Benefit Corporation Blog Series – Adventures in Wellness
ewalsh • April 14, 2014
Next in our series of Social Enterprise Stories we feature Heather Freeman who is the founder of Adventures in Wellness. Adventures in Wellness is a woman owned business committed to changing the way women show up in the world by providing inspiration, loving support, guidance and tools for discovering their best selves.
Why are you operating in Connecticut?
For me, starting my business in CT makes sense. I grew up in CT. And although I spent a number of years living in the Boulder, CO area, CT is where I have my roots.
Why did you decide to start a Social Enterprise?
Growing up in an idyllic country town in CT gave me a lasting impression of what it feels like to have true personal freedom and joy in my life. The miles biked, the hours spent scampering with my best buds in the woods, and screams of laughter let out while running rampant with friends are countless. This innocence, this pure joy is what Adventures in Wellness is all about. It’s about bringing the simple things that bring you the most joy, back into your life. Living in happiness is not limited to only a select few. Anyone can have it, but it does not always come easily. Adventures in Wellness is committed to operating beyond the confines of a for-profit type business and instead operate as a social enterprise to ensure everyone has the opportunity to enjoy the gifts of life and all they have to offer.
What is the community you’re trying to have an impact in?
Adventures in Wellness is part of ReSET’s Accelerator Program and through this program and the support of the mentors, I am working towards defining the community I am trying to have an impact. So while it may evolve over time, the current community includes mothers who find themselves in that space of time where their identities are in flux. They have children who are becoming less dependent on them for their day to day care which leads to an opportunity to redirect their attention to themselves. Adventures in Wellness is committed to ensuring these women step confidently into the next season of their life.
How do you/will you achieve that impact?
Ha! Good question! It feels like a big question to tackle. I want to be sure we accurately assess the issue, collect data, and evaluate it so we can demonstrate to our community and larger support system that we are not only committed to making a difference, but we are in fact making a difference and here is how. This is where I thank my stars that I am part of the ReSET community and Accelerator Program because even though my background is in Public Health and I have some experience with assessment, data collection, and evaluation, I know I need help to make sure I do it right and I am depending on ReSET’s community to give me a helping hand.
How do you balance purpose and profit?
This is a fun one which we haven’t figured out yet, but we are just diving into. Ask me this again in a few months and I’m sure I’ll have tons to share!
What have been your biggest challenges thus far?
Quantifying the value my products and services bring to the customer and the greater community.
What is the most rewarding thing to you about operating a social enterprise?
Every day I wake up with happy vibes and the happiness resonates throughout my day. Nothing beats starting a social enterprise because not only do I feel personally successful, but I feel like I am truly giving back to the world. And honestly, isn’t that what it’s all about?
Dear reSET Community, The Board of Directors today announces the departure of Sarah Bodley as Executive Director of reSET in a planned transition later this year. The Board has immense gratitude for Sarah and all her contributions over the years. Over the last seven years, Sarah has built an amazing foundation for the organization and she leaves reSET in a strong position for continued growth and service. Sarah joined reSET in 2018 and over the past seven years has solidified and expanded reSET’s mission of supporting impact-driven entrepreneurs throughout Connecticut. Here are a few key highlights from Sarah’s time here: Facilitated the acquisition of Collab New Haven, expanding reSET’s footprint to a statewide geography and further enhancing our mission Developed and implemented new core programs including the award-winning Food Incubator, as well as the Food Accelerator, Retail Incubator, Measure What Matters, and Digital Marketing Mastermind Established reSET as a founding partner of the Hartford Culinary Collaborative, enabling greater connectivity and cooperation among food-centric support organizations in our region Doubled the organization’s budget to over 1 Million Dollars, securing multi-year State government grants Won the prestigious Neighborhood Builders Award from Bank of America, and the Leadership Greater Hartford Polaris Community Award in 2022 Established an endowment fund thanks to support from the Zachs Family Foundation to support the long term sustainability of reSET’s mission Over the coming months, we will be continuing our search to find reSET's next Executive Director. Sarah will stay onboard through June to ensure a smooth handoff to our next leader, and will be available as a resource throughout 2026. It is the Board of Directors’ priority, along with Sarah's, to make this transition as smooth as possible to continue the great work Sarah has helped us do over her tenure. The Executive Director’s Job Posting can be found at this link, and we invite you to keep in mind any potential candidates in your community or network that you think might be a great fit. The Board of Directors wishes Sarah the best of luck in her future endeavors. We are appreciative of the dedication and enthusiasm she has given to reSET over the last seven years, particularly navigating our organization seamlessly during the historic times of the pandemic, changes in administration, and an ever-evolving landscape of opportunity for entrepreneurs. We are confident that with Sarah’s support, this transition will be a smooth one for our Connecticut entrepreneurs, partners, and generous supporters. We look forward to continuing our growth and to serving our mission of supporting the social enterprise sector. If you have any questions or concerns during this transition, please don’t hesitate to reach out via contacting admin@resetco.org to get in touch with the board. Sincerely, Ali Lazowski + Dave Menard, co-chairs, reSET Board of Directors
Inviting Impact Entrepreneurs Into Transformative Growth
21 Businesses Participated, Gaining Valuable Impact-Driven Business Training
Special Discount Available for Attendees Purchasing Tickets to Both Events
11 Impact-Driven Food Businesses Ready to Scale Operations and Community Impact
Program Partnership with Breakfast Lunch & Dinner Supports Early-Stage Retail Businesses with Social Impact Focus
Listen in to the replay of John Voket of Connoisseur Media's interview of reSET Food Program Manager Katrice Claudio and Program Manager Ndubisi Okeke that aired on Sunday July 6, 2025. They talked about the reSET programs that are enrolling for the fall--the Food Accelerator for food businesses looking to scale, and the Retail Incubator for early stage product-based businesses looking to ramp up for holiday markets in Connecticut. Listen here: https://audioboom.com/posts/8745230-reset-fall-program-preview The interview aired on the award-winning "For the People" show on Sunday, July 6 on WEBE 108 FM, STAR 99.9, WPLR FM and THe VOICE of Connecticut and on the podcast.
Food Accelerator and Retail Incubator Offer Comprehensive Support, Mentorship, and Grant Opportunities for Growing Businesses
Request for Proposal: Communications Consultant Services
Twelve Food Businesses to Present at Focus @ reSET on Monday April 14th in Hartford
