Category Archives: Entrepreneurship

Michael Brown, owner of Death Wish Coffee, has seen a huge boost in production and sales of his product in the wake of a 30-second TV commercial that aired during the Super Bowl.

©2016 Saratoga Photographer.com

By Jill Nagy

What a difference 30 seconds can make. Since a 30-second advertisement was televised during the NFL Super Bowl on Feb. 7, Death Wish Coffee in Round Lake has seen its sales multiply three to four times, has increased its staff, ordered new equipment, added new products and rented an additional warehouse, according to company owner Michael Brown.

Current sales volume is now 1,500 pounds per day, said Brown. Before the ad ran, it was less than 500 pounds per day.

After an initial surge, things leveled off somewhat but “it’s been holding pretty steady.” The company has more than 2,000 recurring customers and a mailing list of 250,000.

Consequently, Brown said, “I have a lot of big plans.”

He is looking for a larger location so that he can bring all the company’s activities under one roof. Currently, they have four separate warehouses. Most sales now are online but the new location will include a retail outlet. In addition, the coffee is sold at Price Chopper, Hannaford, Healthy Living Market, and Saratoga Coffee Traders.

Christel and Colin MacLean have run several businesses in Saratoga Springs and its Saratoga Juice Bar products can now be found in over 100 independent grocery and specialty markets.

©2016 Saratoga Photographer.com

By Maureen Werther

Christel and Colin MacLean are not ones to wait for opportunity to knock on their door. The success of their newest business venture, Saratoga Juice Bar, shows their strength as an entrepreneurial team.

The area first got to know the MacLeans as restaurant owners. Christel was living in Manhattan and working on Wall Street when she had a serendipitous encounter with Auntie Moseley, the famous owner of Hattie’s in Saratoga Springs. A year later, Christel became the owner of Hattie’s. Together with Colin, they remained true to the vision and legacy of Hattie’s.

Over a 20 year span they sold Hattie’s and opened Circus Café on Broadway in Saratoga Springs. They also started a “boutique” realty company, purchased and helped revamp Sperry’s restaurant in Saratoga Springs, then opened a new restaurant, the Crowne Grille.

Soon thereafter, they introduced the community to Saratoga Juice Bar, just a few doors down from Circus Café.

Christel calls it another instance of Saratoga serendipity. She and Colin had just completed the purchase of the Crowne Grill and were absorbed in getting that restaurant running, when, to their surprise, the storefront a few doors down suddenly became available.

“I went to Colin and said, ‘Guess what?’ We’re going to open a juice bar,'” she said.

By Katie Healey

A few years back, a pediatric nurse raising one young child and pregnant with her second baby had a dilemma. Her favorite winter coat would not zip up over her growing belly. She went to the coat closet to put on her husband’s jacket and was not pleased how it fit or looked.

Maria Messier, a Saratoga County entrepreneur, said she always had a knack for finding solutions. After finding herself in need of way to expand her coat to fit, she decided to invent a jacket extender for herself and for other expectant mothers to widen their favorite coats during pregnancy. With it, they could stay warm in their current coat and avoid paying for a high-priced, short-lived, maternity jacket.

But like most busy, working mothers, Messier put the idea to the back of her mind.

In the fall of 2013, Messier found out she was expecting twins. She was talking with her aunt, Joanne Frank, a fashion designer by trade with over 40 years of experience. Frank thought she could partner with her niece to see if the idea could become an actual product.

Together, they designed a jacket extender system.

Along the way, they hit some stumbling blocks. Inserting a universal zipper to allow for extra fabric to cover the expanded belly was not as easy as it seemed. It wasn’t feasible until Frank came up with a clip-on idea. They developed a clip process that is patent pending.

Saratoga native Mike Giovanone bought Concord Pool in 1979 Concord Pools and Spas this year celebrates its 40th year in business. Saratoga native Mike Giovanone, founder and president, refers to his staff as family members and credits them, in...