South Carolina Business Review

Statewide music festival returns to SC in June

By Mike Switzer

Published May 21, 2026 at 6:30 AM EDT

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Varna International

Sharon Tchonev, co-founder of Varna International in Columbia, SC

Each June, our next guest’s company brings world class musicians to our state through their annual festival. This year, the high level musical training and concert series will be visiting Columbia, Greenville, and Myrtle Beach. Mike Switzer interviews Sharon Tchonev, co-founder of Varna International in Columbia, SC, host of the Muzika! Festival.

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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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