Chucktown Startups Newsletter Archive

Chucktown Rundown - February 17, 2026 (Part 1 of 2)

Toby Palmer — Wed, 18 Feb 2026 03:19:03 GMT

Supporting, connecting & educating Charleston's entrepreneurial community

February 17, 2026

➤Top 3 Community Headlines

Chucktown Accelerator Launches | Chucktown U Webinar on March 4: Introduction to Chucktown Accelerator

Chucktown Startups to Exhibit at Harbour Club at Westedge Business Expo on Monday, 2/23 from 11-3

Chucktown Startups Reaches 300 Member Mark, Gaining 50 members since January 1

➤Upcoming Events

RSVP - Wednesday, March 4 from Noon to 1 PM

Chucktown Startups has partnered with Builders + Backers to give entrepreneurs in our community a clear, trusted pathway to bring their entrepreneurial ideas to life and build their business – from first spark to launched company and beyond. It's powered by AI tools and expert support that meets builders wherever they are in their journey - no matter the idea.

The Builders Studio team will lead the community through an in-depth demonstration of the platform and answer questions from the audience.

Complete Listing of All Events.

➤Community KPIs

300 company profiles created
3,400+ LinkedIn followers
2,250+ Newsletter Subscribers

➤New Community Members

Bushel of Prints (Kendal Marie Schamens)
Charleston Build & Connect (Elliott Friedman)
Decco.Art (Scott Stoneburner)
Donut Daddy (Dave Magdeburger)
EVENTDOX (Caroline Brown)
Fox Hound Group (Bob Fairbairn)
Kentro Studio (Kimberly Szanto)
Lap 1 Labs, Inc. (Dustin Ellis)
LaRoc Precision Testing (Sarina Freincle)
Learning Engine, The (Nathan Belcher)
Leveling the Fields (Melyssa Jaskiewicz)
Obsidian Comms | Content | Coaching (Tom Keppeler)
Portside Galley (Ari Spoljaric)
SandsDX (Page Sands)
Saving Babies (Lindsay Spurgeon)
ScanReach (Joseph Knapik)
Smarter Way (Abraham Becker)
Source (Paris Varney)
Symplik (Hendrik Kampert)
Unflappable Studios (Clare Behringer)
Vismerch (Sam Joseph)
VIVA Cleaning Services (Carla Santos)

➤Exit Corner:

A ten-part educational series for founders looking to fully unlock the value of their business for a maximum harve$t:

Part 2 (of 10): Exit Planning Is Not About Selling

Exit planning is not about leaving your business. It is about building one that works without you. Strong systems, clean finances, and leadership depth create freedom now and options later. Learn more...

➤Latest Podcast Episodes

Members: Schedule your Podcast Episode!

Tom Keppeler of Obsidian Comms | Content | Coaching (February 16, 2026)
Michael and Victoria Winter of The Ease Co (February 16, 2026)
Bill Billotte, Podcast Host and Founder of Veritas Exoscience (February 16, 2026)
Jon Stroud, Realtor and Author of "The Great Game of Real Estate" (February 9, 2026)
Helen Hudson of SafeShowings App (February 9, 2026)
Kenneth Alge and Jake Mundell of Silicon Harbor Technologies/Mental Alchemy/LOOM (February 9, 2026)
Joe Gallagher, Jr (aka Chef Guiseppe) of Apastioli Specialty Foods and Roma Parfum (January 26, 2026)
Lindsay Lenard of Horse Spot (January 12, 2026)
LK Whitney of GOODco. (January 12, 2026)

➤Member Profile Spotlight: Obsidian Comms | Content | Coaching

Founded by Tom Keppeler, Obsidian Communications is a boutique consultancy specializing in conscious communication strategy and authentic storytelling. We help leaders of mission-driven organizations, founders, coaches, and creatives communicate with clarity and presence — aligning message, mission, and meaning.

Our integrated services — including communications coaching, brand storytelling, and podcast production — combine strategic precision with emotional intelligence. The result: messages that inspire trust, build community, and drive meaningful change.

Chucktown Rundown - November 17, 2025 (Part 2 of 2)

Toby Palmer — Wed, 19 Nov 2025 03:08:43 GMT

➤Members in the News

Seattle Company Acquires Charleston Startup Sprockets to Build “End-To-End AI Hiring Solution”: (October 14, 2025, Hypepotamus)

Querri Launches Querri 2.0 on Product Hunt - November 18, 2025: (Querri LinkedIn Post)

Horse Spot Selected for SCRA Membership: (November 4, 2025, SCRA Press Release)

Community members Jackie McKelvey (Thrive Data), Jack Teitel (Title AI), and Stacey Bailey (Intention Collective) Announced as Speakers for Dig South 2026 Tech Summit: (November 7, 2025, Dig South Press Release)

Nonnanest (Founded by Nathan Overbey) Receives Patent Pending Status: (November 12, LinkedIn Post)

Will Pearce, Founder of Attento Board, Makes Appearance on Quasar Markets Live: (November 4, LinkedIn Post)

➤Upcoming Member-sponsored Events

Reforged Gaming Lounge: Bites vs Bytes: Monday, November 17, 2025 (Recurring every Monday)

AI vs Expert | Women in Community Forum (by Mom Me Minute): Tuesday, November 18, 2025

Tech After Five (at Reforged Gaming Lounge): Tuesday, November 18, 2025

Chucktown Demo Days: Pollen Social: Wednesday, November 19, 2025

Build + Brew Charleston: Wednesday, November 19, 2025

Align & Act for Small Teams (by Stacey Bailey Consulting): Wednesday, November 19, 2025

AI & Data in the Holy City: Workshop 4 of 4 (TR Edwards Consultancy & Essence Technology Consulting): Thursday, November 20, 2025

Dig South Rise & Grind Fresh Faces #2: Friday, November 21, 2025

Are Your Sales Stuck? (Sponsored by Sho Richek, Functional Nutrition & Lifestyle Counselor): Tuesday, December 2, 2025

Chucktown U: Introduction to The Harbor Entrepreneur Center and Accelerator Program: Wednesday, December 3, 2025

Chucktown Startups Monthly Happy Hour at Reforged Gaming Lounge: Tuesday, December 9, 2025

Chucktown Demo Days: Tikvah Health & Wellness: Wednesday, December 17, 2025

➤Five Founder Questions Feature

Donna M. Netzley

Sensible CFO & Consulting

1. What is your startup's elevator pitch?

I'm a Fractional Controller. What that means is organizations hire me on a part-time basis to analyze their financial data to improve profits. Essentially, a Controller bridges the gap between a bookkeeper and a business owner. I manage the bookkeepers, the budgets, and the accounting systems, allowing an owner to focus on growing their business.

2. What is your ideal customer profile and plan to reach them?

My ICP is companies in the $1M-$15M range with existing bookkeepers (if not, we can provide one from our team). I'm looking for strategically-minded owners and CEO's who want to understand their financial data better to increase their profits.

I try to hit all the networking events that have these business owners as well as bankers who are a great referral partner for me.

3. What is the next key milestone in your startup's journey?

My next key milestone is branching out my services to include Private Client Financial Management services.

4. How can Chucktown Startups and the local startup community best support your startup?

Word of mouth when they hear of potential opportunities for me.

5. Wildcard- What else would you like the community to know about you and your startup?

The secret sauce to my startup is we are a husband-and-wife team where Scott provides the CFO services, I provide the Controller and Private Client Financial Management services, and I oversee a team of bookkeepers.

➤Invitation to Reach Out

Please reach out to schedule an in-person or Zoom meeting. Feel free to email me at toby@chucktownstartups.com or text 843-830-7452.

Thanks for being part of Chucktown Startups. We’re excited to see what happens next as we connect the dots in Charleston’s growing startup scene!

Cheers!

Toby Palmer, Founder

Chucktown Startups: Promote. Support. Connect.

Chucktown Rundown - November 3, 2025 (Part 1 of 2)

Toby Palmer — Mon, 03 Nov 2025 18:30:00 GMT

Promoting, supporting & connecting Charleston's entrepreneurial community

➤Five Community Members Among 10 Finalists for $1 Million Catalyst by Beemok Competition

Attend the Final Round Pitch Competition on November 8
256 startups applied and only 10 were selected for the final round
Five of the 10 finalists are members of the Chucktown Startups community!
- ▶️ Alita (Matt Rosa & Landon Feuerstein)
- ▶️ SiteMarker (Landon Messal, P.E. & Tom Evans)
- ▶️ Torpedo Bio (Leonardo Ferreira)
- ▶️ Volare Boats (Matthew Moore, Dustin Tupper & Brian Robinson)
- ▶️ WODA Bag (Britt Orzech Gardner & Erin Jewett)

➤Chucktown U Virtual Event: Introduction to Charleston SCORE, Wednesday November 5 from Noon - 12:45

Register: Online Webinar presented by William Englehaupt
Mentorship Resources: Introduction to Charleston SCORE. Serving Charleston, Berkeley, Dorchester, Counties + nearby towns, SCORE Mentors are experienced entrepreneurs & professionals who volunteer their experience & knowledge to help small business professionals start & grow businesses. They offer free, confidential business advice, low-cost or no-cost business training, and numerous business templates & tools.
Chucktown U: First Wednesday of Every Month

➤Upcoming Happy Hour at Over the Horizon Brewery: Tuesday, November 11 (Veterans Day) from 5-7PM

RSVP

Location: Over the Horizon Brewing
First Round Sponsored by TIDEWATER

➤Chucktown Demo Days: A Deep Dive into the Pollen Social Platform, Wednesday, November 19 from Noon to 1:00PM

A Deep Dive into the Pollen Social Platform: Pollen provides a comprehensive campaign management platform that fundamentally shifts how marketing teams operate. A single platform for all social channels!
Wednesday, November 19 from Noon to 1:00 PM
Registration Link Coming Soon!

Chucktown Demo Days: Third Wednesday of Every Month
December Demo Day: Tikvah Health and Wellness
- Wednesday, December 17 from Noon to 1:00PM
If you'd like to schedule your demo day, please reach out!

