Wendy Karlyn
When I started my career as an advertising specialist for a large software company, I noticed that the people from our advertising and marketing agencies always seemed to be having fun. The agency life seemed to be calling me, so soon thereafter, I landed my first job at a newly-formed digital agency called Strategic Interactive Group, which then became Digitas. It didn’t take long for me to realize that my instinct about agency life was right. I was Cinderella and the slipper fit! My first four years were spent traveling back and forth from Boston to Detroit to work on the ground at General Motors. Read more>>
Matthew Stumm
For me, it’s always been about finding a creative outlet. Since I was a kid, I knew I wanted to work in a field that allowed me to be artistic. The challenge was finding a way to make a career out of doing what I loved. I went to art school and have spent my entire career in Boston, so I’m fortunate to have been exposed to some of the city’s most amazing design firms and ad agencies. I always admired the self-made firms – those started by one or two incredibly passionate people who had a vision and an air of fearlessness. I watched them navigate the challenges of running a small business while still being committed to delivering the highest quality work for their clients. Read more>>
Mark Whalen
I was working in Dallas helping to run call centers for a cell phone company and my hand went numb/ice cold. I was diagnosed with Ulna Nerve Entrapment. Went the medical route- EMG tests, anti-inflammatories for a month, nothing worked. Dr.’s were recommending surgery. Someone jokingly mentioned that I might like acupuncture. I found an acupuncturist- went for 1 month and the problem resolved. It has never come back in 15 years. I was blown away. At that point in life I wasn’t taking very good care of myself so I kept going to the acupuncturist off/on for about a year before I decided to go to school to study Acupuncture. Read more>>
Connie Wright
Ann and I have worked separately in our industry for 20 years. 4 years ago, we joined forces and took her existing company and rebranded and tweaked our business model to address the market place needs. We have focused on 3 key market place needs: 1) addressing the startup and emerging company issue of needing superior accounting and financing talent on a fractional basis providing CFO, Controller and staff teams to our clients, the team approach allows our clients to access in a cost-effective fashion the full spectrum of skill sets at the appropriate price points; 2) technical accounting at a Big 4 caliber on an as needed basis. Our clients might only need this quarterly or at year end and have access on a just needed basis; 3) hiring a permanent workforce to provide stability to address long term client needs. This workforce includes full time and part time permanent staff. Read more>>
Jonathan Bingham
Nearly ten years ago, my co-founder (and brother!) and I set out to bridge the gap between ideas and technical solutions through application development. As we grew, our approach evolved, creating a refined solution-focused firm with technical expertise, creative teams, systems integration and ongoing support. We pride ourselves on the ability to quickly and seamless onboard and become part of our clients’ teams to deliver solutions that meet business goals and objectives. Ultimately, our edgy and fast-paced culture reflects in how we approach our clients and engagements. Read more>>
Rick and Laurie Buchanan
Rick: My father started RJ Coins & Jewelry in 1979. About five years ago, I was between jobs after 33 years in electronics when I started coming to the store to help my dad. One day a week turned into two and then three. He asked me about buying the store and at first I said no but later he asked again and, well here I am! I wondered a lot in the beginning if buying the store was the right thing to do but it’s been fun. It is definitely a challenge but I get to work with my dad and I like working with and talking to all of the people who come into the store. Read more>>
Michael Drinan
I was a Chef at several different restaurants for 17 years before I decided to start my own restaurant. I wanted a breakfast and lunch place to be able to spend more time with my family. I was intrigued by the idea of bringing a Chef’s knowledge and creativeness to a diner. We started by trying to change people’s attitude about what a “breakfast” is by mixing breakfast and lunch on one plate. From the beginning customers were fascinated by the different and imaginative creations we were putting into our menu items. Some examples of our specials are Pulled Pork Eggs Benedict with a BBQ infused Hollandaise on homemade cheddar biscuit, Bacon Mac N Cheese Omelets, Hangover Stuffed Burgers, Homemade Blueberry Bread French Toast, The Elvis Waffle, just to mention a few. Read more>>
Kiame Mahaniah
