Posts by Marisa Whittemore

Crystal Israel, owner and founder of Little Black Box Baked Goods, jokes that she traded in the 50-hour work week of corporate grind to embrace the 15-hour days that entrepreneurial life affords. While the joke isn’t entirely untrue, Little Black Box had humble beginnings. After moving back home to Jacksonville Crystal began selling small batch…

It all started with buffalo milk. A need for a daily dose of a half cup of buffalo milk, to be exact. Punita Patel grew up in an area of India where tea is considered a daily necessity. She left India at 17, and it wasn’t until her longest visit years later that she came…

For some people, the term mom-and-pop shop may conjure up a specific image: the neighborhood couple who has been in one tiny storefront for decades, maybe even generations. As retail chains become increasingly more accessible in most neighborhoods, it may feel like mom-and-pop shops are part of a bygone era. But what if they never…

If we could collectively only remember one thing from 2020, it might be the feeling of isolation so many faced amid a global pandemic. Alise was no exception. At the end of 2020 “I was in grad school, working multiple virtual jobs, and my partner was deployed overseas. I found myself feeling isolated and in…

Even though we live in the Sunshine State, less light is here to stay as the chill of winter continues. But for one RAM vendor, Sparkle Sundream, her suncatchers ask you to invite in the light to get one of the greatest combinations: sunshine and rainbows – made possible by her eye catching, unique products.…