Springfield couple embarks on second career as store owners
2 minute read By Amanda Kuhnert With retirement quickly approaching, John and Joey Claflin envisioned a second career that would give them the financial freedom to travel and spend time with family. Both John and Joey are deeply rooted in Springfield, Vt., and liked the idea of owning a community-centered business. So when Morse’s Market, a grocery store […]
Persistence Pays Off for Rutland Discount Retailer
2 minute read It’s been a busy two years for Dennis Piper. He lost his job due to the pandemic, decided to open his own business, and attempted to lease three different locations in the Rutland area before he finally found a landlord who would follow through on a lease. He then set to work renovating the space […]
Culinary Duo Opens New Bakery in St. Johnsbury
2 minute read When the restaurant where Darrell (DJ) McLaughlin worked shut down at the start of the pandemic, he and his wife Katey began thinking more seriously about starting their own business. The couple had recently relocated to St. Johnsbury from Washington State to be closer to DJ’s family. They looked forward to the creative freedom and […]
Vermont businesswoman turns setbacks into opportunities
2 minute read Maria Vance loved factory work. But after 17 years at a factory in St. Johnsbury, Vt., she developed hypersensitivity pneumonitis, a lung condition caused by breathing in foreign substances. As a result, she was forced to leave her job. “At 35 years old, I had to start over,” she said. “So I decided to start […]
LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION Introducing “Inspiring the Entrepreneurial Spirit,” VtSBDC’s Newest Video, first in a series
< 1 minute read Looking for more? Check out our resources page or reach out to your regional advisor! Recommended Next Read Home | Client Features | Tips & Tools | Announcements | Timely Topics
A New Approach to Marketing and Selling Vermont Farm Products
2 minute read By Amanda Kuhnert Hop on the Republic of Vermont website for a glimpse at what Ethan West, co-owner of the Goshen-based maple syrup and honey farm with his wife Annina, calls “New Vermont.” Instead of red barns and rolling hills, you’ll find clean, bold typography; little text; and large, eye-catching images. “We wanted to plant […]
Roofing Company Works to Improve Employee Retention
2 minute read By Amanda Kuhnert “It’s tough to get people to stay and see their work as a long-term profession,” said Ben Danowitz of Kestrel Contracting, a standing seam and copper roofing company based in Richmond, Vermont. “That’s been the loose end for a lot of trades, especially for a skilled trade like roofing.” But Danowitz and […]
Career advisor supports Vermont students, even if they can’t pay
2 minute read By Amanda Kuhnert Two students enter their junior year in high school with similar capabilities. One graduates two years later and heads off to college. The other doesn’t receive her high school diploma. This is a scenario that teachers and school administrators see played out time and time again, and one that Deborah Singiser of […]