Business

Always There, Always Fair by Melissa LaScaleia “I was raised on a dairy farm, outside of Danville, in Virginia,” says Jim Bowdre, the owner of Myrtle Beach Funeral Home and Crematory. “And I learned at an early age, that the easiest way to get out of farming was to get an education. I spent my formative years raising cattle before I got a full ride academic scholarship to attend college at Virginia Tech. I went on to get a master’s degree in education at UVA. “My first love was teaching. Then, a relative introduced me to another profession, the funeral business, and I really liked it.” Jim decided to pursue his interest and attended embalming school, getting a third degree in mortuary science. He became licensed and worked in the industry with his relative for five years then decided to explore the wholesale end of the business.  He went to work for Hillenbrand Industries, the world’s largest casket and hospital bed company, and stayed with them for twenty-seven years as a territory manger, covering NC, SC and GA. He also taught continuing education in North and South Carolina for funeral directors. Jim and his wife, Carole, have three daughters, all of whom live in the Myrtle Beach area. One is a nurse, one is a doctor, and one is a manager at Drunken Jack’s restaurant. The couple had been coming to Myrtle Beach for years to visit their children, and decided to move here permanently in 2004. Myrtle Beach Funeral Home and Crematory offers premier services at affordable prices. They believe in the healing power of the grieving process, and offer counseling and end of life grief support as part of their service to our community. — Photo Meganpixels Parker “I retired early and got involved with playing a lot of golf, and then I was bored,” Jim says. “Then I met a very altruistic gentleman, Greg Everett, who wanted to make funeral costs more affordable. Greg is one of the nicest people you’ll ever meet. He was trying to come up with a business plan to offer premier service at an affordable price, because the biggest thing that drives people away from a funeral home is the cost.” Greg didn’t have any funeral knowledge, but Jim did. What Greg did have, was marketing expertise.  With Jim’s help, Greg started the Myrtle Beach Funeral Home and Crematory in 2008. With his love of the funeral business, Jim worked for him after retirement, and ultimately purchased it from him in 2011, so Greg could manage his other businesses. Today, Jim and Carole run the funeral home together. “One thing we really promote— is that we offer premier services at affordable prices while still maintaining the highest level of ethical business practices,” Carole says. “We offer everything any other funeral home does, full service, but because we are a smaller facility—7,000 square feet rather than 17,000 square feet, we have lower overhead, and so we are able to offer lower prices.” The facility includes a large dining area, several arrangement offices, a non-denominational chapel which holds 115, a smaller chapel, a family room, and an on-site crematory with a family room attached. They also offer catering services. “A lot of our families tell us that they love the relaxed atmosphere we have here, and the compassion that they feel from our staff,” Carole says. — Photo Meganpixels Parker “The market has shifted and traditional funerals have shifted,” Carole says. “The ceremony is changing now to be more a celebration of life. You need less space, and the popularity of cremations has grown tremendously. The world has changed. Nuclear families spread out all over, and we don’t have family burial plots like we did years ago.” Myrtle Beach Funeral Home and Crematory offers all traditional services for cremations and burials. They accommodate all wishes and all religious preferences. Carole writes a lot of articles about the funeral industry, and how families can navigate end-of-life issues together. One of the topics she tries to educate people about is that of the importance of prearrangement, the action of specifying wishes and planning your funeral while you are healthy. “Prearrangement is one of the greatest gifts that someone can give their family,” she says. “At the time of death, emotions and anxiety are escalated, often family members cannot think clearly, and cannot make decisions. With a prearrangement, it allows family members to follow the wishes of the deceased and relieves a lot of stress.”  Carole has a degree in business and psychology from Francis Marion University. She began her college career as a business major, but enjoyed psychology so much she ended up with a double major. Carole and Jim Bowdre both derive meaning from knowing that they have been supportive and helpful to the families who engage their services during one of the most emotionally difficult times in life— that of the passing of a loved-one. — Photo Meganpixels Parker She has twenty years of hospice experience, counseling families who have lost loved ones and helping them navigate the end of the life process. She is a firm believer in the healing power of the grieving process. “I enjoy helping the families who come to us,” Carole says. “Sometimes I sit and cry with them. It’s rewarding to me to know that in the slightest way I helped them get through this loss.” “My favorite thing about what I do is satisfying families,” Jim says. “When the services are over, and young folks say to me: ‘I have no idea how I could have done this without you all.’ I like hearing that. I like to hear that I’ve been there for somebody. To know that they appreciate my help.” “A lot of our families tell us that they love the relaxed atmosphere we have here, and the compassion that they feel from our staff,” Carole says. “That they feel so at home and comfortable here with us. “It’s meaningful to me to know that at the end of … Read more

We Can Fix What Others Can’t by Melissa LaScaleia Vic Cotoia got started in the plumbing industry twenty years ago when he was living in New York. “I was working in retail management,” he says, “and decided to pick up a trade because I wasn’t happy. We had no plumbers in the family, so I opened the phone book and started reading down the list of plumbers and called to see who would be willing to train me. I literally got hired in five minutes with the offer to apprentice myself out.” Vic went on to work as a plumber for a large outfitter for ten years, learning installation in new construction, as well as service and repair. It was in the latter category that he found his niche passion. “I really liked doing repairs,” he says. “There are so many different types of fixtures, it’s never-ending what you can learn.  “Plumbing is so important. You go into someone’s house and they can’t take a shower because it’s not working. When you’re leaving, the gratitude they have to you is so rewarding. I always liked that.” For the first ten years, Vic found the variety of visiting multiple homes a day each with its own diverse array of plumbing challenges, to be stimulating and fun. “It was always different,” he says of his days. “But as time went on, I moved to Myrtle Beach, I worked for several different large companies, and I found not as many plumbers were as passionate as I was about this work. Rather than doing the detective work of finding the right parts and putting them in, they’d rather just cut it out and put in a new one.  