Selected Press Coverage of

Uno Alla Volta and

Our Founder & CEO

2007, 2008, 2009:

Uno Alla Volta wins Inc 5000 award.2009: Uno Alla Volta is one of only 56 U.S. businesses to win the

U.S. Chamber of Commerce Blue Ribbon Award, an honor given to

American companies that showcase excellence in several

categories of entrepreneurship.

"Winners of the Blue Ribbon Small Business Award represent the

country's finest business success stories," said Thomas J. Donohue,

the U.S. Chamber's president and CEO. "In today's difficult

business climate, it is especially important to highlight those

companies that continue to excel. It is their dedication to sound

business principles that will enable us to rebuild our nation's

economy."

2007: Terri Alpert is one of three women

selected by Working Mother magazine for its

first “Entrepreneur Mom” award.

Excerpted from “Uno Alla Volta Gets Personal” February 2009

The spouse of a Multichannel Merchant staffer placed a holiday order with Uno

Alla Volta. This past December the customer received a holiday greeting card from the catalog’s CEO/founder Terri Alpert. “Because you share my joy of discovering items touched by the human spirit, you have enabled me to create a different kind of company—one built on a foundation of the uniqueness of the individual and of all of the creativity and dignity that makes us human…” the card said. That’s quite a lovely sentiment for a CEO to convey—to a first-time buyer, no less—and a very nice touch.

Excerpted from “Something to prove: What

happens when you tell a woman she can’t.”

May/June 2008

As the only woman physics major at Brown

University in 1984, Alpert never felt accepted by

her classmates. “They looked at me as if I were

from another planet.” After college, Alpert

worked at Morgan Stanley. On maternity leave,

she decided to start a company with less than

$10,000. “My colleagues thought I was crazy. The

hardest challenge is the most appealing. Having

others tell me I can't do something only motivates

me more."

Excerpted from “Class Act: How you went from class

clown, jock or geek to entrepreneur.” November

2005

Terri Alpert describes herself as being social but also

“very nerdy” in high school She believes her high

school traits help her now as an entrepreneur.

Besides being the photography editor for the school

newspaper, Alpert was also captain of the math team.

Excerpted from “Connecticut At Its Best - You can Go Home Again”

December 12, 2004

''My sisters and I grew up without any first cousins, and we very much

wanted to give our own children the gift of Cousins Street. All the cousins

on both sides of the family live more or less in the neighborhood.' … For

her part, Ms. Alpert, doesn't think Connecticut is sufficiently pro-

business. ''It has some of the highest health insurance costs,'' she claims,

as well as steep payroll taxes and workman's compensation rates.

''Wages for call centers and distribution centers are higher here and

workers are harder to come by.''

2000: Terri Alpert named one of its “New

Breed of Innovators” by CatalogAge

Magazine.

Excerpted from “Serial Entrepreneurs: They Just

Can’t Stop Themselves” March 2005

Don’t fall in love with the product. When Terri

Alpert started her first company now the Cooking

Enthusiast catalog, she devised her business model

before devising the business. When she set about

starting Uno Alla Volta, she looked for products that

were more difficult to source [staving off

competition] and settled on one-of-a-kind artisanal

…. She’s excited about her products but far more so

about her refined business model.

Also

“Recruiting Strategies: Motivation” October 1999

“Moving Up and Out” December 1999

“Estate Planning” December 2000

2000: Alpert elected by

BusinessNewHaven

Magazine as its “Small

Business Person of the

Year.”

2009: Terri was named an Enterprising

Woman of the Year.

Excerpted from “A Cut Above” August 2008 Cover Story

6 Tips From Terri

1. Never Rest On Your Laurels. Change can happen in an instant.

2. Use Your Financial Statements As a Rearview Mirror. Focus on the road ahead

so you prepare yourself for the first tip.

3. Don’t Skimp On Inventory Management.

4. Treat Your Vendors As You Wish To Be Treated. Always pay on time or early

without ever having to be asked. If you do this, they’ll be there for you when you

need a favor or when you want to negotiate extended payment terms.

5. Always Treat Your Customers As You Wish To Be Treated. The value of your

business is based mainly on the value of your customer base, which is nothing

more than the sum of the quality of all of the most recent experiences of your

customers. Leverage every contact point.

Noelle Nelson

features the

culture of Terri’s

company

extensively.

customers. Leverage every contact point.

6. Always Treat Your Employees As You Wish To Be Treated. They’re the ones

who’ll accomplish tips No. 4 and No. 5.

Excerpted from “Bounce Back Better: Emotional

Resilience” May 2007

In September 2006, Uno Alla Volta’s database crashed.

“The problem was so bad and so real-time that I knew I

didn't have the luxury of panicking…I was going to have

to think hard and fast,” says Terri. Calmly, she led her

team away from catastrophic thinking and put things in

perspective: Fall was a better time for the crisis, she

pointed out, than Christmas, their busiest season.

Under her levelheaded leadership, the crew pulled

together, working over the weekend to untangle the

mess.

“Postal - Don’t Get Mad - Get Involved” Op-Ed by Terri Alpert,

October 2009

“Live From ACMA Forum” May 2009

“Carving A Broader Niche” December 2003

“Weak Dollar Packs a Strong Punch” January 2004

“Improving Your Receiving Line” January 2001

“Getting the Goods in Faster” February 2002

BrownHEN.orgBrown University Hazeltine Entrepreneurship Network

Excerpted from “Interview with Terri Alpert” March 2007

You have worked extensively with the student-led Brown

Entrepreneurship Program. Based on your observations, how do you

think Brown undergraduates can best prepare themselves to be

entrepreneurs?

* Be sure you … are not using “entrepreneurship” as a substitute

word for “business.” … Answer the question: Are you driven by the

need to create something from nothing? Do you view this as a path

to acquire something else you want or need—such as fame, wealth,

whatever? If it is a means to an end, find a different path. The end

is too far away, too elusive, too hard to achieve and you can’t get

there if you are not passionate about what you are doing every day.

Excerpted from “Consistency is the Key” March 2006

Alpert’s advice to other women who want to start their own

business?“

1) Be really sure it is what you want.

2) Make sure the type of business you are creating reflects

your strengths and can overcome your weaknesses.

3) It won't work unless your family is supportive and

understands that this is something you have to do because it is

who you are." And remember, says Terri, "There's nothing

like saying, "Here's what I'm going to do for you" and then

delivering CONSISTENTLY to gain someone's respect."

there if you are not passionate about what you are doing every day.

* Find a business that speaks to your own personal passions and

takes advantage of your strengths. Corollary: Find one where your

personal weaknesses aren’t too much of a liability.

* Remember, ideas are cheap. I find most young entrepreneurs

(and the general public) think it is 90% the idea. I’ve got news for

you, it is 1% the idea and 99% the execution.

* Constantly work at trying to know what it is you don’t know.

Surround yourself with experience or get experience first before

starting your own company. (Come work for me – as long as you’ll

promise me a few years before launching out on your own!)

Terri is featured in the

opening chapter.

A CEO can’t take care of

her business if she doesn’t

take care of herself first!