Rhode Island Salute to Small Business 2022

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S B A & R I S C PA M E S S A G E S EVERY YEAR DURING NATIONAL SMALL BUSINESS WEEK, the U.S. Small Business Administration recognizes the achievements of our nation’s 32.5 million small businesses and innovative startups. While the way we celebrate has changed over time, the sentiment is the same. National Small Business Week is a time for us to highlight the impact of outstanding entrepreneurs, small business owners, and others who support entrepreneurship across the country.

This year, we are focused on celebrating the resiliency and tenacity of our nation’s entrepreneurs who are powering our nation’s historic economic growth and who are helping to “Build a Better America through Entrepreneurship”.

I am especially proud of the achievements of this year’s Rhode Island Small Business Week Award Winners. These business owners demonstrate the hard work, drive, and determination of entrepreneurs across Rhode Island and across the nation. They have proven their staying power, created jobs, shown response to adversity during unimaginable setbacks, and given back to their communities through their businesses and on their own time. For the last two years, these small businesses have faced uncertainty, disruptions, and hardships on an unprecedented scale. Yet, they have overcome these challenges and achieved hard-won successes, innovating, and creating new ways to serve customers, support workers and sustain our communities.

As we continue to face unique challenges together, it is important for us to recognize the crucial role businesses like these play every day in building a strong and vibrant country.

I am happy to recognize these small business giants and their impact on our economy and in our communities.

Congratulations to the SBA Rhode Island Small Business Week Award Winners!

Sincerely, Mike Vlacich New England Regional Administrator U.S. Small Business Administration

FOR MORE THAN 30 YEARS as District Director in Rhode Island, I have had the privilege of meeting countless local small businesses that have truly amazing stories. Over the past 2 years, with COVID being such a big part of everyone’s life, the stories of perseverance and success resonate even deeper in all of us. No matter the industry, the stories of small businesses adapting, surviving, and thriving despite everything going on continue to pour in.

This year during National Small Business Week, we celebrate 11 small businesses, advocates, and champions, all of whom have stepped up to the plate and done everything they can to help their business and others in the most trying of times. They are some of the best of what Rhode Island has to offer.

Approximately 99% of businesses in Rhode Island are considered small by SBA size standards. Almost 100,000 small businesses employ over 50% of all Rhode Islanders.

These are our friends, our neighbors, people we see every day in the community that they help shape around us. The importance of the small business community cannot be overstated, as it continues to be the backbone of our economy.

As we celebrate National Small Business Week from May 2-6, I encourage you to visit your local small businesses. Get to know these remarkable people and their stories.

Make sure you “Shop Small” whenever you can and buy local. Supporting our friends and neighbors rather than big box stores and large corporations helps ensure that approximately 67 cents of every dollar spent as these small businesses stays in our local communities, as opposed to a national chain store, where only 47 cents of your dollar stays in the community.

Lastly, I would like to congratulate our incredible awardees. Thanks to entrepreneurs and advocates like them, the Ocean State continues to thrive, and we can show the entire country and the world just how great Little Rhody truly is.

Sincerely, Mark S. Hayward SBA District Director

RISCPA/RI BUSINESS FORUM is honored to partner with the U.S. Small Business Administration, Rhode Island District Office, for the 2022 Salute to Small Business. Small businesses are the cornerstone of Rhode Island’s economy – the resilience shown by this year’s winners is why our business climate remains stronger than ever. The perseverance they have shown in spite of disruptions brought on by the rapidly changing global landscape is a testament to their determination to succeed. They define the spirit of the American dream and play a critical role supporting jobs, strengthening our communities, and improving our quality of life.

RISCPA/RI Business Forum recently presented Mark S. Hayward (U.S. Small Business Administration District Director, Rhode Island) with our first ever Industry Champion Award for the unprecedented assistance and support he gave to Rhode Island’s business community throughout the crisis. Most of us have worked with Mark for years, but his tenacity and fierce commitment to help the Rhode Island business community overcome economic challenges during that time was a source of inspiration for all of us. He worked tirelessly day and night to ensure business owners had the information, resources and assistance they needed to apply for the numerous grant programs; many credit Mark personally as the reason they survived. The extraordinary response from Mark and the entire team at the U.S. Small Business Administration Rhode Island District Office epitomizes the very definition of leadership.

On behalf of RISCPA/RI Business Forum, congratulations to the 2022 award winners – we stand firmly with the small business community and wish you continued success in the future.

SBA’s participation in or support of this event is not an endorsement of the views, opinions, products or services of any co-sponsor or other person or entity.

All SBA programs or co-sponsored programs are extended to the public on a non-discriminatory basis. SBA Auth. #22-18-C

Sincerely, Melissa Travis President & CEO, RISCPA

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CONTENTS RHODE ISLAND SMALL BUSINESS PERSON OF THE YEAR.......................... 6 Byron Delmonico Owner & CEO, The Riddle Room, LLC

RHODE ISLAND MICROENTERPRISE............11 Kelley McShane CEO, Granny Squibb’s Organic Iced Tea

RHODE ISLAND JOSEPH G.E. KNIGHT AWARD FOR ENTREPRENEURIAL EXCELLENCE..........................14 Katherine Westcott CEO, Katrinkles, Inc.

RHODE ISLAND AND NEW ENGLAND SMALL BUSINESS MANUFACTURER................... 8 Scott and Julianne Chapin Owners, CakeSafe, LLC

RHODE ISLAND MINORITY-OWNED SMALL BUSINESS................11 Javier Brown President, O2J, Inc.

