Your Guiding Light

With assistance from the Canton SBDC, the employees of Ward Lumber made history when they purchased the 130-year-old business as a worker cooperative. The transaction marks the first employee ownership contract in the North Country region. The lumber products and hardware store, which has locations in Jay and Malone and employs 50 local people, has been in Jay Ward’s family for four generations. The successful conversion of Ward Lumber Company to a worker-owner cooperative was achieved through the collaborative efforts of the Cooperative Development Institute, Adirondack North Country Association, SBDC and funding partners Cooperative Fund of New England, Capital Impact Partners, and Empire State Development.

Hector Alverio consulted the Jamestown SBDC for startup assistance, help in developing financial projections, business entity formation and social media marketing. With assistance from Advisor Danny Hickman, Hector’s Hot Spot Café opened on Valentine’s Day 2020. Hector did take out service through the pandemic and thrived with minimal economic assistance. Since restrictions were lifted, city officials, police officers, and downtown business owners regularly visit the cafe for breakfast and lunch. He has expanded his staff to 5. The city of Jamestown asked him to do a food cart downtown and cater downtown events. Hector is in the process of obtaining an on-premises liquor license and will apply for MBE certification.

Founder, Air & Earth LLC

Alexander Patterson & Jessie Bull own Beat the Bomb, an experiential entertainment company in Brooklyn. Their business features a game in which players try to disarm a paint bomb or get blasted by it. With the pandemic, they migrated the concept to an online game platform. The pandemic hit the business hard and with the NYS-mandated shutdown, the partners thought they would have to fire staff to survive. After exhausting PPP funding they secured in 2020, the partners consulted the SBDC and worked with Advisor Pascual Castano to obtain $500,000 in EIDL funding. The SBDC also helped them apply for second draw PPP funding. The funds enabled Beat the Bomb to keep 50 employees on payroll and continue operations.

For more than 40 years, the Lehman Center for the Performing Arts has been a cultural institution for the Bronx and its surrounding communities. In March 2020, halfway through its 40th anniversary season, everything closed. This was a devastating blow after the completion of its 15-million-dollar redesign & renovation. All remaining performances for the season came to a halt and income was frozen. Director Eva Bornstein consulted Bronx SBDC Director Clarence Stanley, who encouraged her to apply for a Shuttered Venue Operators grant. Though the grant was competitive, the Center was ultimately awarded more than a million dollars in grant funding. The Center reopened its doors in October to enthusiastic reviews.

Terrence Clarke consulted the Rockland SBDC in May 2019 with the dream of owning a karaoke bar in Nyack and sharing the “thrill” of karaoke with the community. Advisors Andrea Giraldo and Adi Isaeli worked with Terence to develop a plan for a karaoke bar with other entertainment — a paint and sip studio. A former business owner, Terence knew that he needed capitalization and help structuring his financials. After a successful presentation to the Community Capital of NY board, he was granted a loan for $150,000. With the funding and his own contribution, Terrence opened Black Parakeetz Paint, Swig and Sip, created eight new jobs and hired many local professionals.

BlackHawk Data CEO Maryann Pagano and co-founder Jason Caparoso empower their 25 employees to provide high-touch service to clients. The company provides managed services, assessments, enhanced maintenance, strategic planning and design & integration. Maryann started the business to create a place where women could thrive in the IT world, and works with other women-entrepreneurs to coach them on their journey to success. She consulted the Farmingdale SBDC for help in attaining certification and Advisor Stace Hansen helped her attain it. In August 2020, the SBDC helped Maryann obtain $180,000 in PPP funding to retain her staff, and in 2021 helped her get a  $1.25 million line of credit from PNC Bank to support business expansion.