Hilton Head Business

Chris Shoemaker leads thriving May River Excursions 

If there is one thing Chris Shoemaker is sure he knows inside out, it is the May River. He grew up on the May and had most of his finest moments in life on the river. 

He’s now in his 11th season at the helm of May River Excursions, a sightseeing and boat charter business that has grown from one boat in 2010 to seven in 2021. 

WHEN TO BEGIN TAKING SOCIAL SECURITY

One of the most common questions people ask about Social Security is when they should start taking benefits.

This is the $64,000 question. Making the right decision for you can have a meaningful impact on your financial income in retirement.

Before considering how personal circumstances and objectives may play into your decision, it may be helpful to preface that discussion with an illustration of how benefits may differ based upon the age at which you commence taking Social Security.

FOR CLOSE TO 25 YEARS, JEFF HERRIN HAS HELPED NOVICE AND ELITE PIANISTS STAY IN TUNE

He is one of the most revered musical technicians in the South, the behind-the-scenes secret weapon for local staples like The Jazz Corner, The Hilton Head Symphony Orchestra and the Hilton Head International Piano Competition to industry titans like George Shearing, Harry Connick Jr., and Bruce Hornsby.

JAMES & CALAY SWIFT, HUSBAND & WIFE, SHARE LOVE OF THE SPORT

When a married couple shares the same line of work, and it’s one that revolves around competition, there’s bound to be some tension, and the stakes can be high. 

When husband-and-wife golf pros James and Calay Swift had more time to hone their game, a date with the dishes was often on the line. But those days are gone, replaced by new concerns like who is going to get the kids to practice or round up dinner. 

SWINGFIT’S CLUB FITTING PUTS SCIENCE OVER ASSUMPTIONS

There is an emerging revolution in golf, building momentum in our own backyard. 

Chris Wycoff knows golfers love new toys. The latest tech, the newest gadgets, the sleekest golf balls — anything to give them a leg up in a game that is too often mental torture. 

INVESTMENT LESSONS FROM THE PANDEMIC

With 2020 barely in the rearview mirror and the headlines thus far in early 2021 feeling similar to last year’s COVID-driven challenges, investors may find themselves scratching their heads wondering why the stock market continues to establish new highs and what they should do in the face of this. How do you protect yourself from the potential for renewed market volatility? Will the rollout of the vaccines push the market even higher or are companies over-valued and due for a correction?

OPTIONS TO START SELLING PRODUCTS ONLINE

The U.S. ecommerce market brought in more than $504 billion in revenue in 2018. And it’s expected to grow to more than $735 billion by 2023. 

With so much potential in the market, it’s the perfect time for entrepreneurs to get started selling products online. Today’s sellers have a ton of options to make this happen. Here are five of the most popular. 

SHOULD YOU REFINANCE YOUR MORTGAGE IN 2021?

With mortgage interest rates at historically low levels, it is a great time to consider refinancing. Lowering your interest rate has the potential to save you tons of money over the life of the loan. However, there are a few points to consider beyond simply locking in the lowest interest rate possible: 

FORSYTHE JEWELERS CELEBRATES 40 YEARS ON HILTON HEAD ISLAND

Andrea Bragg, owner of Forsythe Jewelers, has been around high-end bling for more than 20 years. In a year that forced a lot of people to reassess their lives and relationships, Bragg noticed a trend. 

“We’ve sold more engagement rings in the past 12 months than we probably have in the past five years,” she said. “The pandemic forced everybody to hit pause and to think about those they hold dear.”