Ten at the Top Upstate News
May 3, 2021 | Volume 12, Issue 5
Check out the New TATT Podcast Channel:
3 Podcasts focused on Mobility, Entrepreneurship and Gems of the Upstate
Ten at the Top has launched a new podcast channel that includes three distinct podcasts focused on issues impacting the Upstate.

Start-Grow Upstate – Supporting entrepreneurs and small businesses in the Upstate is critical to our growing economy. The Start-Grow Upstate podcast features one-on-one interviews by entrepreneur support providers for those looking to start or grow a business in the Upstate.
 
Upstate Gems - The Upstate of South Carolina is filled with many individuals, businesses and organizations that are collectively helping to shape the Upstate as a leading place to live, learn, do business, and raise a family. Join Ten at the Top executive director Dean Hybl for each episode as he sits down with an Upstate influencer to learn about their journey and how they are making a difference in the Upstate. 
 
Upstate Mobility Alliance Podcast – There are many elements associated with the movement of people and goods in the Upstate. Upstate Mobility Alliance Director Michael Hildebrand interviews individuals leading the mobility charge in the region.

Here is a link to the TATT Podcast Page where you can subscribe to the channel to receive notifications for the newest podcasts.
Join TATT to ReConnect:
Friday Morning Small Groups in May
As we start returning to in-person gatherings, TATT is hosting a series of Friday morning informal "ReConnect" events where a small group of participants get together to reconnect with others from across the Upstate. Session are limited to no more than 20 attendees and are being held in locations that have plenty of space for appropriate distancing.

Each session is being hosted by TATT Board members with topical discussion as well as time for mingling and getting to meet new people and renew relationships with others.

Below is the upcoming schedule. With the exception of the May 14 session, all will be held in the Community Room of the Park 37 Complex at 250 Executive Center Dr., Greenville, SC 29615. All sessions are free, but attendees must register in advance as spots are limited:

May 7 - 9:00-10:00 a.m. Hosts: Stinson Ferguson, Special Counsel, Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd, P.A. and Joel Jones, COO, ReWa; Topic: Role of Water in the Economy & Quality of Life
Click Here to Register (8 spots remaining)

May 14 - 9:00-10:00 a.m. Host: Dr. Galen DeHay, President, Tri-County Technical College (session being held at Tri-County campus in Pendleton); Topic: What's Happening in Anderson, Oconee & Pickens?
Click Here to Register (10 spots remaining)

May 21 - 9:00-10:00 a.m. Hosts: Jeff Field, Executive Director, Laurens County Water & Sewer Commission, Amanda Munyan, President, Laurens County Chamber of Commerce, and Brown Patterson, Chairman, Laurens County Council; Topic: What's Happening in Laurens County?
Click Here to Register (9 spots remaining)
Focus on the Future:
Zooming Into the Future
All of us have been forced to be adaptive in many ways since the start of the pandemic. We asked our Focus on the Future panelists to share some of the things they have done differently since the beginning of the pandemic. We also asked for how their organization is planning to handle in-person work moving forward. We also asked, and received quite a lot of feedback, related to the love-hate relationship we all have with Zoom and other virtual platforms. 

Is there a personal or professional (or both) habit, routine or action that you have implemented during the pandemic that you intend to continue long-term?

I’ll probably think about using remote meeting software more often than before the pandemic. I have quickly adapted and appreciate the structure offered by these platforms, especially for smaller meetings. And be more conscious about washing my hands better and more often! – Mark Farris, Greenville Area Development Corporation (GADC)

The easy one here is virtual meetings. I’m looking forward to more in-person meetings, but over the year, it has become evident that it is easy and convenient to meet virtually. This allows more frequent, impactful meetings with clients and colleagues, particularly those that are out of town. – David Feild, Colliers International

I have moved to starting my day with exercise to get me going in the mornings and clear my head before work. I used to use exercise as a way to relax and unwind in the evenings, but have found that by switching to the mornings I feel much more relaxed and ready to tackle my day. If I have a stressful day I can still do some form of exercise in the evening, but have found that in general the stress level is kept down and I credit that to starting my day with the exercise. – Angie Gossett, BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina
TATT Initiatives:
April Workshop Recaps
Upstate Mayors Give a
Sneak Pique

