Vermont Outdoor Business Alliance strides into summer

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Outdoor Business Alliance (VOBA)’s efforts to strengthen Vermont’s outdoor recreation economy gained momentum in June by hosting a roundtable at Burke Mountain Resort, assembling entrepreneurs at the first-ever ThinkVermont booth at the Outdoor Retailer Summer Market in Denver and making plans for the first annual Vermont Outdoor Recreation Economy Summit, to be held this fall at Bolton Valley Resort.  

 

More than 50 people gathered at the Vermont Outdoor Business Alliance Roundtable at Burke Mountain Resort on June 5. Abby Long, executive director of Kingdom Trails talked about the economic impact of the 100 mile trail network. The trail system, Long said “drew 140,000 people last year and with people come economic opportunity.” Chris Hibshman owner of Village Sports Shop, Gene Devlin, managing partner of Quimby Country Lodge and Ted Benoit, owner of Lead and Tackle in Lyndonville spoke to the positive economic impact outdoor recreation has had on local businesses and communities. Corinne Prevot, VOBA board member, shared how she started her headwear company Skida as a student at Burke Mountain Academy. In 2017, Skida sold more than 78,000 units in one year and in 2018, Prevot made Forbes Magazine’s 30 Under 30 for 2018. Skida hats are still all made in Vermont. 

 

“In many ways, the close collaborations between businesses, organizations and communities in the Northeast Kingdom is a model and illustrates the potential for outdoor recreation businesses in strengthening our state’s overall economy,” said VOBA Executive Director Kelly Ault. “Supporting the success of businesses so Vermont can be a place to work, live and play is part of VOBA’s mission.” 

 

The roundtable, some of which was broadcast live on the VOBA Facebook page, was the third networking and education event that the statewide organization has hosted since last November and continued discussions from Killington and Burlington on business needs for financing, workforce, infrastructure and sector branding. Additionally, attendees learned about the Small Business Development Center’s resources and the Lyndon Institute’s Bike Tech Project connecting high school students with local employers. 

 

In mid-June, six VOBA businesses attended the Outdoor Retailer Summer Market in Denver, CO — the industry’s largest trade show—for the first time and were housed within the ThinkVermont booth promoting Vermont and its brands, thanks to the State Trade Expansion Program at the Vermont Agency of Commerce and Community Development. Burlington’s Mana Threads’ active apparel, Killington’s Till I Die lifestyle apparel, Stowe’s Kaden mountain biking apparel, Middlebury’s Bee’s Wrap food storage, Richmond’s UnTapped active nutrition and Richmond’s Finn fly fishing gear were featured in the show’s publication as “outdoor recreation businesses that represent the quality brand of Vermont” and as “women-owned, environmentally-focused and socially responsible businesses and creatives.”  

 

On Friday, October 18, VOBA will team up with the Vermont Outdoor Recreation Economic Collaborative (VOREC) to co-host the first annual Vermont Outdoor Recreation Economy Summit at Bolton Valley Resort. On Saturday, October 19, VOBA and Bolton Valley will organize an Enduro mountain bike race, family-friendly recreation activities and an outdoor recreation expo highlighting products and services by Vermont’s outdoor recreation businesses and non-profit organizations, all critical to supporting Vermonters and visitors in enjoying the outdoors. ‘”These events will continue to build momentum for local and state conversations on how Vermont can be positioned as a world class recreation state,” says Lindsay DesLauriers, president and chief operating officer of Bolton Valley, “which includes elevating the diverse outdoor recreation companies that are located and do business in the Green Mountain State.”

Source: June 26, Montpelier, VT: Vermont Outdoor Business Alliance. To learn more about the Vermont Outdoor Business Alliance, go to www.vermontoutdoorbusinessalliance.org