In celebration of “Small Business” Saturday, The Hampton Herald Staff reached out to some small business owned by Hampton families.  Several business owners answered our questions, and the staff was able to interview two of the business owners.  Please take a look below to learn more about these local businesses owned by Hampton families.
 
Interview with Mr. & Mrs. VanWagner, owners of Binder Kitchen & Bath Remodeling
 
What type of small business do you run?
Two businesses under one roof. The main business is Binder Kitchen and Bath.  What we do is kitchen and bath remodels.  We also provide plumbing services for their homes. The other part our business is a handyman service, so if you need shelf installed, or fireplace mantle built, or a door installed, or any number of things need to be done around the house we do pretty much everything there.
 
How long have you owned your business?
So, we’ve owned it for almost four years now.  In December it will be four years.
 
Is it a family business?
It is.  Actually, we purchased the business from the family that started it.  The name Binder is the name of the family who started it.  I would still consider it a family business since myself and Sam both own it jointly.
 
What do you think the most challenging thing in your business is?
Well, there’s lots of things that are challenging with owning a business.  Any time you have customers involved, which is really in any business, in particular with our business since we’re making improvements or repairs to a customer’s home.  It’s something very personal to them and their expectations are very high.  Sometimes it’s challenging to satisfy those expectations.  One of the challenges for us is to work with them up front to understand what is most important to them to make sure that we try to fulfill those requests.  The work can be challenging itself, but understanding those customer needs and wants is one of the more challenging things.
 
Do you have any other employees in your business?
We do, we do. We have five other employees, who work directly with us, and then we also have a great network of what we call subcontractors. So, they’re people that own their own business, they practice a certain trade, they might be electricians, or drywall installers, or flooring installers. And as you can imagine, some of our projects are big enough that our five employees can’t do all of the work. There’s more work to do, or there’s a skill we don’t have on our team that someone else has in their business, so in addition to our own employees, we use the skills, the talents, and the capacity of our subcontractors to get some of the work done as well.
What made you start the business?
Sam’s parents own a small business, and my parents owned a small business while I was growing up. Sam and I have started and run small businesses before.  You could say it’s in our family or in our blood, it’s something we really enjoy.  There’s something about running a business that yours or starting something from scratch that can be very rewarding.  It can be very stressful as well, but it’s something that we really enjoy.  I’ve had small business owners tell me that once they go into business for themselves no matter how stressful it is some days, they would never go back to working for someone else.  The really enjoy the challenges and the good stuff from owning and running your own business.
How can the Hampton community learn more about your small business?
One of the things that hard for small business is just getting the word out about your small business.  You might have the most talented employees or the best products ever, but if no one knows about your business no one is going to buy your product or use your services.  The best form of advertising is word of mouth, which means that if we do a good job on a plumbing service call or remodeling someone’s kitchen, we would love for them to tell five of their friends. We would love for them to tell their friends what we did well and what we might not have done so well so their friends can make the right decision on if we are the right people to work with them or not.  On the employee side of things, one of the things that Sam and I find is it difficult to find people in our trade—carpenters, plumbers, electricians—those are very highly skilled trades and require training and certifications.  We would love to encourage kids and teenagers who are interested in doing that type of work in learning more about it.  We’d be happy to talk with anyone who’s interested—tell them about the good stuff, the bad stuff, and all that’s in between.  I think it’s always good to educate people about what it’s like to work in your profession.

What was your happiest time and why?
I think that when we first purchased this business that was a stressful but happy time. I would say there’s been many of our projects when we’ve done a large remodel for a customer that’s changed their house to make it usable for their family and their kids or made it much more beautiful than it was before that were really great experiences. You get to the very end of that project, and you’ve worked very hard on it with the customer for several weeks or even months.  When they have good feedback about how everything went and seem happy with how it turned out, that’s a feeling that’s tough to describe--that you and your team were a part of helping them get there.  Luckily for us we’ve had multiple projects where we’ve had that same experience--that last day where everyone’s happy and your team gets to look around at something you created and helped the customer with and it’s really a great feeling.
 