RHODE ISLAND DISTRICT DIRECTOR AWARD....................................15

RHODE ISLAND AND NEW ENGLAND WOMAN-OWNED SMALL BUSINESS.................. 9 Mary Ann Shallcross Smith President & CEO, Dr. Day Care Learning Center

RHODE ISLAND VETERAN-OWNED MALL BUSINESS..................12 Mark Torok Owner, Anchor Physical Therapy

James Mutschler Co-Chair, SCORE Rhode Island

RHODE ISLAND FINANCIAL SERVICES CHAMPION............................10 William Cunningham

RHODE ISLAND YOUNG ENTREPRENEUR..................13 Alexa Trembly and Emory Harkins Owners, Twenty Stories

Jeff Bodenstab Co-Chair, SCORE Rhode Island

Diane Fournaris State Director, Rhode Island Small Business Development Center

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RHODE ISLAND SALUTE TO SMALL BUSINESS

2022 RHODE ISLAND SMALL BUSINESS PERSON OF THE YEAR HEADQUARTERED IN NORTH SCITUATE with facilities in Warwick and East Greenwich, The Riddle Room is an escape room entertainment venue where you can work with friends, family members, or co-workers and, in an exciting hour of teamwork and immersive experiences, “solve interactive puzzles, riddles, and clues to live each game story as if you were really there.

You’ll be the one to rob the bank, solve the mystery, save the world, and hopefully, walk away a champion,” its website claims.

The Riddle Room brand was developed

by RI native Byron Delmonico, who with a middle school friend established the business in 2016; it now has 16 employees and offers digital as well as physical games.

Each escape room is a work of art encompassing an interactive movie-quality set where groups of ten people solve puzzles to complete a goal. Byron is passionate about every aspect of the industry, and he is actively involved in the business: he himself made, by hand, eight of the different interactive escape rooms. In the early days he even stayed late and cleaned the facility!

As the business grew, Byron hired additional game-masters and took on a considerable expansion that elevated the games’ level to its current movie set-quality.

Byron has sought and received the assistance of the US Small Business Administration (SBA) a number of times over the years, allowing him most recently not merely to pivot the company during the pandemic, but also to grow the company’s offerings and increase its income. Several times since 2017, the business sought guidance from and worked with the RI Small Business Development Center (RISBDC), an SBA grantee that nominated Byron for this

award. Byron’s RISBDC counselor helped him develop and execute marketing strategies, create introductions, identify opportunities, and advise on challenges as they arose both early in the business’s development and throughout its growth.

When the pandemic hit in 2020, the SBA’s loan programs also helped The Riddle Room by allowing it to implement a viable survival plan. Specifically, the business received two rounds of funding through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). The Riddle Room also took advantage of the SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) Program and its Advance, which allowed it, for example, to turn short-term liabilities into long-term liabilities and to use crucial marketing reasonably and opportunistically.

This funding was, as Byron said, the business’s “central saving grace” during the pandemic shutdown, allowing it to develop new games that expanded product life by 700%; acquire a new facility that permitted games to generate revenue for seven years instead of one; and increase the number of rooms and, thereby, customer experience, capacity, and return visits.

Through money, time, and resources, The Riddle Room is a generous supporter

“Have you ever wished, just for a moment, you could live inside an adventure movie?

Wa n t t o b e t h e h e r o that solves the cold case or saves the world?”

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BYRON DELMONICO Owner, The Riddle Room, LLC

of community and charitable causes. That support runs the gambit, from sponsoring baseball and soccer teams to contributing to police departments and veterans organizations to donating – to every nonprofit that contacts it – a four-pack of tickets worth $116 (totaling over $50,000 in free access since the business began). In addition to membership in a number of business organizations, Byron also serves on the Board B:9.75" of Directors of the Central RI Chamber of T:9.75"

Commerce and, this year, his business will donate to a new business an annual membership in the Chamber.

“Because his entrepreneurial curiosity, creativity, and drive benefit both business and community in our state, and his ability to pivot his business model and seek support during the pandemic, the SBA is excited to award Byron its 2022 RI Small Business Person of the Year Award,” said Mark S. Hayward, the District Director.

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RHODE ISLAND SALUTE TO SMALL BUSINESS

2022 RHODE ISLAND & NEW ENGLAND S M A L L B U S I N E S S M A N U FA C T U R E R O F T H E Y E A R WHAT’S A WEDDING CAKE baker’s worst nightmare? In the words of one – Julianne (Juli) Chapin – a “caketastrophy”! Juli and her husband Scott own and operate CakeSafe, LLC in Peace Dale, Rhode Island. In the mid1980s Julie, a Johnson & Wales Culinary Institute-trained baker, had a successful wedding cake business but worried about the difficulty moving a large wedding cake from her bakery to a wedding venue. One hot, summer day she asked Scott to drive a cake to the East Greenwich Country Club, and he, too, felt the stress – blasting the AC, driving at 5-mph, and praying a lot! Scott, an engineer, said to himself: there must be a better way. He set out to find it and, when he couldn’t, he built it.

Scott came up with the idea and design for a tip-proof cake box, now patented as CakeSafe® and marketed with the apt tagline “Thinking Inside the Box.” Let’s just say it revolutionized the cake delivery process. CakeSafe not only protects the cake while in transit, but it also saves bakers time and money because, rather than decorating the cake at the wedding venue, they deliver the cake already decorated. Scott and Juli are still using CakeSafes to move all the cakes Juli makes for shows across the country; according to their website, that’s over 1,500 wedding cakes that have traveled 42,759 miles (12,803 driving and 29,956 flying!).

Juli has not had a single cake damaged due to transport since using CakeSafes, though she herself did have one “cake-tastrophy”: she removed a three-tiered wedding cake from the CakeSafe and tripped on the venue’s front steps, promptly dumping the whole cake at the entrance. She now waits until she is near the cake table to remove the cake!

The Chapins’ business has expanded, selling other tools and equipment Scott designed for the baking, chocolate, and sugar art industries, with customers including home bakers, hobby bakers, chocolatiers, professional cake designers, and celebrity cake artists. There are currently four main product lines: The CakeSafe Box for cake transportation; Acrylic Disks for icing cakes; The Sugar Shack for working with pulled sugar; and Spray Booths for virtually eliminating overspray for chocolatiers, cake decorators, and

bread bakeries. When customers and media members alike have been asked to describe each product line that is aimed at saving time, money, and frustration, the answer is universal – “life changing.” The Chapins have come out with CupCakeSafe, which Good Housekeeping named “Best Cupcake Carrier for Professional Bakers.”

The business grew an average of 30% each year since its founding, moved from the Chapins’ home basement to

JULIANNE AND SCOTT CHAPIN Co-Owners, CakeSafe, LLC

commercial space, expanded beyond retail to now wholesale around the globe, and currently has nine employees. While driving this growth, though, Scott and Juli have remained committed to their values and community: in addition to enacting a number of sustainability initiatives (including eliminating Styrofoam from packaging), they have contributed money, time, and resources to a variety of local causes -- ranging from paying their employees to build a home in RI for Habitat for Humanity, to donating food to the Women’s Resource Center, to serving on local nonprofit boards, to (in 2020) donating a portion of business proceeds to COVID-19 relief funds as well as making free or discounted protective acrylic barriers for local ­businesses.

But then came the COVID-19 pandemic, and CakeSafe was not immune to its effects. Juli and Scott’s customers depend on events like weddings and large gatherings that couldn’t be held in 2020; their sales decreased considerably as their customers’ own businesses were suffering. Juli and Scott reached out to the US Small Business Administration (SBA) for help and resources. The SBA connected them with the RI Small Business Development Center (­RISBDC), an SBA Resource Partner. Working with the ­RISBDC, Juli and Scott took advantage of the no-charge, expert counseling and resources available through the ­RISBDC’s vast network, helping the couple grow their business with assistance in a variety of areas.

“Juli and Scott’s commitment to finding new solutions to problems that have plagued businesses in the culinary industry for years is remarkable,” said SBA RI District Director Mark S. Hayward. “They are a shining example of the strength and ingenuity of the small business manufacturing sector not only in Rhode Island, but in New England and across the entire country. CakeSafe is a truly deserving recipient of the 2022 Rhode Island and New England Small Business Manufacturer of the Year awards,” Hayward lauded.

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2022 RHODE ISLAND & NEW ENGLAND WOMAN- OWNED SMALL BUSINESS OF THE YEAR MARY ANN SHALLCROSS SMITH is the CEO and Founder of the “Dr. Day Care” organization, headquartered in Smithfield but with learning center locations around the state. Mary Ann has nearly 50 years of experience in early childhood, as well as a doctoral degree in Education, Leadership, and Human Development Studies.

As RI’s first licensed home-based day care, Mary Ann began offering early childhood care in 1972. In 2005, Mary Ann founded Dr. Day Care Learning Center (the Center), which provides quality care and education for children 6 weeks through 12 years old, 52 weeks of the year. Today there are 171 employees in nine nationally accredited Centers located across Rhode Island (Cumberland, Foster, North Providence, Pawtucket, Providence (2), Smithfield, South County, and West Warwick, and there are plans to open a 10th Center in East Greenwich this spring). The Centers serve nutritious meals and offers a special needs program curriculum aligned to state standards and assessment.

Mary Ann, named a “Master Leader” in 2015 by Childcare Exchange, manages a professional team that leads the Centers and consults with struggling childcares to assist with profitability and regulatory compliance. Most recently, Mary Ann has been writing children’s books – such as “Edgar Graduates,” an early childhood book that enhances a child’s vocabulary and the options available for continuing ­education.

The business has benefitted over the years from the US Small Business Administration’s (SBA) myriad programs and services: in late 2011 the Smithfield early learning center obtained an SBA-backed loan; as part of the Class of 2016, the COO completed the SBA’s Emerging Leaders Initiative, an intensive executive-level series designed to accelerate the growth of high-potential small businesses in America’s underserved cities; and members of the management team have completed numerous trainings/workshops hosted

by SBA grantees SCORE Rhode Island and the Center for Women & Enterprise (the Women’s Business Center).

Like so many other small businesses, in 2020 the

pandemic presented one of the most difficult financial challenges for Mary Ann’s business. In March 2020 it had to close all the Centers for three months, leaving the business with limited income and forcing the layoff of most of the

MARY ANN SHALLCROSS SMITH Owner, Dr. Day Care Learning Center

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employees. Management reacted quickly, and the business was able to take advantage of COVID relief programs, including the SBA’s Paycheck Protection Program (PPP).

