Leadership

What do great cultures have in common?

Hosted by Drs. Milt Lowder and Drew Brannon, episode 400 of "The Growth Project" was recorded in front of a live audience. | Photo via AMPLOS

"The Growth Project," a podcast produced by Greenville-based AMPLOS, just dropped its 400th episode.

Now in its ninth year and ranked in the top 10% of podcasts by audience size, the show is hosted by a team of psychologists and performance coaches. And this week’s topic is a big one. What does it really take to build a great culture?

A few main takeaways:

“Clarity is non-negotiable.” Clarity and vision go hand in hand, along with clear communication and expectations. When clarity is in place, alignment and inspiration follow.
“Everybody speaks the same language.” It's not enough for organizations to understand their core values — they need to put them into action.
"It's hard to build people up if you're constantly breaking them down.” Feedback is essential, and leaders should take stock of how often they're catching people doing something right, rather than leaning on criticism.
"Everybody takes ownership." On the best teams, ownership is shared — everyone understands the values, buys into the vision, and holds themselves and each other accountable.

Leaders, give it a listen.

News Notes

Lowcountry Impact Fund’s first investment called for a photo: $250,000 for The Harbor Entrepreneur Center. | Photo by Stephen Groves

Award

The new Lowcountry Impact Fund made its first investment: $250,000 for The Harbor Entrepreneur Center. The money will help The Harbor expand its space and programs for local founders; if repaid, the fund plans to invest it in other Lowcountry businesses and community projects. (Holy City Sinner)

Biz

Biman Bangladesh Airlines ordered five more North Charleston-built 787 Dreamliners and six 737 MAX 8 jets. The deal follows an estimated $3.7 billion April order for 10 Dreamliners and four 737s, bringing its orders this year to 25 planes. Deliveries are expected from 2031 to 2035. (The Post and Courier)

Apply

The Mount Pleasant Chamber is accepting applications for its first Leadership Mount Pleasant class through Friday, Oct. 9. Beginning in January, roughly 25 participants will visit local businesses and civic sites across eight sessions; tuition is $2,000 for members or $2,500 for nonmembers, with limited scholarships available.

Open

Sushi comes by conveyor belt at Revolving Sushi Kingdom in Mount Pleasant Towne Centre, while animal-shaped trains deliver larger orders to tables. The restaurant’s grand opening is Monday, Sept. 28, with a menu of more than 100 dishes.

Development

Charleston-based RCB Development bought an 85,401-sqft industrial building near Wando Welch Terminal and plans to add drive-in doors, refresh the exterior, and offer spaces for tenants ranging from 6,000 square feet to the full building. (The Post and Courier)

Coming Soon

Cane Pazzo chef Mark Bolchoz is opening Reenie’s on Remount Road in mid-November, naming it for his grandmother, who helped make Mike Calder’s Irish Pub a Charleston favorite. Expect fish and chips, Lowcountry seafood, and a patio with live music. (The Post and Courier)

Real Estate

BlueWater gas station owner Eddie Buck bought Hampden’s building at 312 King St. for $6.2 million, adding to his King Street properties that house Vineyard Vines, Prince Art Gallery, and O-Ku. Hampden will stay put. (The Post and Courier)

Mansion Monday

Sullivan’s Island’s newly rebuilt Wedding Cake House is asking $15.7 million, with round porches that nod to the original and 270-degree water views. Take a peek at 12 more of South Carolina’s priciest listings. (The Post and Courier)

List

A Mount Pleasant Waterworks leader, a Charleston RiverDogs executive, and a Vicious Biscuit team member are among SCBIZ’s 2026 Emerging Leaders Under 40 honorees. Check out the 11 Charleston-area professionals on the statewide list. (SCBIZ)

Tech

A $30,000 Comcast grant will help Charleston Digital expand AI classes at the Charleston Learning Center, from a free introduction for beginners to workshops for professionals and software engineers. The funding will keep entry-level instruction free for Tri-County residents.

Shop

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Answered

Asked

Working parents, we want to hear more.

