Signature Success

Michael O'Connor was convinced a simmering dispute with a partner would destroy his kitchen and bathroom remodeling business.

Sales in the second half of 2009, at the height of the clash, dwindled to $300,000 — an all-time low. The customer base began to evaporate. Says O'Connor: “The company was almost left for dead.”

The gist of the disagreement, says O'Connor, was he wanted to grow, hire and expand during the recession, while his business partner was more cautious. The ultimate result was by fall 2010 O'Connor had bought out his partner. He and his wife, Nichole O'Connor, took full ownership of the business, Sarasota-based My Signature Living. “We started to rebuild the company,” says O'Connor.