The Face Behind A Happy Hostess

Welcome to our weekly business spotlight, where we get to know a local business owner a little better. If you're a business owner and would like to be featured in this column, email john.castelluccio@patch.com.

This week we're chatting with Peabody resident Maria Catalano, owner of A Happy Hostess. The hospitality service provides professional bartending, wait-staff and party planning services to individual and corporate clients in the Greater Boston area and Southern New Hampshire.

• Q: How long have you been in business?
• A: I opened my business in 2002 as a one-person party server to clients I already knew. Today I have a large staff of professional and experienced employees. It started with a wine tasting party, 40 guests and the client wanted to relax and enjoy her own party. It took off from there.

• Q: What led you to open your business in Peabody?
• A: I have lived in Peabody for the past 22 years. We are a home-based business. My family owned a restaurant and I started working at 15-years-old there. After college, I became a flight attendant for 30 years and retired in May 2010. My training to fix something that went wrong and customer service were a big part of the job. I am a people person. I put all the work experience together and came up with a party  service. People need it and love it. There are three things you need to throw a  party: setting it up, serving the food and the cleanup. We do all of it (no cooking though). Many times you want a home party but don’t want to do the work -- that’s where we come in. Can’t tell you how many times a client would say "You made me enjoy my own party."

• Q: What positive experiences have you had as a business owner in Peabody?
• A: Peabody has great people. I meet such nice clients who love our service and always appreciate it. We have many repeat clients.

• Q: What else are you involved with locally outside of your business?
• A: I am a member of Peabody Area Chamber of Commerce (serving on the events committee), a member of Homebased Businesswomen’s Networking Northshore, the Small Business Development Center in Salem and the SCORE chapter in Lynn.

• Q: And lastly, what’s one piece of advice you would give a new business owner or someone contemplating opening their first business?
• A: Good advice to someone who wants to start a new business is to first use SCORE, its free and gives great advice. Another place to go is the Small Business Development Center located in the Enterprise Center at Salem State University. It's free! Put together your ideas, budget and business plan and network. People are always interested in new adventures.