Gen Z entrepreneurs on Long Island share success secrets

Business tips come in many forms — and from members of every generation. That includes Generation Z, a digitally fluent group whose birthdays land between 1997 and 2012.

What makes them tick when they’re their own boss? A summer 2025 survey by Harris Poll, a Canadian global research group, found that Gen Zers who start their own business ranked flexibility, autonomy, passion and purpose as top motivators.

Gen Z entrepreneurs on Long Island echoed those poll results. They share their secrets to success, where they find inspiration, and what keeps them pushing forward, along with a look at the financial side of the equation.

Catherine Hardwick, 26, KŌRE owner 

When Hardwick opened KŌRE fitness in Baldwin in February, she also made news as the first Black owner to open a mat Pilates studio in the hamlet.

Hardwick, who has a bachelor’s degree in liberal arts with a minor in psychology from the now-closed Medaille University in Buffalo and is a licensed technician who does nails a few days a week at Phenix Salon Suites in Freeport, looked within for inspiration.

"I have PCOS, polycystic ovary syndrome, a hormonal deficiency that makes it hard to lose weight. But low-impact workouts help," she says. "My friend had brought me to a Pilates class, and I never stopped going. I lost over 40 pounds."

As she shed weight, she also found a business concept forged in fitness and strength in numbers. "Community inspires me. I love bringing people together, sharing a workout, sharing an experience," Hardwick says. "It’s just so inspirational to see people of all walks of life share in the camaraderie."

Just as invigorating is authenticity. "I tell people all the time, if you’re genuine and you're just yourself, you put yourself in the consumer's shoes, everything will always go right," she says. "That’s what causes you to grow, and grow fast, too."

MANAGING THE COST: Weighing business options is also important. Hardwick considered becoming a Pilates instructor. "I thought ‘I either have to get my license and become a teacher or I need a studio,’ " she says. "So I decided to go the studio route."

Bottom lines are a major factor at the studio, which she leases on a monthly basis. She exhaustively researches costs. "I’m always buying things in bulk, looking at a million prices all night long," she says, adding that she has not had to take out loans. "Over the years, I did save a good amount of money with my nail business, which I’ve had for nearly six years. I just use that as leverage to grow this one."

DeDreanna Annino, 23, The House of D co-owner

Annino opened The House of D in Northport, a women’s clothing boutique with her mom, Natalie Annino, last November. By then, D, as this Gen Zer is known, had spent 10 years working in retail fashion — on Long Island and in New York City. She also studied the field at LIM College in Manhattan.

The value of experience can’t be overstated — it’s her secret sauce, she says. "I’ve been learning and paying attention since I was 13 — from casual boutiques to high-end stores. Each experience has taught me something different."

One big lesson is to be all ears when it comes to an invaluable business resource. "When I’m buying my clothes for my shop I really listen to customers on what they like and what they want to see in store," Annino says. "I make sure that everyone’s comfortable and happy when they come in here."

She embraces social media to promote her shop. "My dad owns a business, too. He’s used to using the newspaper," she says. "He always says, ‘Gen Z is so lucky. You have social media to help you grow your business.’ He’s right — and I do use it."

MANAGING THE COST: Beyond an investment of good advice, Annino has leaned on her parents for financial aid in launching and getting her House in order. "Since opening, I’ve paid the rent and bought all the clothing," she says. "My parents definitely helped me with the startup money and they got me going and up on my feet. They knew how passionate and serious I was about this business."

Sarah Maresca, 26, Find Your Balanced Life owner

Maresca launched Find Your Balanced Life, a women’s-only gym in East Northport, in January 2025. When she leased the space for the business, she had five clients. She also possessed a passionate belief in herself and the power of fitness, which helped her deal with her teenage eating disorder. Today, she has 60 clients.

"The more people I can help, the better I feel as a person," Maresca says. "I would say authenticity is the key to my success here. This isn't just a money grab. I actually love what I do. I wake up every day and I go to work and I’m invested in what I do, I want to be there."

She’s calculated her growth, eyeballing the bottom line at each step. "Pacing oneself is the best approach," she says. "I started with one piece of equipment. Month over month. I started adding. The place definitely looks completely different than when I started."

Tapping into tools at her fingertips — TikTok, Facebook, Instagram — has also been invaluable. "The social media piece really helps my business," Maresca says. "Showing all parts of my business on social media has been a key to my success."

MANAGING THE COST: How’d she handle the financial realities and balance that part of the business? "I always had this end goal in mind," Maresca says. "I was never a partier. I've been working and saving my money toward this moment all my life. My parents and my brother were really supportive in teaching me how to save money."

Kate Pich, 27, Island Fizz owner

Last summer, Pichhit the road with Island Fizz, a drinks truck specializing in flavored sodas creatively named after Long Island locales. Hampton Hula, anyone? Know your audience, as it’s often said. Keeping current and seasonal, she’s named a new batch of beverages after Girl Scout Cookies.

"I’ve worked in the food industry since I was 15, both front of house and the kitchen," says Pich, who has a bachelor’s degree in food service management and baking and pastry from Johnson & Wales University. "I love the food industry."

Her hands-on experience has given her the tools to motor along. "Some other people who do dirty soda pop-ups have come to my truck and say, ‘Where are you ordering syrup? I can’t find it,’" Pich says. "That’s what working in the restaurant industry for the last decade has helped me with."

Strong relationships and a network of connections are another essential for entrepreneurship. "In high school I was really involved in a DECA business club," she says. "I keep in touch with those teachers."

At her Island Fizz locations in Farmingdale and Massapequa, she sees each fizzy concoction as a bonding opportunity. " I really do love interacting with the customers every day," Pich says. "I have so many regulars. They get so excited to make their drink creations."

MANAGING THE COST: After searching for a vehicle that fit her budget, she found one on Facebook Marketplace that she parks in a commercial lot. "My truck took a big chunk of my savings from my years of working. It was a little scary, but I didn’t want to take out a loan," she says. "I always knew I wanted my own business, and I’m good at saving money. Living at home with my parents helps with rent."

Lucas Wachsberger, 24, Block Party co-owner

If they can build it, they will come. That’s the creative idea behind Block Party, a Lego-themed children’s store in Levittown that opened in February and is co-owned by Wachsberger.

He was working at a bagel shop owned by Joe Cino, 36, who presented the Lego-forward idea as a business partnership. "I love anything kind of like fantasy — Vikings, Lord of the Rings, Star Wars and Marvel," Wachsberger says. "I was 100% into it."

Wachsberger recognized the full-time — and then some — commitment. "I was raised around people who are always hardworking. My parents, my siblings. The attitude just rubbed off on me."

Wachsberger, who’s worked in retail and food service, credits flexibility as a key to his professional success. "My ability to adapt and to overcome what's thrown at me — long days, long hours, a long line of customers — has been very helpful," he says. "There’s a sense of accomplishment that I really like."

Like a Lego project, work wisdom is something that builds. "I like to think about each work experience and use it the next time," he says. "That’s been very helpful."

MANAGING THE COST: To stake his claim in the business, Wachsberger dipped into his savings and got "some help from his family," he says, adding that he tries to budget money wisely. "I live with my parents and I do pay rent but that helps. Having business partners also helps."