Cascade Plumbing specializes in troubleshooting, diagnosing, and repairing any issues related to gas and tankless water heaters. —Photo Meganpixels Parker “When it’s a large company, you have a revolving door of employees, so it’s easier and cheaper to train someone to replace something rather than fix it. And that way too, they’re making more money geared towards selling. But it’s more expensive for the customer. “My construction background gave me the knowledge of what was happening behind the scenes so I could properly diagnose and repair the problem. And the diagnosis is the most important part of solving any problem. My knowledge and approach was different.” Several years ago, Vic was working for a company, following all the rules, doing exactly what they wanted. He was getting overwhelmingly positive feedback from all of his customers; so much so, that the company was in disbelief, and began questioning his motives.  “That was when I realized it was time for me to go out on my own,” he says.  Vic, with the support of his wife and now business partner, Amber, opened his own small business, Cascade Plumbing, in 2015— specializing in the lost art of plumbing service and repair. “It has hit the ground running,” Vic says. “And my only recipe has been to answer my phone, follow up with someone, and tell them the knowledge I have about their plumbing fixtures.” Vic treats all of his customers equally, with the same service and rates, no matter the size of their home. This clean and professional torch solders joints for copper wires. — Photo Cascade Plumbing “Most people just want to be treated with the same respect that they treat others with,” he says. Vic and Amber are appreciative of their local community and customers for embracing them and what their business offers.  “We try hard to be a classic service,” he says. “The feedback I get from my customers is that I’m always there for them, they can always speak to me. I’m always going to be on the job, even if I’m not doing the work. I do the best I can to communicate to people what specifically they’re paying for, and the value of the plumbing in their house.  “We treat each home like it’s our own. We are straight-up honest with folks when it comes to what we think. And we pride ourselves that 90% of the time, we are able to repair before replacing. Especially people who are on a budget, may just want something to be fixed, rather than replaced.” Vic is very particular about the parts that he uses for his repairs, only purchasing what he knows will stand the test of time. There are only a couple of supply warehouses that he will frequent, because they’re the only ones that carry the quality that he demands. “I hear from people often, ‘Things don’t last the way they used to.’ It’s because of the products that are put out there that we have no choice but to use. Your plumbing, when I fix it, I want it to last like when grandma called the plumber. When I fix something, I want to fix it for good.” Vic is trying to rewrite the code book by example. He uses superior parts and products in all he does so that when he fixes a problem, he does it for good. — Photo Meganpixels Parker “I’m trying to rewrite the code book by example,” he says laughing. “Those supply houses know me and know how particular I am. If they don’t carry exactly what I know will stand the test of time, I won’t use it. The owner of one hired me to do plumbing work in his home— that speaks volumes to me.”  Vic doesn’t charge for every little service he conducts. He doesn’t charge a call out fee—the standard fee that most plumbers charge just for showing up, regardless of the work they do— because he doesn’t ever want his customers to feel like they lost out, if he shows up and discovers there’s no problem to be fixed.  “I don’t look at it like I went out there for nothing,” he says. “I shook their hand and said hello and handed them my business card. And now they have the info that they need. … Read more

Catching Up with Chef Joe Bonaparte by Melissa LaScaleia This month, the Insider took a look at what is cooking and in the works for Chef Joe Bonaparte, executive director of the International Culinary Institute of Myrtle Beach in the Market Common, and a trailblazer in the arenas of sustainability and food production from farm to table. “We have a lot of things going on that we’re excited about,” says Joe.  “Last August, we started a full-scale recycling program that includes plastic, cardboard, and glass.  We also have hundreds of pounds of compost that we’ve been sending to a compost facility each week that we’re about to get back for our gardens.  From implementing these two things, our waste has been reduced by 70%, which is drastic and a major accomplishment.” Joe is currently working with the James Beard Foundation which has developed a curriculum to reduce food waste by teaching students techniques to utilize the entirety of a food.  It involves things like crisping fish skin, doing something with the fish head, such as cooking the collar or cheek, using pits and peels; some are as simple as making sausage from pork trimmings.  Steven Satterfield, the well known author of Root to Leaf, is one of the program’s major contributors. “There are a lot of things that get trimmed and thrown away, and if you know food, ingredients, and cooking techniques, you know how to use those things,” Joe says.  “It’s another facet of creative cooking that we’re embedding in the curriculum for students; it can be incorporated into current culinary school classes with ease; and it reduces a significant amount of what gets sent to the landfill. Chef Joe Bonaparte (above) is a sought-after chef, lecturer and educator for his culinary knowledge and expertise in sustainability practices. He focusses on the importance of selecting high-quality, chemical and hormone-free foods not only for their superior taste, but also for their positive impact on our environment and economic livelihood. “Sustainability is going mainstream now.  It’s a big step for the James Beard Foundation, to branch out of just doing awards.  I give them a lot of credit.  There are probably around fifty chefs and instructors from around the country that were asked by the foundation to be pilot programs for this.  We’re going to be one of them so we can help make improvements.” The objective of the program is to promote sustainability and reduce food waste.  Composting, while an amazing practice, isn’t the ideal first step for implementing this.  Joe explains why: “When you don’t use the whole animal or whole plant, more has to be raised and grown to produce an equal amount of those items that are consumable. “There is a lot more to a pig than a pork chop, and a chicken than a breast or tender.  If you use more of the raw product, you buy less, and that goes all the way back up the line of the food cycle where we resort to factory farming in this country to meet demand— and it is a major problem with our food chain.  What we produce could be cut in half if we didn’t waste so much.  The answer isn’t modifying vegetables to be drought resistant or spraying them with chemicals, or producing meat like it’s a widget and it’s run through a factory.  It’s just ridiculous because it’s focusing on the wrong end of the food chain.” Joe has developed his personal reflections on food and its production based on his experience of over 30 years in this industry. Indigo Farms at the market “We’ve grown up in this country with abundance and waste,” he says.  “A study by the Natural Resources Defense Council in 2012 found that 40% of food produced in this country is never eaten, while at the same time, one in six Americans struggle to put a meal on the table. “If you’re reducing how many plants, cows or pigs have to be grown or raised, you’re talking about doing things for the environment that help to be more sustainable.  We want to get to the point where composting is the last resort.  