Driving Growth and Fostering Community: The Evolution of Mount Pleasant's Chamber of Commerce

Discover the heartbeat of Mount Pleasant's business community as Kathi Herrmann, chamber president and marketing maven at Mount Pleasant Towne Centre, engage in a vibrant conversation with Rebecca Imholz and Mike Compton. Rebecca, steering the Chamber of Commerce, and Mike, the creative force behind rūmbo Advertising, join her to unfold the narrative of our local Chamber from its modest beginnings to the vigorous, influential body it represents today. We take you on a journey through the East Cooper area's blossoming landscape, tackling the hurdles of urban expansion and the critical balance of nurturing a family and business-friendly environment. The recent pandemic has reshaped our perspectives on work-life equilibrium, and we're expanding the conversation to encompass the broader East Cooper communities, all while maintaining the close-knit spirit essential for thriving businesses.

This episode isn't just a look back; it's a gateway to action-packed insights for anyone with an ear for entrepreneurial wisdom or a hand in fostering community connections. As we spotlight the Mount Pleasant Chamber of Commerce's role in boosting local business and communal bonds, we also illuminate the Chamber's invaluable initiatives. From scholarship programs to creating platforms for burgeoning professionals and women in networking, we're championing growth and empowerment. With support from public figures and our partnership with the East Cooper Hospitality Commission, our podcast emerges as a beacon for those seeking to align with the pulse of community engagement and business innovation. Join us and feel the energy of our volunteer board and marketing committee as we propel this community narrative forward.

Presenting Sponsor: Mount Pleasant Chamber of Commerce
Studio Sponsor: Charleston Radio Group
Production Sponsor: rūmbo advertising

Committee:
Kathleen Herrmann | Host | MPCC President
Michael Cochran | Co-host | Foundation Chair
John Carroll | Co-host | Member at Large
Mike Compton | Co-host | Marketing Chair
Rebecca Imholz | Co-host | MPCC Director
Amanda Bunting Comen | Co-host | Social ABCs
Scott Labarowski | Co-host | Membership Chair
Tammy Becker | President Elect
Jennifer Maxwell | Co-host
Darius Kelly | Creative Director | DK Design

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:01

Well, hello and welcome to Building a Business podcast powered by the Mount Pleasant Chamber of Commerce. We're recording in the Charleston Radio Group studios while Kyle's Films is behind the camera Both big supporters of the Mount Pleasant Chamber of Commerce, so thank you to all of you. Kathy Herman's here, I am your current chamber president and I am also the marketing director at Mount Pleasant Town Center and I'm really excited to be here, uh, for episode one of our business build building business podcast, powered by the mount pleasant chamber of commerce.

Speaker 1: 0:36

So thank you so much for joining us. Listeners, um, I'm joined here today by two very important guests. No, really, you are very, very important guests. I'm excited to have you both here Rebecca Imholtz and Mike Compton. We're going to start with Rebecca. Tell them a little bit about yourself, rebecca.

Speaker 3: 0:54

Well, thank you so much for having me, Kathy, and so glad to have you, Mike, today as well. What can I say about myself? I'm the director of the Mount Pleasant Chamber of Commerce.

Speaker 1: 1:06

And that's why it's so important to have you here today. That's why it's important that I'm here. You're the important one here. I'm the important one.

Speaker 3: 1:13

But I am very appreciative of getting this podcast together and to help the world know what wonderful things the Mount Pleasant Chamber of Commerce is doing to encourage business and community success east of the Cooper. We're having a lot of fun. This is a really great time of year. Any time of the year is a great time of year for the Mount.

Speaker 1: 1:33

Pleasant Chamber of.

Speaker 3: 1:34

Commerce, because we always have so much going on. I'm sure we'll be talking about that throughout the podcast. Yeah, so I have been the director of the chamber for four years and before that I was a volunteer. I actually have served on a lot of committees with the chamber. We'll be probably talking a little bit about that today as we have our discussion, and I've lived in Mount Pleasant for gosh over 20 years, seen a lot of changes was involved with the chamber. Before it was a chamber was involved when it was a Mount Pleasant Business Association. Before it was a chamber was involved when it was a Mount Pleasant Business Association and before that it was an East Cooper Merchants Association and it was established to encourage people to shop at the holidays in Mount Pleasant. So that was about 1992 or so and then we became a business association and in the early 2000s and then under the leadership of Chris Stobbs, we became a Chamber of Commerce in 2017. I remember that day very fondly.

Speaker 1: 2:32

Do you remember that day? I do, because when I, when we joined for Town Center, it was still the Mount Pleasant Business Association, and I actually still have the bumper sticker in my office, do you really? It's a relic. Now I wonder if it's worth something.

Speaker 3: 2:44

It definitely is. It's worth something to all of us. But yes, isn't that fun? Time goes by so quickly. It really does. Well, I've been here for four years now.

Speaker 2: 2:52

My name is Mike Compton. Hi listeners, how are you?

Speaker 1: 2:54

I was just going to introduce everyone. Here's Mike Compton.

Speaker 2: 2:58

Marketing chair for the chamber, membership director for the AMA and my day job is a president of Roomba advertising goroombacom. But I'm really interested in the history of. I didn't know that. So, I'm such a rookie. You've been here for how long?

Speaker 1: 3:15

Eight years.

Speaker 2: 3:16

Eight years, so that's double when I've been here and you've been here for whoa a lot longer than I. The growth factor of Mount Pleasant has been ridiculous from your eyes. Can you talk about that?

Speaker 3: 3:27

Well, it has grown quite a bit. I think when I moved here there were about 35,000 residents in Mount Pleasant.

Speaker 2: 3:34

And.

Speaker 3: 3:34

I believe now there's about 95. But still the heart of the community is the same. We're a really strong community. We're very supportive of businesses and each other. That has not changed. Yes, we're bigger, but we're still a very vibrant, supportive community that embraces families and small businesses, because that really is the heart of our business. Community is small business and that's how we have continued to thrive. So that has all stayed the same. What has changed? Traffic has changed.

Speaker 2: 4:06

Oh boy, I mean traffic's bad in any city. You go to right Like everybody's got their own issues on their traffic.

Speaker 3: 4:13

Yes, and we are actually working with the town of Mount Pleasant and some other business leaders to talk about how can we address traffic issues. How can we address traffic issues so that people who don't live in Mount Pleasant can work in Mount Pleasant and still get home at a reasonable hour to be with their families Because that's so important with a workforce that they are able to spend quality time, have that work-life balance that we've all heard about. It's certainly changed because of COVID, because remote working is more acceptable. But people, there are many, many jobs that require somebody to be physically present every single day. So how do we address that and keep the quality of life for everyone?

Speaker 3: 4:57

The Mount Pleasant Chamber I think one of the things in talking with the community. I don't know if people realize we're more than just Mount Pleasant. We're the Mount Pleasant Chamber of Commerce but we go out into the East Cooper community so we have members from Daniel Island and Almondaw and as that area's grown I came here today, 41, clements Ferry we have businesses in that area as well. So it's really an exciting time for our chamber as we are growing and embracing and getting folks from not only the low country area that grew up here, been here a long time, but folks such as yourselves, kathy and Mike, that come from other places far off, Cummins, is that what you call it, cummins?

Speaker 2: 5:39

Yeah yeah, my children are Not from us.

Speaker 3: 5:40

Yeah, not been here. Been here, been here yeah yous, yeah, been here, I believe, is how you're Been yous Sorry, been yous, I don't know, been yous and then come yous. But regardless, regardless, we love having the fact that we do have people from outside the area who didn't necessarily grow up here, and they bring their perspective too of where they have grown up. I I recently met a young lady who happened to be at one of our events and she moved here from Hawaii. So I'm like why would you do that?

Speaker 1: 6:10

That would have been my first question.

Speaker 3: 6:12

But she wanted to experience a different culture and as my children have grown they have also moved away to experience a different culture. But they also realize what a great place this area is to grow up in and to have a business and to be a part of it. So I'm really, you know, we could not have a chamber without Mike and Kathy and all the other wonderful volunteers on our board and in the chamber. It's so refreshing and wonderful to have people join the chamber that get it that realize how supportive a chamber is of the community.

