BIC YouTube Videos

Building an early-stage company can sometimes feel like working on an island. In this Founder Story, Marc shares how the BIC Accelerator has given him a network of people he can turn to for advice, encouragement, and ideas about what comes next as he continues developing his company. For Marc, having people who understand where he is in the process has been an important part of moving the company forward. Whether it’s reaching out for guidance or simply having someone who understands the challenges of building at this stage, those relationships have helped him maintain momentum. The connections continue to grow beyond the program itself. Through events at the Berkshire Innovation Center, Marc has met new people who are interested in what he is building and willing to introduce him to others who may be able to help. For a founder who says it can sometimes feel like you’re “on an island,” that network has made a significant difference. Founder Stories | BIC Accelerator highlights the entrepreneurs, technologies, and companies that have grown through the BIC’s entrepreneurship ecosystem.

Artist Ben Miller shares how a childhood spent fishing the rivers of Darrington, Washington, eventually led him to create Fly-Cast Painting, a process that uses a fly rod and handmade “fly brushes” to paint rivers. He reflects on teaching art, leaving a comfortable path behind, and using his work to bring people together around rivers, streams, and the stories connected to them. Ben Miller grew up in Darrington, Washington, where his father encouraged him and his brothers to get outside, and where fishing, rivers, mountains, and imaginative play became part of daily life. His grandfather introduced him to fly fishing at eight years old, and Ben remembers tying early flies from materials he could find and experiencing the excitement of seeing a fish strike near his fly for the first time. In high school, Ben played football, basketball, and baseball, while a teacher encouraged his imaginative ideas through a school feature called “Ben’s World.” He later attended Washington State University, chose to pursue art, and found that his strength often began with the concept and story behind a piece. After earning his teaching degree, Ben returned to Darrington and taught high school art for 12 years, but eventually realized that the years were blending together and that he wanted a different story for his life. While painting trout and river stones at home, a conversation with his older brother Sam sparked the idea of painting with a fly rod; an early experiment with a paint-covered sock convinced him there was something worth pursuing. Ben developed that experiment into Fly-Cast Painting, using materials associated with fly tying to create “fly brushes,” casting paint onto acrylic, and often working directly beside the rivers he is depicting. He describes the process as both a creative practice and a way to connect people with bodies of water, including through gatherings where conservation groups and other participants share stories about the rivers that matter to them. Ben says he wants to expand the art world, bring different cultures into stories around streams, create something that was not there before, and ultimately be known as someone who brought positivity into the world. Links: Ben Miller: https://benmillerartist.com/ MASS MoCA: https://massmoca.org/ Washington State University: https://wsu.edu/ Contributors: Ben Miller, Dr. Dennis Rebelo, Nate Christy, Shannon Rebelo, Narrative Research Group, StoryWerks #BenMiller, #FlyCastPainting, #FlyPainting, #FlyFishing, #FlyRod, #FlyBrushes, #RiverArt, #Rivers, #Streams, #DarringtonWashington, #WashingtonStateUniversity, #ArtEducation, #Painting, #PleinAir, #Creativity, #Meditation, #Conservation, #EnvironmentalStorytelling, #RiverStories, #Nature, #ArtInnovation, #HumanConnection, #Collaboration, #HoosickRiver, #MASSMoCA

For an early-stage company, the right relationships can be transformative. In this Founder Story, Hamid Pishdadian of SQE.io shares how the BIC Accelerator helped connect his company with potential customers, industry leaders, and the broader Massachusetts innovation ecosystem. With its first prototypes completed only about a year ago and products still in development, the company has already built significant recognition across Massachusetts. Through relationships developed at the Berkshire Innovation Center, the team has gained access to organizations, events, and specialized communities, including opportunities to present its technology directly to leaders in the quantum field. For Hamid, the impact extends well beyond any single introduction or event. It is the residual effect of becoming part of a larger network, creating relationships and opportunities that continue to build on one another. Founder Stories | BIC Accelerator highlights the entrepreneurs, technologies, and companies that have grown through the BIC’s entrepreneurship ecosystem.

