Hilton Head Monthly Voice Voice of the Lowcountry 
After more than 20 years as one of Hilton Head Island’s premier caterers, Lori Craven is is also making her mark on the dessert world. Her company Palmetto Sweets was created to showcase her signature honey pecan bars — originally a thank-you gift to clients and now a regional favorite. Made with local honey and pecans, sweet cream, butter, brown sugar and molasses on top of rich shortbread, they embody some of the best-loved tastes of the South.
NEW WESTIN GM LIKES WHAT HILTON HEAD OFFERS AND COURTS MORE GROUP BUSINESS
When hotelier Michael Scioscia eyes his competition, he is not looking around Hilton Head Island, or even toward Savannah or Charleston. He’s focused on Florida and the huge number of conferences held in resorts in the Sunshine State.
Finding an “optimal mix” between business and group travelers and vacationers is a priority for Scioscia, who became general manager of The Westin Hilton Head Island Resort & Spa in May. He wants to attract more groups to the island, especially in the off-season months.
FOUR WAYS TO SUPPORT YOUR EMPLOYEES
Attracting and retaining top talent is the not-so-secret weapon of every successful business. When employees feel they’re cared for and respected, that good energy is transferred to customer care.
We can all agree that employees are the backbone of your business — without their support, your company falls apart. Essentially, their success is your success. But do you have an employee engagement plan that strengthens the “bones” of your organization while helping them grow?
SLEEK, SPORTY CARS ROLLING OFF THE ASSEMBLY LINE IN SOUTH CAROLINA
The Palmetto State is revving its engine: Some of the hottest cars of 2019 are being manufactured in South Carolina, helping the state cement its status as the king of the road. Climb behind the wheel of a new BMW X4 or a buckle up in a Volvo S60 and you’ll find yourself hitting the highway in a car made just miles from the Lowcountry.
ELECTIONS MATTER
It might seem strange, this is a column dedicated to the economy and financial issues facing the Lowcountry, to focus this month on Hilton Head Island’s mayoral election. Elections matter and, while federal elections generate all the excitement, local elections can have a much greater impact on our everyday lives.
ENTERING A ‘CORE MARKET’
Eric Breon first visited Hilton Head Island about 15 years ago with his family. The island —especially its broad, flat beaches — made quite an impression.
TCL PROGRAMS FOCUS ON IN-DEMAND CAREERS
After 25 years of working around the country as a photojournalist, Matthew Bernhardt became a boat captain in the Lowcountry. But five years into his second career — albeit a seasonal one — Bernhardt went through a divorce, and the brother who enticed him to become a boat captain died. These dramatic life changes set Bernhardt on another career direction, one that took him to the Technical College of the Lowcountry.
FIXING 5 COMMON SALES ROADBLOCKS
What are the most common roadblocks that stop you from exceeding your sales goals? Often, as I teach ad sales training workshops, I observe sales people struggling against five roadblocks to sales success. We can tackle and fix these together.
BEWARE OF THESE TOP 10 LEADERSHIP BLIND SPOTS
“It’s what we learn after we know it all that really counts.” This is one of my favorite quotes — one of many by the great John Wooden. Ask anyone I know or work with, and they will tell you I mention this one often.
I believe we should always be open to learning.
HOW DO TARIFFS AND A POTENTIAL TRADE WAR AFFECT THE LOWCOUNTRY?
Financial markets don’t generally deal well with uncertainty, and we have been witnessing a lot of uncertainty in the markets recently. President Donald Trump’s unconventional style of diplomacy, particularly when it comes to international trade, has caused increased volatility in both the equity markets and the fixed-income markets.
