By Amy Collin
2025 will be a year of growth for many businesses in the North Country. This year’s
Strictly Business Forum revealed that growth can and does happen in unexpected ways. Unfortunate events lead to innovative workarounds. The needs of the millennial workforce push leaders to answer questions about why certain practices are in place and whether they need to be revised. When we are willing to open our expectations about what success looks like, we are able to reimagine the path towards it.
Table Six participants were forward thinking, inclusive, empathetic, and bold. Those traits have shaped 2024 and will drive the opportunities in the coming year.
My guests were:
Amanda Beaudette: Executive Director ETC Housing Corporation
John Bernardi: President/CEO United Way of the Adirondack Region
Brianna House: Owner/Operator The Luxury Photo Booth Experience
Wendell Hughes: Mayor Elect City of Plattsburgh
Ed Kirby: General Manager GM Collin
Devi Momot: CEO Twinstate Technologies
Jerrod Nutt: District Manager AN Deringer
Tait Wardlaw: VP of Sales and Marketing at ORDA
Our first question for discussion was “How did your business fare
in 2024:
Amanda Beaudette: “2024 was all about growth. We had a downward spiral a few years ago. We are fully funded by grants and we lost quite a few of them. This year I was able to regain one of them that made up 25 percent of my budget and have added another three-year grant. We took over a grant from DSS and we’re building back up.”
John Bernardi: “While fundraising continues to be a significant challenge, human service needs in the area have grown increasingly urgent. The vulnerability has expanded. Families that weren’t vulnerable a few years ago, are vulnerable now. With the increasing need, non-profit organizations are called upon to a greater degree, which is hard, but we’re meeting the challenges.”
Brianna House: “2024 was a year to see where I am. I was marketing and networking in different areas both in Vermont and down state. Things are going well. I got some new contracts that I wasn’t expecting, and 2025 is all about expansion.”
Wendell Hughes: “As a County Legislator I chaired the Health Committee, so I have become familiar with mental health and homeless issues facing our region. The opioid crises continue to need addressing. We need to find alternatives for kids. The Community Services Board made a lot of progress in 2024, but we have a lot of work left to do.”
Ed Kirby: “2024 was an average year. We are finally back at pre-pandemic levels, and factored into that is the cost of goods and the cost of transportation. Politics is going to play a huge factor in the coming year. We are a Canadian company, and we import everything. Depending on what the new tariffs are going to be, we’ll see what 2025 brings.”
Devi Momot: In 2024, Twinstate Technologies experienced notable growth in our Managed Cybersecurity and Managed Voice business lines doubling each. It is a relief to see that organizations are adopting better strategies. In our industry we are among a very few companies nationally, that have the skills, experience and certifications to identify as a managed security service provider. Part of our commitment in 2024 was to continue to staff a team where everyone had at least one cybersecurity certification.”
Jerrod Nutt: “2024 has been a good year for us and is tracking moderately better than 2023. We operate multiple lines of business, and we have seen a downward trend in some of them, but overall it has been a positive year.”
Tait Wardlaw: “ORDA is blessed to have received a great deal of capital support from the Governor over the last 10 years. We have state-of-the-art facilities — a platform for driving impact and community support across the region through sport. It means we’re in a transition from building assets, to driving business and community engagement through those assets. What is important is that we have greater clarity about our vision and we’re gaining alignment across our community. The rest is just hard work.”
What successes have you enjoyed while addressing workforce challenges?
Hughes: “One of the biggest challenges we’ll face in the city in the coming year is hiring a police chief. It will affect so many areas like public safety and homelessness. We need the right leader who is well-rounded, community oriented and well versed in mental health and addiction. If we can get the right stakeholders to the table, it will have a big impact on how we move forward.”
Momot: “Our team has addressed workplace challenges by streamlining operations, enhancing collaboration and strengthening security. Through transparency, a regular cadence of tightly focused meetings and clearly defined goals, we have improved productivity, reduced employee stress and fostered retention. By providing flexibility, we deliver cost-effective, scalable and resilient systems that drive both business efficiency and employee satisfaction.”
Bernardi: “We were ahead of the curve a few years ago by thinking outside of the box in relation to staffing and hiring. People appreciate flexibility and a positive environment, in addition to competitive pay. The work we do is rewarding and fulfilling, which also helps. Understanding what financial instability means to families is critical. When you are financially unstable, you view the world through a different lens. As employers it’s important we understand that not every company can pay $30-$40/hour. It’s not realistic, but what is realistic is supporting the challenges people face and walking in their shoes.”
Beaudette: “I enjoy looking outside the box for employees. We don’t have a strict education requirement for our positions. Instead, we require an understanding of and compassion towards poverty. We can train you to be a case manager, but empathy needs to come from within. We have three open positions right now. We offer remote work and a lot of flexibility, but we’re just not getting applications.”
House: “We hear so much about social media and how it affects this younger generation. We were given phones and laptops as children, but when we get to the workplace, our use of social media is restricted. We need to be using social media more if we’re going to connect with the younger members of the workforce. There are a lot of ways to create engaging content that will help people remember what they see.”