Since reopening in June 2020, the business has rehired employees, increased enrollment, and increased income almost to pre-pandemic levels.

Because Mary Ann knows how vitally important it is for children to have close links with their community, her business supports community businesses and gives back to community programs that benefit children of all ages. Dr. Day Care financially supports many local nonprofits, including the Boys & Girls Club, Foster Forward, Goodwill Inspiring Minds, local little league/soccer teams, and Pawtucket and Woonsocket Adopt-A-Family. Also, in 1987, Mary Ann founded Kids Klub, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit school-age program that offers before and after school care in three local elementary school districts and currently operates seven programs; Kids Klub sites are nationally accredited by The Council On Accreditation.

In addition to serving on numerous nonprofit boards (including as Chair of the Executive Board of the Northern RI Chamber of Commerce), Mary Ann gives back time and resources to women in the workforce, hosting a free local TV show “Women’s Business” so women can network and share stories. As an early childhood business consultant, she offers small businesses free insight and guidance about the business of running a childcare center.

“Mary Ann’s commitment to children and the childcare industry is unparalleled, and her efforts to support and advocate for Rhode Island’s families and small businesses is legion. Mary Ann is indeed her nickname – ‘Dr. Day Care’ – and the SBA is proud to award Dr. Day Care Learning Center its 2022 Rhode Island and New England WomanOwned Small Business of the Year awards,” said Mark S. Hayward, the SBA RI District Director.

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2022 RHODE ISLAND FINANCIAL SERVICES CHAMPION OF THE YEAR WHILE WILLIAM (BILL) CUNNINGHAM has been a zealous financial services champion of Rhode Island’s entrepreneurs and small businesses for many years, the COVID pandemic drove his passion, commitment, and exceptional work ethic to a new, stratospheric level. In short, Bill has been indefatigable in helping small businesses navigate through the extraordinary financial challenges that the pandemic brought.

Bill, a Rhode Island-licensed CPA, is a senior-level accounting executive with extensive experience in a number of industries, including the arts, entertainment, and recreation, as well as the professional, scientific, and technical services sector. His particular areas of expertise are accounting and cash flow, business plans/startup assistance, financing strategies, and operations. For many years he has guided countless entrepreneurs and small businesses in his role as a Certified Small Business Mentor with the SCORE Rhode Island (SCORE RI) chapter.

Funded in part by the US Small Business Administration (SBA), SCORE is a nonprofit and the nation’s largest network of volunteer, expert business mentors dedicated to helping small businesses get off the ground, grow, and achieve their goals.

Our small business community was under tremendous strain and uncertainty during the early days of the COVID pandemic. Although help was soon to come in the form of myriad federal and state grant and loan programs, the eligibility requirements for that help and the application processes were often detailed, nuanced, and not always easy for a small business owner to understand.

There was an alphabet soup of COVID relief plans: the federal Paycheck Protection Plan (PPP), Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL), Restaurant Revitalization Fund (RRF), and Shuttered Venue Operators Grant (SVOG), in addition to a myriad of State and local grant and loan programs.

Bill stepped up, in a BIG way. During the height of the pandemic – from October 2020 through Septem-

ber 2021 -- Bill was the leader of SCORE RI’s “COVID Response Team,” a group of nine volunteers who met weekly during most of that period to plan, create, and deliver COVID-related educational programs and blogs, as well as to build the knowledge and consistency of the

WILLIAM CUNNINGHAM

SBA.gov/funding-programs/loans/lender-match

chapter’s cadre of volunteers who were counseling small businesses on the many available relief programs. His passion for learning and countless hours of work ensured that SCORE RI’s services to the public were clear, accurate, and timely.

His commitment to our local small businesses didn’t end there. “While other SCORE volunteers stepped up to help the small businesses in need, Bill was by far the biggest contributor to our COVID educational programs and client mentoring,” said James Mutschler, the SCORE RI Chapter Co-Chair who nominated Bill for this award. As one of 50+ local mentors, Bill personally delivered 22% of the nearly 2400 mentoring sessions that SCORE RI held during that time period; more than 44% of SCORE RI’s total workshop attendees also joined in for one of Bill’s COVID-related workshops. Bill supplemented this work by writing blogs that business owners could use and go back to as they made decisions on critical topics such as how to apply for a RRF grant, how to apply for a PPP loan under $50,000, and the ins-and-outs of PPP for the selfemployed.

“I’ve known Bill for a long time, and his energy and drive to find new ways to create value for the RI small business community are unmatched,” said Mark S. Hayward, the SBA Rhode Island District Director. “During the pandemic,” Director Hayward continued, “Bill’s ‘volunteer’ job became a full-time job and then some, and we at the SBA are extraordinarily grateful for his partnership and contributions. He helped ensure that hundreds of our small businesses were able to obtain available relief funds, document the use of those funds, prepare for loan forgiveness and proper debt management, and understand the potential tax ramifications of that relief. We are gratified to be able to recognize Bill as our 2022 Financial Services Champion of the Year.”

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2022 RHODE ISLAND MICROENTERPRISE OF THE YEAR ON A HOT AUGUST DAY almost 100 years ago in a Saunderstown house overlooking Narragansett Bay, “Granny” remembered that her mother-in-law had given her a recipe for a cold tea, a not so common treat in those days. Granny brewed the special blend of black tea, added fresh mint, juice from lemons and sugar, chilled it and, lo and behold, it more than did the trick: it refreshed, it quenched thirst, and, in Granny’s own words, it was “astonishingly delicious”! Granny was surely on to something, and in 2009 Robin Squibb (her granddaughter) founded The Granny Squibb Company in Providence.

