Business Sunday NEWS

NEW HAMPSHIRE

September 12, 2021 • Page B1

Startup offers help for caregivers handling finances

UNOPENED MAIL. Bills
not getting paid. A shoe-
box stuffed with important
documents.
It’s a familiar scenario to
people caring for aging par-
ents when the time comes
to manage their finances.
A New Hampshire
startup aims to take some
of the pain out of that pro-
cess. Kincern is launching
a subscription service that
offers caregivers an online
platform to store and man-
age documents, track data
and crunch numbers.
“Family plus concern is
what it’s really about. We’re
focused on that later stage
in life and the challenges
that come with taking care
of aging parents,” said CEO
weeks, the company plans
to add educational content
Mike Cote to the kincern.com website,
such as steps to take after
Business Editor’s securing power of attorney.
Notebook It also will set up a paywall
so that consumers can start
Sponsored by
signing up.
Holt most recently spent
eight years with Covenant
Living, a Chicago-based
603-606-3391 continuing care retirement
www.glenwoodinvestment.com community that has 16
locations in nine states. She
and co-founder Jody Holt, served on the nonprofit’s
who is based in Rye. The board of directors for five
company also operates an years and worked for three
office in Manchester on years as chief financial
Elm Street. officer.
Kincern launched in Feb- “That experience gave
ruary and is working with me a front row seat to
early adopters to test the see the challenges fami-
platform. Over the next few lies have with all of their
caregiving but around the
finances and admin in
particular,” Holt said.
Holt was also inspired by
her mother’s experience
caring for her ailing stepfa-
ther and wheelchair-bound
grandfather.
“She was the primary
caregiver, and she was also
trying to get to her grand-
kids’ soccer games, school
plays and things,” Holt said.
As Holt’s grandfather
began having difficulty
writing, her mother took
over more financial tasks.
“My grandfather’s mind
was as sharp as a tack, but
he would ask my mom PROVIDED BY JODY HOLT
… ‘Could you fill out this Jody Holt, right, with her mom, Mary Roman, is CEO and
co-founder of Kincern, an online platform designed to help
+See Mike Cote, Page B2 caregivers manage finances.

Know
the Law
Small businesses, big worries
By VIGGO FISH
of
Grappling with
growth, challenges
as the COVID-19
pandemic lingers
The effects By Jonathan Phelps
New Hampshire Union Leader

of wildfire
T
he owner of Loon Choco-
late in Manchester hopes
on our air to expand into a new
space complete with a
shop where customers

