Vermont small business veteran, Mary Beth Quinn, is the CEO of The Growth Coach of Vermont; a coaching and mentoring business founded in 2007 and dedicated to helping Vermont small business owners maximize their professional and personal opportunities.
A 40 year resident of the Stowe and Burlington areas and a small business owner with over 30 years of experience in Vermont, Mary Beth has “walked the walk” of the business owners she serves, and is able to understand the unique challenges they face on a daily basis. Mary Beth has an extensive background in sales and marketing, business planning, budgeting, and operations; and is certified The Growth Coach’s Strategic Mindset process.
As the former owner of Stowe Country Homes, Mary Beth spent the last 8 years building the largest full service vacation rental/property management agency in the Stowe area. Upon returning to her home town in 1999, she bought the 20 year old business; then a one person operation with 20 rental properties, and built the existing business that employs over 15 people, and manages over 200 properties.
After majoring in Clothing, Textiles and Design at the University of Vermont, Mary Beth started her first business, Snowear, Inc., at the age of 21. It became a successful knitwear design and manufacturing business that sold accessories throughout the United States. She then went on to create a number of specialty shops in the area that featured her designs. In 1990, motherhood called and Quinn spent the next 9 years focusing on her two beautiful daughters, Lara, now 18 and Anna, 16.
The one constant throughout the years has been Mary Beth’s commitment to alpine skiing. As a youngster, she began ski racing with the Mount Mansfield Ski Club and found success in the competitive sport. She went on to be one of the first students at Burke Mtn Academy, a ski academy committed to training young athletes for the US Ski Team. Her love of skiing continued after her racing career and Quinn found herself drawn to teaching and coaching. She has been a PSIA Certified, Level 3 Ski Instructor for over 25 years and had helped many people overcome their fears on the slopes, as well as in the boardroom. “Owning your own business is alot like plunging yourself down the side of a mountain” Quinn says. “It’s all about being willing to step out of your comfort zone, challenge yourself and take the calculated risks needed to get to the next level”