More than two decades ago, Mike and Karen Langenderfer set out to start their own business. Through the years, the couple’s experiences steered them down various avenues, and they eventually expanded into the countertop business — opening their own shop in June 2001. Today, they operate The Countertop Shop in Holland, OH, a stone fabrication operation which caters to the residential market and utilizes state-of-the-art digital technology.

“Twenty-four years ago, we decided to get into business for ourselves,” said Mike Langenderfer. “After researching numerous businesses that were for sale, we decided to start a business from scratch. In 1988, Karen and I started a sign company called Signs Plus. We operated the business together for the first year and then added a partner. By the end of the second year, we had decided to sell the sign business and purchase a commercial cabinet company. In June of 1990, we took over a cabinet business and ran that business for the next 13 years.”