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“Depending on fossil fuels to power our civilizations necessities is not sustainable in the long term. With our business acumen, we aim to assist families in transitioning to a more eco-friendly and sustainable alternative such as solar. We have taken great care to establish a reputation for doing things correctly and ethically.”

Sustaining long term growth isn’t something just the Celtics focus on – Valentino Perrina and his team at Premier Solar do just that. The team specializes in providing solar solutions to households all throughout the New England region, helping the area bridge the gap from historical practices to the next step in global sustainability. In addition to solar energy options, Premier Solar also offers guidance and education to families to help them make informed decisions about their potential transition to solar energy as a primary source of power. At its core, Premier Solar aims to make solar energy a more widely accepted solution to their power needs in-home. Valentino and his team have taken great care to establish a reputation for doing things both ethically and correctly, and envision their business growing tenfold as they strive to make significant impact across the region.

“The Boston Celtics evoke thoughts of trailblazing, a storied legacy, and unwavering greatness. Our goal is to emulate their leadership both on and off the court, establishing ourselves as pioneers in our industry.”

"Seeking out good food was always important for my family as I was growing up. I remember family meals when everyone would spend lunch talking about what we were going to have for dinner. The focus on good ingredients and well-made food stuck with me.”

Rodrigo Vargas has had an affinity for cooking since a young age, and it has inspired one of the most unique and purpose-driven small businesses in the Boston area. While working a corporate job, Rodrigo would often cook at home but was struck by the lack of inspiration behind American produced vinegars. Given how far American wines, ciders, and beers have come, Rodrigo noticed a gap in the vinegar field. Given these products are used to produce vinegar, it was time to catch up to their counterparts, and thus American Vinegar Works was established.

Rodrigo and his team produce small-batch vinegars that can be used for cooking, salads, and cocktails in your home kitchen. What makes American Vinegar Works product stand out is the ingredients, process, and commitment to a positive environment. As opposed to many traditional vinegar makers, the team here uses select American alcohols, assuring the products will never be produced with leftovers or spoiled wines. The fermentation process is a rebuilt version from 1823, and Rodrigo worked with local universities to solidify and perfect the process. To finish it off, all vinegars are aged in old whiskey barrels to mellow the flavors. In addition to this, American Vinegar Works uses 100% renewable energy at the facility, sources local ingredients, and also employs adults with developmental disabilities to bottle all the vinegars. The facility is located in Worcester, and produces small batch and wholesale vinegars all throughout America.

"Throughout my life, my mom has always made sure to create spreads that absolutely fill our family table. Whether we were celebrating a birthday, or a random Saturday afternoon, the delicious spreads feel endless. This small business allows me to share the same love for celebrations and delicious food as my mom with each and every one of my customers. Growing up in a home where every occasion felt special has fueled the love and passion behind Bellevue Boards.”

Since she was a young girl, Jackie Connor shared a special affinity with cheese & traveling. She marveled at global hotspots such as France, where the delicacies of charcuterie and exploration are a staple in the surrounding cultures and communities. Prior to the COVID-19 shutdown, Jackie was working as a travel specialist in Boston – what she thought was her dream job. After moving on from this job due to the pandemic, Connor was proactive and opportunistic, completing her MBA at Salve Regina in quick turn to accomplish something greater. It was here that she turned her love for charcuterie into her real dream, creating Bellevue Boards.

Bellevue Boards is located in the cozy town of Newport, Rhode Island, and specializes in daily orders, on and off-site board styling classes, and special events. Her reach extends through Massachusetts and Rhode Island as she grows her business. Jackie does it all – product creation, sourcing, digital management, photography, and finance…creating her own diverse charcuterie board of skills! In the future, Jackie hopes to expand her team and footprint in communities she has yet to connect with. Whether other locations pop up, or the product expands, one thing is for certain – Bellevue Boards is a business worth rooting for.

“I don’t simply work to fix behaviors, I teach people how to understand their dog for the animal that they are, to fulfill them as such, and to interact with them in a way they’ll understand. This builds connections, instills trust between the dog and the human – allowing the human to become their dog’s pack leader.”

From an early age, Jacqulene Brzozowski knew she had a special ability with canines. Growing up with dogs in her family, one special experience helped her confirm that she had a gift, and she knew she needed to capitalize on it. Jac loved dogs, spending years watching training shows on National Geographic and soaking in some of the key lessons. It wasn’t until she used some of these skills to modify the behaviors of her dog, Buster, that she realized Canine Training was a future. Buster’s aura changed seamlessly, and Jacqulene had rehabilitated the family dog into a better behaved friend for all.