On Wednesday, April 21, Sneak Pique for young professionals featured a panel of Upstate mayors. Mayor Brandy Amidon of Travelers Rest, Mayor Terence Roberts of Anderson, and Mayor Brandon Smith of Greenwood shared how they got their civic starts, their leadership styles, how civic and corporate leadership converge, tips for working in a multigenerational workplace, and suggestions for young professionals on how and where to begin getting involved in your local communities.

Entrepreneur Support Providers
Receive Legislative Update

On April 20, the Upstate Entrepreneur Ecosystem gathered on Zoom for an in-depth conversation with policy advisor to Senator Tim Scott, Kunal Parikh. Kunal discussed legislative updates for small business owners including the Next Generation Entrepreneurship Act, Enhancing Entrepreneurship for the 21st Century Act, Interagency Committee on Women’s Business Enterprise Act, PROMISE Act, and the Support Start-Up Businesses Act. He also introduced some future discussions of the Senate Small Business Committee on the impact of COVID-19 on small businesses and entrepreneurship, how to grow new business applications, encourage entrepreneurship, and the modernization of the SBA.

 
Upcoming Upstate Entrepreneur Ecosystem Events
MAY 6, 3:00pm-4:00pm
Michael Nail with Ogletree Deakins will share the impact of COVID-19 vaccinations on the workforce, including an employer’s ability to mandate a vaccination. Further, Michael will discuss whether COVID-19 complications would be covered under workers compensation.
 
MAY 11, 3:00pm-4:00pm
Special guest host, Phil Yanov of Tech After Five will lead a celebration of all that has been accomplished in the last year. We will hear success stories about new programs and break out into smaller Zoom rooms to catch up with old friends and meet new ones. The new Start-Grow Upstate resource navigator website will be soft-launched for all of you to review, test and provide feedback before going live.
 
MAY 13, 12:00pm-1:00pm
eCommerce: Finding the Right Technology presented by South Carolina Small Business Development Center
Have Time for a Chat?
While we have not been able to connect in-person as much over the last year as we would like, TATT is still making sure we can stay connected virtually through our regular TATT CHAT.

Be sure and join us every-other-Thursday as we discuss key issues with leaders from across the region and state. The pre-event networking starts at 2:40 pm and the TATT CHAT starts at 3 pm. In addition to our keynote speaker, we also receive updates from organizations and communities across the region.

Below is the upcoming schedule:

May 13: Return of the BMW Pro-Am
Guest Speaker: Judson Conwell, Business Development Manager, and Kari Snyder, Charity and Volunteer Coordinator, BMW Pro-Am.

May 27: Resources Available for Veterans
Guest Speaker: Robyn Grable, Founder & CEO of Veterans ASCEND/Ability ASCEND

June 10: Congressional Update
Guest Speaker: Congressman William Timmons

You can also see the entire Spring schedule and watch previous chats on the TATT CHAT page.
Take a Mobility Survey
The Upstate Mobility Alliance is dedicated to providing our citizens and businesses easy access to multiple, convenient transportation solutions, so that families and goods can move freely about the Upstate—with speed, efficiency, and flexibility—to improve our health, our community, and our livelihoods.

One area we are focused on is making our communities more vibrant- places where sidewalks, trails, and cycle paths are enjoyable to use and connect to public transit stops and activity centers. These vibrant communities allow people to make short trips, 2 miles or less, without needing a car. We are interested in learning more about commuting behaviors and understanding what would increase the use of alternative travel modes. Please take a moment to help us make the Upstate a more vibrant place to live and work by taking the survey.

Staying on Top Blog
Through TATT's Staying on Top Blog, leaders from across the Upstate provide insights into key Upstate issues.