I grew up in Kinshasa, the biggest city in the Congo with frequent visits to my father’s hometown of Luozi, in a rural part of country. Because of my American mother, I also spent some summers in Chicago. From an early age, the maddening nature of disparities was quite clear to me. The biggest choice you as an individual can make in determining your destiny in life was clearly choosing which parents you were born to. From that point on, it was clear that I would dedicate my life to fighting disparities. Luckily enough, Haverford College, a Quaker liberal arts
Amalia Flaisher
Amalia Flaisher’s passion to paint on glass grew from her diverse background and studies in graphic design, metalsmithing, photography and silk painting. Looking for another creative medium to express her love of the colors and shapes she found within nature she explored the art of painting on glass. Amalia’s family is a combination of many different cultures that have influenced her art, especially her grandmother Marie Glaser. Marie was born and raised in Czechoslovakia and moved to Romania with her husband. Marie’s stories about growing up in Chesky-Teshen became another inspiration for Amalia and are reflected in her art. She models her style after the work of great impressionist artists like Claude Monet, Alfred Sisley and others. Read more>>
Dana Venable
I worked in community mental health centers after graduate school, that’s where I met my business partners. When I was the clinics, I noticed that there was a constant stream of referrals coming in for children, adolescents and families. So many referrals, that there were never enough therapists to meet the demands. Thinking of ways to meet this need pushed me toward developing a business model that was designed to respond to the need for therapy in the community. We started out with one small office and with five clients, and now, in 2017 our Wakefield site sees around 250 people every week! We have also solid relationships with lots of area pediatric offices and schools, but we see just about anyone who needs our help. Read more>>
Dr. Jillian Bennett
As the first in my family to graduate college, I worked several jobs and funded my own undergraduate education. As an undergraduate, one of my jobs was as an instructor at a Modeling and Talent agency. I taught runway classes to children of all ages. This is where I met my first child with autism. Many people do not realize that parents sometimes sign up their child for modeling/acting classes to help build their self-esteem and improve their social interactions, not necessarily because they want them to pursue a career in modeling or acting. This was the case for the child I met. I worked with him for 12 weeks and learned so much. Read more>>
Mo Liang
I was looking for business opportunity after graduation from Northeastern University. I see the lack of entertainment variety in Boston area. Escape Room industry is expanding in US. I was an Escape Room manager back in China. I love games. City of Malden is very welcoming and helped us finding this location. Designing my own unique games is very challenging but interesting. Construction phase was more than a year time, we had to control budget penny by penny. Read more>>
Hania Khuri-Trapper
Hania Khuri-Trapper is Creative Director and Owner of Khuri Design, a Massachusetts-based design firm specializing in creative and individual brand identity solutions. Having founded the company in 2004, Hania oversees day-to-day operations from marketing and business development to delivering strategic design solutions for small to mid-size organizations. Both contracting and managing design teams, she provides services across print and multimedia for a range of industries, primarily in the fields of philanthropy, management consulting, retail and entertainment. Read more>>
Capt. Charlie Crocker
Growing up on Plum Island Ma in the 70s, there was not a lot to do for a young kid, so I fished every chance I got. I caught all the local species of fish. After high school, I got a job on a Hampton Beach party boat as a mate. Did that for 5 years and got my captains license at the age of 23. I became Capt. and ran party boats for 10 more years. Also, spending many winters in Key West Fla, doing the same thing, after many years on Party boats, I wanted to move on. So I started leasing a smaller 35 ft boat and running private 6 passenger fishing charters. Read more>>
Jen and Josh Ziskin
Jen and Josh Ziskin have been married and worked together for over 20 years. Two days after they were married they travelled to Italy where Josh would work at a famous Piemontese Restaurant, Belvedere, in La Morra, Italy. He learned how to make pasta, and he fine-tuned his expertise in Italian cuisine. Jen babysat for the very well-known family, the Abbonas, owners of the first Barolo winery, Marchesi di Barolo. Jen and Josh lived on a vineyard and spent their time learning everything they could about the culture, wine and cuisine. Jen and Josh opened La Morra in Brookline in 2003. Read more>>
Lance Whalen