Last week, 97% of respondents identified as working parents, and 80% said they receive no childcare benefits from their employers. Among those who do receive support, flexible work schedules were the most common benefit.

Now, we want to dig deeper. Tell us about your childcare situation, any nontraditional solutions you’ve found, and how childcare has influenced the jobs you take.

We're all ears

Agenda

Editor's Pick

Tech After Five | Tuesday, Sept. 29 | 5:30-7:30 p.m. | Reforged Gaming Lounge, North Charleston | Free | Your next hire, mentor, client, or co-founder might be waiting at this tech meetup, where custom emails and badges help you find the right people in the room.

Wednesday, Sept. 30

Business and Brotherhood | 5-7 p.m. | Henry's On The Market | Free

Thursday, Oct. 1

Young Professionals Social | 5:30-7 p.m. | Reforged Gaming Lounge, North Charleston | Free

Networking Night | 5:30-7:30 p.m. | Wisconsin Meat & Cheese | $15

Monday, Oct. 5

ICOLSE 2026 | 8 a.m.-12 p.m. | Francis Marion Hotel | $625

Tuesday, Oct. 6

Daniel Island Toastmasters | 6 p.m. | Daniel Island Library | Free

Tuesday, Oct. 13

October Coffee Meetup | 7:30-9 a.m. | North Charleston Chamber HQ | Free for members, $5 for non-members

SBIOI Networking Social | 4-6 p.m. | Tideland Brewing, North Charleston | $25

Plan Ahead

See our full events calendar

Feature your event here, or make a bigger splash

Why start a business when you can buy one?

Joshua Long is shopping for his next business, and helping other first-time buyers do their homework, too. | Photo via Joshua Long

Starting from scratch isn’t the only way to become a business owner.

Charleston-area entrepreneur Joshua Long, co-founder and COO of Senior Resource Specialists, began exploring buying an existing business — think car washes, laundromats, and other companies already bringing in customers and revenue — when he realized he didn’t know how to tell a good deal from a costly one.

“I didn’t just lack some of the answers. I didn’t yet know which questions I was supposed to ask.”

So, he built Acquisition Quest. Launched in August, the platform helps first-time buyers understand a business’s asking price, earnings, expenses, and potential loan payments, with a free calculator and guides to prepare them for conversations with brokers, lenders, accountants, and attorneys.

Curious what it really takes to buy a business? We asked Long what caught him off guard, which businesses tend to catch first-time buyers’ eyes, and how a profitable company can still turn out to be a bad purchase.

Read our Q+A with Long

Listed

Office, for lease

900 Island Park Dr. | 2,902 sqft | $36/sqft/yr | Emma here: I drive by this Daniel Island office building all the time, and now your business could call it home. The fully built-out suite sits in the heart of the island’s commercial district, with plenty of parking, I-526 access, and restaurants just a short walk away.

Office, for sale

710 Johnnie Dodds Blvd. | 3,639 sqft | $1.35 million | Trade rent for ownership with this first-floor Mount Pleasant office condo, featuring private offices, open workspaces, conference rooms, a break area, and a private patio, plus quick access to the Ravenel Bridge and I-526.

565 Savannah Hwy. | 3,018 sqft | $1.62 million | Think pink: This hard-to-miss Savannah Highway property pairs its colorful exterior with exposure to 40,000+ vehicles per day, flexible office/residential space, and a location less than a mile from downtown Charleston.

Retail, for lease

Carolina Business Park | 11,340-449,676 sqft | Price upon request | Need some serious elbow room? This new three-building Mount Pleasant industrial park offers 133 dock doors, build-to-suit office space, outside storage, and quick access to I-526 and the Wando Welch Terminal.

List your space

Ready to get your property in front of more eyes?

Click the button to promote your listing.

The Wrap

I found a small reward for keeping a local business in your rotation: Lowcountry Local First’s Localist Card now gets you 20% off at Snafu Brewing through November. I’m taking that as a reason to finally try one of its sours.

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