Around 100 people gathered at the Berkshire Innovation Center on Thursday to recognize the 19 individuals representing 13 businesses that completed the intensive program.
PITTSFIELD, Mass. Entrepreneurship for All celebrated the 2022 Fall Accelerator Program graduates with its first in-person gala and $13,000 in awards.
Around 100 people gathered at the Berkshire Innovation Center on Thursday to recognize the 19 individuals representing 13 businesses that completed the intensive program.
EforAll's free, year-long business accelerator helps a business or non-profit make its vision a reality. The first quarter of the year is intensive, and the participants check in quarterly for the remainder of the year.
"We have a lot to give. We came to EforAll to receive mentorship, professional guidance, resources, ideas, and inspiration. After four intense months of learning together we are now prepared to give back," said Tiffany Wilding-White, owner of Mind Over Motion."To give to our businesses, to give to our customers, to give to our Berkshire community and beyond, to give back to EforAll, and to give to each other."
She added that the program turns solo entrepreneurs into a community of entrepreneurs who pay it forward.
"EforAll has 100 percent exceeded my expectations," Wilding-White said. "I got out of it even more than I hoped, and I know you all did too."
She surveyed her cohort to see what kind of results they had received from the program. Members reported that their social media following quadrupled, their organization became more structured with a clearer vision, and they became 100 percent confident in their business choices.
Participants were 76 percent women; 70 percent Black, indigenous, and people of color; 33 percent immigrant; and 36 percent were previously unemployed.
Since 2019, the nonprofit has helped start 56 businesses in Berkshire County.
Six awards ranging from $500 to $3,000 —totaling $13,000— were given out during the gala.
This included a $2,500 award from the Lee Bank Foundation and a $500 Paula Buxbaum award was given out in honor of a former accelerator who passed away.
There is another $10,000 in seed capital that will continue to be given out as quarterlies.
1Berkshire also announced they would be donating one year of a free basic membership to every one of the businesses.
The largest award was given to Berkshire Pup People, a North County-based dog service provider that offers walks, training, play, and pet sitting.
Owners Michelle Marrocco and Tiffany Boyden were flattered and overjoyed about the award, saying it is "not quite real yet."
"I couldn't have asked for a better cohort and program," Marrocco said. "Everybody has been so supportive working together."
The two have been in business for around nine months. The decision to open Berkshire Pup People came about because of the pandemic and because the owners saw a market opportunity after a local dog daycare closed.
Program Manager Allison Schmitt explained that they thought of the accelerator as a part-time job because it was six and a half hours of structured time per week on top of participants' daily jobs. She said they were guided by the knowledge of nearly 40 volunteer mentors.
"It's a pretty intense process," Schmitt said.
The entrepreneurs begin the program with interviews and after the accelerator, give a 20-minute presentation on the ins and outs of their business. They then answer questions from volunteer judges.
For the next nine months, other than the quarterly check-ins, they will continue to have mentor meetings once a month.
"They have support from us, they have support from their EforAll family," Schmitt explained. "And what is really amazing to me is that they have so much support for each other, and they have already established a monthly accountability call."
Business owner and mentor Diana Wall commended the cohort for their courage to share their ideas with strangers and invite them to give feedback. She said she has been through three accelerators and thinks of it as a living organism that adapts to every class.
Wall said that she knows, as each of the businesses takes root, they will inspire and encourage others to come along.
"So not only are you brave, but you're important," she added. "And I am not exaggerating when I say I think you are the greatest hope for sustainable growth in the Berkshires."
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Belchertown Stops Pittsfield Post 68
By Stephen DravisiBerkshires.com Sports
PITTSFIELD, Mass. – Belchertown Post 239’s Cooper Beckwith set the tone when he crushed the game’s first pitch to left-center field for a double.
The visitors went on to pound out 14 more hits in a 9-1 win over Pittsfield Post 68 in American Legion Baseball action at Buddy Pellerin Field on Monday night.
Beckwith went 3-for-4 with an RBI and scored twice, and Chase Earle went five innings on the mound without allowing an earned run as Post 239 improved to 15-0 this summer and completed a regular-season sweep of Post 68 (12-4).
“He’s a good pitcher,” Post 68 coach Rick Amuso said. “Good velo[city], kept the ball down. We didn’t respond.”
Pittsfield did manage to scratch out a run in the bottom of the fourth inning, when it already trailed, 7-0.
Nick Brindle reached on an error to start the inning. He moved up on a single by Jack Reed (2-for-2) and scored on a single to left by Cam Zerbato.
That was half the hits allowed by Earle, who struck out three before giving the ball to Alex West, who gave up a leadoff walk in the sixth and retired the next six batters he faced.
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The short film follows Tom Levardi, who has been a supporter of the hiking community over the last 45 years by allowing Appalachian Trail hikers to camp in his back yard.
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On Thursday, the commission issued 36 conditions for the city project that include a new boardwalk, access stairs, paring improvements, seasonal docks, and a new swimming beach on the park’s two properties at 1447 North St. and 40 Hancock Rd. click for more
Mike Ressler was unhittable on the mound, and the Pittsfield Little League All-Stars completed a convincing run through the Don Gleason District 1 Tournament with a 19-0 win over Dalton-Hinsdale on Thursday. click for more