2013 VISIONARIES by SC Biz News

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THE BUSINESS JOURNAL FOR GREENVILLE, SPARTANBURG & ANDERSON

20/13

VISIONARIES 13

20/13

20-somethings who won’t let age get in the way of their entrepreneurial visions.

by Liz Segrist lsegrist@scbiznews.com

ntrepreneurs are a special breed. They find something that makes them tick – and it consumes them. They often forsake sleep, regular hours, a secure paycheck and job security in pursuit of a dream. They learn through trial and error and find value in their mistakes. They know that determination, optimism, creativity and a good team can mean the difference between success and failure. Entrepreneurs have an unshakeable belief that their product, app or idea will change the world. It’s that passion, coupled with their willingness to get knocked down and try it all over again, that marks a true entrepreneur. Here are 13 Upstate 20-somethings who traversed the traditional path of resumes and job applications, risking it all to follow their passions and be their own bosses. (Photos by Liz Segrist)

SPECIAL REPORT: 20/13 visionaries

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THE LIST In South Carolina, minorities own 64,256 businesses, while whites own nearly 300,000, according to the U.S. Census. Women own nearly 100,000 businesses, while men own twice as many. Both the private and public sectors are working to close the gap. Companies like BMW Manufacturing and Michelin N.A., for example, have set up programs to assist minor-

Executive Summary ity-owned businesses. The S.C. Governorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Office of Small and Minority Business Assistance does just what its name implies. The cities of Greenville and Spartanburg have minority-owned business assistance programs at the local levels. Other entities are helping too, like the Carolinas Minority Supplier Development Council.

February 25 - March 10, 2013

The stats on business diversity There are more than 360,000 businesses in South Carolina, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Here are some key stats on business ownership by race, gender and ethnicity. White-owned

296,141

Minority-owned

64,256

Male-owned

198,870

Female-owned

- Scott Miller, editor

Certified Minority-Owned Businesses

99,445

50,000

100,000

150,000

200,000

250,000

300,000

Ranked by No. of Employees in the Upstate

Certified Minority-Owned Businesses

0% 100%

0% 0%

100% 100%

0% 0%

0% 100%

0% 0%

100% 0%

0% 0%

Patti Wetherford Kelley White (rdwinc@aol.com), Ron White (pwetherford@pinnhospitality.com) 1983 2004

100% 51%

0% 0%

Vickie Lynn Wyatt Sophie Clayton 1992 1981

100% 34%

0% 0%

0% 51%

0% 0%

51%

100%

34%

51%

100%

0% 100% 100% 0%

0% 0%

100% 67%

0% 0%

R. Knight Dede F. CannonCharlene (dede@bccannon.com), Bruce C. (info@corporateconnection.net) Cannon 2001 1982

100% 0% 0% 100%

0% 0%

Margaret Ryan Michael M. Simpson (msimpson@mmsainc.com) 1990 1999

67% 50%

0% 100%

0% 0%

Dede F. Cannon (dede@bccannon.com), Bruce C. James Edward Speed Sr. (revjes10@aol.com) Cannon 1979 1982

0% 51%

100% 0%

0% 0%

50%

100%

100% 100%

51%

100%

100% 100% 80% 100%

0% 0%

100% 100%

0% 0%

80%

100%

% Hispanic

0% 0%

100%

% Asian

100% 0%

% American Indian % American Indian

0% 0%

% Black

Owners/Majority Shareholders / Year Founded

% Woman

% Disabled Veteran % Disabled Veteran

Minority Ownership

0% 100% 100% 0%

0% 0%

Certifying Group(s)

