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Author: Megin Potter

Putting the Wind In Your Sails

Written by Megin Potter on . Posted in Featured, GFT Business Report.

Nourishing children’s confidence through an immense educational ocean.

When Chris Leuzinger left Western Canada for Taiwan, he didn’t know his one-year contract to teach at a private school would turn into four of the best years of his life.

“I was having the time of my life, so why would I leave?” he said. “I figured out I loved teaching while I was doing it.”

Chris has been on a voyage of discovery ever since. A proponent of education in all forms, in 2014, he and his wife, Lauren, became co-pilots of Nourishing Minds Tutoring, a ship of scholars guided by a crew of professionally-trained educators— which has grown to as many as 21 during demand peaks— riding the waves of education.

In a Sea of Possibilities…

When Chris did leave the Far East, he took a fantastic four-month voyage through Africa, from Kenya to Johannesburg, South Africa. Following that journey, he spent a year in New Zealand earning his Graduate Degree in Primary Education.

After graduation, he would fly back across the globe yet again to begin a six-year “stay” in London from 2009 to 2014. While in London, he began teaching at a poorly-performing inner-city school in one of the worst areas of the city. When Chris arrived, his school ranked among the bottom 5% in the county; by the time he left, they had risen to among the top 10%.

“True magic can happen when you have higher expectations. Kids rise to the challenge.”

Chris Leuzinger, Founder of Nourishing Minds

During his six years in the United Kingdom, he would transition from teaching into administrative positions. Working as an educational consultant, he helped build teaching standards, curriculum, and professional development training for other schools. While some of these schools were also in England, others were as far off as Spain, Norway, and Trinidad & Tobago.

Chris would spend some time in each of these places as well, adding to his already impressive collection of stamps on his passport.

…A Compass Rose

Now in 2014 and back in the US, Chris and Lauren decided to make their home in Lauren’s native hometown of Saratoga Springs. The couple would then use their experience to navigate effectively through the challenge of starting Nourishing Minds Tutoring from scratch. They hit the streets and got the word out (through spots like Northshire Bookstore) then let their work speak for itself.

“That we’ve grown to this point almost 100 percent from word-of-mouth, tells me people are happy and satisfied with what we’re doing – We must be doing something right,” said Chris.

Now, Chris and Lauren (a Special Education teacher working on her second Master’s Degree) have three children; Taylor, 9, Brady, 6, and Layla, 4. They have also had the experience of nurturing a student who was struggling through 3rd grade all the way to earning an academic scholarship to a prestigious university.

“When you choose to invest in tutoring, you recognize that it is a long-term investment,” said Chris, adding, “But, I cannot guarantee grades. Learning doesn’t work that way.”

Taking the Helm

Making education come alive through engaging, real – world applications, kids are learning without realizing they’re learning – and without having to sit at a desk all the time, said Chris.

Nourishing Minds Tutoring utilizes both formative and summative assessments to gauge student learning. Using summative (or standardized) forms of testing when beginning to work with a student, they arrive at a launch point. Formative assessments monitor progress, further gauging learning through work samples, essays, and teacher evaluations over time.

Navigating Rough Waters

New and varied approaches to education like these are becoming popular because as technology helps inform our experience, research indicates traditional methods are failing children. Homeschooling is on the rise and the online tutoring services market is expected to reach $23.73 billion by 2030.1

Whether students are failing to meet age-based expectations or are excelling beyond them, Nourishing Minds provides students with the individualized support and resources they need, while also contracting with school districts to help supplement home instruction.

Climbing the Rigging

Through creative, personalized approaches, Nourishing Minds tutors teach relevant standards- based curriculum in a way that students respond to.

Growing up petrified of math, Chris had the mentality that he just “wasn’t good at it” and “couldn’t do it.” Then, Chris learned math could be more than the flashcard memorization method he was taught as a child. Now, math is Chris’ favorite subject to teach.

“Common core was crucified in the media but I sing its praises,” he said. “When I was growing up, there was one way to do it, and that was it. Common core teaches kids a variety of ways a lot of parents and teachers never learned themselves and that helps so many kids.”

Full Speed Ahead

While the Capital District continues to experience a shortage in Occupational, Physical, Speech, Language, and Musical Therapists, Nourishing Minds Tutoring contracts to supplement education with school districts while also offering private and group tutoring, both in-home and online. They switched to an entirely virtual model during five months of the pandemic, but now exist as a hybrid.

“Homeschooling can be done in many, many ways, and you’re pretty free to do what you want. It’s a lot more doable and accessible than people think it is,” said Chris.