➤Inaugural "Meet the Founders" Event Recap

71 Founders and friends came together for the first edition of "Meet the Founders" at CODE/+/TRUST.

The first hour featured our version of the Happy Hour/Mini-Expo: Combining the relaxing, informal networking of a traditional happy hour with more targeted conversations driven by the mini expo stations manned by each founder.

The second hour featured a moderated panel discussion featuring 4 randomly selected founders from the mini-expo. Guided by emcee and moderator Courtney Lohmann, CMP, attendees had the opportunity to hear firsthand about the entrepreneurial journeys and visionary companies being built by: Daniel Karsh (outer.games), Donna M. Netzley, CPA (Sensible CFO & Consulting), Jake Merhige (KingPool) and Thomas Kern (HOMEGROWN Athletic Solutions Inc).

A very special thanks goes out to our event sponsor, Shoshanna Richek, CFNC, a Certified Functional Nutrition and Lifestyle Counselor. We couldn't have pulled this off without her!

OhmIQ is advancing scalable and sustainable energy solutions built on centuries-old electrical principles. Backed by IAG Capital Partners, OhmIQ holds over 135 global patents and is paving the way for cleaner, more reliable energy across industries.

OhmIQ catalyzes businesses seeking enhanced performance and efficiency through sustainable energy solutions. Its patented Ohmic Array Technology (OAT) offers a unique method of heating liquids with intelligent controls and adjustable electrode arrays that respond to a liquid’s properties and environment. This enables faster, cleaner, and more consistent thermal performance while reducing buildup, wear, and maintenance needs.

Based in Charleston, South Carolina, OhmIQ supports food and beverage processing, real estate, water treatment, pools and spas, and industrial applications. The system integrates seamlessly with other products and can be licensed globally.

One of OhmIQ’s leading innovations, InstIQ, is revolutionizing hot liquid systems. Intelligent automation delivers immediate thermal performance while avoiding inefficiencies of conventional systems. A zero-scaling design ensures consistent functionality and long-term reliability. The compact structure allows for easier integration and cost-effective deployment.

As it grows, OhmIQ is creating high-skilled jobs and boosting Charleston’s economy while positioning the city as a clean tech hub.

Chucktown Rundown - November 3, 2025 (Part 2 of 2)

Toby Palmer — Mon, 03 Nov 2025 18:01:16 GMT

Promoting, supporting & connecting Charleston's entrepreneurial community

➤Latest Podcast Episodes

Members: Schedule your Podcast Epsiode!

Cory Robertson (October 27, 2025)
Erin Pacitti of Boundless Marketing Co. (October 27, 2025)
Frank Gomez of Ethical Eaters (October 20, 2025)
Zac Jennings of Southern Exits (October 13, 2025)
Lesesne Phillips of Opsana HR (October 13, 2025)
Amanda Edwards (October 6, 2025)
Bill Haber of TEKRiSQ (October 6, 2025)
Roberta Moore of EQ-i Coach (October 6, 2025)
Bill Englehaupt of SCORE Charleston (September 29, 2025)
Korey McDavid of Juiced Fuel (September 29, 2025)
Aaron Silverman of The Ari Foss Foundation (September 24, 2025)
David Timmerman of FullHorn Finance (September 22, 2025)
Will Pearce of Attento Board (September 22, 2025)
Michelle Paradis of Maroposa Life & Leadership Coaching (September 15, 2025)
David Thedinga of Tikvah Health & Wellness (September 15, 2025)
Jack Teitel of Title AI (September 10, 2025)
Heather Valeri of Meridian Business Advisors (September 10, 2025)
Tom Hurwitch of Baysys (September 3, 2025)
Ted Kniesche of Zero Industrial (September 3, 2025)

➤Members in the News

Finalists Named for Catalyst by Beemok $1MM Pitch Competition (October 27, 2025, Beemok Capital Press Release)

Meet the Catalyst by Beemok Finalists: WODA Bag (October 28, 2025, Catalyst by Beemok LinkedIn Post)

Meet the Catalyst by Beemok Finalists: SiteMarker (October 29, 2025, Catalyst by Beemok LinkedIn Post)

Meet the Catalyst by Beemok Finalists: TorpedoBio (November 1, 2025, Catalyst by Beemok LinkedIn Post)

Roberta Moore, founder of EQ-i Coach, Featured in October issue of Stroll Daniel Island (October 30, 2025, LinkedIn Post)

Heirloom Cloud Named Finalist in Clemson University's Military & Veteran's Pitch Competition (October 24, 2025 LinkedIn Post)

A Summerville nurse practitioner is turning a preventable tragedy into a mission to save newborn lives across the Lowcountry -- Lindsay Spurgeon of NeoHero Foundation- (October 24, 2025, CBS WCSC Live 5)

Elizabeth Donovan, Founder of Mom Me Minute, Selected for 2025 Google Data Center Community AI Fellowship (October 19, 2025, LinkedIn Post)

➤Five Founder Questions Feature

Roberta Moore

The EQ-i Coach

1. What is your startup's elevator pitch?

At The EQ-i Coach, I help emotionally intelligent and emotionally curious leaders transform how they lead—starting from the inside out. Using the science of emotional intelligence and the art of deep listening, I guide executives to strengthen their self-regulation, empathy, and presence. This isn’t checkbox coaching—it’s transformation. Because when leaders grow in emotional mastery, their people, culture, and results grow with them.

2. What is your ideal customer profile and plan to reach them?

The EQ-i Coach serves emotionally intelligent or emotionally curious leaders—often recently placed in new roles—who are ready to grow from the inside out. They value self-awareness, empathy, and people-first leadership. These are executives, directors, and high-potential professionals who understand that real transformation isn’t cosmetic—it’s emotional, relational, and systemic. They’re open, coachable, and committed to evolving their leadership through emotional intelligence. Whether leading a team or an entire organization, they’re seeking more than performance—they’re seeking presence, purpose, and impact. My social media team creates content that goes out in newsletters, speaking engagements, Linked In posts, and Forbes articles.

3. What is the next key milestone in your startup's journey?

Establishing a local and regional footprint in the Charleston area, since I recently moved the business here from St. Louis. This includes expanding my network and service offerings to corporations in this area.

4. How can Chucktown Startups and the local startup community best support your startup?

I'm looking to connect with emotionally curious executives, leadership development professionals, and culture-forward founders who are: new to their roles or organizations, navigating leadership transitions, or focused on people-first strategy and employee engagement. Roberta’s coaching is built for leaders in transition—those who are open to rebalancing their emotional intelligence to become more authentic, effective, and human-centered in their leadership.

5. Wildcard- What else would you like the community to know about you and your startup?

Roberta is a seasoned executive coach with both corporate credentials (MBA, CPA) and therapeutic depth (Ed.S. in Marriage & Family Therapy). EQ-i blends business acumen with emotional intelligence science to help leaders lead with presence, power, and humanity.

In a world of performative leadership and burnout, EQ-i Coach offers a gentler way—one rooted in emotional clarity, empathy, and strategic growth. If you’re building something that matters—your business, your team, your legacy—you need more than strategy. You need emotional intelligence. You need presence. You need to be seen, heard, and supported in becoming the kind of leader people remember for how you made them feel.

Chucktown Rundown - October 16, 2025 (Part 1 of 2)

Toby Palmer — Thu, 16 Oct 2025 16:34:47 GMT

Promoting, supporting & connecting Charleston's entrepreneurial community

➤Meet the Founders: Thursday, October 23

5:30-7:30 PM @ Code/+/Trust

REGISTER TODAY:
- A can't miss opportunity for member founders to introduce themselves and their businesses to the local business community.
- Click here to watch a video explainer about the unique format, which includes a random drawing of four founders to be selected for a moderated panel discussion in hour two. This is priceless mic time for your startup!
- Location: Code/+/Trust, 665 Johnnie Dodds Blvd, Suite 200, Mount Pleasant, SC 29464
- Founders registered (as of 10/15): 41
Event Sponsorship Available:

Download Event Sponsorship Prospectus

➤Announcing Chucktown U Virtual Events

Providing educational content to the community on essential topics for entrepreneurs & startups via online webinars.
First Wednesday of Every Month
Inaugural event focuses on Mentorship Resources: Introduction to Charleston SCORE. Serving Charleston, Berkeley, Dorchester, Counties + nearby towns, SCORE Mentors are experienced entrepreneurs & professionals who volunteer their experience & knowledge to help small business professionals start & grow businesses. They offer free, confidential business advice, low-cost or no-cost business training, and numerous business templates & tools.
- Online Webinar presented by William Englehaupt
- Wednesday, November 5 from Noon to 12:45 PM
- Register

➤Announcing Chucktown Demo Days

Founders present comprehensive demonstrations of the platforms, products and services being built in our community.
Third Wednesday of Every Month
We'll kick things off with A Deep Dive into the Pollen Social Platform. Pollen provides a comprehensive campaign management platform that fundamentally shifts how marketing teams operate. A single platform for all social channels!
Wednesday, November 19 from Noon to 12:45 PM
Available online and in person (for select demos)
Registration link coming soon!
If you'd like to schedule your demo day, please reach out!

➤Community KPIs

214 company profiles created
2,200 LinkedIn followers
1,400 Newsletter Subscribers

➤New Community Members

HoloMD (Sean Sweeney)
InsightOut Communications (Jill Hulsen)
Lowcountry Network Consulting (John Gieseke)
Pollen Social (Brianna Crossley)
Referee (Sam Pannier)
Sho Richek Functional Nutrition and Lifestyle Counselor (Shoshanna Richek)
Stacey Bailey Consulting (Stacey Bailey)
Tactical Electric (Tavish Rivers)

➤Member Profile Spotlight

Dall Solutions, founded by Shanesha Dallas

Dall Solutions is a woman-owned, compliance and diagnostic services company based in Charleston, SC. We specialize in DOT and non-DOT drug and alcohol testing, DNA testing, background checks, and mobile health services for employers, transportation professionals, court systems, and families. With over a decade of industry experience, Dall Solutions helps individuals and organizations meet state, federal, and industry-specific regulations with accuracy, speed, and professionalism.

