Business
Three new businesses open on Daniel Island
By Steve Ferber
Mar 3, 2010 - 1:20:43 PM

CrossFit gym opening

Fitness expert Robert VanNewkirk is fast developing a following here on Daniel Island, and is set to open a 1,000 square foot gym next to Studio V Pilates to bring the CrossFit program to more island residents (the gym is located at 865 Island Park Drive).

CrossFit is a unique fitness program that originally was created for the military (special forces, special ops) and elite athletes. But when scaled to each individual, explains VanNewkirk, "it’s really for everyone. CrossFit defines fitness as super health."

CrossFit was developed in California and currently certifies trainers worldwide (VanNewkirk is a certified instructor for both adults and children). The program focuses on core strength and grounds itself in constantly varied functional movement at high intensity. The emphasis is on "using the full range of motion," and "understanding the mechanics of movement," to gain the maximum benefit. "We’re trying to stimulate the nervous system, the cardiovascular system, and the muscles." VanNewkirk does this in one-hour sessions that involve a warm-up, skill development, an intense workout, followed by stretching.

The new gym, CrossFit DISCovery, will hold both morning and afternoon classes, and plans to add evening sessions. For group training, (8-12 athletes at a time),  monthly unlimited memberships are available. Private one-hour sessions can be scheduled by request. Discounts are available for fire, military and law enforcement. In addition to serving adults, CrossFit also serves kids of all ages – both to help them develop a basic fitness regime and to prepare them for various athletic endeavors.

Working with VanNewkirk will be adjunct trainer Angel Roberts, who runs Hip-Hop classes here on Daniel Island. Roberts and VanNewkirk are husband and wife.

Momentum Marketing Opens

Momentum Marketing, a unique and diverse marketing company, has opened offices on Daniel Island, moving into 900 square feet of space this week in the Ryland Square Building. Founder Pam Hartley explained that the company specializes in delivering innovative business solutions across the full range of marketing opportunities – from branding to advertising, marketing, social media, Hispanic media, Web sites and public relations.  In addition, Hartley and colleagues offer custom workshops (e.g., on branding and customer service) and coaching. By month’s end, Hartley said, Momentum Marketing will be a five person team, with an account coordinator, intern from the College of Charleston, media buyer and creative designer working alongside her. 

Hartley founded Momentum Marketing in 2005, and relocated to the Charleston area in 2009. She specializes in automotive accounts and business to consumer retail, and said that while she has seen strong and steady growth for the first 4½ years, she experienced a slowdown in the second half of 2009. But Hartley used the opportunity to find new creative low-cost solutions for her clients. "There’s always an opportunity to grow your business, even in a recession," and she often reminds her clients that "when times are tough, companies must be more flexible than the competition." She said that, in the first two months of 2010, she’s already seen a substantial increase in business.

Law firm moving from downtown to Daniel Island

The Vitetta Law Group, led by attorney Guy Vitetta, will be leaving their downtown Charleston offices for space here on Daniel Island, according to office manager Betsy Grund, who is also Guy’s wife. They plan to move into space in the Ryland Square Building on April 1. Roughly 80 percent of Vitetta’s practice deals with family law, the balance in criminal law. Before moving to South Carolina, Vitetta served as a public defender for 11 years before opening his solo practice in 2002.

One of Vitetta’s specialties is in collaborative law, a relatively new form of divorce mediation in which the parties and attorneys sign an agreement to resolve their differences without going to court. Should the parties eventually choose to litigate their dispute, they must find new attorneys. Vitetta and roughly 40 area professionals, are trained in collaborative law, among them attorney Cheryl Fletcher, a Daniel Island resident. The intent of the collaborative law approach is to preserve family relationships, with attorneys trained to model problem-solving.

Also with the firm is Attorney Courtney Wall Kerce, who graduated from the Charleston School of Law in August 2008. At the school of law, Kerce served as Secretary for the Alternative Dispute Resolution Society.