Type of Business or Service

DeWhit Inc. 213 E. Butler Road, Suite F2 Mauldin, SC 29662

864-757-1560 www.dewhit.com ssmith@dewhit.com

125

Carolinas Minority Supplier Development Council, SCDOT, SCOSMBA, SCDBE

Housekeeping services, chemicals and supplies, paper-related products

Phone / Website 864-233-8035 Carolinas Minority Supplier Email Employees Certifying Group(s) of Business Service www.usands.com 85 Development Council, SCDOT, Type Facilities support or services ehagins@usands.com SBA 8(a), SDVOSB Greenville, SC 29607 864-757-1560 Carolinas Minority Supplier Housekeeping services, chemicals DeWhit Inc. 864-582-2570 Earth retention via walls, Tricor Inc. F2 www.dewhit.com 125 Development Council, SCDOT, and supplies, paper-related 213 E. Construction Butler Road, Suite www.tricorconstruction.com 35 SCDOT, SCDBE reinforced slopes, earth anchors, 1983 Chesnee Highway ssmith@dewhit.com SCOSMBA, SCDBE products Mauldin, SC 29662 tricorinc@bellsouth.net shoring, micropiles, soil nails Spartanburg, SC 29303 864-233-8035 Carolinas US&S Inc.Inn & Suites Spartanburg 864-699-2222 Carolinas Minority Minority Supplier Supplier Hampton www.usands.com 85 Development Council, Council, pending SCDOT, Facilities support 50 Ave.Blvd. www.tinyurl.com/b4flw35 32 Development Hotel services 801Grand Spartan ehagins@usands.com SBAcertification 8(a), SDVOSB Greenville, SCSC 29607 patti.wetherford@hilton.com Spartanburg, 29301 864-582-2570 Earth retention via walls, Tricor ConstructionInc. Inc. 864-463-0581 JIT Manufacturing Sheet metalslopes, fabrication laser www.tricorconstruction.com 35 SCDOT, SCDBE reinforced earth and anchors, 1983 ChesneeLane Highway www.jitmfg.net 32 SCOSMBA 428 Oglesby cutting services, AS9100 tricorinc@bellsouth.net shoring, micropiles, soilcertified nails Spartanburg, SC 29303 info@jitmanufacturing.com Cowpens, SC 29330 864-699-2222 Carolinas Minority Supplier Hampton Inn &Inc. Suites Spartanburg 864-296-8885 RWI Industrial industrial www.tinyurl.com/b4flw35 32 Development Council, pending Industrial maintenance, Hotel 801 Blvd. www.rwiindustrial.com 31 SCOSMBA 4019Spartan S. Murray Ave. air compressor sales, pipe fitting patti.wetherford@hilton.com certification Spartanburg, SC 29301 service@rwiindustrial.com Anderson, SC 29624 864-463-0581 JIT Manufacturing Inc.Co. Inc. 864-576-1901 Clayton Construction Sheet metal fabrication and laser www.jitmfg.net 32 SCOSMBA 428 Lane www.claytonconstruction.net 30 SBE 121 Oglesby Venture Blvd. cutting General services,contracting AS9100 certified info@jitmanufacturing.com Cowpens, SC 29330 INP Spartanburg, SC 29306 864-296-8885 RWI Industrial Inc. Industrial maintenance, industrial 864-288-1550 Systems planning and design-toSynesis International www.rwiindustrial.com 31 4019 S. Murray Ave. Inc. CarolinasSCOSMBA Minority Supplier air compressor for sales, pipe fitting www.synesisintl.com 26 implementation manufacturing, 30 Creekview Court service@rwiindustrial.com Anderson, SC 29624 Development Council win@synesisintl.com distribution, energy and service Greenville, SC 29615 864-576-1901 Clayton Construction Co. Inc. www.claytonconstruction.net 30 SBE Generalcontractor, contractingmetal 121 Venture Blvd. Mechanical 864-287-4040 Carolinas Minority Supplier Randolph Technology INP Spartanburg, SC 29306 fabrication, auto assembly fixture www.randolphtechnology.com 25 Development Council, SCDOT, 544 O'Neal Ferry Road fabrication and facility INP SCOSMBA, SBE Townville,International SC 29689 Inc. 864-288-1550 Systems planning and design-toSynesis maintenance Carolinas Minority Supplier www.synesisintl.com 26 implementation for manufacturing, 30 Creekview Court Development Council 864-627-4002 Corporate relocation service, allCorporate SC Connection win@synesisintl.com distribution, energy and service Greenville, 29615 LLC www.corporateconnection.net 22 SCOSMBA, WBENC inclusive corporate apartments, 1200 Woodruff Road, Suite F-19 info@corporateconnection.net furniture package rentals Greenville, SC 29607 Mechanical contractor, metal 864-287-4040 Carolinas Minority Supplier Randolph Technology fabrication, auto assembly fixture 864-236-0111 Interior Plantscapes www.randolphtechnology.com 25 Development Council, SCDOT, 544 O'Neal Ferry Road fabrication and facility www.interiorplantscapesllc.com 15 WBENC Plant leasing 51 Plant Drive INP SCOSMBA, SBE Townville, SC 29689 maintenance INP Greenville, SC 29607 864-627-4002 Corporate service, allCorporate Connection 864-235-7979 Contractorrelocation traffic management B.C. Cannon Co. Inc. LLC www.corporateconnection.net 22 SCOSMBA, WBENC inclusive corporate apartments, 1200 www.bccannon.com 14 SCDOT control and customized street 7311 Woodruff SPA RoadRoad, Suite F-19 info@corporateconnection.net furniture package Greenville, SC 29607 dede@bccannon.com signs rentals North Charleston, SC 29418 864-236-0111 Interior Plantscapes 864-331-1201 Michael M. Simpson & Associates Inc. www.interiorplantscapesllc.com 15 WBENC leasingengineers 51 Plant DriveSt. www.mmsainc.com 14 SCDOT, SBE, Federal SDB ConsultingPlant structural 213 E. Broad INP Greenville, SC SC 29601 29607 INP Greenville, 864-235-7979 Contractor traffic management B.C. Cannon Co. Inc. 864-845-3176 ABC Landscaping Inc. www.bccannon.com 14 SCDOT control and customized street SPA Road INP 10 SCOSMBA Landscaping, lawn maintenance 17311 Gin Road dede@bccannon.com signs North Charleston, SC 29418 Revjes10@aol.com Piedmont, SC 29673 864-331-1201 Michael M. Simpson & Associates Inc. Post-industrial plastic, cardboard www.mmsainc.com 14 SCDOT, SBE, Federal SDB Consulting 213 E. Broad St. 864-292-0098 and paperstructural recycler engineers serving Carolina Recycling Co. INP Greenville, www.carolinarecyclingcompany.com 10 WBENC manufacturing, industrial and 250 Mill St.SC 29601 natalie@carolinarecyclingcompany.com warehousing companies that Taylors, SC 29687 864-845-3176 ABC Landscaping Inc. produce largelawn volumes of waste INP 10 SCOSMBA Landscaping, maintenance 1 Gin Road Revjes10@aol.com Piedmont, SC 29673 Carolinas Minority Supplier 864-552-1322 City State Temp Development Council, NWBOC, Post-industrial cardboard www.citystatetemp.com 10 Temporaryplastic, employment 1810 Laurens Road SCDOT, SCOSMBA, SBA 8(a), 864-292-0098 and paper recycler serving Carolina Recycling citystatetemp@yahoo.com Greenville, SC 29607Co. SBE www.carolinarecyclingcompany.com 10 WBENC manufacturing, industrial and 250 Mill St. natalie@carolinarecyclingcompany.com warehousing companies that Taylors, Something SC 29687 864-580-2350 Launch SCDOT, SCOSMBA, SBE, S.C. produce large volumesmarketing of waste www.launchsomething.com 9 Full-service strategic 351 E. Kennedy St. Enterprise Information System sims@launchsomething.com Spartanburg, SC 29302 Carolinas Minority Supplier 864-552-1322 City State Temp Development Council, NWBOC, 864-576-6006 Express Employment www.citystatetemp.com 10 Temporary employment 1810 Laurens Road Professionals Carolinas Minority Supplier SCDOT, SCOSMBA, SBA 8(a), Employment www.expresspros.com 8 and human resources 115-A Southport Road citystatetemp@yahoo.com Greenville, SC 29607 Development Council, SBE SBE karen.knuckles@expresspros.com Spartanburg, SC 29306 864-580-2350 Launch Something 864-298-0023 IT consulting, staff augmentation, MDI Group SCDOT, SCOSMBA, SBE, S.C. www.launchsomething.com Full-service strategic marketing 351 N. E. Kennedy St. Drive, Suite 101 www.mdigroup.com 69 NWBOC, WBENCSystem direct hire and managed services 545 Pleasantburg Enterprise Information sims@launchsomething.com Spartanburg, 29302 INP for contingent labor Greenville, SCSC 29607 864-576-6006 Express Employment Professionals Carolinas Supplier INP=Information not provided. DBE=Disadvantaged Business Enterprise. NWBOC=National Women Business OwnersMinority Corp. SBA 8(a)=Small Business and human resources www.expresspros.com 8 Employment 115-A Southport Road Development Council,Veteran-Owned SBE Administration 8(a). SBE=Small Business Enterprise. SCDOT=S.C. Department of Transportation. SCDVOSB=Service-Disabled Small karen.knuckles@expresspros.com Spartanburg, SC 29306 Businesses. SCOSMBA=S.C. Office of Small and Minority Business Assistance. WBENC=Women's Business Enterprise National Council. WOSB=Woman864-298-0023 IT consulting, staff augmentation, MDI Group owned Small Business. www.mdigroup.com 6 NWBOC, WBENC direct hire and managed services 545 N. Pleasantburg Drive, Suite 101 Because of space constraints, only the top-ranked companies are printed. For a full list of participating companies, visit www.scbiznews.com/data. Although INP for contingent labor Greenville, SC 29607 US&S Inc.