Our services include employer testing programs, pre-employment and post-accident screening, probation and parole compliance testing, CTPA program support, and CLIA-waived laboratory setup assistance.

➤Friends of Chucktown Service Provider Spotlight

Bill Billotte of Veritas Exoscience

(Truth in Wearable Technology Innovation)

Bill hosts and produces the official podcast of the Chucktown Startups community: Lowcountry Revolutionaries

Schedule your podcast recording session with Bill.

➤Members in the News

South Carolina Ranks #2 Nationally in Startup Growth Since 2010 (September 2025, International Monetary Fund)

FeatherPMS co-founder Taylor Gates Featured on the Vintory Podcast (September 17, 2025, Feather PMS LinkedIn Post)

Pollen Social Featured on The Charleston Marketing Podcast (October 9, 2025, Charleston AMA LinkedIn Post)

Topline Named SCRA Startup for the Month of October (October 13, 2025, SCRA LinkedIn Post)

KingPool Launches Next Real-Money DFS Game: "Fast Five" (October 13, 2025, King Pool Company Newsletter)

Lindsey Spurgeon, founder of NeoHero Foundation, to appear on South Carolina Public Radio's "SC Business Review" on October 30 (October 14, 2025, NeoHero Foundation LinkedIn Post)

Chucktown Rundown - October 16, 2025 (Part 2 of 2)

Toby Palmer — Thu, 16 Oct 2025 16:33:52 GMT

Promoting, supporting & connecting Charleston's entrepreneurial community

➤Upcoming Member-sponsored Events

AI & Data in the Holy City: Workshop 2 of 4 (TR Edwards Consultancy & Essence Technology Consulting): Thursday, October 16, 2025

Voice to Velocity Pop-Up Lunch & Learn (by TR Edwards Consultancy): Friday, October 17, 2025

Reforged Gaming Lounge: Bites vs Bytes: Monday, October 20, 2025 (Recurring every Monday)

Build + Brew Charleston (Unofficially sponsored by Mugsy!): Tuesday, October 21

Sneak Peek 1/2 Way to Dig South and Charleston Tech Week: Wednesday, October 22, 2025

Chucktown Startups Meet the Founders: Thursday, October 23, 2025

Tech After Five at Reforged Gaming Lounge: Tuesday, October 28, 2025

CharlestonHacks Halloween Mashup: Wednesday, October 29, 2025

Healthier and Happier Workforce: Integrating Root-Cause Medicine (Produced by Tikvah Health and Wellness): Thursday, October 30, 2025

AI & Data in the Holy City: Workshop 3 of 4 (TR Edwards Consultancy & Essence Technology Consulting): Thursday, November 6, 2025

Chucktown Startups Happy Hour at Over the Horizon Brewing (Sponsored by Tidewater CHS): Tuesday, November 11, 2025 (Veterans Day!)

Level Up Strategy Day for Solopreneurs (by Stacey Bailey Consuting): Wednesday, November 12, 2025

Align & Act for Small Teams (by Stacey Bailey Consuting): Wednesday, November 19, 2025

AI & Data in the Holy City: Workshop 4 of 4 (TR Edwards Consultancy & Essence Technology Consulting): Thursday, November 20, 2025

Dig South Rise & Grind Fresh Faces #2: Friday, November 21, 2025

➤Five Founder Questions Feature

Stephanie Dasher, Co-founder

Gnosis Wellness Collective

1. What is your startup's elevator pitch?

Gnosis Wellness Co. is a trauma-informed collective offering multidimensional, integrative interventions that bridge counseling, coaching, and education. Through collaborative referrals, coach training, and upstream approaches, we address disconnection from oneself and the community, thereby transforming lived experiences into purpose, connection, and sustainable well-being.

2. What is your ideal customer profile and plan to reach them?

At Gnosis Wellness Co., we collaborate with individuals and organizations that are interested in exploring an integrative approach to healing and personal growth.

Individuals: Adults/teens who feel disconnected from themselves after loss, trauma, or significant life transitions. They’re ready for care that blends counseling, coaching, and embodied practices.

Organizations: Mission-driven teams and community programs that want to build evidence-based, emotionally intelligent systems of leadership where people can truly thrive and connect to their purpose.

Emerging Coaches, Therapists, and Practitioners: People who feel called to turn their own healing into service. Through our training programs, they become coaches and community leaders, extending care upstream into the spaces where people live and work.

Plan to Reach Them: Our growth is rooted in relationships, education, and community engagement. We’re building a referral network among local clinicians, coaches, and organizations who share our values. Workshops, retreats, and online learning experiences provide individuals with a direct experience of our integrative model, often serving as the first step toward counseling, collaboration, or coaching training.

We’ll continue to grow through word of mouth, partnerships with universities and nonprofits, and a strong online presence that shares real stories and practical tools. Our approach isn’t about selling services; it’s about creating a connected ecosystem of care that supports purpose, belonging, and healing at every level.

3. What is the next key milestone in your startup's journey?

Our next key milestone is the launch of Gnosis Wellness Co.’s integrative coach training and certification program, which will expand our work from direct care into community-based capacity building. This program will train coaches, clinicians, and organizational leaders in ADAPT and systems-oriented practices that create upstream change, ultimately helping people connect to their purpose, find direction, and become stronger leaders, which leads to sustainable wellbeing for the community.

Equally important, we are seeking a physical space designed to support this work: an indoor-outdoor environment that fosters flow, presence, and connection. The space will host counseling, coaching, and group experiences, accommodating multiple practitioners who work in collaboration. It will serve as both a community hub and a model for sustainable wellbeing, where individuals and teams can practice self-regulation, creativity, and relational repair (with themselves and others) in real-time.

Together, these milestones move Gnosis Wellness Co. toward its vision of an integrative, embodied ecosystem of care that restores connection and builds sustainable systems of wellbeing throughout our communities.

4. How can Chucktown Startups and the local startup community best support your startup?

Connection and Visibility: Introducing us to aligned partners, organizations, and investors who value community-based mental health, leadership, and human-centered innovation.

Space and Infrastructure: Supporting our search for an indoor/outdoor space designed for group and individual programs, where practitioners can work collaboratively and the community can engage in sustainable embodied wellbeing.

Mentorship and Funding Guidance: Sharing expertise around sustainable growth, social entrepreneurship, and impact investment to help us expand our integrative coach training and partnership programs.

Community Amplification: Helping us share the story of Gnosis Wellness Co. as a Charleston-grown model for upstream, trauma-informed systems of care that can be replicated in other communities.

5. Wildcard- What else would you like the community to know about you and your startup?

Gnosis Wellness Co. was born out of the founders’ work with the Warrior Surf Foundation, where Stephanie Dasher served as Executive Director and Dr. Maia Gill developed and implemented the organization’s integrative mental health programming. Together, alongside Warrior Surf's Founder, they helped build a model that combined counseling, yoga, surfing, and community connection to help veterans enter flow states, regulate their nervous systems, and reconnect with purpose and a sense of belonging.

The results were powerful, with significant improvements in both mental and physical health, stronger relationships, and a renewed sense of community among participants. Following this success and in response to repeated requests from other communities to extend this approach beyond the veteran population, Gnosis Wellness Co. was established to do exactly that. Our mission is to expand this integrative, trauma-informed model, making healing and connection accessible to all.

➤Invitation to Reach Out

Please reach out to schedule an in-person or Zoom meeting. Feel free to email me at toby@chucktownstartups.com or text 843-830-7452.

Thanks for being part of Chucktown Startups. We’re excited to see what happens next as we connect the dots in Charleston’s growing startup scene!

Cheers!

Toby Palmer, Founder

Chucktown Startups: Promote. Support. Connect.

Chucktown Rundown - October 1, 2025 (Part 1 of 2)

Toby Palmer — Wed, 01 Oct 2025 21:46:23 GMT

Promoting, supporting & connecting Charleston's entrepreneurial community

October 1, 2025

➤Upcoming Chucktown Startups Events

Meet the Founders: Thursday, October 23, 5:30-7:30 at Code + Trust.

Monthly Happy Hour: Tuesday, October 14, 5:30-7:30 at Reforged Gaming Lounge, 8484 Dorchester Rd, Unit B, North Charleston, SC 29420. RSVP.

➤A Defining Moment for Our Community!

Tom Williams joins Chucktown Startups Leadership Team

Tom Williams is a strategic technology leader, Board director, speaker, and author with a track record of turning innovation into sustained competitive advantage. He has created more than $1 billion in equity value through market-first technologies, capital strategy, and M&A — including exits to Cisco, Novell, and Ericsson, all achieved on just $60 million in venture capital. Recognized for his expertise in governance, risk oversight, and high-growth scaling, Tom has guided companies through critical inflection points toward IPO or acquisition.

In his role at Chucktown Startups, Tom will advise startup teams and growth-stage CEOs on:

Corporate strategy & value creation
Mergers, acquisitions & capital raising
Leadership alignment & board governance
Risk policy & conflict resolution
Operations, product positioning, & customer acquisition

➤Community KPIs

207 company profiles created
2,085 LinkedIn followers
1,300 Newsletter Subscribers

➤New Community Members

➤Member Profile Spotlight

Courtney Lohmann Consulting, founded by Courtney Lohmann

Courtney's mission is to empower businesses and leaders to create transformative, sustainable, and regenerative impact today through innovative strategies, purposeful leadership, and actionable change. Additionally, as a keynote speaker, she inspires the leaders of tomorrow to create the impact they want to see.

Courtney will emcee the Chucktown Startups Meet the Founders event on October 23 and moderate the panel discussion.

➤Friends of Chucktown Service Provider Spotlight

Carter Lewis of In The Fade

(A Branding & Design Co.)

All branding and design work for Chucktown Startups is provided by In The Fade.