Christian Trujillo shares how a planned break before law school unexpectedly became a 22-year career in the automotive business, ultimately leading him to Porsche. He reflects on his Colombian-American upbringing, his father’s pivotal suggestion to sell cars, the mentors and family members who believed in him, and why doing the right thing remains central to how he leads. Christian grew up in Middletown, New York, the son of Colombian immigrants who came to the United States in the early 1970s in pursuit of the American dream. Raised in a multicultural community and surrounded by family, Christian developed an early love of cars and began working young, first as a paperboy and later at a swimming pool store, where an unexpected conversation with the owner moved him from the warehouse into sales at age 16. While attending SUNY Albany as a pre-law student, he continued working in sales, but after graduating in 2004, Christian decided he needed a break before pursuing law school. During a family vacation, his father asked a simple question that changed the direction of his life: “You love cars. Why don’t you try to sell cars?” Christian returned home determined to do exactly that and eventually landed an opportunity at Toyota of Clifton Park after initially being told he was overqualified. He began by handling the dealership’s emerging internet leads, but within his first two weeks, a busy Saturday and a customer ready to buy gave Christian the opportunity to sell his first vehicle. He quickly became the dealership’s top salesperson and one of Toyota’s leading salespeople in the Northeast, turning what was supposed to be a temporary job into a career. Christian recounts the mentors who helped him move through finance and sales management and the opportunity in 2011 to take on a Porsche dealership at a moment when success was far from guaranteed. With a newborn son, a new home, and a recent serious illness behind him, Christian struggled with the decision until his wife told him, “You have to do this.” Today, after more than two decades with the same automotive group, Christian is preparing to lead the transition from New Country Porsche of Clifton Park into the new Porsche Latham facility, while continuing to build the team he has helped grow over the years. Throughout the conversation, he returns to the principles he credits to his upbringing: integrity, family, taking care of people, and doing the right thing even when it is difficult. Asked what he ultimately wants to be known for, Christian’s answer is simple: “Being a good human.” Links: Porsche Latham: www.porschecliftonpark.com/ New Country Motor Car Group: www.newcountry.com/ Narrative Research Group: narrativeresearchgroup.org/ For more information or to share a question or insight, please email Shannon [at] narrativeresearchgroup [dot] org Contributors: Christian Trujillo, Dr. Dennis Rebelo, Nate Christy, Shannon Rebelo #ChristianTrujillo, #Porsche, #PorscheLatham, #NewCountryPorsche, #AutomotiveIndustry, #CarSales, #CustomerService, #Leadership, #CareerTransition, #CareerGrowth, #SUNYAlbany, #Toyota, #Mentorship, #Family, #AmericanDream, #Integrity, #TeamBuilding, #AutomotiveCareers, #MyStoryVault

The first TechAMP cohort has officially graduated, marking a major milestone for advanced manufacturing in the Berkshires and across Massachusetts. Following the graduates' capstone presentations, John Liu reflected on why TechAMP was created and why this inaugural class represents something much larger than a certificate program. As manufacturing continues to expand across the United States, the industry's greatest opportunity isn't simply building more factories. It's developing the next generation of leaders who can solve problems, improve processes, and strengthen their organizations from within. Over the past year, these participants learned technical skills, leadership, communication, and structured problem-solving through real-world projects that delivered measurable value for their employers. Their presentations showcased not only innovative solutions, but the confidence to lead meaningful change. Congratulations to the inaugural TechAMP graduates, the participating employers, and everyone who helped make this milestone possible. Learn more about TechAMP at the Berkshire Innovation Center: https://www.berkshireinnovationcenter.com/techamp

Kristin Nichols, Chief Marketing Officer at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, shares how her journey through undiagnosed ADHD, transformative mentorship, and higher education shaped her life and career. She reflects on the experiences that now fuel her commitment to helping students discover their potential and build meaningful futures. Kristin Nichols returns to the campus where her life changed, now serving as the inaugural Chief Marketing Officer at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts. In this conversation with Dr. Dennis Rebelo, Kristin reflects on growing up with an undiagnosed learning difference during the 1990s, when she was repeatedly told she was smart but simply "not trying." Despite her love of writing, storytelling, and communication, those experiences left her questioning her own abilities throughout middle and high school. Everything began to change after visiting North Adams State College, later renamed MCLA, where Professor Joe Abiware recognized her potential and became a mentor who challenged and encouraged her. His guidance led her to pursue a psychoeducational evaluation that ultimately revealed she had ADHD, giving her an explanation for struggles she had carried for years. That moment reshaped how she viewed herself and reinforced the importance of seeing students as individuals rather than labels. Today, Kristin leads MCLA's digital strategy, overseeing marketing, communications, search optimization, artificial intelligence initiatives, and student recruitment. She discusses the challenges facing higher education, including changing demographics and the importance of helping students connect their strengths with meaningful educational paths. Kristin also shares how becoming a mother to a son with a rare medical condition has deepened her advocacy for children, education, and identity development. Throughout the conversation, she reflects on the mentors, educators, and personal experiences that continue to shape her work as a connector, advocate, and leader dedicated to helping others realize their potential. Links: Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (MCLA): https://www.mcla.edu/ Berkshire Innovation Center Accelerator Program: https://www.berkshireinnovationcenter.com/accelerator-program Narrative Research Group: https://narrativeresearchgroup.org/ Contributors: Kristin Nichols, Dr. Dennis Rebelo, Nate Christy, Shannon Rebelo #KristinNichols, #MCLA, #HigherEducation, #ChiefMarketingOfficer, #ADHD, #Neurodivergent, #StudentSuccess, #Storytelling, #Mentorship, #IdentityDevelopment, #Leadership, #DigitalMarketing, #SEO, #ArtificialIntelligence, #Education, #CareerDevelopment, #MyStoryVault

