Inspiring Entrepreneurs

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 […]

2 minute read Wendy Mackenzie’s Everlasting Herb Farm has brought many beautiful personal care products to the Vermont Country Store in an exclusive sales relationship. She now works to focus her line specifically on natural deodorants which she manufactures and sells online and in stores. Community Navigator leads to multiple pathways for growth With the CNPP funding, Wendy […]

< 1 minute read Brielle Rovato of Dust & Form creates sculptures using some of Vermont’s beautiful natural materials: granite, and marble. By 2019 she had expanded her studio and begun to take on wholesale orders, expanding into mass manufacturing of her pieces. In February 2020, Brielle attended a large NYC trade show and was blown away by orders […]

2 minute read Cold Hollow Career Center students Ellaina Murphy, Emily Noel and Destiny Benware are three of Enosburg Falls’ newest entrepreneurs. With the help of their teacher, Sarah Jo Marcotte, they each created a line of skin and home care products made with essential oils. With $2,500 in funding, they designed their own products, marketed them to […]

2 minute read A community supporting the community:  On a quiet side road near downtown Rutland, a 14,500-square foot building houses The MINT, Rutland’s Makerspace. Once inside, there is a bustling hive of activity and creativity where members learn and practice their craft, and often their livelihood. The space opens to a vast variety of shops: wood, pottery, […]