Saratoga Business Journal

Landscaping Companies Keep Busy While Banned From New, Larger Projects For Now

May 7, 2020May 8, 2020

Richard Kessinger’s Saratoga Lawn Maintenance LLC has been busy with lawn mowing jobs this spring. He says he may try to hire another employee later in the season.

By Jill Nagy
Pandemic or no pandemic, the grass keeps growing and people are in need of landscaping services this time of year. But landscapers are not immune to problems brought about by the COVID-19 crisis.
Government guidelines allow them to do routine maintenance work, but no major undertakings like landscaping and hardscaping (patios, walks, and the like) or anything purely cosmetic. They can clean things up, but not install mulch and no new planting is allowed.
For Brian Phillips and his company, The Lawn Guy Landscape Management LLC in Saratoga Springs, landscaping and hardscaping is usually the bulk of his business.
“I’m losing time and time is money,” he said.
He is holding deposits from customers from last February and has projects booked into July. He estimates that he had lost some $50,000-60,000 worth of work over a six-week period.
Aside from that, Phillips said, “We are busy. We’re doing rather well” with the basic work. But, “Things are certainly different.”

Spark Saratoga Mentorship Program Partners With National Entrepreneur Group

May 7, 2020May 8, 2020

Local business program Spark Saratoga has started a new partnership with Ureeka, a nationwide virtual community that empowers entrepreneurs.
Spark Saratoga, founded in 2017 by the Saratoga Economic Development Corp., was created to align early stage businesses with proven resources to accelerate growth. The program brings experienced business mentors, professionals, educational content and entrepreneurs together to help entrepreneurs’ bring their ideas to life.
Officials said now, Spark Saratoga is a community-based partner of Ureeka, which will provide access for area entrepreneurs and professionals to a curated network of experts.
As part of the Spark Saratoga 2.0 rollout marking its three-year anniversary, the collaboration with Ureeka will enable more efficient delivery of real time solutions for entrepreneurs and small businesses frequently struggling to find the right resource to help overcome problems in the way of their growth, according to the group.
Ureeka’s online community provides the scale and efficiency to democratize access to world-class expertise, business tools and access to capital. Spark Saratoga and its Innovate518 partners can utilize the platform to privately organize their members, facilitate conversations, make mentor connections and introduce qualified business resources.

Business Consultant Sees Need To Examine How Companies Will Look Post-Pandemic

May 7, 2020May 8, 2020

Brian Rollo helps businesses through his company Brian Rollo Consulting.

By Andrea Harwood Palmer
Brian Rollo, a leadership coach and cultural business strategist, is re-examining his business model in response to the business climate caused by COVID-19 and challenges employers will face.
“I’m always thinking, ‘What is three steps from now? How is this going to change business for me, and for the people I help?’ There are three key things businesses will need to think about as we move into a new normal,” said Rollo, who does business as Brian Rollo Consulting.
“First, in what way do we bring people back into the office now that we’ve built the infrastructure for them to work remotely. How many and who? Or is it more efficient to allow people to work from home? Do we build a hybrid workforce?” said Rollo.
“Second, there’s going to be real conversations going forward on social distancing and wearing masks. If everyone is back at work, how do we navigate some staff feeling comfortable attending closely-packed meetings when others don’t? What does that look like? What if some people are more comfortable wearing a mask while others are not, and will that become its own source of unintentional bias?

Learning Center Tutoring Service Can Help Students In COVID-19 Troubled Times

May 7, 2020May 8, 2020

Susan Kiley is the owner of Saratoga Learning Center based in Saratoga Springs.

By Jennifer Farnsworth
At the Saratoga Learning Center, owner Susan Kiley is working to help students meet their educational needs during the upheaval of normal schooling caused by coronavirus pandemic.
The virus temporarily closed schools for a time, then more recently the closing was made permanent for the 2020-21 academic year.
That leaves parents, students and educators in a place that is unfamiliar, trying to navigate through the process of distant learning. Kiley said the nature of her business is to provide that extra support to students, and she said her staff is ready to help.
Saratoga Learning Center is offering additional online tutoring and proctoring services to students due to the COVID-19 virus.
“We are closely following the Center for Disease Control’s guidelines and recommendations on steps we can take to help prevent the spread of the virus, including utilizing the practices of hand sanitizing, social distancing, and masks,” she said.

SUNY Empire State Expands Its MBA Degree Programs Available Through Online Study

May 7, 2020May 8, 2020

SUNY Empire State students take advantage of online study programs. The college has added seven new concentrations to its online MBA in Business Management program.

SUNY Empire State College announced seven new concentrations in its online Master of Business Administration (MBA) in Business Management program aimed at providing the skills needed to enter growing fields like healthcare management, IT management, global trade, innovation and entrepreneurship, and more.
The new concentrations have received approval from SUNY and the state Department of Education.
SUNY Empire’s graduate business programs have seen an 80 percent increase in credits taught from the 2016-2017 academic year to the 2019-2020 academic year. SUNY Empire expanded its areas of study for MBA candidates to allow them to tailor their program to suit their interests, and in response to employers’ growing needs, officials said.

