Member Moments

At Opportunities Credit Union, we go above and beyond to provide small businesses with the help they need to succeed.

Through Member Moments, we highlight the unique stories and diverse backgrounds of our many successful partnerships throughout Vermont. These growing businesses are instrumental in helping to build strong communities as well as providing opportunities for Vermonters.

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Challenges of Finance Being a Single Working Mom

The author of this blog qualified for an auto loan after working with Andrea Heller, our Money Sense Manager, to tackle bill paying and face down a creditor. I am a single mother and an educator. My child has complicated health and educational needs. We have moved many times in the past two decades, and [...]

Wooden Hammer

Opportunities Credit Union helped Wooden Hammer arrange the necessary financing to move into a larger building. Now, Ben Raphael can take on more and bigger jobs without all the dust. The new facility will help Ben continue to grow his business and continue to strengthen his community. Wood and Hammer creates top-quality custom cabinets and [...]

Taco Gordo

North Street in Burlington is home to one of Vermont’s most diverse neighborhoods. Even in the bitter winter cold, the streets were alive with music, pedestrians, the warm glow of windows and the smell of tacos. As I walked down the snow-laden sidewalk, a hooded man and his buddy were on a second-story porch singing [...]

Sit Pretty Pet Grooming Salon

For Abigail Terrazzano and Adeline Webb, dogs, and cats are more than just a job. It’s a way of life. They met each other working at a national box store as groomers, and they wished for a more personal experience for the animals and their owners. Just like many entrepreneurs, they had a way to [...]

ONTA Studios

I arrived at the ONTA Studio in the Kismet building in Williston to take a video of the owners. Zach and Lauren are two young entrepreneurs with a lot of passion. Zach had a massive smile on his face, and he stuck his hand out immediately for a handshake. He shook my hand, smiled, and [...]

Birdfolk Collective

Nicole Carey, owner of the Birdfolk Collective, recently opened a new storefront in Waterbury with the help of Opportunities Credit Union.

Nest Coffee and Bakery

Jake, owner of the Firebird Cafe, opened Nest Coffee and Bakery after realizing that what the community of Essex Junction needed and wanted was a coffee shop. He sought the support of Opportunities Credit Union to help make his dream of a coffee shop a reality.

Urban Salon Team

Stacey Hamblett, owner of the Urban Salon Team, created a unique space where clients can link their inner and outer beauty. After financing fell through six weeks before opening with a traditional bank she’d been with for years, Hamblett received help from Opportunities Credit Union to realize her vision.

Coggio Upholstery

Tom Coggio, owner of Coggio Upholstery, takes the worn down treasures of local residents and offers the unique service of making them into something both beautiful and durable. He learned he could get business financing from Opportunities Credit Union at a significantly lower rate than he was paying to a national bank.

Aqua ViTea

Jeff Weaber is the founder of Aqua ViTea, a company that brews Kombucha, a fermented beverage that has been improving people’s’ wellbeing naturally for thousands of years. He had help from Opportunities to finance his rapid growth and expand his operations into mainstream grocery stores across the East Coast.

Clustas

A Vermont start-up, Clustas makes innovative, magnetic weights that have awesome potential both for fitness enthusiasts and for individuals dealing with physical challenges. At Opportunities Credit Union, Rollin Rachele found a financial partner that understands the local business scene and is eager to support entrepreneurs.

Mud City Adventures

Christine and Kevin are co-founders of Mud City Adventures, offering kids camps to Stowe residents during summers to encourage them to unplug and immerse themselves in multi-dimensional learning. They credit Opportunities Credit Union for helping to make the financial aspect of the business possible.