Company 50 Grand Ave.

every effort is made to ensure accuracy, errors sometimes occur. Email additions or corrections to lists@scbiznews.com, fax to 803-253-6521 or go to www.scbiznews.com/data and click "Add Data." INP=Information not provided. DBE=Disadvantaged Business Enterprise. NWBOC=National Women Business Owners Corp. SBA 8(a)=Small Business Administration 8(a). SBE=Small Business Enterprise. SCDOT=S.C. Department of Transportation. SCDVOSB=Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Businesses. SCOSMBA=S.C. Office of Small and Minority Business Assistance. WBENC=Women's Business Enterprise National Council. WOSB=Womanowned Small Business. Because of space constraints, only the top-ranked companies are printed. For a full list of participating companies, visit www.scbiznews.com/data. Although

0% 0%

% Hispanic

Employees

% Asian

Phone / Website Email

Minority Ownership

% Black

Company

% Woman

Ranked by No. of Employees in the Upstate

Charles Whitner (cwhitner@dewhit.com), Stephanie Smith (ssmith@dewhit.com), Vernon Hughes (vhughes@dewhit.com) 1982 Shareholders / S.Owners/Majority Richard Hagins (srhagins@usands.com), Year (cchristophe@usands.com) Founded 53% Cleveland Christophe 2003 Charles Whitner (cwhitner@dewhit.com), Stephanie Smith (ssmith@dewhit.com), Kelly Cheek (kelly@tricorconstruction.com), 0% Vernon Hughes (vhughes@dewhit.com) 0% Bill Cheek (bill@tricorconstruction.com) 1982 2002 S. Richard Hagins Patti (srhagins@usands.com), Wetherford 53% Christophe (cchristophe@usands.com) 0% Cleveland (pwetherford@pinnhospitality.com) 2003 2004 Kelly Cheek (kelly@tricorconstruction.com), Vickie Lynn Wyatt 0% Bill Cheek (bill@tricorconstruction.com) 0% 1992 2002 0%

Ricardo Studart (rstudart@synesisintl.com), Kelley White (rdwinc@aol.com), Ron White Kathleen Henning 1983 Payne (kpayne@synesisintl.com) 1994 Sophie Clayton 1981 George H. Randolph (georger@randolphtechnology.com) Ricardo Studart (rstudart@synesisintl.com), 1998 Kathleen Henning Payne (kpayne@synesisintl.com) Charlene R. Knight 1994 (info@corporateconnection.net) 2001 George H. Randolph (georger@randolphtechnology.com) Margaret Ryan 1998 1990

Michael M. Simpson (msimpson@mmsainc.com) Natalie J. Lewis 1999 (natalie@carolinarecyclingcompany.com), Caleb E. Lewis (caleb@carolinarecyclingcompany.com) 2010 James Edward Speed Sr. (revjes10@aol.com) 1979 Desiree Ishaaq (citystatetemp@yahoo.com) Natalie J. Lewis 2010 (natalie@carolinarecyclingcompany.com), Caleb E. Lewis (caleb@carolinarecyclingcompany.com) Sims H. Bouwmeester 2010 (sims@launchsomething.com) 2005 Desiree IshaaqKaren (citystatetemp@yahoo.com) Knuckles 2010 (karen.knuckles@expresspros.com) 2007 Sims H. Bouwmeester Ella Koscik, Shokie Banerjee (sims@launchsomething.com) 1996 2005 Karen Knuckles (karen.knuckles@expresspros.com) 2007 Researched F. Kimberly Ella Koscik,by Shokie BanerjeeAndrews

1996

Researched by F. Kimberly Andrews

February 25 - March 10, 2013

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20/13 20/13

Chris Manley, 28, co-founder and managing partner of Engenius

hen Chris Manley realized it would cost $15,000 to build a website for his nonprofit, he thought there had to be a better way. Manley built houses post-Hurricane Katrina with his nonprofit ReWiGo, or Ready-Willing-Going, and he continues to build them in the Upstate with 25 homes built in 2012. Manley saw a need to create websites at a better price. He launched his Greenville-based Web development company amid the recession in January 2008. “It taught us a lot, that if we were going to start this we had to do it really, really well because not a lot of businesses were opening their checkbooks at the time,” Manley said. Engenius received its first client within seven days. The firm now serves 130 companies, including Fete Greenville and Clemson at the Falls, among others. Manley co-founded the business with his good friend Chase Finch, both Greenville natives and Clemson University graduates. Manley had the entrepreneurial bug from a young age, organizing a lawn mowing business and learning to code. The Web shop focuses on small- to mid-sized businesses and nonprofits, offering SEO, mobile apps, so-

cial media and company training, among other services. “It’s fun and it’s challenging,” Manley said. “The industry is constantly changing.” What character trait has most helped you as a business owner? Persistence and optimism is absolutely critical for an entrepreneur to succeed. Our job is stressful and challenges are unpredictable; keeping at it and looking for the brighter side are absolutely crucial. What’s one thing you didn’t expect when starting a business? How much fun it would be. The work is exhausting, but we’ve made a point to have fun every step of the way. When you’re the boss, having fun is something you can make happen. What is your biggest challenge? Taking a vacation is my biggest challenge. I take time off several weeks a year to be with my family, but it’s hard to mentally take a break. With technology so close to our fingertips, the temptation to check my email is very strong.