After volunteering several years at a local animal shelter, Jac honed her skills and gained extensive experience that has helped her get where she is today with Jac’s Pack. After she brought home her first puppy, Rizzo, Jacqulene put her fear aside and started out on the journey that is Jac’s Pack Canine Behavior & Training. She is a canine behaviorist that assists owners in understanding the HOW and WHY of their animals, offering private sessions, group classes, and other services. It is Jacqulene’s goal to one day open up a full service facility, and even branch into Service Dog training.

After emigrating to America in the 1980s, Sola Ajao was devastated to find the lack of representation and appreciation for African food in her surrounding community. With it being such a prominent part of her life before moving, Sola was unable to find seasonings, raw foods, and snacks that she was so accustomed to in her homeland. While Sola has made strides, unfortunately this is still the case today. In the middle of the pandemic, Sola opened her first brick-and-mortar location in Randolph, Destiny African Market, to make African foods and goods more accessible to the African and Afro-Caribbean immigrant community.

“At Destiny African Market, food is our love language,” says Sola. “We enjoy being the premier place to find African snacks, drinks, and raw foods that you can’t find anywhere else in the Boston Area.” Since she started cooking at age 12 in Nigeria, Sola found her passion with food and the benefits it provides people, outside of fulfilling hunger. Inspired by her mother, Ajao pays homage to those before her. Her mother had a long-standing market in Nigeria, and was a philanthropic force in her community, something Sola tries to emulate by hosting annual food giveaways to her community.

African foods are an acquired taste, something Ajao understands. She looks to convey different opportunities to normalize it amongst her community, in order to make African food top-of-mind and a staple, such as Chinese and Italian foods in American culture. Priding herself on customer service, Sola plans to dedicate shelf space at no cost to other local African-serving small businesses in order to promote the culture. Destiny African Market also plans to host live cooking classes, and continue to become a hub for people to connect and learn about African diaspora. On top of food, Destiny African Market also provides key African totes, such as hair care products, hats, silk bonnets, décor & jewelry – and even kitchen appliances!

Sola and her colleagues represent and serve a wide variety of culturally diverse communities. They enjoy providing their services to all people, providing insight to the beauty and greatness of African culture. Earlier this season, Sola received a citation certificate from the Massachusetts State Senate for her dedication to the community and longevity in food entrepreneurship – hanging her own proverbial Banner in the market for display.

Starting in the roots of her Haitian heritage, plants have been a staple Weslie Etienne Pierre’s life since she could remember. She grew up surrounded by plants, but it wasn’t until the COVID pandemic that she found her true passion of plant care, sharing her journey across her social platforms. This quickly snowballed into a robust interior plant design business, and WesLeaf Designs & Décor was born.

WesLeaf Designs & Décor specializes in plant care & design, plant maintenance, virtual and in-person consultations, as well as corporate gifting, parties, and even speaking engagements. One of Weslie’s goals is to create a strong community around plants by sharing her journey and bringing inspiration to others. “WesLeaf’s mission is to bring the beauty of nature indoors…one leaf at a time,” says Weslie, “and plants are equitable. They can be accessed by all, and anyone can find a point of connection with plants.” This is what motivates Weslie, and she envisions a future where WesLeaf partners with schools, businesses, and community-based organizations to teach about all of the benefits that plants bring forth.

Weslie prides herself on business equity and the close connections with the Boston community. She believes in the power of plants, and all that they can do for people. WesLeaf Designs & Décor bleeds Green…literally!

After numerous trips up to Shrewsbury to stock up on their favorite wines and other items, Olivia and Rachel Scanlon began to dream up a scenario of a local alternative that would save them time and foster a fun environment. Thus, Canal District Wines was born in the heart of Worcester!

What was formerly a “wine desert”, Canal District Wines neighborhood in Worcester now has a one-stop-shop for all customers in the area to learn as much – or as little – about wine as they would like, while enjoying a fun space to connect with other enthusiasts. Described as a wine bottle shop and tasting room, this location in Worcester Public Market sells thoughtfully-curated bottles, hosts weekly wine tastings, and even hosts private event for locals. It is Olivia and Rachel’s desire to leave a long-lasting legacy of playing a crucial role in the renaissance of Worcester. The growth of Canal District Wines and the growth of Worcester go hand-in-hand, and the area is growing thanks to their commitment to its vibrant and powerful small business culture.