Contact In The Fade at carter@inthefade.co

➤Members in the News

AI health tech firm Alita launches in Mount Pleasant (September 19, 2025, Charleston Regional Business Journal)

Harbor Entrepreneur Center expands Mount Pleasant space (September 26, 2025, Charleston Regional Business Journal)

Tikvah Health and Wellness Establishing Operations in Charleston County (September 26, 2025, Charleston Business Magazine)

Dr. Zesarae Bodie, Founder of Intimate Health Solutions, Publishes First Book (September 28, 2025, Amazon.com)

Meet Lindsay Spurgeon, Founder of NeoHero Foundation (September 29, 2025, Bold Journey Magazine)

➤Upcoming Member-sponsored Events

AI & Data in the Holy City: Workshop 1 of 4 (TR Edwards Consultancy & Essence Technology Consulting): Thursday, October 2, 2025

CharlestonHacks Harbor Hackathon: Friday October 3 - Sunday, October 5, 2025

Ari Foss Foundation Memorial 5K Walk: Saturday October 4, 2025

Reforged Gaming Lounge: Bites vs Bytes: Monday, October 6, 2025 (Recurring every Monday)

Chucktown Startups Happy Hour at Reforged Gaming Lounge: Tuesday, October 14, 2025

AI & Data in the Holy City: Workshop 2 of 4 (TR Edwards Consultancy & Essence Technology Consulting): Thursday, October 16, 2025

Sneak Peek 1/2 Way to Dig South and Charleston Tech Week: Wednesday, October 22, 2025

Chucktown Startups Meet the Founders: Thursday, October 23, 2025

Tech After Five at Reforged Gaming Lounge: Tuesday, October 28, 2025

CharlestonHacks Halloween Mashup: Wednesday, October 29, 2025

Healthier and Happier Workforce: Integrating Root-Cause Medicine (Produced by Tikvah Health and Wellness): Thursday, October 30, 2025

Chucktown Rundown - October 1, 2025 (Part 2 of 2)

Toby Palmer — Wed, 01 Oct 2025 20:53:41 GMT

Promoting, supporting & connecting Charleston's entrepreneurial community

October 1, 2025

➤Five Founder Questions Feature

Bill Haber, Founder of tekrisq, inc.

1. What is your startup's elevator pitch?

Cybersecurity risks continue to explode, contributing to a $10T annual market of cybercrime. Defenseless SMBs are the new targets, but the cybersecurity industry mostly speaks past them, often focused on companies with developed budgets and skilled tech teams. SMBS often lack in house IT, don't have CISOs and don't appreciate the jargon.

At tekrisq, we help SMBs adopt safer ways to use technology in business that protect them, and make them more resilient to cyber crime. Our platform helps them easily assess their unique cyber risk, remediate them in pragmatic ways and even insure them when needed.

2. What is your ideal customer profile and plan to reach them?

A business between 2 and 200 employees, under $50M in revenue who may use technology and work with multiple clients, but hasn't paid much attention to the risks and regulations they face. Even if they have in house IT, that may not guarantee they have sound cybersecurity process and procedures in place.

3. What is the next key milestone in your startup's journey?

tekrisq actively assesses, remediates and insures cyber risks across our customer base. We operate as a professional cyber risk assessor, a managed security service provider (MSSP), a virtual CISO and a technology-focused insurance brokerage... all in one.

We are presently building awareness and traction with our TEKCHEK® software that automates risk assessments using AI avatars to address cyber risk. This provides convenience, affordability and a secure resource to use with all risk profile requests going forward.

4. How can Chucktown Startups and the local startup community best support your startup?

tekrisq would like to help Charleston-area SMBs to protect themselves and be ready for the demands that growth will bring to them. We can help them to affordably understand their cyber risks, right-size their cybersecurity solutions, make independent cyber risk assessment an annual exercise, and comply with regulation law. This will make them safer, will protect their clients data, and ensure they're ready for their next big client opportunity. it will also ensure resilience in the event of a cybersecurity incident.

5. Wildcard- What else would you like the community to know about you and your startup?

We intend to provide a great option to costly cybersecurity consultants with our innovative TEKCHEK® product, and offer a discount to all Chucktown startups!

➤Invitation to Reach Out

Please reach out to schedule an in-person or Zoom meeting. Feel free to email me at toby@chucktownstartups.com or text 843-830-7452.

Thanks for being part of Chucktown Startups. We’re excited to see what happens next as we connect the dots in Charleston’s growing startup scene!

Cheers!

Toby Palmer, Founder

Chucktown Startups: Promote. Support. Connect.

Chucktown Rundown - September 16, 2025 (Part 1 of 2)

Toby Palmer — Tue, 16 Sep 2025 21:17:49 GMT

Promoting, supporting & connecting Charleston's entrepreneurial community

September 16, 2025

➤Upcoming Chucktown Startups Events

Our first event (Happy Hour) is happening today, September 16 from 5-7 PM at Over the Horizon Brewing, located at 2200 Heriot Street in Charleston. Please RSVP if you plan to attend. The first round of drinks is being sponsored by one of our first members, Tidewater. Thank you to Ryan Covert and the Tidewater team for supporting our first event! Scroll down to learn more about Tidewater and their May 2026 opening.

Bob Hilscher and the amazing team at Code/+/Trust have agreed to host our Meet the Founders event on Thursday, October 23 from 5:30-7:30. This will be a chance for our community of 200+ founders to introduce their businesses and themselves to each other and important ecosystem supporters. Please save the date as more details will be released soon.

Volunteer Moderator / Emcee Opportunity: We’re looking for a community member (or friend of the community) to help bring energy and connection to our events. This role involves serving as the moderator or emcee for:
- Quarterly in-person events
- Monthly AMA webinars featuring prominent guests

If you enjoy guiding conversations, keeping events flowing smoothly, and engaging with founders and innovators, we’d love to hear from you.
Interested? Reach out to Toby at toby@chucktownstartups.com

➤Resources for Founders

Jeff Teschke, a seasoned Charleston founder with a recent exit, is actively seeking his next challenge and opportunity. He documents his journey in real time at whatsnextjeff.com, offering entrepreneurs at every stage a wealth of experiences, observations, and insights. Jeff will be joining a future online AMA with the Chucktown Startups community. Until then, he’s happy to serve as a resource for your entrepreneurial journey.

Chucktown Startups will be hosting a webinar with SCORE Charleston showcasing the free mentoring, workshops, and resources available to help you launch, grow, and thrive. Stay tuned for details - this is one you won’t want to miss! More details to follow.

Jessica Turcotte, COO of Vision Benefits of America, recently moved with her family to the Charleston area. With a proven track record of building and scaling businesses, Jess is looking to connect with local startup founders that can benefit from her experience and expertise. Please reach out to Jess via LinkedIn if you'd like to connect.

➤Community KPIs

203 company profiles created
1,960 LinkedIn followers
1,250 Newsletter Subscribers

➤New Community Members

Bevs to Go, Todd Fernley
Enput, Thomas Ellenburg
EQ-i Coach, Roberta Moore
Inventor-ease, Michael Winter
Peter Hallen Cybersecurity Compliance, Peter Hallen
Stroud Fine Homes, Jon Stroud
Site Marker, Landon Messal
Southern Exits, Zac Jennings

➤Member Profile Spotlight

Tidewater, Managing Partner Ryan Covert

TIDEWATER is a private club located in Downtown Charleston featuring a cocktail bar, restaurant, indoor golf simulators, pickleball, wellness amenities and curated programming for members and their guests.

We're building a community of visionaries with pioneer mindsets that represent the rising tide in Charleston.

Opening May 2026

Instagram @tidewaterchs

➤Friends of Chucktown Service Provider Spotlight

Techina Jacques of Biz Buildhers

Helping purpose-driven businesses and nonprofits turn vision into visibility, marketing into momentum, and strategy into sustainable success.

➤Members in the News

SwellSpace and 3 Together Announce Construction Underway on Shem Creek Campus (September 2, 2025, LinkedIn Post)

Inspiring Conversations with Aaron Silverman of Ari Foss Foundation (September 4, 2025, South Carolina Voyager Magazine)

Miluna TV and Media Coaching: Your Story. Your Voice. Now on TV.

Zero Industrial: Project Developers Are Bullish On The Thermal Energy Storage Market (September 9, 2025, Forbes)

Meridian Business Advisors - Beyond the Price Tag: Why Confidentiality & Transition Will Make or Break Your Sale (September 9, 2025, PR Newswire)

Erin Pacitti, founder of Boundless Marketing Co., and Adrian Lourduy, co-founder of BuenaVista Information Systems Honored in Charleston's Forty Under 40 (September 2025, Charleston Regional Business Journal)

Thrive Data, founded by Jackie McKelvey, to Compete in 2025 Startup Word Cup in San Francisco (September 10, 2025, LinkedIn Post)

KingPool is Headed to Las Vegas! (September 11, 2025, Company Newsletter)

Next Level Photo Education Brings Creativity and Community to Citadel Mall (September 12, 2025, Holy City Sinner)

A Season of Connection at Tidewater (September 13, 2025, Company Newsletter)

InvestSC's Catalytic Chronicles: 2025 Mid-Year Momentum. Your Insight into South Carolina's Venture Capital Journey (August 20, 2025 InvestSC Newsletter)

VentureSouth vs the Angel Investment Market: Breaking Down the Numbers (September 9, 2025, VentureSouth Blog)

Chucktown Rundown - September 16, 2025 (Part 2 of 2)

Toby Palmer — Tue, 16 Sep 2025 20:30:08 GMT

Promoting, supporting & connecting Charleston's entrepreneurial community

September 16, 2025

➤Upcoming Member-sponsored Events

Chucktown Startups Happy Hour at Over the Horizon Brewery: September 16, 2025

1 Million Cups Featuring Jackie McKelvey of Thrive Data: Wednesday, September 17, 2025

Shared City Effective Charity 101: Saturday, September 20, 2025

Reforged Gaming Lounge: Bits vs Bytes: Monday, September 22, 2025 (Recurring every Monday)

Tech After Five at Reforged Gaming Lounge: Tuesday, September 23, 2025

Lowcountry Local First Solopreneur Meetup featuring Victoria Michaels of VM Copywriting: Thursday, September 25, 2025

