Nick Hitchcock shows off some mushrooms he has been growing as part of the Cap and Stem LLC ribbon-cutting at CAN BE Innovation Center.
Submitted Photo
Faith Letcher has found a home for her photography business, Faith L. Photography LLC, at the CAN BE Innovation Center.
Submitted Photo
HAZLETON — Two entrepreneurs are getting a little more room to grow their businesses after joining the CAN BE Innovation Center.
Nick Hitchcock, a Susquehanna County native who spent 25 years working in information technology and cybersecurity, is turning a longtime interest in mushroom cultivation into Cap & Stem Life LLC, a specialty mushroom business.
Hazleton resident Faith Letcher, meanwhile, is taking her photography business, Faith L. Photography LLC, from a largely home-based operation into a dedicated studio.
The two businesses are the newest clients of the CAN BE Innovation Center, a business incubator and entrepreneurship initiative affiliated with CAN DO Inc.
For Hitchcock, the move represents a significant career change.
He began growing mushrooms as a hobby before realizing there was an opportunity to turn his interest into a business serving the Greater Hazleton Area.
“I wanted to change things for a while,” Hitchcock said. “I started looking into the mushroom industry and realized there really wasn’t anyone doing what we’re planning to do in our immediate area.”
Cap & Stem Life plans to grow gourmet varieties, including lion’s mane, shiitake, and oyster mushrooms, for consumers, farmers’ markets, and restaurants. Hitchcock is also exploring value-added products, including mushroom tinctures and other specialty offerings.
Finding an appropriate place to grow the business had been a challenge for Hitchcock and his wife, Andrea. What began as a small operation developed into plans for a dedicated growing facility capable of supporting future expansion.
CAN BE provides Hitchcock with workspace as well as mentorship, networking, and business development resources.
Letcher’s path into business began much earlier.
A lifelong area resident, she developed an interest in photography as a teenager, taking pictures of friends and family and sharing them online. While attending Penn State Hazleton, where she earned a degree in corporate communication with a minor in business, she continued building her portfolio.
She officially established Faith L. Photography in November 2024, initially balancing photography sessions with a full-time job.
Her work includes portraits, couples, families, engagements, and senior photography.
The new studio space at CAN BE will allow Letcher to conduct indoor sessions throughout the year while also giving her a place for client consultations, photo editing, and other business operations. Previously, some of those tasks were done from home, coffee shops, or wherever she could find space.
“I’ve always wanted a studio, so this is a complete dream come true for me,” Letcher said.
Letcher said support from local clients, friends, and family has helped her business grow.
“Everybody in the area has been so supportive,” she said. “Even when I was just starting out, people were willing to take a chance on me, share my work, and help me grow.”
Letcher also received assistance from CAN DO Economic Development Manager Nico Makuta in establishing her LLC and was connected with the Wilkes University Small Business Development Center before being introduced to CAN BE.
Both entrepreneurs said the resources available through the Innovation Center have helped them navigate some of the challenges of starting a business.
CAN DO Program Coordinator Ana Perez works with the new clients and said their experiences demonstrate the variety of entrepreneurs served by the center.
“Seeing Nick make a career change to follow his passion is incredibly inspiring,” Perez said. “We are excited to support him as he continues his entrepreneurial journey in the Greater Hazleton Area.”
Perez also said Letcher’s photography business is another example of an entrepreneur taking the next step toward building a career locally.
The Innovation Center provides affordable workspace, mentorship, networking opportunities, and business development resources for entrepreneurs. CAN BE also operates the Hazleton Kitchen Incubator, providing resources for food-based businesses.
For Hitchcock and Letcher, the center offers something else: a place to move their businesses beyond the startup stage.
Letcher hopes to eventually turn photography from a side business into her full-time career.
Hitchcock is working toward expanding Cap & Stem Life and establishing relationships with restaurants, farmers’ markets, and consumers in the region.
Both are now doing so with a dedicated place to work and a network of other entrepreneurs around them.
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