Stand Out This Holiday Season: A Small Business Guide to Success

As the holiday season approaches, consumer spending is expected to rise. Even more promising, nearly 50% of shoppers prefer to visit physical stores to “assess products first-hand,” according to a recent Accenture Holiday Shopping survey. In this guide, we share three strategies to help your small business make the most of this shopping season.

Tip 1: Participate in Small Business Saturday

Small Business Saturday is happening on November 30, 2024! This special day highlights the importance of supporting small, local businesses. With proper planning, you can make it a standout day for your business. Here’s how to prepare:

Arranged by Amy – Greater Portland

Amy Smith, an occupational therapist (OT) for nearly 30 years, saw a recurring need among her older adult clients. She noticed many with cognitive and physical challenges struggled to stay organized, impacting their independence and daily functioning. Realizing she was in a unique position to help, Amy decided to start her own professional organizing business in early 2023, Arranged by Amy.Read More

Jerome’s – Portland

Sasha Salzberg, Ian Daly, and Evan Carroll had a vision: to open an authentic New England sports bar in the heart of Portland. With combined expertise in bar management, design, and business management, the trio pooled their skills to make this dream a reality. However, their shared passion for bringing people together sparked the idea for Jerome’s.

Maine Names 2024 State Star

The Maine Small Business Development Centers (Maine SBDC) has selected Stephanie Case as the 2024 State Star. The award, given annually, recognizes a member of the Maine SBDC staff who has shown exemplary performance and a strong commitment to small business success.

Stephanie Case is the Administrative & Data Manager at the Maine SBDC. In her role, she works tirelessly to ensure entrepreneurs and business owners get seamless access to Maine SBDC services. She oversees client intake to ensure effective delivery of services, provides patient guidance to colleagues on the policies and practices of the SBDC, and creates data reporting that helps enhance both individual and program performance.

Stephanie is known for asking excellent questions that help identify and clarify issues. She works diligently to overcome obstacles that improve the Maine SBDC program. In the three years she has been with the SBDC, she has contributed to many critical improvements to SBDC practices and operations. Stephanie helps keep the Maine SBDC operating efficiently, consistently, and accurately. Before joining the SBDC in 2021, Stephanie worked at a non-profit run organization that educates on the power of buying local and promoting the goods of small-batch makers and artisans.

“Stephanie’s positive attitude, willingness to help, and strategic thinking consistently lead to outcomes that exceed expectations and help the entire organization run more smoothly,” commented Mark Delisle, Maine SBDC State Director. “In a very short period of time, Stephanie has demonstrated her ability to learn quickly and be a key part of the team.”

Each year, America’s Small Business Development Centers recognizes top performers from programs around the country at its annual conference. A special reception was held on Tuesday, September 10, 2024, in Atlanta, Georgia to honor this year’s award winners.

Ground Well Counseling – Bowdoinham

Ailish Kress has always had a passion for helping others. With a degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and a Graduate Certificate in Adventure-based Counseling, she’s turning her passion into a career. Ailish set out to launch Ground Well Counseling, offering experiential counseling that integrates nature and therapy through garden-based techniques. Her innovative approach helps clients address issues of adjustment, trauma recovery, and emotional, relational, and communication skills.Read More

Our Commitment to You

The Maine SBDC is preparing for an upcoming shift in its organizational structure. Rest assured, entrepreneurs and existing small business owners across Maine will continue to receive the same high-quality, no-cost, and confidential Maine SBDC business advising services they rely on.

What’s Changing:

Starting October 1st, Coastal Enterprises Inc (CEI) will no longer be providing Maine SBDC business advising services. CEI is implementing this change to better align with its mission and strategic plan, and will focus on prioritizing its business advising services to entrepreneurs in specific populations and sectors.

Despite this change, Maine SBDC and CEI will remain collaborative partners, working together to ensure Maine’s entrepreneurs and small businesses have the resources needed to thrive.

What’s NOT Changing:

The Maine SBDC will continue to offer high-quality, confidential, and no-cost business advising services to diverse small business communities across Maine.

Over the past 45+ years, the Maine SBDC with the assistance and support of CEI and its other contract partners, Androscoggin Valley Council of Governments (AVCOG) in Auburn, the Northern Maine Development Commission (NMDC) in Caribou, and the University of Southern Maine (USM) in Portland, has provided one-on-one business advising services to thousands of entrepreneurs and small businesses across Maine.

The Maine SBDC looks forward to continuing to provide exceptional business advising services and embracing this change as an opportunity to better address the ever-changing needs of Maine’s entrepreneurial community.

If you have questions about this change, please contact mainesbdc@maine.edu. To request Maine SBDC business advising services, click here.

Choosing the Right Business Name

Part 7 of the “Things we wish we knew” blog series

By: Tina Oddleifson, Business Advisor

Your business name can be a cornerstone of a successful and memorable brand, or it can lead to unforeseen complications. For some clients, choosing the wrong name has resulted in administrative hassles, marketing missteps, and even cease-and-desist orders. To steer clear of these pitfalls, read on for essential tips. Read More

Gillies Law – Portland

Jennifer Gillies completed her law degree at the University of Maine before dedicating nearly 10 years to serving Maine’s immigrant community as an immigration attorney at a local firm. During her time at the University, Jennifer was introduced to immigration law through the Refugee and Human Rights Clinic, igniting her passion for assisting asylum seekers and individuals navigating the complex U.S. immigration system.Read More

MainelyNP Primary Care – South Portland

Amy Brown, a dedicated nurse practitioner from South Portland, Maine, has always been passionate about healthcare. With over 20 years of experience in the field, she dreamed of providing more personalized and comprehensive care to her patients. This dream led her to establish MainelyNP Primary Care, a direct primary care practice offering a subscription-based model that allows for more meaningful patient interactions and better healthcare outcomes.
Read More

Maine Coast Creamery – Winslow

Originally from Haiti, Ismael Thadal immigrated to Maine in 2007. He met Molly Hodgkins, a Maine native, in 2014, and they bonded over their shared love of ice cream. Ismael and Molly began making ice cream at home, working on perfecting their unique recipes with the help of friends, family, and community members who served as eager taste testers. To deepen his knowledge, Ismael took an Ice Cream 101 course at Penn State, which helped him understand the complexities of manufacturing high-quality ice cream.Read More

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