SNS Technologies MAD Rescue Pet Adoption: Saturday, September 27, 2025

CharlestonHacks Tech Happy Hour: Tuesday, September 30, 2025

Startup Grind Featuring Michael Houck: Tuesday, September 30, 2025

AI & Data in the Holy City: Workshop 1 of 4 (TR Edwards Consultancy & Essence Technology Consulting): Thursday, October 2, 2025

CharlestonHacks Harbor Hackathon: Friday October 3 - Sunday, October 5, 2025

Ari Foss Foundation Memorial 5K Walk: Saturday October 4, 2025

Chucktown Startups Happy Hour at Reforged Gaming Lounge: Tuesday, October 14, 2025

AI & Data in the Holy City: Workshop 2 of 4 (TR Edwards Consultancy & Essence Technology Consulting): Thursday, October 16, 2025

Sneak Peek 1/2 Way to Dig South and Charleston Tech Week: Wednesday, October 22, 2025

Chucktown Startups Meet the Founders: Thursday, October 23, 2025

CharlestonHacks Halloween Mashup: Wednesday, October 29, 2025

Healthier and Happier Workforce: Integrating Root-Cause Medicine (Produced by Tikvah Health and Wellness): Thursday, October 30, 2025

➤Five Founder Questions Feature

Erika Hatfield, Founder of

Next Level Photo Education

1. What is your startup's elevator pitch?

Next Level Photo Education makes photography fun, accessible, and hands-on for all ages. From kids and teens exploring creativity to adults sharpening professional skills, we offer classes, workshops, and community events both in-person at our Charleston education center and online worldwide. Our mission is simple: empower people to see the world differently through a camera lens - because Everybody Takes Pictures.

2. What is your ideal customer profile and plan to reach them?

Our ideal customers are:

Families & homeschoolers looking for creative enrichment.
Teens seeking a safe and inspiring community space.
Adults (hobbyists, entrepreneurs, and professionals) who want to improve their photography or content skills.

We reach them through:

Direct outreach to schools, homeschool groups, and community organizations.
Social media campaigns (FB, IG, TikTok, Pinterest) with engaging, educational content.
Local partnerships within Citadel Mall businesses and Charleston community events.
Outschool, YouTube, and online platforms that extend our reach beyond Charleston.

3. What is the next key milestone in your startup's journey?

Our next milestone is the successful growth of our in-person education center at the Citadel Mall. This includes filling our Fall 2025 Focus Academy classes, building steady attendance for Teen Nights and Family Workshops, and expanding to adult weekend workshops with guest instructors. Hitting sustainable monthly enrollment and revenue targets will position us for rapid scaling in 2026, including expanding our online courses, hiring full-time staff and expanding community programming.

4. How can Chucktown Startups and the local startup community best support your startup?

Introductions to potential partners, sponsors, and guest instructors.
Guidance on scaling a hybrid (local + online) education model.
Connections with schools, nonprofits, and family networks.
Help amplifying awareness of our unique offerings through PR, media, and community events.
Mentorship around funding and sustainable growth strategies.

5. Wildcard- What else would you like the community to know about you and your startup?

We are more than a photography school - we’re creating a community hub for creativity. Our center combines education, entertainment, and entrepreneurship, providing opportunities for kids, teens, and adults to learn, connect, and showcase their work. We value accessibility and affordability, and we’re building a model designed to scale nationally while staying rooted in Charleston.

➤Invitation to Reach Out

Please reach out to schedule an in-person or Zoom meeting. Feel free to email me at toby@chucktownstartups.com or text 843-830-7452.

Thanks for being part of Chucktown Startups. We’re excited to see what happens next as we connect the dots in Charleston’s growing startup scene!

Cheers!

Toby Palmer, Founder

Chucktown Startups: Promote. Support. Connect.

Chucktown Rundown - September 2, 2025 (Part 1 of 2)

Toby Palmer — Wed, 03 Sep 2025 02:12:34 GMT

Promoting, supporting & connecting Charleston's entrepreneurial community

September 2, 2025

➤Community Headlines

We are taking the first step towards hosting live events, beginning with a monthly Happy Hour. To accommodate our members across the Lowcountry we will alternate between two locations:

- Tuesday, September 16 from 5:00-7:00 PM at Over the Horizon Brewery, located at 2200 Heriot Street, Charleston, SC 29403.
- Tuesday, October 14 from 5:30-7:30 PM at Reforged Gaming Lounge at 8484 Dorchester Road Unit B, North Charleston, SC 29420.
- Tuesday, November 11 from 5:00-7:00 PM at Over the Horizon Brewery, located at 2200 Heriot Street, Charleston, SC 29403.
- Tuesday, December 9 from 5:30-7:30 PM at Reforged Gaming Lounge at 8484 Dorchester Road Unit B, North Charleston, SC 29420.

The official podcast of the Chucktown Startups community, Lowcountry Revolutionaries hosted by Bill Billotte, has already cranked out 13 episodes featuring founders from our community. Episodes scheduled for release during September include:

Ted Kniesche, founder of Zero Industrial
Tom Hurwitch, founder of Baysys
Heather Valeri, founder of Meridian Business Advisors
Jack Teitel, founder of Title AI
David Thedinga, founder of Tikvah Health and Wellness
Michelle Paradis, founder of Mariposa Life & Leadership Coaching
Will Pearce, founder of Attento Board
David Timmerman, founder of FullHorn Finance

Thank you to Jonathan Komorek, founder of Launch Technology, for setting up the Chucktown Startups Discord Server.

We need your Five Founder Questions submission for future newsletters. Click here to submit yours!

➤Community KPIs

197 company profiles created
1,850 LinkedIn followers
1,200 Newsletter Subscribers

➤New Community Members

Ari Foss Foundation (Aaron Silverman)
Atelier Attache (Lauren Eastman)
BeautyRep (Keri Concannon)
BIND (Brendan Normile)
Dashby (Erin Thomas)
E T Friedman Consulting (Elliott Friedman)
Emotive Strategic (Jamie Cahalan)
Founding Journey (Michael Houck)
Legacy Digital (Q Moldrik)
Reconstructing Wealth (Matt Morizio)
Republic Event Rentals (Lorenz Esposito)
Rivy Co. (Maggie Dracos)
VM Copywriting (Victoria Michaels)

➤Member Profile Spotlight

Lucette Travel, founded by Jennifer Steen

Industry: Luxury Travel & Hospitality

Stage: Growth – Actively Booking Clients & Expanding Partnerships

What We’re Building:

Lucette Travel is a boutique luxury travel agency curating tailor-made journeys for discerning travelers. We specialize in multi-generational family vacations, small group incentive trips, ultra-private getaways, and milestone celebrations. Every itinerary is built with care and insider expertise, delivering seamless, enriching, and beautifully orchestrated experiences around the world.

What Makes Us Different:

With a background in high-touch service and access to an exclusive global network, we bring personalized attention to every detail—from private villa stays to immersive cultural excursions. Our clients trust us to elevate the entire travel planning process, saving them time while unlocking experiences they wouldn’t find on their own.

We’re always looking to connect with:

Luxury hotels and DMCs interested in strategic partnerships
Corporate teams seeking unique incentive or retreat experiences
Affluent families and individuals who value curated, bespoke travel
Media and influencers in the luxury lifestyle space open to collaborations

(continued)

Chucktown Rundown - September 2, 2025 (Part 2 of 2)

Toby Palmer — Wed, 03 Sep 2025 02:02:45 GMT

Promoting, supporting & connecting Charleston's entrepreneurial community

September 2, 2025

➤Members in the News

Erin Pacitti, founder of Boundless Marketing, featured in Bold Journey Magazine (August 5, 2025, BouldJourney.com)

Ari Foss Foundation founder, Aaron Silverman, Appears on ABC4's Lowcountry Live (August 26, 2025, Abcnews4.com)

Querri and Shared City named 2025 Innovision Awards State Finalists (August 26, 2025, Innovisionawards.org)

Volare Boats Artemis 23 Named Boat of the Month (August 2025, ElectrifiedMarina.com)

Data Moose Heading to Philly for bbcon on October 6-8 (August 29, 2025 LinkedIn.com)

➤Upcoming Member-sponsored Events

CharlestonHacks Tech Happy Hour: Tuesday, September 2, 2025

NeoHero Foundation Fundraiser at El Jefe King Street: Wednesday, September 3, 2025

Dig South Rise & Grind Fresh Faces (featuring community member Michael Houck): Friday, September 5, 2025

Harbour Club at Westedge Business Expo, featuring exhibits by Mariposa Life & Leadership Coaching, Sun Cookery, AI Strategy Advisory (ASA) and Juiced Fuel: Friday, September 5, 2025

1 Million Cups (Jackie McKelvey of Thrive Data Presenting): Wednesday, September 17, 2025

Product Jam Under the Hood - A cool showcase of code, craft & conversation featuring Querri: September 18, 2025

Effective Charity 101 Workshop (by Shared City): Saturday, September 20, 2025

SNS Technologies: MAD Rescue Pet Adoption: Saturday, September 27, 2025

Startup Grind: Fireside chat with Michael Houck: Tuesday, September 30, 2025

CharlestonHacks HarborHack Hackathon: Friday, October 3 - Sunday, October 5, 2025

Ari Foss Memorial 5K Walk (Presented by the Ari Foss Foundation): Saturday, October 4, 2025

➤Five Founder Questions Feature

Frank Conway, Founder of 890 Capital

1. What is your startup's elevator pitch?

890 Capital is a Charleston-based private real estate lending firm that helps accredited investors earn passive income through short-term, asset-backed loans to real estate operators. We deliver fixed, 10%+ annual returns with no fees - backed by real property. Borrowers get fast, flexible capital. Investors get monthly income without market volatility. Everyone wins.

2. What is your ideal customer profile and plan to reach them?

Our ideal customers are accredited investors - professionals like physicians, attorneys, business owners, and retirees - seeking predictable cash flow and portfolio diversification outside of the stock market. We reach them through strategic social media content, referral partnerships, targeted email campaigns, and relationship-driven events across Charleston and the Southeast.