For four years now, Kelley McShane has been at the helm of Granny Squibb’s, now located in Westerly. The company markets and sells organic, non-GMO, gluten-free, kosher, preservative-free, and vegan-friendly ready-to-drink iced teas. There are three flavors --Sally’s Lemon, Mojito Lime, and Charlie’s Cranberry, each available sweetened or unsweetened – and the company wholesales throughout New England and sells directly to consumers online. The company also offers what it bills as RI’s newest signature cocktail – The Rhode Island Iced Tea, which includes ingredients from two local, women-owned, organic businesses (Granny Squibb’s Iced Tea and Pawtucket’s RI Spirits), with a portion of sales going to Save the Bay. The goal is to spread Granny’s recipe across the whole country! Over the years, the company has added seven wholesale distribution partners, which in turn has led to hundreds of new retail accounts. It has also partnered with three aggregator services for home deliveries, as well as a third-party fulfiller that ships products directly to consumers nationwide.

While the COVID-19 pandemic posed a challenge to the company, with many of its retail partners facing temporary or permanent closure, the company was able to utilize the US Small Business Administration’s (SBA) COVID-19

KELLEY MCSHANE Co-Owner, Granny Squibb’s Organic Iced Tea

relief programs, specifically the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). Receiving two rounds of PPP funding – in May 2020 and February 2021 – Kelley was able to keep the company running and add a full-time staff position, as well as part-time employees for project-based work.

Besides building a reputable brand identity, leading the company to rapid revenue growth, and navigating it through a global pandemic, Kelley has also oriented it to have a civic focus, arranging charitable partnerships and contributing time, money, and resources. She leads not only the company, but the community as well, serving on boards and committees with Farm Fresh, Amos House, and the Providence Chamber of Commerce. Rhode Island non-profits Providence Animal Rescue League, Hasbro Children’s Hospital, Anchor Recovery, Rhode Island Original, and Blackstone Academy Charter School are among the beneficiaries of the company’s civic focus. The company also has an “If We Can, We Will” initiative designed to help Rhode Islanders reach their philanthropic goals. Kelley is also in the current class of Leadership RI, and she has received a Providence Business News Women in Business award.

“Beyond her success on the balance sheet, Kelley is a successful community leader, showing the wider community just how valuable the small business ecosystem is to all our lives,” said Mark S. Hayward, the SBA RI District Director. “Her personal civic engagement and leadership of the company’s community outreach are a testament not only to her and the business but also to the broader social value of all small businesses. We are thrilled to recognize her and Granny Squibb’s as the 2022 Rhode Island Microenterprise of the Year,” he added.

2022 RHODE ISLAND M I N O R I T Y- OW N E D S M A L L B U S I N E S S O F T H E Y E A R JAVIER BROWN IS PROOF that the America Dream is alive and attainable with hard work. Speaking very little English, Javier came to this country from Venezuela over 25 years ago. At the suggestion of a brother living here in the States, Javier began to research how he could start a packaging and fulfillment business; he also set for himself the goal of becoming fluent in English.

In 2001, using money he had saved in Venezuela, Javier rented a 300 square-foot office in Pawtucket and started O2J, which is a full-service product fulfillment, packaging, and distribution company for the fashion jewelry, apparels, promotional products, housewares, sporting goods, and health and beauty products industries, among others. Now, O2J operates out of a 3,000 square foot space and is able to fulfill substantially more orders every day.

Javier is an insatiable learner, and therein lies the key to O2J’s success. In addition to four years of studying English at CCRI, Javier has been learning about his new country and culture, as well as topics important to small business success. He is always pushing himself to learn and to continue to grow. Javier has taken advantage, and reaped the benefits, of two US Small Business Administration’s (SBA) programs: (1) technical business assistance in the form of trainings/ workshops, as well as free, one-on-one confidential business counseling; and (2) COVID-19 relief funding programs.

Although O2J was thriving before the COVID-19 pandemic, the business was not immune to its effects and was struggling to survive. O2J was able to take advantage of two SBA COVID-relief funding programs: (1) to keep his staff employed, Javier received two Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans, and (2) the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) Program, a way for small businesses negatively impacted by the pandemic to obtain accessible and borrower-friendly capital in order to recover. With this SBA assistance, O2J was able to pivot and scale from bulk order shipping to individual home deliveries, as many businesses

JAVIER BROWN President, O2J, Inc.

and workers were then remote, at-home workers.

To increase his business knowledge, Javier has participated in several SBA programs and workshops and, since 2015, has worked one-on-one with a business counselor at the RI Small Business Development Center (RISBDC), an SBA Resource Partner. Javier’s counselor, Manuel J. Batlle, the RISBDC Assistant State Director, nominated him for this award because of “Javier’s vision to pivot his business from a packaging company in the declining jewelry industry to a fulfillment center in the growing e-commerce industry, his constant quest for business counseling, and his thirst for new knowledge.” Javier has also received business assistance from SCORE RI, as well as participating in Goldman Sachs’ 10,000 Small Businesses program.

