Have you ever been so busy with the work of your business that you felt like it was time to stop and take stock of what it is you do?

Bonnie reminded me that it’s probably time we do just that. I thought I would share with you what I came up with.

• We do all we can to help people get started on the right foot as they consider starting a new business. This starts with business coaching sessions with me, a Licensed Professional Business Coach and Certified Executive Coach. We talk about:
  • The goals for the business and the business owner
  • The legal requirements of starting a business
  • The team of professionals it typically takes for success (attorney, accountant, bookkeeper, insurance agent, banker, mentor/coach)
  • The problem that the business is going to solve for customers
  • The ideal customer or groups of customers
  • The solution that the business will provide
  • The benefit the business will offer their customers
  • The current competition and how the new business will provide an advantage that will make them stand out against the competition
  • What their message will be to attract customers and how they plan to get the message out to their ideal customers as efficiently as possible
  • How they plan to get their product or service to the customer and if that includes a retail location, what their requirements are; if it means internet delivery, what that looks like
  • The revenue structure and pricing model
  • Ways to test reaction to their idea before spending a lot of time or money
  • The startup needs in terms of money, people, equipment, technology and marketing – building a list of as many things and prices as we can think of
  • The plan to cover the startup costs
  • Ongoing costs and cash flow and how to sustain the business until it is profitable
  • The list of things the entrepreneur needs to do before we meet again
• We help existing businesses owners think through their options as they face decisions in their business
  • Issues with employees and customers – skills in working with people and policy development
  • Scheduling, inventory control, bidding – developing systems and procedures
  • Conflict resolution and team building
  • Training needs and options
• We help people plan for transition of their business to new owners
  • How to prepare their business to be ready for sale in the next few years
  • How to attract the right buyer or groom the next owner from within
• We provide workshops on topics that our clients need to know about
  • Marketing, marketing and more marketing, including social media marketing – always our most popular workshops
  • Legal topics
  • Accounting topics
  • Human Resource topics
  • Local, State and Federal regulations
• We conduct business development accelerators for startups and existing businesses over weeks or months that cover all aspects of business and culminate with a Pitch Night or Demo Day.
• We provide networking opportunities for all businesses
• We provide rental business office space within the Cumberland Business Incubator and provide quick coaching sessions as issues come up for our tenants
• We host a cost effective Co-Working space where business people can find space for a few hours or a day here and there
• We host Conference Rooms and Classrooms that can be rented to meet the needs of businesses – to be able to interview off-site or hold a business meeting or training event
• We connect people to others they need to know to advance their business
• Our Maker Space membership and classes provide skilled mentors and access to equipment very few individuals or businesses can afford on their own
• We provide customized business training to meet the needs of any business in our area
• We host a weeklong Make Camp for youth, bringing out their own ability to be creative and make things, with the goal of filling the pipeline of future entrepreneurs
• We attend community meetings and serve on community boards
• We do all we can to contribute to the economic development of our area

Our results thus far:

• From February 2013 through May 2015 we:
  • Helped generate $1,423,400 in Private Investment by our clients in equipment purchases, rent and build-out of facilities or purchase of real estate
  • Helped 109 new businesses get started or grow
  • Helped create 140 new jobs
  • Served 165 clients

What can we do for you?