Apr/May/Jun 2014 1 Melissa Thompson Hyndsight Vision Systems Peterborough Issue 3 • April/May/June FREE The region’s voice of small business & entrepreneurship Monadnock A Small Business That’s Going Places A Small Business That’s Going Places PLUS: Entrepreneurs-to-Be The Art of Giving Feedback Renting/Buying Commercial Real Estate Guide PLUS: Entrepreneurs-to-Be The Art of Giving Feedback Renting/Buying Commercial Real Estate Guide Melissa Thompson Hyndsight Vision Systems Peterborough
Transcript
Apr/May/Jun 2014 1
Melissa ThompsonHyndsight Vision Systems Peterborough
Issue 3 • April/May/June FREE
Monadnock
The region’s voice of small business & entrepreneurship
MONADNOCK
The region’s voice of small business & entrepreneurship
Monadnock
A Small BusinessThat’sGoingPlaces
A Small BusinessThat’sGoingPlaces
PLUS:Entrepreneurs-to-Be
The Art of Giving Feedback
Renting/Buying Commercial Real Estate Guide
PLUS:Entrepreneurs-to-Be
The Art of Giving Feedback
Renting/Buying Commercial Real Estate Guide
Melissa ThompsonHyndsight Vision Systems Peterborough
2 Monadnock Small Business Journal
Join our network of locally-owned businesses,
nonprofits & citizens building a stronger local economy and a more vibrant community.
Monadnock Buy Localwww.monadnocklocal.org
Apr/May/Jun 2014 3
FEATURESEntrepreneurs-To-Be 16 Hyndsight: A Business with 20/20 Vision 18
EDITOR’S NOTE 4
MSBJ GIVEAWAY 4
THE JOURNAL’S CONTRIBUTORS 5
TALK OF THE TOWN 6
CALENDAR OF EVENTS 24
ANNIVERSARIES 28
COLUMNSTHE BOTTOM LINE: Talk to Your Accountant 10
IN YOUR BUSINESS: The Art of Giving Feedback 12
THE GREEN SCENE: Wanted: Restaurants with Food Scraps 15
THE BUSINESS NEXT DOOR: Compass Financial Group 20
HINTS FROM HELAINE 22
LISTINGSCommercial Real Estate Offices 26
Business Directory 29
ON THE COVER...
Melissa Thompson, inventor and business owner, displays Hyndsight Vision System’s product on her husband’s motorcycle.
Turn to page 18 to learn more about this small Peterborough business that’s going places.
Photo: Ed Thomas
Photos: (top to bottom): Mt. Monadnock, Steve Hooper; rower, courtesy Hyndsight; R. Dean Ogelby, courtesy photo; young entrepreneuers and products, Ed Thomas; calculator, Dreamstime image.
C O N T E N T S
4 Monadnock Small Business Journal
Nurturing EntrepreneurshipLawyer. Plumber. Doctor. Teacher. Astronaut. But we don’t often hear kids say they want to be an “entrepreneur” when they grow up. Never mind that really young kids will have trouble saying the word (and spelling it!) ... the fact remains the idea that kids can grow up to run their own businesses is not often instilled at a young age. It’s a curious oversight because most
children first earn their first buck through an entrepreneurial enterprise in their neighborhood ... such as a lemonade stand. And, entrepreneurship is in the DNA of our American society. More than that: it actually drives the nation’s economy according to the U.S. Department of Labor: “(Entrepreneur-ship) accounts for the majority of this country’s new job creation and innova-tion.” Latest U.S. Census Bureau statistics found that self-employed individuals (with no paid employees) operate three-fourths of all U.S. businesses; and the country’s 25.8 million small businesses employ more than 50 percent of the private workforce, generate more than half of the nation’s gross domestic product, and are the principal source of new jobs in the U.S. economy. Wow. But, luckily we see this demonstrated every day in the Monadnock Region ... from the innovative new products coming out of folks’ garages (such as this issue’s cover story about Hyndsight, p. 16) to the entrepreneurial nurturing that goes on in our area high schools (p. 18). But are we doing enough to encourage entrepreneurship at even a younger age ... when they are putting up corner lemonade stands? What do you think? Let me know on the Journal’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/MonadnockSmallBusinessJournal.
Monadnock Small Business Journal is published quarterly by Keene, N.H.-based Backporch
Publishing, LLC. It is distributed throughout the Monadnock Region the first week of January, April,
July and October. Monadnock Small Business Journal is a business-to-business publication that highlights news about the Monadnock Region’s small business community including start-ups, business success sto-ries, local expert advice and features about emerging
trends. This publication is copyrighted. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written consent. The views expressed in Monadnock Small
Business Journal do not necessarily reflect the views of its advertisers, publisher or editor. While every effort is made to provide accurate information, Backporch
Publishing, LLC assumes no responsibility for any errors or omissions.
MSBJ GIVE-AWAY!
Win a chance to get a 90-minute facial (value $95) and a “to go” skincare exfoliating cleanser and toner (value $20), compliments of Jeni Skin Care of Keene (formerly Evo-Spa).
For a chance to win, subscribe to MSBJ’s free e-newsletter. Visit our homepage to subscribe: www.MonadnockSBJ.com.
Drawing will be held on June 30, 2014. Good luck!
WIN a 90-minute facial with Jeni Skin Care of Keene!
Apr/May/Jun 2014 5
Nicole S. Colson is a contributing writer for The Keene Sentinel, where she was on staff as a feature writer for more than 12 years. She also writes for Keene State College and Cheshire Medical Center/Dartmouth-Hitch-cock Keene. Colson lives in Swanzey with her husband, Dana.
CONTRIBUTORS
Jeff Saari is owner of Keene-based Visionary Coaching, LLC, an organizational coach-ing enterprise that works with nonprofits, education, manufacturing and service-based businesses. Saari, a certified coach with the Coach Training Alliance, lives in Keene with his wife and daughter and is passionate about fitness, nutrition and drumming.
Becky Karush is a freelance writer special-izing in biography, early childhood health and agriculture. She also writes for national and international clients including Reader’s Digest International and the Tasha Tudor Museum. She lives in Swanzey with her writer husband, toddler son, and one-eared, high strung dog.
Ed Thomas has been a professional photog-rapher for more than 30 years. He produces photography for clients throughout New England for the advertising, architectural, industrial and editorial markets. He is also an avid nature and historical photographer. www.edthomasphotography.com
C S Wurzberger, a.k.a. “The Green Up Girl,” specializes in planning and promoting green events: corporate meetings, educational con-ferences, product promotions and more. She helps lead organizations to a sustainable future by reducing waste, reducing cost and rethink-ing events. www.thegreenupgirl.com
Helaine Iris is a life and business coach who has been featured in numerous publications including “O” The Oprah Magazine. She’s helped many entrepreneurs make a difference in the world, accelerate their professional success and achieve more complete and fulfilling personal lives. www.pathofpurpose.com
Sarah Neutra is co-owner and senior part-ner of White Barn CPAs in Marlborough. She has been helping individuals and businesses in the Monadnock region with accounting and tax preparation since 2007. www.whitebarncpas.com
6 Monadnock Small Business Journal
pNationwide Survey Shows Gains for “Buy Local” Groups
KEENE — A new nationwide sur-vey of independent business owners has found that pro-local attitudes are growing and driving customer traffic, and indicates the educational work of “buy local” groups are yielding signif-icant benefits for their members. The seventh annual survey by the Institute for Local Self Reliance tallied responses from 2,602 businesses, all independent and locally owned, across all 50 states. About half were retailers. Among the notable results: Independent businesses in communities with an active “buy in-
dependent/buy local” campaign run by grassroots groups saw revenues grow 7 percent in 2013, tripling the 2.3 percent increase for those in areas without an alliance. Businesses allied with a “buy local” movement in the Monadnock Re-gion have reported similar results, says Jennifer Risley, a board member with Monadnock Buy Local. Monadnock Buy Local has more than 130 members from 28 towns throughout the Monad-nock Region. To learn more visit: www.MonadnockLocal.org.
pWhat Can Animals Teach Us? Two Local Businesses Team Up to Offer Unique WorkshopsPETERBOROUGH — PeopleSense Consulting, LLC (Robin Eichert, prin-cipal, pictured left in the photo at right) and Opening the Window —Writing That Matters (Leaf Seligman, writing guide) have teamed up to offer two new workplace training experiences designed to increase staff cohesion, creativity and wholeheartedness.
