Uploaded November 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Greg Pardo knew he was ready for a change when he saw a job posting for a Verizon Innovative Learning Lab STEAM Specialist in New Brunswick, New Jersey. He’d worked for 23 years at the same level in a nearby school system — as a computer science teacher, a STEM interventionist and other roles — yet was unable to work his way into administration. “Always trying to move up, but never quite making it,” says Pardo. “It was frustrating.”
In the three years since he took that role as a STEAM Specialist at McKinley Community School in New Brunswick, he’s advanced to District Supervisor of Instructional Technology for the New Brunswick School System. What helped him move up so quickly? Decades of tech education experience, natural people skills and professional training from Verizon Innovative Learning.
“Working with Verizon Innovative Learning improved my confidence as an
administrator, giving me the tools really to understand how we utilize technology in a classroom setting,” says Pardo.
Now, in his role as District Supervisor of Instructional Technology, he shares wisdom about student-centered learning with educators throughout the
New Brunswick school system, often suggesting changes in classroom methodology to increase student engagement.
Verizon Innovative Learning is a key part of the company’s responsible business plan to help move the world forward for all. As part of the plan, Verizon has an ambitious goal of providing 10 million youth with digital skills training by 2030. Educators can access free lessons, professional development, and immersive learning experiences to help bring new ways of learning into the classroom by visiting Verizon Innovative Learning HQ.
Greg Pardo knew he was ready for a change when he saw a job posting for a Verizon Innovative Learning Lab STEAM Specialist in New Brunswick, New Jersey. He’d worked for 23 years at the same level in a nearby school system — as a computer science teacher, a STEM interventionist and other roles — yet was unable to work his way into administration. “Always trying to move up, but never quite making it,” says Pardo. “It was frustrating.”
In the three years since he took that role as a STEAM Specialist at McKinley Community School in New Brunswick, he’s advanced to District Supervisor of Instructional Technology for the New Brunswick School System. What helped him move up so quickly? Decades of tech education experience, natural people skills and professional training from Verizon Innovative Learning.
“Working with Verizon Innovative Learning improved my confidence as an
administrator, giving me the tools really to understand how we utilize technology in a classroom setting,” says Pardo.
Now, in his role as District Supervisor of Instructional Technology, he shares wisdom about student-centered learning with educators throughout the
New Brunswick school system, often suggesting changes in classroom methodology to increase student engagement.
Verizon Innovative Learning is a key part of the company’s responsible business plan to help move the world forward for all. As part of the plan, Verizon has an ambitious goal of providing 10 million youth with digital skills training by 2030. Educators can access free lessons, professional development, and immersive learning experiences to help bring new ways of learning into the classroom by visiting Verizon Innovative Learning HQ.
![Long Island sign maker’s business lights up, thanks to new digital marketing strategies
Ron Fisher’s entrepreneurial journey began nearly a decade ago when he and his former business partner took over an existing sign business to launch Fisher Signs & Shirts in Southampton, NY.
They produce storefront signs, vehicle lettering and banners as well as printed flyers, business cards, stationery, custom T-shirts, laser-engraved products and company uniforms. Today, Fisher Signs & Shirts has two locations and has grown to 12 employees, including current co-owner and business partner Jerry Smith.
Fisher first learned about Verizon Small Business Digital Ready through a partnership with the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce. The course offerings, he says, immediately resonated.
“I knew that social media marketing was really important for my business, but I didnt know where to go to learn it,” Fisher explains. “When I found Verizon Small Business Digital Ready, I saw courses that really spoke to me, that were titled [with] exactly the information I was missing.”
The Basics of Search Engine Optimization (SEO) taught Fisher that he might need to hire an outside vendor to help strategize for SEO. When I was meeting with potential vendors to offer that service to my business, I knew what to ask for, I knew what to look for,” Fisher says. “And I printed out the [Verizon] course guide, and had it right there as a resource.”
He also redesigned the company website and learned how to use free analytics tools from search engines and social media platforms. “It allows us to tailor our content to what’s working, whats impactful and what inspires people to reach out to us,” he says.
The results have been clear: “Since initiating SEO and the website revamp, we have seen a 25% increase in customers taking action by emailing or calling. Our web traffic is up 57% and we’ve passed one of our competitors in [search engine results] ranking,” Fisher says.
