Ecotourism in SC

By Mike Switzer

Published December 11, 2025 at 6:30 AM EST

Shane Ziegler, co-founder, owner, and operator of Barrier Island EcoTours at the Isle of Palms, SC

Tourism is one of our state’s biggest economic contributors and our next guest has carved out a unique niche in that market: ecotourism. Mike Switzer interviews Shane Ziegler, co-founder, owner and operator of Barrier Island EcoTours at the Isle of Palms, 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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