Upcoming Events

This annual Breakfast With the Best is being held on September 26 at the DoubleTree by Hilton Manchester Downtown Hotel on Elm Street in Manchester. 

Attended by hundreds of business people looking for ideas on how to deploy better recruitment techniques and gain skills on building a more fulfilled workforce, this year's event will feature:

•  A panel of winners from the Hall of Fame companies, sharing their best practices, including audience Q&A. 
• CultureFest 2024: Interactive learning in 8-minute intervals. Learn directly from our Best Company winners in small group settings. Speakers will rotate tables, so you'll have the opportunity to hear from multiple best company winners during this session. 
• Recognition and celebration of the 2024 Best Companies to Work For as recognized in the September issue of Business NH Magazine.
• Breakfast, networking and more!

Bring your cheering section and have fun while collecting great ideas to bring back to the workplace!

Are you a new startup, or thinking about starting a business in NH?

Accelerate your startup at this informative half-day event. Gain priceless information and gather vital resources through panel discussions, breakout sessions, keynote speaker and networking, all focused on helping startups launch and grow their business.

We will also recognize the 10 startup stars, as featured in the July issue of Business NH Magazine.

Schedule of Events

9 a.m.           Networking, Introductions and Startup Stars Recognition
9:30 a.m.      Full Group Panel: Startup 101
10:10 a.m.    Breakout Sessions (Tales from the Trenches or Financing Your Startup)
10:40 a.m.    Break and Networking
10:55 a.m.    Full Group Panel: Available Resources for Startups
11:30 a.m.    Breakout Sessions (Hiring Employees or Marketing your Startup)
12 p.m.         Lunch
12:20 p.m.    Keynote Speaker
1p.m.            Event Concludes

Keynote Speaker

Bill Aulet, Author of Disciplined Entrepreneurship: 24 Steps to a Successful Startup and Disciplined Entrepreneurship Workbook, Ethernet Inventors Professor of the Practice of Entrepreneurship at the MIT Sloan School of Management and managing director at the Martin Trust Center for MIT Entrepreneurship serving all of MIT for the past 15 years.

Available Resources Panelists:

• Chris Walkley, Senior VP Commercial Banker and Team Leader, Bank of NH
• Kyle Brustin, North & Central Regional Director, NH Small Business Development Center
• Julie Demers, Executive Director, NH Tech Alliance
• Chandra Reber, Director, Center for Women & Enterprise 

Startup 101 Panelists:

• Adam Coughlin, co-founder, CMO and managing partner, York IE 
• Julie Glosner, Southern Regional Director, NH Small Business Development Center
• Nathan Pascarela, Director, Hypertherm Ventures and NH Tech Alliance Board Member
• Emily Penaskovic, Corporate Attorney, Sheehan Phinney

Tales from the Trenches Breakout Session:

• Josh Velasquez, Founder, Shire's Naturals
• Amy LaBelle, founder and winemaker, LaBelle Winery

Financing Your Startup Breakout Session:

• Katie Reid, VP Commercial Banker, Bank of NH
• Liz Hitchcock, principal, Orbit Group
• Edward Miles, Seacoast Regional Director, NH Small Business Development Center

Marketing Your Startup Breakout Session:

• Mackenzie Fraser, Senior VP, EVR Advertising
• Rachel Ballatori, Founder and CEO, Mill & Co.

Hiring Your First Employees Breakout Session:

• Andrea Chatfield, Attorney, Sheehan Phinney
• Alison Milioto, Founder and Consultant, Blue Lion

*Panelists and topics are subject to change

Get in the holiday spirit and find unique local products and gifts for everyone on your list at at the 2024 Very Merry Holiday Gift Festival, your one-stop holiday gift shop, featuring products made right here in New England!

Browse a variety of vendor booths and support local small businesses while doing all of your holiday shopping! Plus, enjoy vendor demonstrations, kids activities, a visit from Santa, a special kid-only shopping area, festive sounds of the season live from the expo stage, a 21+ holiday spirits aisle and more!

Ticket Prices (will be available online and at the door)

Adults: $7
Seniors (65+): $6
Children Under 14: FREE