Gateway Innovation Incubator Program
You Don't Have to Grow it Alone: We’re pairing new businesses with seasoned entrepreneurs to share knowledge, experience, & proven advice.
Kicking off on March 10th, 2026, the Gateway Innovation Incubator Program is a new initiative that pairs emerging business leaders with experienced entrepreneurial veterans in the region to help jump-start their growth. Spearheaded by the Hudson Valley Gateway Foundation, the program creates mentorship connections that pass down proven strategies and insights to the next generation of local business leaders.
For a modest one-time fee of $200.00, new businesses gain access to a 6-week virtual course with structured lessons and materials, as well as valuable business contacts and mentorship opportunities. The final two sessions shift to an in-person format, with the very last session serving as a celebration of participants’ progress and accomplishments. Additionally, they receive a one-year Basic Connect Level Membership with the Hudson Valley Gateway Chamber of Commerce. Already a Chamber member? Sign up for the Incubator Program and get 50% off plus a FREE year of Chamber membership, starting when your current annual dues expire.
Each Tuesday from 6 PM to 7:30 PM, participants will engage in virtual group workshops, and one-on-one sessions will equip new business owners to take their organizations to the next level.
Program Overview
Participants Will Receive:
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Weekly workshops
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One-on-one mentorship
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Networking opportunities
- A one-year Connect Level Membership
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Access to resources, tools, & more
Timeline:
Week 1, March 10th: Purpose & Possibility
Led by Brandon Bitterman of Branch Leadership, the first week will have you define and clarify your mission, and identify your ideal customer while learning tools like the Lean Canvas and customer discovery interviews.
Week 2. March 24th: Build the Blueprint
Led by Nicole Golden, an advisor with the Lower Hudson Valley Small Business Development Center, this week will help develop your business structure, shape your core offerings, and create a brand identity with practical design tools for market testing.
Week 3, March 31st: Pricing & Profit
Led by Jacqueline Bufi and Mati Estevez of M&T Bank, this week will demystify startup costs, set value-based pricing, calculate profit margins, manage finances with basic tools, and explore funding options.
Week 4, April 21st: Visibility
Led by Mike Dardano of BuzzPotential and John Van Dekker of Enormous Creative, this week you'll learn to craft your business story, plan content, master beginner-friendly social media and email marketing, and build visibility through PR and partnerships.
Optional Week, April 14th: Payroll
Led by Karen Trendell of Anchor Payroll & Benefits Solutions, this optional week will help those with employees discover best practices for seamless payment delivery.
Week 5, April 28th: Pitch, Polish & Practice
Build and refine your pitch, strengthen slide design and delivery skills, and practice live with feedback from peers.
Week 6: Celebration, Connection & Next Steps
Showcase your pitch, reflect on progress, map out the next 90 days, and celebrate with networking and certificates.
Meet the Instructors
Brandon Bitterman, CEO of Branch Leadership
Brandon coaches growth-minded leaders committed to self-improvement. A Certified Coach through Gravitas Impact, he has spent 15+ years implementing proven tools to help people exceed their potential. His graduate studies on institutions, organizations, and education policy shaped his path from the nonprofit sector to a NYC start-up, where he helped grow a five-person team into a nationwide staff of 300+.
Inspired by the Executive Business Coach who guided him, Brandon now shares his strengths with CEOs, small business owners, and leaders at every level — helping them build thriving companies, strengthen leadership skills, and increase accountability nationwide.
Vanessa Cardenas, Relationship Reset Expert
Vanessa Cardenas is a Relationship Reset Expert and Betrayal Recovery Specialist recognized by Insider Weekly as the Best Relationship Coach in Westchester County. Since launching her practice in 2017, she’s led 5,000+ sessions helping individuals and couples rebuild trust and restore connection after betrayal.
Her proprietary HOPE Framework offers a structured path forward, with practical tools and communication strategies for healing—whether the breach happened in a relationship, at work, or through self-sabotage patterns. She’s also built a national platform through 80+ podcast features and speaking engagements, including her University of Oxford talk, “When Doubt Speaks First and Loudest,” with 175,000+ views.
Mike Dardano, Marketing Executive at BuzzPotential
Mike Dardano, Marketing Executive and founder of BuzzPotential, brings 45 years of marketing and sales expertise. His company helps clients boost profitable sales while strengthening community engagement. Before launching BuzzPotential, Mike served as Senior Vice President at Co-Communications and held leadership roles at Burst! Media, Editor & Publisher, Media Passage, and The Los Angeles Times.
