Shelley Crombach and Stephen Brandon with their Health in Focus team. Courtesy photo.
by Amanda Kuhnert
As an entrepreneur, it’s easy to lose sight of your business plan after the early stages of ownership, when daily operations start to overshadow long-term goals.
But this is a missed opportunity, explained Dr. Stephen Brandon, who co-owns Health in Focus, a chiropractic care center in Shelburne, with his wife, Dr. Shelley Crombach. The couple have been working consistently with Steve Densham, an adviser at the Vermont Small Business Development Center, since 2012, when they first purchased their business.
“Steve taught us that the magic is when you consistently use your plan,” Brandon said. “As you get into it and realize that some of the things you had planned for were not 100% accurate, you can go back to VtSBDC and meet with them and work with what’s real.”
Brandon said that when they were initially buying their business, they hadn’t even purchased a home yet.
“Steve helped us very quickly gain some wherewithal — from the financing of the business to the finances of the business. He really brought us from excited practitioners to people who could run a successful business.”
Over the years, Brandon and Crombach met regularly with Densham to navigate challenges and fine-tune their business plan. They’re now working with him on the next phase of their business journey — expanding into a larger space that will support team growth and make room for community education programs.
“Steve has been connecting us with people in both the development and financing worlds, all while helping us really drill down on the financial side of everything,” Brandon said.
But Densham’s value goes well beyond dispensing practical advice, the couple said.
“Just as meaningful are the moments when Steve tells a story from his own business experience, and I realize, ’Oh, that is relatable.’” Brandon said.
He adds that these anecdotes play an important role in helping people like him — practitioners and artisans — grow into skilled businesspeople as well.
“Although I once wanted a master’s degree in business,” he said, “I’ve realized that what I need is somebody who can teach me in a way that I can understand and help me excel at what I do. And Steve has done that.”
Reflecting on the evolution of their business, Brandon said there were times when he and Crombach forgot to ask for help.
He advised other entrepreneurs, “VtSBDC is here to support you at every stage. Reach out even if you’re not sure what to ask.”
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