The North Country Center for Businesses in Transition (CBIT) in Saranac Lake continues to offer targeted programs and resources to transitioning businesses in 2020.

The Center is a collaboration of regional organizations and leaders working to support existing business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs in developing successful business transition strategies. In 2019, 88 North Country business owners reached out to CBIT for assistance, tapping into a network of tools, learning opportunities and experience.

CBIT recently announced an updated slate of community liaisons, topics for its 2020 workshop series, and other ways the group will expand its programming.

In 2020, ten designated community liaisons will help local businesses navigate open market sales, intergenerational family transitions and conversions to worker ownership models.

The Center’s new and returning community liaisons include the following:

Kelsey O’Shea, Cornell Cooperative Extension North Country Regional Ag Team
Russ Kinyon, Franklin County Industrial Development Agency
Christy Wilt and Rachelle Martz, Hamilton County Economic Development
Brittany Davis, Lewis County Economic Development
Mike Besaw, St. Lawrence County Chamber of Commerce
Patrick Murphy, Saranac Lake Area Chamber of Commerce
Matthew Courtright and Erin Mullen, Ticonderoga Area Chamber of Commerce
Kylie Peck, Greater Watertown-North Country Chamber of Commerce

Victoria Duley and Stephanie Donaldson of the Adirondack Economic Development Corporation are lead partners, as are Angela Smith of the SUNY Canton Small Business Development Center at Clinton Community College and Carol Calabrese of the Essex County Industrial Development Agency.

The Center is planning to host another workshop series to address topics relevant for transitioning businesses. These six morning workshops, hosted by partner organizations throughout the region, are scheduled for April, May and September 2020. Each of the following workshops will take place from 8 to 10:30 am:

• April 23, 2020: “Business Transitions Overview: Where Do You Start?,” hosted by Lewis County Economic Development/IDA
• April 28, 2020: “Mentoring a New Owner: The First Year,” hosted by St. Lawrence County Chamber of Commerce
• May 6, 2020: “From Hello to Key Transfer: Communicating During the Transition Process,” hosted by Ticonderoga Area Chamber of Commerce
• May 7, 2020: “Marketing Your Available Business,” hosted by the Saranac Lake Area Chamber of Commerce and the County of Franklin Economic Development/IDA
• September 23, 2020: “Determining Value: Perspectives from Buyers and Sellers,” hosted by Hamilton County IDA
• September 24, 2020: “Your Best Possible Successor is Already Working for You,” hosted by Greater Watertown-North Country Chamber of Commerce

Community liaisons will again offer remote viewing sessions for those who are unable to attend workshops in person. Workshops will also be recorded so that interested business owners can view them at their convenience and as needed in the future.

The Center will sponsor additional 2020 programming developed by regional partners, including a forum on strategic planning for small businesses, farm transitions and other topics related to business transitions and succession planning.

Materials developed by the partnership are available to other organizations. Economic development staff who would like access to these tools are invited to contact the Center. The partnership is also seeking co-working spaces and event partners to assist with workshops and other events.

North Country business owners looking to transition their operations to new owners or a new ownership model, as well as aspiring entrepreneurs looking to take over an existing business, are invited to contact the Center at transitions@adirondack.org or (518) 891-6200 for more information or to be connected with a community liaison.

Information about the Center and its programs can be found at www.adirondack.org/businesses-in-transition.

Photo: Front row, left to right: Kelsey O’Shea, Cornell Cooperative Extension North Country Regional Ag Team, Mike Besaw, St. Lawrence County Chamber of Commerce, Patrick Murphy, Saranac Lake Area Chamber of Commerce, Russ Kinyon, Franklin County Industrial Development Agency, Kylie Peck, Greater Watertown-North Country Chamber of Commerce, Erin Mullen, Ticonderoga Area Chamber of Commerce, Lauren Richard, Adirondack North Country Association, Rachelle Martz, Hamilton County Economic Development, Stephanie Donaldson, Adirondack Economic Development Corporation. Back row, left to right: Danielle Delaini, Adirondack North Country Association, Angela Smith of the SUNY Canton Small Business Development Center at Clinton Community College, Brittany Davis, Lewis County Economic Development, Christy Wilt, Hamilton County Economic Development, Victoria Duley, Adirondack Economic Development Corporation, Matthew Courtright, Ticonderoga Area Chamber of Commerce, Dan Kelleher, Adirondack Park Agency (Photo provided by ANCA).