An active member of multiple chambers of commerce and the Tuckahoe Environmental and Sustainability Committee, he also serves on the Hope For Youth Foundation board. Dedicated to philanthropy, Mike has raised funds for numerous local charities, including Make-A-Wish Hudson Valley and Homes For Veterans.
John Van Dekker, Founder & CEO of Enormous Creative
John Van Dekker is the founder of Enormous Creative, a full-service branding, marketing, and web/technology studio based in Peekskill.
He also serves as Chair of the Marketing Committee for the Hudson Valley Gateway Chamber of Commerce, where he helps support local businesses through strategy, promotion, and educational programming. Beyond client work, he’s been active in community-facing initiatives, including co-founding the “Million Gallons” effort to rally regional support during COVID-era disruption.
Marion Henson, CEO & Founder of Bloom Healthy
Marion Henson, a Westchester native now living in Dutchess County, is a dynamic professional committed to community impact. A wife and mother of three, she balances family life with passions for cooking, poetry, and service.
Early in her career, she worked in education and nonprofits, later earning a cosmetology license and gaining experience in the beauty industry. In 2018, Marion earned an M.S. in Digital Marketing, and in 2021, she launched Bloom Healthy, an organic grocery pop-up improving food access in underserved communities. Recognized for her entrepreneurial spirit and dedication to health, she was named a 2022 Business Council of Westchester 40 Under 40 Rising Star.
Karen Trendell, Head of Operations at Anchor Payroll & HCM Solutions | Founder/Fractional COO of Trendell Business Services LLC
Karen Trendell is an experienced operational strategist and business leader dedicated to helping small and mid-sized businesses build strong, compliant, and scalable operations. With a career spanning payroll, human capital management, operations, and executive leadership, Karen brings a practical, real-world approach to solving the challenges business owners face as they grow.
Karen serves as Head of Operations at Anchor Payroll Solutions, where she partners with business owners, CPAs, and advisors to ensure payroll accuracy, regulatory compliance, and operational efficiency. In addition, she is the Founder of Trendell Business Services LLC, where she works as a Fractional Chief Operating Officer (COO), helping entrepreneurs and leadership teams implement structure, streamline processes, and make confident, informed decisions.
Her work focuses on bridging the gap between day-to-day execution and long-term strategy aligning people, processes, and systems to support sustainable growth. Karen is a strong advocate for the value of partnering with both an experienced payroll provider and an operational strategist, emphasizing that compliance, expertise, and clear operational frameworks are critical foundations for business success.
Jacqueline Bufi, Assistant Vice President at M&T Bank
Jacqueline Bufi is a Senior Relationship
Banker at M&T Bank with a demonstrated history of customer focus. She's skilled in relationship building, strengthening customer engagement, and managing client relationships professionally.
With over 30 years of experience as an entrepreneur, she utilizes her skills and knowledge as a small business owner to connect effectively with business leaders and new clients, helping them achieve their goals and objectives by providing the best possible financial support.
Mati Estevez, Assistant Vice President at M&T Bank
Mati Estevez is a banking management professional with 20 years of experience, specializing in operational streamlining, staff training, and turnaround leadership rooted in identifying the true cause of issues. She’s an exceptional relationship builder who fosters alignment across teams, leadership, and clients, and she is fluent in English and Spanish.
Her highlights include earning the Global CEO Leadership Award in 2011 as TD Bank’s top Assistant Branch Manager, driving consistent sales and income growth, improving client satisfaction through team coaching, and helping lead branch-level merger operations between Commerce Bank and TD Bank—while maintaining strong audit and operational performance.
Nicole Golden, Lower Hudson Valley SBDC
Nicole Golden is a Business Advisor at the Lower Hudson Valley New York Small Business Development Center (SBDC), where she provides one-on-one guidance to small businesses and entrepreneurs in business planning, funding and finance, marketing, and strategic growth. Beyond advising, she plays an active role in coordinating marketing, outreach, and strategic initiatives that strengthen the center’s visibility, community partnerships, and regional economic impact.
Passionate about bridging academic insight with real-world application, she is committed to supporting entrepreneurship and welcomes opportunities for collaboration in business strategy, marketing, and economic development.
Application Process
Ready to jump-start your entrepreneurial potential? Apply to the Hudson Valley Gateway Chamber of Commerce Incubator Program and bring your business to the next level!
- Click the button, complete the application, and submit it.
- Once submitted, our team will review your application and determine whether your business is eligible for the program.
- Upon acceptance, you will receive an email and an invoice for $200. You must pay the total amount ahead of the program start date of March 10th.