VtSBDC feature article!

In May, we celebrate National Inventors Month.

The path of invention is long, challenging, exciting, exhausting, humbling, and deeply rewarding. No one can do this alone.

I’m honored to share this recent feature article from the Vermont Small Business Development Center (VtSBDC), also published by Vermont Business Magazine (VermontBiz), highlighting our innovative work at TreesROI®.

https://www.vtsbdc.org/vermont-entrepreneur-gets-to-the-root-of-it-roi/

From the start of this journey, VtSBDC Technology Advisor Scott Holson has been an important guide and sounding board. His pragmatic wisdom, encouragement, and steady reminder to “focus” have helped me navigate the difficult path from idea to commercialization.

One of Scott’s best pieces of advice: “Identify and seek out local resources in the march toward commercialization.”

That matters more than many entrepreneurs realize, because … we - are - not - alone.

Innovation is rarely a solo act. It takes scientists, engineers, advisors, growers, arborists, customers, public agencies, educators, investors, family, and friends, all contributing pieces of the puzzle along the way. And yes, I am an inventor, too. Cheers to us all! 🥂

What I meant in the article by “I had no intention of doing what we’re doing now” is that I did not originally set out to “change the world.”

I simply wanted to solve a ROOT problem involving the young urban trees we grow where we live, and help more of them grow to maturity; that is still my goal.

After many years of failures, discoveries, partnerships, setbacks, and progress, I still believe that any good problem can be solved through science, technology, collaboration, persistence, a lot of work, and a little luck.

Thank you to everyone ROOTING for INSIGHT® by TreesROI®