Tina Paine’s full-circle journey with Naturals2Go began with a burning desire to be a business owner – a spark ignited by her late father. By Lizzy Yeserski
Tina Paine’s full-circle journey with Naturals2Go began with a burning desire to be a business owner – a spark ignited by her late father.
“My dad was an entrepreneur, and he passed away when I was 11, but I remember him coming home with his big box of papers and an adding machine, and I’ve always had that in the back of my mind,” Paine recalled.
A thriving corporate career in regulatory finance didn’t scratch Paine’s enterprising itch. When she contemplated what she wanted, she thought of something buildable with comprehensive support and an exit strategy.
“I wanted to do something that was scalable, but I also wanted to grow a business as part of a diversification plan and be able to sell it at the end,” she said.
In 2013, she watched a webinar produced by Naturals2Go, a leader in unattended retail training and equipment that stood out for its structure. Almost instantly, Paine purchased five vending machines while still working full time. Growth came steadily and intentionally.
“When I got to 38 machines, I left corporate life and focused on the business,” she said.
Eventually, Paine expanded to 75 machines across Massachusetts and New Hampshire, slowly adding pantry services and government accounts.
“I was a healthy vendor with my niche, and I did that on purpose because I knew the industry was competitive,” she added.
As the business grew, so did Paine.
“I might have grown my business, but my business really grew me,” she said.
From hiring employees to opening a warehouse, each stage required new leadership skills. She remained hands-on and community-focused, cultivating relationships along the way. When the time came to sell, Paine had a book of business with a robust story behind it and everything she’d learned. Because she had meticulously documented her operations and finances, the sale moved quickly.
Today, Paine supports owner-operators while serving as Naturals2Go senior vice president and sharing her passion for the model. Above all, Paine believes in the company’s integrity.
“It can be as big or as small as you want it to be. It’s not a one-size-fits-all,” she said. “They want the best for their operators.”
Lizzy Yeserski