New class graduates from microenterprise assistance program
Photo courtesy of Matt Holland: Some of the graduates of the fall 2024 Microenterprise Assistance Program gathered for their graduation on Jan. 2. Pictured from left include Clarissa Gallup, Katie Sommerfeldt, Nyan Kaminsky, Molly Preston, Haley Black, Mark Hungerford, Donnie Rench, Vanessa and Jasser Cervantes. Others in the class include Brent Dahlhaus, Lionel Heydel, Chad Pike, Shannon Fair, Kelsie and Benjamin Stahl, and Nyan Kaminski.
ALBION – A new group of entrepreneurs has completed the 10-week Microenterprise Assistance Program offered by the Orleans Economic Development Agency.
The class included 14 graduates, which brings the total to 558 people who have completed MAP since it started in 2002. More than 200 have started a variety of businesses in the county.
The 10-week program covers topics such as legal requirements for starting a business, forms of ownership, business plan development, taxation for sole proprietors, marketing and advertising strategies, bookkeeping and record keeping, banking essentials, pricing goods and services, and cost analysis.
The graduates for fall 2024 include:
- Brent Dahlhaus, restaurant/ property management
- Haley Black, owner of Rise and Grind coffee shop in Albion
- Lionel Heydel, owner of I-Chef NY in the restaurant and catering sector
- Chad Pike, owner of Tavern on the Ridge on Route 104 in Gaines
- Shannon Fair, owner of OMNI Construction
- Vanessa & Jasser Cervantes, J&V Agrotech in Agriculture (Hydroponics)
- Donnie Rench, New York Skies, a photography and events business
- Clarissa Gallup, floriculture agriculture
- Kelsie and Benjamin Stahl, craft items
- Katie Sommerfeldt, KT Drainage Consulting
- Mark Hungerford, maintenance construction
- Molly Preston, Preston’s Farms
- Nyan Kaminski, Cedar Hill Farms – agriculture and animal feed
A new class will start in the spring. MAP coordinator Matt Holland said he expects applications will open next month.
He told the EDA board of directors this morning there will be some tweaks in the program, including more local entrepreneurs as guest speakers.
The class size of 14 seemed ideal, allowing each person personalized attention and a manageable group size to network with each other, Holland said.
