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Timber Frame Company Builds Their Own New Home

August 27, 2019
TimberHomesVermont Success Story, by Amanda Kuhnert –

TimberHomes Vermont, a design-build timber frame company, had been in business over a decade when the owners decided it was time to build on their success. First, they decided to transition from an LLC to an employee-owned cooperative, giving more decision-making power to their team of dedicated employees. Then they began planning for their next stage of business growth.

Partners Josh Jackson and David Hooke founded TimberHomes in 2005 after working together at the Mountain School in Vershire, teaching high school students to timber frame using only hand tools. The company’s third partner, Timo Bradley, signed on shortly thereafter.

In 2017, after 15 years of constructing custom barns, homes, pavilions and trailhead kiosks, the partners decided it was time to build something for themselves. They needed a facility that would serve as a space to welcome clients and showcase their work, as well as a larger shop to enable them to build year-round. With the second shop, they would also be able to expand their capacity, hiring a number of new employees in the process. (more…)

7 Ways Entrepreneurs Are Leveraging Age to Grow Their Business

August 20, 2019
By Gerri Detweiler –

Entrepreneurship isn’t just for the young. Older adults are finding that starting a business can be the perfect way to turn a lifetime of experience into something meaningful, take control of their time, counter workplace ageism, and in some cases, make a lot more money.

“In the U.S., the U.K., Ireland, and Australia, 50+-year-olds are launching more start-ups than any other cohort,” shares Kerry Hannon, the author of Never Too Old to Get Rich: The Entrepreneur’s Guide to Starting a Business Mid-Life. Hannon has been researching and interviewing older entrepreneurs for over a decade and is an enthusiastic cheerleader for those who want to strike out on their own. She’s also realistic about the challenges of building a business at any age.

Starting a business at an older age isn’t just about money, she emphasizes, though it can be a powerful motivator. “Getting rich can, and should, be also about the inner richness that comes from creating a new product or service that changes lives and our world and gives back,” Hannon writes. “It’s the richness of doing work we love, alongside people we respect.” (more…)

Assistance from Arkansas SBTDC Helps Faithful Cuts Obtain Microloan, Plan for Future

August 13, 2019
Success Story: Arkansas –

Faithful Cuts Lawn CareOne way to know spring has arrived is the familiar whir of lawn mowers. The sound is music to the ears of the Sabbs family.

Faithful Cuts Lawn Care Etc. LLC is their family-owned and operated lawn care and ground maintenance company. The business was started by Leon Sabbs of Little Rock, who has 30 years of landscaping experience.

Leon and his son, Gabriel Sabbs, worked with the Arkansas Small Business and Technology Development Center (ASBTDC) to organize the business and secure a FORGE microloan last fall to prepare for the 2019 season, and now they are “heading into it at full throttle,” said Gabriel.

“The 2019 season focus will be on building and maintaining our brand and truly building a client network. We want to expand our business to bigger heights and focus on job creation, while not compromising our quality of service,” he said. (more…)

Making Sense of Marijuana Use: How Do State Laws Affect Your Business?

August 6, 2019
By ComplyRight –

Law booksMore and more states are permitting marijuana use under certain circumstances. As a result, business owners are questioning how these new guidelines impact their workplaces. Can you have a policy forbidding marijuana use? Can you terminate an employee who tests positive? Let’s consider these and other pressing issues in more detail.

States Legalizing Marijuana

Currently, 33 states have passed laws legalizing marijuana in specific situations. It’s important to note that although these state laws have passed, not all of them have gone into effect.

Most of the legislation allows for limited use of medical marijuana. However, the District of Columbia and 11 states have adopted laws legalizing marijuana for recreational use. These states include: (more…)

Retired? This Pharmacist Is Proof You Can Start A Business Later in Life

July 30, 2019
Success Story: West Virginia –

Walter Moore, RxbyTelAfter a successful career as a pharmacist, Walter Moore should be playing a round of golf right about now. But you won’t find him on the greens, decked out in Titleist apparel and celebrating retirement with a victory cigar. Instead, he’ll go to work on Monday, put on his white coat and spend his morning filling prescriptions behind the counter at his pharmacy.

“I was retired for seven years and I would look back on my time as a pharmacist and see how much I took it for granted,” Moore, 70, said. “I’ve got a new outlook on life.”

For many, retirement is something to look forward to. After all, isn’t the American dream enjoying the fruits of your labor in your later years after a prosperous career? For Moore, retirement was pleasant, but ultimately felt hollow.

“You have to find something to do with your life. I just assume keep working and take chances,” Moore said. “I’m so grateful that I’m a pharmacist. I got tired of saying I used to be one. Now that I’m back, I really appreciate every customer who comes through the door. It’s been energizing to come back to work.” (more…)