Curtis Todd, 21, CEO and founder of Diamond Bullet Studios LLC

urtis Todd started his company in Central when he was 16. Diamond Bullet Studios LLC designs and produces video games. Now 21, Todd plans to grow the company and graduate from Southern Wesleyan next year. The company founders are longtime friends. They grew up together in Central, learning how to program on calculators and playing video games.

During their sophomore year of high school in 2007, they started DBS. Todd’s dad provided the seed money. DBS’ first game, Contention, involved a first person shooter. In 2010, they released Mower, a lawn mowing simulator that could run over virtual cats. It had success with the Xbox. Todd, a former team captain of the FIRST Robotics Competition Team 2751 in Pickens, later served as the team’s drive coach. He designed a game, Catalyst 2012, that simulated driving the robots. He quickly saw the potential to become a supplier for FIRST. The DBS team – Curtis Todd, Eric Bickle Jr., Seth Greenstein and Chris Zeigler – pitched it to the top officials. DBS now creates a new game each year for FIRST robotics teams to download during the competition launch. “We make video games to inspire someone to get involved with robotics or interested in game design,” Todd said. “That sense of inspiring is a huge part of me and my company.” What would you do for work if you didn’t have your own business? Clearly, I would still be in college, but I would probably be doing everything I could to get as many internships and/or co-ops as possible so that I could build my resume. Beyond that, I don’t know, maybe I would have enough free time to

actually play some video games for once. What is your biggest fear? Our company is still very young and is still trying to find its place in the world. At this stage, seizing the right opportunities is unbelievably important. My biggest fear is realizing that we had the perfect opportunity to take our company to the next level, and completely missing it. What is your biggest challenge? My biggest challenge is trying to predict the best place to put our time and resources for our longterm future. Not only is technology always changing, but so are our business needs and opportunities. What do you need most to be successful? To be successful, you have to have the right team of people. That has taken us years to understand, but at the end of every project, whether we succeed or don’t succeed depends on every decision made by every person in the company, and how well everybody supports one another. What professional advice could you give to others your age? Find what you love doing and never ever give up on it. Said another way: Be dumb enough to take your biggest dreams seriously, and then be stubborn enough to never give them up.

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February 25 - March 10, 2013

20/13 20/13

John-David McKee, 29, founder and president of Umatch Inc.

ohn-David McKee understands today’s college student. He founded Umatch Inc. to evolve the way institutions connect to their students, while helping students get more engaged on their campuses. Think eHarmony for college students’ extracurricular activities. “Part of the idea came from being a student and knowing the schools don’t connect with students the way that they connect, which is by using social media, and also realizing that schools don’t know their students as well as they could,” McKee said. After earning his undergraduate and master’s degrees from Clemson University, the Florence native launched in the Next Innovation Center in downtown Greenville in 2009. McKee said the company is targeting S.C. schools initially. He hopes to launch in five to eight schools in the first half of 2013. Umatch’s CampusConnector, a campus social media application, enables students to create an online profile. Umatch’s algorithm connects students to similar campus groups, activities, events and students. School administrators can use SmartRetention – Umatch’s platform that collects and analyzes the students’ data – to improve retention, guide resource al-

location and strengthen the school’s brand. “What we do is look at human interaction, connecting students with their institution, and then use statistics to analyze the data we get,” McKee said. What is your biggest fear? The fear of not providing a return to our investors. When people believe in you and your business enough to invest their own money, you want to do right by them, so that’s never far from your mind. Picturing the people who have invested is a very motivating thing.

make adjustments in order to keep moving forward. What professional advice could you give to others your age? Look for mentors and more experienced people in the community that you can learn from, because there are many people out there who want to help if you’re willing to ask. And don’t be afraid to take a risk, especially while you’re young, because worst case is you’ll learn a lot and get some great experience.

What do you need most to be successful? We need a few home runs to really prove the concept and technology, so we’re partnering with innovative institutions who understand the pain we’re solving and believe in our approach to addressing that pain. What character trait has most helped you as a business owner? I’m an optimistic person, which is really helpful through the ups and downs that you inevitably face in a startup. I try to focus on the positive and recognize the silver lining when problems arise so I can pivot and

Lily Wikoff, 29, owner of Lily Pottery your own business and creating your own work than you would ever imagine.” The Mast General Store on Main Street in Greenville was her first account. Today, the Lily Pottery brand is sold in more than 60 stores and showcased at international trade shows in New York City and Atlanta. The Cincinnati native worked as a model in New York City and studied art at Bob Jones University before she began making pieces for her mother and sister, drawing inspiration from Dubai and Brooklyn. The grassroots growth ensued. Wikoff hopes to eventually expand to design a clothes and home line. “I believed in myself when other people didn’t,” Wikoff said. “It’s all about having a vision and going for it, and making sure to keep that vision fresh.”

ily Wikoff works among scattered beads, metals, leathers and stamps on a large work table in her West Greenville jewelry store. Pieces of hand-crafted, clay pottery pieces decorate the exposed brick walls of her store at 1269 Pendleton St., while others glaze in the kiln. Five years ago, Wikoff quit her marketing job and took the plunge to start her own design business and jewelry line, Lily Pottery. “I didn’t know if I could pay my rent at first,” Wikoff said. “So much more goes into running

What’s one thing you didn’t expect when starting a business? I think one of the most interesting, unexpected things was learning so much about myself. Learning my weaknesses and strong points. Finding out what my strengths were and learning to capitalize on those, and at the same time, working even harder to be honest about and recognize my weaknesses and working to strengthen them. What is your biggest challenge? Balance. Learning to find balance in work and personal. Separating myself from my brand and

having a personal life is sometimes difficult. What is your biggest fear? That I will become lazy, become entitled or lose sight of my vision. What do you like most about your job? That I get to wake up and do what I love every day. It’s hard work, but it fuels me. What do you need most to be successful? Freedom. Freedom to create. Freedom to try new things. Freedom to screw up. Freedom to learn from the whole process. What would you do for work if you didn’t have your own business? That’s not an option. I’d start another endeavor if I didn’t have Lily Pottery. I want to always be my own boss. What character trait has most helped you as a business owner? My determination. You tell me, ‘no’…I don’t hear it. Road blocks don’t stop me. I’ll find a way around it. What professional advice could you give to others your age? Go for it. Now is the time. Forget about the fear. Anything you don’t know you can learn. With enough hard work and passion, anything is possible.

