Posted January 31, 2018 at 09:20am by
Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund expands business assistance services
The Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund, a nonprofit organization focused on sustainable economic development, announces the expansion of its suite of services for clients from private sector businesses in the early and growth stages of development. Services have expanded to include waste management, renewable energy, and environmental technology sectors, in addition to agriculture/food system and forest product sectors.
The Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund helps Vermont companies create and retain jobs, reach new markets with their products and services, and plan for the future. Business assistance services are tailored to meet individual client needs and provide high-touch coaching and advising for business owners and their management teams to advance profitability, job creation, and sustainable business development.
Geoff Robertson of Stowe has been named business assistance director and is responsible for managing VSJF’s business coaching and peer to peer advising services, as well as Accel-VT—a business accelerator for climate economy entrepreneurs. He most recently was the CEO of Empower Mobility and prior positions include CFO at School Spring, LLC, and Entrepreneurial Advisor at Davis & Hodgdon CPAs.
Business coaching is available to position Vermont businesses for growth and long-term success from a business coaching team including Chris Bailey, Peter Cole, Carolyn Cooke, Lawrence Miller, John Ryan, and Steve Voight. Peer to peer advising offers growth stage business CEO/founders and their management teams with strategic consultation from experienced business executives and consultants. Both services are available to Vermont-based, value-added food and agricultural, forest related, renewable energy, waste management, and environmental/clean technology enterprises that are supplying products and services to a diverse marketplace.
Accel-VT offers business planning, mentorship, and access to capital for startup business committed to climate economy innovation in Vermont. Entrepreneurs are competitively selected to participate in an intensive 12-week business accelerator.
“Over the past 14 years, we’ve supported the strategic and growth needs of our private sector clients by tapping the expertise of seasoned entrepreneurial executives and consultants to work intensively for 12 to 18 months and help them advance to the next level of development. Geoff will substantially help us expand our business services into additional sectors, leading to the creation of sustainable jobs that elevate the well-being of Vermonters, our communities, and the environment,” explains Ellen Kahler, executive director at the Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund.
The Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund is a nonprofit organization committed to nurturing the sustainable development of Vermont’s economy. VSJF provides business assistance, network development, strategic planning, and value chain facilitation in agriculture and food system, forest product, waste management, renewable energy, and environmental technology sectors. The Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund was created by the Vermont Legislature in 1995 to partner with state government, private sector businesses, and nonprofits to build a thriving economic, social, and ecological future for Vermont.