Kris Matheson is obsessed with socks. He brags about the drawers full of them he has at home, and the fancy materials they’re made of, like merino wool and something called Coolmax; he ogles the rows of sewing machines that knit them inside the Cabot Hosiery Mills in Northfield, where Darn Tough socks are made.

Cathy Solsaa is a talented, busy person. She’s a longarm quilter, a wife, and a mother of four. She has a degree in economics. She’s a massage therapist, and she helps run her husband’s contracting business. “I’m sort of a seeker, a learner,” she says.

“I don’t think there’s been a day that’s passed by that I haven’t thought about working at Hazelett.” Tyler Schmoll is young, bearded, and stoic. Sitting next to Tyler in a matching easy chair (and in matching company-issued duds) is his twin brother, Cody.