Every year, Hannah Grimes’ business education programs attract more than 1,200 members of the business and nonprofit community throughout the Monadnock region of NH and southeastern Vermont.
Entrepreneurs, owners, CEOs, managers, executive directors and board directors participate in a diverse range of free lunchtime workshops and seminars, free and fee-based peer learning groups, and affordable business training programs such as the Business Start-Up Program and The Entrepreneur Project.
What makes Hannah Grimes exceptional is a strong spirit of collaboration among everyone involved: high-quality (mostly volunteer) teaching, coaching and training as well as committed and engaged students. The result is very low cost access to impressive educational programs and measurable outcomes beneficial for all, including the communities where participants work and live.
In this area we are making it through economic challenges because the Hannah Grimes business community supports each other with resources and education. What Hannah Grimes has created is phenomenal.
Ann Connor, MBA, business coach of AdviCoach, with past management positions with Sam’s Club, C&S Wholesale Grocers and Marathon Collaborative Resources Inc., and Hannah Grimes Instructor
According to Mary Ann Kristiansen, Executive Director and founder of the Hannah Grimes Center, business education programming at Hannah Grimes is based on a foundation of partnership and teamwork, and is dedicated to developing both individual businesses and the larger community.
“Our instructors are a group of really smart and skilled business and nonprofit consultants who are able to train others well,” said Mary Ann. “They know their stuff because they do it every day. The amazing thing is that they volunteer their services. They understand the connection between long-term individual business success and the importance of a thriving community. What’s really cool is that they bring their expertise to Hannah Grimes fully committed to our mission and our collaborative philosophy.”
Measurable, Real-World Outcomes
At Hannah Grimes, students find practical advice, trustworthy resources and the latest business knowledge. Instructors find enthusiastic students and a chance to educate future, potential clients.
My consulting work helps my teaching and the teaching helps my consulting. I have to stay on top of my field to teach. And I have new and current stories and information from the real world to tell in my classes. If you give or take a class at Hannah Grimes, you know it will be worth your time.
Lisa Sieverts, certified Project Management professional, owner of Facilitated Change, Masters level teacher at Marlboro College Graduate School and Hannah Grimes instructor
The Hannah Grimes Entrepreneur Project has a proven track record of increasing participants’ business revenues an average of 58 percent. Owners of start-ups and small businesses who participate in the Business Incubator Program – with its emphasis on access to office resources, training and peer-networking – increased Associate revenues an average of 29 percent in 2011.
Educational programs like these, and workshops from marketing and bookkeeping to time management and social media, bring new business ideas to fruition, give sole-proprietors the solid foundation they need to start in business and hire their first employees and enable established businesses to change with the times, grow, and remain strong contributors in the community.
What keeps me going back to Hannah Grimes is the enthusiasm of the entrepreneurs and business owners, and knowing I’m actually helping them to move forward and take their business from an idea to ‘this is my path; this is how I earn my living.’ I look at what Hannah Grimes does and it’s effective. Hannah Grimes workshops deliver substantive content by people who know what they’re talking about.
David Deziel, owner of Nebesek Marketing and Communications, former teacher at UNH Manchester and the University of Phoenix, and Hannah Grimes Instructor
As Mary Ann explains, “Our educational workshops and programs are a model of how Hannah Grimes does things: we create a win/win platform. Participants get the knowledge and support they need from each other and from on-the-ground experts in the field. Instructors and have a chance to give back to the community, network, and keep on top of what their future potential clients are looking for. The community thrives with sources of new jobs and a stronger, more diverse local economy. And Hannah Grimes is able to help all this happen efficiently, with a lean budget and in a very engaging and compelling way.”
The Hannah Grimes Center, located at 25 Roxbury Street in Keene, New Hampshire, offers businesses and nonprofits a place to grow, including office space, facilities, resource library, educational services, networking opportunities and peer-learning. For more information, visit www.hannahgrimes.com or call 603-352-5063.