Throughout the many years growing O2J, Javier has been steadfast in his desire to give back to his new home that has given him so much. O2J is an active contributor to the RI community: for example, it has donated money to the Special Olympics of RI, as well as Providence Sports and Leadership; and Javier himself has collaborated with Pawtucket’s Blackstone Academy Charter School as a speaker and motivator for recent graduates, sharing his own journey and experiences and encouraging them to believe that any goal can be reached with hard work, continued learning, and skill improvement.

While O2J has not yet recovered to its pre-pandemic levels, it remains in the game and is confidently moving forward to begin its third decade in business. “Javier’s journey should inspire every entrepreneur, and we at the SBA are proud to have been able to assist him at various points in his business’s lifecycle,” said Mark S. Hayward, SBA’s RI District Director. “He is a role model for so many, and we are proud to name O2J as the 2022 Rhode Island MinorityOwned Small Business of the Year,” he added.

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2022 RHODE ISLAND VETERAN- OWNED SMALL BUSINESS OF THE YEAR MARK TOROK, THE OWNER OF Anchor Physical Therapy in Wakefield, began his healthcare career as a US Navy Fleet Marine Force Corpsman, serving for six years before beginning his higher education journey and ultimately earning his Bachelor of Arts in Biology, Master of Science in Physical Therapy, Master of Business Administration, and Doctorate in Physical Therapy.

A former baseball player, Mark is particularly interested in the rehabilitation of the athlete, ACL reconstruction rehabilitation, biomechanics, joint replacement and reconstruction rehabilitation, and sport-specific physical therapy.

He practiced physical therapy for a decade before starting Anchor Physical Therapy (Anchor PT). In order to do so, however, Mark – like many startups -- needed additional capital, and the US Small Business Administration (SBA) was there to help. Working with BankNewport, an SBA lending partner, Mark obtained an SBA-guaranteed loan that, along with his own capital, allowed him to start and build out Anchor PT. Anchor PT opened in May of 2017, and the business grew steadily over the years. Mark had decided, before COVID arrived, to expand Anchor PT and build-out almost twice the existing space to better serve his patients. To that end, he signed a new lease in January 2020 but, by the very next month, COVID was rapidly spreading throughout New England. What did Mark do? He pivoted the business in a way that allowed him to retain his staff while working tirelessly to see patients through telehealth visits including, at a time of tremendous uncertainty and fear, pro bono visits with first responders, grocery workers, and frontline healthcare workers.

When businesses started to reopen and vaccines began to be available, another challenge arose: building materials and construction labor were difficult to get. Mark knew that, if he were going to expand into the new space, he would have to do the demolition and build out himself.

And so he did. With the help of some close friends, he took down and reframed walls, hung drywall, built a new

MARK A. TOROK Founder and Owner, Anchor Physical Therapy, LLC

waiting room, laid flooring, and more – all while seeing patients and running the business during the day.

Mark’s perseverance has borne fruit. Every year since its start in 2017, Anchor PT has steadily grown in a handful of significant measures: it had 1000 patients in 2017 and over 3000 patients in 2021; its revenue and net profit have grown each year between 11% and 23%; it almost tripled its space from 800 square feet when it opened (with a single treatment room that also doubled as Mark’s office) to the current 2,300 square-foot facility; and it started with one physical therapist (Mark) and a part-time administrative person, and today it employs three physical therapists (including Mark) and three administrative support staff – and Mark hopes to add two more physical therapists this year.

Anchor PT has given back to the community and supported a number of charitable causes over the years, including sponsoring the annual Broad Rock Middle School Crazy Coyote Race/5K, South County Hospital Golf Tournament, The Taste of Southern Rhode Island, and various youth sports teams in southern Rhode Island. In addition, Anchor PT serves as an Integrated Clinical Education Site for URI, providing student physical therapists with the mentorship and hands-on education they need to complete their formal education to become healthcare professionals.

“In recognition of Mark’s service to our country as a veteran, his grit and perseverance, and his entrepreneurial and community spirit, the SBA is pleased to name Anchor Physical Therapy the 2022 Rhode Island Veteran-Owned Small Business of the Year,” said Mark S. Hayward, SBA’s Rhode Island District Director.

Physical rehabilitation is not easy, but it helps when the treatment provider knows what true perseverance is and channels that knowledge into motivating people to become the best version of themselves. But isn’t that what a veteran is? Someone who serves to the best of his ability. Well, that’s Mark Torok, an asset to the South County community.

Small businesses power our economy.

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Whether you dream of transforming your business idea into a thriving company, growing your customer base, or expanding into new markets or locations, the SBA is here for you. We offer programs, expertise, and access to capital that will empower you to take your small business to the next level of success.

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2022 RHODE ISLAND YO U N G E N T R E P R E N E U R O F T H E Y E A R IF YOU LOVE READING, this “story” is for you! You’ve surely heard of the mobile library, but what about the mobile bookstore? Yes, that’s right: a mobile bookstore. The “bookstore on wheels” has been here in Rhode Island for three years now, thanks to young entrepreneurs and writers Alexa Trembly and Emory Harkins. They are the co-founders and co-owners of Twenty Stories, which also has a bricks and mortar location on Ives Street in the Fox Point section of Providence.

Alexa and Emory studied creative writing in college, bonded over their love of books and, for real, fell in love.

After graduation they moved to Los Angeles with the idea of a mobile bookstore, their inspiration being LA’s thriving mobile food truck scene and the new spaces it created.

