The vast majority of businesses (93%) in Vermont have fewer than 20 employees, many of which fall into VSJF’s sectors of food and agriculture, forest products, climate technology, and waste management. Supporting these businesses is crucial—they are the backbone of Vermont’s economy, providing a significant number of jobs in the state, and investing their profits back into Vermont.

NOTE: This story originally appeared in the VSJF Impact Report 2024. Click here to read the entire report.

Our business management coaching services help the entrepreneurs behind their businesses develop the skills to work “on their business” so they are positioned for long term growth and success. Entrepreneurs are often so busy running their business, they don’t have the capacity to plan for the future. Businesses at critical junctures often benefit from outside coaching to help them grow, develop, and mature. Our services pair value-added businesses with highly experienced C-suite level coaches to learn and make a growth plan that works for their business.

Our Impact

In 2024 we provided ‘deep dive’ coaching services to 21 businesses across the state. Our coaches not only work with businesses on growth and sales, but more importantly, with the entrepreneur to develop other areas, including operational efficiencies, human resources best practices and internal policies. The result is a holistic plan for both the business and entrepreneur that sets them up for success.

Business Sense Resource Series

We’ve extended our ability to reach more businesses this year with the release of our Business Sense resource series. This free resource, written by our coaches, provides no-fluff information that gets to the heart of what businesses should know to be successful. The 36 documents across 6 modules are available on our website for free. The financial module is also available in six additional languages so we can reach more business owners in Vermont with this important tool.

Business Coaching Across Vermont

2024 Business Coaching Clients

1. Monument Farms, Weybridge
2. VT Hempicurean, West Brattleboro
3. Babette’s Table, Waitsfield
4. Roots Farm Market, Middlesex
5. Global Village Foods, Quechee
6. SugarSnap Catering, Burlington
7. Myers Produce, Craftsbury
8. Retreat Farm, Brattleboro
9. Maple Wind Farm, Richmond
10. Trow & Holden, Barre
11. Krin’s Bakery, Huntington
12. Sawyer Made, East Calais
13. New Frameworks, Essex Junction
14. Vermont Wildwoods, Marshfield

2024 Tools of the Trade Clients

15. Black Cat Builders, LLC, Plainfield
16. Maheux Heating and Refrigeration, Inc., Jericho
17. The She Builder & Co., LLC, Winooski
18. Roots Builders, Waitsfield
19. Solar Harvester, Hardwick
20. Solsaa Building and Energy Solutions, Rutland
21. VT Exergy, LLC, Bristol

Tools of the Trade

We also kicked off a new type of coaching program called Tools of the Trade: Business Fundamentals for Energy Pros. This 18-month program targets builders and contractors in the energy efficiency and renewable energy industry to help them improve their business operations so they can attract and retain more workers in the growing climate solutions and renewable energy fields.

VSJF Business Management Coaches

• Tabitha Bowling
• Gabriel Cole
• Peter Cole
• Carolyn Cooke
• Beth Gilpin
• Jean Kissner
• Linda Markin
• Lawrence Miller
• Victor Morrison
• Kathleen Murphy Moriarty

Why It’s Important

Vermont’s economy is built on small businesses. Entrepreneurs start their businesses because of a passion for the work. Owning and operating a business follows that passion. When the farm stand grows into a farm store, when the one-person HVAC company can’t install heat pumps fast enough, or when the value-added food producer needs to expand market access, VSJF business coaches help guide business owners to work “on” their business and not just “in” their business.

VSJF business coaches work with business owners to improve their skills required to support growth such as financial literacy, operations improvements, strategic planning, human resources, sales and marketing, and more.

“The shift from a service company building custom homes to manufacturing a product for sale, was new territory for New Frameworks, which led Ace McArleton to the Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund (VSJF) business coaching program. They came to us with this challenge of moving from a custom design-build company to something much broader. They were really looking at how big of an impact they could have with small footprint housing kits.” – Peter Cole, VSJF Business Coach

What We Need

• $100,000 in additional funding support for Tools of the Trade to run a second cohort starting in 2025.
• $50,000 in additional funding for periodic follow on coaching support of clients once the initial project has been completed.

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