Five business owners inducted into Small Business Champion Program

Business | Local News
3 min read • May 22, 2024
Pictured (left to right): Sikeria Drayton, Postal Plus Experts, Sheila Fluker, The Balloon Squad, Stephanie Garman, Stee Garman Photography, • Ashley McCall, Williams & McCall Consulting, Crystal Paulk, The Donut Guy
Pictured (left to right): Sikeria Drayton, Postal Plus Experts, Sheila Fluker, The Balloon Squad, Stephanie Garman, Stee Garman Photography, • Ashley McCall, Williams & McCall Consulting, Crystal Paulk, The Donut Guy

May is Small Business Month. The Columbia Chamber is celebrating the month by honoring five small business owners.

Palmetto Citizens Federal Credit Union and the Columbia Chamber are pleased to announce five businesses that have been selected to take part in the 2024 Palmetto Citizens Federal Credit Union Small Business Champion Program.

“The Columbia Chamber is excited to partner with Palmetto Citizens Federal Credit Union to continue the Small Business Champion Program, now in its second year. This initiative not only gives participants full access to all Chamber programs and events, but also provides opportunities to help them grow,” said Carl Blackstone, President and CEO of the Columbia Chamber.

The Palmetto Citizens Federal Credit Union Small Business Champion Program covers a full year of Partnership dues with the Chamber, pairs each recipient with a Palmetto Citizens Federal Credit Union mentor, and assigns a Chamber Diplomat to help each small business navigate all of the opportunities available to them through their membership.

“Palmetto Citizens is extremely proud to support the Small Business Champion Program and highlight some

of the great businesses here in the Midlands,” said Emilie Lewis, Director of Community Engagement at Palmetto Citizens. “We’d like to congratulate each of this year’s winners and are thrilled for the chance to work with them to help their businesses continue to thrive.”

To qualify for the program, businesses must be based in the Midlands, open for two or more years and are not current Chamber Partners.

Five business owners were named 2024 Palmetto Citizens Federal Credit Union Small Business Champion winners at the Chamber’s May Small Business Breakout session, held at Sega Park. They are:

  • Sheila Fluker, The Balloon Squad. The Balloon Squad is the premier balloon décor service in the Carolinas.

  • Ashley McCall, Williams & McCall Consulting. Williams and McCall Consulting’s mission is to empower individuals to lead healthier, more fulfilling lives, while helping organizations create thriving workplaces through strategic wellness initiatives.

  • Sikeria Drayton, Postal Plus Experts. Postal Plus Experts is an independently owned and operated packing, shipping, printing and business services center located in Irmo, SC.

Stephanie

Garman, Stee Garman Photography. Stee Garman Photography is a fine art wedding and lifestyle photographer serving South Carolina.

  • Crystal Paulk, The Donut Guy. The Donut Guy operates a restaurant in Sandhills and a food truck serving the tastiest and most innovative donuts in the Midlands.

“We are super excited about being winners and champions,” said Crystal Paulk of The Donut Guy. “Many are called buy few are chosen, and it is an honor to be chosen.”

“I’m excited about this new journey,” said Sikeria Drayton, owner of Postal Plus Experts. “We specialize in printing and mailing. Print bright while mailing it right!”

“We are a full-service balloon decor company,” said Sheila Fluker, owner of The Balloon Squad. “If you celebrate it, we decorate it. We celebrate everything from grand openings, car dealerships, birthdays, baby showers – you name it, we can help you decorate it. We are excited about winning the scholarship, and we are excited to partner with other fellow business owners and help the community smile one balloon at a time.”

To become a Partner or to learn more about the Columbia Chamber, as well as its events, programs and initiatives, visit Chamber.com” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener”>www.ColumbiaChamber.com

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