From W.H. Bagshaw to One Person With an Idea, NH SBDC Reach Was Wide in 2025

The businesses range from long-time Nashua fixture W.H. Bagshaw, which expanded to a new plant in June, to a Merrimack firefighter whose idea for a wellness business launched in a bricks-and-mortar location in April.

Then there’s the Salem woman who was looking for a creative learning experience for her young son and the Manchester couple looking for a way to safely transport a puppy – businesses that now have a national reach. 

They are just some examples of the thousands of small-business owners and entrepreneurs across New Hampshire who sought support, training or education from New Hampshire Small Business Development Centers last year.

NH SBDC had a $267.9 million overall impact on the state’s economy in 2025, according to the  NHSBDC annual report, which was released Thursday.

Clients represented $23.67 million in capital raised and $745 million in annual sales. NH SBDC clients in 2025 included 83 business starts and 5,024 overall jobs supported. Some 3,265 small-business owners and entrepreneurs were advised or took part in training or education by the organization. 

“The report reflects a year of meaningful growth and measurable results for NH SBDC and our small business clients across the Granite State,” State Director Liz Gray said in a news release. “Our advisors and staff are the heart of this organization. They show up every day with energy and a genuine commitment to helping businesses start, grow, and thrive in today’s global economy.”

The NH SBDC, which is in its 42nd year, offers free one-on-one advising to small businesses, along with educational programs and events that support businesses and entrepreneurship.

In 2025, 67.3% of SBDC’s clients were already in business and 32.7% were starting a business. Of those served, 12.4% were in retail, followed by 11.5% in professional, scientific or technical services. Other industries served were accommodations and food services, health care, arts and entertainment, and more. Some 54% of NH SBDC’s clients in 2025 were female, and 9.3% were veterans and 7.1% were in rural areas. 

Behind every number in the SBDC annual report, there’s a unique business story.

“Make sure you have people in your corner who believe in you and are willing to fight for you,” Adria Bagshaw, vice president of W.H. Bagshaw, said. “That’s what the SBDC has been for us.”

The company, one of the state’s oldest, grew out of its long-time location in Nashua’s Millyard, moving to a new plant across the river in Hudson last spring. Adria, and President Aaron Bagshaw, have relied for nearly 20 years on support from the SBDC advisor, Hollis McGuire.

Gray said that SBDC volunteer advisors and the organization’s staff are the key to the success of the organization, which supports clients across the state.

“They show up every day with energy, expertise, and a genuine commitment to helping businesses start, grow, and thrive in an increasingly complex environment,” Gray said.

The organization has 20 offices across the state. It’s funded in part through the Small Business Administration, as well as the state, and is an outreach program of the University of New Hampshire Peter T. Paul College of Business and Economics, in conjunction with SBA and the state Bureau of Economic Affairs.

NH SBDC’s largest program is Business Advising and Education, in which certified business advisors work one-on-one with small businesses across all industries, offering “expert advising and practical education.” A small businesses is defined by the SBA as one with 500 or fewer employees, across all industries.

The program’s team-based approach “is especially effective in helping clients navigate complex challenges, including exit planning, capital acquisition, workforce development, brand management, and other evolving business needs.”

Education programs include topics on starting a business, cybersecurity, and more.

Other programs were also the focus in 2025, Gray said.

“We deepened our impact through initiatives such as the LeAF program, which has now supported more than 300 clients, the launch of our Disability Resource Guide for Small Businesses, and expanded outreach to entrepreneurs navigating economic uncertainty,” she said.

LeAF is Legal, Accounting, and Financial Services, which assists eligible entrepreneurs with business entity formation, contract review, and financial analysis.

The Disability Resource Guide for Small Businesses, available digitally, helps entrepreneurs better understand and implement workplace accessibility and customer experience. 

“The guide emphasizes that accessibility extends beyond regulatory compliance and can serve as a catalyst for innovation, stronger employee engagement, and expanded customer reach,” the annual report says.

The organization’s NH Small Business Matchmaker event, held at Rivier University in Nashua in December, “convened 161 small businesses with 30 federal agencies and prime contractors in a high-impact networking environment.”

A partnership with  Voice Z Digital, the University of New Hampshire’s first student-run digital marketing agency and the NH SBDC reached a “significant milestone,” when it served its 100th client in 2025. The initiative strengthens small businesses while developing student talent in the state, the report said.

‘Like sprinting off a cliff’

The W.H. Bagshaw story is one of dozens highlighted by the NH SBDC over the past year.

Adria and Aaron Bagshaw are the fifth generation to operate W.H. Bagshaw, one of the state’s oldest family-run manufacturing businesses. They ushered in a new era in June, with the move from the Millyard, where they’d been since 1949, to Hudson.

The company was established in 1870 in Lowell, Mass., when Walter Henry Bagshaw recognized a need in the textile industry and brought a specialized pin-manufacturing technology from Europe, according to the NH SBDC profile. Bagshaw moved the business to Nashua shortly after, capitalized on “a forward-thinking move that set the foundation for more than 150 years of precision manufacturing.”

Now, W.H. Bagshaw is “a leading manufacturer of precision-machined components specializing in Swiss-style CNC turning for a wide range of industries, including aerospace, defense, medical devices, electronics, and industrial automation.”

Adria and Aaron Bagshaw first connected with the NH SBDC in 2008 as they were beginning the process of buying out a portion of the ownership. Advisor Hollis McGuire provided them with “expert guidance and surgeon-like precision as they navigated the purchase,” according to the SBDC profile.