Do you always get along when working together?
There’s definitely hard days, especially during COVID where we didn’t know what was going to happen.  In March when everything shut down, every time there was a news conference it was very stressful to figure out what was going to happen.  Are we going to remain essential or are we going to have to shut down?  And we have a team of employees who rely on us.  Thar was a very stressful time for the two of us and for the company as a whole, and that caused tension between all of us.  We have a really good team that we worked really hard to cultivate that we treat like family.  Just like a family, you have some good days, you have some bad days, but at the end of the day you work really hard to make sure you’re communicating well with each other.
 
Did you have any struggles during COVID?
          We definitely did.  Especially when COVID first started last year, it was tough for everyone to figure out was it safe to keep working, was it safe for our customers for us to keep working in their homes.  One side of our business is an essential service--the plumbing service side--so luckily, we were able to maintain a pretty strong level of business, but definitely the remodeling side of the business for about four to five months tapered off while us and our customers were trying to figure out what was the right thing to do.  Just like so many businesses it was very stressful, and our business definitely decreased for a good bit of time last year. Luckily for us and many businesses, its rebounded and between masks and vaccines and things we can do to keep everyone safe, it’s been easier and easier with each passing day to do business again.
Where are you located?
We have a physical office location in Parkville, so about 10 minutes away from Hampton. We have a small set of offices in the building where our staff come in to work and then we have a small showroom area where customers can come in and pick out items for their remodels.  As you can imagine the bulk of the work we do actually happens at customers’ houses, so whether we’re remodeling a kitchen or a bathroom or providing a plumbing service that all happens physically on site at the customers houses.
Do you ever worry about losing business or the competition?
We always encourage our customers to get multiple quotations.  If all of you were looking at something to buy or if your parents were thinking of getting something remodeled in your own house, it’s always good to look around and make sure you’re picking the right person to provide that service that matches up with your needs and picking a person who’s providing a fair service at the right price. There are definitely times when we think we’ve made a competitive price and bid for a job and our customer selects another contractor or remodeler.  That’s a natural part of the business.  There’s that phrase “you can’t win ‘em all.” Sam I firmly believe that we hopefully are the right contractor for many people but we’re definitely not the right contractor for everyone.  It’s really up to to each person or family to make their own decision.  That’s always hard to not get the job that we’ve spent time working with the customer on, but it’s a natural part of doing business.
Has anyone gotten injured on the job?
Luckily, we haven’t and none of our employees have been seriously injured since we’ve owned the business.  It’s definitely a risk though.  We work with sharp tools, we work with power tools, we work up on ladders and in situations where a lot of accidents could happen. We encourage our employees to wear safety gear—eye wear, ear protection, safety shoes, long pants, things like that--and more so than anything else, one of my jobs is to make sure that I’m setting a good example.  When I’m working on a job with my employees, or checking in on a job, I make sure that I’m strongly encouraging them to work safely, to work intelligently, and if they need a partner or spotter to do what they need to do in a safe manner, I make sure they have a second employee on site.  It’s something that’s always a concern for us. The last thing we want is for any one of our employees to be injured.  It’s something that’s always at the top of our minds to make sure we’ve promoting a safe environment and safe working procedures.
Do you have ads?
We do. We advertise a little bit on Google.  So, if you were to type in Google search for kitchen and bath remodelers or plumbers, very likely you would see our name pop up on the list.  We don’t spend a lot of effort and we don’t spend a lot on money on that type of advertising.  We found that the best type of advertising, and free type of advertising, is great word of mouth.  We provide a good job or service for somebody and then they tell a friend, and that friend then comes to us to do work for them.  In many small businesses, it’s really the best kind of advertising there is.


