Inclusive Entrepreneurship
Inclusive Entrepreneurship
Build a Solid Foundation for Success
The inclusive entrepreneurship programs at Mercy Connections provide education and access for people traditionally excluded from the business world. Whether you are pursuing a side project, self-employment, or a scalable small business, we are here to help!
Receive one-on-one business coaching for all aspiring, new and established business owners who need specialized support and technical assistance.
Participants may receive up to three 1-hour sessions that can take place in-person, over the phone or via video conferencing.
To learn more, contact Claire Wheeler, Director of Inclusive Entrepreneurship, at cwheeler@mercyconnections.org or 802-846-7081
No doubt you're doing a great job keeping your business running, but how are YOU doing, dear business owner? This workshop series is designed to help you brush up on healthy habits and major levers for your success as a business owner, including pricing, mindset, social media, and money.
Join for one or all 60 or 90-minute virtual workshops presented by local industry experts. Happening Wednesday afternoons via Zoom at 1:00 pm in April and May 2024.
All workshops are held ONLINE. Registered participants will receive the Zoom link one day prior to the start of the workshop.
Workshop #1
Topic: What is your WORTH?
Guest Instructor: Markey Read, MRG Inc.
Date: April 3rd
Time: 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm
Registration Deadline: April 2nd
Pricing is the key to prospering! But, pricing is one of the most challenging aspects of being in business. Pricing is a combination of many elements, but when you don’t know your WORTH, it’s nearly impossible to attract your best customers. Join this lively workshop with Markey Read to learn how to price according to your WORTH and learn how to create amazing offerings based on your Cost of Services Sold (COSS)!
Workshop #2
Topic: Taming the Inner Critic - Transforming Self-Doubt into Creative Power
Guest Instructor: Marin Phoenix, Embodypreneur
Date: April 17th
Time: 1:00 pm - 2:30 pm
Registration Deadline: April 16th
Sometimes simply showing up to our work, artistic expression, and business can feel exhausting, overwhelming, or filled with anxieties. In this workshop we will deconstruct where self-doubt and fear come from and how they can show up in our businesses. We will become aware of the way in which we interact with ourselves and others and learn the tools to set boundaries and transform these interactions to serve and fulfill our personal and entrepreneurial goals.
Workshop #3
Topic: Build Your Power Skills for Life, Business, and Success
Guest Instructor: Ashley L. Arnold, Certified Coach
Date: May 1st
Time: 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm
Registration Deadline: April 30th
Business owners are busy and must respond to competing demands in both life and business. We use our power skills to respond to those needs. Power skills are a modern take on "soft skills" and could help you relate, market and succeed in life and business. Power skill may include communication, relationship building, leadership, vision and agility.
Addressing personal performance helps to optimize the delicate balance and various integrations between work, family and personal interests. A Personal Performance Profile is a unique tool used in the coaching industry. It can help you in both personal and professional areas. Setting one up for yourself can help you better cultivate alignment between your unique skill set and demands, which supports your power skills. It can also help you craft goals and structures that support relationships and boundaries, communication style and responding to life's stressors.
Workshop #4
Topic: Reducing the Stress of Social Media - Healthy Habits for Maximized Productivity
Guest Instructor: Brittany Winfield, The Winfield Creative
Date: May 15th
Time: 1:00 pm - 2:30 pm
Registration Deadline: May 14th
In today's digital age, the allure of social media can often lead to addictive behaviors and detrimental effects on our wellbeing. However, as entrepreneurs we can harness its potential to authentically showcase our offerings. May is "Mental Health Awareness Month". Join Brittany Winfield of The Winfield Creative in learning invaluable strategies and streamlined techniques to master your social media presence and foster a balance that minimizes stress and maximizes productivity.
Workshop #5
Topic: Mental Fitness Workshop - Mastering Your Mindset
Guest Instructor: Deb Chisholm, Empowerment Coach
Date: May 22nd
Time: 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm
Registration Deadline: May 21st
This workshop will explore the fascinating concept that your mind is both your best friend and your worst enemy. Fear not, because you will be equipped with the tools to harness the positive power of your mind and transform it into a supportive ally. At the core of this workshop is the Positive Intelligence Operating System, a revolutionary, research-based approach that strengthens the part of your brain that serves you while quieting the part that sabotages you.
You will learn invaluable concepts and techniques to shift from a negative to a positive mindset. We all do this negative mind chatter; thinking we are not good enough, second guessing our decisions, comparing ourselves to others, etc. Discover how to cultivate resilience, enhance productivity, and manage your emotions to reach your goals, both personally and in your business.
By the end of this workshop, you will have been introduced to a new set of mental tools and strategies to navigate life's challenges with increased confidence and grace.
Workshop #6
Topic: Manage Your Money with Spring Planning
Guest Instructor: Sara Kermenski, Spring Hollow Financial
Date: May 29th
Time: 1:00 pm - 2:30 pm
Registration Deadline: May 28th
Just like a garden, you can turn your financial vision into small, seasonal tasks to achieve your goals. Gain confidence by repeating your plan year after year. Get results through discipline and a conviction that your results are bound to happen!
Description: This class is designed for those who are looking for community and support as they start their new business. Launch Pad is a supported, drop in, co-working space for folks actively working to start a new business.
Participants work alongside other entrepreneurs to take action and get support on tasks to get their business up and running. The Inclusive Entrepreneurship program staff will offer help on everything from registering a business or setting up bookkeeping software, to building a marketing strategy.
