South Carolina Business Review

The challenges of DEI in the SC business community

By Mike Switzer

Published June 4, 2025 at 6:30 AM EDT

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Beth Ruffin

Beth Ruffin, founder of The Everyday Inclusionist in Elgin, SC.

The Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion movement, also known as DEI, actually began decades ago. But more and more companies and organizations started being involved after the murder of George Floyd in 2020. Now, of course, DEI initiatives are being hit with a backlash and it’s affecting a lot of people and businesses, including our next guest’s. Mike Switzer interviews Beth Ruffin, founder of The Everyday Inclusionist in Elgin, SC.

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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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