If someone was thinking about starting a small business what would your advice be to them?
The first piece of advice would be to just go for it because so many people get nervous and worried and decide not to do it.  If you have any thinking that small business is something you might want, you should absolutely do it because it can be very rewarding and challenging. The second piece of advice I would give them is to try and find a way to get a good basic accounting and finance education.  That could be talking to a friend or relative who's in those fields who can give you some pointers or to get later on in your own schooling.  It could be taking some accounting and finance classes if you have those to take as options. In high school or even college it is very easy to learn the trade that is involved with your business, but what many small business owners don't learn until it is too late is the accounting and finance side of running a business is making sure the business is able to make a certain amount of money and stay profitable and pay all of its bills.
 
Mrs. Lauren Potts
 
What is your small business/What type of small business do you own? 
 I am a self-employed acupuncturist and holistic health practitioner.  I operate my business out of a shared office space in Roland Park.
 
How long have you owned your business? 
 14 years
 
What made you decide/want to open your own business? 
 The decision to become an acupuncturist came first, and that grew out of a desire to help people experience balance and wellness on all levels of their being - mind, body and spirit.  By being a self-employed practitioner, I have the freedom to operate my business exactly as I see fit, which means I can make my own schedule, spend as much time on patient care as I deem necessary, and I have the freedom to let my business grow and evolve as I grow and evolve as a practitioner.  
 
What are some challenges of owning a small business, especially during the past year and a half? 
 In mid-March 2020 I had to close the doors of my practice due to Covid-19 and it was unclear when I would be able to practice in person again. It was scary, but it also stimulated my creativity, and I was able to support my patients virtually with sessions that included life coaching, Reiki (a form of energy work that can be sent through distance), and other skills that weren't always at the forefront for me pre-Covid.  Once I re-opened for in-person sessions in May 2020 I had to increase the time for each treatment to allow for more rigorous cleaning and disinfecting between patients, which meant I couldn't see as many patients in a day and I had the additional expenses of air purifiers, masks and more cleaning supplies.  There were frequent cancellations due to potential Covid exposures.  Plus, many of my patients were not yet comfortable coming back for in-person appointments, and so my income really took a big hit in 2020.  Additionally, I had to adjust my schedule to work mostly nights and weekends due to schools being closed and homeschooling my kids last year since my partner was a teacher and unavailable to be with the kids.  It was a challenging year but I'm happy to say things are back to normal in my practice now (even if we are still masking all day). 

What is your favorite thing about owning your own business? 
 I love being in charge of my work life entirely.  My responsibilities are to my patients and providing them excellent care, but there is no one else I need to answer to regarding business decisions.  This allows me to let my business develop to match my life and my personal growth.
 
Besides using a service or buying something, how can people support your business or small businesses in general? 
 Referrals are the biggest help for me! If you know someone who could benefit from acupuncture, which can be used to treat a wide variety of concerns including mental health, insomnia, pain conditions, headaches, digestive concerns and reproductive health, please think of me! In general, we can all support small businesses by being aware of the small businesses in our community and shopping locally as often as we can.
 
Mrs. Liz Kent
 
What is your small business/What type of small business do you own? 
I own a psychotherapy private practice. We provide counseling services for adults and specialize in maternal mental health. 
 
 
How long have you owned your business? 
I started practice in 2017. 
 
 
What made you decide/want to open your own business? 
I’d gone into private practice when I had my first son so I could have a more flexible schedule.  I was working as a therapist for another practice from 2015-2017 and my husband encouraged me to try it on my own. 
 
What are some challenges of owning a small business, especially during the past year and a half? 
My business has grown a lot since the pandemic started. It’s been difficult balancing a busy workload with decreased childcare (especially in 2020). It’s also difficult to keep track of everything that has to get done for the business. Luckily, I have an amazing executive assistant!
 

What is your favorite thing about owning your own business? 
I love the flexibility of making my own schedule. I also like being able to handpick the team with whom I get to work, as well as choose which clients are the best fit for me. 
 
