Justin Clarey hasn’t lifted many boxes the past few years; he says he’d likely just get in the way. 

He does believe in uplifting people, though. 

Justin and his wife, Stephanie, are the Columbus franchisees of Two Men and a Truck. Stephanie started working for the Columbus office in 2003 and Justin did the same in 2013, and the two took over the local franchise in 2019.

One gets the sense that Mike Wolf has a lot of fun when he goes to work. 

The operation manager at Wolf Metals gets to match creativity with productivity, all while creating a heck of a lot of cool things. Wolf Metals specializes in custom metal fabrication – stainless steel, specifically – and can build just about anything a client needs to build.  

“It’s something I’ve really enjoyed doing,” said Wolf, who has worked for the family-owned company since he was a kid.

Who knew underground construction could be effective and safe for the environment?

At Ditch Witch Mid-States, they provide high-quality and reliable underground construction equipment without sacrificing sustainability.

Alongside exceptional service, they go above and beyond to ensure their products are environmentally friendly through unique “trenchless technology.”

Opened in 2005, the nonprofit school and therapy center serves children all across the Central Ohio area with developmental disabilities, in particular autism. Bridgeway offers a full-day school program from preschool all the way through grade 12 as well as speech, occupational, music and physical therapy classes, plus training and vocational programs for students up to age 22.

The Eye Center of Columbus has over 80 ophthalmologists from more than 10 different practices working together to provide quality eye care in central Ohio. The Eye Center brings together community ophthalmic resources in one technologically advanced, state-of-the-art facility.

Think of a police car; what comes to mind?

There’s the flashing sirens, the functional and protective gear, and then there’s the distinctive color scheme and identification informing motorists that the vehicle represents its law enforcement agency. But have you ever stopped to think where local law enforcement agencies get those lightbars, consoles and decals?

The answer in many cases is Parr Public Safety Equipment.

From hand-pouring batches of candles in the basements of their homes on Pennsylvania Street and Beech Street in Indianapolis, sisters-in-law Brianna and Lacey Doles have turned their passions for scents into five stores.

Now turned into an interstate business, Penn & Beech Candle Co. has expanded into Columbus because Lacey is based in the area and graduated from Ohio State University.

Tom Cumbow first opened TWC Enterprises Electrical in 1996, and in the past 29 years, the Millersport-based company has stuck to its Central Ohio foundation while providing comprehensive electrical services to both commercial and residential clients.

TWC Enterprises Electrical provides everything from full-service electrical layout and design to wiring and installation to lighting solutions, but two of their specialties stand above the rest.

Opened in 1988, Cats Only Veterinary Clinic was recognized as a gold standard Cat Friendly Practice by the American Association of Feline Practitioners in 2013 and has landed on Columbus Business First’s Best Places to Work list each year from 2019 through 2024.

The clinic’s mission statement is that the veterinarians and staff members speak MEOW: They provide Meaningful care, Excellence, Originality and an experience that is Worth it for our feline friends.

Jon Rupert has turned Distinctive Kitchen from a business of eight employees to one that requires more than 150, while retaining many of the staff members from when he first walked in the building during his college years.

Distinctive Kitchen is a countertop fabricator and cabinet distributor, specializing in building and installing granite, quartz and other countertops. From remodeling to distributing their own cabinets that they manufacture, they're experts in all things related to kitchen redesigns.

Schodorf Truck Body & Equipment Company in Columbus was founded in 1881 and is now in its fourth generation of family ownership in central Ohio.

There are very few businesses that can boast such an impressive record of longevity, a testament to the ingenuity, quality and service provided by a company that boasts a local as well as national reputation.

Founded in 2012, Third Space Builders is a company started by a father and son with a vision for, according to its website, “a place, different than work and normal home environments that encourages laughter, relaxation, and spirited conversation with the friends and family that are cherished the most.”

Taylor McLaren, a design consultant for Third Space Builders, said she loves working in a small business. The reason is the relationships she has with her coworkers, as they have all become a part of the family.

If you go to De Santis Florists, you know you’re going to work with a De Santis.

Open since 1927, it’s a fourth-generation small business located in the northwest side of Columbus on Kenny Road, and every day Matt De Santis has to opportunity to go to work alongside his daughter, Caroline.