At his toughest points in pursuit of his teenage dream — when sleeping in his car, eating off $1 menu at fast food chains — Toby Simmons would bake himself a pie.
A mouth-watering sweet potato pie, his signature recipe, to remind him what his struggle is worth.
Simmons, now 41, has built a reputation as the Charleston Pie Man and says he's ready to take his modest baking operation to a higher level. Leaders at the state Department of Commerce already have issued an official "congratulations," and Georgetown County officials are poised to help Simmons organize a job fair Saturday at his Pawleys Island bakery.
With a raw enthusiasm that's been beaten out of many small business owners throughout the recession, Simmons talks about other entrepreneurs who worked decades to get their break. He's convinced he's next, citing the inspirational motto that "a man on a mission cannot be stopped."
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