Welcome to the 'Vanlife' and the Entrepreneurial Zone

Owners of Two Guys Good Buys to Speak Nov. 16 as part of GCC's Year of Entrepreneurship

Batavia, NY (11/08/2017) — Entrepreneurs come in all shapes, sizes, ages and from all walks of life. Consider Henry Ford and the Wright Brothers in the early 1900's to Bill Gates or Arianna Huffington in the late-1990's. Who is shaping the entrepreneurial landscape today? What tools are they inventing and using? How are they making ends meet? What inspires them? These are questions Genesee Community College is asking during its "Year of Entrepreneurship" with different speakers scheduled each month and other special events in development for the spring.

November focuses on the vanlife nomad movement and two entrepreneurs (with their two puppy dogs) who are crisscrossing the country on the hunt for not only vintage good buys that are then resold, but also for a life the road. On Thursday, November 16, 2017 from 12:30 to 2 p.m., you can meet the men who founded Two Guys Good Buys, an online vintage clothing outlet.

Two Guys Good Buys founders, Tyler Annalora and Frank Fina will set up shop at Genesee Community College as the third in the college's Entrepreneurial Speaker series. Annalora and Fina will tell their story starting as childhood buddies from Buffalo, and eventually leaving steady, grown-up 9-5 corporate jobs to hit the road and explore the country. Their path sprung from the simplest of things; enjoying flea markets and estate sales and a passion for the outdoors, which the duo transformed into the vintage item and clothing online marketplace, Two Guys Good Buys. Annalora and Fina were featured in the Winter 2017 issue of Buffalo Black Book in a piece called "Driving for Jade."

Their journey has taken them across the country and back exploring the land, meeting new and fascinating people and of course, hunting for great deals on forgotten items. No predetermined routes, no maps, no deadlines, each discovery leading them to the next.

When it first launched on Etsy in 2013, Two Guys Good Buys sold primarily vintage clothing. Since then, their collection has grown to include all sorts of flea market finds from sunglasses to wool blankets. The pair seeks American made heritage brands, such as Pendleton Woolen Mills, LL Bean, CC Filson Co. and Woolrich, believing that these garments were once held to a higher standard. They showcase pieces that are simultaneously functional and relevant in today's style trends, but that are made with the quality necessary to endure life's travels. Since they have documented their van travels from the beginning, it was only a natural business progression to produce a photography magazine, "Wayward Bound", which depicts, in raw detail, the real life experiences of the dynamic traveler. Eight photographers, including Annalora and Fina contributed to the first publication each capturing a unique blend of the untouched vanlife experiences and the beauty only it can provide.

"We are proud to feature alumnus Tyler Annalora as part of GCC's Entrepreneurial Speaker Series," says Director of Business Programs Lina LaMattina. "The story of Two Guys Good Buys is an excellent showcase of how far a business education can take someone with a passion." Before taking to the road, Annalora earned a Bachelor's Degree in Finance from Canisus College and then a Fashion Design AAS degree in 2014 from GCC.

Travelers, even those who only travel at heart, entrepreneurs and those curious about the vanlife movement are encouraged, and of course, all are welcome to attend and hear about the vanlife entrepreneurial zone. The Two Guys Good Buys pop up store will be open in the Forum from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Then, join the duo for a slice of pizza from 12:30 p.m. to 1 p.m. The speaker series will begin at 1 p.m. in the campus forum. Those interested in attending lunch are asked to contact GCC Associate Professor of Business and Accounting, Amy Conley at avconley@genesee.edu to reserve a seat and a slice!

Among the supporters of GCC's Entrepreneurship program are the Ain Center at the University of Rochester, the Genesee County Economic Development Center, New York State Small Business Development Center, Batavia Development Corporation, Mancuso Business Development Group, Genesee County Chamber of Commerce and the Batavia Business Improvement District. Together, these groups are organizing a special "Pitch Competition" designed to encourage new business ideas, plans and concepts and to foster the entrepreneurial spirit in the GLOW region. Details of the pitch competition will be released soon!

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Editor's Note: For images associated with this story provided courtesy of Tyler Annalora go to:

http://marketing.genesee.edu/images/Tyler_Annalora.jpg

http://marketing.genesee.edu/images/Frank_Fina.jpg

http://marketing.genesee.edu/images/Van Book.jpg

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