While Rachel is a principal at a regional elementary school, and Olivia serves a plethora of high-ranking duties across various theaters and schools in the area, they both find time to create a fun and welcoming space, especially for the LGBTQ+ community that they are a part of.

Last year, my husband, our pup Wilson, and I bought our first home. I wanted to create a Zen, urban sanctuary that combines both eastern and western aesthetics. It was difficult to find design inspirations as well as specific décor that perfectly translated our vision. I did a lot of creative thinking and research, and furnished our entire condo. I loved the outcome, and fell in love with interior decorating in the process. I developed a passion for bringing similar modern, Asian inspired designs into other homes. In January 2021, I took a leap of faith and started Hanwen Interiors, LLC.” Born and raised in China, Evan Bai was interested in both art and science at an early age. Travelling to the U.S. at age 17, Evan attended undergrad and eventually attained his PhD in genetics from Yale University. He moved to Boston to pursue a job as a computational biologist, working on life-threatening genetic diseases. After purchasing his first home and finding a love for interior design, Hanwen Interiors was born and Evan achieved “his American dream” – PhD scientist by day, interior decorator by night….and dog parent 24/7! In just 9 months, Hanwen Interiors was featured on the cover of the Boston Globe Magazine, showcasing the beauty of his work. Evan believes that home should be a sanctuary for every homeowner to find their peace and retreat at the end of each day. He aspires to help homeowners create their dream homes, while bringing his uniquely modern aesthetics to the table. He strives to create a lasting impact by showcasing his heritage, while also providing support to his surrounding communities, including the local LGBTQ+ non-profits. Evan proudly donates a portion of his design fees back to these non-profits, as this support is one of the cornerstones of his business. He wants to make his voice heard, and while working on life-threatening diseases by day and designing unique homes by night, Evan is doing just that.

“We are four friends who are always interested in craft making…the idea of Tutuland came from a gift-making thought process. We wanted to create something unique for our family and friends, and rug making and pouring arts caught our attention. Thus, we opened our own craft shop named Tutuland.”

Located in Allston, Tutuland is a custom rug and craft shop, providing customers with a range of services. When you come into the shop, you are surrounded by a complex color wall of yarn and examples from previous customers to provide a visual aid as you work through your creation. Glenn and his team assist the entire way, creating a workshop like experience that teaches consumers about the rug making process from start to finish before they get to work on their art piece. After that, customers give their skills a try alongside their friends. Glenn aims to curate an environment that is fun and relaxed, but also provides people with a place to hangout and enjoy some time with their loved ones. His goal to provide high quality services to customers and bring joy to the Boston area. The smiles on his customers’ faces are his best motivation, and fulfilling a need to have fun and create unforgettable experiences is something Glenn and his team truly value.

Before owning The Happy Journey, I was a teacher, primarily at Boston Children’s Hospital, where I taught children at their bedside within the ICU, oncology, and cardiology units. This experience changed my life. One of my dearest patients, Emmet, passed away from aplastic anemia on my last day working. He said to me that you only have one life to live, so take many risks. I asked myself was something I wanted to accomplish, and decided to write a children’s book which became The Happy Journey. The book became the toy shoppe in winter of 2021.”

The story of The Happy Journey is a powerful one. Linday Perrelli forged a strong relationship with one of her patients, Emmet, and created something she would never forget. After writing The Happy Journey book, Lindsay vowed to donate a portion of book sales continuously to Emmet’s Playground, a park in Emmet’s hometown built to remember him with his peers. After opening the shop in 2021, The Happy Journey took on a new meaning, supplying children in the Boston area with classical toys to cherish. Lindsay also fosters a positive environment in the store, providing workspaces for local children to do arts and crafts – some of which end up on the very shop’s walls for display. Lindsay takes immense pride in getting to know her customers, creating joyful interactions, and unique (but fun) offerings. Don’t worry however – the store is filled with classical toys that have been staples across generations.

“Starting a business from the ground up is truly rewarding. I started out with just a suitcase of handmade jewelry and a couple folding tables and ended up creating a thriving brick and mortar shop that carries more than fifty women owned brands. I am so grateful that I am able to do what I do and that people continue to show up at my little shop everyday. Being a small business that supports other small businesses is Wyllo in a nutshell.”

