Fact Sheet

What is IWOW?

The Center for Rural Entrepreneurship at Lyndon State College hosts the Incubator without Walls program which offers affordable technical assistance for small businesses in Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom and New Hampshire’s Coos County. These services have been provided since 2007 in the form of undergraduate-level student projects conducted under the supervision of Lyndon State faculty.

iWOWis the leader in developing the skilled work force that powers economic growth in this rural region. We provide a wide array of programs and services designed to prepare individual students and businesses for success in the workplace and the regional economy. We proactively engage Lyndon State College faculty and students with small businesses to assess their needs, define optimal business performance steps, and propose solutions with execution in mind. These projects enable students on the ground to experience real world business issues that support their academic studies. Services may include:

  • Accounting
  • QuickBooks account set up and tutorials
  • Financial analysis including COG Sold analysis
  • COG Manufacturing analysis
  • Cash Flow Statements
  • Profit and Loss Statements
  • Balance Sheets
  • Operations
  • SWOT analysis
  • Operation and business process strategic planning
  • Logistics and production planning
  • Manufacturing facility layout and location analysis
  • Capacity planning
  • Project management
  • Inventory planning, forecasting & loss analysis
  • Point of Sale system analysis
  • Total Quality Management and Lean Production
  • Make or buy decisions
  • Outsourcing analysis
  • Value and supply chain management
  • GraphicDesign
  • Logo creation and branding
  • Refinement of existing logo
  • Label creation
  • Marketing material layout
  • Content generation
  • UPC set up/code creation
  • Digital photography
  • Public Relations/press releases
  • Content generation for rack cards, brochures, etc…
  • Copy editing services
  • Social media set up and cultivation
  • Marketing
  • Market research & assessment
  • Market & Competitive analysis
  • Market entry proposal
  • Primary market research of local market
  • Computing
  • Software Development
  • System Analysis & Design
  • Database Dev. & Construction
  • Software selection
  • Project management
  • Requirements documentation

How is this accomplished?

Alliances are our strength. We draw upon the resources and services of our partnersto best meet a small business’ specific growth need. We serve as the intake point for technical assistance seekers in the NEK. Our partners include:

  • Lyndon State College (LSC),
  • VT & NH Small Business Development Corporation,
  • Northern Vermont Development Association (NVDA),
  • Northern Community Investment Corporation (NCIC),
  • University of Vermont Extension (Newport) ,
  • Northeast Kingdom Travel and Tourism Association (NEKTTA),
  • Northeast Kingdom Collaborative,
  • Area High School Career Centers,
  • Area chambers of commerce.

Why?

Aimed at increasing NEK business competitiveness and decreasing unemployment to improve the overall economic health of the region, IWoW gives LSC students hands-on practical experience with faculty oversight in real business situations. In response to local business development needs, we strengthenthe future talent and knowledge base to supply NEK businesses with the critical qualified workforce needed to grow.

Who can participate?

The workforce development services of IWoW may be your answer if you are

  • Northeast Kingdom or North Country business ownersor entrepreneurs,
  • Localbusinesses looking for a customized solution to a business problem,
  • LSC students looking for a hands-on, applied learning experience,
  • Faculty at LSC interested in supervising the application of academic course work to real business demands.

When and Where?

There is no single physical location for IWoW as it concentrates instead on managing a network of enterprise support services.Originally funded by USDA Rural Development grants, IWoW has expanded its original service area- the greater Newport area- to the entire Northeast Kingdom of Vermont and Coos County of New Hampshire. Projects and workshops are scheduled year round.

To learn more, contact Ann Nygardor Christina Cotnoirat the Center for Rural Entrepreneurship,Lyndon State College, 1001 College Road, PO Box 919, Lyndonville, VT 05851.

Contact: Ann Nygard, Director Phone: (802) 626-4867 Email:

Christina Cotnoir, Asst. Director (802) 626-6747 Email: