In 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… Read more »
Posts Tagged: Business Plan
Create realistic financial projections
Part 3 of the “Things we wish we knew” Blog series By: Tina Oddleifson, Business Advisor We 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… Read more »
How Much Capital Do You Need to Start a Business?
Part 2 of the “Things we wish we knew” Blog series By: Tina Oddleifson, Business Advisor Being a successful entrepreneur means understanding how much capital you need to start a business so that you have room to grow. Not having enough capital can be a major pitfall for a new business owner, making it the… Read more »
Essential Steps Before You Start a Business
Part 1 of the “Things we wish we knew” Blog series By: Tina Oddleifson, Business Advisor When we asked Maine SBDC Business Advisors about the biggest mistakes they see new business owners make (including themselves) many of the responses boiled down to the same essential thing: Moving forward before you are ready. We’ve all been… Read more »
Bolton Electric – Windham
Edward Bolton started his electrical journey in high school vocational training. After working in the industry for many years as an employee, he was more than ready to start his own business. Eddie wanted to take his knowledge and work ethic and focus it on a business that he could proudly call his own. His… Read more »
Cadillac Mtn. Summit Shuttle – Bar Harbor
The best business ideas solve a problem for their customers and Ellen Finn of Cadillac Mtn. Summit Shuttle definitely does that! She has lived and worked as a local tour guide on Mount Desert Island for many years, just outside Acadia National Park. A few years ago, the National Park System instituted a reservation system… Read more »
Sixberry Solutions – Skowhegan
Making the transition to digital marketing has not been easy, especially for rural Maine. With a lack of internet infrastructure and old-school mentalities, small businesses need to be inventive with their marketing strategies. Noah and Ashley Sixberry know this all too well, both having grown up in Maine. So they started Sixberry Solutions in 2020… Read more »
MotoResto – Portland
Krystal Stone and Andrew Furbush came to the Maine SBDC in June of 2021. Andrew, a knowledgeable mechanic with a passion for antique and classic car restoration and Krystal who is great with managing all of the aspects of the auto business wanted to start their own company, MotoResto, LLC. At that time, they were… Read more »
Dobson Family Funeral & Cremation Services – Arundel
Jeffrey Dobson has a passion for helping people through hard times. Born and raised in Maine, he knows how difficult dealing with the death of a loved one can be. Facing the complex and expensive funeral system after his mother passed in 2005 taught him some valuable lessons. He is now using that experience to… Read more »
Peace, Love, Waffles – Dover-Foxcroft
Michael Begley was the 5th generation to work at the restaurant his father’s family owned and operated. So when his mother pitched the idea of a waffle-themed restaurant, he knew it would be worth moving to Maine to help with! In the fall of 2019, they got started in their first location. However, COVID quickly… Read more »