8 new businesses in Laine Accelerator program

Olean Times Herald staff August 21, 2025

OLEAN — Over the past four years, the Laine Business Accelerator has awarded more than $150,000 in seed money to 30 local businesses and provided those businesses with hundreds of hours of advice and counsel, resulting in more than 50 new jobs being created to support the growth and expansion of many of these businesses.

This year, the fifth of the program, add eight more businesses, $40,000 more in seed money and, LBA officials hope, dozens more new jobs to the totals.

“As is always, this year’s cohort is unique from past years,” Steve McClain, board member and LBA Committee chair at Olean Business Development Corporation, said. “This year, the businesses represent a wide swath of industries, from consulting to farming to personal training and several other types of endeavors.

“These are all relatively mature businesses, which means they are ready to take the next step or two in their development, which is precisely what the Accelerator is designed to do,” he added.

This year’s cohort includes 1907 Wax, Adored Boards,

Fuller’s Fabrication, MDA Consulting Engineers, Olean Carpet Cleaning, Pine Hill Cattle Company, Preston Personal Training and Turbo Machining.

Each of the eight businesses will receive $5,000 in funds and, just as importantly, will be part of a cohort that will learn from faculty from Jamestown Community College, St. Bonaventure University and several local professionals who are subject matter experts in all things related to running a successful business. The 13-week program empowers each business to fine-tune their strategy and marketing initiatives, better understand their financials and other aspects of their business, and most importantly, grow to know and learn from each other as members of a cohort.

LBA was originally funded by monies donated in memory of the late Erick Laine, former CEO of Cutco. A highlight of the program is the annual community showcase, held at JCC’s Cutco Theater, where the cohort members present on how the LBA experience has helped their businesses to grow and to make the community more aware of what they have to offer.

“It’s again a privilege to see how these businesses will evolve over the course of the 13 weeks of our now 5th program, ”Tom Cullen, co-founder and director of the St. Bonaventure University Entrepreneurship Center, and LBA co-founder and program director, said. “And what’s just as exciting is witnessing the growth of each member of the cohort over the next several years.”