Eichert brings her expertise in hiring, job-fit, performance and leadership; Seligman draws on lessons gleaned from more than 20 years of teaching and 10 years of congregational ministry. The training sessions engage partici-pants through writing prompts, effec-tive assessment tools, and a light-heart-ed but instructive look at what animals can teach us about our own behavior. The team offers two workshops for any size workplace: “Fox & Hound: En-
hancing Workplace Collaboration by Building Authentic Alliances Across Personalities,” and “Welcoming the Soul at Work: The Value of Wholehearted-
TALK OF THE TOWNYour guide to business happenings in the greater Monadnock Region
415 Marlboro Street • Keene, New Hampshire 03431T: (603) 352-7112 • F: (603) 352-7114
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Apr/May/Jun 2014 7
ness in Employment.” To learn more about these workshops, contact Leaf Seligman at Opening the Window — Writing That Matters, [email protected], 603-242-3763 or Robin Eichert at PeopleSense Consulting LLC, 603-532-5888, [email protected].
pSequoya Donates IT Services
PETERBOROUGH — Ten area non-profits received free IT services from Sequoya Technologies Group’s charita-ble giving program, Sequoya Seeds. The value of Sequoya’s gift exceeded $4,300. The Sequoya Seeds program takes five percent of Sequoya’s for-profit clients’ monthly fees and credits those funds
to an account for nonprofit clients. Last year the company saw significant growth in the Seeds program, allowing Sequoya to waive service fees for non-profits for the entire month of Decem-ber. Among the ten that received the services was the American Red Cross of New Hampshire (pictured). Other nonprofit organizations that received Sequoya’s gift included: All Saints Epis-copal Church, Monadnock Community Early Learning Center, Monadnock Humane Society, Monadnock Music, Monadnock Worksource, Peterborough Players, Plowshare Farm, Sharon Arts Center, and The Lukas Community. Learn more at sequoyatech.com/seeds.
pCo-op Increases AccessibilityKEENE — The Monadnock Food Co-op increased its accessibility by adding an electric powered shopping cart to its offerings, making it easier for custom-ers of all mobility levels to comfortably and conveniently shop. According to the Disability Funders Network, people
with disabilities are the nation’s largest minority group. More than 40 percent of these individuals have a disability that limits their ability to walk or carry
items. “The cart is one of many offerings by the Co-op to in-crease accessibil-ity,” says Jennifer Risley, marketing
and membership manager. This fall, she notes, the Co-op initiated the “Healthy Food for All” program to make its products more financially accessible. Individuals receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits are eligible for a 10 percent dis-count on every purchase at the Co-op. Learn more at: www.monadnockfood.coop/healthy-food. Also, says Risley, the Co-op’s downtown location and prox-imity to the city’s bicycle path makes the Co-op more accessible to alternative forms of transportation.
pRuth Clark Joins Integrative Health CenterPETERBOROUGH — Ruth Clark, a registered dietitian nutritionist with a
master’s degree in public health and more than 30 years’ expe-rience in the field, has joined the Integrative Health Center at 174 Concord Street in Peter-borough. Clark,
owner of Smart Nutrition LLC and a seasoned practitioner with many years of experience in nutrition and wellness, says her core philosophy centers around a holistic, personalized approach to health and healing based on a variety of nutrition therapies including whole foods, tailored supplements and mind- body modalities. Clark joins the group, which includes Sara Featherstone, a na-turopathic physician, and Julie Permut, a licensed acupuncturist and herbalist. Visit www.smartnutritionllc.com to learn more.
GFA Appoints Vice PresidentGARDNER, Mass. — GFA Federal Credit Union has appointed William F. Rivers to the position of vice president, enter-prise risk manage-
ment. Rivers brings more than 35 years of banking experience to GFA Federal Credit Union, including 25 years at the senior management level. In his new position, Rivers will oversee audit programs, managing compliance and regulatory changes, vendor manage-ment and enterprise risk management. Learn more about GFA Federal Credit Union at: www.gfafcu.com.
pMassage Therapist Gives BackKEENE — Missy Blanchard of MB Massage Studio has donated a $500 gift to P.E.O. (Philanthropic Educational Organization) a national group that offers educational opportunities for women. The charitable gift has been
given to the organization’s “Program for Continuing Education” project that offers grants to women continuing their education as adults. Blanchard, a mem-ber of the Keene chapter of P.E.O., says the gift comes with particular signifi-cance since this is the same project and grant that Blanchard was awarded four years ago when she began her studies in massage therapy at New Hampshire Institute for Therapeutic Arts. “I’m really pleased to be able pay this gift forward and offer another woman assis-tance with her educational and career goals,” says Blanchard. Learn more at www.MBMassageStudio.com.
pLocal Dog Trainer Earns CertificationPETERBOROUGH — Local dog trainer, Erica Marshall CPDT-KA, owner of Wicked Good Dog Training, has earned certification through the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers (CCPDT). Erica now joins more than 2,000 certificants worldwide. Wicked Good Dog Training focuses on training based on current canine behavioral sci-ence. This certification requires Marshall to earn continuing educa-tion credits to maintain her CPDT-KA designation, which ensures she is up to date on the latest studies and techniques dealing with training and behavior mod-ification of canines. Learn more at: www.wickedgooddogtraining.com.
pPeterborough Chamber Donates to Local Food Pantries
PETERBOROUGH — The Greater Peterborough Chamber of Commerce has donated some of the proceeds from its 2013 “Holiday Online Auction” to two local food pantries on behalf of the Chamber’s 300+ members. A donation went to the Monadnock Area
Food Bank (pictured left bottom photo, Christy Meinke [r], operations manager of the Greater Peterborough Chamber of Commerce, presents a check to Mer-edith White of the Monadnock Area Food Bank) and the Peterborough Food Pantry (pictured, Jack Burnett [r], exec-utive director of the Greater Peterbor-ough Chamber of Commerce, presents a check to Chris Mann, board president of the Peterborough Food Pantry).
pStudents Design Logo for Peterborough’s 275th CelebrationPETERBOROUGH — The Town of Peterborough will be celebrating the 275th anniversary of its officially recog-nized settlement date of 1739 with a parade and week-long events, commenc-ing October 10, 2014. And thanks to the graphic design students at ConVal Regional High School, the celebration will be forever memorial-ized in a logo created specifically for the event (pictured). Students in Andy Bills’ Region 14 Applied Technology Center class designed the logo with the help of sophomore Samuel Moore who led the effort to get the artwork to a finished level. “This has been a wonderful proj-ect and has exposed the students to new mediums and is, in my opinion, one of the best experiences my students can be involved with,” notes Bills. Mike Klein, marketing consultant for the 275th planning committee says the group was very pleased with the final product. “(We) felt it was really important to get the students at the high school involved in this project … working with Andy’s students was a real pleasure; they’re true professionals,” Klein says, and adds: “Now we just need to convince them to show off their creativity with a float entry in the parade!” The 275th Celebration Planning Committee meets monthly. For more information, contact Carol Nelson at [email protected], or Mike Klein at [email protected].
