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Adirondack Economic Development Corporation always assists businesses with the goal that those businesses will improve the community. However, when it offered the Boire Benner Group a small loan in 2022, it was assisting a company that also helps businesses.
Boire Benner Group is a marketing agency in Plattsburgh, NY established in 2001 by Chris Boire. It offers businesses marketing services such as branding, videography, graphic design, story-telling and strategy planning and has even created a Superbowl Ad for a local business. Aaron Benner, who is originally from Plattsburgh and graduated from Clinton County Community College merged his services with Boire in 2013 and is now co-owner. “One of my favorite parts of this job is working with small businesses and watching them grow”, Benner said about his work.
In 2015 Boire Benner Group received at $13,000 small business loan from AEDC to purchase production equipment. Benner described the loan process as a surprisingly pleasant experience. “Banks were not interested in our loan because it was small and bought small equipment, so when we started working with AEDC, it was nice to see that we mattered to them.” Benner said. He also found the loan manager, Steve Garneau to be very helpful. “Steve Garneau went above and beyond for us multiple times,” he said, “our plan changed multiple times and he always took the time to help us with the changes and what we needed to get the financing approved.”
The loan went to purchasing production equipment such as computers, cameras and lenses. Benner said that this new equipment helped increase their production quality, which in turn improves the work they can do for the small business clients and humanize their brands, which Benner says is their main strategy. “We strive to tell these business’ stories, whether it’s a credit union, lawyer, tourist attraction, we hang our hat on being able humanize these brands.” Benner said. “And this new equipment directly helps us tell their story better.”
Along with serving local small businesses, the Boire Benner Group also try to help community in other ways. “I think part of being a complete business is giving back to the community,” Benner said. The businesses helped build little libraries around Plattsburgh, which holds books that are free to borrow. “Press Republican generously donated old newspaper delivery boxes and the school district was great to work with,” Benner said. Benner, who has two sons with autism, involves the company in the Autism Alliance, which is a local autism resource. The Boire Benner Group has frequently partnered with the organization, designing their logo and sponsoring the Autism Walk. Additionally, the company, which operates out of the Plattsburgh Amtrak Station turned the train station lights blue for Autism Acceptance Month.
Benner’s experience with AEDC has led him to recommend it to many businesses that he meets and works with. “The thing with small businesses is that they are usually really good at what they do, but they can also lack a lot of expertise in some business operations, whether it’s finance, marketing, real estate, project management and other areas that AEDC can help with and most of the assistance is completely free,” Benner said. “The unfortunate part is some businesses don’t know about AEDC and may even end up closing down before they can figure these problems out. That is why I strongly recommend all types of businesses to reach out AEDC and see how they can help.”