When the pandemic hit, the Bagshaws relied heavily on the SBDC to keep them up to date on rules, data, and more, the SBDC said. “During the pandemic, W.H. Bagshaw didn’t just manage to keep their doors open, they stepped up.”

The company produced ventilator component, experiencing major growth and increasing their workforce by 30% to meet the demand.

The experience was “like sprinting off a cliff,” Adria said.

McGuire’s continued support included helping plan for last year’s move. She helped the company review financing proposals, assess the pros and cons of each, and providing recommendations, the profile says.

“The new facility gives them the capacity to grow and operate their machines with efficiency and precision,” the SBDC said. “This directly impacts both sales and their employees.”

The Bagshaws said that family, including employees, is at the heart of revery decision.

Adria Bagshaw, at June’s ribbon-cutting, said, “More than anything, I just want to say thank you to our employees who made this happen. We cannot believe the amount of work, blood, sweat, and tears that went into this move. The hours that people put in… When we looked at the week we were taking off to move, I thought, all right, it’s a good week after Memorial Day for people who want to take time off. Not one person wanted to take time off. And every single person contributed. So that’s really what you see here, first of all, 20 years in the making.”

‘Is this even a good idea?’

The range of success stories is wide enough to embrace a company like W.H. Bagshaw, right down to one person with an idea.

Matt Loranger, a Merrimack firefighter, had an idea for a wellness business that expanded access to IV hydration and vitamin therapy. But it was just an idea. He turned to NH SBDC to see if he could turn it into a business.

“Is this even a good idea?” he asked advisor Andrea O’Brien. It’s a question every entrepreneur eventually asks, the SBDC profile of Loranger’s journey says.

Yes, it was a good idea.

 

Merrimack firefighter Matt Loranger began Hydropeutics as a mobile business in 2021, but opened a bricks-and-mortar location in Manchester in April. Loranger credits SBDC support with helping him get his business off the ground. (Photo/NH SBDC)

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In April, five years after launching Hydropeutics as a mobile service, Loranger opened a storefront location on South Willow Street in Manchester. The service is complements traditional health care, and can reduce unnecessary ER visits by providing preventative hydration, nutrition and vitamins. Loranger now has five employees. He’s working on insurance credentialing and developing a second venture, GranVera, a concierge health care company that offers telehealth, nutrition education, and 24/7 practitioner access.

Loranger continues to work closely with O’Brien. He said he values her honesty, motivation, and realistic guidance. 

In Salem, lifelong crafter Phebe Higgins was looking for a way to help her young son learn through hands-on creativity. The result was Felt the Food, a business that brings learning and imagination to life through DIY felt food kits. 

Higgins started working with SBDC advisor Andrea O’Brien in 2021, and opened for business in 2023.

Higgins creates kits that include pre-cut felt pieces and crafting essentials to create colorful and fun food-inspired art. They make sewing accessible for beginners, families, educators, and caregivers. Each kit encourages children to explore their imaginations while boosting fine motor skills, pincer skills, speech development, and more, Higgins says on her website.

“What began as a personal project quickly gained national attention through social media, reaching hundreds of thousands and inspiring thousands of adults to start sewing,” the SBDC said. Demand grew, and Felt the Food “evolved into a scalable business rooted in creativity, learning, and play — helping families connect through meaningful, handmade experiences.”

Higgins sells her products online, at craft fairs, in two retail stores, and recently cut the ribbon on a pop-up store in Lowell, Mass.

“Having a small business often feels like you are piloting the ship alone,” Higgins said in her SBDC profile. “Andrea gave me a copilot. I do truly feel like she’s sitting next to me, guiding me, helping me. She wants me to win. She wants me to be a success story.”

Lauren and Joseph Getts’ new business also began when they recognized a need. They were trying to safely bring home a new puppy and recognized a gap in the pet travel market. 

In 2021, they launched DogHop, which offers private door-to-door ground service for pet delivery across the U.S. and Canada. There’s also a flight companion option for smaller pets.

“Designed with both pets and people in mind, the company prioritizes comfort, transparency, and peace of mind,” their SBDC profile says. “As they scale nationally, Lauren and Joseph remain committed to ethical growth, environmental responsibility, and delivering a better experience for pets and the people who love them.”

Lauren Getts said, “The NH SBDC has saved us time, money, and given us confidence in the steps we’re taking.”

The SBDC is a lifeline for small businesses, which need resources for growth but often don’t have the means to access them, the organizations state partners said in the report.

“The high-caliber business advising and programming delivered by NH SBDC’s dedicated team are extremely impactful to small business owners and entrepreneurs throughout the state of New Hampshire,” said Amy Bassett, director of the NH District Office of the U.S. Small Business Administration. “We continue to hear from its clients how vital the NH SBDC is to their continued success in starting and growing thriving businesses in the Granite State.”

The expert technical knowledge and assistance to businesses “helps ensure that our small businesses thrive, grow, and prosper in the Granite State,” James Key-Wallace, BEA interim commissioner said.

UNH is honored to serve as NH SBDC’s host institution, President Elizabeth Chilton said. 

“[The partnership with NH SBDC] is a primary example of how we embody our mission to provide scholarship and expertise to support the Granite State,” Chilton said. “The NH SBDC team provides invaluable support to Granite State entrepreneurs and small business leaders who are critical to the state’s economy and wellbeing.”