We expanded upon the existing building at 78 Salem St. Adding a whole new second floor, and completely renovating the interior. We completed construction and opened in June of 2015. I think we navigated many of the same hurdles any new restaurant faces. As we close out our second year, I would definitely say we are a long way from where we started. You know you’re doing something right when you have as many regulars as we do. I routinely see the same faces 2-3 times a week. The staff has developed great chemistry. A big difference between when we started to now, is how often I hear guests request staff by name. Read more>>
Frederick Bisaillon
My Partner Denise and I started B-ACK Yard BBQ in Nantucket in June of 2014 in Downtown Nantucket. The response was so great, we thought to bring the great BBQ to the mainland, and found the perfect spot During the winter of 2015. We found Surfside Smokehouse which is located in Brewers Marina on the waterfront in Plymouth, and fell in love. In the past 3 years, we have served our amazing BBQ and Seafood to well over 200,000 customers from the Boston and South Shore area, Cape Cod and around the world. We have been featured on Phantom Gourmet, Wicked Bites, South Shore Living, and the Boston Globe. Read more>>
Jeff Boyer
I graduated from Florida State and then took a year of “discovery” traveling to music festivals and working in Vail Colorado in the hospitality industry. I discovered that I loved working directly with customers, and making them happy. My parents played a room escape in London, and suggested that I look into bringing the concept to the United States. I spent a few months evaluating different markets, and initially looked at starting my business in Austin, Texas. I came to Boston for a personal trip, and fell in love with it. I started my initial location in the Blackstone District in 2015, and I learned a lot watching over 5,000 people play at this location. Read more>>
Marian W. Wentworth
I grew up with two parents who loved me dearly, and loved to read and explore ideas. However, they did not have college degrees, and their finances were often scarce. Fortunately, not only my parents, but various teachers took an interest in me, so I was able to earn a scholarship to a prestigious private high school and later to Harvard. I started my working career programming machine tools for my mother. In college, I took other manufacturing and computer related jobs to help pay for school. This meant that I had a lot of work experience when I graduated, so I joined a consulting firm in Cambridge: Arthur D. Little. I worked there for four years. Read more>>
Chris Johns
I grew up on the central east coast of Florida in a rural setting surrounded by orange groves and live oak hammocks. My siblings and I were always constructing various forts and hideouts equipped with plumbing, pulleys and swings. Along with our knack for creating places to play in the woods, my family built a couple of houses and a number of agrarian barns and structures that cultivated an interest in building construction and architecture. I had ambitions of being an architect but officially set my sights on the profession after having the opportunity to shadow an architect and firm owner for a couple days in high school. Read more>>
Patrik Hellstrand
I grew up in Stockholm and at the age of 20, I remember being hit with this overwhelming notion that I needed to explore the world. So I jumped into hospitality as the easiest way to travel. From my first job working at a small hotel in Austria I realized quickly that I was confident in my work (as confident as one can be cleaning toilets and tending bar) and that I was viewed as someone who could take on more responsibility, which made me stand out. That job also led me to fall in love with people-centric businesses. I still very much wanted to travel though and that passion landed me in the cruise industry; to which I owe my understanding of what great service looks like and how to develop diverse and high-performing teams. Read more>>
Lauren Gefke and Gina Martin
Elite Health and Fitness is a privately owned and operated fitness center that serves the communities of Stoughton, Sharon, Canton, Easton, and Brockton and has been in business for over fifteen years. Elite was recently named one of the top ten gyms in Massachusetts. The owners, Keith Callanan and Peter Rappoli, created the nationally recognized Elite Sports Fitness Boot Camp. Both owners have worked with major sports teams and athletes including the NFL’s Indianapolis Colts, Mo Vaughn, and Jim Craig. We believe that no matter what your fitness level, we have a program to suit your needs! Whether you are new to exercise or already have a fitness routine, Elite can provide you with a quality facility and trained, caring professionals to help you reach your fitness goals. Read more>>
Mark Tyrol
I am the owner and creator of Battic Door Energy Conservation Products, an ecommerce start-up. Battic Door is 14 years old and continues to grow annually. Annual sales are in the $1.5-$2 million range. We manufacture and sell home energy conservation products that improve the comfort and efficiency of any home by preventing drafts and energy loss. Just about any home in USA can benefit from 1 or more of our products. While employed full time as an engineer, I started working from home with a product idea for an insulated attic stair cover. I found a manufacturer locally and I created a website to sell the product on. Read more>>