With the help of a Kickstarter campaign, their idea became a reality: Alexa and Emory bought and renovated a 1987 vintage van and began driving around LA offering the twenty books each month that they carefully and personally selected. Why twenty books? In large part because of the van’s limited space – and so, too, the Twenty Stories business name was born.

When Alexa and Emory decided to return to the East Coast less than a year after arriving in LA, they chose Rhode Island and brought along the teal, distinctive van that continues to be at the heart of Twenty Stories and serves as the bookstore’s second location during the summer. That is also when they opened a bricks and mortar bookstore that continues the twenty books concept, along with current and past curations, children’s books, art books, stationary, and more. The bookstore also hosts free public programming, including author readings and community events with writers and artists from across the country – because Alexa and Emory believe that bookstores are community spaces and free public programming is a crucial way to give back. Another example of giving back: the bookstore hosts an annual Book Drive to collect used books for two local nonprofits to which, over the last two years, Twenty Stories has collected and donated more

than 1,300 books.

But, as we all know, the coronavirus pandemic hit and, like many small businesses, Alexa and Emory needed help to stay alive. The van with its relatively low overhead was one thing, but the Ives Street bookstore involved a different – and larger -- set of operating costs. Would they have to close the bricks and mortar store?

ALEXA TREMBLY AND EMORY HARKINS Co-Founders and Co-Owners, Twenty Stories, LLC

Even though the business’ gross revenue from its e-commerce store grew significantly early on in the pandemic -- from 6% to 43% -- Alexa and Emory still needed help. They found it through U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA): a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan secured through SBA banking partner BankNewport, as well as an Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) received directly from the SBA. Sandra McNamara of the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Program worked with Alexa and Emory on their PPP loan application, and she nominated them for this award. As Alexa explained, the funds from both loans were critical to the business, “allowing us to survive the economic instability of the pandemic and helping offset the financial hardship and difficult decision to close the bricks and mortar store to the public for 8 months in 2020.” Twenty Stories survived the pandemic, and it is positioned this year to hire a seasonal part-time employee for the bookmobile.

“Twenty Stories is a terrific addition to Rhode Island’s independent bookstore space. We are delighted to join The Today Show, Forbes, The Boston Globe, and Publisher’s Weekly, among others, that have highlighted Twenty Stories for its innovative and disruptive approach to bookselling.

Because of Twenty Stories’ innovation in creating a market niche, its ability to be resilient during the pandemic, its desire to impact its community, and its determination to keep young people engaged with paper books during this digital era, we are thrilled to recognize Alexa and Emory as the 2022 RI Young Entrepreneurs of the Year,” said Mark S. Hayward, SBA Rhode Island District Director.

Alexa and Emory look forward over the next five years to growing the business’s literary prowess by expanding the fleet of bookmobiles and continuing to connect with both readers and authors in new and authentic ways. Stay tuned for the next chapter of their story!

Keep up with PBN’s 2022 roundup of the leaders making a difference throughout Rhode Island and southeastern Massachusetts.

At companies across the region, notable leaders are running businesses, navigating company restructuring, serving on boards, and investing in growth. The notable individuals profiled in these categories are exemplary examples of the work being done here in our market. Share your success with your customers and employees.

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2022 RHODE ISLAND J O S E P H G . E . K N I G H T AWA R D F O R E N T R E P R E N E U R I A L E XC E L L E N C E SCORE RHODE ISLAND IS PROUD TO ANNOUNCE the Joseph G.E. Knight Award winner for 2022 is Katherine (Katy) Westcott, Founder and Owner of Katrinkles, Inc. Over the past 8 years, Katy has gone from being a sole proprietor doing craft/hobby work from her home, to running a business with over $500K in annual revenue, supported by 11 employees.

Katy graduated from RISD’s Jewelry and Metalsmithing department, worked as a goldsmith in New York City, and later designed costume jewelry in Rhode Island. One day on a lunch break, a coworker showed her how to crochet, which quickly expanded to knitting, sewing, weaving, and spinning wool. As with many hobbyists, making things for herself turned into making things for others. She then turned her hobby into a business and now a passion.

On the journey from a hobbyist to a self-funded company, Katy leveraged a wide range of free business support services, including: • Small business workshops organized by the SBA in conjunction with the Pawtucket Chamber of Commerce; • Workshops organized through the Cranston Chamber of Commerce, the Blackstone Valley Chamber of Commerce, and the Center for Women & Enterprise; • The SCORE Mentor program (beginning in 2019); and • Polaris MEP. Beyond the pride that she must have for her company’s success and her personal success, Katy has benefited others in her community as the business has grown. Her business is supporting crafters with high quality buttons and tools for their projects. Her goods are made locally from durable locally-sourced hardwoods like cherry and birch, and they are finished by hand, giving each piece unique character. From design to production, all Katrinkles products are made in-house by her dedicated team. She and her staff are crafters and artisans themselves, so they know that

the right tool can be an inspiration. Simply put, Katrinkles’ goal is to provide the best tools and materials so that crafters can do their best work.

Katrinkles began in the corner of a loft apartment in Pawtucket in 2012. Given the business’ popularity and growth, it moved multiple times, leading to its current home in the Union Paper building in Providence, where five laser machines and ten people work in 2,200 square feet. As her revenue increased, her production volume and working space expanded, as well as her staff. Since 2019, Katrinkles has provided health insurance and retirement benefits for employees similar to much larger companies.

But there is more to the story!

