Soaps, said that starting her own business and being a part of the Business Entrepreneur’s Academy not only gave her control over income, but helped her personal 14

UBJ | 4.26.2019

growth. “You find value in what you already know, what you can share with everyone, and what others can share with you,” Singleton said.

In 2016, Village Launch started The Business Entrepreneur Academy (BEA) to provide formal business knowledge and meaningful business relationships for aspiring entrepreneurs. The program is designed off a nationally-implemented model to give students business skills for long-term success.

The microlending organization, a branch of Mill Community Min-

47 BUSINESSES HAVE GRADUATED FROM BEA SINCE 2016 istries, began in 2012. It was founded with the name Nasha Lending, a nod to the Hebrew word “nasha” meaning to lend. Searching for a fresh and more recognizable name, the hearts behind

Nasha Lending have rebranded as Village Launch, ready to equip entrepreneurs and creators with the needs to start or expand their own business.

Since the first BEA class, 47 businesses have graduated, but Village Launch isn’t stopping there. The expansion includes a co-working space at Textile Hall in the Village of West Greenville. And now that a fourth of the businesses coming through BEA are food related, a DHEC-approved, incubator commercial kitchen is available for use at a reduced rate.

Village Launch is expanding the

BEA curriculum with its new partnership with Grace Church Español, to offer classes taught by several native Spanish speakers.

FROM THE GROUND, UP Before there was Village Launch, Dan Weidenbenner, executive director of Mill Community Ministries, and his team noticed a pipeline problem for entrepreneurs in Greenville.

“When you look at the two greatest creators of wealth in this country, it’s through home ownership and small business ownership,” Weidenbenner said. “How do we build small businesses so that folks and families can build wealth so that they are upwardly mobile?”

The staff at Village Launch decided they could build a bridge to success. The goal was to create an economic tool not only for entrepreneurs themselves, but for the community they serve.

“That’s the theory of change of what we’re doing and why we’re doing it,” Weidenbenner said. “It is this mechanism to get people out of poverty and create economic opportunity for them and others.”

Program director Mallory Boyd said that Village Launch is designed to be a community approach, hence the name.

“Our vision is to enable individuals to become providers, creators, and contributors in their community,” Boyd said. “We provide programs and resources to grow entrepreneur’s capacity to provide for themselves, and employ others.”

From chefs, to life coaches, to candlemakers, to banana bread bakers, Village Launch is committed to equip any and all under-resourced entrepreneurs. The 10-week course follows a unique curriculum to launch and support entrepreneurs. The only qualifications are to have a business idea and to be ready to put in the work and time.

“We like to say,” Boyd said.

“Running a business is not hard work, but you have to work hard on it.”

Chef Tyler Kelley, another BEA graduate, affirms this reality. He now works full-time running his catering business Emerald Plate Experience LLC. Kelley does it all, from the taxes to the trash cans.

He says that regardless of the tireless hours, he’s happy to be doing his own thing. “You have to take the leap of faith. It’s not easy,

“

“You have to take the leap of faith.

It’s not easy, but it’s worth it.”

TYLER KELLEY

chef, Emerald Plate Experience

but it’s worth it,” Kelley said.

An advocate for local foods and luxury dining, Kelley gained the leverage he needed from BEA and now wants to generate opportunities for others.

“I took the class and quickly realized that some of my systems for the business were not going to be effective,” the chef said. “I adapted and reworked the system and I haven’t gone a month without a steady income since.”

Creating a meaningful network Strategic planning, financial organization, and building social capital are only some of the logistical tools taught at BEA. At the core of the program, it’s about community. Boyd explains that the most powerful part of the process are the relationships built.

“This is an alumni network,” Boyd said. “It’s important with our grass root entrepreneurs to 4.26.2019 | upstatebusinessjournal.com

15

F E A T U R E connect them to those community resources which are otherwise seemingly out of reach.”

Creating an encouraging space of creators, entrepreneurs, and thinkers is critical to the development of Village Launch. It’s others helping others.

Weidenbenner and Boyd agree that having a support system is a significant factor to success. But this isn’t something all entrepreneurs just have.

“It’s not uncommon for folks in our community to not be encouraged at home or in their communities,” Weidenbenner said. “To have folks to encourage them to pursue their dreams and to have role models of success within this entrepreneurial space I think has been hugely important.”