TALK OF THE TOWN
Apr/May/Jun 2014 9
pSkincare Business Has New Name, Location
KEENE — Jeni Callihan, a skin care expert and esthetician, has opened a new skin care salon
on Emerald St. Callihan, who previous-ly operated Evo Spa on Marlborough St., will offer skin care, waxing, facials and products. Callihan says her salon uses safe and effective skincare products including Dermalogica and the New England-based Jane Iredale and Suki Skin Care lines. Learn more at: www.jeniskincare.com.
pLocal Film Co. Records MusicKEENE — Rabbit Ear Films, a local nonprofit film company, recent-ly completed a collaboration with Nelson-based Apple Hill Center for Chamber Music. The Apple Hill String Quartet recorded music by composer Lawrence Siegel of Westmoreland for the documentary film, “Monadnock: The Mountain That Stands Alone.”
Siegel, who was recently named a “Life-time Fellow” of the New Hampshire State Council on the Arts, has been recognized nationally and interna-tionally for his Verbatim Project and his Holocaust oratorio, “Kaddish.” The Apple Hill String Quartet (pictured, below) has earned accolades from around the world for its interpretive
mastery of such traditional repertoire as Haydn, Mozart, Schubert, Schumann, Beethoven, and Ravel — along with the performers’ special dedication to seldom-heard masterworks and con-temporary music. They have performed concerts extensively throughout the U.S., Europe, the Middle East and Asia as part of Apple Hill’s innovative Play-
ing for Peace program. The recording session was coordinated by Daniel J. White, of Keene, producer/editor for “Monadnock: The Mountain That Stands Alone” and Leonard Matczynski, executive and artistic director at Apple Hill Center for Chamber Music. “Mo-nadnock: The Mountain that Stands Alone” will be a feature length docu-mentary film that will tell the history of the mountain through photographs, archival footage, poetry, quotations and stories from the people who have studied, cared for and worked to pre-serve the mountain for all. It highlights stories about place and love of place. This film will be the first comprehensive documentary film about Mt. Monad-nock, one of only 13 mountains in the U.S. listed in the National Register of National Landmarks. To learn more about the film contact Steve Hooper, executive producer, Rabbit Ear Films at 603-762-3071 or [email protected].
Send your press releases for “Talk of the Town” to Marcia Passos Duffy, editor, at [email protected]
10 Monadnock Small Business Journal
THE BOTTOM LINEFinancial and tax tips from local experts
ax season is over (whew!) and it’s a great time of year
for the small business owner to connect with his or her accountant. What, you say? You just saw your accountant! Well, here are three good reasons to get in touch with your accountant after April 15.
1. The time for business planning is … now. Most businesses run on a calendar year and spend the first quarter of the following year figuring out what happened the previous year. Some have a general sense of how things are going, but many are surprised by the numbers that surface at tax time. Get to know your accountant — and your numbers — in the off season and you’ll be the nimble-footed entrepreneur who can use this real-time information to your advantage.
2. Accountants tend to be a bit nicer after April 15. And more generous with their time. It’s a fact … most accoun-tants do a tremendous amount of work between February and April. If you only see them during this time, you may not be making the most of this important relationship.
3. Seeing your accountant in the off-season provides for tax planning at its best. Meeting with your accountant only at tax time is like buying a Swamp Bats Season Pass in August. All the action of the season is mostly over. But seeing your accountant mid-year can offer some great, proactive tax-saving strategies you can implement while there’s still time to have an effect on your tax bill.
So give your accountant a call this spring … before the 2014 tax season rolls around. p
Sarah Neutra is co-owner and senior partner of White Barn CPAs in Marlborough.
Three Good Reasons to See Your Accountant After April 15 By Sarah Neutra
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THANK YOUMonadnock United Way and our Partner Agencies� want to thank all our donors� and volunteers� for helping to improve lives� by inves�ting in programs� and people that will create long-las�ting meas�urable change.
Your contributions� to our community are greatly appreciated.
To volunteer or make a donation, call 603-352-4209.
Get to know your accountant, and your numbers, in the off-season
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12 Monadnock Small Business Journal
iving and receiving feedback is a helpful thing, right? It’s certainly beneficial to a business: After all, people can’t read our minds. If we don’t speak up and give feedback about something that is frustrat-
ing us, for example, nothing can change. But giving feedback isn’t easy. The truth is, most of us fear giving — or receiving — feed-back. We get defensive when we get it. We make excuses for not giving feedback: We won’t be heard anyway so we say to ourselves, why bother? We don’t want to upset the status quo. We are afraid of insulting or upsetting the other person. Our fear or discomfort of taking this risk keeps our true feelings and thoughts locked up inside and can produce stress, which we all know has negative consequences both personally and professionally. But all of that can change. The key is finding a tried and true method for giving feedback — one that works.
A roadmap for successful feedbackWhen people begin to give constructive feedback, miracles of-ten happen. The air is cleared. And good things begin to emerge
… although sometimes things get a bit worse before they get better! A shift in a culture that tells the truth will feel different at first — even unsettling — and not everyone will choose to accept it.There is also the fact that this skillfulness takes time to master and it won’t be perfect out of the gate. In my work as a business coach, I seek to create a safe environment for people to learn and practice this art together.
The following steps will give you the best chance at success in the art of giving feedback. Remember, choose one or two issues at first, not a “laundry list” which can be overwhelming to the person receiving the feedback.
IN YOUR BUSINESSNo-nonsense advice from the local experts
The Art of Giving Feedback by Jeff Saari
GThe truth is,
most of us fear giving — or receiving —
feedback.
Apr/May/Jun 2014 13
Find something you genuinely appreciate about the person’s work. For example (in a manufacturing setting): “I appreciate the time and detail you spent on the design of that metal part.”
Articulate the specific behavior or outcome that you have noticed. “I noticed however that metal part is susceptible to vibration based on its specs.”
Describe the effect the errant behavior or outcome has on you, the customer and/or the business. “If a customer has a faulty part, the products they are using the part in will be in jeopardy and this can have adverse consequences for our business.”
Make a request on how it could be better. “So I would like you to rework the specs and make adjustments for the vibration potential.”
Write down what you plan to say to get clear on the points. Practice a few times before the meeting. In my experience, deliv-ering the feedback in person is the most effective. Make sure you are in a calm emotional space and conducive environment (not too noisy, etc.). And listen to what the person says during the feedback since they may have some valid points to consider that may shape your understanding of the situation differently. Use these steps the next time you need to give someone in your business feedback. You’ll find that done right and often, feedback creates a culture that values it. p
Jeff Saari is owner of Visionary Coaching, LLC, an organizational coaching enterprise in Keene.