Speaker 3: 6:43

We're not just about going to networking events that is super important, but there are many other things that a chamber does to make a community vibrant, livable, effective, because you want to make sure that you are communicating well with your elected officials, and our chamber does that very well. We are very involved with our local elected officials as well. Chamber does that very well. We are very involved with our local elected officials as well. Yes, and I'm very proud of that.

Speaker 3: 7:10

That's some area that I really love in fact when I was, when I joined the Business Association, one of my interest areas was governmental relations and getting to know what's going on at the Statehouse and within the town and the county and helping to communicate that to our members and getting them to meet our elected officials. Particularly this year it's an election year we all have to pay attention. I know we're going to be bombarded here really soon with ads, but I really feel it's very important for our members to know their elected officials, particularly the ones that aren't from here Right.

Speaker 1: 7:43

And now, mike, you've only been here four years, not only but four years. So when you moved here, you immediately got involved in the chamber. I did, and not only just coming to events and things, but you became a chair of the marketing committee. What? Two years after you got here, maybe, maybe, and I mean, that's jumping in. That's what we're all about, and that's it. I'd love to know what was it about the chamber that you saw immediately?

Speaker 2: 8:09

that you wanted to get so involved right away. Well, so my business partner and I that's what we do in Roomba we get involved with the community as many ways as we can without overextending ourselves, and sometimes overextending ourselves.

Speaker 3: 8:21

Clearly, we're all guilty of this, aren't we? Yes, we are. I think anybody who's active in an organization is guilty of that 100%.

Speaker 2: 8:27

I can't say no, unfortunately. So, listeners, ask me anything you want.

Speaker 3: 8:32

Can you give them your number?

Speaker 2: 8:36

I remember being at a luncheon and it was at Alhambra Hall and I think it was like a holiday luncheon, right, because that's one of the ones that you do and you give out the trophies, you give out the things I'm like. I like the vibe in that room so much I just liked what I saw.

Speaker 1: 8:53

Well, that was definitely a good first lunch to go to. It was a good first lunch.

Speaker 2: 8:57

I love the fact that we do the Pledge of Allegiance. I love the fact that we do, you know, prayer, and then everybody kind of stands up. Everybody kind of is like it just felt like a very vibrant, yet like caring community and I'm like I'm going to be getting one of those one day. And then it was the next year, I think it was Like, yeah, so now I've got like four of them, but they're great and they all mean something. To like giving back to the community is like we're just trying to better everybody else. I'm not trying to take your money, I'm not trying to. Networking is great. We're trying to build relationships and partnerships with people, right, I mean, that's what we're all about, is commerce, and that's what the Chamber just felt like to me. So I'm like all right, I'm in. What do we got to do?

Speaker 1: 9:45

And so not only has Mike been busy with everything else that the Chamber's been doing, but he decided that he was going to start a podcast, and here we are, and so here we are in episode one.

Speaker 3: 9:52

Sorry.

Speaker 1: 9:53

No. So I mean, mike, I'd really love to hear your thoughts about why you started this podcast.

Speaker 2: 9:59

Don't you love podcasts?

Speaker 1: 10:00

Well, I love hearing myself talk, so, yes, I love being here.

Speaker 2: 10:03

I'm the opposite of that.

Speaker 1: 10:08

But I am very excited about getting to speak to some of our planned special guests that will be here this year.

Speaker 2: 10:16

That's what it's all about Again building the community, sharing knowledge. I want the listeners to be able to take notes and get leads from this podcast, because there's going to be business owners that you're going to be like oh I want to go to there Because I've heard their smoothie bomb was amazing or, you know anything right their pizza, like. Let's talk to a local pizza owner and talk about their trials and tribulations of building a business here All the way up to a corporate company like Pinnacle or something like that let's talk to a big bank, medium-sized bank, small bank, whatever, I want the listener to take value away from this podcast.

Speaker 3: 10:52

So that's, once we stop giving value, then we stop podcasting well, we are going to continue to podcast forever because we're always gonna, we, we will always be able to give value with the membership that we have in the chamber and um strong leadership like you too.

