Tech Networking Grows in SC

By Mike Switzer

Published November 6, 2019 at 5:41 AM EST

Many years ago, our next guest saw a need for a networking event specifically to serve the needs of the Upstate’s burgeoning tech industry. It became so popular that he eventually expanded it to other cities around our state and even to one of our neighboring states.

Mike Switzer interviews Phil Yanov, founder of Tech After Five in Greenville, 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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