7th 47h
season
Adam Neiman , Artistic Director served as a jack-of-all-trades early-on , and he helped to deliver and brew the kombucha at a point when we were constantly growing .”
JULY 8 – AUGUST 5 , 2021
IN PERSON • OUTDOORS • ONLINE THURSDAY MATINEE & EVENING MAINSTAGE CONCERTS AT THE ARKELL PAVILION MUSIC ON THE ARKELL LAWN LIVE-STREAMED VIDEO PERFORMANCES
• WEEKENDS ARE FREE AT MMF ! •
SATURDAY MASTERCLASSES & GALLERY RECITALS SUNDAY MORNING & AFTERNOON YOUNG ARTISTS CONCERTS
Weaber says that as Aqua ViTea continued its successful growth trajectory , he had to quickly learn a number of valuable new skills . “ I had to learn how to do finance , manage QuickBooks , put a business plan together , raise equity , and talk to bankers . We also had to figure out logistics for deliveries .” Weaber adds that additional challenges included distribution , delivery routes and promotion . “ We were doing a grassroots type of store-to-store delivery operation for stores from Burlington to Rutland , but it became less practical as we moved towards the Boston area . There were delivery routes where it was up to an hour-long drive between stores . We didn ’ t know how sales forces or brokers worked , so we actually went door to door to promote our product . We were probably losing money the whole time that we were dealing with those challenges , but we learned a lot as a company during that period and grew stronger from it .”
At the Southern Vermont Arts Center
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By reaching out to family members and local agencies for advice and help , Weaber was able to effectively weather the oft-tumultuous changes that accompanied the growth of his business . “ Growing up , I watched my mom leave a steady job to start her own company in the basement of my house . I was in middle school , so I wasn ’ t paying a ton of attention , but that stuff got recorded in the recesses of my mind . I actually asked her advice on how to approach banks , but most of the help that I got came from people in the state of Vermont . Specifically , a gentleman named Steve Paddock , who worked for the Addison County Economic Development Corporation , showed up one day with a blank pro forma financial statement that we filled out together . He also helped me figure out how to approach the National Bank of Middlebury to get my first loan . Since then , I have probably tapped into just about every avenue of assistance that is offered in the state . Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund has been a huge help for us , and Lawrence Miller ( who started Otter Creek Brewing ) has also been a huge help to me . He actually ended up being the Secretary of Commerce for Vermont . He can talk science of fermentation all the way through investment strategies , and I have an immense amount of respect for him .”
Today , Aqua ViTea has moved from their original farm location in Salisbury , and currently employs a team of thirty full-time
10 VERMONT MAGAZINE