Restoring personal belongs after a catastrophe

By Mike Switzer

Published February 12, 2026 at 6:30 AM EST

William Finn, owner of Blue Kangaroo Packoutz of Upstate SC in Easley

When Hurricane Helene struck the Upstate last year, it inflicted major structural damage. But what about the heirlooms, artwork, and sentimental keepsakes? Our next guest’s franchise is part of a fast-growing, specialized sector known as “contents restoration” that is involved in bringing back what most catastrophe victims assumed was lost forever. Mike Switzer interviews William Finn, owner of Blue Kangaroo Packoutz of Upstate SC in Easley.

Tags

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.

See stories by Mike Switzer