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… Read more »
Posts Tagged: small business
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… Read more »
Intro to Using ChatGPT in Your Small Business
For small business owners, leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) can be a game-changer. Among the various AI tools available, ChatGPT stands out as an accessible and helpful tool. ChatGPT specializes in generating text and having human-like conversations. It can assist with various tasks, including writing, brainstorming, planning, and more. In this blog post, we’ll explore how… Read more »
Woof Daycare & Boarding – Glenburn
Peter Richmond has always been passionate about dogs. When he learned that a well-established dog-focused business was on the market, he saw it as the perfect chance to pursue his dreams. For guidance, his bank recommended he work with the Maine Small Business Development Centers (SBDC).
Things to Know Before Signing a Lease
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 »
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 »