Instead of approaching cooking with the mindset that all the carrot peels have to go into the garbage, it is thinking— what can I do with these?  How can I use this as food?  I can make a soup with them, I can fry them and make crunchy garnish, I can make carrot coulis, I can put them in carrot cake. “We’re just a small part of the feedback for this task force, but it’s a big thing for culinary schools nationwide because sustainability hasn’t been a major part of the focus in American culinary education, and it needs to be. There is a strong emphasis on education at every farmers market, to teach culinary students about food sourcing. “Sustainability hasn’t been a major part of the focus in American culinary education, and it needs to be,” says Joe “Culinary education has always been about technique,” he continues.  “But there is so much more to it.  Cooking starts with where we buy our food.  If I buy something that has lived an atrocious life, I might be able to take it and make it taste good and you think it’s great.  But to me, it’s not great for life as a whole.  It reflects a lack of understanding about where our food comes from and a lack of understanding about our planet— thinking that it has endless resources and can endlessly renew itself.  Food, from birth to table, is a really long evolution.  So with culinary education, it’s about adopting more sustainable principles, teaching our students, and then passing those on to restaurants, hotels, and grocery stores which in turn educate consumers.” Knowing where your food comes from is important to Joe; he’s been on the board of the Waccamaw Farmers Market Cooperative since moving here four years ago.  He’s also visited many of the area’s … Read more

Doing Things Right, The First Time by Melissa LaScaleia Since its beginnings in 1997, Conway Builders of Myrtle Beach has taken pride in offering quality workmanship.  The family owned and operated company specializes in interior house restoration and remodeling.  They handle everything from framing, drywall and cabinet installation, painting, flooring, trim, and plumbing. Michael Sokolik, Jr. is vice president of the company and partner with his stepfather, Victor Conway.  Victor has been in this industry since the age of eight, when he would accompany his father and uncle on jobs.  As an adult, he forged Conway Builders of Myrtle Beach with values based on stellar customer service and first-rate artistry. “People go to our website and see our testimonials, so they understand that we don’t play games,” Michael says.  “We do quality work and use quality materials.  And our motto is: quality above quantity.  So what we tell our customers is, we work on a first come first serve basis.  We want each customer to have the same excellent quality as the person before them.  We give our full attention to the project we’re currently working on.” “Our main goal is to make our customers happy,” Victor adds.  “And that’s a lot of hard work and hands-on mentality to achieve it.  We’re a family business, and you’ll always have a member of the Conway family on the job.” A phrase that Victor coined sums up their company’s approach— ‘there’s the right way, the wrong way, and the Conway’— taking care of their customers the right way, the first time. “My stepfather would say, if you can see it, the customer can see it,” Michael says.  “So we look with attention to detail to catch things and take care of any loose ends the first time.  That way, we’re in the clear, and not giving them anything to go looking for.” Michael Sokolik, Jr., puts the finishing touches on a kitchen remodel. –Photo by Meganpixels Parker “We recently had a customer sign a contract with us that was significantly higher than the competition for this particular project,” Michael says.  “He went with us because we understood what he was looking for, number one, and number two, we knew what it was going to take to do the job. “Believe it or not, that is rare in this industry.  A lot of times people think— you take something out, you put something in— but that’s not always the case.  When you’re removing something, you don’t know what is behind there.  So you have to be prepared for the worst, and hope for the best. “I’m willing to sit and spend time with customers to understand what they want and answer any questions.  But what I hear from a lot of people who end up choosing us, is that a lot of companies are just there to take measurements and write up an estimate, not answer questions.” Michael at work. There’s always a member of the Conway family on every job. –Photo by Meganpixels Parker and Latoya Grayson Conway Builders takes the time to give a complete verbal overview of the labor process, so that customers can hear and understand what it takes to do the work, the skill and knowledge needed to execute the project in a timely manner, and a complete price with all the taxes included.  They give accurate and detailed assessments that are clear, transparent, and up-front both about the cost and the time needed to complete the job, and make themselves available to customers to answer any questions. They also give clients a list of products needed for the project and the locations where they can be found, so that the homeowner can select the style, price, and quality of the materials personally. “We try to steer our clients towards using higher quality materials, because those will stand up over time,” Michael says.  “But anybody who can’t afford higher quality materials, we still give them the same level of workmanship. “They have to live with the products, so we’d rather they pick them out.  That way, there’s no question as to what kind of products they’re getting.  They’ve seen it, touched it and they know all about it.  So we’re setting our customer up for success right from the get-go.   A completed kitchen remodel in Cherry Grove– the creative design brought to fruition by the collabora- tive efforts of Conway Builders and the homeowner. This is just one example of the type of design work Conway Builders excels at. –Photo by Meganpixels Parker and Latoya Grayson “And if they choose to use another contractor, we’ve given them an organized form that makes it easier to have a complete breakdown of what they’re buying and for what.” “Just like any other business, we don’t like loosing time and money, but we won’t send a final bill for a project until the client’s entire punch list is completed and the customer says, ‘job well done.’  And if they don’t, we go back and fix it for free,” Michael says. Conway Builder’s incredible attention to practically meeting and addressing customers’ needs earns them grateful and loyal clients as much as their industry and design knowledge: “A lot of people go with our ideas because we know what we’re talking about,” Michael says. “People look at their bathroom or kitchen and say, ‘I want this or that.’  I’m able to create a design for them that is going to get them all the different characteristics of their varying ideas and make it into one final transformation that’s tangible, workable, and solid.” Conway Builders of Myrtle Beach LLC Envelope Facebook Phone Internet-explorer