Wyllo’s journey has been unique, with their owner, Alyssa, beginning as a maker herself. She created and sold her jewelry at various outdoor markets across Boston for four years, at a pace of 4-5 markets per week. In 2020, Alyssa found a cozy brick & mortar space for her to begin her dream. Through her various connections during her time at outdoor markets, she was able to establish a strong network of women artists and makers. Thus, Wyllo was born. All of the goods inside of Wyllo are sourced from small batch, women owned brands from around the Boston area. Building a community has always been an integral part of Wyllo’s mission, and in addition to their products they offer workshops for the community – these range from candles, pottery, soap making, and more! Knowing how difficult it can be to get a small business started and for it to thrive, Alyssa and Wyllo are always looking for ways to uplift other small businesses to help to them grow. Alyssa’s goal as a shop owner is to share these stories with each customer, bringing unmatched meaning to each and every good they purchase.

“I hope Grazy continues to encourage the community to support local and shop small. These makers and growers are the pillars of our communities…If we leave a legacy, we hope it is one of being a supportive partner to our community and neighbors.”

The inspiration behind Grazy came from the need for local experiences and delicious, premium products during the pandemic, a time when it was hard to feel uplifted for many. Grazy was dreamt up in the Worcester Street Community Garden in Boston’s South End - a place where founder, Kelley spent many days throughout the pandemic growing her own food and sharing it with friends. Kelley imagined being able to ship the feeling of receiving fresh picked food across the country and continues to work towards curating gifts that spread joy and support the community’s small makers. Grazy launched with local delivery of our boxes to Boston and surrounding towns and has since grown to offer nationwide shipping of all of our gift boxes along with custom business gifting and gift branding. The key thing that motivates Kelley every day are the gift notes from customers to their recipients. Grazy continues to be a part of so many impactful moments of celebration, mourning, congratulations or I’m sorrys. No matter the gift, Grazy always provides the highest quality products with the best service to do the gesture of giving justice.

"The inspiration behind creating the business originates with the desire to bridge different geographical areas from The Navy Yard and Charlestown as well as the Greater Boston community. We not only want to create a world-class venue that is VERY different than anything else in Boston, we want to ensure that it is truly welcoming and accommodating to all people – which also differentiates it from many similar businesses."

After nearly two decades as the Founder and President of The Anthem Group, Chris Sinclair and his team have taken on the task of activating Boston's Navy Yard. Their motivation to do so stems from making the area a welcoming and accessible destination for a diverse cross section of the City’s residents and neighbors. From there, Chris' team was inspired to build an inclusive culture for both Boston residents and visitors alike to establish and to continuously improve upon its trendsetting activation and to create a world-class public gathering and special event space. They did just that with "The Anchor." The Anchor is Boston’s only multi-story public gathering space, performing and visual arts venue, hospitality outlet and special event setting located right in Charlestown. Aside from creating a space that welcomes all socioeconomic backgrounds to a safe, vibrant, stunning location that is accessible and available to everybody both inside and outside of Charlestown, Chris and The Anchor team have made an immeasurable impact on local communities. In partnership with several dozens of non-profit organizations, The Anchor has brought over 2000 disadvantaged youth from all Boston neighborhoods and surrounding communities to the Navy Yard.

"Boston is a resilient city, we have shown it going all the way back to the Revolution. Boston stands for excellence and it is reflected in our Celtics. Boston and the Celtics are full of tradition and I can only hope that what me and my family are doing to keep old school deli traditions alive with Michael's Deli will be our legacy and standard."

Steven Peljovich bought Michael's Deli a little over 10 years go and has been driven to create nostalgia for folks who grew up with memories of their family going to their local deli and to introduce people to the great food you can get made fresh in a true old school deli. A Brookline staple since 1977, Michael's Deli provides the community with an old school deli made from family and traditional deli recipes. Steven hopes to expand the business and spread more of the love that he has for what Michael's does. Though, for now, they're focus is to continue to survive this pandemic as they continue to fight supply, pricing, fear, decreased traffic, and lack of catering issues. One of the reasons Steven believes Michael's made it through the last 2 years is the work they have done in their community. "The support from my community, especially in the first 6-8 months of the pandemic, is why we are still here today."

"My hope is that 9Tailors is remembered for its championing of diversity and inclusivity, pioneering strides in unlocking accessible custom clothing, and its sole purpose of serving its community. I hope our legacy as a business that is owned and operated by a woman of color inspires others to defy all guidelines and dream big."

