There was a time not too long ago when the term “reputation management” was used only by public relations pros shaping the perception of their corporate clients. With growth of the internet and the increasing prevalence of social media, online search results have jumped to the front burner for all businesses, no matter what their […]
By Amanda Kuhnert “It all began about 13 years ago, the first time I tried running with a jogging stroller and hated it,” said Heather Hayes, founder and CEO of StrollRunner, LLC. She quickly abandoned the idea. But over the years, when she would see other parents awkwardly trying to jog with their strollers, she […]
Good news for those using our newest resource “Back of the Envelope”. We’ve taken it a step further with a second helpful worksheet that will help you estimate how much and what you need to sell to break even. It’s as easy as adding your anticipated operating expenses and up to five products that will be sold. Next, you will add the […]
The lakeside conference room hummed with creativity and innovative ideas as VtSBDC Advisor and Student Entrepreneurship Specialist Laurel Butler and VtSBDC Consultant and CVU faculty member Tamie-Jo Dickinson facilitated the kickoff of Creativity and Innovation, a course that offers three graduate credits from Castleton University. More than 20 Vermont educators and workforce development professionals gathered […]
Plan it. Build it. Post it. Analyze it. Vermont’s small business owners recognize that social media now plays a starring role on the marketing stage. There are other important players, but the current trend shows that to successfully engage your customers, some form of social media is a must. There are many options to choose […]
By Amanda Kuhnert Rita Wood likes to stay busy. That’s why she knew retirement wouldn’t include much downtime. “When the pandemic hit and my time for retirement as a speech/language pathologist was approaching, I thought about the future,” she said. “Being someone who can’t do nothing for very long, I mentioned to my husband Corey […]
In the start-up stage of a business, having access to capital will often be a key factor in determining its success. An important part of that capital structure can be the effective use of debt. In fact, borrowing is often necessary to grow or effectively manage cash flow. The essential part of managing debt is […]
“Never take your eyes off the cash flow because it’s the lifeblood of the business.” – Sir Richard Branson, business magnate, author, investor, philanthropist Have you ever seen someone’s eyes light up when they talk about cash flow? That was the case during a recent conversation between The Starting Point and Vermont Small Business Development Center’s […]
By Amanda Kuhnert “As women business owners we felt that we needed to create a space where other women makers, artisans, and entrepreneurs could come together and be empowered,” said Sarah Krinsky, co-owner of W. Collective in Bennington, Vermont. She and co-owner Bri Magnifico opened their store and café on Bennington’s Main Street in July. […]
The numerous COVID Loan and Grant options offered by the Feds and the State of Vermont can be easily confused. To help business owners document and organize important information on each loan and grant your business has received, VtSBDC has designed a dashboard tool. Using the COVID-19 Grant and Loan Dashboard, you will have the […]
