Issue link: https://nebusinessmedia.uberflip.com/i/1367032
5 HARTFORDBUSINESS.COM | MAY 3, 2021 Q&A talks with Fran Pastore, CEO and president of the Women's Business Development Council, a nonprofit organization that provides tools and resources to help women start and grow their businesses. Q: How did you get into this business? What motivated you? I've always been passionate about women's economic equity and wanted my two daughters to be economically self-reliant. The women's economic development group where I worked closed, and so I decided to put my passion to work and start WBDC. Q: How long have you been in business? I am so proud to share that 2022 will be our 25th year. What started with an initial grant from the Small Business Administration has grown into one of the country's premier women's business organizations, with three offices across Connecticut (and growing!) Q: Describe your target customer. WBDC's target customer is any woman who aspires to launch or grow a business. We work with women from across the socio-economic spectrum at every stage of their entrepreneurial journey, from every Q&A with Brian Reklaitis, vice president and senior business banking relationship manager at M&T Bank. Q: How did you get into this business? What motivated you? After putting a security deposit down on an apartment, I walked into an M&T Bank branch downtown, asked if they were hiring and was offered a representative position four days later. Working with businesses was the most interesting part of the position, which then evolved into a career. Q: Can you describe your business and the services and/or products you sell? As a senior business banking relationship manager, I am the direct contact for businesses and their owners. I am responsible for helping them with deposit accounts, a full suite of remote banking services, merchant services, commercial mortgages, credit lines, equipment loans and SBA loans and lines. Q: Describe your target customer. The target customer is a local, privately-owned business with up to $25 million in annual revenue in SBA - Small Business Week Winners Q&A with Sharon Lewis of AdviCoach, a business advisory firm. Q: Can you describe your business and the services and/or products you sell? Many business owners don't have anyone to talk to about their business. As a business coach, I provide a space to learn, discuss ideas and create plans for the business. This allows the owner to get out of the day-to-day details, think about the big picture and develop their business. Q: How did you get into this business? I was a drug development project manager with a long commute and a four-year-old. With just a year until she started school, I left the corporate world to stay home. When she started kindergarten, I wanted to own a business for better work-life balance. AdviCoach provided that and utilized my existing skills. Q: How long have you been in business? 2021 is my sixth year in business for myself. Q: Describe your target customer. A business owner that loves what they do but wants everything to be easier and more like what they dreamed business ownership would be like. That could be at startup, midway through business development or as they prepare to exit the business. Q: What advice would you give other small businesses, especially during this difficult time? Have a plan and evaluate it often. Especially in the crazy business environment of the past year, that plan can keep you focused and help with decisions. Just don't plan in a vacuum. When the environment changes, reevaluate your plan and look for new opportunities. Q: What strengths have you discovered about yourself and your employees during this past year? I found that I can relate to people just as well virtually as in person. From a time and cost perspective, I prefer the virtual environment for staying connected. need of a quality bank and banker to help grow their business. M&T Bank can help manage their day-to- day business banking and business borrowing needs. Q: How many employees do you have? M&T Bank has about 84 employees in Connecticut. I'm part of a Connecticut business banking team of about seven. Q: What has been your biggest accomplishment? My largest accomplishment has been personally constructing a portfolio of satisfied business clients at M&T Bank from zero in 2012 to over 200 in 2021. Q: What advice would you give to small businesses, especially during this difficult time? Do not be afraid to reach out to your network of professionals — bankers, attorneys, CPAs, insurance providers — to seek guidance, knowledge, support or help. Category Winner: Home-Based Business of the Year Category Winner: Financial Champion of the Year Company: AdviCoach Industry: Business consulting Top Executive: Sharon K. Lewis, Coach Company Website: https://advi- coach.com/slewis/ Company: M&T Bank Industry: Banking Top Executive: Rene F. Jones, CEO & Board Chair HQ: Buffalo, New York Company Website: https://www3.mtb.com/ AT A GLANCE AT A GLANCE FOCUS Visit chelseagroton.com/growthatbusiness or call 860-448-4295 You can count on us! Our flexible lending solutions and experienced team may be just what your business needs. one of Connecticut's 169 cities and towns. Q: How many employees do you have? As a result of the pandemic, WBDC experienced a 600% increase in our annual client volume. We now have 26 full- and part-time employees. Q: What advice would you give to other small businesses, especially during this difficult time? You are not alone. Women in the WBDC community have exhibited such incredible creativity, tenacity and courage during the past year. Staying closely connected to the WBDC community affords an opportunity to learn about economic opportunities available to small business owners. Women thrive when we help each other. Q: How have you handled strategic change in your business in the past? WBDC operates transparently. Our strategic plan is shaped by our board and staff. As WBDC progresses — as we did with our expansion to New London or when we launched our recent micro-grant fund — such changes are managed with the collective insight and respect of the entire organization. Category Winner: Women's Business Center of the Yr. Company: Women's Business Development Council Industry: Business consulting Top Executive: Fran Pastore, CEO & President HQ: 184 Bedford Street, Stamford Company Website: https://ctwb- dc.org/ Phone Number: 203-353-1750 AT A GLANCE