Speaker 1: 11:06

Yes, I'm really excited, yeah well, I'm excited too, and I know that we've got um some great people in the works to speak to in the upcoming episodes. I believe I mentioned it in the intro episode, but of course, our favorite Mayor, mayor Haney, I'm sure will make a guest appearance. We love speaking with him and he is so very supportive of the Chamber, as well as the current town council as well, so I'm sure we'll have, uh yeah, some great discussions um with the government of mount pleasant we're happily involved with the town of mount pleasant are we in the meetings too.

Speaker 1: 11:43

As far as affordable housing is concerned, as far as hospitality and tourism, we've actually the chamber's actually worked with the town to create the east cooper hospitality commission, uh, which I am proud to be a part of. Rebecca sits on it as well, and it's a group of food and bev and hospitality vendors and we all just get together and discuss issues, discuss good things, bad things, how we can fix this. What's working for one of us, hopefully it could work for you. Right, and that was all a brainchild of Matt Brady of the town. So, yes, the answer is yes.

Speaker 3: 12:20

Matt, the economic development manager for the town of Mount Pleasant, so yes, thank you, matt, for helping us get that together. So I'm really excited, too, to bring a group together where we are talking about issues but we're doing something about it. So that is a value of a chamber. Well, the foundation too right.

Speaker 2: 12:38

I mean how much we give a scholarship away every year right To a smarty, a student.

Speaker 3: 12:45

We do Every year a high school senior in the area. We solicit for applications and nominations for a senior that is pursuing some sort of a degree in the business arena marketing, communications, lots of different types of fields of study, and it's a very heartwarming experience. We've done it for many years. The foundation funds that, and we've just had some wonderful recipients and I'm really looking forward, as they grow and mature, to find out what they've done. Because a chamber wants to invest right.

Speaker 3: 13:20

We want our businesses to invest in the chamber because that allows us to invest in the community, and I think that's very vital, particularly with our young people. We have started a young professionals group now in the chamber and they are having a great time. They network monthly and, as they have grown and gotten stronger, I'm really looking forward to seeing what they want to do in the rest of 2024 as well, because that age group, by the way, is 21 to 40. That's a phase of life, if I can try to remember back then, but my goals were different than they are now at this point in my life, so it's important to recognize them, too, as future leaders and contributors to our community. And, kathy, I would like for you to talk about the new women's networking group that we have started.

Speaker 1: 14:06

One of the things that Jennifer Maxwell, who is our immediate past president, and I had discussed was a women's group. Our immediate past president and I had discussed was a women's group because we do. We're members of other local chamber chambers as well and we thoroughly enjoyed attending some of their events when we realized that there's we've got some amazing women that belong to our chamber. So our our group is called Rise and we are really kicking it off great with our new chair, kendall Costi. She is just such an incredible woman and right now we're looking to do quarterly events. I do hope that it becomes so successful that we almost have to do a monthly. I know Rebecca's looking at me. We do a lot.

Speaker 2: 14:51

We do a lot. What does Rise?

Speaker 1: 14:52

stand for.

Speaker 2: 14:55

Yeah, what does?

Speaker 3: 14:55

Rise.

Speaker 1: 14:56

Ah, you would empower I was letting rebecca do it yeah reach inspire, support, empower love it, love it. Is that amazing? And, of course, darius made the most amazing. Let's talk about darius.

Speaker 2: 15:12

We've got a really talented marketing committee. We do. Yes, I'm just here to lead, like just kind of give ideas, but these guys do the work, like Social ABCs, amanda Bunting, coleman, darius Kelly, jake Coz, coz Moore with no E Coz Films, I usually spell his name wrong and they're just super, super talented and they're willing to give their time, like I'm willing to give, like we're all willing to give our time which is amazing.

Speaker 2: 15:40

And it's kind of infectious at a time. You know where you get like all these really talented people that want to donate their time.

Speaker 1: 15:46

A lot of people don't realize that, especially for our size of chamber, that the board and all of the chairs are all volunteer. Rebecca and Marion and Tamara are paid employees and they're fabulous and we could not survive without them. But the rest of us are all volunteers and we have full-time jobs.