A Family Owned Business With Good Old Fashioned Values by Melissa LaScaleia Custom Outdoor Furniture is a family owned business in Garden City; and next year they’ll be celebrating their 40th anniversary in business. In an interview with the Insider, the second-generation co-owner, Gregg Holshouser, shares the story of how they got started. “My dad was living in Garden City Beach, just south of Myrtle Beach,” Gregg says, “and one day in 1979 he was driving along Ocean Boulevard in Myrtle Beach.  He saw a few chaise lounges out beside a dumpster, and noticed that the frames were in very good shape, and only the straps needed replacing.   He began thinking— there has to be a way to replace the straps and salvage the frames— rather than throw the entire piece of furniture away.” Gregg’s dad, Carrol Holshouser, investigated his idea further, and found contacts in Florida who provided vinyl strapping.  Before long, in his own garage, a block from the beach, he started restrapping furniture from local hotels. The business was born. “Back then, my dad called our business Furniture Restrapping,” Gregg says.  “And it evolved from there over time.  He originally built a little contraption that you could cut the straps on, and you used a mallet and a hand punch to cut the straps by hand.  That’s how basic it was at the beginning.” “At that time,” Gregg continues, “Myrtle Beach was comprised of family-owned, mom-and-pop hotels.  My dad was a very hands-on guy.  He went down the boulevard and got to know everyone who owned the hotels.  And the business kept growing and growing.” Restrapping has saved many a chaise lounge from the trash bin for almost 40 years. Here Gregg Hols- houser (left) and Stevie Nobles (right) give this one an aqua update. –Photo by Meganpixels Parker/Latoya Grayson In the 90s, Carrol began selling new aluminum strapped furniture to go with the restrapping service.  Customers could now choose the color and style frame they wanted, and he would put the color strapping they selected on the lounges and chairs.  There were now unlimited possible color combinations. “It was a good service for the community,” Gregg says, “because if you ordered from a factory, it would take around 4-6 weeks for it to arrive.  But my dad could do it in less than a week.” In the early 90s, they became a stocking distributor of Grosfillex, the premium resin furniture in the world.  The company originated in France and has since reached international acclaim. In 1999, Carrol began constructing the building of their current location in Garden City.  His son-in-law is a building contractor, and together the two coordinated construction of the 15,000 square foot building, which they opened in 2000. “When we moved into this building, we were pretty basic,” Gregg says.  “Restrapping was still a big part of the business.  The new aluminum-strapped furniture and Grosfillex furniture were big parts of the business too, and we were still heavily wholesale.  After we opened our new building, we became more retail oriented.  We transitioned from a very vanilla patio furniture company, to a full-service commercial and retail business.” Carrol passed away in October 2016, the day that Hurricane Matthew hit the South Carolina coast.  He is survived by Gregg’s mother, Jane Holshouser, who was at his side the whole way as the business was growing.  They both poured their heart and soul into it. Tom and Ann Owen look at furniture color options with Olivia Cox (far right). –Photo by Meganpixels Parker/Latoya Grayson Gregg worked in the family business while he was in college, and he’s been permanently with them since 1999.  Today, he and his sister, Sarah ‘Sam’ Cox, are partners. “We are a family-owned business with one location, we’re not a chain— with good old fashioned values,” Gregg says.  “We stand behind our manufacturers’ warranties; we try to do everything on time, and right.  We are always looking out for the customer, no question.  We do everything within any kind of reason at all, to make sure our customers are happy. “In the eighteen years that we’ve been at this location, we’ve had very few unhappy customers.  We really aim to please.” Today, Custom Outdoor Furniture carries a huge variety of art, including metal and beach-themed pieces.  They sell a wide array of patio furniture, including aluminum sling furniture, and the popular poly recycled plastic furniture.  They also have an outstanding line of high-quality wicker, suitable for indoor or outdoor use. Gregg is proud of their long history and their reputation as a quality place to shop for superior patio furniture and accessories.  Their retail store manager, Happy Land (her name), has been with them for ten years.  She is on the board of the International Casual Furnishings Association, a prestigious trade organization which is a global leader in promoting business development and partnerships in the outdoor and casual furnishings industry, and promotes industry growth through professional education, networking and development. “My favorite thing about what I do,” Gregg says, “is seeing our customers pleased with our products, not only immediately, but for years to come.  Our furniture is designed to literally last a lifetime.” “When customers come into our store,” he adds, “they’re surprised by how fun of a store it is.  It’s just a fun, happy place, a half a mile from the beach.  We have a lot of variety here.  We don’t just carry furniture.” Custom Outdoor Furniture Open M-Sa 9am-5pm. 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Keeping Myrtle Beach Clean Goes Commercial by Melissa LaScaleia The existing clients of GermBustMyBins, the Myrtle Beach based trash and recycle bin-sanitizing company, have often inquired about that company’s capability to clean commercial dumpsters; they were unable to say yes…. Until now! “We’ve had a lot of requests to clean dumpsters,” says the owner John in an interview with the Insider.  “Because of the demand, we’ve added a custom-built system that will clean dumpsters in the same way that we clean residential trash bins.” For those who haven’t seen the previous Insider articles (March 2017 & June 2018), GermBustMyBins has been servicing the greater Myrtle Beach area since 2016, relieving Grand Strand residents of the noxious odors and disease-causing grime that lurks in the depths of their garbage cans.  In our hot climate, it’s an essential sanitation practice, as well as a great way to stay on good terms with your neighbor.  They currently provide monthly residential service to over 1200 clients. Here’s how it works.  A truck arrives curbside on the same day that garbage bins are emptied by your trash collection service.  The bin is lifted into the truck which acts like a giant dishwasher— spraying your bin with 200 degree pressurized water inside and out, power-cleaning it with three extreme rotating sprayers, and leaving it clean, deodorized, and 99% germ free.  The rinse water is retained inside the truck which is properly disposed of utilizing the local water treatment system— unlike the contaminated run-off water of do-it-yourself garbage bin cleaners which works its way down the sewers and pollutes our oceans. “Dirty bins and receptacles are not only issues for residences,” John says.  “It’s arguably a much bigger issue on the commercial side when you consider the private dumpsters that serve the tourist industry at restaurants, hotels, golf courses, and day care centers.  This is a huge tourist area.  And typically when tourists are here, it’s the hottest part of the year, and these dumpsters are very dirty. “If you’re on your own with a hose, first of all, who are you going to send to climb into the dumpster and clean that, and secondly, what do you do with all the left-over detergent water and grossness, the accumulated debris at the bottom?  For the people who are in charge of these bins, there’s no sustainable option to get them cleaned.  There’s an obvious need for this service that we can fill.” The current protocol is that a business gets to the point where the dumpster is in a desperate state before placing a call to their trash collector, who eventually replaces it, free of charge.  