Footnotes

Suzanne Brunnemer runs a local business that’s remained in the family for three generations, despite the tough competition in the tool supply market. In our conversation, she credits the success of Mann Tool and Supply, Inc. to the exceptional relationships between her staff and the community. She defines the unspoken benefits of fostering a familial culture in your business while offering valuable insights on how to use expertise and education for lead generation and customer retention. Learn how Suzanne provides a dedicated space for new customers to discover their passion for crafting with tools you might think are reserved only for professionals. She's an expert on building passionate customer relationships, offering "a little something extra" to make them last a lifetime.

In Episode 50 of Footnotes, we have an enlightening conversation with Duke Hartman, co-founder of Integer Technologies, an applied research business that bridges the gap between research institutions and government defense agencies. We discuss how the cutting edge research innovations which arise in theoretical university settings are identified, proven, and brought to life as real-world, usable prototypes. Hyper-niche business opportunities like this exist everywhere – even in your own backyard. Learn about STEM innovation happening at the University of South Carolina in Columbia, SC and the ways Integer Technologies is shaping the future of United States national security and defenses.

Heather Leigh, the owner of Greenhaven Memorial Gardens, has spent her career helping people navigate the emotional end-of-life journey. In Episode 49 of Footnotes, she shares the unique and essential lessons she's learned while working in a highly emotional field, lessons that inspired her to found BETR, a community for fellow business leaders who want a better way to network, learn, and grow. We love Heather's unique approach to entrepreneurship, reminding us that behind every business transaction, there's human connection and growth.

In Episode 48 of Footnotes, Kristian Niemi, seasoned restauranteur, sits down with us in one of Columbia’s most popular restaurants, Bourbon Lounge. He takes us through the steps of building Bourbon from an idea dreamed up in a car to an expanded, hopping location that’s become the heart of Columbia’s food scene. Listen in for restaurant secrets and stay for Kristian’s exciting predictions about what is yet to come in Columbia’s food scene, with, of course, some clever business advice along the way.

We've been waiting for Episode 47 of Footnotes because we finally get to sit down with someone who's been with us since Episode 2, Chad Rochester. He is usually behind the scenes, but today he steps in front of the camera to talk about how he pivoted from teaching High School English to running The Pierson Collective, a creative firm that provides top-notch media to a diverse array of companies and clients. There are so many practical lessons to learn from Chad's journey. We discuss how modest and reasonable goals can be beneficial, and how important it is to maintain a healthy work-life balance. If you've been dreaming of turning your passion into a business, Chad's story might be just the thing you need to take the plunge.

Episode 46 of Footnotes covers a lot of ground, from corporate sustainability to telling stories with art. Brooks Boland, the founder of MSP Disposal, talks about the ways the future of transparent sustainability has already arrived. He shows us how a company can connect the dots between big manufacturers, overstock, and people, all while adding a powerful new layer of storytelling, art, and recycling. We hope you’ll find a little inspiration from the combination of art and business, as well as excitement for the bright future of corporate sustainability.

We're thrilled to sit down with Jenn Randall-Collins, co-founder and CEO of Proof Alcohol Ice Cream, a visionary company that combines two things everyone loves - ice cream and alcohol. Episode 44 takes us on a journey from a single ice cream machine on Shop Road to filling international shipments and stocking hundreds of grocery stores with a product so unique that it created a whole new market. Jenn teaches us to take off the blinders that keep us from believing in game-changing products, showing us the perseverance and wise leadership it takes to create something brand new, for the first time.

Join us for Episode 34, where we share a pilsner with Scott and Darryl, co-founders of Steel Hands Brewing, to discuss a 120-billion-dollar industry – selling beer. They teach us how to grow new local markets to meet the rising demand of a fast-paced industry with a constantly changing pallet. They’re not only masters of brewing—they’re masters of strategic expansion, predicting customer demand and national trends while balancing all the moving parts of running a production brewery across multiple states. It’s been a challenging journey, made successful by foresight and wise business practices, but most of all, passion. They’ve got great advice to share about creating a unique product that can break into tough, insular retail spaces. If you’ve got a dream product you want to bring to life (or if you just love beer) make sure to listen in.