Cheryl Koschara & Linda Wright

Owners
C.K. Coatings

Country of origin: USA

What we do.
We started a small, home-grown business that became C.K. Coatings, an optical thin film company serving the medical, military, dental, security, communications, and lithography fields.

What we find exciting.
Cheryl started coating optics in her house in 2003. We became partners in 2005, creating one of the few women-owned optical thin film companies in the country. The best part of our jobs is that they don't feel like jobs. We love what we do and hope to continue to grow our business for many years. We also owe our success to the support of our families.

What we wish someone had told us.
How rewarding owning your own business is, because we may have started sooner. The first year is definitely the most stressful, between searching for the right location, purchasing equipment, establishing relationships with customers, and finding a balance between family and work. Our hard work and determination made us who we are today, and each day is more exciting than the next.