Businesses will receive one new dumpster per year; after that, it can be over $150 per replacement. The new truck in action with a dirty dumpster. –Photo courtesy of GermBustMyBins “This is an ongoing issue,” says John.  “You need to maintain that sanitary state to prevent the accumulation of bacteria, disease, odors, and the wildlife, roaches, and pests that dirty dumpsters attract.  But because there’s not a good solution, no one is doing it.  It’s not good for the tourist industry.  People are going out to eat, and everywhere they go they’re exposed to unsanitary trash receptacles.” The new GermBustMyBins truck has the capability to lift commercial dumpsters up to 10 cubic yards into it and clean them inside and out. The company offers options for customers to have monthly, bi-monthly, quarterly, or seasonal dumpster cleaning, because the continuity of the service is what holds all the bacteria and night crawlers at bay. “It’s not just the dumpster,” he says, “it’s the outside, and the dumpster pad around the dumpster.  You have critters crawling around there all night long.” “You need to maintain regular cleanings in order to prevent odors, bacteria, and pests from accumulating in and around the dumpster,” says John. Luckily GermBustMyBins has the solution. –Photo courtesy of GermBustMyBins Technicians will clean up any way- ward trash around the dumpster pad that didn’t quite make it into the dumpster.  Then they use 200 degree water to kill all the bacteria in that area, and rinse it using the same method. In addition to their dumpster service, GermBustMyBins also cleans restaurant and hotel compost and trash bins used in food prep areas. “I think back to my college days when I used to work in the restaurant industry,” says John, “and there aren’t lots of options for a consistent, easy, and sanitary way to get the restaurant trash bin, compost, or recycle bin cleaned.  At the end of the night, they typically drag the bins out to the dumpster, hoist it up, and lean it against the side of the dirty dumpster to empty it, then bring it back inside to the food prep area.  We service these bins just like any other.  And in essence we can provide a more consistent and healthy process for hotels and restaurants and return the bin to a sanitary state.” GermBustMyBins Be on the lookout!  The new GermBustMyBins truck is green and wrapped in their logo.  Flag it down to enroll in commercial or residential service on the spot, or visit our site, call  or email info@germbustmybins.com. Monthly commercial dumpster cleaning from $30-$70/month depending on dumpster size and location.  Bi-monthly, quarterly and seasonal programs as well as bulk discounts available.  Trash, recycle, and compost bins from $7-8 per service.  Call to receive your personalized quote. Residential service: $8.30 a month to have your bin germ-busted; half price for each successive bin that has trash pick up on the same day; no long-term contract necessary.  *GermBustMyBins respectfully requests that solicitors for advertising do not contact them. Phone Internet-explorer At

Computer Viruses Get the Boot With This Myrtle Beach Based Company by Melissa LaScaleia PC Pitstop is an American owned, engineered, produced, and operated antivirus software company with headquarters in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.  Many people might recognize the founder and CEO, Rob Cheng, as the guy from TV and be surprised to know that he lives in Myrtle Beach, in Prestwick near the Market Common.  He had been taking family vacations to the area since 1975, and in 1998, decided to permanently relocate here with his family. Prior to PC Pitstop, Rob worked for seven years as a senior vice president for Gateway Computers, where he was responsible for sales, marketing and support at an international level. “I know a lot about computers and software,” he says, “and decided to start my own business.  Windows98 was the predominant operating system at the time and it was very slow.  So I created PC Pitstop, a downloadable diagnostic program that revealed what was causing the problem.  In 2000 and 2001, it was one of the top 1000 websites in the world.” Rob also began writing software to solve some of these diagnostic problems, which he did until 2009.  Rob’s career trajectory took a turn in 2010 when both his wife and his father’s computers became infected with ransomware.  The experience, and ensuing unsuccessful attempts to decode it, caused Rob to take a closer look at the other antivirus programs on the market; what he saw caused him to write his own. Rob Cheng at Yankee Stadium in NY giving a presentation to IT resellers. Both his wife and father’s computers were unfixable, but his company evolved into its present day configuration as the only anti-virus software product on the market whose users don’t get infected.  And there’s plenty more that makes them unique: “We’re the only anti-virus software that’s made in America,” Rob says.  “Every other company does their research and development outside of the United States; we are the only ones who don’t, and I’m very proud of that fact.  Because we’re in the same country, speaking the same language, in similar time zones as our customers, we can solve problems much more quickly and effectively.” In addition to supporting America’s economy, keeping everything close to home gives PC Pitstop an increased capability in protecting computers from viruses. “There’s a flaw in all the anti-virus programs,” Rob says.  “They’re all based on what is called a black list.  Someone gets infected with a virus, then they add that virus to the black list.  So somebody has to get infected before it can get stopped.” The problem with this model is that increasingly, more and more hackers are developing viruses that once opened on your computer, cannot be eradicated, and will make all your files permanently inaccessible unless you pay a ransom to unlock it.  Called “ransomware,” it is a new type of virus gaining in popularity amongst cyber attackers. In January 2016, Horry County Schools were infected by ransomware and paid a whopping $8,500 to undo the damage.  Several months ago, ransomware infected numerous businesses in Atlanta and created a multimillion dollar crisis as years of files were wiped clean; many city officials had to resort to conducting business via pen and paper. Rob with his wife Solange and two children, Teddy and Jesse in Myrtle Beach. All of this could be averted with PC Pit- stop’s software. In contrast to the black list, PC Pitstop’s software is based on what is called a white list; the program keeps track of all the good software, and if something tries to open and execute on your computer that isn’t on the list, the softwareblocks it.  Lest you be worried that you’ll be frustrated in your attempt to open an e-mail attachment every time you try, this is not the case.  The architecture of their software is such that it is aware of what a typical, benign program looks like in its coding, even if you’ve never received that type of attachment from that particular sender before. Rob uses an analogy to help people vi- sualize the vast difference between the two approaches, and the benefits of a white list approach.  With a black list software— it’s like keeping a list of every known criminal in the world, and thenallowing everyone you meet into your home if they’re not on the list.  With a white list software, the only people whoare welcome are your trusted friends. “We’re the only company that does this, ”Rob says.  “And consequently, we’re the only company whose customers don’t get infected.  Because we are centered in America, we can see what is coming into our country from our country, and we have to keep developing to continue staying ahead of that.  