Part 5 of the “Things we wish we knew” Blog series By: Tina Oddleifson, Business Advisor You’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… Read more »
Posts Tagged: small business
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 As business advisors, we review a lot of business plans. One thing we see regularly are marketing plans with vague references to social media… Read more »
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 »
New Federal Reporting Requirements for LLCs and Corporations
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… 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 »
Reflections on 2023: Focusing on Self-Care for Entrepreneurs
By: Business Advisor Anne Lancaster, Maine SBDC’s 2023 State Star Mainers are hard-working, dedicated, resilient people who lead their businesses with passion. But, being an entrepreneur is not for the faint of heart. It often means 24/7, 7 days a week, 365 days of the year, year after year after year. Add in constant change… Read more »
Holiday Prep Marketing for Your Business
As we gear up for the holiday season, it’s essential to plan ahead and make the most of the opportunities it presents. The 2023 holiday forecast predicts a 4.5% increase in retail sales, making it one of the busiest seasons yet. In this blog, we’ll share strategies to help you take advantage of this busy… Read more »
Great Wave Sushi – Portland
Seeing young entrepreneurs launch a new business and develop roots in their community is one of the most satisfying outcomes for the Maine SBDC. It’s even more exciting to help them scale up, grow and succeed. For Alex and Megan Herzog, starting Great Wave Sushi is the perfect example of how a new business with… Read more »
The Frappe Shoppe – Brunswick
Jamie Alexander fondly remembers working at the Brunswick drive-in restaurant, which her grandparents started in the 1950s. The restaurant was a staple in the community and Jamie began working there as a young teen, making milkshakes, frappes, and other drive-in favorites. It has been her dream for a decade to bring that experience to downtown… Read more »