Rooted in Education: Five Entrepreneurs Shaping the Future of Their Communities

Education is a powerful driver of economic growth and community well-being. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, occupations that typically require education beyond high school are projected to account for more than 60% of new jobs through 2031.

Meanwhile, the childcare industry alone contributes over $60 billion annually to the U.S. economy, yet many communities still face gaps in access and affordability.

As the demand for flexible, inclusive, and lifelong learning continues to grow, small businesses are stepping in with creative, community-centered solutions. From expanding healthcare training to bridging early childhood education gaps, these entrepreneurs are making education more accessible and impactful.

How Jennifer Legere Turned Her Dream into “A Place to Grow”

In 2005, Jennifer took a leap of faith, combining her knowledge in science, math, business, and early childhood education with her passion to create something special. It wasn’t just about starting a business for her; it was about building a career that allowed her to be present for her young family while providing a nurturing space for children to learn and grow.

With this vision in mind, Jennifer opened A Place to Grow, a preschool and daycare focused on the “whole child.”

Jennifer didn’t just pick any location – she chose a beautiful piece of land that fit her vision perfectly. The eco-friendly indoor space and outdoor classrooms, surrounded by New Hampshire’s natural beauty, gave children the chance to explore and grow both academically and emotionally.

The forest became a classroom, the pond a place for discovery, and the school itself a warm, loving environment that supported children’s physical, mental, and emotional well-being.

Jennifer went even further by making sustainability and well-being central to the center’s philosophy. She installed solar panels and air source heat pumps and used reusable hand towels, all to reduce the center’s carbon footprint. This commitment created an environmentally conscious and health-focused learning environment.

For Jennifer, healthy living wasn’t just about what the children learned, but also about how they learned it.

Inside the classrooms, Jennifer’s students enjoyed many creative activities like yoga, art, music, puppetry, dance, and weaving. These activities helped the children express themselves, discover their talents, and explore the world around them. It wasn’t just about doing well in school; it was about growing into well-rounded individuals.

To make this happen, Jennifer invited talented community members to share their skills, creating a lively and ever-changing learning environment where kids could connect with the world outside the classroom.

What made A Place to Grow truly special wasn’t just its focus on education, but Jennifer’s strong commitment to the community. She started the Community Cupboard, a partnership with a local resident that provides food and essentials to anyone in need — no questions asked.

The cupboard is kept stocked year-round, symbolizing the kindness and support Jennifer wanted to teach her students. This initiative, like many others, reflected Jennifer’s belief that learning goes beyond the classroom. It extends into the community, building connections and helping those around you.

Of course, the journey hasn’t been without its challenges. Like any entrepreneur, Jennifer faced obstacles — low enrollment, financial difficulties, and the ever-present uncertainty of running a small business. But where some might have seen roadblocks, Jennifer saw opportunities to grow.

She relied on the support of organizations like SCORE, the Regional Economic Development Center (REDC), and the SBA. Their guidance and resources were invaluable, especially during tough times like the financial strain caused by the pandemic.

Through it all, Jennifer’s resilience shone through. With partnerships and financial support from programs like the SBA’s Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL), she kept the doors of A Place to Grow open, even when the world outside seemed uncertain.

In 2020, Jennifer’s hard work and perseverance paid off when A Place to Grow became a franchise. This expansion allowed her to share her vision with other communities, helping working families and adding skilled educators to the workforce.

Today, A Place to Grow continues to make an impact on the lives of children, families, and the broader community. In partnership with Harmony Homes in Durham, NH, the center now provides affordable childcare for employees, making life easier for working parents while continuing to nurture the next generation.

Kerri Dutton’s Journey: Building a Thriving Healthcare Training Hub in New Hampshire

Amid a critical nursing shortage, Kerri Dutton saw an opportunity to make a meaningful difference in healthcare in New Hampshire. As the Director of LNA Health Careers, named the New Hampshire SBA’s 2023 Women-Owned Business of the Year, Kerri built a successful institution that trains healthcare professionals to meet the state’s growing demand.

Kerri’s career in healthcare began in 1992 as a Licensed Nursing Assistant (LNA). As she advanced in her career, Kerri continued her education, earning a master’s degree in nursing in 2012. But it wasn’t just her career that influenced her entrepreneurial path.

