By Amanda Kuhnert “We are growing very rapidly,” said Amanda Farrell, who co-owns Bergamot Amor, a Williamstown-based leather goods company, with her partner Peter Shangraw. “We’ve shocked almost everyone, including ourselves.” The company produces made-in-Vermont bags and gear using U.S.-sourced boot leather. Amanda, who grew up in East Montpelier, was laid off from her marketing […]
By Amanda Kuhnert In 2000, Juliana Danyew visited a local goat farm on a field trip with the nursery school where she worked. This visit sparked her interest in developing a dairy business that would enable her to put her 12 acres of land to use while working from home. “These dairy goats were smaller […]
VtSBDC is proud to introduce our outstanding summer 2023 interns: Daniel Hibbs, Joshua Moore, and Lili McKinstry. They each have brought a fresh perspective to our work and the team enjoys two-way, intergenerational learning that navigates challenges, enhances resources, and creates dynamic futures. Daniel is a senior at the University of Vermont and is majoring […]
RANDOLPH CENTER, VT (July 20, 2023) – Linda Rossi, State Director of the Vermont Small Business Development Center (VtSBDC), announced that Heather M. Gonyaw has been named the organization’s 2023 State Star. The award, presented annually and recognized nationally, celebrates a member of the organization’s team for remarkable commitment to small business success. Gonyaw joined […]
The Governor’s Institutes of Vermont (GIV) hosted their ninth year of the Entrepreneurship: Creativity and Innovation Institute, one of eight specialized areas of interest they offer for Vermont teenagers and highschoolers throughout the summer. Each residential institute is an adventure that focuses on a topic and offers an in-depth experience built around learning, interacting, and […]
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 […]
RANDOLPH CENTER, Vt. (July 7, 2023) – The winners of the 15th annual Student Business / Entrepreneurship Competitions were recently announced. Hosted by Vermont Small Business Development Center (VtSBDC), Vermont Rural Entrepreneurship through Action Learning (VT REAL), and Vermont Business Education Corporation (VBEC), all Vermont high school and career-tech center students were invited to enter […]
RANDOLPH CENTER, Vt. (July 6, 2023) – Plans are underway for North by Northeast: Navigating Your Small Business, a unique conference taking place at Vermont State University’s Randolph Center campus on September 30, 2023 that focuses specifically on Vermont’s small businesses and solo-preneurs. Attendees will experience a day of connecting with resources, networking, finding inspiration, […]
By Amanda Kuhnert Ever feel like there are never enough hours in the day? Most of us think the solution is better time management. But Porter Knight, a certified professional organizer based in Bristol, Vermont, says there’s more to it than that. Along with providing tips and tricks to improve efficiency, Knight teaches her clients […]
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. […]
