I Won’t Starve Academy, a Midlands 501c3 nonprofit agency is gearing up for its one-year anniversary celebration. Sunday, July 25th, 2:00 pm, at the Eau Claire Print Building, I Won’t Starve Academy will celebrate one year with a Community Give Back and Food Drive for Harvest Hope Food Bank.…

BUSINESS OF THE WEEK

McDonald’s and Mayor Steve Benjamin kicked off the summer hiring season with an event highlighting McDonald’s and its independent franchisees’ commitment to hire thousands of people across South Carolina this summer.

“I was born in God’s heart and I will die in his arms” are the lines from the poem entitled “Peace” that this month’s Auntie Karen "Think Big Know Bigger" Success Story wrote when she was just four years old. Today, Acecily “Ace” Alexander is the owner of A.C.E Social Media, and founder of A…

Nothin’ But Wings, a family owned and operated contemporary restaurant in Columbia, began as an idea back in 2018 by its two owners, Kimberly Cannon and Tyrone White. On August 1, 2020, the restaurant opened in North Columbia.

Columbia residents can now capture the perfect selfie at Selfie Mania, Columbia’s first selfie museum. The 2,500 square foot venue held its grand opening on Saturday, June 5 at its Columbia Place Mall location (second floor directly across from Macy’s).

One of the Midlands most popular lunch buffets wants everyone to know that they are open for business.

Orangeburg native Zachary Middleton is featured in this week’s Authors Spotlight. Middleton has released his debut novel, Running After Delano.

On April 30, 2021, Allison Waymyers became the youngest recipient of the Jo-Nathan Foundation Humanitarian of the Year Award. She was honored at the "Music in the Vineyard" Charity event at Three Star Vineyard in Edgefield, SC.

This month’s Auntie Karen "Think Big Know Bigger" Success Story features Dominique Hodge, aka Jakeem Da Dream; Da Dream Designs, owner.

“Walking by faith” means that you are embarking upon a journey. Even though you may not know your final destination, you have put your trust in the Lord to guide your steps.

Dentists Chermaine Lyde and Me’Chell James held a ribbon cutting ceremony for Ivy Creek Family Dentistry on Tuesday, April 20.

One of the Midlands coolest businesses is opening a new location.

American Rescue Plan – Small Business Input Requested by the City of Columbia  Small business community, how is COVID-19 impacting your business? The City of Columbia understands that our business community continues to be significantly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and our local leaders…

On January 14, 2021, Dr. Sheila Belton-Gaymon and Dr. Sandra Randolph declared Ivy Health Solutions, LLC open for business. Ivy Health Solutions, LLC is a nurse practitioner-owned and operated primary care clinic located in the medical office building at 4100 North Main Street in Columbia, SC.

Transportation has come a long way in the last decade. Rideshare programs such as Uber and Lyft have been on the rise. People who don’t have cars or just want to get to and from their destination use these companies to navigate through the cities and even travel outside of their towns. The n…

Palmetto Citizens Federal Credit Union has awarded Allen University $100,000 to support the renovation of the Good Samaritan-Waverly Hospital Restoration Project.

This month’s Auntie Karen "Think Big Know Bigger" Success Story features jewelry makers Nia Diggs Kai & Sprig's Creations.

Ronnie Timmons is a father, husband, and business owner. He is also the epitome of what it means to defeat the odds that are meant to destroy a person. Since 2008, Mr. Timmons has faced and overcome trials of many kinds, with the first being with his business, Ronnie’s Ribs.

The Reedy Fork Baptist Church seeks to collaborate with community churches, our Healthcare Systems, the Center for Disease Control, and other entities to reach the vulnerable, the underserved and those disproportionately affected by the virus in the south Greenville communities.

Talented people need a place to perform and show off their talent. On a national level, shows such as American Idol, The Voice and Showtime at the Apollo provide a platform for rising talent.

American Business Women’s Association (ABWA), Women Connecting Women Chapter of Newberry County salutes member, Honorable Jackie Holmes. ABWA’s mission is to provide leadership, education, networking opportunities and recognition to members on a local and national level.

