Since 2017 the mother-daughter team of Annisa Teich and Annette Farese have made Central Connecticut, and West Hartford in particular, the focal point of their life and work.
Small businesses are at the heart of Annisa and Annette’s endeavors. Their family has operated an array of businesses ranging from baking to bookkeeping and even retail. With that kind of entrepreneurship in their blood, it’s no surprise that after moving to West Hartford to start a family, Annisa’s first local business soon followed.
The Small Business Collective - a micro-business focused marketing agency provides high-level marketing strategy at a fraction of the cost of traditional agencies.
“I like to say we offer DIY-plus services for the smallest of businesses,” Annisa says. “We leverage platforms and programs like Squarespace, Canva, and Hubspot, that give us a great starting point and then we layer on incredible strategy, design, copywriting, operational automations and coaching to create a cohesive, consistent system that supports their growth. To top it off, we do the unthinkable in our industry… we train our clients how to use everything we’ve leveraged to support them and then hand it all off - no strings attached.”
In late 2022, Account Director Sally Lyle joined The Small Business Collective. She provides day-to-day client support and is a fixture at community events throughout the region.
“It’s incredibly rewarding to be a part of the small business community in ways that continue to surprise me,” Sally says. “We work very collaboratively with our clients and often become very close - so we act as both marketing experts implementing strategic activities and cheerleaders in the day to day trials and tribulations of their entrepreneurial lives.”
Sally recently relocated to Roanoke, Virginia where she is operating the agency's second local hub near her hometown and already making an incredible impact on the community.
Its clients have included businesses such as Nutmeg & Honey, Harmonious Homesteads, Sally and Bob’s, Kate & Maggie Literacy Consultants, the West Hartford Gift Shop at the Noah Webster House, and West Hartford Apothecary.
The collective was founded out of West Hartford Coworking on Farmington Avenue. Founder John Vasellina opened the small space in 2016 and in 2017, Annisa took over its marketing and day-to-day operations. By year’s end, she and Annette purchased the business and relocated it across town to the burgeoning New Park Avenue neighborhood where it remains today.
West Hartford Coworking provides a mix of space and business services essential to the growth of businesses. The community of daily coworkers and occasional guests thrives in an environment built on family-style hospitality and comfort.
“Maybe it’s the Italian-American in me, but hospitality is an important way we show love and support and we power the coworking space with that same mentality,” Annette says.
West Hartford Coworking supplies its clients with several free amenities, including high-speed Wi-Fi, copying and printing, coffee, and on-site parking. It also offers a variety of space for businesses and remote professionals, including conference rooms by the hour, private office space by the day or leases for longer-term use.
In September, the mother-daughter duo opened their second location - Windsor Worx - next to the train station in Windsor Center. The two coworking spaces now act symbiotically; clients can access both and membership levels include allowances for dual space usage.
“By encouraging movement between the two spaces within Greater Hartford, we create opportunities for West Hartford neighboring businesses to grow into the Windsor area, and vice- versa,” Annisa says.
For more information about these female, family-led organizations, visit Thesmallbusinesscollective.com, Westhartfordcoworking.com or Windsorworx.com.