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Wanted: Restaurants with Food Scraps for Local Farms
A new way to reduce food waste is making headway in the state. Through a program run by the New Hamp-shire Department of Environmental Services’ Pollu-tion Prevention Program (NHPPP) restaurant owners and farmers are partnering up to keep food waste out of landfills. To date, nearly 19,440 pounds of food waste has been divert-ed from state landfills into food for local pigs and chickens, says Melissa Zych, program manager at NHPPP. While the program has connected eight different restaurants with eight small farms that raise pigs, more restaurants are need-ed to fill the demand for free food for pigs and chickens. Here’s how the program works: NHPPP matches the farmer and restaurant. The farmer drops off clean 5-gallon buckets for the restaurant staff to save pre-consumer kitchen scraps such as fruit, vegetables, dairy and bread for the farmer to pick up (no meat). The farmer and the restaurant manager coordinate the best pick up days and times. Then every few months NHPPP will contact the farmer and the restaurant to get an estimate on the amount of food collected. Not only is the program a way for farmers to reduce feed costs — a few farmers have stated that with this affordable, steady food supply, they will now farm pigs year-round — but restaurants save money too. For example, Grappone Conference Center in Concord generates about 15-30 gallons of food scraps for a local farm and has reduced the size of its dumpster from an 8-cubic-yard to a 6-cubic-yard. “And they are not even filling that,” says Zych. “They tell us it’s an easy system to use in their kitchen … they also like seeing the farmers every day.” Right now there are five farmers in the Monadnock Region who are interested in collecting food scraps from restaurants. If you own, work at or eat at a Monadnock area restaurant, Zych asks that you pass the word along about this program. For more information on this program contact Melissa Zych, pollution prevention program manager, Department of Environmental Services, 603-271-6460 p
C S Wurzberger, a.k.a. “The Green Up Girl,” is on a mission to help organizations reduce waste and lower their operational costs.
THE GREEN SCENEby C S Wurzberger
How local businesses are greening up
16 Monadnock Small Business Journal
Entrepreneurs - to - Be
orget the mall. The best place for gift shopping in the Monadnock Region is Keene High School on “Entrepreneurship Day.” This past year, booths packed the high school’s large multipurpose room
on a Friday in mid-December. Student staffed the tables brim-ming with baked goods, hand-sewn dolls, tie-dyed shirts, pet rocks, golf balls emblazoned with the school logo, handmade snow globes and more. All semester, these young people studied the principles of entrepreneurship through the Cheshire Career Center, which is located within the high school. On this day, their work meets the real world. “It’s pretty exciting as everyone sets up their booth,” says senior Al Jimenez. “And really satisfying to show off the products we made. All the students and teachers come through during different lunch shifts, so there are a lot of people.” Jimenez and his two teammates sold key chains from super strong paracord, each made by the team. Their product was a hit: they sold out. At another booth, Jasper Fitzgerald-Cherry, a senior, also sold a handmade-product — decorative stained glass panels. “I had a lot of doubt that I could sell them,” he admits. “They are expensive and they take a long time to make. I was so surprised when I sold out!”
Teaching what it takes to start a businessLinda Merrill, chair of the business department at Cheshire Career Center, remembers the first Entrepreneurship Day eleven years ago. “It grew out of the ‘Introduction to Business’ class,” she says. “They were learning the ideas, but there was no application. We thought they really ought to be selling a product.” Though the event has evolved, the basic concept remains. Students work collaboratively to develop, test, produce and sell an item. They write a business plan, conduct market research, source materials, draw up profit and loss statements and deter-mine price points. Ideally, they will sell enough product to earn back their manufacturing and labor costs. The rest of day’s profit supports a business scholarship for graduating seniors. “A sizable percentage of our students go on to major in busi-ness in college,” says Cheshire Career Center’s computer science teacher Patrick Lagace. “The business courses and this project have really changed the career direction for some students.” Jimenez and Fitzgerald-Cherry agree that they learned valu-able, hands-on lessons about starting a business. “What we did was on a small scale, but the work is just like what a large corporation would do,” says Jimenez.
Supporting entrepreneurs-to-be The Cheshire Career
Center business classes, events and clubs are one effort among several in the Monadnock Region to train young people for entrepreneurship of some kind. Rich Grogan, the regional manager of the New Hampshire Small
Business Development Center, often speaks to high school and college students about entrepreneurship and the resources avail-able to young adults who want to start their own small business. “I talk to many different types of students,” says Grogan. “Successful business ideas come from people with a variety of background skills.” At the Hannah Grimes Center in Keene, executive director Mary Ann Kristiansen notes that the center’s business incubation programs are geared for all experience levels. “One person who went through our six-month start-up program was still in college,” she says. “The most important thing when starting a business, no matter how old you are, is your abil-
How the Monadnock Region Prepares its Young People to Start Businesses of Their Own By Becky Karush
“What we did was on a small scale, but the work is just like what a large corporation would do.”F
Photos by Ed Thomas
Keene High School seniors show off products that they sold at “Entrepreneuership Day.” From left to right: Jasper Fitzgerald-Cherry, Al Jimenez and Brittany Anderson
Apr/May/Jun 2014 17
Entrepreneurs - to - Be
ity to build a network. That’s something our programs can help you do very quickly.” A number of New Hampshire-wide organizations also work to connect budding entrepreneurs to a supportive network of peers and mentors. Jamie Coughlin, a board trustee of the New Hampshire High Technology Council and the president of the New Hamp-shire Business Incubator Network, says the Granite State has an “ecosystem” that fosters mentorship between successful business professionals and young entrepreneurs. “There is a well-established entrepreneurship infrastructure here, including the High Tech Council, the Small Business Devel-opment Center, organizations like Stay Work Play New Hamp-shire, and regional incubators,” and the Keene chapter of the Young Professionals Network, says Coughlin. “There are people who are willing to share their knowledge, who are willing to lend a hand. They give young people the opportunity to witness how founders grew their companies.”
Why support entrepreneurship here?The nature of the Monadnock Region makes it especially im-portant for area business leaders to train the next generation of entrepreneurs. A major interstate highway doesn’t pass through Cheshire County. There is no passenger rail service. As a some-what geographically isolated area, the Monadnock Region also
doesn’t draw a high number of tourists who might resettle here. “Our location fosters pride in our community,” reflects Susan Silk, career counselor at the Cheshire Career Center. “Part of that is keeping our main streets and our businesses vital, which means growing that entrepreneurship ourselves.” Nationally, there seems to be a shift toward entrepreneurial work. Forbes.com columnist Jan Bruce argued recently that “the nature of work is changing. We’ve seen the birth of the transient entrepreneurial workforce, and a move away from a ‘big compa-ny’ focus. As more are empowered to explore independent work options, not just as a stopgap measure, but as a real career choice, entrepreneurship will flourish, creating jobs and innovation.” And local experts agree that the Monadnock area needs entrepreneurs to thrive in order for the region to survive, and the larger economy will likely require entrepreneurial skills in the years to come. The community, then, is wise to prepare its young people for these opportunities.
Looking toward the futureAs for the Cheshire Career Center students who participated in Entrepreneurship Day, their futures are still wide open. But the possibility of starting a small business is now in sharper focus.Jasper Fitzgerald-Cherry sees the potential for freedom in entre-preneurial work, in addition to the immense responsibility. “I can see going into business for myself if I didn’t want to do an office job,” he says. “If I didn’t want to follow one person’s direction all the time.” Al Jimenez takes a long view on the likelihood of entrepre-neurship for himself. “I sort of consider starting a business as a backup plan,” he says. “I know so much better how much work and preparation goes into making a business happen. It’s defi-nitely an option.