3. What is the next key milestone in your startup's journey?

Our next milestone is surpassing $25M in total capital raised to deepen our footprint in the greater Charleston market. We’re focused on scaling our investor base, deepening capital deployment opportunities, and preparing for a broader fund structure that supports both institutional and retail investment partners.

4. How can Chucktown Startups and the local startup community best support your startup?

We’d love support in connecting with local accredited investors, business owners, and operators in real estate, finance, and professional services. Opportunities to share our story at events, meetups, or panels would also help increase awareness and fuel new partnerships across the Charleston ecosystem.

5. Wildcard- What else would you like the community to know about you and your startup?

890 Capital was built out of a desire to make private lending more transparent, investor-friendly, and locally impactful. We’re not just a fund - we’re a bridge between capital and community development. If you’re passionate about real estate, passive income, or Charleston’s future - we’d love to connect.

➤Invitation to Reach Out

Please reach out to schedule an in-person or Zoom meeting. Feel free to email me at toby@chucktownstartups.com or text 843-830-7452.

Thanks for being part of Chucktown Startups. We’re excited to see what happens next as we connect the dots in Charleston’s growing startup scene!

Cheers!

Toby Palmer, Founder

Chucktown Startups: Promote. Support. Connect.

Chucktown Rundown - August 18, 2025

Toby Palmer — Mon, 18 Aug 2025 23:08:19 GMT

Promoting, supporting & connecting Charleston's entrepreneurial community

August 18, 2025

➤Community Headlines (aka, Did You Know?)

Did you know that you can redirect your state income tax dollars into building South Carolina’s innovation economy? Learn how with this explainer video.

Did you know that Charleston is the home of a cutting edge, ELECTRIC boat company? Check out Volare Boats at their website and on YouTube.

Did you know that Charleston is the home of Sèchey, a carefully curated space where people can explore and celebrate new ways of drinking, without sacrificing quality or experience? Give your taste buds a treat by visiting their 540 King Street location in downtown Charleston.

Did you know that one of our community members appeared on ESPN over the summer? Check out POPDARTS.

Did you know that one of our founders is a 2025 College of Charleston graduate, who grew up in Germany before moving to the US for college ? Meet Elaine Zehntner, founder of MeeLi (Soulcial Media).

➤Making Connections

Making connections is at the heart of our community, and it’s especially rewarding when those connections lead to real, mutual impact. A great example is the introduction of Mabel Mendez, founder of D Inflatable Events, to Lindsay Spurgeon, founder of the NeoHero Foundation.
Mabel was searching for the right community partner to debut her new inflatables business, and the NeoHero Foundation Launch Party turned out to be the perfect match. The event takes place Saturday, August 23 at 5 PM at the Hanahan Amphitheatre —and you can already see the collaboration in action in this promo.

➤Community KPIs

186 company profiles created
1,700 LinkedIn followers
1,050 Newsletter Subscribers

➤New Community Members

Ari Foss Foundation (Aaron Silverman)
FeatherPMS, Inc. (Quinn Foster)
Giroux Technologies (Chuck Giroux)
Kavalyn Custom Solutions (Cassandra Friend)
MeeLi Soulcial Media (Elaine Zehntner)
OstoPlug (Jordan Miller)
PopDarts (Jason Carman)
Sechey (Emily Heintz)
Southern Luxe Detailing, Tint, Ceramic Coating, & Paint Protection Film
VisitReveal (Zack Hanebrink)
Volare Boats (Matt Moore)

➤Member Profile Spotlight

Juiced Fuel, founded by Korey McDavid

Juiced Fuel is a veteran-owned, on-demand and subscription-based fuel delivery service that brings gas directly to your parked vehicle. Whether it’s in your driveway, your business fleet, or your boat on a dock, we got you. Founded in the Lowcountry and expanding rapidly, we’re on a mission to offer a safer and convenient alternative to the gas station. Franchises available.

➤Members in the News

CANcierge Profiled in Stroll South of Broad Magazine (August 2025, Stroll South of Broad Magazine)

Cassandra Friend, co-founder of Kavalyn Custom Solutions, wins Northeastern University Innovator Award (August 6, 2025)

Members Tikvah Health & Wellness and IOVue Receive SCRA Grant Funding (August 5, 2025, SCRA News Release)

➤Five Founder Questions Feature

Lesesne Phillips, Founder of Opsana HR

1. What is your startup's elevator pitch?

Opsana HR is a fractional CHRO firm based in Charleston, SC that provides strategic HR services for growing companies.

We partner with funded startups, remote organizations, and small to mid-size businesses to build strong teams, ensure compliance, and maximize workforce potential—without the overhead of a full-time HR department. Our experience spans a range of industries, including technology, government contracting, professional services, hospitality, logistics, and manufacturing.

We believe HR is more than policies, it is about people and performance.

2. What is your ideal customer profile and plan to reach them?

We love working with companies that are in growth mode—businesses looking to build strong, loyal teams, keep great people around, and make sure their HR supports their bigger goals. Our ideal clients want to simplify their HR, stay compliant, and create an environment where employees are engaged, and leaders can really thrive. Whether you need a big-picture HR strategy, help with a specific project, or just someone to call when HR issues pop up, we’re here to help you grow in a healthy, sustainable way.

To connect with these companies, I spend a lot of time at client industry events, meeting decision-makers, and building relationships. I also partner with other service providers, get involved in community events, and make sure to maximize our marketing efforts through the company’s website and LinkedIn page. Ultimately, it’s about being present where our clients are, understanding their needs, and delivering services that create real value and measurable results.

3. What is the next key milestone in your startup's journey?

Our next key milestones are expanding our “HR on Demand” client base and introducing The Opsana HR Report.

With HR on Demand, companies will have a full range of HR services on retainer and tailored to their needs for a flat monthly rate.

The Opsana HR Report in unique in that it offers a straightforward, strategic review for founders, operations leaders, and HR teams, assessing how well their people operations align with business goals. It highlights gaps and risks, identifies strengths and opportunities, and provides a clear roadmap with actionable recommendations to help them move forward with confidence.

4. How can Chucktown Startups and the local startup community best support your startup?

It would be amazing to have a centralized hub where founders can easily find and access resources—everything from funding opportunities like government grants, small business loans, angel investors, and VCs, to professional services such as marketing, finance, legal, IT, and other outsourced support like we offer in HR.

I’d also appreciate knowing which members, both current and new, might be interested in HR so we can connect and collaborate.

Finally, with all the groups and networking events happening in Charleston, I’d love to see a quarterly or semi-annual Chucktown Startups BBQ or social event. It would be a great way to build relationships, share ideas, and celebrate the local startup community together.

5. Wildcard- What else would you like the community to know about you and your startup?

At the end of the day, we’re all about people. We believe real partnerships and honest conversations lead to the best results. Your team is your biggest advantage, and we want to help you build a great one while keeping your business secure every step of the way

Chucktown Rundown - August 4, 2025

Toby Palmer — Mon, 04 Aug 2025 20:16:04 GMT

Promoting, supporting & connecting Charleston's entrepreneurial community

August 4, 2025

➤Community Headlines

BIG NEWS: Last week, Beemok Capital launched Catalyst, a new initiative designed to fuel early-stage companies across Charleston’s Tri-county area. At its core, Catalyst, is a business pitch competition, culminating in a live event on November 8, 2025, where up to $1 million in potential funding will be awarded. However, Catalyst is also an open-to-the-public gathering designed to provide entrepreneurs with exposure, opportunities to connect with investors, and pathways for growth.

FRIDAY DEADLINE: SC Launch Inc. is an investor sponsor for Venture Atlanta. Last year, SC Launch brought 20+ startups to Venture Atlanta, which was the largest organized contingent outside of Georgia. It was the most that ever attended from South Carolina. In 2025, they would like to exceed that number. There are three tracks for startup founders. As a member of the selection committee, SC Launch helps select the finalists and advocates for all South Carolina companies. The application deadline is Friday, August 8th!

LENDER MATCHMAKING EVENT: The City of Charleston and the Small Business Administration are hosting a Lender Matchmaking Event at Bastin Hall, The Citadel on Friday August 8, from 10 AM - Noon. All businesses are welcome to attend.

Lowcountry Revolutionaries Podcast: Episode 10 drops this week featuring: From Data to Decisions -JoAnn Gibbs on Transforming Businesses with Analytics 4 Growth

Thank you to Techina Jacques of Biz BuildHers for volunteering to assist Amy Ingram of Querri with event planning for the Chucktown Startups community!

➤Community KPIs

175 company profiles created to date
1,500 LinkedIn followers to date
900 Newsletter Subscribers to date

➤New Community Members

Attento Board (Will Pearce)
CANcierge Co. (Travis Ricks)
Hulcher Consulting (Etta Hulcher)
The Optimization Specialists (Jon Clark)
Outer.games (Daniel Karsh)
Shorelight Medical (Stephen Brown)

➤Member Profile Spotlight

Miluna TV & Pitch Perfect Coaching by Dr. Miluna , founded by Miluna Fausch, HHCP, Ph.D.

Have you considered telling your story and sharing your brand on TV? WHY Television?

We all know interviews can be a powerful tool to get your message out toward a greater audience, but what’s the science behind it? TV appearances typically last five to seven minutes before fading into obscurity in an archive where no one will ever see it again. Let’s think about this realistically. Could you tell your entire story fairly within five minutes? I know I can’t! That’s why we implemented 30-minute interviews for Miluna TV guests and it never goes to archive.

Over 70 years ago, the first TV talk show aired. America’s been in love with deep and funny conversations between two people ever since. Television creates an emotional connection. By appearing on TV, you immediately bring an exclusivity and cachet to your products, services, and brand.

Streaming TV is the EASIEST way to expand your brand to a global audience and grow your profits. In a nutshell - This is Miluna TV Network. We’re talking about your brand, your message, your expertise, your services being viewed on Roku, amazon fireTV, Apple TV, and the International award-winning Zondra TV Network - leveraging a huge global audience!