While working in the management consulting space, Samantha Shih saw a white space for a new entity in custom suiting, where tailoring wasn’t always meeting the needs and wants of every unique body that wanted to wear a suit. After combining some newfound knowledge about tailor-made clothing with the natural inclination she always had to start a business, she trusted her gut, left her consulting job, and founded 9Tailors in 2008. Thus, 9Tailors was born to fulfill a decade-long demand for inclusivity in an industry that deserved a big change. Samantha's hope is that 9Tailors is remembered for championing diversity and inclusivity, pioneering strides in unlocking accessible custom clothing, and its sole purpose of serving its community. In the Boston community, 9Tailors has been partnering with outreach organizations throughout the city for over a decade now, but made a major impact during the pandemic by commissioning their tailors to make face masks using leftover materials from their shirt production and creating a buy one, give one program, where every face mask sold equaled a donated mask to local nonprofits.

"Healthcare can be convoluted, unapproachable, and often times not affordable for the public. We hope to break down these barriers by making Physical Therapy convenient, affordable, and approachable. We hope PT Prehab empowers others to feel in control of their health and wellbeing for the long term."

During the height of the pandemic, Courtney James was working at an outpatient Physical Therapy clinic and began to ask herself, besides the pandemic, what other barriers to entry are stopping people from seeking Physical Therapy? After some thought, she found three common factors: convoluted insurance costs, busy schedules, and the misconception that you need a physician referral before seeing a Physical Therapist. She then began to envision what a solution could look like and, with the help of a talented support system, she founded PT Prehab. PT Prehab is a cash-based, telehealth physcial therapy company whose overarching goal is to empower individuals to take care of their movement health before there is an issue or address discomfort before it gets worse. Courtney is most proud that she acted on her vision. "PT Prehab is the result of seeing a problem, envisioning a solution, extremely hard work, and a wonderful support system."

"I hope Boston remembers that we fueled an entire movement from HERE. That we did it OUR way, with the backing of our community first, and that we stayed true and steadfast to our values. I hope Boston remembers that we changed the whole world from Roxbury, and that means that anything is possible."

Heather C. White came up in the original streetwear era and along the way learned how to build activations that could speak to and inspire the culture. Now, years later, she's taken everything she learned from the sneaker industry and channeled it into what she hopes to be the future of the wellness industry with TRILLFIT. Heather's inspiration for TRILLFIT came from an errant thought of "maybe there was a way to bring this level of service [to the wellness industry] that just felt better...that was better." Now, with 18 new studios across the country on the horizon, Heather is most proud of the fact that they never shied away from doing what was right or taking a stand. What started as a pathway for diversity in the wellness industry has now become a company that is re-creating the culture in realtime.

"We share a passion for excellence and love for the community [with the Celtics]. Boston is the City of Champs! We are also a city of history and home to many many firsts in this nation. The Celtics organization is all about the team, not only the players, but the entire front-of-house and back-of-house team, just like ZaZ. We put the team first and do it all for the love of our community, their health, their wellness, and their enjoyment."

Chef Orlie Roberts grew up learning to cook at a young age on his home island of Grenada, but needed to support his family upon his arrival in the U.S. so he put his passion for cooking on the back-burner. After some time as a welder, he decided to go to culinary school where he had an opportunity to intern in Spain. Following the completion of school, it was time for Orlie to go all the way and opened up ZaZ, named after his children Zariah and Zalin (and Kaleb) who are his greatest motivation. Orlie and Zaz pride themselves on marching to the beat of their own drum abiding by the mantra that “we serve fresh food, not fast food." Orlie's hope is that ZaZ leaves a lasting impression of awe with thos who expoerience the restaurant.

"Our goal is to create quality candles that everyone can afford. We pride ourselves on our meticulous craftsmanship and ethical production. We thoughtfully source all of our ingredients to create safe and sustainable products that are phthalate-free, petroleum-free, cruelty-free, and never tested on animals.”

Greg Dekermenjian founded Sky Candle Co. to provide Boston with hand-poured candles made with all-natural ingredients with no additives, dyes, or preservatives. Aside from providing those in Boston with a clean product for their homes, the company has taken on a larger mission. Named after their founder’s French bulldog rescue, Sky Candle Co. donates 10% of all their profits to local animal rescues. Through their contribution to Last Hope K9, Greg and Sky Candle Co. hope to connect more dogs and cats to homes/families who will love them for years to come! 

"We share a strong belief in racial and gender equality with the Celtics. Establishing our business in Boston, even during pandemic, has been a wonderful opportunity. As an equity minded, minority owned business, we have found that we are exactly what so many in Boston are looking for, and our success speaks to clearly shared values."