How the Monadnock Region Prepares its Young People to Start Businesses of Their Own By Becky Karush
Becky Karush is a freelance writer and Vermont Public Radio commentator who lives in Swanzey with her husband and very busy toddler son.
RESOURCES FOR BUDDING ENTREPRENEURS
Cheshire Career Centerwww.cheshirecenter.org • 603-352-0640
NH Small Business Development Centerwww.nhsbdc.org/keene-regional-office
603-358-2602
New Hampshire High Technology Councilwww.nhhtc.org • [email protected] • 603-935-8951
Stay Work Play New Hampshirewww.stayworkplay.org • [email protected]
603-860-2245
Keene High School seniors show off products that they sold at “Entrepreneuership Day.” From left to right: Jasper Fitzgerald-Cherry, Al Jimenez and Brittany Anderson
18 Monadnock Small Business Journal
he best invention stories start with setting a kitchen table on fire. That’s what happened when Melissa Thompson was
creating a prototype of a camera she envisioned would mount on a rowing skull. Thompson, who began rowing eight years ago when she was 52 — and has since rowed in bodies of water all over the globe — was a volunteer at the Head of the Charles Regatta in Boston. Because she has her boater’s license, her job was to tow rowers who collided with each other or against bridges. “Rowers were barely missing each other and barely missing bridges,” says Thompson. “I thought, ‘Why doesn’t someone put a camera on the boat?’” That someone turned out to be her. Thompson began working on developing a camera two years ago, and the result is her business: Hyndsight Vision Systems. Her fellow volunteers at the Charles River encouraged her to develop the camera. And after some research, Thompson realized there was no product like it on the market.
On fire (literally!) with an inventionThompson, a Schenectady, N.Y. native who moved to Peterbor-ough 14 years ago (before that she lived in Francestown for 18 years), is no stranger to entrepreneurship: she started and ran three other companies before she started Hyndsight, all in the medical field. She still heads one of the companies she started 25 years ago, Matrix Clinic Research Management. Thompson went to work on her first prototype using a cam-era from an auto parts store meant for use by a driver backing up. That camera, however, was powered by the vehicle’s battery.
She dove into trying to figure out other ways of powering the camera and quickly realized that she didn’t know a thing about electrical connections. Then she tried rigging it with a motorcycle battery. That, she says, is when she set the kitchen table on fire. She quickly put out the fire, and then decided it would be prudent (and safer) to bring in an expert. She met with a former colleague and engineer in the medical industry, Jona-than Donaldson, who was also a rower while a student at MIT. Donaldson swiftly designed a way to operate the camera using AA batteries. Donaldson is now president of Hyndsight Vision Systems. “He works closely with me,” says Thompson. “He has skill-sets I don’t have.” Thompson also worked with different design engineering companies in New Hampshire, Massachusetts and Rhode Island to further develop her product. She brought her newly-minted creation to a women’s rowing camp in Florida — a rower duct-taped the camera to a skull. “They loved them,” recalls Thompson. “Thirty-six different row-ers went out and used it and gave me feedback. It fueled my fire.”
First type of camera of its kind on the marketThompson’s patented product is the first camera and monitor system for rowing, which is the only sport where a competitor crosses the finish line going backwards. Typically, rowers have to turn or wear a small mirror on their heads to be able to see behind them. Collisions are the number one cause of property damage and injury to rowers. Accidents are also becoming more com-mon as more people use kayaks, boats and jet skis.
By Nicole S. Colson Photos by Ed Thomas
T
Apr/May/Jun 2014 19
Rower safety was Thompson’s first consider-ation in creating Hyndsight Vision Systems. The “system” is the camera and the mon-itor, which work together to provide the rower with clear vision and accurate depth of field. Designed to mount to rowing skulls of any size, the 5-inch high-definition monitor is anti-glare with a sunlight-readable screen. It is wireless with secure Wi-Fi integration, comes with rechargeable batteries and is water-resistant. While some may argue Thompson’s system is similar to a Go Pro camera, she is quick to point out they are completely different products.
The proof is in the rowing“Go Pro records and stores video so you can broadcast it after you download it,” she says. “You cannot look at an image until after it is recorded. Our product provides live video stream which gives you the ability to view what you are doing as you are doing it.” Plus, Go Pro also has a fish-eye lens while her camera monitor provides a true-to-life field of vision. “You need to be able to see in all kinds of light condi-tions,” she points out. But the real proof is in the rowing. Mitz Carr, a master rower from New Haven, Conn. — who has competed at the Head of the Charles race for 20 years and coaches the women’s rowing team at Trinity College in Hartford, Conn. — used the Hyndsight camera and monitor system at the Head of the Charles Regatta last year and came in second place. “I was sick of using mirrors and my own neck to see behind me,” says Carr. She especially appreciated the non-glare screen. “It was beyond wonderful,” she says. “I didn’t have to worry ... I could see exactly where I was relative to bridges and the big turns I was headed for.”
An at-home business, for nowHyndsight’s sales and marketing, customer service, and shipping and receiving operations are in three rooms
of Thompson’s Peterbor-ough home as well as her garage. She has five employees and the com-ponents of the product are manufactured in China. Thompson is currently looking for space locally to move her operation outside her home. Thompson has distrib-utors set up and is ready to ship in Australia, South Africa, the United King-dom, New Zealand and Canada by this spring. She’s pre-sold more than 1,000
cameras at $499 each and expects she’ll need 15 employees by 2015. She plans to expand her product into multiple markets because her easily-removable camera and monitor system can be used for any activity including driving, horse-back riding, motorcycling, boating and bicycling. “There’s no wiring required and it has a suction cup mount — you can put it on anything,” she says. “You can watch your steaks grilling in the backyard or watch your kids in the backseat of the car.” A second, lower-priced camera is in development as well as other prod-ucts, including a built-in GPS unit and a “stroke coach” that counts rowing strokes per minute.
Hitting the big time?Not only does Thompson have a stack of orders to fill to show she’s on the right track, she has support from a national rowing organization. Thompson’s cam-era and monitor were recently approved for use in rowing competition by The United States Rowing Association, the regulatory body recognized by the U.S. Olympic Committee as the national governing body for the sport of rowing in the United States. Hyndsight Vision Systems has also secured retail agreements with several large big-box stores, The Outdoor Shopping Channel on QVC, and SkyMall magazine. “I cannot make the claim it will improve your skills,” she says. “But I truly believe it will improve your performance.” p
Melissa Thompson of Hyndsight Vision Systems on her bike mounted with her invention
“There’s no wiring required and it has a suction cup mount —
you can put it on anything … You can watch your steaks grilling in the backyard or watch your kids
in the backseat of the car.”
Nicole S. Colson
is a frequent
contributor to
Monadnock
Small Business
Journal and is
a contributing
writer for The
Keene Sentinel,
where she was
on staff for
more than 12
years and most
recently served
as feature
writer.
For more information visit Hyndsight Vision Systems on the web at
www.hyndsightvision.com.
20 Monadnock Small Business Journal
df THE BUSINESS NEXT DOOR
R. Dean Ogelby runs a small financial services company out of his home in Harrisville in a separate office space that used to be a rental studio apartment. Ogelby works with individuals, busi-ness owners and small employer groups with their insurance, retirement and investment needs. He and his wife, Kathy, have has lived in Harrisville for 29 years.