February 25 - March 10, 2013

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20/13 20/13

Mark and Paul Johnson, 29, co-founders of Pathwright

reenville natives Mark and Paul Johnson began working at a startup at age 13. The twins later attended Bob Jones University and made software for the school while working in the IT department. “We liked what we were learning, but we really enjoyed making software that the school could use to teach,” Paul Johnson said. Last year, the Johnson brothers launched Pathwright, a platform to deliver organized, online learning. Instructors can use Pathwright to build online courses on any subject, which students can then take online. Pathwright now has more than 20,913 course registrations with 15,119 users, both teachers and students. Mark Johnson sees this as the future of education. Students could watch lectures online – pausing and repeating as necessary – while using class time for hands-on learning with the teacher. Pathwright is run out of CoWork, a collaborative space for startups at 1040 W. Washington St. in Greenville. Under Pathwright, the brother duo also launched The Lamp Post Guild, an online curriculum to train aspiring illustrators how to make a living doing what they love – their art. They raised $34,000 for the classes last year. “It’s solving a problem of getting an education that can actually get you a job after college, and it’s cheaper online,” Paul Johnson said of Pathwright.

What was the scariest part about starting your venture? Paul (Brown shirt): The need to be a salesman, not just a designer/developer. I’m on the introverted side of the spectrum and prefer to think up new product designs or business plans, so the prospect of spending most of my time communicating with strangers was initially intimidating. Mark: Being responsible for every part of a business can be a little scary. Especially when you have employees. There’s no one to pass the buck to. What’s one thing you didn’t expect? Paul: The creative and varied ways educators find to use Pathwright. We had an idea in mind for the type of teachers Pathwright would most appeal to, but so far, we’ve seen large businesses, high school teachers, curriculum publishers, and professionals teach everything from hypnosis to business strategy to algebra. What do you need most to be successful? Paul: Ultimately, you have to love what you do. You have to love it more than the fear that comes with doing something new, to overcome repeated disappointments, to set firm plans and then scrap them when things change, and to repeatedly do the important things that don’t come naturally to you.

What professional advice could you give to others your age? Paul: Don’t waste your professional career doing something just for money. Find something you love and work hard at building it into something you can do for 40-plus hours a week, not just with any extra energy you happen to have left over slaving away at something you don’t enjoy or even want to be particularly good at. Mark: Learn how to delegate and scale in order to properly focus on your strengths.

Marty Bauer, 28, co-founder and CEO of RidePost Pearce in 2012. RidePost currently targets college students along the East Coast with plans to go nationwide. Its first major launch is set for Washington, D.C. Last summer, RidePost was one of 10 teams to partake in the inaugural class of The Iron Yard, a 13-week startup accelerator in Greenville that provides mentorship and seed capital. With RidePost, drivers traveling more than 50 miles can post their itinerary and price on the RidePost site and passengers can sign up for a ride. “There are hundreds of millions of cars on the road every day that are underused with one person in them,” Bauer said. “RidePost can fundamentally change the way people travel.”

arty Bauer believes in carpooling. As a student in the international MBA program at the University of South Carolina, the Cincinnati native traveled all over Europe while earning his degree. Bauer learned to embrace “organized hitchhiking” as a reliable, safe and cheap transportation method in Europe. Upon returning to the states, Bauer saw a need to reduce waste and cost in traveling. He co-founded RidePost, an online marketplace that connects drivers and passengers who can ride together and share the costs of long-distance trips. Forsaking jobs offers, Bauer launched RidePost with friends Blair Deckard, Nikola Budisavljevic and Robert

What was the scariest part about starting your venture? Leaving a well paying and secure job to pursue the unknown. However, not once since starting RidePost have I regretted that decision. What was the most exciting part about starting it? The unlimited potential and the opportunity to create something from nothing that is bigger than any one person. What’s one thing you didn’t expect? The incredibly open community of entrepreneurs in Greenville and beyond was completely unexpected. I am blown away by the number and quality of people who

are willing to help out other founders, if you just ask. What is your biggest challenge? Focusing on doing one thing really well. We have an enormous vision for RidePost. However, it is about having a big vision, while executing small plans to get there. What is your biggest fear? Not realizing my full potential in life. What do you need most to be successful? Support from my wife and family. What character trait has most helped you as a business owner? Listening. There are so many people who know more than I do. Listening to them and filtering that information to find the one golden nugget of information from every conversation. What professional advice could you give to others your age? Sail your own ship. Coach Mike Ayers at Wofford College said to me on my first day of football practice that his job was to get me out of my comfort zone every day for the next four years. He did, and it left a big impression on me. Since leaving Wofford, I force myself out of my comfort zone every day, and the rewards are always surprising.

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THE LIST

usinesses on the list of Web design companies produced 711 websites last year. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s nearly two websites each day, including weekends, collectively, for the Upstateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s creative arts industry. Just in the Upstate, companies on this list employ nearly 150 Web designers. But services stem beyond Web design, from social-media marketing, video production, mobile marketing and app development, to search engine optimization, e-

Executive Summary commerce, advertising and public relations. Companies range in size from Erwin Penland, No. 1 on the list with 295 employees, 50 Web designers and a presence in New York City, to Peculiar LLC, a small Greenville company with seven employees and three designers. You can access even more Web design companies on the full list at www. scbiznews.com/data. - Scott Miller, editor

February 25 - March 10, 2013

Several career paths According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, web designers fall into three occupational categories with different career outlooks:

Computer systems administrators $66,310 average salary 30% projected 10-year employment gain

Computer Programmers $85,430 average salary 21% projected 10-year employment gain

Graphic designers $47,860 average annual salary 13% projected 10-year employment gain

Web Design Cos.