Speaker 1: 16:10

I mentioned I'm the marketing director at Town Center, so I start working 60-hour weeks at the holiday time and still find time, because I love this chamber and I love what we're doing for the community and you were talking about the community before. Not only do we have the foundation, rebecca, but we also have a community engagement chair, so we have an entire committee just focused on community engagement, which shows how important it is to us to be involved with the community.

Speaker 2: 16:39

Remember when we gave money away in COVID. That was a touching time. We sure did we went to that hotel right and had a thing and the mayor was there. I think I forget what was.

Speaker 3: 16:53

What we did is that was a really unusual time.

Speaker 2: 16:57

It was a very difficult time.

Speaker 3: 16:59

And we knew that the food and beverage hospitality workers were struggling. And so so thankful to have a chamber that recognized that and gave out some funds to help recognize folks that had overcome tremendous obstacles and hardships to continue to work during a very difficult time. It's almost like our lives have become before COVID and after COVID Everybody stepped up.

Speaker 3: 17:33

So that was a wonderful opportunity for the chamber to give back to our community and, yes, community investment is very important with our nonprofit members and our community at large but also providing some education programs that I'm really excited about, too, to support our businesses, to help them grow, particularly folks. We have a lot of members that have moved into the area and this is their second career, like they've had a career somewhere else and they move here and they're like now I want to do this because we're never done.

Speaker 3: 18:08

I used to have a radio show for seven years and a lot of really. It was called let's Talk Boomers and it was sort of about that. Next we used to call it our next best phase of our lives.

Speaker 2: 18:20

Let's Talk Boomers, that's what it was called.

Speaker 3: 18:22

Let's Talk Boomers and I had so many guests that well, yeah, I did that, you know, in my earlier part of my career, but now I'm doing this.

Speaker 2: 18:31

Yeah.

Speaker 3: 18:34

And it's really exciting to know that you can do something else. And look at, I've always wanted to do this or that and now I'm just going to do it and a chamber can help you do that, because we're going to help introduce you to other folks that can help you grow what your dream is and follow your passion, because work is not work if you enjoy it and it's your passion. So, chamber, yes, it's a job, but it's a passion of mine. It's something that I get excited about, that motivates me.

Speaker 1: 19:04

I think everyone can see that, Rebecca. I mean not only listening today to the passion in Rebecca's voice. But if you have not had the pleasure of meeting Rebecca in person, you need to, because it's the same exuberance in person that it is on this show right now.

Speaker 2: 19:22

I do have to blame her for this right joining very quickly as well, because she's asked me to. I'm like what we just met. All right, let's go.

Speaker 3: 19:29

Because I know how wonderful the chamber is, so it's easy when it's go. Because I know how wonderful the chamber is, and so it's easy when it's heartfelt. Right when we're doing the right thing, yeah, and doing the right thing, absolutely.

Speaker 1: 19:39

So we are so excited about this podcast everyone and we really look forward to speaking with our members and sharing their stories with you, and, of course, I'm there to help. If you have anyone has any uh requests, we will certainly uh, we can send them in to rebecca and we can certainly take a look at them. But we're really excited about launching this podcast. We could not have done it again without mike, or without darius, or without cause films, or without um amanda, bunton, coman at social abc. So again, thank you all so very much, and and our host, charleston Radio Group, who's here, of course, with us today, making us sound so good for you. But before we leave, we just need to again thank all of our sponsors. If you want to be a sponsor of our podcast, of course you can reach out to Rebecca and she will get back to you. Most importantly, make sure to like and subscribe to all of our media channels.

Speaker 3: 20:39

I don't want to miss any.

Speaker 1: 20:40

Spotify, itunes, youtube, instagram, facebook and LinkedIn.

Speaker 2: 20:45

That's amazing Thanks to our huge marketing team. Exactly that is because of our marketing committee.

Speaker 1: 20:52

I cannot thank you enough, Mike and Rebecca, for being here on our first episode and again until next time, mount Pleasant. Until next time, listeners you.