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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Village Spa

Heather Norton, the founder of Village Spa, wanted to give the small community of Brandon, VT a place to relax and recharge. Working with Greg Huysman, Senior Business Development Manager at Opportunities, she was able to receive financial help to expand her rapidly growing business.

Snap Fitness

At Snap Fitness, you’re not just a member of a gym; you’re part of a community of like-minded people. Owners Lori and Brad Lockwood say that this gives members a feeling of ownership. Together with Opportunities, they've expanded Snap Fitness to three locations, providing Vermonters with access to state-of-the-art 24-hour fitness facilities.

Queen City Dry Goods

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.

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.

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.

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.

Barrio Bakery

Barrio Bakery’s exterior bright colors of yellow, red, and blue are both eye-catching and inviting to passersby, but it’s the quality pastries and warm atmosphere that keep people coming back for more. Located in the Old North End of Burlington, VT, Barrio has become known as the neighborhood bakery, which is fitting, as Barrio translates [...]

The Vermont Comedy Club

The last thing you think about when tying the knot is laughter, but it was the first thing on Natalie Miller and Nathan Hartswick’s minds. The couple exchanged their vows and launched their business, Spark Arts, on the same day in 2011. Their comedic timing has been the driving force behind building a good marriage [...]

Infinity Dance Studio

Family, connection, and community are all words that embody Opportunities Credit Union. They are also qualities in which Brea McBride, owner and artistic director of Infinity Dance Studio, swears by. As a child beginning her dance career in Ohio, Brea recalls how her instructor, Yvonne Dekay, was like a mom to her, and the studio [...]