In 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic shut down schools and restricted students from entering nursing facilities, Kerri noticed a gap in the workforce pipeline.

Determined to ensure New Hampshire had a steady supply of healthcare professionals, she purchased LNA Health Careers, an existing healthcare trade school, and worked to transform it into a leading institution for healthcare education.

At the time, Kerri knew she needed more than just a solid curriculum; she needed a foundation built on education, leadership, and resilience. With guidance from the Center for Women and Enterprise, Kerri received invaluable mentorship that helped her refine her business acumen and successfully operate the trade school.

She secured financing through an SBA 504 loan from Granite State Economic Development Corp and a third-party loan from St. Mary’s Bank, which allowed her to purchase and renovate a larger facility.

What started as a small, 2,000-square-foot space quickly grew into a 15,000-square-foot campus-like facility. Equipped with classrooms, clinical labs, offices, and student spaces, LNA Health Careers offers a comfortable and professional setting for students to learn the essential skills they need to excel in the healthcare field.

The growth in both capacity and student enrollment has been truly remarkable. The facility has become a hub for students pursuing careers in licensed practical nursing (LPN), licensed nursing assistant (LNA), medication nursing assistant (MNA), phlebotomy, pharmacy technician, EKG, IV training, and CPR.

One of Kerri’s most innovative initiatives was the creation of ten satellite simulated nursing lab classrooms, approved by the NH Board of Nursing and the Department of Education. These satellite labs greatly boosted the school’s revenue, increasing sales by over $1 million in the first eight months, and are expected to generate around $2.5 million annually.

Additionally, LNA Health Careers expanded its reach with a new instructional campus in Meredith, further enhancing the school’s impact on New Hampshire’s healthcare workforce.

Thanks to Kerri’s leadership, LNA Health Careers has become a key institution for training healthcare professionals in New Hampshire. The school now graduates over 100 LNAs every month, providing 110 hours of classroom and clinical training.

Kerri has also made healthcare education more affordable by offering over $200,000 in student scholarships, helping students follow their dreams without the heavy burden of debt.

Renee Pellom: A Lifelong Learner Empowering Educational Institutions

For over three decades, Renee Pellom has balanced a full-time career in the nonprofit sector with the challenges of owning and managing multiple businesses. Yet, in recent years, Renee made a defining decision: she wanted to be the employer, not the employee.

This realization led her to found Higher Education Accreditation Consulting (HEAC), a company that provides accreditation and coaching services to educational institutions and professionals.

Renee’s passion for education runs deep. As the daughter of the post-Civil Rights Black era, her elders taught her the value of education, and she took those lessons to heart. A self-proclaimed “nerd,” Renee always felt at home in the classroom and loved both learning and teaching.

Her love for education inspired her to start a business that helps others understand accreditation and improve the quality of educational services.

Though she had heard of the SBA for years, Renee hadn’t tapped into its resources until she started HEAC. Once she did, she discovered a wealth of programs, training, and mentorship opportunities far beyond what she had imagined.

Renee eagerly embraced the support, attending SBA events both in-person and online. These events offered a range of opportunities, from practical workshops to networking with industry leaders.

With guidance from the SBA, Renee applied for the Women-Owned Small Business program and is now working on getting additional certifications to strengthen her business. One of the highlights of her SBA experience was a workshop that helped her launch her company’s YouTube channel, allowing HEAC to reach a broader audience.

For Renee, being a lifelong student is essential to both her personal growth and her business’s success. She believes the SBA has been a critical ally in her journey, helping her continually improve and adapt.

“There will never be a time when I do not need a community to help me do business life better,” she shares. “I am grateful that the SBA is here for companies like mine, as they provide the type of assistance we need to move forever forward toward improvement, growth, and positive impact in the communities that we serve.”

Willow Tree Tutoring: Jess Beeson’s Holistic Approach to Education and Emotional Support

In 2014, Jess Beeson was a dedicated public school teacher when a personal crisis changed her life. Her husband, struggling with liver cancer, needed constant care. Unable to balance her teaching job with her responsibilities at home, Jess had to make a change to support her family. That’s when Willow Tree Tutoring, LLC was created.