quality can peruse the handcrafted prod-

Q: Smoke and haze from
more widespread wildfires
is affecting parts of the
Northeast. Should I be wor-
ried about the effects of air
quality on my health?
A: Wood smoke in gen-
eral, and the enormous
plumes of wildfire smoke in
particular, contain numer-
ous hazardous pollutants.
Especially concerning are
what are referred to as
particulate matter, one of
six criteria air pollutants
regulated by the Clean Air
Act. These small particles,
that are described by their
size, PM10 and PM2.5
(microns), can cause seri-
ous lung damage, among
other harmful effects. To
put this in perspective, a
particle size of 2.5 microns
is roughly 30 times smaller
than the width of the aver-
age human hair.
The United States
Environmental Protec-
tion Agency sets National
Ambient Air Quality Stan-
dards for PM (and the five
other criteria pollutants
to protect human health
and the environment). 42
U.S.C. §7409(b). The federal
standards for PM2.5 are 35
microns per cubic meter
(35 ug/m3) for a 24-hour
period and an annual
average concentration of
12 ug/m3. New Hampshire
is classified as “in attain-
ment” for PM2.5, although
bad days do occur. When
PM2.5 exceeds 35 ug/m3
the Department of Envi-
ronmental Services will
normally issue an advisory
for affected regions. DES
issued one such advisory in
July 2021 related to wildfire
smoke.
Due to its extremely
small particle size, PM2.5
can remain airborne for
long periods of time and be
transported over very long
distances. When present in
the air and inhaled into the
lungs PM2.5 can penetrate
deep into the body. Its
small size also facilitates
its penetration into lung
tissue and the blood stream
reaching other organs,
potentially including the
brain. As a consequence,
human exposure to PM2.5
can cause damage to the
respiratory and cardiovas-
cular systems, and possibly
cognitive functions.
Environmental regula-
tion has resulted, generally,
+See Know the Law, Page B2
DAVID LANE/UNION LEADER
Scott Belanger of Loon Chocolate pours chocoate into molds for chocolate bars at the Manchester kitchen on
Thursday.
Ohio company hopes its solar products
can make a dent in China’s dominance
By Jeanne Whalen
The Washington Post
WALBRIDGE, Ohio — On the out-
skirts of Toledo, a short drive from In-
terstate 90, thousands of glass panels
rumble along assembly lines at a fac-
tory that will help determine whether
the Biden administration can meet two
of its biggest goals — dramatically re-
ducing carbon emissions and lessening
reliance on China.
First Solar is one of the few U.S. so-
lar-panel manufacturers in an industry
dominated by Chinese factories, some
of which the Biden administration has
accused of employing forced labor.
Lately, that has made First Solar par-
ticularly popular with panel buyers,
which have snapped up the company’s
entire production run through 2022.
Posters in the factory’s lobby proudly
declare that the company is “countering
China’s state-subsidized dominance of
ELAINE CROMIE/THE WASHINGTON POST solar supply chains” while churning
First Solar CEO Mark Widmar at his company’s manufacturing out products that are “uniquely Ameri-
facility in Walbridge, Ohio. can” and “Ohio-made.”
ucts.
Yes, he knows about the COVID-
19 pandemic.
Scott Watson said he hopes to
open the shop and new manu-
facturing space by the end of the
year depending on negotiations
with the landlord. Loon Chocolate,
which sells to other retailers and
online, works with ethical traders
from small farm growers. With a
slogan of “bean to bar,” the compa-
ny roasts and grinds its own cocoa
beans.
Business has been strong with a
reported 400% growth in its whole-
sale accounts. The company adapt-
ed when the pandemic hit.
Along with other small business-
es, Watson isn’t taking anything for
granted and worries about a slow-
down in business or possible shut
downs as the winter months ap-
proach.
“It could go away at any mo-
ment,” he said of current business
conditions. He has multiple plans
ready if conditions shift.
Small businesses across the
country continue to struggle with
“pandemic-related headwinds,”
according to a survey from Gold-
man Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses
Voices. The survey included 1,145
Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Busi-
nesses participants. The program
helps entrepreneurs create jobs
and economic opportunity by pro-
viding access to education, capi-
tal and business support services,
according to the Goldman Sachs
website.
+See Challenges, Page B2
The question now: Can First Solar
and its smaller counterparts in the U.S.
solar industry crank up enough manu-
facturing capacity to meet the admin-
istration’s renewable energy goals or
will U.S. power companies remain de-
pendent on the massive Chinese solar
industry, despite concerns about how
it operates?
The technology offers a high-profile
test of the United States’ ambition to
re-shore manufacturing after years of
losing ground to China’s low-cost and
state-subsidized factories. Since 2004,
U.S. production of the photovoltaic
cells that form solar panels has fallen
from 13% of global supply to less than
1%, while China’s share has soared
from less than 1% to 67%, according to
the National Renewable Energy Labo-
ratory (NREL).
The Biden administration on
Wednesday renewed its commitment
to dramatically expand solar energy as
part of its goal of eliminating carbon
+See Solar, Page B2
Page B2 • New Hampshire Sunday News • September 12, 2021 Business

Solar
From Page B1

emissions from electricity
production by 2035. Large
investments could increase
solar from 3% of electricity
generation today to 45%
within three decades, an
Energy Department study
concluded.
Solar is already the
fastest-growing source of
new electricity generation
in the United States, with
power companies relying
mostly on panels made by
Chinese companies. The
Biden administration says
the rate of deployment
must triple or quadruple if
the nation is to hit the 2035
decarbonization goal.
rials from Hoshine Silicon,
a Chinese company that it
said appeared to be coerc-
ing workers from the per-
secuted Uyghur minority
by threatening them or re-
stricting their movement.
The Washington Post
has reported that the
company’s factories in
China’s Xinjiang region
have participated in state-
sponsored programs that
place Uyghurs in factory
jobs — placements that
human rights researchers
say workers cannot refuse.
Hoshine has declined to
comment, and China has
denied allegations about
ubiquitous industry sup-
plier.
Ramping up production
First Solar, which last
year supplied about 16%
of panels deployed in the
United States, is confident
it can play a bigger role and
is aiming to roughly double
its global production ca-
pacity by 2023.
“There’s robust demand
in the U.S. market, and
we’re very well positioned
to serve that demand,”
chief executive Mark Wid-
mar said in an interview. DAVID LANE/UNION LEADER
But doubling its global The finished product emblemed with corn for fall at Loon Chocolate.
output to about 17 giga-