Ranked by No. of Web Designers in the Upstate Phone / Website Email

Web Designers / Sites Designed 2012 / Total Employees

Services Offered

Top Local Official(s) / Year Founded

864-271-0500 www.erwinpenland.com shannon.wilbanks@erwinpenland.com

50 30 295

Website design and development, digital direct, digital strategy, digital media and analytics, mobile and social marketing, digital out-of-home, experimental technologies

Joe Erwin, Allen Bosworth, Joe Saracino 1986

Carolina Creative / Carolina Media Group 135 S. Main St., Suite 700 Greenville, SC 29601

864-250-2012 www.carolinacreativegroup.com randy@carolinacreativegroup.com

12 182 28

Custom Web design and development, marketing consulting, startup turnkey marketing solutions, social media marketing and management, SEO strategy and management, custom email marketing, branding and identity, custom graphic design

Randy Looper (randy@carolinacreativegroup.com) 2000

Worthwhile 9 Caledon Court, Suite C Greenville, SC 29615

864-233-2552 www.worthwhile.com customerservice@worthwhile.com

12 60 28

Web design, software and branding, mobile apps

Dan Rundle (drundle@worthwhile.com) 1996

Showcase Marketing 1200 Woodruff Road, Suite A8 Greenville, SC 29607

864-281-1323 www.createlaunchlead.com chad@createlaunchlead.com

11 86 27

Marketing, branding, e-commerce, digital media, Web and mobile apps

Geoff P. Wasserman (geoff@createlaunchlead.com), Chad McMillan (chad@createlaunchlead.com) 1999

Jackson Marketing Group 2 Task Industrial Court Greenville, SC 29607

864-272-3057 www.jacksonmg.com mike.zeller@jacksonmg.com

10 24 107

Fully integrated marketing communications, including marketing, advertising, public relations, Web, interactive, meetings, events, mobile marketing, video production, sales training, fulfillment, logistics

Larry Jackson, Kevin Johnson 1988

Mediasation Web Solutions 25 E. Court St., Suite 202 Greenville, SC 29601

864-627-1676 www.mediasation.com sales@mediasation.com

7 85 16

Full-service Web development and marketing, including Web design and development, marketing strategy, SEO, SEM, custom application development, ecommerce, content development, copywriting, print advertising, branding, identity

Ryan Beck (ryan@mediasation.com), Charles Carter (charles@mediasation.com) 2002

Merge 411 University Ridge, Suite 225 Greenville, SC 29601

864-373-9330 www.mergeweb.com contact@mergeweb.com

7 INP 11

Digital strategy, Web development, search engine optimization and marketing, email marketing, social media, mobile applications, e-commerce development

Adam Landrum 2006

864-288-1550 www.synesisintl.com win@synesisintl.com

6 27 26

Systems planning and design-to-implementation for manufacturing, distribution, energy and service industries; SharePoint Web portals, ERP, MES, CRM, custom programming; SAP, Infor, Microsoft Partner

Ricardo Studart (rstudart@synesisintl.com), Kathleen Henning Payne (kpayne@synesisintl.com) 1994

Your Creative People 37 Villa Road, Suite 400 Greenville, SC 29615

864-335-8211 www.yourcreativepeople.com info@yourcreativepeople.com

6 30 5

Branding/marketing, brand identity, Web development, mobile apps, Backstage content management system, e-commerce sites, search engine optimization and marketing, email marketing, social media, video editing and production, event marketing

Justin Murphy (info@yourcreativepeople.com) 1999

Launch Something 351 E. Kennedy St. Spartanburg, SC 29302

864-580-2350 www.launchsomething.com sims@launchsomething.com

5 24 9

Full-service strategic marketing, including strategy, branding, copywriting, public relations, graphic design, advertising, interactive design and development

Sims H. Bouwmeester (sims@launchsomething.com) 2005

Practical Business Systems 104 Shaw St. Greenville, SC 29609

864-242-6896 www.pbsit.com info@pbsit.com

5 INP 6

Software development, website development, e-commerce, custom programming: Java, Visual Basic, Python

Jose Ferrer (jose@pbsit.com) 2000

Mojoe.net 900 E. Main St., Suite JJ Easley, SC 29640

864-859-9848 www.mojoe.net info@mojoe.net

4 25 8

Web design and development, programming, search engine optimization and registration, video production, graphic design, mobile app development, CMS, Drupal, WordPress, Dot Net Nuke, Ruby, PHP, ASP.net, Cold Fusion, C++

Albert Werne (al@liquidvideotechnologies.com), Shawn Parcell (shawn@liquidvideotechnologies.com), Deveren S. Werne (dwerne@mojoe.net) 1999

See Site Run LLC 5000 Old Buncombe Road Greenville, SC 29617

864-313-3335 www.seesiterun.com info@seesiterun.com

4 50 3

Web design, development, search engine optimization, email marketing, general marketing, branding, consulting, Google, WordPress

Christopher D. Thomas (chris@seesiterun.com), Cam Thomas (cam@seesiterun.com), James Derick Blankenship (derick@seesiterun.com) 2008

864-288-6162 www.wsiwebworks.com sales@wsiwebworks.com

4 28 8

Digital marketing strategy, search engine marketing, mobile marketing, SEO, pay-perclick, Google Analytics certified, social media marketing, competitor analysis and consulting

Doug Fowler (dfowler@wsiwebworks.com) 2003

864-254-6096 www.drumcreative.com joe@drumcreative.com

3 INP 7

Logo/identity/branding, Web development, app development for Apple and Android, graphic design, trade show display design, advertising, promotions, video development and editing, packaging design, photography

Joe A. LaPenna (joe@drumcreative.com), Tom Stitt 2004

864-761-4141 www.dynamicts.com dts@dts365.com

3 50 7

Web and application development, branding, print/ad design, corporate identity, Internet marketing, email marketing, e-commerce, hosting, social media/blog management, WordPress and Joomla sites

Timothy J. Joiner 1996

864-248-4783 www.peculiar.co info@peculiar.co

3 10 7

Digital media and online streaming, brand development, marketing, advertising, public relations, social media planning and development, strategy, implementation of tactics and performance measurement

Amy Pecoraro (amy@peculiar.co), Timothy Pecoraro (tim@theideagroup.co) 2000

Company Erwin Penland 125 E. Broad St. Greenville, SC 29601

Synesis International Inc. 30 Creekview Court Greenville, SC 29615

WSI Webworks 320 Prado Way Greenville, SC 29607 Drum Creative 35 Cessna Court, Suite C Greenville, SC 29607 Dynamic Technology Solutions Inc. 714 Pettigru St., Suite B Greenville, SC 29601 Peculiar LLC 600 E. North St., Suite 103 Greenville, SC 29601

INP=Information not provided. Because of space constraints, only the top-ranked companies are printed. For a full list of participating companies, visit www.scbiznews.com/data. Although every effort is made to ensure accuracy, errors sometimes occur. Email additions or corrections to lists@scbiznews.com, fax to 803-253-6521 or go to www.scbiznews.com/data and click "Add Data."