Javier Diaz
I founded Wings Air in 2002 after working in investment banking for years. There are many pilots in my family and I was already a licensed pilot myself, on both fixed wing aircraft and helicopters. First, I bought a small helicopter for flight training and hired an instructor to give lessons in it. Within a few years I realized that the demand for air charter in the New York area is very high so I expanded the fleet and applied for the FAA Air Carrier Certificate (received in 2005). After the 2008 recession the demand dropped so I had to reinvent the company and that’s when we moved into aerial film production. Read more>>
Tasha Cough
I majored in Fine Art (painting & drawing) in college but they don’t exactly teach you how to make a living as an artist. So I took off to China to be an ESL instructor and travel for a year with my BFA! That was amazing but fleeting… I moved to Boston upon my return and was introduced to a decorative painter (Julia Purinton) who showed me the ropes and immediately put a lot of trust in me. I learned as I went (still do, shh!). Pretty soon after I started, I began picking up clients of my own and steadily growing. I loved being in Boston for 12 years and being part of a big artist network including a couple years at SoWa but life has me settled into the North Shore over the past 6 years and I couldn’t be happier in Newburyport. Read more>>
Sean Maher
I have been in the restaurant business since I was 17, starting as a busser, then a line cook for 5 years, and then as a waiter and bartender. I’ve worked in various North Shore restaurants, including the Wild Horse Cafe, Tryst, and Yanks, as well as various places in the city, such as Chez Henri and Eastern Standard. I was drawn to classic cocktails and traditional methods of drink making for the history of it all. My master’s degree was in Historic Preservation, from BU, and the respect for traditions and old methods of doing things regarding old buildings fit right in with the return to the roots of cocktail preparation. Read more>>
Melissa Cohen
Communication, business and connecting people have always been passions of mine. I started my career in internal marketing to get my feet wet in the industry and then decided to pursue the marketing and PR agency life. Joining Metis 11 years ago was an exciting choice and risk at the same time. I was joining a startup agency as the first employee, but I had always wanted to help build a business.Building a business is never a smooth road. It’s about focus, loyalty, persistence, patience and a ton of hard work. I worked very closely with the founders to build an effective team, client base and market strategy. Read more>>
Ken Lidden
Found yoga, or could be on reflection yoga found me some 20 years ago in Sydney, Australia. Did Yoga Teacher Training at my own teacher’s suggestion, not knowing what awaited me. Attended a Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapy workshop in Sydney with Michael Lee who happens to be an Australian who lives in the states, and had a life changing experience. Became a client of a Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapy practitioner in Sydney, continued to transform. Apart of this changing was visiting the USA to do the Yoga Therapy training, met a girl who lived in Topsfield MA, and the rest is history. Read more>>
Stewart Berry
I am the Vice President of Product Management at Caliper Corporation and we are located just down the road in Newton. I am responsible for managing the sales, support, marketing, and direction of the Maptitude mapping software. Maptitude is a popular business mapping application. I am fortunate that I have been able to spend my career specializing in geography, geospatial systems, and geo-data. I enjoy sharing the benefits of Geographic Information System (GIS) technology with people and organizations throughout the world. I am always open to discussions, with users and geo-geeks alike, on the best ways to create intuitive and powerful mapping tools that provide tangible value. Read more>>
Jonathan Smith and Frederic Goldman
We opened Wayland Personal Physicians in April, 2017. We previously practiced primary care together and we were employed by a hospital-owned and operated internal medicine practice. Over time, in our prior practice, it became difficult to give each patient the time and attention that they deserved and that we wanted to give to them. Higher patient volumes resulted in less time available to spend with each patient which led to a “treadmill effect.” We felt pressure to work faster to keep up with the volume of visits that were in demand. We were also so busy that we did not have the time available to see patients when they wanted to see us. Read more>>
Barbara Goodman
