BERLIN, N.H. - Business Services North, a one-stop point of access for businesses seeking services in the North Country, has streamlined its collaborative efforts to better serve New Hampshire's North Country entrepreneurs.

As part of the effort, Business Services North recently unveiled a new branding campaign at the Coos County Business Expo and launched a new website, businessservicesnorth.org. Three North Country organizations have collaborated together as Business Services North: White Mountains Community College (WMCC), Northern Community Investment Corporation (NCIC), and the NH Small Business Development Center (NH SBDC).

"Business Services North's new branding and website effort provides a simpler, one-entry-point client experience available to North Country entrepreneurs. For years our three organizations worked with the same clients, often duplicating efforts. Now, Business Services North conserves resources and triples the support for businesses. Spurred by the Neil and Louise Tillotson Foundation, the Business Services North collaboration is driving economic growth in the North Country," said Mary Collins, state director of the NH Small Business Development Center (NH SBDC), an outreach program of the Peter T. Paul College of Business and Economics at the University of New Hampshire.

At the new website, North Country entrepreneurs can view videos of Business Services North clients discussing how the business outreach effort helped them be successful.

Jenna Bowman from White Mountain Café and Bookstore in Gorham said Business Services North provided her and her business partners with financial advice and assistance that helped them secure a loan to purchase the coffee shop's building. "Now we have a permanent home. It's a huge relief and very exciting. We couldn't have done it without them," Bowman said.

Kris van Dohrmann from Otokahe Farm in Jefferson said the counselors at Business Services North helped her learn more about financing the farm. "They really kept us focused as to what was the best for our business for the growth stage that we were in. We know that if we get into a bind, we can pick up the phone and one of them will have the answer or have a resource for us," Dohrmann said.

Business Services North also offers an online self-assessment tool that helps entrepreneurs identify the strengths and weaknesses of their businesses. A single phone number (603-342-3174) now connects clients to trained business consultants available through the NH SBDC's confidential business management assistance program as well as to the SBDC's  online e-learning program, WMCC's entrepreneurial counseling and group educational events, and NCIC's business financing, technology related grants, and marketing assistance.

Business Services North is headquartered at White Mountains Community College in Berlin and accessible at the Northern Community Investment Corporation's office in Lancaster, First Colebrook Bank in Colebrook, and White Mountains Community College at the Littleton Area Learning Center.

The NH SBDC, an outreach program of the UNH Peter T. Paul College of Business and Economics, provides confidential, long-term, business management advising and educational programs to New Hampshire businesses. Services are delivered by full-time certified business advisors with MBAs, CPAs and all have owned their own businesses. N.H. SBDC is a cooperative venture of the U.S. Small Business Administration, the State of New Hampshire, the University of New Hampshire, and the private sector. For more information on NH SBDC, visit www.nhsbdc.org.

Founded in 1966, White Mountains Community College (WMCC) is a comprehensive community college serving the northern half of New Hampshire, as well as adjacent western Maine and eastern Vermont. In addition to associate degrees and nondegree credentials, WMCC provides business support, training and education through the Business Training Center. WMCC is also one of 10 community colleges nationwide engaged in a Virtual Business Incubator project, in which the colleges provide the traditional services of a business incubator, without the presence of a brick and mortar facility. For more information, visit www.wmcc.edu.

Established in 1975, Northern Community Investment Corporation (NCIC) is a nonprofit, certified community development financial institution working to address regional economic challenges. Today, NCIC continues to build partnerships to develop creative and effective solutions to strengthen individual businesses, communities and the region and to create diverse employment opportunities. For more information, visit www.ncic.org.

The University of New Hampshire, founded in 1866, is a world-class public research university with the feel of a New England liberal arts college. A land, sea, and space-grant university, UNH is the state's flagship public institution, enrolling 12,300 undergraduate and 2,200 graduate students.

VIDEOS
Jenna Bowman from White Mountain Café and Bookstore in Gorham said Business Services North provided her and her business partners with financial advice and assistance that helped them secure a loan to purchase the coffee shop's building.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V6UKGxOE1FM&noredirect=1

Kris van Dohrmann from Otokahe Farm in Jefferson said the counselors at Business Services North helped her learn more about financing the farm.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dmfPmJjRu2w&noredirect=1

PHOTOS
Business Services North recently unveiled a new branding campaign at the Coos County Business Expo.
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Business Services North partners recently attended the Coos County Business Expo. Pictured, from left to right, are Stewart Gates, business advisor, NH SBDC; Jon Freeman, executive director, Northern Community Investment Corporation; Katharine Eneguess, president, White Mountains Community College; Joyce Presby, entrepreneurial resource consultant, WMCC; James Tibbetts, executive vice chairman, First Colebrook Bank; and Molly White, business resource manager, NCIC.
/unhtoday/sites/default/files/newsroom/img/BSNpartners.JPG
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