June 2024 Startup Grant Awarded to Vermont Literacy Network

We’re excited to announce the $10,000 Startup Grant recipient for June 2024. Congratulations to Kayden Hamlin, founder of Vermont Literacy Network.

Recently, WomensNet Advisory Board member Marcia Layton Turner sat down with Kayden for an exclusive interview. You can listen to their conversation and view the transcript below.

Video Transcript

WomensNet: Hi everyone. Welcome to a conversation with our startup grant winners for June, 2024.

Today we have the pleasure of chatting with Kaden Hamlin of Vermont Literacy Network, who’s our startup grant recipient.

As you probably heard late last year, WomensNet decided to increase the number of monthly $10,000 grants we give to three. The startup grant is for entrepreneurs in the idea phase of developing their business or who haven’t yet hit $10,000 total in sales. The business specific monthly grant is for a company that operates in that month’s category, which was business specific support services in June. And our Amber Grant is open to all women business owners in the US and Canada.

I’m Marcia Layton Turner, and I’m one of several WomensNet advisory board members.

So, Kayden, thank you for making time to speak with me; I’m excited to just chat with you about how your businesses got started and what you’ve learned so far. Could you tell everyone a little about your company and where the idea to start it came from?

Kayden: I started Vermont Literacy Network in January of this year. I am a full-time teacher, so kind of like the startup cost came out of my teacher salary.

I am a literacy interventionist. That’s how I started all of this, kind of getting into the realm of the science of reading and structured literacy, which in undergrad and even in grad school is not really something that I got the opportunity to explore. So that has been the biggest driving force. I started a little facility in Stowe hoping to expand into a larger facility. I like to say that my facility now is tiny but mighty. All of like a hundred square feet. So I’m very grateful for all of this to kind of branch out and expand. But I mean, ultimately my goal with all of this, in this starting phase, is to develop decodable readers to be on that march on the forefront of everything that’s going on right now with the push for the science reading.

WomensNet: Excellent. I love your businesses.

So when you were get getting started, and I know some are very new and others have been around for a while, but were there any resources that you turned to that you found really helpful? Whether they’re books or podcasts or coaches or programs…who was that for you?

Kayden: In a general sense, I’m a big believer if it’s not what you know, it’s who you know. And if you’re not gonna ask the question, you’re not gonna get the answer. So I would say a lot of the resources that I get are just calling up random business owners or going into the Chamber of Commerce or town offices and just finding somebody that has the answer to the question that I have.

I’m also a big podcast listener lately I’ve been listening to Carrie Green and anything that she has, I read her book, She Means business. A lot of it is driven on visualization and affirmations, recognizing that you’re not an island, and that there is a community that’s there to help you.

WomensNet: I think that’s a great lesson because there are so many communities that are out there that I think we’re unaware of… they can be super helpful.

So how about marketing wise? Again, I know some of you have more experience than others, but what are some effective marketing strategies that you’ve found or that you’re exploring now?

Kayden: I think in today’s day and age, social media is absolutely your best friend. Using that as a tool, it can be kind of hard to get, mixed up in the wishy-washy of all of the social media business, but it is there and it can be a tool.

In my profession and then also with the families that I’m working with, a lot of the time is just a good word, having, you know, a parent refer another parent and be like, ‘oh, I loved this,’ or ‘this was really successful.’

So keeping the reputation going amongst people within the community has been incredibly helpful.

WomensNet: Awesome.

So now how can the WomensNet community return the favor? What can we do to show support for you that might help your business? Is there anything in particular that we can help with to really boost your business?

Kayden: It’s hard to say because I think the biggest support has already been given. But I think also, there’s always somebody who’s going to know more than you. So maybe referrals or any sort of like, ‘I know this awesome…’ I mean, sitting right now I’ve learned a lot.

WomensNet: Excellent. Well, thank you  so much. Really appreciate your time. I know the WomensNet community is going to be inspired by your story and your advice. And congratulations again on being one of our three June winners.

Kayden: Thank you!