DEDICATED TO SMALL FAMILY-OWNED BUSINESSES
How our nurturing shapes us, remains one of the truest reflections of who we are.
DEDICATED TO SMALL FAMILY-OWNED BUSINESSES
How our nurturing shapes us, remains one of the truest reflections of who we are.
About Thread the Needle
Overview
Small businesses are the heart of our economy, yet most owners struggle to keep the lights on. Between rising rents, employee retention, and online competition, they are often strapped, allowing for little to no resources to focus on growth.
Founded in 2024, by Nancy Taffera-Santos, Thread the Needle offers pro-bono marketing services to select small family-owned businesses to help them achieve their dreams.
Created in memory of Nancy’s father, Salvatore “Sammy” Taffera, the last proprietor of Taffera Tailors, it honors the immigrant-owned Mom & Pop’s – their impact on community, economy, and family.
Our Services
We identify and execute targeted programs to include:
1. Advertising & Marketing
2. Community Events & Sponsorships
3. Promotions & Partnerships
Thread the Needle will not incur out-of-pocket expenses (i.e. purchase ads, print flyers, etc.), but will negotiate the best rates on your behalf.
Family-Owned Businesses
From Walla Walla to Wall Street, they make an impact on our economy. 87% of American businesses are family-owned, and...
- Represent 54% of U.S. GDP
- Contribute to 59% of employment, or more than half of U.S. workers
- Are largely founded by immigrants, who are 80% more likely to start a business, compared to U.S. born citizens
- 1.2 million of small family-owned businesses are run by a husband-and-wife team
- 13% remain in the family for over 60 years
Sources: MIT Study, May 2022; Fortune Article, May 2023; SCORE Infographic, June 2023.
Selection Process
At launch, we will work with two selected small family-owned businesses. This tailored approach will allow us the opportunity to provide clients with the focus they deserve.
Selection criteria is based on, not limited to:
- Business Type
- Years of Operation
- # of Storefronts / Physical Locations
- # of Employees
- # of Dependents the Business Supports
- Generational Ownership Status (1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th)
- Business Goal (support family, franchise, grow generational wealth, etc.)
- Marketing Challenges & Goal
About Nancy Taffera-Santos
Nancy became a part of a lineage of Italian tailors through adoption at birth. Her father, Salvatore ‘Sammy’ Taffera, dropped out of high school to take over the family business, run out of their Northeast Pennsylvania home.
The Taffera household was no stranger to the hustle and bustle of business. With customers frequently knocking on their door during dinner or, most often joining them at the table, Nancy, along with her older sister Maria, her mother Myra, and her grandmother Anna, were actively involved.
Over time, Sammy and Myra expanded the business to dry cleaning, tuxedo rentals and the sale of men’s apparel. Fearless and passionate, Nancy loved spending time in the shop and engaging with customers. She accompanied her father on clothing deliveries, bank deposits, and witnessed vendor meetings.
By the third grade, Nancy had become a star pupil at the ‘Sam Taffera School of Family Business.’ She not only learned but possibly mastered some aspects of the small retail business, including price bundling, revenue recording, direct mail, the concept of build, buy, or partner, vendor relations, and customer loyalty. Most importantly, she inherited unwavering business ethics, observed the pursuit of happiness, and thrived on unconditional love.
Sammy and Myra were committed to their community, faith, family and business. They worked tirelessly to give their girls the college education that they never had and encouraged them to forge their own careers.
Today, Nancy, the daughter of a small-town tailor, boasts 30 years of sales and marketing experience. She has conducted business on five continents, led teams through downturns and sold millions of dollars of media to the world’s largest tech players.
Nancy sports an entrepreneurial spirit and exudes a flair reminiscent of a 70s leisure suit – the same suit that nurtured her and taught her fiscal responsibility, agility, and effectiveness. Always welcoming and caring, she remains grateful for the profound impact her clients, colleagues, mentors, and above all, her upbringing have had on her life.
In memory of her father, Nancy launched Thread the Needle in 2024. She is committed to execute on her experiences to help small family-owned businesses build legacies.