But those plans are now
running up against anoth-
er White House priority:
promoting human rights.
Customs and Border
Protection this summer
began blocking the import
of solar panels that it be-
lieved could contain mate-
Mike Cote
form? It’s for a seven-dol-
lar dividend from Coca-
forced labor.
CBP officials have de-
clined to say how many im-
ports they may ultimately
block, but Hoshine is the
world’s largest manufac-
turer of a material used
to produce silicon-based
solar panels, making it a
givers, who often spend
their own money as well
watts worth of panels a
year still won’t meet the
current U.S. pace of solar-
panel installation, which
could exceed 20 gigawatts
this year. And First Solar’s
panels are designed for
power-utility use, not for
residential rooftops.
From Page B1
care advisers and employ-
ee benefits programs.
Challenges
From Page B1
Nearly 45% of the busi- “Eighteen months of home.
nesses report less than COVID-related economic President Nick Brattan
three months’ cash reserves headwinds have battered said the company saw a
and 41% worried about the America’s small businesses. boost in business for a ser-
debt accumulated prior or While many storefronts are vice that digitizes mail and
during the pandemic, ac- reopening, small business channels it to home offices.
cording to the survey.
Chelsea Stoddard owns
owners from across the
country are sending a clear
“We’re the busiest we’ve
been in 38 years in the mo-
two small businesses on message that they need ment,” he said. “We are very
Elm Street in Manchester, more relief in order to con- lucky.”
each with their own set tinue on their road to recov- The company brought on
of challenges during the ery,” said Joe Wall, National several new employees dur-

Cola.’”
Kincern offers account
aggregation and uses
We Want
as time. Three-quarters of “We’re trying to reach COVID-19 pandemic. Director of Goldman Sachs ing the pandemic.
the 2,400 family caregivers
surveyed by AARP report-
that caregiver that is man-
aging an estate between
We
We Want
Queen City Cupcakes

Want
is filling almost double its
10,000 Small Businesses
Voices, in a statement.
He said the delta variant
worries him, especially the

to Buy
artificial intelligence and ed spending an average $50,000 to $2 million — orders to make up for wed- Stoddard secured a Pay- health of his workers. About

to
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Want
machine learning to sift of $7,242 annually on out- some resources that we dings and events canceled check Protection Program 80% of the staff has been

through data and spot
trends, such as when bills
of-pocket costs related to
caregiving, according to a
need to protect but not
enough to hire and pay for
WetoYour
Buy
Want
last year. Pop of Color, a (PPP) loan through the vaccinated.
home decor and gift shop, Small Business Administra- “If this continues and gets

are going unpaid or have
been paid more than once.
“Think of all the mail
study released in June.
Contributing to hous-
ing and health care costs
Your
an elder attorney that will saw increased sales but not tion, but didn’t need it for worse, it is hard to say what
charge $300 an hour to do
a lot of this work,” she said. to
to
els. Buy
Your
back to pre-pandemic lev-

Buy
Queen City Cupcakes. The
store remained closed for
it will do for business,” he
said.
that comes into the house,
all the things that need
made up most of the
expense, the report said.
Kincern combines cloud
storage with financial Watches!
“We are way busier for

Watches!
Your
wedding season than we
nearly two months.
She said she’s back on her
The company might con-
sider more stringent mask
to be done, making sure
we’re monitoring bank
Kincern has five full-
time employees, who are
monitoring — services
that are available sepa- Watches!
We
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Want
would have been,” she said.

Want
Pop of Color saw a steady
feet and likely won’t need
additional federal assis-
policies while in the work-
place. Right now, they only

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accounts, credit card activ- all co-founders, and two rately from online vendors increase in sales each year tance. require it for the unvacci-

ity, identity protection, to
make sure mom or dad’s
identity is not stolen at this
interns from the University
of New Hampshire. The
company has been funded
Watches!
to Buy
but don’t target senior care since opening in 2016. So The Smoothie Bus, which nated.
specifically.
“We’re putting both to Want
We Buy
far, sales have beat 2020, but
not 2019, Stoddard said.
operates two food trucks,
opened its third shop in the
The cold/flu season could
disrupt production if work-

stage in their life or that
they’re not making bad
decisions financially that
thus far from friends and
family.
Holt has been promot-
toYour
those features together in She’s worried about the former Coldstone Cream- ers are out sick.
one solution,” Holt said.
.
Your
Buy
upcoming cold/flu season.
“Are people just going to
ery on South Willow Street
in Manchester recently.
He thinks more govern-
ment assistance might be

will have repercussions,”
Watches!
ing the company at confer- Mike Cote is senior editor for news stay home?” she said.. The business has another needed for businesses if the
Watches!
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and business. Contact him at mcote@