Researched by F. Kimberly Andrews

February 25 - March 10, 2013

SPECIAL REPORT: 20/13 visionaries

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20/13 20/13

Mike Pennington, 26, co-owner of Funnelicious

ike Pennington grew up helping his dad serve funnel cakes at the former Greenville Braves Stadium. The father-and-son team push each other in life, recently completing a half Ironman Triathlon together, and in business, deciding to open Funnelicious together, a specialty desserts and deli restaurant that features funnel cakes in the West End. Pennington mixes funnel cake batter, puts it on the fryer and watches it bubble up as the sweet smell permeates the store, but he knows he can’t have a taste. He is lactose intolerant and has celiac disease. “It forces me to live a healthy lifestyle,” Pennington said with a laugh. Pennington graduated from the University of South Carolina in 2008 and went to work at his father’s company, Rhino Concessions, a nearly 20-yearold catering and concessions special events company. They opened Funnelicious in May 2011 after extensive renovations, including a community garden, to the former cab depot at 155 Augusta St. The 530-square-foot restaurant, dubbed “Greenville’s smallest restaurant,” sits across from Fluor Field. Pennington operates and co-owns Funnelicious with his dad, Steve, and stepmom, Malinda.

“The scariest thing is failure, the most rewarding thing is success, and the hardest thing is making it work every day,” Pennington said. “We’re very optimistic. We’re right on the edge.” What was the scariest part about starting your venture? Failure has to be the scariest thing. You always have the worst-case scenario in the back of your head, but hope it never comes to that. How many hours a week do you work? I stopped counting years ago. It starts when I wake up – checking emails in bed and goes all day. I try not to fall asleep at my computer anymore; I’ve gotten better at that. I try to compartmentalize life the best I can so I can focus on the people I’m with and not be texting or checking emails the whole time. What is your biggest challenge? I have to think we face similar challenges all restaurants face: acquiring and maintaining good staff that represent your business, along with getting customers to walk in the front door.

What do you need most to be successful? A positive attitude and a relentless drive. You have to hold your head up and keep going.

Sara Painter, 29, co-founder and co-owner of Loggerhead Apparel “The American textile industry and loggerhead turtles are both on the endangered species list,” Painter said. Painter and her husband, Zac, co-founded the company together in Greenville in 2011, growing from one retail store to more than 60 stores in 12 states today. Within the past two years, the couple got married, started a company and had a son, Sullivan. Zac grew up in Spartanburg and Sara grew up on the water near Charleston. She spent time protecting loggerhead turtles’ nests, hoping to improve their survival rates and instilling a need to give back. “We want to see growth in the company, growth in American-made products, growth in American jobs and growth in our turtle conservation efforts,” Painter said. “I think our mission resonates with people.”

ara Painter wants to protect things. American-made goods, the South Carolina textile industry and loggerhead sea turtles are on the top of the list, and she gets to tackle them all as co-owner of Loggerhead Apparel. Loggerhead Apparel produces 100% cotton-made polos and accessories that are completely grown and manufactured in the U.S., with much of the process taking place across South Carolina, including embroidery in Mauldin. Ten percent of the revenue goes to loggerhead turtle conservation efforts.

What was the scariest part about starting your venture? It was about six months after launching Loggerhead Apparel when I left a full-time job that I loved, had unlimited resources and a guaranteed paycheck, to running our company nearly single-handedly. I felt a lot of responsibility to make our venture successful, and it took awhile to adjust to my new role and workplace. What was the most exciting part about starting it? Being able to spend my time and energy doing something that my husband and I both feel very passionate about. I feel as if we’re making a difference, and

that makes working so hard so much more rewarding. What is your biggest challenge? Keeping up with demand, given the resources we currently have – a good challenge to have. We have so much opportunity to grow a lot faster if we could be getting in front of more customers and telling our story. What do you like most about your job? I like being my own boss and working alongside my husband building something that we started completely on our own. It’s an amazing feeling to see our dreams starting to grow into something real and something successful, and to have others supporting our mission. What would you do for work if you didn’t have your own business? I would be working in marketing and advertising, which was my career before leaving to work full time on Loggerhead Apparel. It’s something that I loved and gave me a great foundation for building and marketing my own brand. What professional advice could you give to others your age? There’s a lot that goes into starting your own company, in any industry. But overall, find your strength and/or niche, know your customer and where they are in the marketplace, and start small by doing one or two things well and then expand.

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SPECIAL REPORT: 20/13 visionaries

February 25 - March 10, 2013

20/13 20/13

Tammy Johnson, 28, owner, Liquid Catering and The Old Cigar Warehouse

ammy Johnson’s second business is right around the corner. She surveys the more than century old former cigar and cotton warehouse in Greenville’s West End, the majority of which has been vacant since 2006. The partially vaulted ceilings, exposed brick and antique pieces help her visualize her future event venue, The Old Cigar Warehouse, set to open this May. Following renovations and a small expansion, the building’s basement at 912 S. Main St. will contain 7,700 square feet of interior space, as well as an outdoor deck, capable of accommodating 600 guests. In 2011, the Houston native also launched Liquid Catering, a full-service alcohol and beverage catering company. Sales were up 270% for 2012 compared to the year prior, with 60% of her business stemming from weddings. Johnson knocked on a lot of doors to get her business going. Now she mixes cocktails and manages a jammed schedule out of a renovated garage at 116 E. Broad St. in downtown Greenville. “I know I’ve had to prove myself. I’m young, I’m a woman and I work in the wedding industry, which people already parlay into a fake business that you’re not serious about, but that’s not the case,” Johnson said. “I put 80 hours a week into running this, and we are just booming.”

What was the scariest part about starting your venture? The uncertainties. Not knowing if you’ll be able to pay your bills, afford health insurance, etc. Liquid Catering was a new concept to the Upstate, so I was worried that the idea of bar catering wouldn’t catch on. What was the most exciting part about starting it? Making that first sale. Seeing how quickly the community latched onto the idea and started booking events. What’s one thing you didn’t expect? I knew opening a business from scratch was going to be hard, I guess I just didn’t realize just how hard it would be. There are always challenges, like dealing with permitting, shopping for insurance, finding a warehouse. Those things take time and it’s frustrating as a business owner when you are trying to grow your business and certain processes slow you down. How many hours a week do you work? 60 to 100, depending on the week and season. What is your biggest challenge? Educating my clients. A lot of people think that because they’ve bartended at their own fundraisers in

years past, they don’t need to worry about insurance or permitting. A lot of brides think that providing their own alcohol is cheaper, but with our pricing structure it’s actually cheaper to get everything through us. What professional advice could you give to others your age? Go with your gut. Your instincts are usually right, despite what other people may say.

