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How to Survive and Thrive this Holiday Season

Holiday Season Prep for Maine Small Businesses

By: Maine SBDC Business Advisor Alison Lane 

As we close the year with the same uncertainty that plagued our Spring, Summer, and Fall, small business owners hope to capitalize on the season that is “merry and bright”.  However, changes to consumer behavior, recovering markets, and the scars from many rough months make the success of Black Friday, Christmas, and the other major spending holidays unknown.  How can businesses make the best of the 2020 holiday season with their marketing efforts?Read More

What If Someone Tests Positive

Positive Test What's Next - Maine SBDCWith the amount of time the Coronavirus has endured, business owners might have started asking themselves not if a positive case will occur in their business, but when. On the occasion where someone has become infected, it is important to know where to look and what to do. Fortunately, there is guidance out there to help.Read More

Long Shot Revival Homestead

TheLong Shot Revival Homestead - Logo Long Shot Revival Homestead, in Orland, is a family farm owned and run by Joe and Haley Brown. Joe is an Army National Guard veteran and initially thought farming and raising pigs would be a good therapeutic outlet as he transitioned back to civilian life. Starting off with just a few piglets, Maine SBDC at CEI Business Advisor Shannon Byers helped them get organized and explored options for expansion, leading to the addition of poultry to the farm. Joe also gained support through a nonprofit called United Farmer Veterans of Maine, aimed at helping Maine veterans navigate and succeed in agriculture and business success. Throughout this growth, he has continued to show commitment to this community in a variety of ways including a 10% discount to fellow veterans.

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Hero’s Pizza & Breakfast – Skowhegan, Maine

Hero's Pizza & Breakfast - Skowhegan, MaineDerek DeFelice is a decorated Purple Heart veteran and owner of Hero’s Pizza & Breakfast in Skowhegan. Derek and his wife Aaron have worked hard to build this local pizzeria since they purchased it in 2018. Through long hours and sheer determination, they have rebranded and remodeled the restaurant, increase sales, and hired new staff.Read More

Getting Started with QuickBooks

QuickBooks LogoBy: Christina Oddleifson, Maine SBDC Business Advisor 

Covid 19 has made it more important than ever for small businesses to have up to date information about their financial performance.

If the Covid 19 pandemic has taught us anything, it’s that small businesses with up to date and accurate financial information have fared better than those without. The ability to quickly access tax returns and financial statements has meant that these businesses were able to obtain grants and loans much faster. They could also quickly understand the impact of the pandemic on their business, leading to better and faster decision-making.Read More

How and When to Hire Professional Help – For Maine Small Businesses

By: Christina Oddleifson, Maine SBDC Business Advisor 

Hiring Professional Help Finding the right professionals to advise you is an important step for a small business owner.  Understanding what services are worth paying for and what things you can do “on your own” is different for everyone.

At some point, however, you will probably need the advice of someone in a specific industry, like a lawyer or accountant.  If you are approaching lenders or investors, these stakeholders will want to know who is on your BAIL team (banker, accountant, insurance agent, and lawyer) to help you navigate the complex issues that inevitably arise when owning a business.

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PPP Forgiveness Application Videos

One program, two forgiveness application forms. Which form is right for your business? Where do you find the forms? How do you fill out the applications properly? 

PPP Loan Forgiveness Application - Maine SBDC

Maine SBDC has created walk-through videos to help small businesses understand the Paycheck Protection Program Forgiveness Applications. This is a three-part series that first helps business owners identify which application form they should be filling out. The additional two videos walk businesses through each of the applications: 3508EZ Short Form and 3808 Long Form.Read More

What You Need to Know About Cybersecurity

Cybersecurity - maine sbdc

By: Keenan Hendricks, Maine SBDC Intern, based on Basics to Cyber-Securing Your Business Webinar by Business Advisors Brandon McDonald & Jared Tapley.

As your business grows its daily operations and overall presence on the web, you must ensure that you are informed about the basics of Cybersecurity for your small business. It is easy for you to become victim to Cyber Security breaches as it can happen to anyone or any department at any given time, even in Maine. Here are the focal points you need to be aware of on Cyber Securing your small business. Read More

Literacy Tech Inc. DBA ReMo – Lewiston, Maine

ReMo Education Application Logo

Michelle DeBlois and Kathryn Lariviere, both full-time middle school teachers, tri-founded LiteracyTech, Inc. with Peter Janett, a web application developer in December 2019.  Their vision was to create a web-based application that would bring educators and students together in the independent reading process. The app, which they named ReMo, streamlines the cumbersome and obsolete data management associated with literacy education and helps students engage with books they’ll love.Read More