Category: Experience Hartsville

    Did you know that nearly 95% of the members of the Greater Hartsville Chamber of Commerce have 100 or less employees and that 76% percent have 10 or less employees?

That is a lot of small business!

    At the chamber, we have tried to really shift our focus to bringing valuable opportunities to our small businesses. Not only do we promote them like crazy on social media, through our eblasts, on our website, and anytime someone with a heartbeat walks through our doors, but we also give them opportunities to expand their networks. Connecting people to resources is my favorite thing in the world to do and I love watching partnerships form. For example, Coker College’s softball coach Travis McCall was in the Leadership Hartsville program when he learned about Carolina’s Kids. He was so impressed with the work of Carolina’s Kids, he began volunteering with his players every week to pack food bags for the children in Darlington county who are less fortunate. Travis graduated three years ago but the players continue to give their time to help the community.

    We have a really great Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE) group at our chamber. The team of retired business leaders set aside two days a month to counsel entrepreneurs and businesses of all sizes in the Pee Dee. We are also blessed to have Eddie Watson from the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) on our team. He also counsels entrepreneurs twice a month, right here at the chamber. We also partner with other organizations like the Small Business Administration (SBA) and SC Works to ensure our members know about all the resources available

to them. Earlier in the year the SBA hosted  “Tools to Starting a Small Business” and joined forces with SC Works to host a “Veteran Employment and Entrepreneurship Workshop.”

    In addition to those organizations, we have members who are extremely talented and give of their time and talents to help other businesses and this community. Recently, Chamber board member Jamie Kelly hosted a workshop “Social Media for Your Business.” Based on the feedback of the 30 participants, she plans to expand on the topic by offering six sessions to help elevate our members’ social media presence. Also, Travis Blayton of Palmetto Mortgage Group hosted a seminar “Buying a Home in Four Steps,” in which he broke down the homebuying process for individuals thinking of entering the real estate market.

    Finally, our small businesses benefit from the exposure our events and programs offer. From fun, community-oriented events like the Taste of Hartsville and the Hartsville Community Golf Classic, to professional development opportunities like our Women’s Leadership Symposium, Leadership Hartsville, and HR Manager’s meetings, the opportunities to actualize a return on an investment in the chamber abound.

    Our chamber in Hartsville is amazing, but so are all the chambers in our communities in the Pee Dee. If you are a small business owner and not a member of your local chamber of commerce, I encourage you to check out the benefits available to your business. You won’t regret the investment!

    Fear, stress, anxiety. Who will I socialize with? What will I do for fun?

    These are all thoughts and feelings that are associated with moving to a new town. Hartsville Young Professionals aims to eliminate those thoughts and feelings. We have a motto, “Let’s do something together”. HYP wants to make young professional life in a small town a great experience. When I joined HYP I remember having my reservations, but figured it would be a nice way to meet other young professionals in the area. After getting more involved and meeting people I had never met in a town I thought I knew everyone in, it was eye opening. Fast forward a few years and I’m now in my sixth month as president of HYP. I am supported by a great board made up of motivated and talented professionals who work hard to make HYP a success.

    During this past year we have been looking back at the leadership that created HYP. They knew how important forming relationships would be to young professionals moving to Hartsville, as well as natives that want to call Hartsville home. Growth of the city is dependent on a great community welcoming young professionals deciding to plant roots and raise families.  The low cost of living, high quality of life, and excellent employment opportunities make Hartsville the perfect place for someone who wants to become involved in a strong community. Our town is full of opportunities to get involved and lead that  might not be available to a young professional in a larger city.

    HYP is proud to be a division of the Hartsville Chamber of Commerce. We have a strong audience of supporters in our community. Sonoco has sponsored us since the beginning and recognizes our value and role in the community. Other businesses like McGee Financial and Project EXcape, provided fun, interactive opportunities for us to network and get connected. The true purpose of HYP is to create friendships and ease what may have otherwise been a stressful adventure. We have some great events coming up. We will be hosting a cookout at the Hartsville Country Club sponsored by SPC Credit Union on July 13th from 6 to 9 p.m. If you’d like to give HYP a try, we’d love for you to join us.

    Hartsville is a great community that is caring and inclusive. There are wonderful opportunities to get involved in our growing town. It is a place where you come thinking it’s temporary, but then you find yourself planting roots and finding a home. The friends I’ve made through HYP are some of the closest I have. We welcome anyone who would like to get involved.

