More than just the 'party people' organization

On the last Thursday of the month, a smattering of business professionals step away from work and meet at different Daniel Island venues to exchange stories, smiles, food, drinks, and – more importantly – business cards.

Networking is the name of the game for members of the Daniel Island Business Association. Since 2004, the nonprofit group has been gathering to swap names and phone numbers in hopes of building better business relationships.

But after 20 years, current president Prince Batts says DIBA is due for a change.

"We are getting into a position to be seen as a little more seriously," he said. "More than just the 'party people' organization."

Batts is looking to "reset" and "rebuild" the organization to have a more active voice.

"We don't want to act as an organization in a silo," Batts said. "We want to reach out to the other 'alphabets' on the island."

Batts is referring to partnering with the acronym soup of Daniel Island's neighborhood and town associations.

That includes the DIPOA (Daniel Island Property Owners' Association), which is made up of DICA (Daniel Island Community Association), DIPA (Daniel Island Park Association), and DITA (Daniel Island Town Association), as well as the volunteer-based DINA (Daniel Island Neighborhood Association).

Batts is seeking to collaborate with the groups to help give the town's businesses more exposure and growth: a de facto Chamber of Commerce for Daniel Island.

"There are a lot of businesses that service the island. I'd like to see more. We can have more."

Batts said the DIBA monthly networking meetings will remain, but in a quiet move of rebranding. What was once publicized as “block parties” has now been dubbed “business mixers.”

Also on the horizon: coffee meetups, lunch-and-learns, and public events to promote DIBA as a valuable resource to entrepreneurs.

"If you're starting a new business, whether it's remote or brick-and-mortar, let us know. We don't know what we don't know."

Batts calls himself a "serial entrepreneur," owning a curated local business directory and recently becoming the publisher of a business and neighborhood magazine. He came to the Lowcountry in the mid-90s when his parents moved to Charleston via the military.

He's also the father of four, aged 14, 11, 8, and 13 months. "We are in the trenches," he joked.

Batts estimates DIBA has 30 to 40 active members, but he is on the hunt to recruit more. Annual memberships start at $275.

In a letter posted on the group's danielislandbusiness.com website, Batts encouraged members to fill out a survey to establish new goals and needs.

"Looking ahead," he wrote, "we’re focused on creating more intentional opportunities through initiatives like Support Local DI and the DI Vendor Fair designed to help our community be seen, build relationships, and grow together."

Despite the upcoming changes for the next phase of DIBA, Batts said it doesn't mean the group will be “all business, all the time.” Margaritas and a golf simulator are already on tap for the next mixer Thursday, June 25, at Viva Tacos and Tequila.