RelyLocal

Organizer Image RelyLocal of Greater Columbia is committed to bringing small and local business owners the opportunity to market their products and services to their local communities through coupon offerings, social media, online advertising, and grass roots “buy local” campaigns at an incredibly affordable cost. We will be advertising our own services as well, and working hard attending trade shows, chamber meetings, local events, etc. marketing our website and driving business to you.

Hello and welcome. My name is Kem Oliver. My wife Sherry and I would like to thank you for visiting our website and hope that you will return often. I started my business career here in Columbia over 20 years ago, helping start a local newspaper that is still in production today. My next job as director of sales for a local hotel, found me very involved in the community serving on executive boards of the Hotel/Motel Association and the Convention and Visitors Bureau. I then spent the next five years as the owner/operator of a restaurant/movie theater in Savannah, Ga., learning hard lessons about business ownership, gaining local support and marketing my business. I have spent the last ten years in corporate and business-to-business sales and, like many others in these times; I lost my job due to “corporate restructuring”.

While having many discussions with others out of work, or in fear of having to close their doors of business, I felt helpless and wanted to do something. During my time “between jobs”, I began doing a lot of research on different businesses and business opportunities. I learned a couple of things that really hit home with me:

  • First of all, that local business dollars stay in the community THREE times more than big box stores or corporately owned chains
  • Secondly, that almost all (97%) of shoppers use online media when researching products or services in their local area.
RelyLocal’s objectives and mission are exactly the challenge I wanted to be a part of, helping to create the atmosphere of local cooperation and support to bolster our local economy.

I understand the issues businesses have to deal with every day and I am eager and anxious to “carry the torch” for local business owners in the Greater Columbia area. I am honored to call myself a local business owner and look forward to being active in the business community and a continuing contributor to our local economy.

We encourage your input and ideas to help us in our efforts, and look forward to meeting all of you out there working hard to make our community stronger and better every day.

 
Phone: 803-937-3113
Email: greatercolumbia@relylocal.com

Business Hours
Monday - Friday
9am - 5pm