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Things to Know Before Signing a Lease

Part 5 of the “Things we wish we knew” Blog series

By: Tina Oddleifson, Business Advisor  

Decorative imagery of a clipboard with a lease. Someone is pointing to the lease with a pen and someone is pointing at a section of the release with their fingerYou’ve got a business idea that you’ve been thinking about for a while and suddenly you see the perfect location. You’re convinced your business will not work anywhere other than in that adorable shop on the corner of Main St. You’re envisioning streams of happy customers leaving your store, delighted by what they found inside. You call the realtor, do some quick calculations, and before you know it you’ve signed a multi-year lease.   

Sometimes in our excitement or fear of missing out, we forge ahead before thinking through one of our biggest financial decisions. This is why it’s in our top five in our  “Things We Wish We Knew” blog series, where we highlight common mistakes we see! Only a thorough and realistic set of financial projections and an understanding of your cash flow and break-even point can help you determine if it’s the right financial move. Beyond the financial impact of a lease, be aware of these ten costly mistakes before you sign.Read More

Handful Studios – Portland

Logo for Handful Studios in PortlandJulian Erickson-Watson’s love for pottery began during his senior year of college when he decided to enroll in a pottery class. Not knowing what would come of it, he chose to follow this passion to see where it would lead him. Eventually, Julian relocated to Maine, where he discovered the rich pottery community in Portland. Julian set out to put down roots by opening his very own pottery teaching studio. That’s when he turned to the SBDC!

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Sip House – Freeport

Sip House LogoIn the spring of 2023, Tammy Nonni took the bold step of becoming a business owner by acquiring a cafe in downtown Freeport. Over the next few months, she undertook numerous renovations and changes, culminating in the re-launch of the establishment as Sip House. Tammy envisioned the cafe and smoothie shop as a welcoming and safe space for the Freeport community and visitors to come together. Leveraging her background as an integrative health coach and herbalist, she curated a unique menu featuring local organic drinks and bites.Read More

How to Reach Your Customers

Part 4 of the “Things we wish we knew” Blog series

By: Tina Oddleifson, Business Advisor  

“If you market to everyone, you’ll market to no one”  – Famous Marketing Guru

Decorative imagery - hand with magnifying glass over wooden cutouts of people - identifying target marketAs business advisors, we review a lot of business plans. One thing we see regularly are marketing plans with vague references to social media and a website but with very few details. Not having a detailed marketing plan is a costly mistake — because marketing is the engine that drives your sales. That’s why it’s in the top five of our “Things We Wished We Knew” blog series.Read More

Palette Crêperie – Monhegan

Palette Creperie logoOriginally hailing from Morocco and residing New York City, Redwane Gatarny, a trained chef, embarked on a journey back to his culinary roots. After seven years in public health, he decided to return to his passion for good food with a dream of sharing the authentic flavors he remembers from his childhood. He wanted to open a seasonal food trailer on Monhegan Island.Read More

Maine SBDC Releases 2023 Results: Supporting and empowering entrepreneurs throughout Maine

February 26, 2024

The Maine Small Business Development Centers (SBDC) is proud to announce the release of its 2023 Annual Report. The report, available here, highlights the Maine SBDC’s impact in supporting Maine’s entrepreneurs and small businesses. The report showcases the tangible outcomes in 2023 and spotlights individual success stories that underscore the powerful effect of the program’s business advising and training services.Read More

Ease Massage & Manual Therapy – Saco

Ease Massage & Manual Therapy LogoStefani Sellers has always been passionate about healing and helping others. This is why she launched her business, Ease Massage & Manual Therapy, in 2022. Ease is Maine’s only nationally board-certified medical massage therapy practice certified in manual lymphatic drainage. She provides her clients with effective healing solutions tailored to their individual needs including massage therapy, manual therapy, manual lymph drainage, and Reiki.Read More

Create realistic financial projections

Part 3 of the “Things we wish we knew” Blog series

By: Tina Oddleifson, Business Advisor  

Part of a financial spreadsheet with pen and calculatorWe get it, you’re an artist, a baker, or love working on cars.  You’ve decided to start a business doing what you love, and you plan to let someone else worry about the financial details later.  

But when we asked Maine SBDC Business Advisors about the biggest mistakes they’ve seen business owners make,“finance” came up — a lot.  

There’s much to talk about when it comes to small business finance and the common mistakes we see business owners make. So, in this post we’ll start at the beginning with financial projections.Read More

New Federal Reporting Requirements for LLCs and Corporations

Decorative image that features a megaphone and the text "Corporate Transparency Act" and "What Business Owners Need to Know"If you have an LLC, corporation, or other entity registered through the Maine Secretary of State, you’ll want to know about your obligations under the federal Corporate Transparency Act.

On January 1, 2024 the Corporate Transparency Act went into effect requiring millions of small businesses to register with the US Treasury’s Financial Crimes and Enforcement Network (FinCen).Read More