Note: Compass Financial Group’s securities are offered through The O.N. Equity Sales Company, Member FINRA/SIPC, One Financial Way, Cin-cinnati, OH 45242, 513-794-6794. Investment advisory services offered through O.N. Investment Management Company.
A snapshot of a local home business
What did you do before you started your business?I moved to New Hampshire in 1985 from New Jersey, where I worked importing and exporting bakery equipment from Switzerland. I moved to the Monadnock Region for the slower paced lifestyle … my first job here was working in retail sales at Harrisville Designs, a weaving and knitting company.
What has been your biggest challenge in starting and maintaining your home business?Taking the leap from a steady salary with benefits to 100 percent commission-based income that fluctuates monthly.
What do you love about working from home?The freedom and convenience of being able to just walk through a few rooms to my office at the other end of the house — no commuting!
What do you find most challenging about work-ing from home?My business is always here! I often work on my laptop in the evenings while watching television but I’m not physi-cally in my office, which gives me a mental break.
What do you do to inspire/motivate yourself every day?I attend ongoing webinars that help me learn better ways to run my company and be more effective in marketing my services.
How do you compete with larger financial institutions?Because I’m a small company, my clients deal directly with me and I’m accessible after regular office hours to respond to phone calls and emails.
How do you separate your home life from work?It’s a challenge. Being self-employed and working from home there is always something that needs to be done and it’s easy to jump back into “work” from “home life” anytime. I’m not really sure there is much separation between the two.
What has been your proudest achievement so far?Having survived being self-employed for more than 13 years with all the challenges in the market and economy.
What are working on now to grow your business?I’m continuing to network locally with other business owners through “Business Networking International” (BNI) and the Greater Peterborough Chamber of Commerce. I also am con-tacting prospective small business owners by phone and mail across the state.
What do you do for fun when you are not working?Cycle, hike and watch movies with my wife, Kathy. p
— Interview by Marcia Passos DuffyDo you know of an interesting home-based business for this
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22 Monadnock Small Business Journal
HINTS FROM HELAINEAnswers to your vexing business problems, by Helaine Iris
Sterling BusinessCoaching
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[email protected] Free Book: Small Business Breakthroughsgo to sterlingbusinesscoaching.com206 Concord St., Peterborough, NH
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Individual Solutions In Today’s EconomyDear Helaine,Professors get sabbaticals ... but when do entrepreneurs get time off to recharge? I want to take a vacation, but there is so much to do and I’m afraid that if I spend time away from my business I’ll lose traction. How do I get the much-needed break from running my business without losing sales? NEED A BREAK
Dear Need a Break,What you’re describing is what I call the paradox of entrepre-neurship — juggling two important needs at the same time. You’ve got to keep selling and you need to replenish your energy and inspiration on a regular basis. Bottom line: Successful businesses have necessary structures in place that enable their needs to be met. If you have a sales plan in place, you can rely on that plan to work enabling you to step away for a break. The freedom we business owners seek — the reason many of us are in business — stands on the shoulders of structure, organization, discipline and accountability. Put these in place and you will have the ability to take care of yourself and have a successful business.
Dear Helaine,My bank says I need to write a business plan before applying for business loan. Should I get one online or learn to create one from scratch? And what is the most important part of a business plan when applying for a commercial loan? BIZ PLAN CONFUSED
Dear Confused,When I teach clients to write business plans, one of the first things I emphasize to make the process more manageable is this: Don’t reinvent the wheel. You don’t have to start from scratch! There are many excellent templates online, free or fee-based, you can work with. In addition, do an online search for sample busi-ness plans (there are lots of them) and work from the sample. You will need to replace the content with your content, but you will get a clear picture of the kind of information needed, and it will give you a head start. Lenders are looking for businesses that have done their homework, know their business model in-side and out, and can demonstrate both profitability and return on investment over time. p
Helaine Iris is a life and business coach with Path of Purpose Coaching. Do you have a vexing business problem? Email questions to [email protected]. Your name will be kept confidential.
Apr/May/Jun 2014 23
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APRILApril 2 (Wednesday, 5:30 p.m.)Keene Young Professionals Network April Social Event. Scores Sports Bar & Grille, Keene. www.facebook.com/YPNKeene.
April 3 (Thursday, 10:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.)6-month Business Start-Up Program.Hannah Grimes Center, Keene. Accepting applications, $600 fee with 75% scholarship funding available to those who qualify. Con-tact: [email protected], 352-5063.
April 8 (Tuesday, 5:30-7 p.m.)Keene Green Drinks; Resilience as a Driver of Sustainability. Marriott Courtyard, Keene.www.greenmonadnock.org/green-drinks.
April 9 (Wednesday, 7:30-9 a.m.)Joint Chamber Breakfast with Jaffrey, Peter-borough and Rindge. Woodbound Inn, Rindge. Contact: 532-4549, [email protected].
April 9 (Wednesday, 5:30 p.m.)How to Green Up Your Office. Keene Young Professionals Network; presented by C S Wurz-berger. www.facebook.com/YPNKeene. April 11 (Friday, 7:30-9 a.m.)Business Support Committee Meeting with the GPCC. Monadnock Community Hospital, Peterborough. Contact: plorimer@ peterboroughchamber.com
April 15 (Tuesday, 9-11 a.m.)Lead Powerful Meetings for Superior Results ... with Jeff Saari. Hannah Grimes Center, Keene, $20 registration fee. Contact: 352-5063, [email protected]
April 16 (Wednesday, 12-1:30 p.m.)How to Build Your Business Value ... with Kerri Salls. Hannah Grimes Center, Keene, no fee. Contact: 603-352-5063, jillian@ hannahgrimes.com.
April 16 (Wednesday, 5:30-7 p.m.)Greater Keene Chamber of Commerce Busi-ness After Hours. Hosted by the Leddy Group at Scores Sports Bar & Grille, Keene. Contact: 603-352-1303, www.keenechamber.com/cm/events.
April 18 (Friday, 12-1 p.m.)Simplify Your Social Media ... with Emily Susan 007. Hannah Grimes Center, Keene, no fee. Contact: 603-352-5063, [email protected], www.hannahgrimes.com/calendar.
MAYMay 3 (Saturday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.)Greenerborough: New England’s Green Living Expo and Festival, Peterborough.www.greenerboroughNH.com.
May 7 (Wednesday, 5:30 p.m.)Keene Young Professionals Network May Social Event. The Chambers Restaurant, Keene. www.facebook.com/YPNKeene.
May 9 (Friday, 6:30-11 p.m.)Greater Keene Chamber of Commerce Annual Social & Raffle. Keene Country Club. Contact: 603-352-1303, [email protected].
May 15 (Thursday 5:30 p.m.-7 p.m.)Greater Peterborough Chamber of Commerce Business After Hours. Wilderness Creations, Dublin. Contact: [email protected].
May 17 (Saturday, 8:30 a.m.-3 p.m.)Plant Sale & Spring Family Festival with the GKCC. Sophia’s Hearth Family Center, Keene. Contact: 603-352-1303, [email protected].
May 20 (Tuesday, 9-11 a.m.)Get Your Listening Groove On ... with Jeff-Saari. Hannah Grimes Center, Keene, $20 reg-istration fee. Contact: 603-352-5063, [email protected].
May 21 (Wednesday, 5:30-7 p.m.)Greater Keene Chamber of Commerce Busi-ness After Hours. Service Credit Union, Keene. Contact: 603-352-1303, www.keenechamber.com/cm/events.