Date: First and Third Tuesdays, February 06 - June 04
Time: 10:00 am - 12:00 pm
Where: In-person at Mercy Connections
Instructor: Claire Wheeler & Jacob Cribbs
Registration: Interested students must schedule a chat with Claire Wheeler before being enrolled in order to survey each person's needs and ensure fit.
Contact Claire via email or phone at 802-846-7081
Registration Deadline: January 30
Start Up is our signature business program. This supportive, inclusive semester-long course is a deep dive into business planning.
Start Up is for those who:
- Have a solid business idea to pursue
- Are serious about learning and taking action
- Can make the time commitment to fit this into a busy life
- Welcome active participation in a small-group environment
- Are ready to make positive change and take control of their future
- Identify as a woman regardless of assignment at birth and/or are transgender, non-binary, gender non-conforming and gender-expansive and are comfortable in a woman-centered space
This course helps folks gain knowledge and build skills critical to having a successful business. Using the framework of writing a business plan, students learn the language of business and graduate armed with the knowledge they need to launch or expand their businesses.
The curriculum covers the fundamentals of three content areas in depth: Marketing, Finance, and Business Operations, and is taught by a team of instructors who are also business owners. Students will graduate knowing how to start and operate a successful business, and you will have completed a comprehensive, realistic business plan that can be used as a guide and to talk to a lender for funding. This course is also designed for folks who are already in business and want to reinvent their business or take it to the next level.
Class size is intentionally small, so you’ll get lots of personal attention and form lasting bonds with your classmates. This small-group experience has been referred to as “life-changing” by many of our previous graduates.
Dates: Wednesdays, February 21 - June 05
Time: 5:00 pm - 7:30 pm
Where: Online
Instructors: Small Business Instructors
Deadline to Apply: February 15
Tuition Details: The total cost of the class is $2,590. The tuition for the course is $2,500, and mandatory fees include the $25 application fee and a $65 license fee for a dedicated LivePlan account for 6 months.
We are grateful to partner with the Vermont Student Assistance Corporation (VSAC) to offer Advancement Grants to cover the cost of tuition for income-eligible students, and we offer internal scholarships and flexible interest-free payment plans to make the cost of the class accessible to everyone.
Description: In this is an in-person introductory workshop series, participants can learn about a variety of topics to support them in starting and operating their small business in Vermont.
Date: 2nd and 4th Tuesdays, February 13 - May 28
Time: 10:00 am - 12:00 pm
Where: In-person at Mercy Connections
Instructor: Claire Wheeler
Registration Deadline: One week before the session begins.
Note: Attendance at all sessions is not required, but participants must register separately for each session and may attend one or more that they choose.
Session Topics/Dates:
1. Design Your Business Model Using the Business Model Canvas - February 13
Design a one-page business model using the Business Model Canvas; a graphic business planning tool that displays nine interconnected core components of any business
2. How to Register Your Business - February 27
Understand the process of registering a business in Vermont, as well as how to get set up with state agencies like the Department of Taxes and Department of Labor.
3. Intro to Business Finance and Bookkeeping - March 12
Understand the basics of financial accounting, including the different accounting methods, categories and reports. Participants will walk away with a solid routine for DIY bookkeeping.
Sign Up for Session 3
4. Paying Yourself and Your Taxes as a Business Owner - March 26
Understand the different ways that one can pay themself as a business owner, as well as what to expect and plan for regarding income tax.
5. Intro to Marketing and Branding - April 09
Define and understand the difference between marketing and branding, and how to put together a simple marketing strategy for your business.
6. How to Create Your Own Website - April 23
Explore different website platforms, understand the content needed to develop a website and learn about the behind-the-scenes functionality required in order to launch a website for a business.
Sign Up for Session 6
7. Managing Risk for Your Business - May 14
Evaluate the risks taken on in business and the ways to limit or mitigate those risks, including insurance, policies, procedures and contracts.
8. Time Management for Business Owners - May 28
Explore the multiple roles of business ownership and learn tricks and tools for managing time across those roles.
Description: This is a six-hour workshop over the course of three sessions. Each session is two hours and is for adult learners. This short course is designed to introduce aspiring entrepreneurs to self-employment and to assist with creating a vision and a plan for a path forward that includes business ownership.
Space is prioritized for new participants.
Registration: Select a session and sign up online by clicking the button below, or call Claire at 802-846-7081
Registration Deadline: One week before each session begins
Session Dates:
Session 1 (online) - Tuesdays, February 13, 20 and 27
Time: 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm
Where: Zoom
Instructor: Claire Wheeler
Session 2 (in-person) - Wednesdays, March 13, 20 and 27
Time: 9:00 am - 11:00 am
Where: In-person at Mercy Connections
Instructor: Jacob Cribbs
Session 3 (online) - Mondays, April 15, 22 and 29
Time: 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm
Where: Zoom
Instructor: Jacob Cribbs
Our programs help you plan, launch, and sustain small businesses in Vermont. For over 30 years, these programs have provided women+ with a supportive environment to discuss the realities of work and life, build business knowledge, and explore and create opportunities.
Classes below start in the Winter/Spring of 2024 and are listed in order of when the class starts, with the earliest first.
Questions? Contact Jacob Cribbs, Inclusive Entrepreneurship Program Coordinator, at 802-846-7390 or jcribbs@mercyconnections.org
“This course came at a point in my life that challenged me to practice focusing, organizing my thoughts, and sharing what is deep down in my heart. It also gave me the space to be vulnerable and put my dreams out into the world.’
— Andrea DiMedio
Andrea DiMedio Photography