Starting a catering business can be daunting, but Kelley is thankful for the network he built in BEA. He pokes fun at being the only man in his class at the time, but he’s grateful for the friends, referrals, and clients he now has, as a result.

Like Kelley, Singleton speaks with admiration towards the ambitious entrepreneurs she met.

Although she started Gifted Hands Artisan Soaps before enrolling in BEA, Singleton attributes the flourishing of her business to the strategic connections she made in the program.

“I met a tribe of women trying to help each other figure things out about our businesses, and to grow,” Singleton said.

“Getting in touch with the facilitators who have been growing businesses for a while and letting them guide me through the process has been tremendously valuable.”

At the core of Village Launch is camaraderie; it’s fellowship in the common goal of financial success and being a self-starter.

“It doesn’t mean that they don’t have valuable information they can share and it doesn’t mean that you don’t have valuable informaPremium tion to share,” Singleton said.

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F E A T U R E

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David Berger COO

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Hospitality America sets a driving pace in hotel management

n story by STEPHANIE TROTTER | photos WILL CROOKS

“If you build it, they will come.” So the saying goes, but that’s not always the case in the hotel industry. Investors may excel at building attractive lodging, but managing a multiservice facility in a profitable and flawless manner, one that keeps guests coming back, is another skill set altogether.

“The DNA, the fabric of the hotel, is what we’re responsible for,” says Hospitality America COO David Berger.

MANAGING A HOME AWAY FROM HOME Hospitality America is one of an estimated 127 third-party hotel management companies operating in the U.S. With offices in Nashville, Tennessee; Miami; and Greenville, the company employs 708 workers, serving 16 branded and boutique hotels, in a footprint that reaches as far west as Kansas City and even includes a cave hotel in Santorini, Greece. The office at Main and Broad 18

UBJ | 4.26.2019

runs the bulk of operations, employing 550 and serving 11 properties and two Starbucks.

“My mission statement is to protect and increase the value of the asset, every day,” says Greenville-based Berger.

“

Cargen go back decades. Every time Aughtry built a hotel, he granted Cargen the management contract.

Marriotts, Hiltons, no matter the brand, the partnership thrived.

“When I started in the hotel busi-

“We get a beautiful asset that has no life in it and we take it over.

The DNA, the fabric of the hotel, is what we’re responsible for.”

DAVID BERGER

COO, Hospitality America

Assets include all facilities built by Windsor Aughtry, from the Hampton Inn & Suites on the Reedy River to the Courtyard by Marriott in downtown Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

Founding principal Bo Aughtry and Hospitality America founder Chris

ness in the late ‘80s … I knew nothing,” Aughtry candidly shares. “Chris Cargen and Hospitality America provided that crucial operating knowledge to me when I had none.”

In 1999, the two entwined their business relationship even tighter.

Aughtry swapped some hotels for partial ownership in Hospitality America. Today, Aughtry and Cargen own equal shares in the company.

This past summer, the power duo promoted Berger from vice president of operations to chief operating officer, overseeing the Windsor Hotel Group’s portfolio, which generated $63,258,492 in top-line revenue in 2018. The collection is valued at half a billion dollars in assets and includes the Hampton Inn on Woodruff Road owned by Vivian Wong.

“As operators, we want to grow smart,” Berger says. “We want to take assignments that we can be successful with. We don’t want quantity. We want quality and managing quality assets.”

BLUEPRINTS TO PILLOW MINTS Over the years, Hospitality America has molded those assets from the ground up. Right now, ex-

F E A T U R E ecutives are working on several “prominent projects” with Windsor Aughtry, which typically builds multiple hotels in each successful market. “Some of it is more art than science,” Berger says. “Some of it is in the gut. But flag selection is very strategic. It’s based on future competition, market segmentation. We really get into the detail of who the customer is, who they’re targeting.

For instance, when we opened Embassy Suites, it was the only suites hotel in downtown Greenville, and it had a complimentary, robust breakfast. That made it a differentiator against the competition.”

After decades of guiding and growing Hilton and Marriott flags, the brands tend to give Windsor Aughtry and Hospitality America flexibility others may not receive.

“With brands, you sometimes have to paint by numbers, but we have the ability to go outside that box because of our reputation,” Berger explains.