P-Tech Program Offered Through BOCES Helps Address Local Skilled Labor Shortages

May 7, 2020May 8, 2020

By Christine Graf
New York State P-TECH (Pathways in Technology Early College High School) programs have been designed to address critical skilled labor shortages that are impacting manufacturing and technology companies throughout the state.
Washington-Saratoga-Warren-Hamilton-Essex Board of Cooperative (WSWHE BOCES) was the first to offer the program locally. It is called Southern Adirondack P-TECH.
“We were one of the first 16 cohorts (partnerships) in New York state to receive a seven-year grant to create the program. We received the grant in 2013, and that was a planning year for us. Our first cohort of students started in 2014 and are graduating this year,” said Kim Wegner, lead coordinator for Innovative Programs at WSHWHE BOCES.
“There wasn’t a lot of guidance. It was a thought and idea based off a program that launched in 2009 at a school in Brooklyn. (The state) decided they wanted to expand program across state. There were some guidelines, but we built the program as we moved through it. Where we are today is not where we were six or seven years ago.”
Each of the New York State P-TECH partnerships features a three-way alliance that includes local school districts, local businesses, and one or more SUNY or CUNY educational institution. Southern Adirondack P-TECH partners with SUNY Adirondack and local businesses and school districts. The program is currently offered to students at Saratoga Springs, Queensbury, Hudson Falls, South Glens Falls, Corinth, and Hadley Luzerne school districts.
P-TECH is a six-year program that offers an integrated high school and college curriculum with a heavy emphasis on STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics). Students who complete the program receive a Regent’s diploma, an Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degree, and industry-specific credentials. The program is offered at no cost to students.

Skidmore Business Competition Won By Students Who Started A Bakery Business

May 7, 2020May 8, 2020

Maya Ling, left, and Emily Egan won the Freirich Business Plan Competition at Skidmore College for the bakery business they created called Coven.
Courtesy Skidmore College

Skidmore College student entrepreneurs were awarded more than $50,000 in prizes recently in the 10th anniversary Freirich Business Plan Competition.
First prize of $20,000 cash went to Maya Ling ‘20 and Emily Egan ‘20 for their bakery business, Coven.
Self-described “natural leaders, entrepreneurs and doers,” Ling and Egan met during their first year at Skidmore in the dining hall, where they bonded over their shared love of food, college officials said. They grew their passion into an herbal bakery and lifestyle brand that focuses on core values of quality local ingredients and community.
Coven baked goods are infused with herbs, flowers and spices. Current cookie flavors include rosemary dark chocolate, lavender orange, cardamom ginger and hibiscus black sesame. In addition to creating delicious treats, Coven also engages with customers on online platforms to share recipes, cooking tutorials and articles to “generate a community excited about a healthy and fun lifestyle,” said Egan.
“When we decided to enter the competition, we could never have imagined that we would end up where we are now,” said Ling. “We have never pursued something more ambitious, and have never felt more accomplished than we do now.”

Knitt LLC Hopes Its Online Service Will Help Nonprofits Get Funds During COVID Crisis

May 7, 2020May 8, 2020

By Susan E. Campbell
Knitt LLC, the entity that brings together nonprofit groups and companies having a common mission, is hoping its online match-making service about to go online will have a strong positive impact on helping people during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The landscape for charitable giving and receiving changes every day as the COVID virus lingers,” said founder Lisa Munter, who has served on the boards of a number of local nonprofit organizations.
“Events the nonprofits hold to maintain funding are being cancelled or postponed,” she said. “They desperately need to reach out to offset these losses.”
On the giving end, companies all over the state are also facing financial constraints, hindering their ability to make donations.

Business Briefs: May 2020

May 7, 2020May 8, 2020

Due to current circumstances related to the COVID-19 pandemic, Adirondack Health Institute’s Enrollment Assistance Services and Education (EASE) team has stopped seeing clients in person, however, continues to offer health insurance enrollment assistance via telephone.

Personnel Briefs: May 2020

May 7, 2020May 8, 2020

Morgan Stanley announced that Kathleen Grasmeder, managing director, portfolio management director, financial advisor in the firm’s Glens Falls and Oneonta Wealth Management offices, has been named to Forbes Magazine’s list of Top Women Wealth Advisors for 2020, listed on forbes.com.
The “Top Women Wealth Advisors” is a select group of individuals who have a minimum of seven years of industry experience. The ranking, developed by Forbes’ partner SHOOK Research, is based on an algorithm of qualitative and quantitative data, rating thousands of wealth advisors and weighing factors like revenue trends, AUM, compliance records, industry experience and best practices learned through telephone and in-person interviews.