Ben and Annie Andrews
Club Car of Hilton Head
Ask anyone and they’ll tell you that there are challenges to working with family—knowing when to “turn it off” and leave work at work, managing relationships with co-workers knowing you’ll be sharing breakfast with them tomorrow. But ask Ben and Annie Andrews, owners of Club Car of Hilton Head, and they’ll tell you that there is no shortage of rewards to working with family.
“Finding a balance can be tricky, but it’s rewarding to be able to take on the really hard stuff as a family,” Annie said.
As an added bonus, the couple owns the local Club Car dealership along with Ben’s parents, giving their children Cooper and Carter plenty of opportunities to spend time with their grandparents. And when there’s something to celebrate, they do it as a family.
“We just got back from a dealer meeting where were received one of two Milestone Awards for every dealership in the country, and we received Black and Gold Elite Status representing the top dealerships in the country,” Annie said. “Being able to work toward a goal and accomplish it as a family is pretty cool.”
Learn more at clubcarhhi.com.
Darrel and Nancy Quinn
Quinn’s Diamond Jewelers
You could say that Darrel and Nancy Quinn are in the diamond business; after all, each carries a slew of certifications from diamond distributors across the world, festooned across the walls of their Village at Wexford shop. You could also say they’re in the jewelry business, as evidenced by the glittering displays of Alamea, Kordansky, Lafonn, Rare and Forever Diamonds, Shula, and Bellarri pieces, side-by-side with their custom-crafted rings, necklaces and bracelets. But it would be far more accurate to say that these two are in the love business.
“We love what we do,” Darrell said.
That love is as clear as a D-Colored diamond. You can see it in the happy couples who tie the knot with one of their pieces. You can see it in the joy they bring to every person who walks in their door. And you can see that love echoing through generations of Quinns.
Darrel’s family ties to the industry run deep, with brother, uncles and a sister all in jewelry. And when Nancy joined the family, matching Darrel’s expertise with her own, they pushed a family tradition forward, with both sons being GIA-certified at 16 years old, and one son running one of their stores for 15 years.
“It’s a family business, and we love seeing that continue through our children and hopefully one day our grandchildren,” Nancy said.
Learn more at diamondland.com.
The Baima Family
Skillets Cafe & Mingles on Hilton Head
When Amie Baima first launched Skillets, she knew she wouldn’t be alone. The culinary side of things she had under control, as any visit there will show. But for the business side of things, she knew she could count on advice from her father, John—even if she didn’t always follow it to the letter.
“When I first started, I would ask his opinion on how the business should be run; sometimes his opinion and mine differed greatly, and I had a hard time with it,” Baima said. Still, she respected his expertise and guidance, as much now as then, with John doing bookkeeping for both Baima and her sister Sandy Toomer.
Toomer, owner of Mingle’s and Billy’s Beach Club, got similar support in the beginning, saying, “Both of our parents helped us get started and showed us the way. I really relied on them because even though I went to college for retail, I didn’t know everything. There are a lot of details they don’t teach you in school.”
And now, it seems Amie Baima might be getting a taste of her own medicine. “With my son now coming into the business, and seeing his opinions compared to mine, I now know what I put my father through,” she said with a laugh. With son Evan Berkner now on board, his opinions are meeting the same respect as his grandfather’s, helping carry Skillets forward into the future.
“It’s very interesting to be in the middle now and see both sides of it,” Baima said. “I’m incredibly blessed to have such role models as my parents.”
Randy and Caryn Rose
Rose Hearing Healthcare Centers
It’s a rare thing for a couple to work well together. You and your spouse may get along just fine when you’re enjoying a night out together, but we’ve all seen how quickly things can go sour when there’s a job to do. Who among us can say they’ve never had a DIY project around the home lead to raised voices and a night on the couch?
Which is just one thing that makes Rose Hearing Healthcare Centers so remarkable. It’s not just their vast selection of hearing aids, from no-frills models to top-of-the-line leading edge technology. It’s not just their expertise, fueled by a staff boasting decades of experience. It’s the couple that lies at the heart of this operation: Randy and Caryn Rose. Not only do they share the name on the sign, but they have raised this business together, working in tandem since 1995.
“Caryn is very special in the way she sees things that I don’t see,” Randy said.
