A One Man Show
Development, redesign, marketing and sales, prototyping and the fabrication of materials for a product. It sounds like quite a bit of work for a few employees, but these are the responsibilities of one man at Accuposture Systems in Bloomfield.
Stephen Carrabba, 25, is the president of the company and the sole employee. The Hartford resident has certainly found a new challenge and an opportunity to use his skills.
Carrabba graduated from Babson College with a degree in entrepreneurship in 2005.
“I thought I might start a business of some type or get involved in an established business and go forward from there,” he said.
Instead, Carrabba spent a year buying and selling houses in West Hartford and Wethersfield before being introduced to Steve Swain, the man with the concept for a fully height-adjustable countertop that Carrabba has since developed. After starting the concept, an illness left Swain unable to continue with the company.
Sixteen prototypes and fifteen field tests later, the product was officially introduced at the November 2007 National Ergonomics and Trade Show in Las Vegas. Carrabba takes pride in the fact that it won the best new product of the year award.
“This is the industry’s first fully height-adjustable countertop,” Carrabba said. “We’ve created a niche market and have potential clients that include Disney, Boeing, GM and Goodrich Aerospace.”
He considers himself somewhat versed in engineering and design through learning about material science at Babson. Carrabba also credits his ability to think outside the box with being able to further develop the product on his own.
“I was able to reduce costs by twenty percent just by changing a bearing,” Carrabba said. “I knew it needed improvement and Swain took kindly to my suggestions.”
Carrabba took on full responsibility after Swain became ill and has listened to his intuitions when it comes to the design.
The product is now fully mobile and has a self-sufficient power supply. Carrabba can see its use in all areas of business from production floors in industrial settings to kitchens and labs.
“I’m living my dream by being involved in every single facet of this business,” he said. “It’s something I always wanted to do.”
Though he admits to being stretched thin at times, Carrabba also admits the challenges of operating your own business can be a benefit.
“With one person being pulled in 12 different directions every day, it can be exciting, too,” he said. “I’m excited to be part of the Hartford business community. The area has a lot to offer for someone to thrive and prosper.”
Emily Boisvert is a Hartford Business Journal staff writer.
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