And, if you're not confident and compelling on camera now, we will guide you every step of the way! Concierge Camera Ready Media Coaching is available. Reach out to schedule your Complimentary Media Assessment today.

➤Friends of Chucktown Service Provider Spotlight

Pratham Parmar, FMVA® , Parmar Accounting Service (Outsourced Accounting and Bookkeeping)

Contact Pratham Parmar at prathamparmar1@outlook.com

➤Members in the News

Fox 24 Charleston Planetarium Television Interview (May 27, 2025, FOX Television)

Dr. Miluna Fausch to Launch Miluna TV on Intl Streaming Network Zondra TV (July 10, 2025, OpenPR)

Grand Opening: Mugsy – Men’s Clothing and Accessories on King Street (July 18, 2025, Charleston Daily)

Meet Liz Donovan of Mom Me Minute (July 23, 2025, South Carolina Voyager)

Geoffrey Weber of Heirloom Cloud one of eight founders selected for Benedict College Statewide Investment Accelerator (July 28, 2025, Catalyst Labs)

Lindsay Spurgeon of NeoHero Foundation on ABC4 Lowcountry Live (July 28, 2025, ABC Television)

➤Upcoming Member-sponsored Events

Next Level Photo Education Grand Opening at Citadel Mall: Friday, August 8

Nonprofit Exclusive 'Know Your Audience' Strategic Communications Workshop (facilitated by The Favors Group): Thursday, August 14, 10:00 AM

Shared City's Nonprofit Learning Lab: Friday, August 22 - Saturday, August 23

NeoHERO Foundation™ Launch Party: Saturday, August 23, 5:00 PM

Tech After Five - North Charleston, Reforged Gaming Lounge: Tuesday, August 26, 5:30 PM

➤Five Founder Questions Feature

Kristin Parker, Co-founder of Shared City
Holly Kelly, Co-founder of Shared City

1. What is your startup's elevator pitch?

Charleston is full of compassion, but much of its charity is disconnected and ineffective. Shared City exists to change that. We equip nonprofits, donors, and volunteers to work together effectively through training, relationship building, and now a permanent gathering space, so generosity leads to real, lasting impact. We're building the city’s first collaborative charitable ecosystem where doing good actually does good.

2. What is your ideal customer profile and plan to reach them?

A community-minded individual in Greater Charleston who is already engaged in charitable work, either as a nonprofit leader, donor, or volunteer and is seeking deeper impact, clarity, and connection. We reach our ideal audience through trusted, relational pathways, starting with nonprofit Learning Labs, community workshops, casual drop-ins at our Shared City Space (once opened), and word-of-mouth from pastors, community leaders, nonprofit staff, and small business leaders. Our messaging is targeted and story-driven, using local voices and clear calls to action that resonate with each audience type. We build partnerships with churches, businesses, and foundations not just for support, but to serve as active referral engines. And our physical space, anchored by the Shared Sips café, will create daily visibility and walk-in access, making it easy

3. What is the next key milestone in your startup's journey?

The next key milestone in Shared City’s journey is the launch of the Shared City Space, our first permanent gathering place designed to transform how Charleston engages in charity. This milestone will move us from a mobile, partnership-dependent model to a fully integrated physical environment where donors, volunteers, and nonprofits can connect, learn, and collaborate daily. The launch will include opening the Shared Sips café, equipping the space for workshops and nonprofit training, and hiring essential staff to manage daily operations and community engagement. This space is not just a location, it’s the embodiment of our mission: a place where anyone in Charleston can walk in and find their next step in doing good well. It will multiply our visibility, deepen community trust, and catalyze the kind of cross-sector collaboration needed for long-term systemic change.

4. How can Chucktown Startups and the local startup community best support your startup?

The local startup community, especially Chucktown Startups, can play a catalytic role in Shared City’s growth by helping us close the gap between vision and visibility. We’re looking for three key things:

Visibility: help us tell the story. Shared City is building something unique in Charleston: a nonprofit that functions with startup energy, systems-thinking, and citywide ambition. Sharing our work through events, media, and personal networks amplifies our reach to the right audience.
Strategic partnerships: we’re seeking local businesses, tech leaders, and entrepreneurs who want to align with a nonprofit that’s reshaping how Charleston gives and serves. Whether it’s a cause-marketing collaboration, volunteer engagement, or shared programming, there are meaningful ways to plug in.
Connections: introductions to funders, space donors, city influencers, and people who care deeply about equity, systems change, or social innovation can help us scale this work faster and more sustainably.

Shared City is already gaining traction but with the support of Charleston’s startup community, we can become a city-defining force for good.

5. Wildcard- What else would you like the community to know about you and your startup?

Shared City isn’t just another nonprofit, it’s a movement led by a two-woman team driving systemic change from the ground up. We’re not building programs; we’re rebuilding how an entire city approaches charity. Our cofounder, Kristin Parker, spent 13 years living in Kathmandu, Nepal, one of the poorest nations in the world and she learned firsthand what effective community development really takes. When she returned to Charleston, she brought that global lens home and saw a similar cycle of surface-level help and broken systems playing out here. So we started Shared City with no money, no office, and no shortcuts, just deep conviction, real relationships, and a vision to reimagine generosity as a force for justice.

➤Invitation to Reach Out

Please reach out to schedule an in-person or Zoom meeting. Feel free to email me at toby@chucktownstartups.com or text 843-830-7452.

Thanks for being part of Chucktown Startups. We’re excited to see what happens next as we connect the dots in Charleston’s growing startup scene!

Cheers!

Toby Palmer, Founder

Chucktown Startups:Promote. Support. Connect.

Chucktown Rundown - July 16, 2025

Toby Palmer — Wed, 16 Jul 2025 16:19:14 GMT

Promoting, supporting & connecting Charleston's entrepreneurial community

July 16, 2025

➤Community Update

There’s growing excitement and momentum around the Chucktown Startups movement. Over the past two weeks, we’ve had productive meetings with Charleston County Economic Development, Charleston Digital and the Charleston Tech Center, and the MUSC/Zucker Institute for Innovation Commercialization. A common theme emerged from each conversation: “We love what your community is building and want to explore how we can collaborate.”

Other happenings:

Episode 6 of the Lowcountry Revolutionaries Podcast is scheduled for release today. It will feature Alicia Hughes of Sparking Up Leadership. A HUGE thank you to Bill Billotte of Billotte Consulting & Coaching for hosting and producing the podcast.

Amy Ingram, co-founder of Querri, has volunteered to take the lead on planning events for the Chucktown Startups community. Thank you, Amy! This is a huge time commitment and a critical component of building and maintaining a healthy, engaged community. We are looking for one more community volunteer to help. Please let Amy or me know if you are interested. The goal is to have our first hosted event coming up in September. Stay tuned for more details.

Erin Pacitti, of Boundless Marketing Co., and her social media team have been putting together an amazing campaign to promote the Chucktown Startups community. Starting this week, be on the lookout for activity on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube!

➤Community KPIs

169 company profiles created to date
1,300+ LinkedIn followers to date
750 Newsletter Subscribers (LinkedIn + Email combined)

➤Member Profile Spotlight (Submit Your Profile)

Cardinal Wills, founded by Aashini Shrivastav

Cardinal Wills is dedicated to making estate planning both affordable and accessible for individuals and families looking to prepare for the future. I provide convenient, mobile estate planning services—including Simple Wills and Powers of Attorney—to clients throughout Charleston, Dorchester, and Berkeley counties. Without a physical office, I come to you—meeting at a convenient location to help you create a plan that reflects your wishes. Example locations include homes, offices, nursing homes, hospitals, churches, senior centers and more.

I believe everyone should have access to straightforward and affordable estate planning. A solid plan not only protects your legacy but also eases the burden on your loved ones in the event of incapacity or passing. It is an act of love to estate plan as it prepares your loved ones for when you are no longer around. My goal is to provide thoughtful guidance as you take this important step toward peace of mind.

➤Friends of Chucktown Service Provider Spotlight

Lesesne Phillips, Opsana HR (Fractional CHRO and Strategic HR services)

Contact Lesesne Phillips at lesesne@opsanahr.com

➤Members in the News (Submit Your News or Press Release)

Entrepreneur Minute – John Seaman, Data Moose (June 26, 2025, LowcountryBizSC)

Thrive Data: SCRA announces new Member Companies and Grant Funding (July 1, 2025, LowcountryBizSC)

OhmIQ: Optimizing Heat Pump Systems with Distributed Supplemental Heating (July 1, 2025, International Journal of Energy Management)

SNS Technologies: July 2025 Newsletter (July 1, 2025, SNS Technologies)

One Party Rental: Announces July 21 Launch Date for Vendor Registration & August 25 GO LIVE DATE (July 8, 2025, Facebook Post)

Launchpad.bot exhibiting at next week's Lawn & Landscape Magazine Technology Conference in Las Vegas (July 15, 2025, LinkedIn Post)

➤Upcoming Member-sponsored Events (Submit Your Event)

Build + Brew (Hosted by Mugsy), Brittlebank Park, Charleston: Wednesday, July 16, 8:00 AM

CharlestonHacks Tech Happy Hour - Revelry Brewing, Charleston, SC: Tuesday, July 22, 5:00 PM

Tech After Five - Reforged Gaming Lounge, North Charleston, SC: Tuesday, July 22, 5:30 PM

Mustard Growth Business Leaders AI Network (BRAIN), Virtual/ZOOM : Friday, July 25, 12:00 PM

Founders Circle: Discover What’s Actually Working in Sales Right Now (Sponsored by Parmar Accounting Service): Tuesday, July 29, 7:00 PM

NeoHERO Foundation™ Launch Party: Saturday, August 23, 5:00 PM

➤New Community Members

Coastal Fuel Solutions (Benson Stein)
Octopoda (Daniel Bowlzer)
OhmIQ (Kelly Gertino)
On The Coast Property Group (Melissa Ben-Hutta)
Solverein (Gabe Hillegass)

➤Five Founder Questions Feature (Submit Your Five Founder Questions)

Jake Merhige of KingPool

1. What is your startup's elevator pitch?

Current fantasy sports apps fail to deliver an engaging, accessible, and unified experience for users. We are creating a fantasy sports brand obsessed with experience, we want every fantasy contest, league, game to feel like the Super Bowl for all types of users.

