Marketplace Excellence Recognized by Connecticut’s Better Business Bureau

The Better Business Bureau Serving Connecticut has announced the winners of the 2022 Marketplace Excellence Awards. The BBB Marketplace Excellence Awards highlight businesses that hold ethics as a core value in their day-to-day operations. The awards were in six categories:  Community Care Award, Spark Award, Diversity Entrepreneur Award, Phoenix Award, and Innovative Marketing Award.  The awards were open to all businesses in Connecticut, not just those accredited by BBB.

The recipients of the awards, presented at an awards ceremony held earlier this month, were:

Community Care Award - Realized Solutions Inc., Southington, CT - This award is given to a business that generously contributes time, talent and/or financial donations to charities or community organizations.

Since RSI’s inception, company president John W. Beyer has always strived to be mindful of repaying his successes by giving back to the community both in CT and across the nation. One of the more than half-dozen initiatives RSI takes part in is the Big Brothers Big Sisters Bike Build.

A company spokesperson wrote in their entry, "RSI is pleased to be able to not only give back financially over $150k in the past two years but to have been asked to take part in some of the most rewarding events we could imagine and established some strong relationships along the way.  We consider ourselves grateful to have been in the path of such substantial initiatives that contribute so much to the world around us."   Realized Solutions has chosen to donate the $1,000 check that comes with the Community Cares award to Nutmeg Big Brothers Big sisters.

Community Care Award (Honorable Mention) - DK Movement LLC, Bristol, CT

DK Movement is a luxury streetwear brand established in the midst of the pandemic. “The purpose of our company was to share our stories to help motivate and inspire others,” explained co-founder Kelly Houston who said giving back has been the focus of DK Movement from day one. The company donates part of the proceeds from every sale to charity. Agape House Homeless Outreach and Boys and Girls Club of Bristol are among the beneficiaries of these philanthropic efforts.

Spark Award - Empower Energy Solutions Inc., Darien, CT - This award is given to entrepreneurs whose new businesses are less than three years old and are actively working to maintain an ethical marketplace while connecting with the community.

In its entry, Empower Energy said it strives to continually treat its customers like family. "We promote an ‘under-promise, over-deliver’ mentality so that we can delight and surprise our community of customers while ensuring that they don’t feel let down by any delays or issues that are out of our hands," a company spokesperson told us. This relatively new company also goes above and beyond by contributing to its customers' micro loans and even offering to cover the costs of eye-sight restoring surgery.

Diversity Entrepreneur Award - Community Funeral Chapels, Bridgeport, CT - Entrepreneurs representing ethnic, cultural, and diverse members of the community bring unique perspectives and ideas for innovation in business ownership. This award was created to celebrate those leaders in Connecticut.

Community Funeral Chapels says it's committed to providing the community with the best possible service in their time of need. What makes this company unique is how it proudly embraces traditional values, diversity and innovation in honoring the spirit and life of each person it serves.

"Letting go of a loved one is usually a very difficult process. In order to provide your family peace-of-mind, our funeral home offers complete care, so you can focus on comforting each other as you prepare to say goodbye to someone dear to you," Community Funeral Chapels states on its website.

Phoenix Award - Lotus Transitions, LLC., Marlborough, CT - This award is given to the business that has, like the Phoenix, transformed itself by creatively restructuring its business model, introducing new products, or rethinking the way they interact with their customer base and the community, leading the business to not only sustain, but to thrive.

Donna Finocchiaro started her journey into small business ownership over 18 years ago as the co-owner of the first organizing product store in Connecticut. Recognizing the downsizing needs of her senior clients, she later launched two furniture consignment businesses. After 14-years in business she received a moving license and took her operations state-wide, creating the estate organizing business known as Lotus Transitions, LLC.

"As people age, it is often necessary for them to downsize and re-home unwanted items, move to a smaller home or modify an existing home, and oftentimes, they will move to a senior living community. Frequently, their adult children are living out of state. They can’t always provide the support their aging parents need with regards to their life transition," Finocchiaro explained.

Innovative Marketing Award - Danise Talbot Design Westport, CT - This award is given to a business who, within the last 12 months, launched a new marketing campaign that displays their commitment to ethics in the marketplace educates consumers, or serves the community.

In addition to marketing her own interior design and home remodeling business for many years, Danise Talbot now helps other businesses with their marketing and charitable activities. As the executive director of the National Association of the Remodeling Industry, Talbot has held certification, education and training opportunities for builders and remodelers throughout Connecticut. She recently launched a new campaign for the group's website called "Remodeling Done Right," as well as her own business called, "Creating Fresh Spaces to Last Generations."

BBB’s mission is to be the leader in advancing marketplace trust.  The international organization, including BBB in Connecticut, furthers that mission by “setting standards for marketplace trust, encouraging and supporting best practices by engaging with and educating consumers and businesses, celebrating marketplace role models, calling out and addressing substandard marketplace behavior and creating a community of trustworthy businesses and charities.”

BBB sees trust as a function of two primary factors – integrity and performance. Integrity includes respect, ethics, intent, and working toward a diverse, inclusive and equitable marketplace. Videos highlighting the award recipients can be seen here.