City officials kick off Small Business Week at local farmers market COLUMBIA, SC (WOLO) — This week is recognized as “National Small Business Week” — celebrating the contributions and the tenacity of local owners and entrepreneurs. Here at home, leaders with the City of Columbia and the Chamber of Commerce helped kick off the week at Toms Creek Farmers Market Xchange on Lady Street. “At last check, Richland County has 4,200 small businesses and operations right here in Richland County. That’s a 26% increase from our prior years,” says Derrek Pugh, Vice Chair for Richland County Council. Pugh and others say small businesses like the farmers market help drive innovation, create jobs, and raise competitiveness throughout our communities. And small business owners are becoming more diverse, says City of Columbia Councilman Tyler Bailey, adding, “I’m especially proud to say that this past year, 44% of all new businesses opened in Columbia were women owned and 50% have been owned by minorities.” Crystal Paulk and her husband own The Donut Guy and say they first sold their delicious treats on the side of the road and at farmers markets before having their permanent location at 480 Town Center Place. “I think it’s extremely important to celebrate not only this week but just in general. You know, oftentimes, we get compared to the big box stores but we’re not and so it’s so different. Every little thing matters. Every customer matters, and so when you come to shop with a small business it’s more like you’re shopping with a family,” says Paulk. Entrepreneurs Ashley McCall and Crystal Williams started Williams and McCall Consulting. Their goal is to help organizations create stronger workplaces through strategic mental health and wellness initiatives like stress management workshops, and nutrition programs. “We started our business to provide more education, tools, and knowledge, on employee well being,” says McCall. Heidi Black started Faithful Foods, Inc. in 1986. It remains a small but thriving business today with lots of options. “Everything is handmade locally. We do everything from tomato pies and squash pies and three different flavors of pimento cheese, and cheddar wafers and fresh buttermilk and apple pies, and a whole world of different easy quick delicious mixes and they’re all our recipes and they’re all hand made,” Black says. National Small Business Week runs through May 4th.
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