“And I just think you’re special,” Caryn added. “He has a real passion for what he does. He loves to help people, and I love to support him.”
At work, each plays a vital role in keeping the operation running smoothly. Randy is the one working with patients, helping steer each one to the ideal hearing aid for their needs. Caryn, meanwhile, handles all the paperwork, bookkeeping, advertising and whatever else comes up. So how do they manage to accomplish so much without falling into the common marital trap of the stress-induced dust-up?
“I think the first thing is we like each other and respect each other’s area of expertise. And while we’ll talk about work, we try not to bring it home,” Randy said. “When I turn the key at work, I leave it there.”
Drawing that line at closing time helps the couple to not only leave it all on the field at the office, but also focus on the important things such as family, kids, grandkids and lately, a move to their new home.
“Date nights really have been about planning this house,” Caryn said.
Their mutual love and respect is just one of the ways this couple has managed to create something special at Rose Hearing Healthcare Centers. “We have a really good team at work,” Randy said. “I think that helps, building a really strong group of people who have a good work ethic.”
Learn more at rosehearinghealthcarecenters.com.
The Richardson Family
The Richardson Group
It’s hard to imagine a Hilton Head Island without the Richardson family. When Norris and Lois Richardson moved their family to Hilton Head Island, before the bridge in 1955, they probably didn’t know the history being made or how their family would elevate the then sleepy island community. Their children, Mary Katherine (15), James (JR) (11), and Collins (5) arrived on the island ready to help in the family grocery store, the Forest Beach Supermarket and other businesses located in what is now Coligny.
Norris and Lois couldn’t possibly have known how that move would also elevate their son, JR Richardson, to make his mark as a development visionary, creating gorgeous communities such as Windmill Harbor and Westbury Park and be at the forefront of necessary attainable housing projects for our island. That’s the funny thing about a legacy. You usually don’t know you’re creating it until it’s done.
Norris and Lois Richardson might not have known what they started, but their grandson Collins certainly does. And what’s more, he has his own vision for moving the island forward.
“Hilton Head Island has always been my home, and I knew I wanted to move back here eventually,” Collins said. “Seeing what my grandfather and my father built here, being part of that legacy, is deeply rooted in me.” Collins and his wife Morgan, who were married at Historic Honey Horn in 2022, knew there was nowhere else they wanted to live and build a family.
Collins (who is named for his late uncle, JR’s brother) has become a valuable part of The Richardson Group, which owns Coligny Plaza, Richardson Group Real Estate & Development, South Carolina Yacht Club, Local Pie, and FISH Casual Coastal Seafood. But don’t be deceived by the family pedigree. Collins followed his own path to an economics degree at Sewanee and a spot in the highly competitive Clemson master’s in real estate development program. Building on the generational knowledge of smart development with a talent for finance, he founded his corporate career for the last five years with Charleston’s family-owned Beach Company. His business savvy helped the master-planned community, Kiawah River, thrive, affording Collins a legacy of his own.
And now, he brings that experience back to his island home. “My father saw my passion for the financial side of development and wanted modernization within The Richardson Group companies. It’s exciting to step into his 50 years of successful development and use my skill set,” Collins said.
The excitement is felt across the generations. “It’s been tremendously rewarding as a father to see Collins establish his own successful career in development, and we’re thrilled to have him back in the fold,” JR said.
The Richardson family has already proven to be a vital force in Hilton Head Island’s history. And with a new generation stepping up, The Richardson Group is poised to be a vital force for our island’s future.
The Ferguson Family
May River Home Services
Some families who go into business together do well when they can draw a line at quitting time. From 9-5, they are co-workers, but once that whistle blows, the family dynamics fall back into place.
The Ferguson family, Dana and Tim Ferguson with Tim’s son T.J. Ferguson, has to play it a little differently, being in the HVAC business. “You can’t just walk away from it,” Dana said. “That’s the nature of heating and air.”
Dana and Tim launched May River Home Services in 2017, aiming to eventually transition to a full-service home service company spanning plumbing, electrical and more. They started with a focus on heating and air, thanks to both Tim and T.J.’s lifelong experience in the industry.
“They both started right out of high school,” Dana said. “T.J. will take over the business eventually. He’s very passionate about it.”