These skills that we’re developing in blocking viruses are very important for the defense of the country because cyber attacks are be- coming more frequent, more sophisticated, and more numerous every single year, and I see it as the terrorism of the future— cyber attacks on government and business files.” Rob with his band, PC Matic, jamming out songs about Ransomware. Rob funded his company entirely with his own money, which gives him the time and freedom to focus on what matters to him most— preventing his customers from getting infected. “More importantly,” he says, “we’re well past the point of caring about profitability, so this company is not entirelymotivated by money.” Rob reaches consumers directly through his website, the home shopping network on TV, and Amazon.  And he’s been advertising on national television for the last nine years— on CNN, Headline News, MSNBC, The Weather Channel, Bloomberg, CNBC, Fox Business, and Fox News.  It’s also how he finds and hires his employees. “I advertise for employees on TV,” Rob says.  “And that works really well for us.  We are a 100% work from home company.  If I had to limit my employee pool to one geographical location, I wouldn’t be able to have the … Read more

Be Wise With Money and Live Generously by Melissa LaScaleia Thrivent Financial is a nation-wide, full-service, financial planning company.  Their story began in the late 1800s, when a flour mill explosion tragically ended the lives of several of the mill’s employees.  At that time, there were no employee benefits like worker’s compensation, so a close friend of one of the victims began a life insurance company to help support the widows and orphans of the workmen.  This was the heart of Thrivent’s beginnings, and in 1902, an actual company was formed that was founded on the Lutheran faith: Aid Association for Lutherans.  In 2002, it merged with a company with a similar history and mission, and rebranded itself Thrivent Financial— becoming a Fortune 500 company almost overnight. Caroline Campbell-Twentier, Jake Lowery, and Matt Sandberg are financial advisors with Thrivent’s Myrtle Beach branch, located in the Market Common. They are fully licensed to take care of a variety of financial needs which run the gamut from those saving $25 a month, to large-scale, long-term portfolio management. Thrivent financial traces their origins back to the 1800s. The Myrtle Beach team is invested in helping their clients determine the ways in which using their money is most rewarding for them, so they can make smart, generous, and satisfying financial choices. “We’re also skilled at tweaking portfolios to make them more tax efficient, and educate people on how to leave money to their favorite churches or charities without reducing the amount of money left to their children.  But we truly can help anyone.” Thrivent is a not-for-profit company, as well as a fraternal benefit society, a governmental classification which states that you must have a common bond between the members.  Their common bond is Christianity, in keeping with the company’s origins. “That links to helping our members be wise with money and live lives of generosity,” Caroline says.  “We do more than investments, insurance, and annuities, we work with our clients to figure out what is important to them, so they can live more fulfilled lives.” Thrivent specializes in legacy and estate planning, but helps clients across the financial spectrum. Here Matt Sandberg analyses portfolio options. Thrivent has clients of all faiths, but because it is a membership organization, only Christians can become members. Fraternal benefit societies are a dying breed, but the classification gives Thrivent the flexibility and freedom to impact their local community in ways that they ordinarily couldn’t. They are exempt from paying federal income tax on their premium products, and as a result, are required to put a certain amount of money back into the community.  Members are able to select where and how some of those charitable dollars go, based on what they care about most at the community level. “The classification isn’t about exclusion,” Jake emphasizes.  “The common bond needs to be protected because that is how the giving back part of our business functions.  It’s hundreds of millions of dollars that we allow our members to allocate to the organizations and charities that have meaning for them– activities that are right in the community that our members participate in, rather than simply saying, ‘this is what we’re doing with the money.’” Jake Lowery seeks to understand his clients’ needs so they can make informed decisions about their finances. In 2017, Thrivent and its members raised and donated $280 million in community outreach, and generated 14.4 million volunteer hours for programs in their member’s community. What else makes them different? “We try to create a plan before we start moving investments around,” Jake says.  “Like who are you, and what do you need?  What wasn’t working before and what are you looking for now? “We offer goal-based relationship investment.” Unfortunately this company is permanently closed. We have admired their business and are sad to see them go.

Giving Full Customer Satisfaction One Customer at a Time by Melissa LaScaleia Chris Quade grew up in Indiana, and when he was 19 years old, he decided to join the Navy and travel the world.  He met his wife in Philadelphia when he was stationed there.  After his military term expired, he used his GI Bill to attend technical college, where he studied heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration.   “I graduated in 1997 and we moved to Myrtle Beach,” Chris tells the Insider in an interview.  “I was from a small town and didn’t want to live in a big city, and my wife was from a big city and didn’t want to live in a small town.  Myrtle Beach felt like a good compromise, and we’ve been here for twenty-one years now.  It’s kind of like a big city with a small town feel where everybody knows everybody.  And there’s tons of opportunity here.  Probably if you can think of it and want to do it, you can do it here.”  What Chris thought of was his own company— Beach Air. Chris started off his career in Myrtle Beach working for a heating and air conditioning company doing installation and duct work.  He worked his way up and eventually became a service manager.  “The company was purchased after I was there for a year,” he tells the Insider.  “When I started, there were twelve employees, and when I left, there were 100.  So I had a unique experience because I saw the steps the new owner took to transform this smaller company into a larger one.”  After eighteen years, Chris wanted more from his job.  But he had hit a ceiling where he was at, and couldn’t grow any further.  In 2015, he decided to start his own business.  Trading in his pickup truck for a work van, he began working out of his garage alone.  In under three years, he’s grown to thirteen employees.  “We’ve definitely had a huge amount of growth in a short period of time.  It’s been great,” he says.  “My main focus and the mindset with which we conduct our work, is to give full customer satisfaction one customer at a time.  We’re going to make sure that customer is completely happy; then we go to the next one.”  Beach Air conducts residential as well as commercial repairs, installation, and servicing for heating and cooling units.  One of the most important services that they provide is bi-annual maintenance work.   Chris likes to educate people on the importance of having their heating/cooling unit serviced twice a year so that it’s functioning optimally, and will be reliable in extreme temperatures.   “Heat pumps are not really designed to be in that cold of temperatures,” he explains.  “They will work when it’s 15 degrees outside, but they have to be operating at their peak performance.  And similarly, when it’s 95 degrees outside, it’s pushed to the max and is going to struggle.”   Reader, you have been warned.  “When I was deciding what I wanted to do for a career,” Chris says, “I figured out that I like to fix and repair stuff.  With heating and cooling, it’s work I wasn’t ever going to worry about going away.  And I like to see new places, rather than being in the same place every day.  In the service industry, we’re at a new location daily, answering calls, and so this line of work really fits me.”   “But my biggest satisfaction,” he continues, “is being able to bring awesome customer service to people who really need it.  A lot of people are elderly, or have small babies and it’s 50 degrees in the house.  I really get a lot out of helping people in those types of situations.  “My biggest satisfaction is being able to bring awesome customer service to people who really need it.” — Chris Quade, center, surrounded by Beach Air employees. – Photo courtesy of Beach Air “If you look at our reviews on Google you’ll see all the great comments people have written about us. Seeing that stuff drives me to do my best.  I want to see more of that.  I want to be looked at as a community-based company.  We’re a part of the community too, and we want to help the community.  I don’t want to be seen as a huge company just trying to take the next dollar.”  In keeping with that philosophy, Beach Air contributes yearly to Habitat For Humanity, the non-profit organization that builds houses for those in need.  Chris donates the equipment and labor to install the heating/ cooling system— a job which otherwise would cost almost $8,000.   He also donates his time by attending career day at Forestbrook Middle School, where he speaks to the children about what it’s like to work in his industry.   “I’m always looking to the future and planning for it,” he says.  “I certainly want to grow our customer base and we’re going to grow our employees, but from a place of where we can still hold our same core values.  I want to be known as the preferred heating and air conditioning company on the Grand Strand, not necessarily the biggest.   “I just want people to see our logo or van driving down the beach, and to be recognized as the company that’s best in customer service.  I don’t want a one-time customer, I want lifetime customers.”  “I don’t think about my competition too much,” he continues.  “Obviously I know they’re there.  I know the market values for what we do.  But a lot of people will come to me and say, ‘do you know these people are doing this?’   I just focus on what I’m doing, on the road in front of me.”  One of the things he’s doing is hiring good technicians, those with a lot of talent, and sending them for additional training.   “I want to make sure we have the right guys on the job so that we’re doing the job properly, … Read more

Save Money, Be Comfortable, Live Happier by Melissa LaScaleia  Jeff Thompson started Carolina Energy Conservation with his friend, Fred Baker, out of his garage in Surfside Beach nine years ago.  “I’ve always had a passion for energy conservation,” he says, speaking of his start in the industry. As the oldest of five children, Jeff remembered his parents receiving high power bills and witnessed the resulting stressful impact on his family. Fueled by this memory, out of college he worked for an energy conservation company in his hometown of Niagara Falls, New York. Then, seeking sunnier skies, he moved to Myrtle Beach. The relocation inspired him to start his own business.  “I saw a need to create ways that we can save money in operating our homes, be more comfortable, and live happier,” he says.  He began by conducting educational seminars on home energy efficiency strategies that were applicable to house designs in the South. Jeff went on to get a BPI, Building Performance Institute certification, to learn what the standards were from the best resource available. He and his employees continue their training with continuing education to this day.  BPI approaches energy efficiency as a whole-house system, and examines how all the factors affecting efficiency— like insulation, attic, lighting, doors, windows, vents, and garage spaces— are functioning together. Jeff fuses this aspect of his business with solar installation, repair, and maintenance.  Solar panels soak up the rays in sunny Myrtle Beach reducing power bills by a whopping 90%.- Photo by Meganpixels “There are a lot of different ways to help people make their home more efficient,” Jeff says. “One of the things we really pride ourselves on is providing the right solutions for our clients that would best serve them.”  And the philosophy has served them well. Jeff bought a building for his expanding business on Hwy 707 in 2014, and today Carolina Energy Conservation has over 28 employees. Their technicians are all trained through a company called Dr. Energy Saver— the largest energy conservation company in the U.S. The knowledge based company shows them ways to fix things in innovative ways.  “The relationship gives us access to a large variety of individuals who know everything about what’s energy efficient,” he says. “Using infrared camera and other tests, we can pinpoint exactly where and how much air is leaking in a house. That’s important because when you’re heating or cooling a house, the air that’s leaking will be replaced by either your heating or your air conditioning system.  “Many people have overhead lights that are extremely leaky. We go over the house and seal those areas to make it as efficient as it can be, then we conduct a solar analysis to determine the number of panels you need.”  You will need less power to run your home after the improvements, and therefore, less solar panels installed. Because of the cost of the panels, conducting energy efficiency improvements first can save homeowners considerable money. Yet, most solar companies don’t offer this service.  Carolina Energy Conservation earned the top spot on Santee Cooper’s Trade Ally List (a list of contractors Santee Cooper recommends) for insulation, three years in a row when Santee Cooper was offering that list. They also won the Solar Contractor of the Year for the past three years with Santee Cooper’s Trade Ally List for solar.  “We’ve had our solar division going on for six years now,” Jeff says. “We have a NABCEP certification, the highest certification you can have in solar; it’s like a doctorate degree in solar energy. Our work is very clean. Solar is one of the main things we do.”  “A big reason people pick solar is because they’re looking for the peace of mind that goes along with their purchase,” Jeff says. “But if you don’t install solar properly, you could have any number of issues.  “You have to go through the company that sold it to you, and if they’re not very good, they’re going to be out of business in few years and there’s nobody to help you.”  Jeff Thompson, front center, with his team outside of Carolina Energy Conservation’s office on Hwy 707. From humble origins he’s grown to over 28 employees. – Photo by Meganpixels To give his clients the peace of mind they seek, Jeff uses solar panels that have a 25 year manufacturer warranty for labor, maintenance and any other issues that may arise— meaning if anything goes awry during that time, the solar company will pay to repair it.  