What started as a way to make extra money grew into a successful business. Jess worked five jobs to get by meeting students at libraries, restaurants, and bookstores. Though she loved teaching, she realized she needed to build a more stable business to support her family.

In 2019, Jess leased her first small space, and by 2021, she expanded into a larger location. But that space quickly turned into a nightmare when the landlords refused to handle necessary repairs.

Undeterred, Jess found a new home for Willow Tree Tutoring in 2023 with the help of SCORE’s Mary Heger. Through hard work and perseverance, Jess turned her setbacks into a story of success.

Jess’s own difficult upbringing, marked by a substance-addicted mother, gave her a deep understanding of the challenges students face. After emancipating herself at 18 to qualify for financial aid, she pursued her teaching career with a focus on humor and empathy.

She believes that truly understanding the emotional and mental states of her students is key to their success. Her approach is built on not just academic tutoring but also stress management, self-confidence, and emotional support.

Willow Tree Tutoring blends academic coaching with emotional support, which is rare in the tutoring industry. Jess created a program that addresses both the mental health and educational needs of students. She and her team focus on truly listening to students, so they feel heard and supported.

Their approach goes beyond traditional tutoring, offering a safe space where kids can express their frustrations and work through their emotions while getting help with their studies.

At Willow Tree, no student is ever turned away without being asked the same three questions: “Are you hungry? Are you thirsty? How was your day?” Jess and her team offer free snacks and drinks, ensuring that students’ basic needs are met before they even start their lessons. It’s a holistic approach to learning, where emotional and physical well-being are prioritized as much as academic progress.

The success of Willow Tree Tutoring isn’t just about growing the business—it’s about the strong connections Jess has built with her students. Her trauma-trained tutors, often referred to by the Child Advocacy Center, go the extra mile to support students.

 Jess’s personal bond with her students has even led to a unique tradition: letting them choose the color of her hair. When one particularly challenging student asked her to dye her hair a certain color, Jess did it.

Jess’s entrepreneurial spirit didn’t stop with Willow Tree Tutoring. In 2014, she also launched Beeson Editing, and in 2023, she introduced Jess B. LLC. Through Jess B. LLC, she coaches individuals and companies with the Be You Be Free program.

Based on neuroscience and socio-cognitive research, the program helps professionals improve communication, increase awareness, and boost productivity.

Despite the growth of her businesses, Jess remains grounded. She drives an old car, and her house isn’t the fanciest, but her priorities are clear: her family and making a lasting difference in the lives of the students she serves.

Jess Beeson’s dedication to both her family and her students earned her the 2024 Woman-Owned Small Business of the Year award from the SBA St. Louis District Office.

Saint Vincent College SBDC: A Proven Resource for Small Business Success and Community Impact

Jim Kunkel knew from the moment he joined the Saint Vincent College Small Business Development Center (SBDC) that he had found his calling. Since 2000, the SBDC has been a beacon of support for over 10,000 entrepreneurs, helping them inject $170 million into the local economy.

Today, under Kunkel’s leadership, the SBDC team has earned recognition as the Small Business Development Center of the Year for the SBA’s Western Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania, and Mid-Atlantic Regions.

The center’s success is due to its dedicated and experienced team, with over 80 years of combined knowledge. Kunkel and his team support businesses at every stage, from startups to established companies, providing essential services like business plans, financing, and export assistance.

“We serve all industry sectors and companies in every stage of the business life cycle, and that’s what makes this job so great…because every day is different.  Also, the Saint Vincent College SBDC is fortunate to have an incredibly dedicated and knowledgeable team that has consistently generated meaningful economic impact.”” Kunkel explains.

One key program run by the Saint Vincent College SBDC is the annual SBA Lender Workshop, held during the Pittsburgh Steelers’ Training Camp each August. The event attracts over 70 attendees, including SBA lenders and economic development experts, who share helpful insights and resources with entrepreneurs.

For the SBDC team, there’s no greater reward than seeing the success of the businesses they’ve helped over the years.

Whether it’s a small manufacturer now filling its parking lot with cars or a local entrepreneur like Taylor Bryner-Spaw, who opened her spinning studio during the pandemic with the center’s help, the team takes pride in nurturing businesses into thriving community assets.