A one-man custom shoe shop launched in Burlington a little over 15 years ago started Matt Renna on the path to found Queen City Dry Goods. However, having the design mastery to create beautiful leather goods is just one part of the picture. In order to grow his operation, Matt needed to find a financing partner that truly understood small businesses. That’s when he turned to Opportunities Credit Union.
Blog
With Love Photography
Before the opening of With Love Photography, residents of Johnson, Vermont would have to travel long distances to get photographs of their families and newborns. Due to its remote location, few photographers had thought to open a business in the Johnson area and would instead opt to open studios in Chittenden or Washington counties. Cousins and business partners, Heather Perkins and Mariah Reed, sought to break this mold.
When is the right time to buy a home?
Think about your current financial situation and personal aspirations. Where does home ownership fit in? If you’re itching to settle down, now may be a good time to determine whether you’re ready to handle this exciting commitment and take the first steps towards obtaining a mortgage. We’ve developed a checklist of factors to help you decide if now is the right time to purchase a home.
Laughing Child Farm
Ripe with farmer’s markets and organic products, it can be difficult to stand out among competitive farming businesses. Farmers Timothy and Brooke Hughes-Muse learned this first-hand while they were selling eggs, vegetables, and meat birds as a side-business years ago. Realizing there were many other farms in the area already selling such products, the married couple decided they needed to produce a crop that was missing from the Rutland County area: Sweet potatoes.
Opportunities 2016 Annual Meeting
There was laughter, emotion, and gratitude abound during the Opportunities Credit Union Annual Meeting this year as members, employees, and board members met to recap the previous year on March 29th at the Burlington branch at 92 North Avenue. The room was filled with our largest attendance to date. The afternoon included delicious food, thoughtful gifts, and recognition for the hard work of Opportunities’ board and staff members year-round.
Wildflowers Studio
Energetic ladies Lyndsy Blais and Samantha Spisiak are the two early-childhood educators who saw a need in the community for a hands-on playspace for children and wanted to fulfill it. With the help of Opportunities Credit Union, Vermonters now have access to a new multi-sensory creative play space for their youngsters at Wildflowers Studio, situated at 1 Executive Dr., Suite 103, in South Burlington, VT.
Building New Relationships With Old Friends
Greg Huysman, Senior Business Development Manager at Opportunities Credit Union, and the City of Winooski, recently signed off on the Winooski Small Business Loan Program (WSBLP), where the city placed $250,000 at Opportunities to help facilitate small business lending to Winooski-based businesses. Thanks to this program, Winooski business owners will have funds available for a variety of purposes to keep their operations running smoothly.
Sugarsnap Vermont Catering
For many business owners, turning your passion into a viable, sustainable business is a challenging adventure. Abbey Duke, owner of Sugarsnap Vermont Catering, was faced with finding a financing solution for her rapidly growing business. With a recommendation from the Vermont Economic Development Authority (VEDA), she turned to Opportunities Credit Union for help with her unique small-business lending needs.
Valentine’s Day: Celebrating Love and Culture Around the World
At Opportunities Credit Union, we celebrate cultures, beliefs, and traditions from all corners of the world. Our home, Winooski, Vermont and the greater Burlington area is one of the largest immigrant and refugee populations in the state. Take a look at what Valentine’s Day means to other countries around the world.
New-Aged Spirits
Sas Stewart and Sivan Cotel, owners of Stonecutter Spirits, are passionate about gin and whiskey. With the help Opportunities Credit Union, they received the support and funding to renovate a 12,000 square foot warehouse into a space that accommodates offices, tastings, events, and a distillery for their unique barrel-aging spirits operation.