Katrinkles is a woman-owned business that is proud to prioritize using American manufacturers for its supplies and use sustainable materials. Katy has contributed money to numerous charitable causes including Raices, AS220, the Southern Law Poverty Center, the American Civil Liberties Union, Planned Parenthood, the New England Youth Sheep Show, the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, Farm Fresh Rhode Island, Heifer International, and more.

The story of Katy Westcott is not just a story about an amazing woman with a vision: it is also a story about values, perseverance and a commitment to ensure that our communities are positively impacted. “Katy and her team have been an inspiration to our Chapter, growing through the challenges of COVID and building a business that serves customers all over the world,” said SCORE chapter

KATHERINE (KATY) WESTCOTT Founder and Owner, Katrinkles, Inc.

co-chair Jim Mutschler. “We expect she will continue to expand and be a great model for how to leverage all the wonderful services and resources available to small business owners,” he added.

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2022 RHODE ISLAND D I S T R I C T D I R E C TO R A WA R D WHILE THE IMPACT that the Rhode Island Small Business Development Center (RISBDC), hosted by the University of Rhode Island, and SCORE Rhode Island have had on their thousands of clients over the years can never be overlooked, their work during the COVID-19 pandemic has left an indelible mark on the local small business community. With their tireless work assisting thousands of small businesses in the Ocean State, there is no doubt that there are countless companies still open today thanks to their efforts and guidance.

During Fiscal Year 2021 (October 1, 2020 through September 30, 2021), the RISBDC served 761 clients via their center directors and wide array of consultants. During that same time, they had 2,686 individuals attend their training events. RISBDC was second to none in adapting their trainings to 100% online and switching their topics to guide their client businesses in pivoting and operating during COVID. They hired expert consultants in a variety of fields to keep up with the demand from clients on specific topics and within specific industries.

Also, during Fiscal Year 2021, the Rhode Island chapter of SCORE was named the Northeast Region Chapter of the Year in recognition of its commitment to outstanding service in helping entrepreneurs start and grow businesses over the past year. During the height of the pandemic, SCORE Rhode Island provided free services to 2,386 local entrepreneurs, mentoring 826 unique clients across almost 2,400 total counseling sessions, and achieving one of the highest client satisfaction ratings in the country. In that same time, the chapter offered 49 virtual workshops that attracted 1,678

attendees. The work that SCORE has done to support its clients resonated with many in the community, as the chapter grew its volunteer ranks by 26%, from 50 volunteers to 63, as many looked to “give back” by helping small businesses.

“There is no doubt in my mind that, without the efforts of the wonderful people at the Rhode Island Small Business Development Center and SCORE Rhode Island, we would have seen hundreds if not thousands of local businesses be out of business today,” said SBA District Director Mark S. Hayward. “We are fortunate to have such incredible people who work day and night for their clients.

Under the leadership of State Director Diane Fournaris at the SBDC, and SCORE Co-Chairs Jeff Bodenstab and Jim Mutschler, I am confident our local entrepreneurs will continue to recover and thrive in the years to come,” Hayward added.

DIANE FOURNARIS

JAMES MUTSCHLER

JEFF BODENSTAB

Chapter Co-Chair, Rhode Island SCORE

Chapter Co-Chair, Rhode Island SCORE

Director, Rhode Island Small Business Development Center (RISBDC)

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Pleas to fix R.I.’s ‘broken’ behavioral health system

EYES ON THE PRIZE

BY MARC LAROCQUE | Larocque@PBN.com

IN THE WAKE OF THE COVID-19 pandemic, treatment providers, advocates and lawmakers are calling for Rhode Island to confront its problems with access to mental health care.

Despite a federal law called the 2008 Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act that’s meant to prevent such problems, barriers to psychological treatment in Rhode Island make it hard for holders of both commercial insurance and Medicaid to see a provider, receive therapy and get the medication for mental conditions, according to advocates, therapists and patients.

“At the moment, unfortunately, I would have to say that the behavioral

HEALTH MATTERS

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LIFTOFF: Jaia Robotics LLC owner Ian Estaphan Owen launches one of his company’s aquatic robots in Narragansett Bay. Newport-based Jaia could be a benefactor if the University of Rhode Island Research Foundation’s proposal to boost the blue economy is named a winner in the $1 billion Build Back Better Regional Challenge.

PBN PHOTO/RUPERT WHITELEY

2 key R.I. sectors could get $100M infusion from federal competition

BY CASSIUS SHUMAN | Contributing Writer

IAN ONE LAST THING

Turn uncertainty into opportunity Peter A. Mello | 38

ESTAPHAN OWEN LAUNCHED A MARINE ROBOTICS COMPANY LESS THAN two years ago with the aim of helping combat the effects of climate change.

But getting the Newport-based business up to speed hasn’t been easy.

Owen, who worked at Raytheon Technologies Corp. in the United Kingdom before relocating to its facility in Portsmouth, developed underwater robotic equipment at several companies before founding Jaia Robotics LLC in 2020. The company uses torpedo-shaped robots to conduct geological surveys, identify hazards, track pollution and make other environmental assessments for its clients.

“I have a passion for the environment,” Owen said. “We need a healthy ocean that is accessible to all.”

Owen says the excitement surrounding Rhode Island’s blue economy was a motivator for starting his business, but for all the buzz, he’s finding there’s a lack of venture capital and job training, and not nearly enough support from the state government.

“The state could do more to attract angel investors,” he said recently.

Help could be on the way.

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