Jeff understands the importance first hand of having dealings with a reputable solar panel company. Many of his customers call him because they are having problems with faulty installations executed by companies in other states, or companies that have gone out of business.  The warranty, he clarifies, doesn’t mean the panels will stop working after 25 years. They have a life expectancy of forty or more years.  To make the process seamless, Jeff manages the interconnection agreement and permitting with the utility company, and he has a third party engineer ensure that everything is structurally sound.  There are two different ways to have solar in your home. The first is to install it as a battery backup in the event of a hurricane, with the solar acting as a replacement for a generator. The second, which most people opt for, is to install it on the grid system which will eliminate as much of your regular utility bill as possible, up to 90%.  “A lot of people in this area are on fixed incomes,” Jeff explains. “And you can’t control a rising energy bill. With solar, you’re locking in your power rate. It will basically always be the same. You will still be tied into the grid, but you’re getting credited for the amount of electricity you produce.  “In South Carolina, you can’t be paid for producing more energy than you use in a month, but if you do, it would be carried forward as a credit on the … Read more

by Emma Ware, D.H.N, C.N, C.C.H The definition of GMO is quite literally, ‘genetically modified food’. In layman’s terms, that means altering pure and natural foods with chemicals and preservatives to change their DNA. I encourage you to learn how to read labels and apply it to your weekly purchases.  Understanding what the preservatives and chemicals are to stay away from are essential in maintaining a happy gut! When you stop to read the packages at your local grocery store you will see that chemicals and preservatives are in next to every product on the center aisles. After all, think about it, those preservatives are what allows the products/boxed foods to sit on our shelves for as long as they do without losing shape, spoiling or ‘going bad’. Photo courtesy of Emma Ware. Each person who comes to me for food guidance is taught the key chemicals to steer clear of when reading boxed foods.  When they’re faced with words they’ve never seen before, my clients too, know that they can text me for confirmation before they purchase.  And although it can be a challenge, given the size of our grocery stores now a days, I invite everyone I meet to ‘only shop from the perimeter of the grocery store’. It’s more fun (and colorful, I might add) that way anyway. Make shopping fun!  Prepare a menu for the week and therefore write a list of fresh produce that you’ll need each week.  By going to the store prepared, we lessen the temptation to mindlessly buy unhealthy and chemically infused foods.  My favorite way to avoid the challenge of seeking out non-GMO foods is to buy from the local farmers markets.  Here, you can count on fresh raised produce. Remember, eating fresh, unaltered whole foods offers health benefits that aren’t available in processed or packaged foods. Are you up for the challenge? Go out on your next trip and count how many NON-GMO food items you can find. It will be eye opening and gut approved.  If you have any questions or comments, please don’t hesitate in stopping by my shop.  We are located at 2798 Howard Ave, Myrtle Beach, in the Market Common.  Or give me a call at 843.997.7037. I’ll be available, ready to help you.

An Ohio Valley Tradition in Myrtle Beach by Melissa LaScaleia Meet Steve Beatty, the owner of DiCarlo’s Pizza, and Jason Blackwell, the manager.  Two childhood friends who grew up together in the Ohio River Valley and northern panhandle of West Virginia.  After graduating from West Virginia University in 1995, Steve accepted an offer to be the quality manager at Wolverine Brass, and moved his family to Myrtle Beach.  Every time they went home to visit (along with everybody else from the Ohio Valley), DiCarlo’s Pizza was always the first stop. DiCarlo’s was started by Italian immigrants in 1945.  It’s a unique style of pizza, and for its followers, it’s something akin to a legend.  Steve and Jason explain it: “First, it is a square pizza cut in square pieces,” they say.  “It’s a mix between a Sicilian deep dish and a thin and crispy.  When you think of styles of pizza, you have thin and flimsy, and then you have Chicago, which is a deep dish.  And we’re right in between, it’s been coined the Ohio Valley style pizza.” “It’s flash baked so it’s crispy on the bottom and fluffy with lots of air pockets in the middle and top,” Jason adds.  “Vegetables and meats get baked on the pizza, the only thing we don’t cook on is the cheese and pepperoni.  That’s the key— those toppings go on fresh.  We cook the pizza with the sauce on it, and then we add provolone cheese and pepperoni after the pizza has been baked.  When you put it in the box and put the top on, the heat melts the cheese.  The pizza is best eaten right out of the oven.  However, leftover pieces in the refrigerator are also good cold.” “The original DiCarlo’s is carry out only, so patrons would take the pizza to their car and eat it there.  It’s like a cult,” Jason says of the pizza’s followers and their zeal. “I’d always wanted to open one in Morgantown, West Virginia when I went to college,” Steve says.  “But they weren’t licensing or franchising and refused point blank. “In 2014, I was on a cruise in the Mediterranean, and I overheard a guy from Hilton Head, SC say something about DiCarlo’s Pizza.  He was also raised in the Ohio Valley and wanted to open one in Hilton Head and said they had begun licensing the name and trademark. Just like the original: DiCarlo’s pizza is always square, cut in square pieces. – Photos by Meganpixels Parker. “I decided to open one in Myrtle Beach, and while I was trying to find the right location, Jason called my company, Four Star Plumbing & Air Conditioning, Inc., for service at his house.  That’s how I discovered he was down here, and we reconnected.  When I told him I was opening a DiCarlo’s Pizza down here, he was like, ‘Oh my God, thank God!’.  And it just so happens he had experience in the restaurant industry.” “So I bought a license agreement from DiCarlo’s,” Steve continues, “and they showed us how to make their pizza.  Our pizza is made from scratch and we use 100% hand grated provolone cheese.” “We saw it as an opportunity to bring this pizza to Myrtle Beach,” Jason says. “Our customers who haven’t been back to the Ohio Valley in a long time, they come in, and say, ‘I haven’t had DiCarlos Pizza in nine years!’ And they’re in heaven.  We’ve had people drive from Raleigh, NC, and from Augusta, Georgia.  It’s a lot shorter of a drive than West Virginia.  People just go wild because they haven’t had it in years.” “We’ve basically brought a piece of history from our hometown to share with the many now local Ohio Valley transplants and visitors of the Grand Strand,” Steve says. And they’ve been serving Myrtle Beach this little slice of heaven for two years now. Steve concludes, “Other than we offer the cheese melted if you prefer, and dine-in services so you don’t have to eat in your car, we stick to our roots.” DiCarlo’s also offers calzones, sandwiches, wings, and pepperoni rolls, which are a new product for many people.  A pepperoni roll is pepperoni rolled up in bread– like a calzone without the cheese.  It makes a good lunch time snack, and is another great DiCarlo’s tradition that is popular in West Virginia. Call your order in 20-30 minutes ahead of time, and they will have it ready. Unfortunately this company is permanently closed. We have admired their business and are sad to see them go.