Thinking outside the box during development led to one of Greenville’s trendiest destinations: Up on the Roof at Embassy Suites at RiverPlace.

Berger describes the vision, stating, “That was something from our stand-

THE NIGHT SHIFT & TIKI BARS The 43-year-old COO watches construction cranes swoop across Greenville’s skyline from his fifthfloor office. It’s a far cry from the Brooklyn projects where he first lived as a young boy, and the bawdy beaches where he got his start in the business. “I was 22 right out of college, and the night manager at a hotel in Fort Lauderdale … We would make $20,000 in revenue in one day at this tiki bar broadcasting football games and hosting bikini contests,” he recalls with a chuckle.

“It blows my mind.”

More mind-blowing is that less than two decades later, he’s hosting U.S. presidents. Both Obama and Trump have used Hospitality America-managed properties in South Carolina while traveling the campaign trail. Berger hopes his story resonates and inspires fellow employees. “You have to have pride, be tenacious, and you have to want it, but it’s there, and a company like Hospitality America can provide that,” he says.

As the company grows, Berger predicts increased opportunities for

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point we needed, a rooftop venue. It’s a love letter. You can bring anybody up there and they will fall in love with Greenville.” While the vision for Up was clear, early in his career, Berger only knew he wanted to move up, from his humble beginnings.

many here in Greenville. “In the next three years, we will be over 20 assets, including a Home2 Suites near Asheville. We pride ourselves on growth from within.” Placing the welcome mat for employees and customers alike.

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FROM THE COMMUNITY

| OPINION

The disappearance of privacy

By LAURA HAIGHT

president, portfoliosc.com

As it stands today, the generally agreed upon metric is that the average American is caught on camera 75 times each day. In cities with lots of coverage, it’s probably more. If you include all the times that you are caught as an extra in someone else’s selfie or Instagram video, it’s probably even more.

And what is happening to all that video? How is it being used? Where is it saved? Who’s watching it? How well-protected is it? Could it be accessed for purposes other than security?

More than 200 million of us have code on our phones that tracks our every movement. This information is sold to companies to be used in geotargeted marketing. As a consumer, you may be divided between the convenience of getting a coupon to pop up on your phone when you are in the vicinity of a local store with a good sale, and the outrage that businesses are tracking you without your consent. But your consent is given when you say OK to letting an app use its location services to track you for “better results” even if you aren’t using the app and when you accept the lengthy terms of service attached to nearly every app on your phone.

A U.S. company called Panasonic Avionics has designed in-flight

entertainment systems currently on board flights of American Airlines, Singapore Air, Emirates, and Qantas. The new system has a builtin camera in the seat back in front of each passenger. The developer says ‘don’t worry,’ they aren’t even turned on yet. And that they were developed for potential “future uses.”

As with most technology, there are benefits, but if we can monitor the cabins for security, perhaps we can scan passengers to see if they have any active warrants against them, are legal residents, or are deadbeat dads with court orders against them on their way to Bermuda?

Just last week, The New York Times reported that China was building a database and using artificial intelligence coupled with facial recognition to track the presence of a Muslim minority population. It’s the first time, but certainly not the last, that a government has used technology to racially profile its citizens.

We are only on the cusp of our tech journey, and 5G will amp us up to warp speed. But even in these early stages, technology is unraveling a basic right – in plain sight and with our consent – making privacy more of a quaint notion than a 21st-century reality.

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ON THE MOVE |

NEW HIRES IN THE UPSTATE

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NAMED

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CRAIG WALLACE

ANDREA SIMRELL

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has joined the Cargo Greenville office as a data analyst. In this role, he will improve data collection and visualization models for clients’ marketing data.

Phadnis earned his MBA from Clemson University with a focus on entrepreneurship.

has been appointed executive director of The United Housing Connections. As a Certified Fundraising Professional, Crowl has raised more than $20 million in her career to help fight hunger, teen drug and alcohol abuse, and child abuse.

has been named the Department of Management chair in Clemson University’s College of Business. He earned his doctorate at the Georgia Institute of Technology, his master’s at the University of West Florida, and bachelor’s at the University of TennesseeChattanooga.

has been promoted to public relations director for VantagePoint Marketing once she completes the Examination for Accreditation in Public Relations. Simrell will steer public relations strategies and tactics for several clients and lead a team of public relations professionals.

has been named managing director at Valbridge Property Advisors in Greenville. Selby has been a commercial appraiser with Valbridge since 2003. He holds the MAI designation, which is achieved by completing a graduate-level curriculum.

