Worcester Business Journal

10 Worcester Business Journal | February 18, 2019 | wbjournal.com BY BRAD KANE Worcester Business Journal Editor Business & Friendship rough a group text spanning six years, five entrepreneurs have created their own business and emotional support network F O C U S W O M E N I N L E A D E R S H I P T he friendship grew out of one simple text, "Where are we going to eat?" Five Worcester entrepre- neurs who loosely knew of each other began to coalesce in 2013, as they hung out in the evenings following business workshops the city government was putting on that year. eir exchang- es eventually developed into a group text that is about everything as much as it is about nothing, but between all the pics, GIFs, meeting plans, love and support, these women have created nine high-profile businesses. And counting. "e most important part of this group is we all have our friends from high school, college, life or whatever, but they get bored if you want to talk about small business. ey're not able to give you the feedback; they don't get it. is is an important group because they get it. ey just get it," said Miriam Hyder, co-owner of Ed Hyder's Mediterranean Marketplace on Pleasant Street. Renee Diaz, owner of Canal District bakery e Queen's Cups, said the group had its first date at Main Street eatery Armsby Abbey. As they got to know each other better, Amy Lynn Chase – owner of Canal District retailer Crompton Collective and now four other businesses – pushed more interac- tion, talking one person up to another, until all the ladies developed mutual respect and understanding of what they all were going through. "Amy started it because she is great at bringing people together. She is the ringleader," Hyder said. Starting up e group text activates in fits and starts, but the friends touch base at least once a week. "e main thing is talking each other off the ledge, especially when a bad review comes in. We remind each other not to take it so personally," said Kristie Laskes, owner at Nkd Waxing, Lashes & Makeup, Corp. in the Canal District. Laskes, Chase, Diaz and Avra Hoffman – co-owner of Canal District restaurant BirchTree Bread Co. – all started their businesses from scratch, so each had the experience of being the first employees and putting in long days before slowly adding more staff and management responsibilities. Hyder grew up in her father's store, which he started before she born, and took it over with her brother and mother following her father's death last year. "When I first opened, it was just me as an employee," Chase said. "When I went to hire my first employee, I had nothing in place. I told Avra, 'I don't have a hand- book. I don't have any procedures. I have no idea what to do.' When my employee asked for time off, I said, 'I don't know how this works.'" If Chase is the ringleader of the group, Hoffman is the organized one who shares business documents like hand- books, rental agreements, and human resources paperwork, which the friends can modify to fit their own needs. The text group Miriam Hyder, co-owner of Ed Hyder's Mediterranean Marketplace – In 2018 with her brother and mother, took over ownership of the 43-year-old store; is about to become the first retailer of the beers from Timberyard Brewing in East Brookfield Amy Lynn Chase, founder and owner of Crompton Collective, The White Room, Haberdash and the Canal District Farmers Market – Opened her second Haberdash location in February Kristie Laskes, owner and esthetician at Nkd Waxing, Lashes & Makeup, Corp. – Moved to Kelley Square in 2015 and expanded onto a second floor in 2016 Renee Diaz, founder and owner of The Queen's Cups – Exceeded $1 million in revenue for the first time in 2018 Avra Hoffman, co-founder and co-owner of BirchTree Bread Co. – Looking to open a second location for increased bread production PHOTO/BRAD KANE (Clockwise from bottom left) Miriam Hyder, Renee Diaz, Kristie Laskes, Amy Lynn Chase and Avra Hoffman

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