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Launch Pad
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Bryn Carey '04
Bryn Carey '04
Company: Ski Butlers
Website: www.skibutlers.com

The Idea: "Never stand in line again." Who could resist such an offer—especially when you're headed to the ski slopes? Ski Butlers, founded by Bryn Carey '04 in 2004, delivers ski equipment to your hotel room or condo and even puts the boots on your feet to make sure they fit. When you're ready to head home, they'll pick up everything.

Back Story: Carey, who grew up skiing, was in seventh grade when he received a root beer brewing kit. "The first batch was awful," says Carey. "But people were very polite." Eventually he perfected his technique and started making money. In high school, he sold sweatshirts, and during his UNH years ran a seal-coating company. Carey credits his parents and extended family (including dad Chip Carey '69 and grandfather Mike Carey '40) for their support as he got his entrepreneurial feet wet.

Philosophy: "We want to wow them," says Carey. "It's a completely hassle-free experience for the customer. "People love the fact that they can sit by the fire sipping wine, the kids play in another room—and we do all the work."


Illustration by Philippe Béha, all rights reserved
High Point No. 1: Carey, who has built his business on customer service, says feedback has been consistently positive. His favorite comment is from John Corrigan, director of national sales for Groupon: "I work with a lot of businesses around the world, and I have to say you guys take customer service to a whole other level," Corrigan wrote. "I am definitely going to recommend Ski Butlers to my friends and colleagues. Thanks for a great experience. I absolutely love your ... business model."

High Point No. 2: Ski Butlers has been featured in The Wall Street Journal and Ski and Outside magazines. The business has grown from its original Park City, Utah, outlet to 10 different locations serving more than 30 North American resorts. The owner of Ski Butler's Aspen and Telluride franchise, Riley Tippet '03, won the Emerging Business of the Year award for 2010 from the Aspen Chamber and Resort Association.

Favorite Quote: "The greatest risk in life is to risk nothing."


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Kristin Condon O'Neil
Kristin Condon O'Neil '06
Company: Ideas in Bloom
Website: www.ideas-in-bloom.com

What: Ideas in Bloom is a floral, garden and event design company in New Boston, N.H., with a focus on being, well, as green as possible. They use local growers in season and create designs with re-usable containers and potted plants—not just cut flowers.

Back Story: Kristin Condon O'Neil '06 was still at UNH heading for a degree in communications when she started cooking up a business idea with her mom, Pam Condon, a master gardener who had taken courses at the Thompson School. In the early years, O'Neil worked part time. Today, she's an equal partner and a co-owner.


Illustration by Philippe Béha, all rights reserved
Qualifications: "I'm stubborn and like to have my finger on things," says O'Neil. "My husband thinks I'm well suited to be an entrepreneur." Plus, she grew up in an entrepreneurial family—her dad runs his own contracting business—so she knew there would be hard work involved.

Challenges: "We've definitely seen a dip" due to the economy, says O'Neil. To adapt they are focusing on events—and O'Neil has become something of an expert at wedding-day planning. "Brides can be a bit high maintenance," she says. "As a communications major with a focus on interpersonal communication, I use my degree on a daily basis."

On Planning: "We started without a business plan," says O'Neil, who occasionally bounces questions around with her brother John Condon '08, who was a business major. "But eventually we roughed one out. If I started over again, I'd start with something clearer. Having a plan—and revisiting it is a great way to keep your business on track."

Job Hazards: There's one problem O'Neil can't solve: "I never have nice nails," she says.


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Michael Grosse '06
Michael Grosse '06
Company: 2:17 Studios
Website: 217studios.com
Video interview: Watch now

What: 2:17 Studios does multimedia creations for TV, web, print and more—including a series on the real-life sport of sword fighting. "We can do everything from 15-second graphic ads to television shows and documentaries," says Michael Grosse '06, who founded the Newmarket, N.H., studio in 2010. "But my goal is to focus on web video, which is going to be a huge part of the future."

Passion: "Bladework" is a half-hour weekly TV show that recently aired on NBC Universal Sports Boston. "I really love fencing, and the ultimate goal is to make fencing accessible to wider audiences in America," says Grosse. "The sport is very popular elsewhere, and it has an enormous appeal here, if it is done right. Everyone knows the sword fighting of Captain Jack Sparrow and Darth Vader, but I am working to bring the real sport to TV."

Fun Fact: Slow motion is critical when filming fencing. "Think of a sword as a steel stick—but it will bend in three different directions at once. It's like an extension of yourself. I learned that the way to explain this to people is to use slow motion."


Illustration by Philippe Béha, all rights reserved
Back Story: Grosse has sold CDs, DVDs and video games. He managed a projection booth in a 15-screen movie theater. He was a journalist and director of how-to videos. Now, finally, he's wearing his three favorite hats at once: writer, producer and director.

The Name: In school, Grosse was a runner—a very slow runner. "But I wanted to get better and I trained hard," he says. One day, he ran against one of the track team's superstars—and beat him. The time he ran was 2 minutes, 17 seconds. "That one moment changed my life as an athlete," says Grosse, "And today, my studio—2:17—is devoted to life-changing moments."

Fallacy: "I think a big misconception is that you need a degree in business to run a business," says Grosse. "Creativity, innovation and knowing when to compromise are greater assets."

Insights: "If I had to pick one class at UNH that had an impact on me, I would have to say it was film theory with Delia Konzett," says Grosse. "It really opened my eyes to the cerebral side of film. There is far more going on in our brains when we watch movies—or TV, or an Internet video for that matter—than there ever is on screen. There is great power in the visual medium, and, as our society becomes increasingly dependent on it as a source of information, there is a great responsibility, as Spiderman would say, to try and do it right."

Favorite Quote: "In whatever you're doing, failure is an option, but fear is not."


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Melissa Dion '08G
Melissa Dion '08G
Company: Ecolissa
Website: www.ecolissa.com

Why It's Cool: Fabric made from corn? "It's fabulously soft and light," according to Melissa Dion '08G, who began selling eco-friendly, vegan clothing and accessories made from organic cotton, hemp, bamboo, soy and corn online at Ecolissa.com last year. No polyester, it goes without saying.

The Spark: "I knew I wanted an MBA, but I wasn't considering my own business," says Dion, who started taking classes in entrepreneurship and business planning at UNH Manchester. "I just decided to be open-minded and try them. Those classes are what sparked my passion. And the business plan I wrote turned out to be pretty similar to the plan I have now."


Illustration by Philippe Béha, all rights reserved
Back Story: "I've always worked in retail, ever since I was 16. I've done every job you can think of, from mom-and-pop stores to big companies. It feels different when you're doing it for yourself. You have a lot more on the line. You're making all the decisions. It's a lot scarier."

Bootstraps: Dion set up an extra room in her home in Westborough, Mass., and organized it like a store. For now, she does it all: buying, accounting, marketing, customer service. She fills orders, deals with exchanges and returns and answers every single email. "Customers must think I'm nuts, writing back at 2 a.m., but I'm working pretty much round the clock," she says. She is building her line, which includes 23 designers and about 100 styles. "The vegan diet has become much more popular," says Dion. "I think vegan fashion is going to come next."

Philosophy: "The biggest thing about this business is that I'm truly living my morals, instead of what I think will sell," says Dion. "I'm staying true to myself and that feels amazing. I can make my company be truly what I believe."


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