Meet Starr McKinney | Social Media Marketer and Evangelist for Local Businesses

We had the good fortune of connecting with Starr McKinney and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Starr, is there something that you feel is most responsible for your success?
A genuine desire to learn and get to know others

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
When I decided to get a degree in English and Secondary Education, there was no such thing as social media. I could never have imagined moving from teaching into the corporate world and then transitioning to owning my own social media marketing business. My father told me to never turn down a lesson in learning and my mother always encouraged us to try new activities. So whenever I was offered the opportunity to take a class, attend a workshop, or join a focus group, I did it. Learning new skills and meeting new people, led to bigger and better careers along the way. Teaching, banking, government, land development, property management and marketing…I’ve had a fun and fulfilling career. And the best part, has been the ability to help others along the way while doing something that I truly enjoy. Life is all about connections.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I am truly blessed to be living in one of the most beautiful areas in our country. Tourism is quite popular in our neck of the woods. First, I would take them out on Lake Keowee and show them the gorgeous mountain views. We would ride over to The Cabana at The Lighthouse and enjoy a nice Southern lunch and their signature Orange Crush cocktail. On the itinerary would be a trip to downtown Seneca on Thursday night for Jazz On The Alley to listen to a local band and do some street dancing. A road trip to Cashiers and Highlands would be included because who doesn’t enjoy doing some waterfall chasing? Dry Falls, Bridal Veil Falls, and Whitewater Falls are all easy to see in a day and we could also check out some local shops on Main Street and include lunch at The Ugly Dog with a few tall glasses of sweet tea. One day we would play pickleball and/or shuffleboard at our Keowee Key community and maybe some downtime by the pool. As an ambassador for our local Chamber of Commerce, I would take them to some networking events at other local businesses where they could get to know more about our community. As for dining, we would have to get breakfast one morning at Dimas Brothers where they have the most amazing country ham and fried apples. My guest could not leave without a dinner out at Paesano’s Italian Restaurant where the wine and garlic rolls are “to die for”. On another night, we would go into Salem for trivia or live music at Twice A Town Taproom. You never know which food truck will be there but they are all good…from lobster rolls to bbq. Hopefully, during their visit there would be a concert at the Walhalla Performing Arts Center or an art class at Gateway Arts Center in Westminster. The trip would also have to include a nature hike at Lake Jocassee and a stop by Eclectic Sun to rent a kayak or canoe. Their final evening could be spent enjoying a nice bottle of wine around the firepit on our back deck where we could plan their next visit.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My family, friends, and clients who continually cheer me on in my entrepreneurial journey

Website: www.southernstarrpromotions.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lovelocalupstate/ https://www.instagram.com/southernstarrpromo/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/starr-mckinney-50559b2a/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/southern-starr-promotions/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/starr.mckinney23 https://www.facebook.com/SouthernStarrPromo https://www.facebook.com/LoveLocalOfTheUpstate