Category: Business Owner Stories

Dylan Gallagher is the founder of Orange Sky Adventures and White Wolf Private Tours, two San Francisco-based travel companies that takes tourists on customized trips across the United States. Whether their budgets are modest or they desire luxury accommodations, Gallagher prides himself on providing customers with the ultimate hospitality and the most unique experiences the country has to offer.  Why did you start your company?  I’m from South Carolina. I went to college for engineering and got a job in… Read More

Leslie Saul & Associates, Inc. is an architecture and interior design firm based in Cambridge, Massachusetts that primarily services the greater Boston and Miami areas. The business focuses on renovations including offices, restaurants, retail stores, senior living facilities, private homes, universities, churches, and synagogues, among many other building types. Founder Leslie Saul says that having such a broad practice has helped her maintain a business for more than 26 years. Additionally, her attention to quality and value have brought back… Read More

Lindsey Dinneen is the owner of VidaDance Studio in Leawood, Kansas. With students ranging in age from 2 to 73, Dinneen’s company aims to bring the joy of dance into the lives of all members of her community. VidaDance offers ballet, jazz, tap, modern, hip-hop, and dance fitness classes. In business for three years, Dinneen shares how she’s used different funding approaches to help the business grow. Why did you start your company? When I was four years old, my… Read More

Rachel Dunston is the talented entrepreneur behind Rachel Makes More Cake, a popular bakeshop in Clovis, California. Dunston began her business on Instagram, posting photos of her uniquely decorated cakes and taking orders for local pickup and delivery only. Recently, she’s made the shift from an exclusively online business to a brick-and-mortar store. Dunston spoke with Nav about how she’s navigated that change and overcome a few bumps in the road. Online: The Perfect Place to Start Dunston chose to… Read More

Mandy Rosello and her husband Joe are truly living their dreams. The two enjoyed sailing and international travel, so they found a way to make a career of it. Together, they run Sailing Kuma Too, a sailing charter company operating a 47-foot catamaran out of Dunedin, Florida, just west of Tampa Bay. The business offers single- and multi-day charters, sunset cruises, and half-day excursions in the Tampa area. The Rosellos are excited to expand their business to the U.S. and… Read More

Matthew Rowell owns The American Edge, a B2B knife-sharpening business run out of Lee, New Hampshire. His goal is to help end consumerism and encourage people to maintain high-quality equipment. While he sets up shop at farmer's markets and other gatherings, he's looking to add a mobile sharpening station to his business to roll right up to any business that could use his services. The American Edge is the first runner-up for Nav's Small Business Grant, and Matthew took some… Read More