Almost everyone I know has a great business idea, but they don't all have great businesses. Most don't even have a business! There seems to be this in between place, like a purgatory for good ideas, where folks think they need more money before they can start. In general, I challenge people on that assumption, but sometimes a bit of startup capital goes a long way.

That's when loans come in. I get it. Taking on more debt is scary – especially if you bought a car or a house or went to college in the last twenty years (or ever). But if it meant you could finally launch or expand your business, would it be worth it? At the very least, understanding your options can help you answer that question.

Not all loans are the same. If you're interested in learning about those differences and how to choose the best one for you and your business, we want to help. Join us on Wednesday, November 7 at the Lightning Jar for a panel discussion moderated by the US Small Business Administration. The panel begins at noon and registration, at 11:30am. Get here early so you can meet the lenders one-on-one!

​Find more information HERE.

Last week, I got the chance to sit in on the final session of Startup 802: An Entrepreneurial Mindset, the first class of a two-part curriculum offered at CCV - Bennington in partnership with The Lightning Jar, the Chamber, the Bennington County Regional Commission, the Bennington County Industrial Corporation, Southern Vermont College, and Williams Financial. You may have heard about it while reading The Banner earlier this year (HERE and HERE).

I’ve sat in on the class a few times over the past couple weeks, and I immediately noticed the enthusiasm Robert brings to the program. As the founder of BE Your Start, which has been delivering training, incubator services, custom workshops, and other entrepreneurial programming to startups and growing businesses since 2005, and a professor of management, marketing, hospitality, and entrepreneurship as several colleges, it’s clear that Robert knows what he’s talking about.

When asked to imagine an entrepreneur, many people think of tech giants like Steve Jobs or Elon Musk – larger than life figures and companies. It’s hard to imagine ourselves as entrepreneurs if that’s the definition, and its easy to assume you need to be born with some special ability to achieve that level of success. This class challenges those assumptions.

Being an entrepreneur does require a certain mindset. Those that succeed sign a life-long learning contract to adapt and persevere. Entrepreneurs strive to better themselves and their businesses by identifying problems quickly developing strategies to solve the problem. (And they don’t do it alone!) The focus of Startup 802 has been just that: developing entrepreneurial mindsets.

This cohort of participants are learning to develop an entrepreneurial mindset and the elements required to launch and grow a successful small business or start-up. Over 8 weeks, participants have worked to build personal skills and traits that enhance entrepreneurial success. Traits including, but not limited to, creativity, curiosity, systems thinking, partnership, and collaboration. You can find more information about Startup 802 program HERE.
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This semester’s showcase is tonight! Stop by CCV tonight between 6:15 and 7:45pm to meet the startups and learn about their progress. The format of the event is similar to a trade show or “poster session”. Stop by anytime to walk around and chat with 8-10 startups. Participants include a custom door company, a safety device for runners, an allergy-sensitive food company, entertainment venues, a gym/smoothie bar concept, Upstate Balloon Company, a nonprofit benefiting women’s education in impoverished countries, and more. More details about the showcase can be found on the Startup 802 Startup, Small Business, and Idea Showcase Eventbrite.

– Joe Braim, ​Media & Outreach Intern

Chris Brooks is a fifth-generation lumberman and the CEO & Co-Founder of Vermont Wood Pellet. Like many Vermonters, Brooks has a passion for sustainability, and he built Vermont Wood Pellet on this passion. Today, Vermont Wood Pellet is still committed to sustainable, renewal harvesting techniques that ensure our forests are as beautiful and vibrant tomorrow as they are today.

Before Vermont Wood Pellet, Brooks worked as a consultant developing and expanding business strategies for 25 years. With that kind of experience, it makes sense that he now manages a staff of 20 or so while overseeing the company's finances and operational efficiencies himself. Oh, and before all that, he got a liberal arts degree in archeology and then a graduate degree in computer simulation. The path to a solid business – or even a good idea – is rarely a straight line. 

Learn more about Brooks's journey and how Vermont Wood Pellet came to be at Lever, Inc.'s Lean Lab on July 10 at the Lightning Jar, 6-8pm. Register and find out more HERE. 

Join us for an evening with Michael Wood-Lewis, Co-Founder & CEO of Front Porch Forum.
Front Porch Forum is one of a growing roster of successful Vermont entrepreneurial startups leading the state's tech startup scene, including Ello, Dealer.com, MyWebGrocer, Logic Supply, GameTheory, Pwnie Express, and many others.  Co-founder and CEO Michael Wood-Lewis will be in Bennington to tell the story of how this tech startup got going and how they're continuing to grow.

Doors open at 5pm, talk starts at 5:30.  Cash bar and light fare will be available.
$15 in advance / $20 at the door 
Lightning Jar members enter FREE & receive a free drink

For more information and to register visit our Events page.

Happy Spring! I know we're a little late here, but so is the weather. Now that the days are warmer and we've got a few more hours of sunlight, put that extra energy to use and meet us at the Lightning Jar. 

Thursday, May 17, the Lightning Jar is opening its doors to the public from 6 to 8pm. We'll provide the pizza and beverages if you provide the dazzling conversation. (Slightly shimmery conversation will suffice.) Meet people, catch up with folks you already know, check out the Lightning Jar's new art (thanks to the Bennington Area Arts Council), and network to your hearts content. 

Nervous about networking? Check out tips and tricks to prepare for a networking event HERE. Our favorite trick is simple, walk up to someone you don't know and say, "Hi, I'm Michelle. (Go for a handshake here.) We haven't met, how'd you hear about this event?"

This is an after hours event, so please enter through the Depot Street entrance and ring the bell.

Join us for an evening with Mary Powell, President & CEO of Green Mountain Power.

Named 2015 Vermonter of the Year by The Burlington Free Press and one of the Top 25 Most Influential Women of the Mid-Market by CEO Connection in 2017, Powell is revolutionizing the power industry from within. Her emphasis on workplace culture, leadership, and customer satisfaction continues to guide Green Mountain Power through an an industry landscape undergoing massive disruption.

Doors open at 5pm, talk starts at 5:30.  Cash bar and light fare will be available.
$15 in advance / $20 at the door 
Lightning Jar members enter FREE & receive a free drink

For more information or to register, visit our Events page.