When Lowcountry residents think about successful men in business, Mike Overton is often one of the first people to spring to mind. The sight of Overton with his beloved Black Labrador, Cali, is a common one around Hilton Head – usually near or around the water.
“What I love best about the Hilton Head Island area is the tides,” Overton said. “Everything here is about the tides: our nature, our history, our culture, our literature. This area and the people in it are bathed in the tides and channeled by the tides.”
Overton’s passion for the tides led him to set up a windsurfing school on the island in 1979. Now, 45 years later, Outside Brands has grown into a dynamic four-division business with operations in South Carolina and Georgia. Driven by a mission to enrich lives by connecting people to exceptional places, products, and experiences, Outside Brands offers fully customized group travel services, team-building programs, activities, and specialty retail.
When he began his windsurfing school, Overton had no idea that he would end up building such a large and successful company.
“I started the business thinking that a windsurfing school on a Southern resort island would be a fun summer job and would help with my business studies,” Overton said. “I did want that summer to be a success, but I did not go into it in 1979 with long-term intentions.”
Mike Overton on Page Island.
Like any successful business person, Overton freely admits to learning on the job. “My development as a CEO, like Outside Brands overall, has certainly been an ongoing learning experience,” he said. “I worked hard to expand my knowledge and education, especially when it came to leadership skills. There have been many trials and errors along the way. Among the top things I think I’ve learned is that results are best when the whole team can say they did it themselves.”
Looking back at his early life, Overton acknowledges that his family and education played a significant role in laying the foundations for his later success. “I was fortunate enough to grow up in a family environment that nurtured a strong work ethic, the priority of service, and the value for the outdoors and recreation,” he said.
Unlike many, the focus of Overton’s career has been about the great outdoors and all the recreation, experiences, and opportunities it offers. He recalls that his father got him and his brother into skiing and sailing almost before they could walk.
“My grammar school was small and in the heart of Washington, D.C. There, I had a headmaster who was passionate about the outdoors and would take us on extended backpacking trips in the Shenandoah mountains,” Overton said. “I went to a high school in the Berkshire Hills of Massachusetts, where much time was spent in the mountains and log cabins that I and other students built. Outdoor trips and adventures as a teenager solidified my love for the outdoors, with climbs of some of the world’s highest peaks, competing internationally in windsurfing, and a nine-month trip in East Africa to climb, sail the Indian Ocean, and trek the length of the Nile River.”
When it came time to go to college, it seemed natural for him to use the opportunity of a business class project to do a study on starting a business in a resort community.
This year, Overton is especially excited about Outside Brands introducing a new era in its premiere destination management services for the Lowcountry of South Carolina with the newly branded Outside DMC. After 15 years of serving as the area’s go-to destination management company, Outside Brands has created the new Outside DMC brand to redefine, reflect, and expand its destination management services. Team members are experienced ambassadors between organizations needing the highest quality tailored events and the best venues, experiences, and contacts in the region.
Outside DMC offers unparalleled knowledge of the region and is uniquely positioned to create corporate events, team-building initiatives, celebrations, and more. Serving the destinations of Hilton Head Island, Palmetto Bluff, and Savannah, Outside DMC has access to and partnerships with exclusive and exceptional locations, restaurants, caterers, experts, and guides, and has the experience to create unforgettable experiences of exceptional quality.
In addition, Outside Brands offers the option of incorporating its private, unspoiled Page Island and the Outside Ohana – a 47-foot luxury catamaran – into curated itineraries for its Outside DMC customers.
“Outside Brands has a four-discipline model of retail, leisure recreation, team and leadership development, and destination management. The launch of Outside DMC to represent our destination management services ensures that all our business sectors are under the umbrella of the Outside name,” Overton said. “We have built our reputation in destination management since 2009 and the new branding reflects the excellent reputation and extensive reach of our company’s name.”
Under Overton’s leadership, Outside Brands has successfully enriched hundreds of thousands of lives by connecting people to amazing places and experiences. His team has helped countless young people who have cut their teeth in the work world at Outside and moved on to create great things and enhance their lives.
Giving back to the community is important to Overton personally and to Outside Brands as a whole.
“A major goal of Outside Brands is to use the company, to use business as a tool for social change,” Overton said. “To that end, we have a strong focus on protecting and preserving our local environment and supporting the next generation – who often are obsessed with the online and digital world – to simply go outside and play.”
In 2014, Outside Brands was in a position to create the nonprofit Outside Foundation. This organization has allowed thousands of local children to get into kayaks and learn about the Lowcountry’s remarkable environment. The Outside Foundation also works to protect and preserve the Carolina salt marsh and the pristine environment of the Port Royal Sound basin. Find more information about their mission and how to get involved at outsidefoundation.org.
Overton shows no signs of slowing down as he plans to continue to lead the Outside Brands team.
“I’m looking forward to our company’s continued success and growth. I look forward to having the organization continue to be a leader and mentor for both individuals and the community,” Overton said. “I am proud that we now have a team that is leading the company and, while I am still intimately involved, this team is allowing me time to immerse in some of my passions.”
Those passions include kite boarding, wing foiling, outrigger canoeing, standup paddle boarding, hiking, climbing, and his girls. “Personally, my greatest reward has been watching two young ladies that have been in my life since they were toddlers grow to be amazing women,” Overton said.
In his free time, Overton loves to spend time with his family, to challenge himself in the great outdoors, to seek dignity in leadership, and to travel, especially to Third World countries.
When asked what advice he would give to any young adult looking to start a business today, Overton’s answer was simple: “Follow your passion, take risks as life is short, work hard and play hard.”
