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Internet
From Clicks
Jto Bricks
Etsy and Kickstarter help two local companies find their footing— and branch out as standalones. By Paul Adler
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ust as Apple began in a garage, many notable Westchester businesses originate not in high-powered boardrooms but in small corners of the Internet. Sites such as the online market Etsy and crowd-funding
resource Kickstarter have proven to be effective starting points for a range of fledgling companies, allowing these businesses to reach a varied clientele without expending a great deal of capital.
One such company is Old New House, a vintage-and-antique rug seller founded by Westchester residents Melissa
our means to reach and showcase to the customer had to, as well. For example, to offer a shop-by-size option on a website was much more doable for our larger in- ventory than on Etsy.”
A similar story can be found with 6 Degrees of Separation Brewery and Restaurant, an Ossining-based business founded by Scott Ryan in 2011. 6 Degrees began as a project on Kickstarter, where the concept surpassed its funding goal by more than $5,000. “As we started this project, it was bigger than I and the other cofounder, Ron McKechnie, could manage. So, we needed more seed money,” says Ryan of his decision to take to the crowd-funding site. “Kickstarter acted as a great platform for us to get out
or finance, each of these various texts has the power to motivate and stimulate, whatever your individual goals may be.
Claire Gilvar
Founder, Booked Parties, Chappaqua
Invent it, Sell It, Bank It!: Make Your Million-Dollar Idea into a Reality
by Lori Greiner
“As one of the stars of Shark Tank and otherwise known as “The Queen of QVC,” her perseverance and tireless
work ethic are an inspiration to me as a female business owner. She talks about the hurdles and challenges we all experience
at times in our entrepreneurial journeys and notes that if we focus on approaching these obstacles with passion and determination that this will lead us to our ultimate success.”
Harris Reinhardt
CEO, Paragon Uniform and Apparel, White Plains
Leaders Eat Last
by Simon Sinek
“This is a great book for anyone who manages others. The title was taken from a credo of the US Marine Corps, which states that junior servicemen always eat before higher-
ranked officers. Great leaders don’t just
care for their employees; they also create environments that protect them from harm, provide opportunities to grow and flourish and create a vision within an organization that is greater than any one person.”
Linda Lopresti
Associate Professor of Business, The College of New Rochelle
Rich Dad Poor Dad
by Robert Kiyosaki
“In my classes I always
talk about taking financial responsibility and learning about money. I often recommend that my students read this book, to learn about taking control of
their financial futures.” —PA
Q1 2016 www.westchestermagazine.com 21
Westchester business pros share their top picks
W
ondering what books to crack open in 2016? How about titles that have inspired Westchester’s leading business minds? While not always related to industry
Starting out online helped Katonah
rug dealer Old New House (above) and Ossining-based 6 Degrees of Separation Brewery and Restaurant (right) build customer interest and raise funds to open brick-and-mortar locations.
Lynn Friedman and David Dilmaghani that began as an Etsy shop. “Etsy is a haven for the keen eye—whether a buyer or seller,” says Dilmaghani, who specializes in selecting inventory.
“When we joined Etsy, no one was really selling rugs. So I took some shots of [our products] draped over chairs to show more of the texture and personal- ity, and a couple of weeks later, we had our first sale,” says Friedman. “We had five rugs when we started and have more than 500 now.”
Today, Old New House operates both a popular standalone website and show- room in Katonah, while still conducting business through Etsy. “It is still a huge part of our business, but it has its limi- tations,” shares Friedman. “As we grew,
our ideas and to expand our following. It also led to several interviews, which got our name and project out to an even larger audience.”
With the influx of capital, Ryan was able to purchase equipment, pay fees, produce a video for the 6 Degrees website and get a bit closer to opening a brick- and-mortar establishment, which will sell a range of local and house-brewed beers. The company is currently on the brink of making this dream a reality. “We plan to open a small place first, get the word out, establish brand recognition, gain more investors and plan a larger space, which will also serve as a larger production facility,” says Ryan. “We want to open the first place in Ossining, as it is where I’ve lived for the last 17 years.”