Watch TechAMP participant **Gayle Kittle** share why she enrolled in the Technologist Advanced Manufacturing Program and how it aligned with her goal of growing her career. Starting in an entry-level role, Gayle saw firsthand the need for stronger collaboration between manufacturing operations and engineering. TechAMP gave her the opportunity to build the technical, analytical, and leadership skills needed to help bridge that gap and make an even greater impact within her organization. TechAMP (Technologist Advanced Manufacturing Program) is a 12-month professional certificate program developed by MIT and offered locally through the Berkshire Innovation Center. Designed for experienced manufacturing professionals, the program helps participants strengthen their understanding of engineering, manufacturing systems, quality, leadership, and continuous improvement while continuing to work full time. Thanks to current grant funding, TechAMP is **completely free** for participating employers and students during the **2026-2027 program year.** This is expected to be the final year the program will be offered at no cost. Learn more about TechAMP, eligibility requirements, and how to apply: https://www.berkshireinnovationcenter.com/techamp Connect with the Berkshire Innovation Center: Website: https://www.berkshireinnovationcenter.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/berkshire-innovation-center Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BerkshireInnovationCenter #TechAMP #AdvancedManufacturing #WorkforceDevelopment #Manufacturing #ManufacturingCareers #Leadership #ContinuousImprovement #BerkshireInnovationCenter #MIT

How TechAMP Helped Matthew Bridge the Gap Across Manufacturing** In this TechAMP participant spotlight, Matthew McInerney shares how the Technologist Advanced Manufacturing Program (TechAMP) expanded his understanding of manufacturing systems, strengthened his leadership skills, and gave him the confidence to communicate more effectively across engineering, maintenance, and operations. Developed by MIT's LEAP Group, TechAMP is a 12-month certificate program designed for manufacturing professionals with three or more years of experience. Through online coursework, hands-on labs, and applied learning, participants gain the technical, analytical, and leadership skills needed to bridge the gap between shop-floor operations and engineering decision-making. The Berkshire Innovation Center is proud to be one of several sites across New England offering TechAMP in collaboration with MIT. Because the program is grant funded, it is available to BIC members at no charge. Learn more about TechAMP and apply: https://www.berkshireinnovationcenter.com/techamp **About the Berkshire Innovation Center** The Berkshire Innovation Center (BIC) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing innovation, workforce development, and technology adoption across the manufacturing sector. Through industry partnerships, hands-on training, and collaborative programming, BIC helps companies and individuals build the skills needed for the future of manufacturing. Learn more about the Berkshire Innovation Center: https://www.berkshireinnovationcenter.com #TechAMP #MITLEAP #AdvancedManufacturing #WorkforceDevelopment #Manufacturing #Leadership #BerkshireInnovationCenter

What does it take to bridge the gap between the shop floor and management? In this testimonial, TechAMP participant **Jeff Saalfrank** shares how the program gave him a broader understanding of manufacturing, helping him better understand the reasoning behind management decisions while strengthening communication across teams. TechAMP (Technologist Advanced Manufacturing Program) is a 12-month professional certificate program developed by MIT and delivered locally through the Berkshire Innovation Center. Designed for experienced manufacturing professionals, the program combines technical, analytical, and leadership training to help participants become technologists who can drive continuous improvement and innovation within their organizations. Learn more about TechAMP, eligibility requirements, and upcoming cohorts: https://www.berkshireinnovationcenter.com/techamp #TechAMP #AdvancedManufacturing #ManufacturingCareers #WorkforceDevelopment #ManufacturingLeadership #BerkshireInnovationCenter #MIT