When Rad Wear (asi/303195) co-owner and President Jenn Ruland finished treatment after a battle with Stage 3 breast cancer, her team came to the clinic to watch her ring the bell – a widely practiced and emotional ritual symbolizing victory over the disease and transition to survivorship.

“It was one of the most difficult years for us as a company; we had to all come together and fill in,” says Amanda Bass, key account manager at the Gainesville, FL-based distributor. “It was a big moment that brought us closer and allowed us to celebrate the little wins. We were all there cheering her on.”

It’s that family-like mentality that Bass says makes Rad Wear a great place to work. That makes sense; after all, it’s a family-owned business, started by husband-and-wife team Jenn (a former nurse) and Radley Ruland (an advertising executive) in 2010.

The Rad Wear (asi/303195) team attends a breast cancer awareness event after co-owner and President Jenn Ruland won her battle with the illness in 2025.

Katie Cain, an account manager who has been with Rad Wear since 2023, says working for a family business means that everyone cares about you – not just as an employee, but as a person. “Everyone asks about your life and about your family, and how you’re doing,” she says.

Cain has risen through the Rad Wear ranks relatively quickly, going from a junior account manager to a key account manager in the span of less than three years. For her, one of the most exciting parts of working at Rad Wear has been the opportunities for growth.

“The company is really good about putting your career success in your hands,” says Cain. “You can grow at your own pace, and if you want to move up, they’ll support you in creating a plan.”

Bass, meanwhile, has worked at Rad Wear for eight years. She first heard about the job when she was working at a restaurant near the University of Florida, where Bass attended college. The Rulands (also UF alums) were regular patrons of the restaurant. She told them she was looking for a job, and they invited her to interview.

“Rad and Jenn have always been the best people to work for … they just really care about their employees,” Bass says. “They’d literally give you the shirt off their backs.”

Bass is now key account manager and leads a team of three direct reports with a client list that brings in about $3 million in revenue. “There’s no ceiling to what we can do here,” Bass says. “We just keep growing and moving up, and I feel like we can go pretty far.”