Holt said.
Getting a handle on
what funds are available
and how they should be
spent are crucial for care-
We Want
ences and networking location on Elm Street in pandemic takes a turn for
unionleader.com or (603) 206-7724.
Government assistance
events. The business aims
to gain entry to customers
The views and opinions expressed
in this article are those of the author. Want
Nearly 90% of small busi-
Manchester and another in
Concord.
the worse.
Brattan said the PPP loan
through relationships with
wealth advisers, senior
They do not represent the views and
opinions of the sponsor, its members
and affiliates. Watches!
Weto Buy
to WantBuy
ness owners support the
federal government pro-
New England Document
Systems, which provides
the company secured was
a “lifesaver in many ways”

WeYour
viding additional financial
Your
to
We Want
Buy
assistance given the rise of
Want
professional document
scanning services, offsite
last year. The company was
able to keep on all 80 em-

We Want
new COVID-19 cases, ac-
Watches!
We
to Want
Buy
record storage, saw busi- ployees.

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cording to the survey. ness slow down significant- “That got us through,” he
WeYour
to
to Buy
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Buy
ly early on in the pandemic said.
to
We Buy
Want
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as employers sent workers jphelps@unionleader.com

Watches!
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to Buy
Your
Your
to Buy Know the Law
Watches!
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Your
Watches!
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Your
Watches! From Page B1

Watches! in a decline in PM con-

Jewelry,
Jewelry,
people take steps to protect

Jewelry,
centrations; however, PM themselves. During periods
produced by large, region- of higher PM2.5, those with
al, climate change-fueled underlying health condi-

Jewelry,
Jewelry,
wildfires, is transported in
enormous plumes, reach-
ing heights as high as 6
tions such as heart disease
or asthma are well advised
to stay indoors, ideally in
Jewelry,
Jewelry,
miles, over thousands of
miles. The result is visible
in haze that has, at times,
a space with filtered air. If
you must go outside, you
should limit your exposure

Jewelry,
overspread the Northeast. and curtail vigorous activity
The DES monitors and accordingly.

Jewelry,
reports current and fore- .

Jewelry, casted state air quality data Viggo Fish can be reached at viggo.
fish@mclane.com. Know the Law is a
on its website available at: bi-weekly column sponsored by McLane

Jewelry,
https://www4.des.state. Middleton. Questions and ideas for

Jewelry,
Jewelry,
Jewelry,
Jewelry,
nh.us/airdata/.
When levels of PM2.5
future columns should be emailed to
knowthelaw@mclane.com. Know the
Law provides general legal information,

Jewelry,
exceed, in varying degrees, not legal advice. We recommend that you
the federal standard, state consult a lawyer for guidance specific to
Jewelry,
and Coins! and federal environmental your particular situation.

and
and Coins!
Coins!
agencies recommend that

PUBLISHING FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 17 and

and
and Coins!
and Coins!
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Legal Notice Legal Notice
PUBLIC NOTICE
PUBLIC NOTICE
THE STATE OF
and
and Coins!
Coins!
Adult Day Health, Inc. of 225

and Coins!
Foxborough Boulevard, Suite 103, NEW HAMPSHIRE
PEASE DEVELOPMENT
and Coins!
and Coins!
Coins!
Foxboro, MA 02035, intends to file
an application as the new owner AUTHORITY - DIVISION OF

Meet New Hampshire’s champions and

and
and Coins!
Coins!
for a license under RSA 151 to
operate an existing facility to
PORTS & HARBORS
IS SOLICITING BIDS

and Coins!
provide adult day services. The The State of New Hampshire
facility is known as Nashua Adult Pease Development Authority Divi-
of innovation in New Hampshire and Coins! Day Health, and is located at 32
Daniel Webster Highway, Unit 10,
sion of Ports and Harbors is
soliciting bids for THE "BUILD
Innovators, coming Friday, Merrimack, NH 03054.
(UL - Sept. 12, 13)
GRANT" MAIN WHARF REHABILI-
TATION at the Divisions' Market
Street Marine Terminal. This is a
September 17! marine construction project that is
Legal Notice partially funded by a Federal
Grant and involves repairs to the
existing Main Wharf, removal of
the existing North Access Bridge,
This award-winning premium J&K Staffing Solutions d/b/a
J & K Home Care, a licensed
Home Health Care Provider in
installation of a steel/concrete
wharf infill, and shore side im-
edition will highlight the people who Salem, NH is filing a change of
ownership control interest with
provements.
A complete Invitation to Bid
are helping spur the growth of the NHDHHS. Current owner(s) pro-
pose to transfer 100% of their
and project description may be
obtained at https://peasedev.org
stock to a receiving parent organi- /business/bids-opportunities/.
Granite State’s tech community. 926 Elm Street, Manchester, NH zation. The licensed entity will
remain J & K Home Care and will
Plans, Specification and Reference
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926
926
CALL
926 Elm
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ElmFORStreet,
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926
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CALLElm
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