Built by a neighbor who actually lives here.
After 25 years building tech companies in California, I came home to Berks County and couldn't find half our local businesses online. So I'm fixing that.
- Local Businesses Listed
- 11,000+
- Monthly Visitors
- ~10,000
- Berks County Coverage
- 100%
- Years Building Tech
- 25
About BerksConnect.com
The Missing Piece of Berks County's Digital Presence
Google shows you Starbucks. Yelp shows you restaurants with 50+ reviews. But who shows you the Amish craftsman in Oley, the home-based accountant in Sinking Spring, or the food truck that only sets up at Gring's Mill on Thursdays?
We do.
“After 25 years in California tech, I sold my companies and moved back. Family is 20 minutes away instead of 3,000 miles. Turns out what I was chasing in California was already here.”
Why This Matters
- • 40-50% of local businesses aren't on Google Maps
- • Family-owned shops get buried by chains
- • Home-based businesses are invisible online
- • Amish craftsmen don't advertise digitally
- • Local gems rely on word-of-mouth only
The Story Behind BerksConnect
I'm Tim, and this directory exists because of a simple frustration: After moving back to Berks County from San Diego in 2024, I couldn't find the businesses I knew existed here.
For 25 years, I built tech companies in LA and San Diego – software development, SaaS platforms, educational apps, marketing agencies. Sold them, did well, but missed home. So my wife and I packed up our mini goldendoodle and 19 chickens (yes, we shipped 12 of them from California through USPS), bought 14 acres outside Wyomissing, and came home.
That's when I discovered the problem: Try finding a local contractor who isn't a franchise. Or that Amish furniture maker everyone talks about. Or the accountant your neighbor swears by who works from home. Google Maps? Mostly chains. Yelp? Restaurants and bars. The established local businesses that make Berks County special? Invisible online.
Built Different, On Purpose
BerksConnect isn't trying to be the next Silicon Valley unicorn. It's built by someone who shops at the Wyomissing Farmers Market every Saturday, rides a mower for hours listening to Phish shows, and is learning to hunt deer on the property. I'm your neighbor, not a faceless corporation.
Using advanced AI combined with boots-on-the-ground research, we're documenting EVERY legitimate business in Berks County. Not just the ones who pay for ads. Not just the ones with marketing budgets. Everyone.
What Makes Us Different
Truly Local: Built in Berks County, for Berks County. Not some algorithm in Mountain View deciding what you see.
Complete Coverage: From established shops on Penn Avenue to home-based businesses in Fleetwood – if they're legitimate, they're listed.
Real Person, Real Accountability: Submit our contact form and we'll get back to you as soon as possible. I answer within hours, not days.
Free Forever for Basics: Listing your business will always be free. No gatekeeping our local economy.
Privacy First: We don't track you around the internet or sell your data. Period.
The Vision
Today, BerksConnect lists 2,000+ businesses and adds 50+ more every week. But this is just the beginning.
My goal? Make BerksConnect the default way Berks County finds local businesses. Create jobs for local developers and content creators. Build something sustainable that serves our community for decades, not quarters.
This isn't about disrupting anything or chasing venture capital. It's about using 25 years of tech experience to solve a real problem for real neighbors.
Join the Movement
For Residents: Discover businesses you never knew existed. Support local families, not corporate shareholders. Find that perfect service without wading through ads.
For Business Owners: Get found by locals actively looking for what you offer. Claim your free listing. Tell your story. Grow with your community.
For Everyone: Let's build something together that makes Berks County stronger. Share hidden gems you know about. Spread the word. Be part of keeping our local economy thriving.
Fun fact: At 23, I couldn't leave Pennsylvania fast enough. Now at 47, with perspective from building businesses across the country, I realize everything worth having was here all along. Just took 25 years and 3,000 miles to figure it out.
Ready to Discover Berks County?
Join thousands of neighbors already using BerksConnect to find and support local businesses.