Ejay Eisen has been working in the dog field for over 20 years. Over those 20 years, he developed a particular passion for training service dogs for people with disabilities. Deciding it was time for him to build his own company, he founded Ruff Translating in 2015. While focusing on providing service dog, behavior modification, and pet dog training in a relaxed but intentional environment, Ejay is conscious of his surrounding community. As a white, trans, disabled and queer owned business, Ruff Translating aims to create a welcoming space for all, including those Celtics fans, queer individuals, transgender people, and disabled future service dog handlers who are looking for a thoughtful and playful dog training experience. Ejay hopes to continue to break down the traditional "dog culture" mindset, believing that "[Ruff Translating] is not looking for a seat at the table - we’re building a new table. That new table includes taking care of our employees as well as our clients in ways that are thoughtful, innovative, and intentional."

We want to be remembered for transforming urban areas into thriving ecosystems for pollinators and people. To me, barren rooftops are missed opportunities for lush green spaces, with growing vegetables that feed our communities and bountiful blooms that feed our bees. Did you know that green rooftops can lower temperatures in cities by 5 degrees? This dream of verdant cities isn’t a grandeur fantasy, it’s a practical solution to combating climate change."

In 2009, Noah Wilson-Rich recognized that honeybee colonies were disappearing across the U.S. Driven to understand how he could save them, he co-founded "The Best Bees Company" after entering, and winning, a Shark-Tank-like competition at MIT. "The Best Bees Company" is fueled by science and offers professionally managed beehives for residents and businesses in the Boston area and other cities in the US. Their team of local beekeepers spends their days taking care of beehives - tending to the queen, collecting honey, and tracking bee-data through a proprietary app called Bzzz. Over the next 4-5 years, Noah hopes to continue to improve our environment with his team that motivates him every day. "We are the next gen of beekeepers; we’re young, diverse, black, white, brown, and every color of the rainbow. We’re connected to our environment and are making choices to improve it every day."

"We want to be known as leaders in the Sustainability field. We believe sustainability is the way of life for the future in order to combat climate change and work hard to provide our services because we truly care about the health of our city's residents and of our planet."

Maria Vasco founded Uvida Shop during her senior year of college at UMASS Boston with the goal of combatting the global plastic pollution problem. After proposing her idea of opening a 100% plastic-free storefront to a venture firm on her campus, she was awarded a 5k scholarship and was able to start the business. Today, Uvida Shop is Boston’s first and only zero waste store and refillery. Located in the North End and East Boston, with a Brookline location coming in early 2022, Maria hopes Uvida shop creates a sense of community with positive impacts such as sharing fun experiences and believing in a better future for us all. While becoming leaders in the sustainability field is important, the main motivation for Maria is to provide future generations a livable world.

"What motivates me every day is working with my employees and empowering them. I love baking and creating more jobs. I also love helping others with my by teaching my workshop. I'm most proud of having my own company but also creating jobs for people with any types of disabilities."

Collette Divitto, the owner of Collettey's Cookies in Charlestown, was born in 1990 with Down Syndrome, has been creating her own recipe for cookies for fun! But after repeated rejection when applying for a job, Collette was determined to open her own business and try to earn a living on her own. Collette has sold over 400,000 cookies to date and Collettey’s Cookies now employs 15 people, several with disabilities. Collette travels around the country to share her inspiring story, and constantly encourages people to focus on their abilities rather than what they can’t do.

"Being able to share my passion and talent with local community organizations such as the Daniel Marr Boys and Girls Club through Floral Workshops brings me so much joy. Kids ask the craziest questions and it’s so fun teaching them something new."

Jennifer Allen-Coughlan, the owner of Market Floral in Boston, was born and raised in Dorchester and used her passion for interior design to help design weddings and events for the people of Boston. Despite the cancellation of many events and the tragic passing of her father during the COVID-19 pandemic, Jennifer was driven to use her floral business to boost the morale in Boston and provide some cheer during the tough days. Market Floral created “Blooms of Happiness” to be sent to frontline workers who have worked endlessly through the pandemic and “Kids Floral Kits” to provide young children at home with something fun to do during the pandemic.

"Our name “anoush’ella” means MAY IT BE SWEET. It’s an expression of the love, pride, and enjoyment that goes into serving someone who enjoys your food and thanks you. Our name reflects our belief that part of the joy of living lies within the food we eat and share with loved ones."