    Heather Byrd grew up in Charleston, SC and attended College of Charleston, but has called the quaint town of McBee, SC home for the past twelve years. Her family members are all celebrating next chapters of their lives. Her son, Gage, and daughter-in-law, Cassidy, are expecting their first child in October. Her daughter, Lindsay, is going away to college this fall. Heather and her boyfriend, Daniel, will soon experience a new feeling as empty-nesters. Just last month Heather took her own leap of faith into an exciting new life chapter as becoming the new owner of Montessori Day Academy of Hartsville (MDAH).

    Heather owns Infinity Images Portrait Studio where she specializes in photographing children from Birth to 1 year. Heather shares, “After many years in the photography business I decided it was time to look for work that isn’t so taxing on my body. Photographing babies is my favorite thing to do but it is tough work and I know my body won’t be able to do it for many more years.” Heather approached the former owner and friend, Terie Rousseau, about coming to work for her as Administrator. After many conversations and much deliberation, Teri offered to sell Heather the school. “It wasn’t in my plans, but after speaking with the parents and staff I knew I would be a good fit and it would be such a rewarding experience.” While Heather will be opening the door to a new adventure, she will still run her photography studio on a part-time basis. “I can’t imagine not having that in my life,” says Heather.

    Montessori Day Academy of Hartsville is a private, independent education institution that practices the Montessori Method of learning serving children from ages six weeks to six years. The curriculum at MDAH promotes learning through a psychology-based approach to education that encourages students to explore math, science, language arts, music and the outdoors in an academically stimulating environment at their own pace. The school incorporates the time-tested, research-based, nurturing educational philosophy of Maria Montessori with an emphasis on individualized learning, student independence, and strong family engagement. MDAH intentionally attracts and supports a diverse student and parent body.

    Heather has big plans for the upcoming school year. “We have hired a new Lead Guide for our Toddler Room as well as several new after-school teachers who will be doing French lessons, music and baby sign language,” explains Heather. “Together with families, we are going to continue our mission to build a school that meets the needs of all learners and helps all of our children reach their full potential.” Open Enrollment for the school year continues through the end of July with the new school year starting on August 6th.

Duke Energy CEO to highlight Women’s Leadership Symposium

Hartsville Chamber of Commerce presents inaugural symposium

 Article by Quinetta Buterbaugh

Hartsville, S.C. – On Friday, September 8, the Greater Hartsville Chamber of Commerce will host its first-ever Women’s Leadership Symposium, presented by Sonoco. The symposium, held at the Harris E. and Louise H. DeLoach Center in Hartsville, will be from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. and will feature breakout sessions, a panel discussion, award presentations and lunch.

Themed “Marketing and Branding Yourself for Success,” the event will feature professional women who have paved the way for the professional development of others. A panel discussion will be moderated by Sonoco’s Vice President of Global Quality and Hartsville Chamber Board Member, Leslie Pemberton. Pemberton will lead the discussion “The Journey to Leadership” with Sonoco’s highest ranking female executive, Senior Vice President Vicki Arthur, first female CEO of SPC Credit Union Linda Weatherford, and the to-be-named 2017 Woman of Achievement Lynn Good, CEO of Duke Energy. Good will deliver the keynote address during lunch.

“The Greater Hartsville Chamber of Commerce is providing this resource to all who seek to grow professionally in this fast-paced, ever-changing society. We invite you to be a part of it,” said Symposium Chair Rebecca Ward.

“The chamber wants to provide an opportunity for women in the workforce of all levels to interact with one another, learn from the experiences of some of the best in the business, and have the opportunity for a full day of professional development, right here in Hartsville,” said Hartsville Chamber President Quinetta Buterbaugh. “Our goal is to make the symposium an annual event, delivering relevant content and growth opportunities to women.”

Breakout sessions will highlight topics on maneuvering generational diversity for self-branding, the influence of board participation, use of social media for brand enhancement and social media etiquette. Medical University of South Carolina Media Relations Director Heather Woolwine, Senior Human Resources Consultant of Find Great People Carrie Cavanaugh, and former Administrator of the South Carolina Department of Consumer Affairs Brandolyn Thomas-Pinkston will deliver inspiring messages during the breakout sessions.

For more information or to purchase tickets for the Women’s Leadership Symposium, visit www.hartsvillechamber.org, or call the Greater Hartsville Chamber of Commerce at (843) 332-6401.

The Greater Hartsville Chamber of Commerce is a membership-based business advocacy organization founded in 1910.  The Chamber provides a voice for local businesses, supports economic development, and promotes the vibrant and personal community that makes Hartsville appealing to businesses and residents.