Verizon Small Business Digital Ready is part of Verizon’s goal to support 1 million small businesses by 2030 with the resources to thrive in the digital economy. Visit CitizenVerizon.com to learn more about the company’s responsible business efforts. To sign up for Verizon Small Business Digital Ready, visit digitalready.verizonwireless.com. An individual users experience may vary and results are not guaranteed. Long Island sign maker’s business lights up, thanks to new digital marketing strategies](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/sLuYyg5ESv8/mqdefault.jpg)

![Mannequin Madness finds a new business partner in AI
Judi Henderson has “always been curious about the next, newest thing.” That’s how she found herself buying a single mannequin in 1999 for an art project — and ended up an entrepreneur.
Henderson, 69, is the owner of Mannequin Madness, a thriving mannequin sales, rental and recycling business in Oakland, California. The business has grown thanks in part to her willingness to keep learning about new technology, from digital marketing and social media to practical AI tools for small businesses. Verizon’s free skill-development programs have helped her build those skills and put them to work in her business.
How Judi is using AI for her small business Social media: In Verizon’s free online courses, Henderson learned how to identify the most strategic platforms, saving her time and marketing dollars.
AI for content: Henderson uses AI tools to generate images for her website and help create content for her blog.
AI for tasks: She also uses AI to respond to customers, automate tasks and prepare for vendor meetings. She estimates this gives her 20% more time in productivity alone.
Coaching and reviews with experts: Henderson takes advantage of Verizon’s expert coaching, both live and online. She appreciates the diversity of people taking part.
As the retail landscape changes, Henderson is dedicated to changing with it. “AI [feels] like a whole new world, and I like that it gets me excited,” she says. “I feel like I could be on the cutting edge of something and that is appealing to me.”
“I’m amazed that something that’s free has so much value,” Henderson says. “Verizon gives us the tools we need, making sure small businesses are not left behind.”
Discover free AI courses (https://digitalready.verizonwireless.com/results/ai?) and resources designed to help small-business owners put AI to work.
An individual users experience may vary and results are not guaranteed. Mannequin Madness finds a new business partner in AI](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/tGQBay-psQo/mqdefault.jpg)





![With data-driven decisions, Goat House Gym increases profits
Camryn Bukowski’s garage in Phillipsburg, Montana, was getting crowded. She had been teaching functional fitness classes there and had plenty of demand since the nearest open-to-anyone gym was more than 100 miles away. But when Bukowski and a business partner decided to open Goat House Gym together in 2023, they soon learned that making a profit in the small town was tougher than they’d expected.
Fortunately, Bukowski found resources from Verizon Small Business Digital Ready and learned she needed to factor in more of her costs to move past break-even. “We were really concerned that increasing our membership prices meant we would lose members,” Bukowski says. She restructured her memberships, raised her prices 18% and started to see a profit. “We didn’t lose members. [In fact], we were able to retain them. The Digital Ready courses gave me confidence to base our prices on real numbers and know my worth.”
Digital Ready also taught Bukowski, who is now running the business on her own, to let data drive her marketing plan. After analyzing the gym’s email and social media campaigns, she began tailoring messages by audience, adding relevant offers and sharing stories about her members. Reaching the right people led to sold-out small-group training sessions. “Social media and email engagement directly correlates to our revenue each month,” she says.
With profits steadier and more predictable, Bukowski has been able to reinvest. She bought three new machines and hired a videographer to film for a new online training program, extending Goat House’s reach beyond Phillipsburg. Goat House Gym now tailors their equipment and classes to serve members of all ages, with dedicated programs for toddlers, teens and older adults. Bukowski employs 11 people in a town where instructor jobs barely existed.
“Now I can’t imagine doing anything else,” Bukowski says. “I love running a gym. I love the members and the community here.”
Verizon Small Business Digital Ready is part of Verizon’s goal to support 1 million small businesses by 2030 with free resources to help them succeed. To sign up, visit Verizon Small Business Digital Ready. Visit https://wwww.CitizenVerizon.com to learn more about the company’s responsible business efforts. An individual users experience may vary and results are not guaranteed.
#VerizonSmallBusinessDigitalReady #DigitalReady #SmallBusiness #EntrepreneurLife With data-driven decisions, Goat House Gym increases profits](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/uwE8Cj8crBo/mqdefault.jpg)