In New York State, homeschooling families are required to develop an Individual Home Instruction Plan (IHIP) adhering to the 100.10 Standards on Home Instruction.2

Socialization can be accomplished in a variety of ways today, too, Chris stresses. By participating in sports, extra-curriculars, volunteering, and getting a part-time job, children learn socialization skills while also building confidence – which is key.

“To me, success in one aspect of life translates to success in another,” said Chris.

Living by example, Chris volunteers 2,000 hours per year as the Assistant Chief of the Wilton Fire Department, and serves on the board of the Cantina Fun Run.

“There’s power in getting together as a community and helping.

Find a way to get involved, something you care about, and make the world a better place,” said Chris.

For more information, go to NourishingMindsTutoring.com

1 https://finance.yahoo.com/news/online-tutoring-services-market-worth-100000126. html
2 https://www.nysed.gov/curriculum-instruction/10010-home-instruction

Enterprising Entrepreneurs: Benson’s Pet Center

Written by Megin Potter on . Posted in Featured, GFT Business Report.

Pioneers in the pet supplies market upstate, the Benson’s Pet Center family is invested in doing the right thing while remaining committed to never taking themselves too seriously.

By his early 20s, Ryan Kramer had a room set aside in his apartment specifically to raise and breed different kinds of freshwater fish. One fateful day, Ryan wandered into Benson’s Pet Shop, in the old Saratoga Mall, and discovered that there was a section of the store dedicated to fish— but there was not a fish tank (with live fish) in sight. He struck up a conversation with the owner and was given the opportunity to start selling his fish in the pet store. His sales would grow quickly, and when his fish venture started making more money than the rest of the pet store, the original owner asked Ryan if he would like to purchase the business. In 1992, Ryan traded his baseball card collection to his father, Frank, for a few thousand dollars to put down on a loan to buy Benson’s Pet Shop. In October of 1992, Ryan officially became the new owner.

Several days after acquiring the business, the first of Ryan’s sons was born. Over the next 10 years, Ryan had two more sons, and became an uncle to several nieces and nephews. Today, they all work in various positions inside the business.

Family businesses are common in our community, but the commitment found in Benson’s personnel seems to be especially strong. Many of their 100+ employees have been with the company for 15 years or more, making Benson’s very unique in the demanding world of retail, and proving loyalty is a bond built on more than just blood. By creating a culture based on connection, understanding, and empathy, Benson’s Pet Center has remained in-sync with their customers’ values while also expanding to areas not just in Saratoga, but in Clifton Park, Colonie, Johnstown, Rotterdam, and Pittsfield, Massachusetts. In 2019, Ryan opened up a fish-only store in Ballston Spa, called Benson’s Fish Room.

CREATING CONNECTIONS

Family businesses like Benson’s Pet Center are the heartbeat of our economy, but maintaining generational success and continued growth requires a unified strategy that protects both business and family relationships.

“Just because this is a family business doesn’t mean business has to intertwine with the family,” said David Kramer, Manager of their second Saratoga store. “We have a good time at work, then go home and have a good time as a family.”

Hanging around Benson’s since they were kids, Ryan Kramer Jr., David Kramer, Sam Kramer, and Frank Whalen grew up in the business. These ‘Benson’s Boys’ laid the foundation for a philosophy of connection, and developed their love of animals, early on in life.

While daily operations in the store continue to include helping customers, stocking products, and caring for the animals, Sam Kramer said one of his favorite memories has to be playing video games with employees in the back room during their lunch breaks when he was a child. These personal interactions inspire a work environment that makes the employees feel like everyone is one big family.

Speaking of family, over the years Benson’s has had many pet family members, including an assortment of dogs and cats, fish, lizards, snakes, birds, ferrets, hedgehogs, and even a tarantula. Before the pandemic, Ryan Sr. would bring his 4-foot python to school visits for presentations.

With all the joy pet ownership brings, Benson’s knows there can be tougher moments as well. This past November, Ryan Sr.’s beloved dog, Dani, a 16-year- old pit bull mix, crossed the rainbow bridge. “Since she passed away, it feels like something is missing. There’s a void in the house,” he said. Many Benson’s customers have been touched to receive a sympathy card after their furry companion passes on.

MAKING A DIFFERENCE BY GIVING BACK

Benson’s Pet Center has thrived providing a huge variety of pet products and services for our furry, feathery, and scaley family members while also remaining devoted to their reputation for honesty and integrity.