Wardlaw: “In terms of workforce, we are at the low end of competitive wages, but there are other benefits associated with working at ORDA. Our biggest challenge in 2025 will be aligning our staff and partners with our vision and mission. We are holding ourselves accountable in new ways.”
Kirby: “Our biggest success lies in our workforce. We are a small group, but our long-term employees eliminate some of the challenges that other businesses face.”
Nutt: “We have really tried to highlight our benefits package to attract people. More candidates are starting to realize that it’s not just about the salary, but also about the benefits. We have some remote “work from home” positions, which can be easier to fill. Something that has been helpful is encouraging referrals from current employees. If they refer someone who is hired, they earn $500. This approach has been successful.”
How have your marketing strategies changed of the past year and what do you anticipate for the future?
Bernardi: “As a leading nonprofit in the region, it is imperative that we remain relevant by creating community impact that provides a “hand up” to our friends and neighbors in need. Each day presents an opportunity to lead by example with empathy and compassion.”
Kirby: “I believe trends dictate how we market. As long as we are alert to those changes and change with them, I think we will fare well.”
Nutt: “We are taking a more targeted approach to our trade alerts and webinar content. We are also increasing our activity on social media. We have a blog and have created a podcast where the content is only a few minutes long and more easily digestible for subscribers. In the future, we want to get better at identifying what works and focusing our efforts in those areas.”
Wardlaw: “We need to change our posture on how we work together and listen to each other. We talked about community, housing, employment and retention. Improving all those things starts with the same first steps. We need to meet people where they are and walk a mile in their shoes to understand their perspective. From businesses to the public sector and civil society and non-profits, we need to let people know they are heard and understood, but more importantly, we need to empower them.”
What is your economic and geopolitical outlook and how will that affect your business?
Beaudette: “We’re seeing a larger population of people who are fully employed, but cannot afford housing in our community. Five years ago, homelessness was more of an issue with folks who were on public assistance. Now many have full time jobs, but still can’t make it.”
Bernardi: “We are optimistic about the future. As a non-partisan organization, we strive to find middle-ground solutions to the challenges facing the communities in our region.”
Hughes: “It often takes the moderate perspective to come to a compromise. You may get 60 – 70 percent of the population to agree with a decision if you don’t go too far left or right. It’s so important to get back to the middle.”
House: “In my experience in this community there has a been a great balance of people being left and right wing without hating each other. I think the North Country, for whatever reason, does this very well.”
Kirby: “I see a strong year ahead. With the idea of reducing conflicts, I see fewer supply chain disruptions and an increase in supplies that will bring down the cost of materials.”
Momot: “We are living in an era where cyber warfare has become a pervasive and a devastating global threat. Leaders must ensure their organizations are prepared, informed and vigilant. Cybersecurity is no longer optional; it is essential.”
Nutt: “There is a lot of uncertainty right now in anticipation of the new presidential administration. We are in the supply chain business so our industry and customers will certainly be impacted by any executive or legislative actions involving trade and tariffs. In some respects, this can have a positive effect on us because our customers will look to us for advice. However, it could also negatively impact the number of imports into the U.S.”
Wardlaw: “There are so many things that will affect our social climate. The duress of the fiscal and financial unknown is so powerful. The one thing we can plan on is that there will be a mandate from the younger generation to make sure that social, environmental and economic impact is spread across a broader swath of stakeholders, full stop. It is incumbent on all of us who can to take into consideration the impact of every decision we make.”
What is the most important issue facing your team and how will you address it in 2025?
Beaudette: “Burnout. When you give your heart and soul to a job it can be taxing. I allow flexibility and remote work and encourage staff to take PTO. I also encourage check in’s with co-workers.”
Bernardi: “The lack of affordable housing is pervasive and has impacted thousands of families in our region. We have been, and will continue to be, a leader at building coalitions to create solutions, opportunities and partnerships across the region.”
Kirby: “As we continue to increase our global presence, our biggest concern is what direction will the new administration take in relation to tariffs and policies. Depending on what they are and their effect will determine how we respond.”
Momot: “In 2025 we will continue to be faced with the challenge of navigating rapid technology advancements and evolving cyber threat actors. We worry, learn, plan, execute, worry some more, keep learning, keep planning and continually adjust. We expect to continue to work closely with those clients who have a greater appreciation of the reality of the threats facing them and those who are ready to be the best prepared they can be.”
Nutt: “The most important issue facing our team is the increasing complexity of international trade. There is a lot more we need to do and know compared to a decade ago. Technology is playing an increasing role, and we must adapt or be left behind.”
Wardlaw: “At ORDA, our mandate includes several things that at first glance are competing — making money and driving positive community impact. These can be difficult to reconcile. At the end of the day we are a large organization. Until recently, it was very matrixed without any understanding of what the common goals and objectives were for the organization. ORDA will need to define what success looks like and what relationships should look like with the community.”
Amy Collin is the CEO of the North Country Center for Independence and the Councilor for City of Plattsburgh’s Ward 6.
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