South Carolina Business Review

Breaking into competitive food markets

By Mike Switzer

Published April 10, 2025 at 6:30 AM EDT

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Dave Findley (right), founder of Dave’s Heritage BBQ Sauce and Seasonings in Rock Hill, S.C.

We continue to find food entrepreneurs in our state who are working hard to break into very competitive markets. Such as our next guest who has developed a new BBQ sauce. Mike Switzer interviews Dave Findley is founder of Dave’s Heritage BBQ Sauce and Seasonings in Rock Hill, S.C.

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Mike Switzer

After almost 20 years, Mike Switzer retired from Wells Fargo Securities in 2001 as Senior Vice President/Investment Officer and Certified Portfolio Manager. In 1999, he and his wife, Maggie, purchased and operated for eight years the Baskin Robbins ice cream store on Forest Drive in Columbia. They grew the store from a bottom-tier operation in the Baskin Robbins franchise system to one in the top 5% nationwide within three years, tripling sales along the way. While operating the ice cream store, Mike and Maggie received patents for a portable ice cream sink and fold-down sneezeguard they invented and in 2002 started Magnolia Carts, an ice cream cart manufacturing company, which they sold in 2013.

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