Taryn Scher, 29, founder and owner of TK PR Greenville chapter of Femfessionals, a nationwide professional women’s networking group. She works from her bright home office in Greer on a bejeweled, pink keyboard and matching phone. Her firm’s niche is getting national media exposure for luxury lifestyle and product-based clients. Scher grew up in a small town outside of Boston. After college, she moved to New York City to be an executive assistant at Blanc De Chine, a fashion com-

What do you need most to be successful? You have to learn to delegate and ask for help. I learned early on that try as I might, I just can’t do it all. The sooner you learn to trust others to help you, and learn to ask for help, the better off you’ll be. What character trait has most helped you as a business owner? My 10th grade English teacher was constantly

“I was young, so I didn’t get caught up in fearing it wouldn’t work. It had to work.”

aryn Scher didn’t have a “plan B.” “I knew nothing about starting my own business,” Scher said of starting TK PR in Greenville in 2007. “I just learned by the seat of my pants and trial and error.” Scher founded her boutique public relations and event planning firm then, and recently launched a

pany. At age 22, she became the company’s public relations and market manager. She moved to Greenville when her now husband started his residency at Greenville Memorial Hospital. TK PR’s first local client was Euphoria. TK PR markets the city of Greenville, getting it named “A Culinary Hotspot” in U.S. Airways Magazine. She works on many pro-bono projects, such as Euphoria and the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. “I was young, so I didn’t get caught up in fearing it wouldn’t work. It had to work,” Scher said. “It’s easy when you love something.”

saying “patience is a virtue.” I am constantly saying that in my head. When the time is right, things will happen. There’s no need to push or nag. If it wasn’t meant to be, it wasn’t meant to be. Good things do come to those who wait. I’m in this for the long haul. What professional advice could you give to others your age? Age is just a number. Let your work speak for you – if you strive to be the absolute best at what you do, it doesn’t matter how old you are. But you’ve got to stay relevant too – there’s always going to be another 22-year-old waiting in the wings.

February 25 - March 10, 2013

SPECIAL REPORT: 20/13 visionaries

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Wes Queen, 26, owner and founder of Simplified Logistic Solutions LLC

y changing carriers, Wes Queen saved his father’s company $14,000 in shipping costs within 21 business days. “If I could do this for my dad’s company, I thought that there had to be others,” Queen said. The Chattanooga, Tenn. native founded Simplified Logistic Solutions LLC, or SLS, in January 2012. The company operates at 220 Coffee St. in downtown Greenville. When Queen graduated from Wofford College during the recession in 2008, he accepted a sales job at UPS and became one of their top salesmen nationwide. But Queen wanted out of the corporate world. He quit and drove home to tell his dad. “I expected for him to be angry, but he told me that he had never been more proud and made me his vice president the next day,” Queen said. “I operated under the ‘earn my keep mentality’ and threw myself into the only thing I knew – logistics.” He soon decided to start SLS, a broker for companies’ light truckload and truckload shipping needs. He shipped liquid Jell-O shots for his first customer, SAB Enterprises of Greenville. Today, SLS ships tarps, fabrics and machine, auto and helicopter parts. “I wanted to simplify the process completely,” Queen said. “In a recession, efficiency is key.” What was the scariest part about starting your venture?

The moment you realize you’d run out of assets to sell to keep the business afloat. What is your biggest fear? Complacency. What do you need most to be successful? Grit, determination, confidence and a consistently positive outlook. What would you do for work if you didn’t have your own business? After experiencing entrepreneurship firsthand the last 15 months, I’m afraid that I have no intentions of working for another employer again. Not because of pride, but because I have had way too much fun and experienced way too many exciting things to ever consider anything else. SLS’ lifespan may be finite under my control, but when/if that day comes, there will be another idea brewing in my brain. What professional advice could you give to others your age? There is never a perfect time, perfect amount of money you save, or perfect location to start a business. It comes down to grit, determination and confidence. It helps to have those other tangibles, but with those three traits alone, nothing can stand in your way of success.

Zachary Eikenberry, 28, founder and president of FCD Inc. and LedgerWork Inc.

achary Eikenberry moved to Greenville at age 25 with some gas in his car, no money and a $25 Starbucks gift card. “The worst that can happen is that you fail miserably, but when you’ve seen the bottom, you know that you can build up,” Eikenberry said. “A year later, we were closing multimillion-dollar deals. I lost the fear of failure.” Eikenberry founded FCD Inc., which assists firms in their federal channel sales and government contracting efforts, and LedgerWork Inc., a contract management tool for federal contracts. “We are bringing innovative concepts to an old, established industry that is now rapidly changing as baby boomers retire,” Eikenberry said. Eikenberry has founded or assisted the startup of at least eight companies. He grew revenue from nearly nothing to $6 million in 18 months at an Indianapolis government contracting firm. He founded a software and federal contract management company in Chapin, Ill. Eikenberry works out of his clients’ offices and in the Next Innovation Center in Greenville. He also mentors area companies and helped create the plans for the future Next Charter High School that will teach Greenville students to be problem

solvers. Eikenberry has only applied for one job – and he didn’t accept it. “If I’m going to hire someone, I’m going to hire myself,” Eikenberry said. What was the scariest part about starting your venture? Believe it or not, it always seemed scarier to me to work for another person who could control my paycheck with the power to hire or fire me. How many hours a week do you work? Ha. Probably 60 to 70. I don’t keep track, but I can’t remember the last time I took a day off. What is your biggest challenge? The toughest thing about leading a company is feeling responsible for the people on your team. It is ethically imperative to make sure my company is creating wealth so the people on my team can pay their mortgages and all else. What is your biggest fear? Well, I got over my fear of failure a long time ago after I failed several times. Once you hit the bot-

tom a few times, you begin to feel free of fear. I’ve learned like many other entrepreneurs how not to build a business, and the only fear I face now is selfsabotage in the face of success. What do you need most to be successful? Success is not a matter of luck, but a matter of time. Give me enough time, and I’ll make it happen.

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SPECIAL REPORT: 20/13 visionaries

February 25 - March 10, 2013