Jun 18, 2026 | Businesses
Mike, tell us about The Housing Collective. The Housing Collective is an invitation-only referral and networking group for professionals who serve homeowners. Real estate attorneys, real estate agents from any brokerage, mortgage advisors, inspectors, insurance agents, contractors, designers, financial planners — every category is represented by one or more trusted professionals who have been personally vetted. The goal is straightforward: make it easier for great professionals to refer to each other, and for clients to navigate the full ecosystem of homeownership with confidence.
What inspired you to start The Housing Collective? I’ve been in real estate long enough to know that a home sale or purchase is rarely just about the property — it touches almost every part of someone’s financial and personal life. I wanted to build something that made it easier for the right professionals to find each other and serve clients together, rather than everyone working in silos. The idea was simple: bring together the best people in each category, keep the group small and intentional, and let great service do the talking.
What is the biggest lesson you’ve learned in running a business? Reputation compounds. Every interaction — how you handle a difficult negotiation, how quickly you return a call, how honest you are when the news isn’t good — builds or erodes the trust that ultimately defines your business. I’ve learned to treat every client engagement as if my reputation depends on it, because it does.
What do you love most about Marblehead? My favorite thing about Marblehead is something I experience almost every day — whether I’m driving to the office or out for a run. Leaving my neighborhood in Clifton, passing through the Shipyard, down to Front Street, then along Franklin and Elm — it’s like moving through a time warp. The architecture shifts right in front of you, from newer construction to Colonial-era homes that predate the Revolution. Most towns have history. Marblehead lets you move through it.
What is something people would be surprised to learn about you? My first job out of college was selling and helping people write personal ads for The Boston Phoenix Newspaper. Before Tinder, before Match.com, people paid by the word to find a connection — and I helped them tell their story compellingly enough to get a response. Turns out that’s not so different from what I do now: figuring out what makes something worth choosing and writing copy that makes someone pick up the phone. The full-circle moment? I met my wife on Match.com more than 20 years later — the technology changed, but the idea was exactly the same.
For More Information:
The Housing Collective
Mike Cannuscio, Founder
HousingNetworking.com
Jun 11, 2026 | Financial
Mark, tell us about Marblehead Bank and your role with the bank. Marblehead Bank has been part of this community since 1871, and I’m proud to continue the tradition of helping our neighbors save, grow, and succeed. What matters most is building relationships and putting our customers first. While banking has changed dramatically over the years, our commitment to personal service, local decision-making, and supporting the communities we serve remains the same. We combine the strength and stability of a 150-year-old institution with the technology and products our customers expect today. Most importantly, we’re a community bank that genuinely cares about our customers, employees, and neighbors, and we’re committed to being here for generations to come.
I’ve had the privilege of working at Marblehead Bank for more than 35 years and was honored to become President and CEO in 2021. Throughout my career, I’ve witnessed firsthand the important role a community bank plays in helping individuals, families, and local businesses succeed. As President and CEO of a mutual savings bank, my responsibility extends beyond managing the day-to-day operations of the institution. I’m entrusted with protecting our depositors’ interests, ensuring the bank remains financially strong and secure, maintaining compliance with an ever-changing regulatory environment, and preserving the community-focused mission that has guided Marblehead Bank for more than 150 years.
What sets Marblehead Bank apart from other banks? What sets Marblehead Bank apart is that we’re truly a community bank in every sense of the word. We’re locally owned and managed, so the decisions that affect our customers are made right here by people who live and work in the communities we serve. We take the time to get to know our customers and build lasting relationships rather than treating them like account numbers. As a mutual bank, we don’t answer to outside shareholders, which allows us to focus on what’s best for our customers, employees, and community over the long term. I’m especially proud of the way our team supports local businesses, helps families achieve homeownership, and gives back through charitable organizations and volunteer efforts. Our mission remains simple: provide exceptional service, remain financially strong, and be a trusted partner for the people and businesses that call this community home.
Tell us about some of the ways Marblehead Bank gives back to our community. One of the things I’m most proud of about Marblehead Bank is that the deposits entrusted to us are reinvested right back into the communities we serve. We help local businesses grow by providing financing and guidance, and we help families achieve homeownership through our mortgage programs and financial education efforts. We support local nonprofits, schools, food pantries, youth programs, and cultural organizations because strong communities benefit everyone. Our employees and trustees are actively involved as volunteers, nonprofit board members, and participants in community cleanups and charitable events. We also believe in helping people make informed financial decisions by providing education on topics such as budgeting, saving, fraud prevention, and financial planning. Whether we’re sponsoring a local road race, community festival, chamber event, or fundraiser, we’re committed to being more than just a bank. We’re your neighbors, and we believe that when our communities thrive, we all thrive.
What is the best business advice you’ve ever received? I’ve received a great deal of valuable advice throughout my career, but one simple phrase has stayed with me more than any other: “Happiness is a choice.”
