Paige Goldberg Tolmach on how she met fellow thirtysomethingMary Kumble, to found Swoon, their home décor company in LosAngeles:

“We [met] on a plane to New Orleans, “Tolmach, 36,recalls. “We’d both been working in the entertainmentfield. We both wanted to try something new, and we had the samesort of ideas in mind-to do something creative, fun and feminine.We were both ready to [decorate] our homes; we wanted to create aline of products we wanted to buy.”

Brian Reynolds, 31, on how he met co-founder Jason Moody, 28, tostart PowerHouse Timing LLC, a company that provides racetiming equipment and software in Cambridge, Massachusetts:

“We were beating the hell out of each other trying to get aseat in a boat race at U.S. Rowing Nationals Championship and thenthe Head of the Charles [regatta] later in the year. We ended upseat-racing each other both times-really going at it, this brutalstyle of selection. The first time Jason won, the second time Iwon. [In] rowing, the competitions are generally spread out, so weoften had six-hour car rides. It’s amazing how quickly you getto know someone when you’re traveling and competing withthem.”

Bobby Rodriguez, 45, on how he first met co-founder ScottGinsburg, 51, to start Boardwalk Auto Group, which includes Audiand Porsche dealerships in Plano, Texas, and a Volkswagendealership in Richardson, Texas:

“I met Scott in 1997. I was a sales manager for aPorsche-Audi [dealership]. He came in to buy a car. He was a Type Apersonality and wanted to talk to the manager right away. [Our]relationship was built out of the fact that when I maderepresentations, I kept doing what I said I would do for him.

“I recognized him as someone who would be buying a lot ofproduct. I’ve always said work every day like today’s theday you kiss your frog. When I met Scott, I just wanted to workhard, and it just so happened that I met someone who wanted to bein the car business.”