Market Opportunities

A way to participate in the local economy, indulge her passion for all things food, and balance work with the other ingredients of a satisfying life – these are things that Stephanie Pelham ’95 sought in her career. But rather than wait for the professional opportunity of her dreams to appear, this entrepreneur went ahead and created it on her own.

Recipe for Success: Stephanie Pelham

Before opening EATS Gourmet Marketplace, Stephanie Pelham wanted a career in food, but knew that being a chef wasn’t conducive to having a family. “I opted for nutrition,” she said. “I was a returning woman when I went to Russell Sage College. I had two small children at the time I earned my degree.”

After completing her bachelor’s degree at Russell Sage and a dietetic internship at Sage Graduate School, she accepted a position with the New York State Education Department’s child nutrition program. That job required a lot of travel, so she explored other fields, including pharmaceutical sales and finance. “But I always wanted to return to my ‘foodie’ roots,” she said.

Her dream was realized when she opened EATS in Albany’s upscale Stuyvesant Plaza shopping center. “EATS solved two dilemmas that I had,” she said, mentioning it was inconvenient to travel to New York City, Boston and Montreal for foods that weren’t available locally, and reiterating her need to balance work and family.

“Opening the store took about three years between researching local demographics, finding a location, writing a business plan and finding suppliers for the items I wanted to carry,” she said. Today, EATS serves hungry shoppers and nearby office workers with sandwiches and meals-to-go available at the deli counter, and provides home cooks with high quality ingredients available on store shelves. 

EATS is also a member of Capital District Local First, a group dedicated to promoting independent business throughout the Albany area, and gives back by stocking products produced locally, including locally raised meat, dairy, and produce. “I always try to carry a local product first,” said Pelham.

And while spending the day surrounded by her favorite foods—garden fresh peas in the spring, tomatoes in summer, hearty sauces and soups in winter and always, gourmet cheese—is one of the perks of the job, there is another perk she cherishes even more.  

“My favorite part of the job is meeting people and introducing them to something that they may never have tried before,” she said. “And there is no typical day, which I love.”

A Head for Business and a Heart for Art: Brooke Hebert ’09

Brooke Hebert will graduate with Russell Sage College’s Class of 2009, but she’s not waiting until then to put the lessons from her business classes to work. As the owner of  Silver Birch Trading Company—a boutique and art galley just a few blocks from the Sage College of Albany campus—Hebert says she learns something at Sage every day that she puts into practice right away. “I’m learning how to manage all types of people in a business setting,” she said. “I’m learning Excel spreadsheets. And to have courage to live for my passion and not for a paycheck.”

The young entrepreneur received an associate degree in Fine Art from the Fashion Institute of Technology before transferring to RSC to pursue a bachelor’s degree in Ethical Business Management.

“I thought an all-women environment would be good for me,” she said. “Women are naturally competitive and I work harder when I am surrounded by healthy competition.”  

Opening Silver Birch was a whirlwind, fueled by Hebert’s competitive nature. “My older sister and I saw a ‘For Rent’ sign in a small retail space,” said Hebert. “We started thinking about the possibilities. Then we got news that other people were looking at the space. We signed a lease and hung a ‘Silver Birch Trading Post’ sign. The whole process happened over two weeks.”

Hebert has accepted increased responsibility in the year and a half since Silver Birch opened, and her sister is no longer involved in daily operations. “My parents hold down the fort when I can’t, but all artists set up an appointments through me and I am in charge of selecting and purchasing all the fair trade imports,” she said (Fair trade products enable producers from farmers to artisans to earn living wages for their products.) Silver Birch carries items from 15 countries and almost 50 artists.

After a year, the store moved to a new location, next to Albany’s Spectrum 8 movie theater. “On an average day you can walk into Silver Birch and find artists, neighbors, friends and customers hanging out, shopping, and networking,” she said. “I encourage customers to feel, touch, smell, and try on our products.”

In addition to running Silver Birch and attending Russell Sage, Hebert works at RSC’s Gator Pit and at a local café. But she is adamant that the demands on her time are worth it. “I am so completely passionate in what I do. I love art. I love supporting local artists and artists overseas. I love expressing myself through my store.”