That passion and experience shines through in every job, carefully watched over by Dana as the dispatcher. “Yes, being the dispatcher, I do get to tell them what to do, but we all work together really well,” she said. “It can be difficult working with family, but it’s also wonderful.”
Be a part of the family by visiting mayriverhomeservices.com.
Bob and Rochelle Clarkson
Alliance Realty and Alliance Dance Academy
Sometimes you see successful businesses that forces you to ask, “What’s the story behind that?” Like a pet shop that also sells bait, or a beauty parlor that offers chainsaw repair (both real examples, by the way). Similarly, it seems like an award-winning dance studio and a successful real estate brokerage would be an odd business partnership on paper.
But there’s one word that unites these two very different businesses: family. Let’s start with the literal family that runs both, the Clarksons. Husband-and-wife duo Bob and Rochelle Clarkson approach their respective businesses with passion and professionalism, and both have created something uniquely successful. But even without that connective tissue, there’s an undercurrent of family that defines both businesses.
At Alliance Dance Academy, Rochelle has created a family environment through years of serving Bluffton. The children she’s taught have joined the family, sometimes coming back as teachers but always representing ADA in everything they do. When it comes time for performances, you’ll always find Bob on hand helping to run the computer, greet families, and hand out a few refreshments for the parents. And those parents form a tight-knit group with every class/rehearsal, because they are as much a part of the experience as their children.
“If I’m working with a child, I want to know what parent goes with that child,” Rochelle said. “I went at it kind of old school, which obviously the teachers, parents and kids appreciate, as it makes us more of a family!”
Bob’s side of the coin, Alliance Group Realty, has followed a similar trajectory. Just ask any of the over 85 Realtors who work there and they will tell you, it is one big family. Not only has he consistently grown Alliance Group Realty, but he’s also purchased and renovated two landmark locations—Old Town Bluffton and Shelter Cove on the island.
“While we continue to grow and thrive, we still operate like a family business,” Bob said. He attributes this growth to the support on which Alliance Group Realty prides itself. “We’re focused on the Realtor, and the Realtor is then focused on the client. If we really support our Realtors, they can do a better job supporting buyers and sellers.”
The support Bob and Rochelle have shown one another has translated into support for their clients, their students, and their extended families at Alliance Dance Academy and Alliance Group Realty.
Learn more at alliancedanceacademy.com and thealliancegrouprealty.com.
The Campbell Family
Optical Solutions
When Dr. Michael Campbell moved to Hilton Head Island in 1987 with his wife Maureen, the couple had merely set their sights on giving Hilton Head Island the best optometry practice it had ever seen. It didn’t take long for them to achieve that goal, with Dr. Campbell continuously expanding both his skillset and his practice to remain on the forefront of the art and science of eyes.
With that accomplished, the next goal on the horizon became building on that legacy. Accomplishing that goal didn’t originally dovetail with the building of a family business. It just happened.
“When they were young, my sons had no ideas about following their father’s footsteps,” Maureen said. “Both Kevin and Michael Jr. went to Clemson with their minds open, and with both of them, it just clicked during their junior year.”
Michael Jr. was the first to return to Optical Solutions, elevating the business with his youthful energy, experience and lessons that had been ingrained in him since a young age. Michael Jr. attended the Indiana University School of Optometry, like his father, after graduating from Clemson University. Kevin attended the University of Kentucky School of Optometry and graduated in 2022. Joining this past year, Kevin has already made his mark on the family business.
“They complement each other, and they want to grow,” Michael Sr. said of his sons. “And they already have a good head start.”
Seeing how Michael Sr. communicated with patients and ran his business had an indelible impact on both sons. “They have been raised in the industry and learned from Mike and me as they’ve grown,” Maureen said. But rest assured, as much as the two sons have proven themselves the equal to their father’s skills as a doctor and business leader, Michael Sr. is learning just as much from them.
Seeing their two sons take up the mantle of the Campbell family business at Optical Solutions, it’s clear that they’re keeping mom and dad happy. And beyond that, they’re helping create a legacy built on the Campbell name.
“We’re family,” Maureen said. “It’s our business and our future, and we always have each other’s backs.”
Learn more at drmichaelcampbell.com.
