Newest SBDC business advisor introduced during event a new Wolfeboro business.

For more than 25 years, the Wentworth Economic Development Corporation (WEDCO) has been helping locals navigate the landscape of starting and running a business. And now thanks to a collaboration with the New Hampshire Small Business Development Center (NHSBDC), a new resource is available for local businesses, a resource that was unveiled at a gathering at one of Wolfeboro’s newest businesses, Bayberry Juice Bar.

WEDCO now has the services of a business advisor available in Wolfeboro once a week and remotely one more day a week. Amy Sterndale was introduced as that new business advisor at an event on Sept. 26 at Bayberry Juice Bar. Prior to Sterndale’s arrival, David Boyton served in that capacity but he was only available one or two days a month. Thanks to new funding, Sterndale has expanded availability.  “This is a huge help to entrepreneurs, we’re thrilled to have this here,” said WEDCO Executive Director Denise Roy-Palmer.  “We had this opportunity to collaborate with the SBDC,” said WEDCO President Mary Collins. “We’re delighted to have this new grant. People that work with WEDCO are working with seasoned people that have expertise and have the ability to help.”

“We were really thrilled when Denise reached out and was interested in expanding our relationship,” said NHSBDC State Director Liz Gray. “Amy is an outstanding addition to our team. She has jumped right in and we couldn’t be more thrilled.”

“Sixty-five percent of what we do is with existing businesses,” said NHSBDC Seacoast Regional Director Warren Daniel. “We have a lot of fantastic resources throughout the state.”

For her part, Sterndale has been on the job for just more than a week but was already knee deep in local businesses.  “I love this opportunity, digging through all the challenges of what they need to succeed,” Sterndale said.

Thanks to funding from Eversource and the help of People’s United Bank (where WEDCO’s offices are located), Collins noted that there is a new office available for the business advisor to use. Meredith Village Savings Bank donated the furniture for that office.

Sterndale noted that her job will give her a chance to see businesses in their element.  “The idea is to meet businesses where they are, whether it’s starting up or improving what they have,” Sterndale said. “We help them try to figure out how to solve the problems in front of them. “Being an entrepreneur is lonely, it’s hard to figure it all out by yourself,” she continued. “We’re there for people whenever they need us.”  She noted that her introduction to her new position has been fantastic and she’s excited to get going.  “I have eight days on the job and they all have two decades,” she said with a laugh. “This is going to be a good fit.”

Bayberry Juice Bar, which is located in the space formerly housing Melanson’s Many Facets on South Main Street in the Avery Insurance Building, is an example of a business that WEDCO has assisted in getting up and running.

“David (Boyton) and Denise (Roy-Palmer) were our first point of contact,” said Garrett Walston, who owns the business with his wife, Renee. “There were some weeks where I’ve talked to Denise many times a day.”

While the Walstons were looking for property in which to start their business, they came upon the Avery Building, and as it turns out, their family had a number of connections to the Avery family.  Renee Walston noted that when she was in second grade in Wolfeboro, her class had military pen pals serving in Iraq and her pen pal was Tod O’Dowd, who now operates Avery Insurance. And Renee Walston’s grandmother, Honey Hooper, worked in the same space that Bayberry now occupies in her 20s, back when it was a pharmacy. Hooper was also on hand last week to become the business’s first official customer.  “It’s been so cool to see the families were bonded for generations,” Renee Walston said. “This is meant to be.”

Garrett Walston noted that Bayberry used WEDCO to get them from concept to the point where they were ready to open to the public, praising the work of Roy-Palmer and Boyton in helping to get them to this point.  “Denise was always my point of contact, she was very valuable,” Garrett Walston said.

To schedule an appointment to meet with Amy please contact Krista at 862-5221 or email krista.rodrigues@unh.edu