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INVESTMENTS

TRUST

| ROUND UP

BRIEFS, TIDBITS, BLIPS, DATA & MORE

THE 2019

UP NEXT GOT ANY THOUGHTS? CARE TO CONTRIBUTE? PUBLISHER

Mark B. Johnston mjohnston@communityjournals.com

EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT

LET US KNOW AT

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Claire Billingsley

COPY EDITOR Rebecca Strelow

STAFF WRITERS

Melody Cuenca, Ariel Gilreath, Cindy Landrum, Ariel Turner

EVENTS: Submit event information for consideration to events@ upstatebusinessjournal.com

READER’S

LENS PHOTO C ONTEST

MARKETING & ADVERTISING DIRECTOR OF SALES Emily Yepes

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IN THIS WEEK’S ISSUE OF UBJ? WANT A COPY FOR YOUR LOBBY?

MARKETING REPRESENTATIVES

Heather Propp | Liz Tew

RELATIONSHIP MANAGER Meredith Rice

1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011

ACCOUNT MANAGER

UBJ milestone

UBJ milestone jackson Marketing Group’s 25 Years 1988 Jackson Dawson opens in Greenville at Downtown Airport

Callie Michalak

CLIENT SERVICES

Anita Harley | Rosie Peck

1988

1997 Jackson Dawson launches motorsports Division 1993

1990 Jackson Dawson acquires therapon marketing Group and moves to Piedmont office Center on Villa.

>>

Chairman larry Jackson, Jackson marketing Group. Photos by Greg Beckner / Staff

Jackson Marketing Group celebrates 25 years By sherry Jackson | staff | sjackson@communityjournals.com

Solve. Serve. Grow. Those three words summarize Jackson Marketing Group’s guiding principles, and according to owner Larry Jackson, form the motivation that has kept the firm thriving for the past 25 years.

Jackson graduated from Bob Jones University with a degree in video and film production and started his 41-year career in the communications industry with the U.S. Army’s Public Information Office. He served during

Vietnam, where he said he was “luckily” stationed in the middle of Texas at Fort Hood.

He left the service and went to work in public affairs and motorsports at Ford Motor Company in Detroit.

After a stint at Bell and Howell, where he was responsible for managing Ford’s dealer marketing and training, the entrepreneurial bug hit and he co-founded Jackson-Dawson Marketing Communications, a company specializing in dealer training and product launches for the auto industry in 1980.

In 1987, Jackson wanted to move back south and thought Greenville would be a good fit. An avid pilot, he

learned of an opportunity to purchase Cornerstone Aviation, a fixed base operation (FBO) that served as a service station for the Greenville Downtown Airport, providing fuel, maintenance and storage.

In fact, when he started the Greenville office of what is now Jackson Marketing Group (JMG) in 1988, the offices were housed on the second floor in an airport hangar.

“Clients would get distracted by the airplanes in the hangars and we’d have to corral them to get back upstairs to the meeting,” Jackson said.

Jackson sold the FBO in 1993, but says it was a great way to get to know Greenville’s fathers and leaders

>>

with a majority of them utilizing the general aviation airport as a “corporate gateway to the city.”

In 1997, Jackson and his son, Darrell, launched Jackson Motorsports Group. The new division was designed to sell race tires and go to racetracks to sell and mount the tires. Darrell Jackson now serves as president of the motorsports group and Larry Jackson has two other children and a son-in-law who work there. Jackson said all his children started at the bottom and “earned their way up.”

Jackson kept the Jackson-Dawson branches in Detroit and others in Los Angeles and New York until he sold his portion of that partnership in 2009 as part of his estate planning.

The company now operates a small office in Charlotte, but its main headquarters are in Greenville in a large office space off Woodruff Road, complete with a vision gallery that displays local artwork and an auditorium Jackson makes available for non-profit use. The Motorsports Group is housed in an additional 26,000 square feet building just down the street, and the agency is currently looking for another 20,000 square feet.

