Inspiring Entrepreneurs

3 minute read For Bobolink Yarns founder Katie Sullivan, letting go of her big idea was the best business decision she made. By Kelly Nottermann, Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund “I think we’re done,” Katie Sullivan, owner of Bobolink Yarns in Irasburg Vermont, told her business coach in January 2023. Carolyn Cooke agreed. “She did the work, followed every […]

4 minute read Excitement is building around the upcoming opening of Burlington Trolley Tours, an 18-month journey defined by partners Hannington Kasagga, Barbara Asiimwe, and Catherine Turyamureeba as a pivotal “learning experience.”  After migrating to the U.S. and moving to Vermont where they became friends at their workplace, the three colleagues wanted to do something on their own. […]

3 minute read For many, lawyers and the law can be scary and unfamiliar. The legal landscape may seem inaccessible, and unrepresentative of the people it serves. Finding a lawyer may be challenging, and the process can be expensive. These challenges are even more pronounced for business owners from BIPOC, women-owned, veterans, and rural communities. Vermont Law and […]

2 minute read Vermont’s Community Navigator Pilot Program (CNPP) team showcased our program to Mark Madrid, Associate Administrator for the Office of Entrepreneurial Development (OED) at the U.S. Small Business Administration on Feb. 27, 2023.  Mr. Madrid was welcomed by Gwen Pokalo Hart, VP of Policy and Interim Director of VT CWE and roundtable host. Members from the […]

2 minute read Starting a conversation about a business idea can be a daunting task. If you add on to this a lack of experience in business, and a lack of knowledge of how U.S. loans and banking works, the mountain can seem too high to climb. These barriers are what inspired our Community Navigator network and the […]

3 minute read “I could not have done this without the help of the Community Navigator Pilot Program. This program has been such a relief…I no longer have to worry about having the tools that I need to improve my business, and it has already made a huge difference for me and for my customers.” -Sudie Watson A […]

< 1 minute read Heather H. Main, M.Ed., has been sharing and educating on health education and fitness since 1989.  She opened Main Wellness Works in 2002 and focuses on personal fitness in her private South Burlington fitness studio, and brings fitness and health promotion to workplaces in Vermont and beyond.  The challenge of communicating with clients due to […]

< 1 minute read “This program really lit a fire for me. It’s really shifted something in my spirit about going from feeling dread all of the time to feeling more defiant and hopeful.” Sky Barsch, Owner, Alpenglow Fitness, Montpelier VT From a difficult start… Purchasing a new business brings many challenges, but Sky Barsch faced one of the […]