Raffi & Nina Festekjian, the owners of Anoush’Ella in Boston, strive to ensure that love and passion are the key ingredients in each dish they serve customers as it awakens the palate, enriches the mind, and satisfies the soul. Despite having to permanently close their Lynnfield location as a result of the COVID-19 Pandemic, Raffi and Nina felt they had a responsibility toward their community to continue. With their primary motivation being to help address the devastation of the pandemic, they decided to provide free food for all unemployed restaurant workers and offered free food to local hospitals, delivering a 50% discount to all front-line workers.

"Our young people are our greatest strength and our primary motivation. Youth at MTW have been failed by systems that are supposed to support them, but they show up to work every day, despite their history of trauma, compounding risk factors, and chaotic lives. They deserve a place where they can build the skills they need to overcome the barriers they face."

More Than Words was built on the notion that social services could be better delivered using a small business that offered meaningful opportunities for empowerment. Sixteen years later, MTW serves more than 350 young people annually in social enterprises that generate more than $3.3M in revenue each year. Naomi Parker, MTW's Chief Advancement Officer, is dedicated to offering the most vulnerable youth skill building opportunities through various roles in the business and the compassionate accountability needed to help move their lives forward every day.

Use code CELTICS for 15% off all products on the More Than Words website.

"The best analogy I can give other small businesses is 'You're running a race, you can see the finish line but you're fatigued. You continue to push towards the finish line but all of a sudden you stop running. Because you stopped running, you'll never know if you actually lost the race and you'll never know if you could have won, but you do know YOU QUIT.' Keep Pushing!!!"

Anthony Caldwell, the Executive Chef and owner of 50 Kitchen in Dorchester, is driven to ensure his restaurant is a place that represents second chances, the power of community and cultural diversity through the food and the people that we serve. Guided by his faith and resiliency, he wanted to provide his community with a restaurant that reflected the neighborhood and that’s when he came up with the Southern and Asian American Fusion concept that is now 50 Kitchen. 50 Kitchen opened 3 weeks prior to the beginning of the pandemic, causing struggles that were difficult to navigate through, but Anthony's mentors helped him come up with creative strategies to ensure his restaurant stayed afloat.

"Charlie's is more than just a restaurant, it's a landmark. Since opening in 1927, Charlie's has played an intricate role in Boston's rich history including being famous for being one of the early restaurants to be a significant supporter and defender of African American rights. We wanted to keep this restaurant alive and provide new and old customers with the opportunity to build more beautiful memories."

Charlie's Sandwich Shoppe in the South End has been a staple in Boston for nearly 100 years. In 2017, Damian and Sheree Marciante chose to purchase the restaurant in hopes to bring Charlie’s back to the community after it was briefly closed. Since then, the one-of-a-kind Charlie's experience is alive and well. The restaurant pays tribute to it's original design with photos draping the walls of celebrities who've visited, photos showing blockbuster movies filmed in the restaurant, and even pictures of presidents that have visited the historic diner. Most importantly for Damian and Sheree, owning Charlie's is about providing Boston with a place that brings friends and families together while creating a family of their own with their staff, customers, members of the community.

"We hope that we've made life a little bit easier and more delicious. There are so many demands placed on modern families between work, school, home, and activities - mealtime is an opportunity to reconnect and refuel, but it's also a ton of work to keep everyone fed with good, healthy food they actually want to eat. Just about everyone needs help feeding their family, so we started Not Just Co. to be that friend sitting at the kitchen counter shucking corn and telling you you're doing great."

Jacqueline Grady Smith and Catherine Smart bonded over their love of cooking and lack of time for it as busy parents. Realizing they were not the only ones facing this predicament, they started "Not Just Co." in 2018 because every overwhelmed, overworked person deserves a personal chef, but hardly anyone can actually afford one. They've each faced challenges while starting their own company. Namely, a global pandemic and a child being diagnosed with, and beating, a rare pediatric cancer, but they've continued to use their no-nonsense Yankee sensibility to help more and more people with the dinner juggle.

"2020 was truly challenging – our storefront has been closed now for over a year (we’re re-opening this May!), but we are so grateful for our community for continuing to support us and choose Curio spices."

Claire Cheney, the owner of Curio Spice Co in Cambridge, realized the spice industry was in need of massive changes after she visited spice producers around the world, from saffron to cinnamon to pepper farms. Inspired by the people she met on her travels and the beautiful micro-climates from Cambodia to Sri Lanka, Claire started Curio Spice Co. to introduce customers to fresh spices, sourced directly from small farms across the world, and blended into creative, original spice blends. Through Claire and Curio’s efforts to import spices directly from small farms, often paying 20x the commodity price, they are starting to make positive changes that impact small-holder farmers in real time.