In the mid 1990s, Benson’s adopted a state-of-the- art computerized inventory control system utilizing point-of-sale interactions. Benson’s inventiveness and ingenuity allowed them to excel beyond the competition and provide the excellent service their customers have come to expect. It also facilitated their growth on many fronts – since opening their Queensbury location 23 years ago, they have expanded the store twice, nearly doubling their square footage.

The role and reach of Benson’s Pet Center goes well beyond their economic contributions to the community because they are also a family-based business that understands the importance of giving back.

Taking action every day to make a positive difference, their Benson’s Cares, their 501c3 nonprofit organization, has raised over $100,000 in the past two years for local organizations, including the North Shore Animal League, F.A.C.T (Feline Advocates Coming Together), the Lucky Puppy Rescue, and many others.

RICH REWARDS

The environment created at Benson’s Pet Center is so welcoming that it inspires others to take action, as well. While it’s common for the customers who come into their nine locations to share stories of their pets, some are taking the care of animals to the next level. Vincent, a Clifton Park customer, started selling handmade items at the store to raise money to donate to local rescue shelters — when he was just 8 years old. Now, at age 13, he’s still at it.

“People love it. We love it. It’s a really good thing to see people who have the passion to get involved,” said Ryan Jr.

Even those who no longer have pets of their own still return to Benson’s. One customer comes in to buy treats just to hand out to customers in other stores that have their pets with them. This customer has a reserved shelf in the back of the store and has an official non- employee Benson’s Pet Center nametag.

WELCOME TO A WORLD OF PURE IMAGINATION

By ensuring the success of Benson’s Pet Center today, this family business is guaranteeing that even more can be done for pets for years to come.

For more than a decade, Benson’s Frequent Buyer and Benson’s Best Loyalty programs (rewarding a $10 discount with every 500 points customers accrue) have been rewarding savvy shoppers. In addition to exclusive offers and rewards, Benson’s holds adoption and pet care clinics, fundraisers for local rescues, and pet photo opportunities at all of their locations.

Our philosophy has always been to do the right thing. We have a reputation for being honest and knowledgeable. We give customers what they want.

– Frank Kramer

In 2022, Benson’s gave a long-time employee, Jennifer Conklin, a hand in launching Benson’s (now best- selling) Bestie Box and Kitty Crate monthly in-store non-subscription subscription boxes. “Pet food vendors and manufacturers have been lining up to support this venture, which supplies customers with an affordable assortment of items for their dog or cat each month”, said Ryan Jr.

More recently, Benson’s Pet Center launched their Golden Ticket Giveaway, where eight lucky winners could have a chance to find a golden ticket hidden in a Bestie Box or Kitty Crate. The winners get free boxes or crates for a year.

Benson’s Pet Center is more than a pet supplies haven; it’s a tale of passion, family, and a commitment to the community. From Ryan Kramer’s fish-filled apartment to the bustling multi-location enterprise today, Benson’s has not only grown as a business but has cultivated a familial atmosphere where employees and customers alike feel like cherished members of an extended family. The ‘Benson’s Boys,’ raised within the business, have sown the seeds of a unique work environment, blending professionalism with the warmth of shared experiences.

But Benson’s Pet Center goes beyond the register, exemplifying social responsibility through Benson’s Cares. Programs like the Bestie Box, Kitty Crate, and the Benson’s Best Loyalty Program are not just about pet supplies – they’re a testament to Benson’s dedication to strengthening the bond between pets and their owners.

As the business continues to evolve, Benson’s Pet Center stands as a beacon of compassion, creativity, and community engagement in the dynamic landscape of pet care, ensuring a lasting legacy of care and connection for furry, feathery, and scaley family members.

For more information, follow Benson’s Pet Center on Facebook and Instagram, and visit bensonspet.com.

Stay connected to the heartwarming stories, innovative programs, and the latest updates from Benson’s, where the love for pets extends beyond the shelves.

Artisan Ink: Melissa Freebern Burns Free

Written by Megin Potter on . Posted in Business, Featured, GFT Business Report.

When people look at Melissa Freebern, owner of Artisan Ink, they either see a confident individual, or they gawk and clutch their purses a little tighter. Melissa has hundreds of tattoos covering most of her body, and while her appearance has caused some people to judge her unfairly, she said once she speaks, those preconceived notions vanish.

“I hope I can continue to change the perception of the scary tattoo shop. We’re all artists with families who have a creative outlet that feeds us, makes us feel like we have purpose and are doing something meaningful,” said Melissa.

Her tattoo shop’s new location, at 1263 Patten Mills Road, in Fort Ann, strives to create more positive connections with the community in a fun studio space, with events, and special discounts.

