Build a career or business that works for you.

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I help smart, capable people turn career ideas, business concepts, and professional experience into a clear plan and then turn that plan into action.

Career Change
Find your direction and build a practical path forward.

Business Development
Turn an idea into a real, viable business.

1:1 Advising
Get experienced, practical guidance when you don't need another generic course.

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30 minutes • No obligation • Let's talk about where you are and where you want to go.

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What happens when you have someone in your corner.

  • My time counseling with Dustin in the Business Program has been one of great leaps forward for the growth of my small business, both in terms of goals and vision. I was encouraged and inspired by so much in the sessions we have had together. Since I started the program I have grown my reach in untold ways. The strategies we spoke about led to me to being featured as an Artist in profile on the front page of a regional paper and being commissioned to create several unique pieces of art in prominent locations throughout the community. I am now attending State University of Vermont pursuing a Bachelor of Fine Arts and have grown my following and patronage in manifold ways because of the way I was able organize my small business dreams into attainable goals. I am so pleased I was able to take advantage of this exceptional program.

    Erik P.

  • The Business Development Program has been helpful in launching my business, Asian Homestyle Cooking in so many ways. Since 2013, I have utilized Dustin to help apply for grants, general knowledge on the practices of starting a business, and resources/troubleshooting while I worked on reopening my business. I have benefited so much with the help of Dustin that I now feel more equipped to run my business and definitely recommend other small business owners to utilize this program.

    Jin Li C.

  • I am a clinical psychologist from Ukraine, who is making the transition in a career to start my practice in the USA. Dustin Smith was very helpful in organizing a business plan for my practice and consulting in organizing small businesses in Vermont. I didn’t have any problems with reaching out to Dustin. He is a very organized person and provides a high-quality service. As a new person in the US and in the business field, it was easy to work with Mr. Smith and achieve the goals I expected from this partnership.

    Daria T.

I've spent 20+ years helping people and organizations turn ideas into action.

My career has taken me through hospitality, operations, business development, consulting, nonprofit programs, education, marketing, real estate and entrepreneurship.

I've worked with businesses ranging from small independent businesses to large institutional organizations, helped hundreds of entrepreneurs develop and launch businesses, managed complex programs, and built my own businesses along the way.

Today, I work one-on-one with people who are trying to figure out what's next and want practical guidance from someone who's actually been in the arena.

Experience You Can Draw On

Logo of Otter Creek Bakery featuring an otter's face above the bakery name
Logo for Quality Restaurant Solutions, featuring stylized red and blue target symbols and bold blue text.
Graphic of a slice of bread with the word 'toast' next to it in orange text.
Logo for Morse Block Deli & Taps featuring a knife and a beer glass.
Norwich University logo with a maroon shield, white N and 1819, and a crossed sword and sword illustration, with Norwich University written below.
Perky Planet Coffee Shop logo featuring a stylized bird with wings outstretched, surrounded by text and decorative elements.
Sodexo logo with the word 'sodexo' in lowercase blue letters and a star with a red curved tail above the letter 'x'.
Logo for Micro Business Development Program with text 'moving VT businesses toward prosperity'
NEKCA logo with the slogan 'Together We Grow' and the phrase 'Community Action'.
Logo of the Center for Whole Communities featuring a colorful circular design and the organization name in blue text.
Vermont Agency of Education logo with green mountain graphic and black text
Illustration of a person jumping over a large carrot with green leaves, representing the Burlington School Food Project.
Black bird illustration with orange beak and the words Vermont Foodbank underneath.
Logo for Fork In The Road, a project by Burlington School Food, featuring a fork and knife crossed in front of a circular plate
A red apple with a green leaf and a bite taken out of it, next to text that reads "SNA School Nutrition Association."
Seal of the University of Mississippi, featuring a red and navy blue border, with the text "University of Mississippi" and "1848" in white, and a central eye symbol surrounded by radiating lines.
Vermont Feed logo with four colorful squares featuring berries, a plant, an apple, and a plow, and text indicating it's a farm to school project by Shelburne Farms and NOFA-VT.
Logo of the Institute of Child Nutrition featuring a green circle with a white lowercase 'i' and text indicating resources, training, and research.

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