WORK Lakes Region plans the 2026 'How I Built This' Speaker Series featuring 7 local entrepreneurs

LACONIA ― WORK Lakes Region is launching its highly anticipated 2026 "How I Built This" Speaker Series, bringing seven successful entrepreneurs from across the region to share the unfiltered stories behind building their businesses, from the bold decisions to the messy pivots that don't make it into the highlight reel.

Now in its second year with The Home Beautiful as presenting sponsor, the series has become a cornerstone of the Lakes Region's entrepreneurial ecosystem. Running March through October 2026, the lineup features business owners from diverse industries including construction, manufacturing, food service, staffing, and technology, all sharing one common thread: they built something extraordinary when it would have been easier to quit.

"You're not learning business theory here," said Jodie Gallant, founder of WORK Lakes Region. "You're learning from your neighbors who've built businesses right here, the pivots, the failures, the mistakes you're probably making right now, and what actually works. That's worth way more than any TED Talk."

The Home Beautiful returns as presenting sponsor for the 2026 HIBT series, marking the second year of partnership between the premier kitchen and bath showroom and WORK Lakes Region's flagship entrepreneurial programming.

Franklin Savings Bank joins as lunch sponsor for the 2026 HIBT series, ensuring every session continues to include the extended networking time that attendees have come to value.

"The magic happens when business owners stick around after the session ends," said Jodie Gallant, founder of WORK Lakes Region. "That's when the hard questions get asked, the authentic connections get made, and the practical advice gets shared. Franklin Savings Bank understands that investing in our business community means creating space for those conversations to happen."

The series kicks off March 18 with Leslie Bryant, owner of Bryant Paving, who invested her life savings into an auction-bought truck in 2008 with zero construction experience and built a 20-person, DOT-prequalified operation that's become one of Central NH's most trusted names in asphalt paving.

Additional speakers include:

• April 8: Dr. Terry Clayton, chemist and product development expert who designed brain-stimulating pharmaceuticals and engineered the color-changing mountains on Coors cans
• May 11: Craig & Kristin Jordan, former owners of Jordan's Ice Creamery now leading The Village Store in Gilford
• June 3: Cole Glaude, founder of Social Club Creamery in Lakeport, demonstrating adaptive entrepreneurship and creative problem-solving
• Aug. 19: Mary Leddy, CEO of Leddy Group, who leads 500+ employees across multiple staffing brands and recently implemented an Employee Stock Ownership Program
• Sept. 9: Wes Kogelman, serial entrepreneur behind BuyaTimeshare.com (Inc. 5000 list) and MI-BOX
• Oct. 21: Keith McBey and Barry Salta of BPS Construction Management, sharing their mentorship model that solves retention challenges

Each 90-minute session runs from noon to 1:30 p.m. at WORK Lakes Region's coworking and event studio at 51 Elm Street in Laconia. The program is free to attendees, and the format emphasizes candid conversation over corporate presentations, with ample time for Q&A and peer-to-peer discussion.

"We're not trying to inspire people with fairy tale success stories," Gallant said. "We're giving them the playbook, what actually worked, what failed spectacularly, and what they'd do differently. Business owners leave with practical insights they can apply immediately, plus a network of peers who understand the unique challenges of building a business in New Hampshire."

Sessions are open to business owners, entrepreneurs, aspiring founders, and business professionals.

Full schedule, speaker bios, and registration details are available at worklakesregion.com/hibt-2026 or by contacting WORK Lakes Region at 603-630-6358.