May 31 (Saturday, 12:30 p.m.)Keene Young Professionals Network’s First Annual Elm City Challenge. Learn more at: www.facebook.com/YPNKeene.
JUNEJune 3 (Tuesday, 10-11 a.m.)Webinar with the Greater Keene Chamber of Commerce ... Worker’s Compensation. Contact: 603-352-1303, [email protected].
June 4 (Wednesday, 5:30 p.m.)Keene Young Professionals Network June Anniversary Social Event. Margarita’s, Keene. www.facebook.com/YPNKeene.
June 13 (Friday, 7:30 a.m. registration opens)Ron Despres Memorial Golf Classic. Shattuck Golf Club, Dublin. Contact: 603-532-4549, [email protected].
June 18 (Wednesday, 5:30-7 p.m.) Greater Keene Chamber of Commerce Business After Hours. AT&T Mobility, Keene Service Credit Union, Keene. Contact: 603-352-1303, www.keenechamber.com/cm/events.
June 19 (Thursday 5:30 p.m.-7 p.m.)Greater Peterborough Chamber of Commerce Business After Hours. Shattuck Golf Club, Dublin. Contact: [email protected].
ONGOING3-month Entrepreneur ProjectA new class beginning every four months;Hannah Grimes Center, Keene. Accepting appli-cations, $600 fee with 75 percent scholarship funding available to those who qualify. Contact: [email protected] 603-352-5063.
CALENDAR OF EVENTSApril/May/June 2014
This list was compiled by Jillian Garcia Miner from the Hannah Grimes Center. Please send your calendar items for the summer 2014 issue to [email protected] before May 1.
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26 Monadnock Small Business Journal
Spring is a time for changes. And one change you may be thinking about is moving to a new office space. Maybe you are outgrowing the one you are in now, need to move out of your home office, want a better location, or maybe you would like to save some money and downsize your square footage. Whatever the reason there are many real estate professionals in the greater Monadnock Region with commercial real estate experience who can help you find the perfect spot for your company.
Bellville Realty 255 Western Ave., Brattleboro VT 05301802-257-7979www.bellvillerealty.com
Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate/The Masiello Group69 Island St., Keene, NH 03431: 603-352-5433www.masiello.com/real-estate/nh/keene.cfm95 Grove St., Peterborough: 603-924-8373
Brattleboro Area Realty 163 High St., Brattleboro, VT 05301802-257-1335www.realtyvermont.com
Greenwald Realty55 Main St., Keene, NH 03431Josh Greenwald: 603-357-3035, x13http://www.greenwaldrealty.com
Hannah Grimes Center25 Roxbury St., Suite C, Keene, NH 03431Donna Weldon: 603-352-5063www.hannahgrimes.com/incubator/Business Incubator program includes office space rentals, entrepreneurial resources and educational programming.
Monadnock Economic Development Corporation 51 Railroad St, Suite 101, Keene, NH 03431Keene, NH 03431Matt Holian: 603-352-4939, x113 (office/retail space rentals)www.monadnock-development.org/available_properties.html
Re/Max Town & Country117 West St., Keene, NH 03431 Bert Inman, Vince Dolan: 603-57-4100 x117 www.mykeenehome.com
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28 Monadnock Small Business Journal
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pGFA Releases Commemorative Anniversary Book As part of its 75th anniversary, GFA Federal Credit Union released a commemorative anniversary book, Better Banking for 75 Years: The Cure for Common Banking. The 88-page book highlights the heritage, members, communities served as well as noting the Credit Union’s future, says Tina M. Sbrega, GFA president and CEO. “Our 75th commemorative anniversary book serves to preserve our rich history while also providing us an opportunity to acknowledge the great work of many,” she says. Those interested can pick up a copy at any GFA location by making a $15 donation to The David Jacques Memorial Scholar-ship (awarded annually to a local student) or by contacting the credit union to make other delivery arrangements. Learn more: www.gfafcu.com.
pSISR Architecture Celebrates Seven Years in BusinessKEENE — SISR Architecture, LLC celebrated seven years in business this February. Located in a home office in Marlow, SISR (an acronym for “sustain-able, innovative, socially responsive”) is owned by principals Douglas Stew-art, AIA, LEED AP and Christina O’Brien, AIA, and provides architectural ser-vices to both residential and commercial clients. Some these projects include: a straw bale studio, an earth sheltered home, a private squash court, a town community center, a manufacturing/office building (W.S. Badger in Gilsum), a Baptist church, and more recently, an alcohol distillery. O’Brien and Stewart have also worked on many additions and renovations to existing homes (pictured above) and local businesses. For more information about SISR, please contact Christina O’Brien at [email protected] or visit www.sisr.us.
pThe Insurance Source Celebrates 30 Years in Business ... with a Dance Party Every Day at 3 p.m.KEENE — While the Insurance Source employees’ typical day involves reviewing clients’ coverage to safeguard homes, autos, businesses and recreational vehicles, at precisely 3 p.m. every day owner Cheryl Belair and company stop for a 5-minute exer-cise and stress break they call “Dance Party at 3.” Belair explains: “We wind up our appointments and calls so we can stand up at 2:59, make our way to a hallway where no one else in the build-ing will notice. And then we play someone’s favorite music and dance. Five minutes later, we’re back to work ... energized, feel-ing great about the people we work with and ready to keep pro-viding the best service possible to our customers.” Belair invites other area businesses to join their dance party on the company’s 30th anniversary on April 30. “Where you live or work, stop and dance for a few minutes, on 3 p.m. on that date,” says Belair. “Share your plans on Facebook and see how many others take a dance party break. It may turn into the biggest dance party the region has ever seen by having the most simultaneous, small dance parties!” Learn more at www.InsuranceSource.com.
Apr/May/Jun 2014 29
Please support the small businesses that support Monadnock Small Busi-ness Journal!
Note: Telephone numbers are 603 area code unless otherwise noted.
ACCOUNTINGAnderson & Gilbert Keene NHA Full Service Accounting Firm357-1928, [email protected]
David Beal CPA Keene NHServing Our Community for More Than 20 Years358-6300, [email protected]
Lynn C. Rust, CPA PC Swanzey NHHelping You Solve Your Financial Puzzle358-6565, [email protected]
White Barn CPAs Marlborough NHHelping You be a Better Steward of Your Financial Future876-6633, [email protected]
ADVERTISING/MARKETING/COMMUNICATIONS/DESIGNAimee J. LaBrakePeterborough NHMaking Marketing Easy, Fun & Enjoyable!933-2194, [email protected]
Weller & Michal Architects Harrisville NHWe Strive For Excellence Within Real-World Limitations ... Because Design Matters827-3840, [email protected] www.wapm.com
ARTS & CULTURALArts Alive Keene NHAdvancing Arts and Culture in the Monadnock Region283-0944info@monadnockartsalive.orgwww.monadnockartsalive.org
The Pub Restaurant & Caterers Keene, NHHome of the $1.19 Breakfast352-3135, [email protected]
The Works Bakery Cafe Keene NHDelicious Sandwiches Made With Hu-manely-Raised, Hormone-Free Meats357-9787, www.worksbakerycafe.com
CHAMBERS OF COMMERCEGreater Keene Chamber of Commerce Keene NHYour Friendly Source for Information About the Monadnock Region352-1303, [email protected], www.keenechamber.com
B U S I N E S S D I R E C T O R Y
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!