Below are the most recent Staying on Top posts:

Tech Centers in Nursing Homes - Click Here to Read

The Impacts of Covid-19 on Teens Today- by Gracie Sandidge, Ten at the Top Intern - Click Here to Read

Greenville Drive Baseball Returns on May 4th - by Jeff Brown, Marketing VP, Greenville Drive - Click Here to Read
Upcoming Events
Air Quality Awareness Meeting
May 5 - 2:30-4 p.m.
Guest Speakers from SC DHEC, Johnson Controls, Inc (JCI), American Lung Association

Upstate Entrepreneur Ecosystem Workshop
May 6 - 3:00-4:00 p.m.
New COVID-19 Rules & Updates for Employers
Guest Speaker: Michael Nail, Ogletree Deakins



TATT Reconnect
May 7 - 9:00-10:00 a.m.
Role of Water in the Economy & Quality of Life
Park 37 Complex Community Room
250 Executive Center Dr.
Greenville, SC 29615
TATT Board Hosts: Stinson Ferguson & Joel Jones
Register Now! (limited to 20 people - 8 spots remain)

Upstate Entrepreneur Ecosystem Virtual Networking
May 11 - 3:00-4:00 p.m.

Upstate Professional Planners - Comprehensive Plan Analysis Review
May 13 - 10:00-11:30 a.m.

TATT CHAT
May 13 - 3:00-4:00 p.m.
Return of the BMW Pro-Am
Guest Speaker: Judson Conwell & Kari Snyder, BMW Pro-Am

TATT Reconnect
May 14 - 9:00-10:00 a.m.
What's Happening in Anderson, Oconee & Pickens?
Tri-County Technical College
7900 Highway 76
Pendleton, SC 29670
TATT Board Host: Dr. Galen DeHay
Register Now! (limited to 20 people - 10 spots remain)

TATT Reconnect
May 21 - 9:00-10:00 a.m.
What's Happening in Laurens County?
Park 37 Complex Community Room
250 Executive Center Dr.
Greenville, SC 29615
TATT Board Hosts: Jeff Field, Amanda Munyan & Brown Patterson
Register Now! (limited to 20 people - 9 spots remain)

Upstate Mobility Alliance Workshop
May 25 - 12:00-1:00 p.m.
Panel of Upstate Mayors
Guest Speakers: Toby Chappell, Greenwood County; Rick Green, Upper Savannah Council of Governments; Frannie Stockwell, Cherokee County Chamber of Commerce; Stephen Taylor, Abbeville County

TATT CHAT
May 27 - 3:00-4:00 p.m.
Resources Available for Veterans
Guest Speaker: Robyn Grable, Founder & CEO, Veterans ASCEND/Ability ASCEND
Upstate Initiatives & Resources
Check out the TATT YouTube Channel for archives from meetings, presentations and events hosted by Ten at the Top. The channel also includes videos of the Elevate Upstate Grant recipients and other TATT initiatives.

TATT volunteers have developed a number of interactive regional asset maps. Check out links to regional resources below.








There is something interesting, educational or entertaining happening in the Upstate 365 days a year. Be sure to post your Upstate experiences using the hashtag #UpstateVibe365 and check out the regional calendar for what is happening across the region.

Leadership Level Partners
Ten at the Top is fortunate to have many great funding supporters and appreciate all who help ensure the current and future success of the organization. Our highest partnership level is the Leadership Level, with companies or organizations investing $10,000 or more annually to support TATT.
Support Ten at the Top
Ten at the Top funding partners and event sponsors are the backbone of the organization.

If your company or organization is not already a TATT partner, we invite you to join us. Here is a direct link to partnership opportunities for 2021 and the 2021 Commitment Form.

In addition, TATT is continuing to accept support for our Ignition Fund Campaign. This effort is a long-term funding program designed to help TATT to continue to ignite initiatives across the Upstate. Click Here for more details.

If you have questions about TATT partnership and sponsorship opportunities or would like to set up a personal meeting, please contact Dean Hybl for questions or more information.
Ten at the Top is a regional non-profit organization with the mission of fostering collaboration and partnerships across the Upstate around issues that impact economic vitality and quality of life.
Ten at the Top | 864-283-0346 | [email protected]| www.tenatthetop.org