Boyle returned to Vermont in 2008 and founded Integrative Acupuncture. Today, the clinic treats approximately 300 patients each week for a variety of conditions, including pain management, sports injuries, fertility and pregnancy, sleep disorders, general stress management and wellness. Staff members include acupuncturists, massage therapists and naturopathic doctors.
“My work as a health professional is driven by my passion to help people heal with acupuncture,” Boyle says, “but I realized I could broaden my reach by creating a larger network of healers, creating jobs and increasing access to this amazing medicine.”
In April, Boyle traveled to Washington, DC, with integrative acupuncturist Jonathan Fleming to receive the SBA award from National Small Business Administration Administrator Isabel Casillas Guzman. The ceremony recognized small business award winners from each state and coincided with National Small Business Week.
As part of the national rally’s program, Boyle and Fleming had the opportunity to demonstrate their skills, including an acupressure session with Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), an alternative medicine advocate who was at the event. Boyle also had the opportunity to speak with staff from Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders’ office to promote a bill to include acupuncture in Medicare coverage.
On June 12, the Vermont SBA District and VermontBiz magazine co-hosted a Vermont State ceremony in Essex, where Boyles participated in presenting nine awards.
In accepting the award, Boyle highlighted the keys to small business and entrepreneurship – vision, creativity, hard work and family – and spoke about the benefits entrepreneurs may find in East Asian cosmology and this year’s Yang Guifei Dragon, which symbolizes growth, creativity and strength.
Other 2024 SBA Vermont award categories and winners announced include:
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Jeffrey Butland Vermont and New England Family Business of the Year: Gina Ackley, Trow & Holden Company, Barre
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Woman-Owned Business of the Year: Julie Moir Messervy of Home Outside, Inc., Brattleboro.
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Minority-Owned Business of the Year: Marie Esther Tham of Green Vision Cleansing, Burlington.
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Vermont and New England Small Business Manufacturer of the Year: Dr. Marie Pavini of Healthy Design, Ltd Co., doing business as HD Medical (Rutland)
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Financial Services Champion: Jeffrey Hesslink, CEO, Burlington Bank, South Burlington
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Young Entrepreneur of the Year: Emiliano Void, nuwave Equity Corporation, Burlington.
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Microenterprise of the Year: Wendy McKenzie of Everlasting Herb Farm (Peacham)
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Community Legacy Award: Ahmed Omar of Kismayo Kitchen, Burlington
According to the SBA, there are more than 33 million small businesses in the United States, accounting for two-thirds of the new jobs created in the past 25 years. More than half of the U.S. work for a small business. Learn more about the SBA online. sba.gov.