Jackson said JMG has expanded into other verticals such as financial, healthcare, manufacturing and pro-bono work, but still has a strong focus on the auto industry and transportation. It’s

2003 motorsports Division acquires an additional 26,000 sq. ft. of warehouse space

1998 1998 Jackson Dawson moves to task industrial Court

also one of the few marketing companies in South Carolina to handle all aspects of a project in-house, with four suites handling video production, copywriting, media and research and web design.

Clients include heavyweights such as BMW, Bob Jones University, the Peace Center, Michelin and Sage Automotive. Recent projects have included an interactive mobile application for Milliken’s arboretum and 600-acre Spartanburg campus and a marketing campaign for the 2013 Big League World Series.

“In my opinion, our greatest single achievement is the longevity of our client relationships,” said Darrell Jackson. “Our first client from back in 1988 is still a client today. I can count on one hand the number of clients who have gone elsewhere in the past decade.”

Larry Jackson says his Christian faith and belief in service to others, coupled with business values rooted in solving clients’ problems, have kept

2009 Jackson Dawson changes name to Jackson marketing Group when larry sells his partnership in Detroit and lA 2003

2009-2012 Jackson marketing Group named a top BtoB agency by BtoB magazine 4 years running

him going and growing his business over the years. He is passionate about giving back and outreach to non-profits. The company was recently awarded the Community Foundation Spirit Award.

The company reaffirmed its commitment to serving the community last week by celebrating its 25th anniversary with a birthday party and a 25-hour Serve-A-Thon partnership with Hands on Greenville and Habitat for Humanity. JMG’s 103 full-time employees worked in shifts around the clock on October 22 and 23 to help construct a house for a deserving family.

As Jackson inches towards retirement, he says he hasn’t quite figured out his succession plan yet, but sees the companies staying under the same umbrella. He wants to continue to strategically grow the business.

“From the beginning, my father has taught me that this business is all about our people – both our clients and our associates,” said his son, Darrell. “We have created a focus and a culture that strives to solve problems, serve people and grow careers.”

Darrell Jackson said he wants to “continue helping lead a culture where we solve, serve and grow. If we are successful, we will continue to grow towards our ultimate goal of becoming the leading integrated marketing communications brand in the Southeast.”

2011 Jackson marketing Group/Jackson motorsports Group employee base reaches 100 people

2008 2012 Jackson marketing Group recognized by Community Foundation with Creative spirit Award

pro-bono/non-proFit Clients American Red Cross of Western Carolinas Metropolitan Arts Council Artisphere Big League World Series The Wilds Advance SC South Carolina Charities, Inc. Aloft Hidden Treasure Christian School

CoMMUnitY inVolVeMent & boarD positions lArry JACkson (ChAirmAn): Bob Jones University Board chairman, The Wilds Christian Camp and Conference Center board member, Gospel Fellowship Association board member, Past Greenville Area Development Corporation board member, Past Chamber of Commerce Headquarters Recruiting Committee member, Past Greenville Tech Foundation board member David Jones (Vice President Client services, Chief marketing officer): Hands on Greenville board chairman mike Zeller (Vice President, Brand marketing): Artisphere Board, Metropolitan Arts Council Board, American Red Cross Board, Greenville Tech Foundation Board, South Carolina Chamber Board eric Jackson (Jackson motorsports Group sales specialist): Salvation Army Boys & Girls Club Advisory Board

November 1, 2013 Upstate bUsiness joUrnal 21

20 Upstate bUsiness joUrnal November 1, 2013

AS SEEN IN

NOVEMBER 1, 2013

ART & PRODUCTION VISUAL DIRECTOR Will Crooks

LEAD GRAPHIC DESIGNER Stephanie Orr

GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Order a reprint today, PDFs available for $25. For more information, contact Anita Harley 864.679.1205 or aharley@ communityjournals.com

The Greenville Journal invites you to share your best photos of what the Upstate has to offer. Each month one lucky winner will win a $250 gift card to be used at any Rick Erwin’s Dining Group restaurant. Also during the month of April, Artisphere is offering a $100 gift certificate to be used for artwork on Artists Row. Three honorable mention photos will also receive a $25 gift card to an upstate business. Winning entries will be published in the Greenville Journal.

APRIL THEME: ARTISPHERE THROUGH THE YEARS

Kimberly Collier

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