By Jill Nagy

Terri Larson has transformed a cluster of barns dating from the 1800s and a large open field with views of Three Sisters Mountain into a romantic venue for summer weddings.

Her company, called Burlap and Beams, hosts about 20 weddings between May and October each year.

Larson lives in the farmhouse on the property and her day job is as a third grade teacher. However, when school is out, she becomes a wedding entrepreneur.

She said she got the idea from a friend who asked to use the property for her wedding. The property was not in any shape for a wedding. That ceremony landed elsewhere, but the idea took root.

By Maureen Werther

With 21 years under her belt as owner of Orthopedic and Spine Physical Therapy PC, one of the biggest differences owner Denise Buher sees is how increasingly complicated it has become to spend more time with patients and less time with paperwork.

Despite those challenges, Buher, who is a certified therapist in mechanical diagnosis and therapy of the spine from the McKenie Institute, is still happy with the decision she made more than 20 years ago to go out on her own.

Buher began her career as a senior therapist on the staff of Glens Falls Hospital, where she said people automatically mistook her for a supervisor.

“That’s probably because I always acted like one,” she said.

Buher started out as a solo practitioner, hiring a physical therapy assistant the following year.

Gradually, she added more employees and now she manages a staff of 15, including four full-time and two part-time physical therapists, one full-time and two part-time PT assistants, and six administrative and support staff.

By Jennifer Farnsworth

Having a strong work ethic, along with perseverance, are two things many small business owners say are part being successful.

Kathleen Kelly, owner and CEO of cupojoes.com and Queensbury Cigar & Pipe, may be the perfect example of this mantra. From selling her first cup of coffee 23 years ago, to now, Kelly is making her mark in the business.

Kelly moved to Lake George from Long Island 24 years ago, after having a hard time finding work. While still in Long Island, she was selling electrical supplies and had a moment where she decided to make a change.

“I decided to make things happen for me. To me it’s all about hard work and never giving up, trusting your gut. In 1994, I decided to open a coffee shop in the village called Cup O’ Joes. I remember making $11 on my first day and being so excited,” said Kelly.

Kelly said that first year was during what was she called the “cigar boom.” She said noticed many people seemed to be looking for a quality cigar. After her first year in business with the coffee shop, she purchased a small cabinet humidor and stocked cigars, eventually adding some pipes to the shop.

She said during this time the internet came about, so she began an e-commerce web site, cupojoes.com. Eventually, Kelly moved the business to Queensbury, becoming Queensbury Cigar & Pipe.

By Margaret McDonald

Premier Plus Travel & Tours, an independent travel and tour agency, recently opened a new office on Warren Street in Glens Falls.

Run by mother-and-son team of Dawn Biddiscombe and Matthew Colucci, the company aims to provide safe and reliable transportation to all. Transportation is offered for jaunts like New York City shopping tours, pub crawls, weddings, proms and runs to the airport.

Originally from Vermont, Biddiscombe maintained a travel hobby for 15 years before opening her part-time business three years ago booking travel and group deals.

She said she loves helping people find the most cost-efficient trips and is especially familiar with the Caribbean and Mexico.

After 13 years as a paralegal for AngioDynamics, Biddiscombe left her corporate job to devote herself entirely to the travel company. She described the decision as a turning point that enabled her to fully pursue her passion.