 
Besides using a service or buying something, how can people support your business or small businesses in general? 
Just by telling others who may benefit from our services about us!
 
 
How can people in the Hampton community learn more about your business? 
https://www.perissostherapy.com/
https://m.facebook.com/perissostherapy/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/perissos-therapy-llc
https://www.instagram.com/perissostherapy/
@perissostherapy
 
 
Mrs. Katarina Pfund
 
What is your small business/What type of small business do you own? 
 Our business is Zerodraft Maryland, LLC. We are an energy conservation business and install energy savings equipment such es energy efficient lighting, efficient flow water measures, insulation and much more in buildings. We help residential customers, multifamily communities and other commercial facilities (businesses, grocery stores, churches, schools and universities) save energy and money. Since we are an approved contractor for local utility companies we can apply for rebates on behalf of our customers and in some cases residential customers can get some items installed at no additional cost. 
 
How long have you owned your business? 
 12 years
 
What made you decide/want to open your own business? 
My husband and his dad started the business in 2009 when the economy was really bad - they are both entrepreneurs and thought they could bring great value to their customers by helping them save money on energy. They both also liked the environmental aspect of their work. 
 
What are some challenges of owning a small business, especially during the past year and a half? 
We were very worried about the safety and health of all our employees and customers. We also had to shut our business down for about 2 months during the COVID19 lockdown which was obviously challenging on numerous levels.

What is your favorite thing about owning your own business? 
It's that we can design a company that reflects our values, and we have the freedom to design a work place, work procedures and strategies the way we feel like make the most sense.
 
Besides using a service or buying something, how can people support your business or small businesses in general? 
In general, we would encourage people to use reputable local contractors to enhance the local economy. If you have a good experience with a contractor leave a positive review on Google or their social media page. Nowadays, many customers are looking for companies with good reviews and the more positive reviews a contractor or small business receives the more likely customer would like to utilize this company. For us specifically, residential customers can sign up for an energy assessment which is funded by the local utility company and is at no additional cost to them. During the assessment our company can install LED bulbs, water measures and in some cases even a smart thermostat.
 
How can people in the Hampton community learn more about your business? 
  We have a website and FB page that outlines what we do: www.zerodraftmd.com
​

                                                                    By The Hampton Herald Staff

This week is American Education Week, and BCPS is celebrating a little differently because of safety protocols.   Instead of having visitors to each school, BCPS is celebrating their schools centrally and encouraging people to post on social media.  In celebration of American Education Week, our staff decided to ask some Hampton students who there favorite teachers were and to share their favorite things about Hampton (or their elementary schools).   Here's what they had to say:

Clara B.
Who is your favorite teacher and why?
My favorite teacher is Ms. Eickelberg because she is a good teacher and really nice.
What is your favorite thing about Hampton Elementary ?
The teachers are really nice.

Breille M.
Who is your favorite teacher and why?
My favorite teacher is Mrs. Mazur because she is funny.
What is your favorite thing about Hampton Elementary?
My favorite thing about Hampton Elementary is that they are sanitary and nice.

Lily B.
Who is your favorite teacher and why?
My favorite teacher is Mr. Carp because he is funny and nice.
What is your favorite thing about Hampton Elementary?
What I like about Hampton Elementary is that I have my best friends with me.

Zehra M.
Who is your favorite teacher and why ?
My favorite teacher is Mr. Carp because he is nice.
What is your favorite thing about Hampton Elementary?
My favorite thing about Hampton is that is one of the best schools I have been to.

Sam D. (Staff Member)
Who is your favorite teacher and why ?
My favorite teacher is Mrs. Williams because she is incredibly fun and kind. 

Bodie J (Staff Member)
Who is your favorite teacher and why ?
“My favorite teacher is Mrs. Mazur,” said Bodie J. “She is my favorite because she was fun.”