"I am very proud that I have been able to provide long-term well-paid jobs to my staff, many who have been with me for many years. Success is often is because of a group rather than an individual so it important that I share the success with my fellow workers."

Jim Hoben, the owner of El Pelon in Boston, is motivated to keep his business running during the hard times by his customers and surrounding community. With the COVID-19 pandemic affecting over half of El Pelon's normal business, Jim made it a point to keep all his full-time employees paid and service customers through delivery services and curb side pick-up. It has certainly been a challenge, but thanks to the help of El Pelon's loyal staff and customers they've have been able to make it through. For other small business, Jim believes it's important to love the simple parts of each day and be willing to hang in there and never give up during difficult times.

"What motivates me every day is working with my employees and empowering them. I love baking and creating more jobs. I also love helping others with my by teaching my workshop. I'm most proud of having my own company but also creating jobs for people with any types of disabilities."

Collette Divitto, the owner of Collettey's Cookies in Charlestown, was born in 1990 with Down Syndrome, has been creating her own recipe for cookies for fun! But after repeated rejection when applying for a job, Collette was determined to open her own business and try to earn a living on her own. Collette has sold over 400,000 cookies to date and Collettey’s Cookies now employs 15 people, several with disabilities. Collette travels around the country to share her inspiring story, and constantly encourages people to focus on their abilities rather than what they can’t do.

"We're incredibly proud of the way that we've broken down the stereotypes of who can sell and enjoy wine. Wine can be enjoyed by everyone, you just have to have the access point and someone to show you the way. We're honored to be the store that has done that for so many Bostonians."

TJ Douglas, the owner of the Urban Grape in Boston, was determined to build community through beverage, believing that he could offer something important that was missing in the wine buying experience - hospitality, passion, education, dedication to customers, and innovation. TJ and Urban Grape overcame the struggles of the COVID-19 pandemic by dedicating the business to meeting their customers where they were, expanding delivery zones and bringing everyone's orders directly to their door. Driven by their quest for innovation, the Urban Grape is first store in the world to sell wine by its body instead of by varietal or region. TJ believes in always thinking innovatively, because “you don't have to do it the way it's always been done before.

"The sheer generosity from the community has been so heartwarming to see. Boston really rallied around the cause and so many people joined in the efforts. We raised millions within weeks and we couldn’t have done it without all the incredible people who ended up joining Off Their Plate and making it the organization it is today."

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Natalie Guo founded "Off Their Plate", a 100% volunteer and donor powered donation company focused on supporting healthcare and restaurant workers. What started as working with independent restaurants to prepare meals for hospital workers in Boston has expanded to feeding communities and individuals who are struggling to find their next meal in ten major cities across the United States. Natalie is proud that "Off the Plate" enables the community at larger to do something for those who really need it. Since March '20, "Off their Plate" has raised over $7.5MM and delivered over 763K hot meals to those in need.

"It's all about making people's lives better. Whether it's our clients, our own employees and their families or those in the non-profit sector, we love being able to make a difference. Whether it's with our ideas, our giving or something else we can offer."

Grant Pace, of Conover Tuttle & Pace in Boston, is driven to ensure his advertising agency is all about one thing - giving back. Much of the agency’s time is dedicated to supporting various non-profit partners whose missions CTP believes in and deeply aligns with their philosophy of giving back. While the COVID-19 pandemic created a challenge for many businesses, CTP kept the struggles of others top of mind to challenge their group to do more. Out of that mission came the creation of a new apprenticeship program for Boston high school Students of Color which was created to give these students a head start in their career, while adding much-needed diversity within the industry and the CTP agency itself.

"We are proud to be a community beacon and not just a business. We are proud of our history of philanthropy, supporting hyper local and neighborhood causes. And we are proud that our team represents the diversity of our city."

Nia Grace, the owner of Darryl’s Corner Kitchen & Bar in Roxbury, considers her restaurant to be a legacy business in Boston’s diverse city. Since 1957, It has been a staple in the African American community when it was known as “Bob The Chef’s” and while she did not create the original concept she has taken over its ownership with a higher responsibility to care for the tradition and community landmark. Even though Darryl's lost 90% of their staff and 65% of their revenue during the COVID-19 Pandemic, Nia was determined to ensure the future of Boston’s Black-owned hospitality community and preserve a 180+ year legacy of food, culture, and business in Boston’s black communities through the co-founding the Boston Black Hospitality Coalition.