As a small business owner, one of the biggest challenges you may face is determining when it’s time to raise your prices. Maintaining loyal customers and earning a profit can be a delicate balance. However, there are times when raising your prices is necessary to keep your business viable. A winning price strategy includes knowing your cost, knowing your market, and communicating your value.
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Preparation For Fairs, Festivals And Farmers Markets
Maine offers businesses year-round opportunities to display their products to potential customers. The state has 24 agriculture fairs, 70 festivals, 115 summer farmers markets, and 35 fall/winter markets. Participating in fairs, festivals, and farmers’ markets can be an excellent way for businesses to promote their products and increase sales. However, it’s essential to prepare your booth in a way that stands out and is relevant to the event. Read More
Janie Bell Mosaics – York
Jeanette Bell, of Janie Bell Mosaics, is a retired teacher and a self-taught art and crafts enthusiast. Her passion for mosaic craft started when she was living in Santa Fe, New Mexico. She loved the colors of the high desert and the access to beautiful tiles from Mexico. In 2018, Jeanette relocated to New England and settled in York, where she started creating mosaic pieces as a hobby. Her creations were so unique and beautiful that they caught the attention of her friends, who encouraged her to start a small business. Read More
Nature-Based Tourism In Maine
Maine’s outdoor industry is a vital and thriving state economy component. With its rugged coastlines, dense forests, and stunning mountain ranges, Maine is one of the top five states in the country for the outdoor recreation industry. In 2022 alone, Maine attracted over 15 million visitors, adding around eight billion dollars in revenue to the state’s tourism industry on accommodations, groceries, restaurants, shopping, and entertainment.
The outdoor industry in Maine has undergone significant changes since the pandemic. However, this industry is core to our quality of life in Maine, and the setbacks gave way to a renewed focus on local tourism, with many Mainers rediscovering the beauty and adventure that their home state has to offer.
Depot Square Hardware & Variety – Mechanic Falls
After a career managing grocery stores, Chad Boulet and his husband Scott Hunter, decided to embark on a new career and purchased their local hardware store! Depot Square Hardware & Variety is located in downtown Mechanic Falls, and throughout the pandemic their business actually grew as people relied on them for goods and services rather than larger area chain stores. Chad was referred to the Maine SBDC by his lender during the purchasing process to help put together some of the required paperwork.
Connecting with Maine SBDC at AVCOG Center Director and Business Advisor Lori Allen helped him understand each step along the way. Lori reviewed his business plan, providing market research and general feedback. Then together they created realistic financial projections based on that market research as well as the previous owners’ P&L statements. Read More
Sacred Paws – Porter
Stephanie R. Smith, M. Ed., CHES, CCDT has felt connected to animals since she was very young. Though she wasn’t totally sure how this would play out over the course of her life, she had a gut feeling that she was headed in the right direction! Opening Sacred Paws, a heart-centered holistic positive reinforcement canine behavioral support, training, and nutrition business in Porter, connected her head and her heart in a way that felt affirming. Yet she knew she needed to continue to grow and become more effective at business planning in order to thrive. Read More
Introductory Guide to Mobile App Development for Small Businesses
By: Maine SBDC Intern Ryan McNally
From banking to social media, mobile apps have become a part of our daily routine. Some businesses only exist as apps, like Uber, and other businesses develop apps to enhance their existing services, like clothing stores. For small businesses, developing a mobile app may seem intimidating and costly, but the benefits can be significant. A well-designed app can increase visibility and sales, improve customer engagement, and streamline operations.Read More
Smile4ME Dental Hygiene – Richmond
Jessica Alexander is another inspiring small business owner who proved that with hard work and dedication, anything is possible. Before starting her independent practice Smile4ME Dental Hygiene, Jess was a passionate dental hygienist with 16 years of experience in the industry. However, in 2021 she was looking for a change and felt ready to bring those skills to her hometown. Read More
Maine Sol Botanicals – Scarborough
Katie DeLorme is a woman of many talents! She has taken her background in Integrative Physical Therapy and Health Coaching and blended it with her ever-expanding knowledge in organic gardening, permaculture principles, herbalism, and beekeeping. She brings this wisdom and passion into being a small business owner, focusing on self-care and healing. Katie has taken her blended background to develop a unique line of plant-based products for health and wellness, many from her organically grown botanicals, beeswax, and honey. Maine Sol Botanicals features small-batch, artisan, skin care creations hand-crafted with climate-friendly, ethically sourced ingredients. She offers a variety of soaps, salves, and scrubs plus other natural skin care products. Read More
Brant & Cochran – South Portland
Brant & Cochran is the only company in the world hand-forging Maine wedge pattern axes these days! There used to be a vibrant edge tool industry in Maine, but it dwindled to nothing in the 1960’s. Their goal is to honor that heritage by bringing quality axe-making back to Maine and there’s certainly not a lack of demand! Mark Ferguson, one of the partners behind Brand & Cochran, approached the Maine SBDC for help putting together an expansion plan in order to keep up with the heavy demand behind this heritage idea! Read More