Brattleboro, Vermont – The Brattleboro Development Credit Corporation (BDCC), in partnership with HatchSpace, a woodworking school and community workshop in downtown Brattleboro, will host a special business-focused Meet-Up Night on Wednesday, February 11, designed for entrepreneurs and business owners across industries. This event is part of an ongoing collaboration between BDCC’s BizConnect program and HatchSpace.The program will also be supported by the DBA and Chamber
Held at HatchSpace, located at 22 High Street (2nd floor), from 5:00–7:00 PM, the event brings together business owners, creatives, and entrepreneurs to explore storytelling as a strategic business tool. While hosted in a woodworking school and community workshop, the focus of the evening is on business fundamentals; specifically, how narrative, identity, and communication play a critical role in business development, branding, and customer connection.
The evening will feature an artist talk and facilitated conversation with Lita Judge and David Judge, new members of the HatchSpace community. Lita Judge is a nationally recognized children’s book illustrator and author whose work has been published widely, while she and her husband David are currently transitioning their creative practice into fine wood carving and custom commissions. Their work blends traditional hand carving with modern tools, including CNC technology, offering a compelling case study in business evolution, creative adaptation, and strategic storytelling.
Drawing from their experience across publishing, fine art, and product-based creative work, Lita and David will share how storytelling shapes everything from client relationships and product development to marketing and long-term business direction. The talk will be followed by a moderated Q&A and audience discussion focused on practical takeaways for businesses of all types, not just creative enterprises.
This event reflects BDCC’s continued investment in strengthening the local business support ecosystem by creating accessible, relationship-driven spaces for peer learning and collaboration. HatchSpace offers classes, workshops, and fully equipped community workshop, while BDCC provides technical assistance, financing, and business advising to entrepreneurs throughout the region.
Together, BizConnect and HatchSpace are creating new pathways for collaboration, skill-building, and business success across industries and stages of growth.
The event is free, and refreshments will be provided. Registration is encouraged and can be completed at https://brattleborodevelopment.com/bizconnect/.
About HatchSpace
HatchSpace is a private, nonprofit community workshop and woodworking school in downtown Brattleboro, Vermont whose mission is to provide access to the tools and training that help people develop creative confidence and build the things they love, including careers in the trades and crafts. Since its founding in 2019, HatchSpace has enrolled more than 1,400 students and supports a member community of over 200 people at our 10,000 square foot facility in the heart of Brattleboro. HatchSpace serves the growing call for the return of industrial arts training to our rural communities, and for expanding Vermont’s strong tradition of craft and forestry product innovations to new audiences. For more information, visit www.hatchspace.org.
About BDCC
The Brattleboro Development Credit Corporation (BDCC) is a private, nonprofit economic development organization with the mission of investing in the drivers of the regional economy so that people, businesses, and communities in Southern Vermont can thrive. BDCC serves as the State of Vermont’s certified Regional Development Corporation (RDC) for the greater Windham County area (including Windham County and the towns of Readsboro, Searsburg, Winhall, and Weston). BDCC is one of 12 RDCs throughout Vermont. BDCC activity is made possible in part by a grant from the State of Vermont through the Agency of Commerce and Community Development. For more information visit: https://brattleborodevelopment.com/