The first thing you need to know is that I never had any creative talent, that I knew of. I worked at Marriott Hotels for 12 years, and left in 1991. During the next ten years I had a lot of different jobs. I didn’t know why at the time, but I just wouldn’t stay in a job. I was great at interviewing and got every job. The variety of jobs would astound you. It was during this time, I wandered into a craft store and looked for something to do. Trying to keep a long story short, just know I did various crafts. I loved the Monet painting that hung in my room and decided to see if I could paint like Monet. I know, LOL. The technique for me was using dots. Read more>>
Lisa Cavallo
Being born into the restaurant business, I remember my father tying an apron twice around my waist when working with him at his Salem Street restaurant in the North End when I was about 6. I cleaned counters and cleaned the squid…ick! 40 years later, I’m still at it and love every minute of it, but I no longer clean squid, I now enjoy making great cocktails, serving quality dishes, and creating an environment that’s cozy and intimate for my guests. Martini Bar in Reading in 2005, no way! Actually, there was only an Asian restaurant with a liquor license at the time. Read more>>
Sal Currao
I’m a third generation Mason. I started working with my dad at 8 yrs. old on the weekends and in the summer on school vacation. When most kids were out playing and sleeping in, I was earning a day’s pay and helping my family out. I had the pleasure of working closely with my Grandfather and father on the job sites growing up. I started being a foreman in my teens and started my own company at 19 yrs. old. I worked 5 days a week for my father and weekends on my own. You could say I was breed for this line of work. Read more>>
Shawn Armstrong
Started out in the retail business back in 1995. Worked for many large chain stores with my last being Tweeter Etc. At which time in 2005 I decide I wanted to get away from the corporate style and start my own business focusing more on customer service and 1 on 1 interaction with each client. We started right around the big market crash doing Home Audio and we have grown every year since concentrating on our car values of customer service and being available for the customer now and for the long term. Read more>>
Benjamin Albanese
While I was a law student at New England Law, I worked as a service bartender in a small local Italian restaurant in Brockton. Working in the kitchen without a bar or interaction with customers was tedious and boring so I would make ravioli and they would sell them as a special for the evening. They were so well received that it eventually turned into a business custom making ravioli for small restaurants. After many incarnations it went from a small pasta shop selling wholesale and retail pasta products to a full-service restaurant, bar and function facility. We still make our own fresh and filled pasta every day. Read more>>
Jacob Lilley
Originally from England, I attended Cornell University for architecture school, and finally wound up in Beacon Hill working for a nationally recognized firm in Cambridge. After 15 years working on large institutional projects ranging from Courthouses to 50 story towers, I opted to test the personal world of high end custom residential houses. With a family and kids the fit worked out well, and we are now in our 10th year providing our clients with unique houses that are well loved and can be passed on from generation to generation. The path to opening our firm meant starting from scratch and learning a lot, all of which was to be expected. Read more>>
college outside Philadelphia, provided me with a full ride. Read more>>
Andrea V. Schroll, LICSW
My journey as a therapist began over a decade ago. I started out in the field by working for various agencies and organizations, but I always knew I one day would have my own practice. Working for a variety of different organizations was great exposure and experience, but I always knew I was meant for something bigger. It’s always been my mission to make a large impact in the lives of women and teen girls. My passion lies in helping my clients overcome their deepest fears, setbacks, anxiety and depression. I help my clients own their strengths so they can be the confident girl and woman they long to be. Read more>>
Brandi Carpenter
About 13 years ago, I took a trip to Disney World with at the time 2 children (I have 3 now). My youngest at the time was 6 months old. I realized pretty fast when I walked into the hotel room that there was so much stuff that I needed to have for my infant son that was not available at the hotel. I had nowhere to put him down safely, there was no highchair to feed him and the hotel only provided a pack n play for sleeping. My son definitely required a crib for sleeping. If he didn’t sleep NO NONE will be sleeping. I contacted the front desk and they told me about a company that rented baby equipment. I contacted them right away and got an exersaucer, high chair and full-size crib. Read more>>