2. What is your ideal customer profile and plan to reach them?

Consumer:

18-40, sports fans, fantasy sports fans
mix of promotional marketing, B2B channel partners, influencer partnerships, referral bonus systems, product-lead growth, grassroots campaigns, standard social media ads

B2B:

sports bars, fantasy sports content creators, sports CPG brands, golf clubs
cold outreach, grassroots campaigns, sales-led

3. What is the next key milestone in your startup's journey?

Free-to-play product launch (targeting Aug 2025)
$2,000+ in revenue by end of 2025
Real-money product developed by end of 2025
Pre-seed fundraise by end of 2025/early 2026

4. How can Chucktown Startups and the local startup community best support your startup?

B2B customer network
access to local talent
expos / networking events
access to angels and investors
access to coworking spaces

5. Wildcard- What else would you like the community to know about you and your startup?

We will be rolling out our real-money fantasy sports products to South Carolina first!

Chucktown Rundown - July 1, 2025 (Launch Day!)

Toby Palmer — Tue, 01 Jul 2025 16:06:10 GMT

Promoting, supporting & connecting Charleston's entrepreneurial community

July 1, 2025

Welcome to the official launch of Chucktown Startups!

We've spent the last few months gauging interest from the local business community in an inclusive, locally focused organization with a mission to promote, support, and connect Charleston's entrepreneurs. With apologies to the reality show Survivor, the tribe has spoken... with a resounding interest level of YES!

Not only has the local founder community spoken, but so have local investors, local governments, and the existing startup ecosystem. They understand that we are all in this together, and the more collaboration, support, and awareness we can create, the better the outcome will be for the Lowcountry as a whole.

➤ Measuring the Interest

164 company profiles created to date
1,035 LinkedIn followers to date
64 startups seeking outside investment
Inquiries from 15 local investment groups on how to support the community

➤ What to expect from the community moving forward

Now that we are officially launched, here's what you can expect to see from us in the coming weeks and months:

Twice monthly newsletters focused on the local founders, their businesses, and the local entrepreneurial community.
Both in person (IRL) and online programming focused on networking, education, and funding.
A monthly podcast... more details coming this week!
More resources for members, including the Capital Connectors listing and the Friends of Chucktown preferred service providers list
Expanded membership level options providing additional value for interested members. Example: Funding accelerator memberships
Community Job Board

➤ In this edition of the Chuckdown Rundown

Member Profile Spotlight: Title AI, founded by Jack Teitel
Friends of Chucktown Preferred Service Provider Spotlight: Carter Lewis of In the Fade
Members in the News
Upcoming Member-sponsored Events
New Community Members
Members Actively Fundraising
Five Founder Questions Feature: Kelly Waldren of One-Party Rental

➤ Member Profile Spotlight:

Title AI, founded by Jack Teitel

At Title AI, we help businesses who are interested in AI actually do it. Run by Jack Teitel, a former professor of AI with nearly 12 years of experience applying AI in industry.

We work with businesses of all sizes, although we tend to focus on small to mid sized businesses.

We are comfortable executing any AI project in any industry, although we tend to focus on 4 key areas:

Healthcare AI
Computer Vision
Agents & Custom Language Models
AI Strategy

Our focus is on integrating AI into your business in a way that adapts to your businesses specific needs and workflows. We believe business understanding is paramount, as you need the right tool used in the right way to really achieve significant long-term ROI.

Contact Jack Teitel at jack@title-ai.com

➤ Friends of Chucktown Preferred Service Provider Spotlight:

Carter Lewis, In the Fade (Branding and Design Services)

Contact Carter Lewis at carter@inthefade.co

➤ Member News

From Rockstar Dreams to Gourmet Jars: How Chef Giuseppe Turned Pain into Purpose with Apastioli (April 30, 2025, LA Weekly)

SearchX Equips Businesses to Lead in the AI Search Era with Breakthrough SEO Strategies (May 11, 2025, Morningstar)

Local Startup Rogue & Rye Featured Nationally, Joins Industry Leadership Circle (June 1, 2025, Proof Magazine)

SNS Technologies Opens 2nd Office in Hollywood, SC (June 2, 2025, Press Release)

Fox 24 Heirloom Cloud Television Interview (June 9, 2025, FOX Television)

Courtney Lohmann Consulting TEDx Talk Live - The Impact of One (June 23, 2025, TEDx)

➤ Upcoming Member-sponsored Events

Day Day Run Club: Tuesday, July 1, 7:00 AM (Recurring every Tuesday)

Querri Lunch & Learn: How Nonprofits Can Unlock DATA Insights with AI: Wednesday, July 9, 12 Noon

A Guide to Google AI: Tools, Tips, and Takeaways (Guest Speaker: Jack Teitel of Title AI): Thursday, July 10, 5:30 PM

Apastioli/Joe Gallagher, Jr's Book Tour: Saturday, July 12, 12 Noon

Effective Charity 101 Workshop (by Shared City): Tuesday, July 15, 12 Noon

Tech After Five - Reforged Gaming Lounge, North Charleston, SC: Tuesday, July 22, 5:30 PM

Founders Circle: Discover What’s Actually Working in Sales Right Now (Sponsored by Parmar Accounting Service): Tuesday, July 29, 7:00 PM

NeoHERO Foundation™ Launch Party: Saturday, August 23, 5:00 PM

➤ New Community Members (Since Chucktown 150 was published)

AegisX (Vimal Patel)
AI Strategy Advisory - ASA (Mary McKee)
Analytics 4 Growth (JoAnn Gibbs)
Attendance Point (Chris Altman)
Biz BuildHers (Techina Jacques)
Boundless Marketing Co. (Erin Pacitti)
Charleston Leaders (Ruthann Hipps)
D Inflatable Events (Mabel Mendez)
FullHorn Finance (David Timmerman)
Lasso Data Partners (Alex Cordero)
LaunchPad (Drew Wagner)
Mustard Growth (Aaron DeBenedetto)
Stokes Energy (Derek Walters)
SurfShare (Scott Whitesell)
TR Edwards Consultancy (Tanqueray Edwards)
US Duck Company (Colby Burke)

➤ Five Founder Questions with:

Kelly Waldren of One Party Rental

Startup Founder Bio Link

1. What is your startup's elevator pitch?

One Party Rental is the go-to platform for busy parents planning extra fun kids’ parties. We bring trusted local vendors together in one simple, streamlined place, so you can book everything from bounce houses to balloon artists without the back-and-forth. Whether you're hosting or helping, we make it easier to celebrate.

2. What is your ideal customer profile and plan to reach them?

Parents & caregivers planning a kids party. My plan is to have extra strong SEO, Google Ads and social media (primarily Instagram and Pinterest)

3. What is the next key milestone in your startup's journey?

Launch to vendors in July

4. How can Chucktown Startups and the local startup community best support your startup?

Promote, connect me with potential vendors and other businesses that may help my growth

5. Wildcard- What else would you like the community to know about you and your startup?

I'm hoping to build community and vendor awareness through One Party Rental - not just make it easier for customers to plan their parties!

➤ Invitation to Reach Out

I haven't had a chance to meet every founder in person yet, but I'd like to! Please reach out to schedule an in-person or Zoom meeting. Feel free to email me at toby@chucktownstartups.com or text 843-830-7452.

Thanks for being part of Chucktown Startups. We’re excited to see what happens next as we connect the dots in Charleston’s growing startup scene!

Cheers!

Toby Palmer, Founder

Chucktown Startups: Promote. Support. Connect.

Chucktown Rundown - June 12, 2025

Toby Palmer — Thu, 12 Jun 2025 12:41:34 GMT

Promoting, supporting & connecting Charleston's entrepreneurial community

June 12, 2025

Chucktown Startups Hits 150 Startup Profiles!

This week, Chucktown Startups celebrated its 150th startup profile—an incredible milestone for a community that’s only been active since early April!

The reception from Charleston’s entrepreneurial ecosystem has been nothing short of inspiring:

✅ Extraordinary support, collaboration, and encouragement from existing startup-focused organizations
✅ Outreach from the local financial community—including prominent investment groups—has far exceeded expectations
✅ Numerous requests for in-person meetups—even before the official launch!

Content Needed to Help Promote You!

We are asking our founder community to help us promote you by providing the submissions below:

Member Startup Profiles — Submit yours!

Five Founder Questions — Submit your responses!

Actively Fundraising? — Publicize your ask!

In the News? Press Release? — Share with the community!

Hosting an Event? — Get it listed!

YouTube Channel — Add your video to Chucktown Startups!

Interested in Exclusive Sponsorships?

Complete our Friends of Chucktown Startups interest form!

What is an Exclusive Category Sponsorship?

20 mutually exclusive categories (one sponsor per category)
Preference and 50% discount for member startups
Prominent placement on the website
Featured in our bi-weekly newsletter (email + LinkedIn)
One company profile feature in the newsletter per year (order based on signup)
Video feature on Chucktown Startups YouTube Channel
One webinar or event promotion per 6-month period
Potential educational content opportunities to engage with members

Official Launch Set

With all this momentum during the pre-launch phase, we’re even more excited to officially launch on July 1st!

Get Ready for Our Newsletter: The Chucktown Lowdown

Starting in July, Chucktown Startups will publish two newsletters per month delivered via email to all founders and newsletter subscribers.

Plus, newsletters will be posted on our LinkedIn page, which just surpassed 800 followers!

Chucktown Startups Origin Story Video:

For the Investment and Capital Community:

Investment and capital firms interested in supporting and working with member startups:

Complete our Capital Connectors Questionnaire to let us know how you'd like to connect with founders.

Chucktown Startups Podcast - PODCASTER WANTED!

Are you a podcaster? We’re looking for an experienced host to launch a monthly podcast featuring our startup members. Interested?

Contact Toby Palmer at toby@chucktownstartups.com.