LaDon Mathews has been in the event planning business for 14 years. His career began with planning events for family and friends and eventually drew the attention of people in the community. Mathews realized the potential of his event planning services and decided to turn his talents into a …

The Claflin University Center for Social Justice, in partnership with Claflin University’s First Lady LaKisha Warmack, the Freshman College, SC Humanities Council, and the South Carolina Arts Commission, will host “Social Justice Author Series – A Morning with Dr. Danielle Allen” on Tuesday,…

Clinton College has announced the hiring of alumnus Dee Frazier as the college's next athletic director and head men's basketball coach. Frazier comes to Clinton College from Wiley College in Marshall, Texas, where he served as the assistant coach of the men's basketball team.

This time last year, the unpredictable nature of COVID-19 forced us to cancel our Founders' Day events, including the highly-anticipated Sneaker Ball. While Clinton College as a campus community continues to practice social distancing, we want to safely and virtually come together with our C…

During Black History Month, it is very important to shine a light on the businesses that are prominent in the Black community. Barbershops have been a staple in the black community for many years, and SportsTalk Barbershop has followed the trend.

It is often said that without a vision, people (and businesses) will perish. Tembi and Bevis Gray, owners of GMG Academy of the Arts, are visionaries. Because they have a greater vision for their music school, they are in a position to expand and grow despite a worldwide pandemic.

The February Auntie Karen "Think Big Know Bigger" Success Story features Lee Livingston, aka Kevin Cupree: Dog Breeder, Model, Actor.

Some may say that good fortune seems to fall her way. But make no mistake about it: Mattie Canzater is now a serial entrepreneur.

Greedy Rascals has introduced several new hot dogs.

One of the Midlands most innovative restaurants is opening a second location. Greedy Rascals Hot Dog Bar will host a soft opening of its new location on St. Andrews Road on February 14 (Valentine’s Day).

Rev. Dee Dawkins-Haigler recently delivered a message on the importance of where black people go from here during the annual Martin Luther King, Jr. virtual celebration.

NBCUniversal News Group launched NBCU Academy, a new, innovative, multiplatform journalism training and development program for four-year university and community college students through education, on-campus training and online programming. The initiative includes a curated onsite curriculu…

This month’s Auntie Karen Foundation’s "Think Big Know Bigger" Success Story features 15-year-old Kenneth "KJ" Hart II, a children's book author.

In addition to being a critical driver of growth in the economy overall, entrepreneurship is one of the many ways that individuals can build wealth in America. But as 2020 has illustrated, opportunities to participate and succeed in the entrepreneurial economy are not equally distributed by …

Earlier today, the Atlanta Hawks announced that it has agreed to refinance the construction loan for the Emory Sports Medicine Complex with a syndicate of Black-owned banks. The $35 million loan marks the first time a professional sports franchise has had a significant loan underwritten excl…

Duke Energy announced that it has deposited $5 million into Optus Bank, a Black-owned bank based in South Carolina, furthering the company’s support for diverse and minority-owned businesses, individuals and low-income communities. The transaction was completed at the end of 2020.

It is often said that most businesses fail within five years. For a business to survive for over 40 years, it has to be doing something right.

The search by the Cecil Williams South Carolina Civil Rights Museum has archived another rare historical gem. J.A. DeLaine, Jr., now living in Charlotte, NC, recently donated an original letter written by his father, Rev. J.A. DeLaine, — civil rights pioneer, from Clarendon County, South Carolina.

Columbia’s newest and fastest growing family dental practice, Ivy Creek Family Dentistry, is now accepting patients at its new location, 9007 Two Notch Rd, Ste 2B.

People start businesses for a variety of reasons. For some, it is the fulfillment of a lifelong dream. For others, it is to replace lost income. For Gwen Richardson, founder of All Exquisite Events, it was almost a form of therapy. Making baked goods and treats was something that brought bac…

An infectious smile and a voice made for the stage are the words I use to best describe Courtland Thomas. Courtland is the owner of CourtConnects Lighting & Sound Solutions, an events company specializing in concessions, decor, sound, and lighting. The company has an expansive inventory …

In Western culture, the Chinese word for "crisis" is said to be composed of two Chinese characters signifying "danger" and "opportunity". That word is especially applicable to the Coronavirus pandemic. While the pandemic has devastated a lot of businesses, it has created opportunities for fo…