Implementing Family-Friendly Business Practices

Description

Raising a family and caring for loved ones while holding a part- or full-time job has always been a challenging balancing act. As with most things, the pandemic has brought that reality into sharp relief. What can businesses do to support their employees with families? Join us for a panel discussion with local business experts to think through the opportunities that exist for implementing new policies and practices.

Our Panelists:
Nikki Bartlett, Vermont Coffee Company
Nikki grew up in Middlebury and has worked for small, medium and large manufacturing businesses throughout her career. She is currently the Director of Business Operations at Vermont Coffee Company where she has been working since 2009 and has held numerous positions over the years. Nikki has a Bachelors in Business Administration from Trinity College of Vermont, and lives in Middlebury with her husband Derek, and their children Keenan, Lauren, Alexis and Kamrin.

Emily Blistein, Let’s Grow Kids
Emily grew up in Brattleboro, VT and earned her BA in women’s studies from Brown University. She returned to Vermont to attend Vermont Law School and has worked as an attorney, advocate, and policy advisor on behalf of low income families and survivors of domestic and sexual violence. In 2010, Emily opened Clementine, a store on Main Street in Middlebury featuring the products of independent makers and artists. She was featured in American Express national Small Business Saturday Campaign, and worked closely with Etsy to support their wholesale engagement, and developed her own consulting practice to support creative product designers as they worked to grow their wholesale businesses. She joined Let’s Grow Kids in 2018 and works to elevate the business voice as they highlight the importance of high-quality child care for the workforce and Vermont’s economy.

Sarah Kaeck, Bee’s Wrap
Sarah Kaeck founded Bee's Wrap in 2012. Searching for an alternative to disposable plastics in her own kitchen, and pulling from her longtime love of textiles and art, she infused organic cotton with beeswax, organic jojoba oil, and tree resin. The resulting reusable wraps provide a versatile way to store food, as beautiful as it is sustainable. In the eight years since founding Bee's Wrap, Sarah has grown the business to more than 40 employees with global distribution.