Monthly Archives: December 2011

1. Tell us about yourself – What is your educational and professional background (schools, degrees, jobs that led you to your current endeavor, location)
I am an Independent Fashion Designer. I own and operate a small studio/boutique called FROCK in a rural (but progressive) Connecticut town. I have a business partner in the shop. We both have our own clothing lines but share the responsibilities of maintaining the retail space. We make everything on site and have a beautiful, little showroom. I received a Bachelors of Fine Art from The Art Institute of Boston in 1996. I also studied painting in Italy. I’ve worked numerous retail, graphic design, web design jobs over the years. They’ve all lent themselves to my current career.

2. How did you first get started in your industry? What are you most passionate about in your line of work? My mother has been a Tailor/Seamstress my whole life and I have always had an interest in Fashion, so, with sewing in my blood, I decided to finally combine my art and design background with clothing construction. And it turns out that my favorite part of my job is the actual sewing. It’s incredibly meditative.

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Names of Companies: Crabbies Restaurant, Midway Marina and Motel
Name of Entrepreneur: Terry Miles
1. Tell us a little about yourself: I am from Maryland originally. I am retired military. I was a Diving Supervisor in the Navy. I married my wife who is an artist. She always wanted a marina so we built one and kept adding on to it (motel and restaurant). We have had the marina and motel 22 years now and the restaurant for eight years.

2. What made you want to open this business? I was a commercial fisherman for some time. She would go with me and kept reading magazines that gave her the idea to open a marina.

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Name of Company: PJ’s Elite Thrift Store
Name: Phyllis Jean Hobert

1. Tell us a little about yourself: I became a widow six years ago and did not know what to do. I always loved thrift stores. When this one became open I thought I would give it a try.

2. Did you have prior experience or knowledge of the industry? I had always been an avid thrift store shopper.

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Name of Company: The SurfZone Company
Name(s): James and Amy Sannes
1. Tell us a little about yourself:
The SurfZone Company is a family-owned business that’s been operating as an on-line business for the past three years. We relocated to the Outer Banks area of NC last year and have been working to expand our product line as well build a new (larger) facility that will include a small retail space. Our new place will open in the Spring and offer our patented SurfZone Balance Trainer and OBX Longboards, both of which are manufactured onsite, as well a select choice of quality SUPs.

2. What made you want to open this business?
We love the water and the coastal environment. We surf and longboard/skateboard and recently took up paddle-boarding. Our goal is to be a resource for anyone with an interest in getting a board out on the water (or the street), regardless of their prior experience. Also, environmental responsibility is an important issue and we hope to use our website and Facebook page as a resource for information on local environmental events and happenings.

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