Oddly enough, this lesson didn’t come from a business book, a mentor, or a leadership seminar. It came from a yellow wristband I received at a fundraiser honoring a close friend of my daughter, Janelle Tobin. Janelle bravely battled Ewing sarcoma and passed away at a young age. Despite the challenges she faced, her message was one of positivity, resilience, and choosing joy in the face of adversity. Over the years, I’ve found that this advice applies not only to life but also to business. Every day we face decisions, challenges, and situations that test our patience and perspective. While we cannot always control the circumstances around us, we can control how we respond to them. Choosing a positive attitude, focusing on solutions rather than problems, and treating others with kindness can have a profound impact on both our personal and professional lives. Whether in the workplace or at home, I believe happiness is often a choice we make each day. It’s a lesson that has guided me throughout my career and one that I continue to carry with me.
What is your favorite spot in Marblehead, and why? It’s hard to choose just one favorite spot in Marblehead, but Fort Sewall stands out for me. I love the stunning views of Marblehead Harbor and the sense of history that surrounds the fort. Whether you’re watching the boats sail by or reflecting on the generations who helped shape the town, it’s a place that reminds me why Marblehead is such a special community.
For More Information:
Marblehead Bank
Mark Llewellyn, President & CEO
MarbleheadBank.com
Jun 1, 2026 | Health & Wellness
Tell us about your business and how you help/serve your clients. Balanced Wellness is a local telemedicine healthcare practice built on a simple belief: you deserve to feel well, not just “not sick.” We take an integrative approach — blending functional and traditional medicine to understand the root cause of what’s affecting your health, rather than just managing symptoms. Every patient gets a personalized plan that may include nutrition guidance, sleep and stress support, lifestyle changes, supplements, and medication when appropriate.
We specialize in areas that affect many in our community: hormone health for women and men — including bioidentical hormone therapy for women navigating peri-menopause and menopause — medically guided weight loss for those who’ve struggled to see lasting results on their own, and longevity medicine for patients who want to age well, stay active, and protect their health for the long term. Our approach isn’t just about feeling better today — it’s about building a foundation that keeps patients thriving for years to come.
Whether patients are dealing with fatigue, hormonal changes, weight challenges, or simply want to feel like themselves again — and stay that way — Balanced Wellness is here to help people get there, naturally and sustainably. We’re proud to serve Marblehead and look forward to being a trusted partner in health.
What inspired you to start your business? Balanced Wellness was born out of years working within the healthcare system — and witnessing firsthand the gaps it too often leaves behind. Patients were leaving appointments with unanswered questions, unresolved symptoms, and a sense that their concerns weren’t truly being heard.
That experience created a conviction: that healthcare should be as individual as the people seeking it. Real healing requires genuine partnership, deep listening, and the willingness to look beyond the conventional when conventional answers fall short. Balanced Wellness was founded to be that different kind of practice — pairing evidence-informed medicine with an open mind, and working alongside each patient toward health that isn’t just managed, but truly restored.
What is the biggest lesson you’ve learned in running a business? Running a business has been the greatest education no school could have prepared me for. The work never truly stops — and there are never enough hours in the day to do everything you envision. Learning to work smarter, not harder, has been less of a motto and more of a necessity which I am still working on.
Perhaps the biggest surprise? Marketing. Nothing in my clinical training prepared me for the reality that building a great practice means little if the right people don’t know it exists. But the silver lining: every challenge has made me a better provider and a more resourceful business owner. And on the days when a patient tells me they finally feel like themselves again — that they have energy, clarity, and hope they’d lost — It all becomes worth it.
What do you love most about Marblehead? What’s not to love? Marblehead has been home for over 30 years, and it still feels like a blessing that we landed here in 1993. We raised three kids in this town — all Marblehead High School graduates — and I can’t imagine a better place to have done it. The community, the charm, the history — but honestly, it’s the ocean that has our hearts. Whether we’re out on the water, spending a summer day at the beach, or walking our dog at Riverhead, there’s a sense of peace here that never gets old. Marblehead isn’t just where we live — it’s where we belong.
What is something people would be surprised to learn about you? People might be surprised to learn that the woman behind Balanced Wellness is, at heart, a Southern girl. I grew up as a military kid — my father was a full Colonel and fighter pilot in the U.S. Air Force — which meant our family moved every few years, taking me from Hawaii to California to Florida to Louisiana and everywhere in between. It was an upbringing that taught me adaptability, resilience, and how to find home wherever you land. I went on to graduate from Louisiana State University, and when I decided to move to Massachusetts afterward, my mother issued a warning: “You’ll marry a Yankee if you stay up there.” She wasn’t wrong. More than 30 years later, I’m still here — and proud of it.
For More Information:
Balanced Wellness
Julianne Sullivan, Co-Owner
BalancedWellnessNP.com
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