Melanie Dodson (Hampton Parent)
Who is your favorite teacher and why ?
“I liked my music teacher, Mr. Forbes, who wasn’t at Hampton, but he was my favorite teacher when I was in Elementary school, I liked him because he was very funny, and we did lots of fun things in class," said Melanie Dodson 
What is your favorite thing about your elementary school?
My favorite thing about my Elementary school was our library, it was big, and I liked getting books.” said Melanie Dodson.

Ben D. (former Hampton student)
Who is your favorite teacher and why ?
“My favorite teacher was Mrs. Williams when I was at Hampton, she was very understanding, and nice," said Ben Dodson 
What is your favorite thing about Hampton Elementary?
“My favorite thing about Hampton when I was there, is that it’s a good-sized school, so you pretty much know everyone, also, all of the staff members are nice and understanding.” said Ben Dodson 

Jasen C.
What is your favorite thing about Hampton Elementary?
“My favorite thing about Hampton is the music program,” said Jasen C.

Leena C.
Who is your favorite teacher and why ?
 Mr. Willmore. Very fun!
What is your favorite thing about Hampton Elementary?
The people are super great.

Elia F.
Who is your favorite teacher and why ?
Mrs. Williams. Kind and funny.
What is your favorite thing about Hampton Elementary?
Everyone is nice.
​
Ruhaan S.
Who is your favorite teacher and why ?
Mrs.Wollcot, My first teacher and she got me really far.” 

Gabriela C 
Who is your favorite teacher and why ?
 Mrs. Martin because she is nice. 
What is your favorite thing about Hampton Elementary?
She likes helping new people at our school. Her friends are Sanaa, Emily, and Brooklyn. 


Jaylin C 
Who is your favorite teacher and why ?
Mrs. Mazur because she was nice. 
What is your favorite thing about Hampton Elementary?
His favorite thing about Hampton is the staff and the Teacher’s. His friends are Connor, Lang, and Mihalis. 
​

Emily
Who is your favorite teacher and why ?
 Mrs. Martin because she was funny and nice.
What is your favorite thing about Hampton Elementary? Her favorite thing about Hampton is meeting new people. Her friends are Gabriela, Sanna, and Brooklyn. 

                                                                        by Hampton Herald Staff

    Hampton Elementary School students dismissed at 11:15 a.m. on Friday, November 12th due to a partial power outage.  At 7:00 a.m., the principal, Mrs. Kaiser was informed that the building had a partial power outage.  When some teachers arrived, their rooms were dark and their technology was not working.  When students arrived at 9:10, the power was still out.  Students noticed that the lights were off and their Promethean Boards weren’t working.

    “I was confused when I came in and the board wasn’t working and lights were off,” said Bodie J, a fifth-grade student.  

    Teachers found out at 10:30 that school was dismissing early.  Some teachers went to get student lunches.  Mrs. Kaiser, the school principal, came on the intercom and told students to pack up.

    The office was inundated with phone calls.  Some students took their regular transportation home, while others needed to make changes. 

    “My mom usually picks me up at the bus stop, she doesn’t like me to walk home by myself,” said Audrey D,  “so I went to a neighbor’s house.”

Several students had to wait for about an hour for someone to come pick them up.  The power did return during dismissal, but so many students had left for the day that the early dismissal continued.  Teachers had the option of staying to work at school or to work from home.

​

                                                                    by Hampton Herald Staff

     The Lutherville Volunteer Fire Department visited Hampton Elementary School on November 4th to teach students about their jobs and fire safety. Fourth and fifth graders met in the cafeteria and listened to the firefighters give a presentation. The firefighters talked about what to do if there's a fire, the importance of having a fire safety plan, and they reviewed what a smoke detector does. After the presentation, the students were able to donate money for the "Fill the Boot" fundraiser, which raises money to support the fire department. Then they got to go see the fire truck in the front of school. The fire fighters showed students some of their equipment, talked about car fires, and gave students a chance to ask some questions.