A TATTOO OF ONE’S OWN

When Melissa was growing up in Warrensburg, she didn’t know a lot of people with tattoos.

“For years, they were undesirable, only freaks and carnies had tattoos. It was a long time before tattoos became mainstream, and sometimes it’s still not ok to have a tattoo or a piercing. You have to hide that form of expression,” she said.

Melissa was drawn to tattoos early, however, and gave herself her first tattoo at the age of 13 using India ink. That yin-yang symbol was covered with a sunflower two years later.

“Tattoos checked all the boxes for me. I almost didn’t care what a tattoo was of. It was mine. That was the draw and the appeal,” she said.

AN EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE

Melissa and her husband, Andrew, met in 1999 and were married the following year. Between 2003 and 2007, they had three children; Gabe, Lainey, and Jeremiah. Melissa earned an Associate’s Degree in Criminal Justice from SUNY Adirondack, Substance Abuse Credentials, and a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from SUNY Plattsburgh. During this time, she also worked as a phlebotomist drawing blood, before learning how to do piercings on the weekends during her senior year.

“Women are the demographic that gets the most piercings and women feel comfortable with other women,” she said. As a woman, breaking into tattooing at the time, however, meant infiltrating the boys club.

“I had three kids, a husband, a house, and had just graduated college. I was a serious person saying I want this to be my lifestyle, but it was a scary leap. I had to get in the trenches with these folks and say, ‘Just teach me’,” said Melissa.

Sharing company with shady dudes in biker gangs who learned tattooing in prison and putting herself in the middle of violence, drugs, and situations where women were openly groped and berated left Melissa in tears some nights, she said. Other times, her sharp tongue gave as good as it got.

CONTROLLING THE CHAOS

In 2011, Melissa opened the first Artisan Ink tattoo shop on Bay Road, and in 2014, moved to 928 Route 9, adjacent to the Queensbury Laundromat (that she also managed). In 2015, a sister shop, the Copper Fox, opened in Johnsburg, and reopened in North Creek the following year.

Parking was a constant struggle at the congested Queensbury corner, said Melissa, and in 2017, a pedestrian crossing the road was struck by a car, breaking her thumb. Eager to shed the confines of the space, and to be able to stretch and grow, Melissa sold the building to the Northern Living property management company. In July, the Freeberns purchased the Fort Ann property, which was opened in the 1960s as Rick and Carol’s Countryside Inn.

Originally a pole barn, in the 1980’s the structure was extended and became a popular spot for festivals and dancing. The entire five-acre lot was filled with campers and during their final dinner, they served 8,000 people, said Melissa.

Carol (Twiss) Yole, 84, still lives in a house on the property, which also has two guest houses and a pavilion (the Freeborns will be renovating and renting out). For 15 years, this spot ran as The Boar’s Nest, a biker bar that hosted events and fundraisers but whose rough reputation turned off the locals, making them feel uncomfortable here, said Melissa.

“Carol has an immense love for the property still and was very happy we came in and are fixing things up and bringing it back to that not-so-scary place for people.”

IN A FLASH

By their October 28th Grand Opening, the bar had been removed and Andrew completed structural repairs to create the comfortable Artisan Ink tattoo salon.

After a ribbon cutting, their six artists completed 42 tattoos in just over four hours in the open, 4,200 sq. ft. space. Here, black ceilings are lightened by blue walls, light knotty pine woods, and a wow-worthy blue epoxy floor the Freeberns poured themselves.

Industrial elements and vintage vibes coexist with antique finds highlighted by sparkling crystal chandeliers. An embroidered Victorian settee and modern vinyl seating are equally at home among décor that includes a ship’s masthead (brought back from the Brimsfield, Mass. Flea Market) and a taxidermy zebra head named, “Debra”.

With 30+ vendors, the Clever Cleaver and Taps of Saratoga trucks, a bonfire, and live music from Vinyl Vault, the event was a preview of more to come.

In 2024, a Spring Antique Fair, and Flash Sales on Friday the 13th (in September and December) are planned.

THE HEART OF A WOMAN

It all helps connect the community, and the tendency Melissa (who sits on the school board and is ordained to perform wedding ceremonies) has of putting too much heart into her work, she said.

“I give too much of my heart away,” she said while rubbing the tattoo above her eyebrow that says, “Heartless.” “It’s to remind me to think with my heart less,” she laughs. “Either that or it’s a warning label.”

For updates, follow @ArtisanInk518 on Facebook and Instagram.