30 Monadnock Small Business Journal
CHAMBERS OF COMMERCEGreater Peterborough Chamber of Commerce Peterborough NHImproving Quality of Life for All Citizens of the Greater Peterborough Region924-7234jburnett@peterboroughchamber.comwww.greater-peterborough-chamber.com
COACHING/CONSULTINGAdviCoach Richmond NHMaking Your Success a Reality 239-3693, [email protected]
Heart-Centered and Profitable Fitzwilliam NHCoaching for Fitness, Health and Childbirth Practices978-616-9561, melanie@heartcenteredandprofitable.comwww.heartcenteredandprofitable.com.
John C. Cook & Associates Walpole NHNonprofit & Fundraising Consultants904-4091, [email protected]
LaunchingU Keene NHCareer Coaching for College Students & New Graduates357-6111, [email protected]
Path of Purpose Coaching Spofford NHInspiring Entrepreneurs to Success in Life and [email protected]
Solutions for Today Keene NHSolving Your Quickbooks Challenges903-1047, [email protected]
Sterling Business Corp. Peterborough NH Small Business Breakthroughs, Individual Solutions924-9401, [email protected]
COFFEE SHOPSPrime Roast Keene NHCome Gather Where Love and Coffee Flow from the Same Pot352-7874, [email protected]
COMMUNITY BROADBANDWiValley, Inc. Keene NHYour Local Provider For Fiber, Hybrid and Wireless Broadband Solutions546-7200, [email protected]
CONSUMER ELECTRONICSiCracked Keene NHI Can Fix That!734-5320, www.icracked.com
COMMUNITY SUPPORTED AGRICULTURE (CSAs)Tracie’s Community Farm Fitzwilliam NHGrowing Local food and Community Since [email protected]
ECOLOGICAL/ENVIRONMENTALThe Green Up Girl Keene NH Reduce Waste, Reduce Cost, Rethink Events802-258-8046 [email protected]
Poole Ecological ConsultancyHillsborough NHServing the Needs of Clients & Allied Professional Since 1996478-1178, [email protected] www.eannpoole.com
EDUCATION/TRAININGAntioch University New England Keene NHExplore. Empower. Transform.877-595-9873, www.antiochne.edu
Keene State College Continuing Education Keene NHWisdom to Make a Difference358-2290, www.keene.edu/conted
Regional Center for Advanced Manufacturing Keene NHBusiness and Education Developing Our Workforce358-2296, [email protected]/conted/rcam
River Valley Community College Keene/Claremont NHEnvisioning The Future – Our Future By Design542-7744, www.rivervalley.edu
ENERGY EFFICIENCYGreen Energy Options Keene NHRenewable Energy Products358-3444, [email protected]
Walker Design and Building Harrisville NHBegin With an Energy Efficient Audit & Finish With an Energy Efficient Home827-9999, sunquest2020@hotmail.comwww.walkerdesignbuilding.comwww.walkerbasementtransformation.com
FINANCIAL SERVICESCompass Financial GroupHarrisville, NHHelping You Navigate the Financial World627-3022, [email protected]
Edward Jones/Allen Mendelson Keene NHMaking Sense of Investing357-7023 [email protected]
Edward Jones/Scott TrendellKeene NH Making Sense of Investing352-1921 [email protected]
MetLifeKeene NH Retirement, Life Insurance, Disability, Long Term Care352-2246, [email protected]@metlife.com www.newengland.metlife.com
HEALTH & PERSONAL CAREEuropean Esthetics Peterborough NHOffering Organic Skin, Nail and Body Care to the Monadnock Region924-9123 [email protected] www.european-esthetics.com
Five Element AcupunctureKeene NHPromoting Health, Preventing Disease369-7965, [email protected]
W.S. Badger & Company Gilsum NHPowerfully Pure Body Care for Health, Fitness & Natural Beauty357-2958, [email protected]
HOME/BUILDING Crockett Log & Timber Homes Keene NHGreen Living Since 1973800-566-7714jdodson@crockettloghomes.comwww.crockettloghomes.com
HUMAN RESOURCESHR Compliance 101, LLC Fitzwilliam NHCreating Workplaces That Work for [email protected]
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGYSequoya Technologies Group, LLCPeterborough NHProviding Complete IT Support to More Than 70 Small Business & Nonprofits throughout N.H.924-7977, [email protected]
Steadman Media Group Troy NHLive Event Management & New Media [email protected]
True North Networks Keene NHStraight Answers. Bright Solutions.624-6777www.truenorthnetworks.com
PET TRAININGWicked Good Dog Training Peterborough NHPositive Training with Positive Results732-7214wickedgooddogtraining@gmail.comwww.wickedgooddogtraining.com
PHOTOGRAPHYEdward Thomas Photography Marlow NHProfessional Photography for Business; 30+ Years Experience357-5939ed@edthomasphotography.comwww.edthomasphotography.com
PRINTING/MAILINGSCREEN PRINTING/SIGNSPROMOTIONAL ITEMSBeeze Tees Screen Printing Keene NHFor All of Your Apparel and Promotional Needs!357-1400, [email protected]
REAL ESTATERE/MAX Town & Country/Ranger Curran Keene NHOutstanding Agents, Outstanding Results357-4100 [email protected]
REMODELING & CUSTOM CARPENTRYButler Restorations LLC Antrim NHWe Love to Solve Mysterious Problems & Have the Skills & Equipment to Fix Almost Anything!464-9639, [email protected]
STAFFINGThe TPI Staffing Group Keene NHThe People You Want, with the Skills You Need and the Service You Deserve352-4155, www.tpistaffing.net
STATIONERYSteele’s Stationers Peterborough NHAn Old Fashioned Stationery Store With a Modern Twist924-7203steelesstaioners@hotmail.comwww.steelesstationers.com
TRANSPORTATIONThomas Transportation Services, Inc. Keene NHFor Every Road You Travel352-5550frank@thomastransportation.comwww.thomastransportation.com
VIDEO PRODUCTION SERVICESHome and Business Services UnlimitedTewksbury MA978-640-1900 [email protected]
WEB DESIGN/DEVELOPMENT/CONSULTING4Web Inc. Keene, NHWebsite Design to Meet Online Business Development Goals903-0793, [email protected]
Consensus Technology Peterborough, NHThe People Are the Business924-4084pamela.gleeson@consensus-technology.comwww.consensus-technology.com
WRITINGTWP Marketing & Technical Communications Peterborough NHOur Words Mean Business — On the Web and in Print603-924-0935 [email protected]
Would you like your climb to the top of Mt. Monadnock immortalized on this page? Send your digital photo to [email protected]. We look forward to seeing your “At the Top” photos!
Business listings: $75 per year, or FREE for one year with any purchase of a display ad. Book your display listing today! Limit one category per listing. [email protected]
At the TopRobin Eichert, founder and principal of PeopleSense Consulting LLC, climbed Mt. Monadnock for the first time in the summer of 2007.
She was spurred on by support of her Leadership NH class, when she divulged it was something she had wanted to
do since moving the Monadnock Region in 1991, but was afraid she couldn’t make it. She’s elated to say she made the journey and has returned again since then, too!
32 Monadnock Small Business Journal www.MonadnockSBJ.com
603.358.2290www.keene.edu/conted
Continuing Education Office, Elliot Center
Let your summer make a difference at Keene State College
For children: Kids on Campus
For adults: Workforce development, personal enrichment, and learning in retirement
For educators and occupational safety professionals: Ongoing professional development
