Blog

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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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

Understanding Your Customer: Using Market Research to Ensure and Shape your Future

Understand Your Customer - Maine SBDC

By: Madeleine Lutts, Maine SBDC Intern

Since everyday life and the general business landscape have changed dramatically for almost all of us this year, most consumers are acting and behaving differently in at least one way. If you think about your shopping habits, and whether or not your shopping experiences have changed in the recent past, there’s a good chance you’ve been adapting to regulations and accessibility. Read More

Cape Whoopies, Maine’s Gourmet Whoopie Pie – South Portland, Maine

 

Cape Whoopies Logo Marcia Wiggins founded Cape Whoopies, Maine’s Gourmet Whoopie Pie in 2012. Located in South Portland, Maine, Cape Whoopies offers gourmet, unique whoopie pies that feature ingredients from all over the globe, such as chocolate from the Netherlands and vanilla from Madagascar. Cape Whoopies has seen explosive growth, outgrowing their space multiple times.

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Acupuncture Clinic of Rhonda Feiman – Belfast, Maine

Rhonda Feiman, AcupuncturistLike many small business owners, Rhonda Feiman, acupuncturist, wonders how long it will be before her clinic experiences some level of normalcy in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.  Concerns of safety, logistics, and compliance prevent Rhonda from reopening her practice to in-person care.  She’s been serving her clients through telehealth for several months, but a lack of personal contact left a void in her offerings and her bank account.Read More

TuneTown Music Gear | Retail & Service

John and Pam Edwards - TuneTownJohn and Pam Edwards have owned TuneTown Music Gear for 16 years in Wells. They bring generations of musical industry experience with the vision of providing a positive and nurturing experience in music instruction, service, and sales. Their business features nine large state of the art lesson studios, a recording studio, and a live performance stage. In the showroom, they offer a selection of instruments, keyboards, amplification, PA and recording gear, audiovisual installations in schools, churches, and military bases, print music and accessories at competitive prices. TuneTown also provides repair and maintenance on instruments and electronics.Read More

Wine Wise in Portland | Events & Experiences

Erica Archer - Wine Wise Owner Erica Archer owns Wine Wise. In normal times, Wine Wise provides wine, food, and spirit-based experiences. She and her team host group events that help connect customers to Maine’s vibrant food and beverage scene. Wine Wise hosts these wine and food events on sailboats and on walks through Portland’s bustling downtown. She also hosts trips to wine regions around the World.

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