Robin Chamberlain

"The free bird thinks of another breeze and the trade winds soft through the sighing trees and the fat worms waiting on a dawn-bright lawn and he names the sky his own."  -Maya Angelou

As the daffodils stretch from winter's chilly soil and spring eagerly prepares to announce her new arrival, so does a new entrepreneur to Hilton Head Island. Robin Chamberlain landed here seven months ago, taking a hiatus from her hectic life as a director of cardiac technology at a large five-hospital system in Atlanta. Her mother had become ill and Hilton Head was a perfect fit for their new and calmer lifestyle. They would be able to spend more time together and soak in the Lowcountry's hospitable environment. "My mother is happier and I may make this a permanent move," Robin says sincerely.

It is apparent by Robin's tall, athletic, and slender build that she is not one to sit idly by in the prime of her life. She bicycles 20-25 miles per week, hits the links with her 25 handicap and also plays tennis. Back in her college days in North Carolina, she played for her school's basketball team.

Athletics and tenacity run in her family. Her niece played for Duke and is now playing in the WNBA and was number ten in the draft. Being healthy and knowing how to be a team player make for a great foundation for maneuvering in the business world. She has used her experiences and education to launch a new endeavor that's testing her marketing and management skills.

Soon after she settled onto the island she bought a small landscape company called Grass Choppers. She has many plans for nurturing her new seedling of a business. "I want to capitalize on other skill sets I haven't tapped into yet." She minored in Marketing, and with this business opportunity she thought, "Here's a little seed that needs to grow." Already, she has her foot in the door of most of the plantations, both on and off the island, and has doubled her contracts since starting just a few months ago. Her first-year goal is to add another truck and crew.

Robin's drive, persistence and sense of direction began when she was a young girl. Her pastor called her the Pied Piper because she loved helping and teaching the neighborhood kids. At the age of twelve she was especially influenced and empowered by Maya Angelou's poems, "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings", and "Still I Rise". "Her poetry was instrumental in helping to form a lot of my thoughts - my psyche," explains Robin. "Her poems speak of people's stumbles and their trials and tribulations, but 'still I rise'."

An avid reader, she focuses on positive and motivational reading. Her mindset has carried her far in her life and as the French scientist Louis Pasteur said, "Chance favors the prepared mind." Becoming a motivational strategies speaker is a goal Robin has as "an overall life topper". "I want to look at all of my accomplishments and, eventually, when I get to that ripe old age of settling down, I'd like to get on the speaker circuit to talk about opportunities. I want to speak about things such as when one finds a closed window it doesn't mean it's closed forever, because eventually another will open for you - don't get frustrated."  She's looking forward to honing her skills at the local Hilton Head Island Toastmaster's Club.

A determined businesswoman and philanthropist, she likes to plant seeds and help them grow. Through her marketing endeavors and connections with local businesses and schools, she hopes to mentor young children. Robin wants to help them become more involved with horticulture and she is connecting with the schools and working on a volunteer program.

Robin loves the beauty of Hilton Head and wants her company to contribute to its beauty. As she fertilizes the Lowcountry soil with her brand of passionate cultivation, she also shows she can name the sky her own.

Up Close:

True Passion:  Teaching and mentoring kids
Hidden Talent:  She is able to draw well and loves to doodle.  "I had my own 'magazine' when I was a little girl called Doodlebugs, which was also my nickname, because I was always doodling."
Biggest Indulgence:  A great spa day
Happiest Time in Her Life:  Birth of her son - who is now 6'8". By the way, Robin is 6'2" and her niece is 6'6".
Support Network:  Mt. Calvary Baptist Church members and Pastor Ben Williams
Robin's Favorite Authors for Motivation and Spirituality:  Maya Angelou, Barack Obama, Shelia Walsh, Max Lucado, Colleen Payne-Nabors, etc. 
Tenets of Life:  Giving back to the community, being humble and seeing a project through!