Office of
Business
Development
Key Questions for
Business Assistance
What is your dream for your business?
What do you have now that can help you
achieve that dream?
What do you need to achieve that dream?
What are the 3 strengths of your business?
What are 3 areas that you would like to
Key Questions for
Business Assistance
What are your concerns? (What keeps you
up at night?)
Financial concerns?
Cost of operating your business? Protecting your business legally? Safety?
Encouraging customers to come back more
frequently?
Improving the overall operations of your
Programs to Address Holistic
Needs of Business Owners
Needs assessment to determine root needs
of businesses, and best services/referrals.
Boston Main Streets
On-Site Business Assistance
Women on Main
Partners with Non-Profits
Zoning and Permitting
Storefront Improvement Projects
Energy Efficiency Programs
On-Site Business Assistance
Pipeline of services to address different stages and
needs of businesses.
Designed for businesses at critical
decision-making point:
Existing businesses
Business owners committed to investing financial and
human resources to improve the business. Services: Financial coaching Marketing consulting Legal consulting Business coaching
On-Site Business Assistance
Over past two years, we have served 60+ businesses.
Those that received in-depth business operations consulting: Increased revenue by an average of 50% in the 6 months
following the assistance and created average of 2 new jobs in the 6 months following the assistance.
Reported an increase in ability to manage and grow their
business.
Businesses that received marketing/customer experience
assistance:
Increased their ability to attract and retain customers Reported an increase in self-confidence as a small
business owner.
Reported an increase in foot traffic
On-Site Business Assistance
Description of Services:
I work with food-focused businesses to
help them achieve and maintain financial
sustainability.
By starting with the numbers, I help
businesses understand the financial
impact of their operations so they can
maximize profits.
I help entrepreneurs articulate their
business strategy so they can obtain
growth-financing
We Work With:
Restaurants, Cafés, Food Trucks, Farms, Food
Producers
Case Study:
A bakery-client approached us because she
wasn’t profitable but didn’t know why.
We set her up in QuickBooks and trained her to
effectively use the program so that she could extract useful information about her business
We created a recipe costing tool so that she
Julia Shanks Food Consulting
Key Lesson Learned:
With proper bookkeeping, the business
understood where the expense were
too high, and could make adjustments.
After analyzing the food costs, she was
Retail Visioning
We help improve the look and feel of a tired
or “let go” retail business by working on
interior design,
signage,
visual merchandising,
print & on-line communications
We refresh EVERYTHING… including the
attitude of the business owner!
Retail Visioning
We can best help storefront small businesses
that want to put in the work to attract more
customers and more $$$. New or experienced
business owners who are willing to
learn a new interior design trick,
try out a new marketing tip,
step outside their comfort zone
be open to making a change for the
Retail Visioning
Case Study: Maria’s Hair Salon, Hyde Park
Reduced footprint.
Refreshed paint / color
Added communication tools
Re-engaged Maria’s
confidence.
Outcome:
Confident. Happy.
Looking good. Added stylist. More $.
Curtain wall, fresh paint, wall sconces, holiday decorations, loyalty cards, business cards, move reception desk, repair / handyman services, purchased 4th styling table. LOTS OF COMPLIMENTS & ENCOURAGEMENT.
Retail Visioning
Key lesson learned:
“Quitting is not an option.”
Not for Maria. Not for Emily. Not for Retail
Visioning.
When the paint chips are down… try, try
again.
Helping her take that first step - painting -
put her on a path to renewed confidence;
action and achievement.
Good Egg Marketing
Description of Services: Technology/Marketing Consulting
Online marketing (websites, social media,
email marketing, eCommerce)
Loyalty programs, customer relationship
management
Business Coaching
Assist with business analysis
Develop implementation strategy
Provide ongoing coaching and support for
Good Egg Marketing
Business Types and Business Needs that
are the Best Fit
Food-related enterprises, retail, B2B.
Businesses seeking to increase sales,
build customer loyalty, develop
marketing systems.
Good Egg Marketing and
Ula Cafe
Case Study:
Increase sales
Analyzed sales, customer service,
web, email, & social media;
recommended actions and how
to monitor; assessed quarterly.
Sales increased 6.3%; social media
engagement increased.
Key Lesson Learned:
Pinpointing specific challenges and
testing/ measuring solutions aids
decision-making for your business.
DAILY GENERAL COUNSEL
LEGAL ADVICE & SOLUTIONS FOR SMALL BUSINESSES HOW: CONSULT, COUNSEL, EDUCATE & EMPOWERBUSINESS OWNERS; RESOLVE LEGAL ISSUES & DRAFT LEGAL DOCUMENTS
WHO: ALL SMALL BUSINESSES - PRODUCT, SERVICES,
RETAIL, DISTRIBUTOR, LIGHT INDUSTRIAL
WHAT: BUSINESS FORMATIONS, CONTRACTS, LEASES
& LOANS, EMPLOYEE ISSUES & MANUALS, VENDOR & CUSTOMER PROBLEMS, DISPUTES/LAWYER
LETTERS, COLLECTIONS, NEGOTIATION STRATEGIES, & MORE……
EXCESSIVE OVERTIME BY STAFF &
WAGE & HOUR VIOLATIONS; VENDOR MONEY DISPUTE
CREATED HR POLICY FOR OVERTIME,
REDUCED PAYROLL, CORRECTED
VIOLATIONS, VENDOR DISPUTE SETTLED PAYING 50% WITH 2-YEAR PAYMENT PLAN
OWNER LEARNED HOW TO CONTROL STAFF WORK
HOURS, BE IN COMPLIANCE WITH LABOR LAWS, & HOW TO SOLVE COLLECTION PROBLEMS
CASE STUDY: BAKERY/CATERER
CASE STUDY: BAKERY/CATERER
DAILY GENERAL COUNSEL
KEY LESSON LEARNED
SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS NEED NOT “GO IT ALONE.”
WHEN THEY INVEST THEIR TIME TO WORK WITH
PROFESSIONALS, THEY BECOME SMARTER BUSINESS OWNERS WHO GROW THEIR BUSINESSES FASTER, BECOME MORE PROFITABLE & REACH GREATER SUCCESS.
innerOvation
Coaching by James Lopata MTS, ACC & Jeb Bates MSOD, PCC
Boston Business Booster program (B3)
Six Months to a Vibrant Valuable Business
- for -
Established Businesses
who want to move to the next level and/or are worried
about how to fix deeper problems
New Businesses
who want an experienced partner to get their ‘game
plan’ together for growth and success www.BostonBusinessBooster.com
Key Lesson
Getting to the real solution begins
with knowing the real problem
Training For Warriors, Boston
Problem •Stalled sales Real problem •Unaligned team Solution •Surprising insight •Effective strategy •Clear action •Follow-up Outcome •400% rev increase •“well oiled machine”
innerOvation
Coaching by James Lopata, MTS, ACC & Jeb Bates, MSOD, PCC
Watch the video: www.BostonBusinessBooster.com/tfw
GNEMSDC
Executive Coaching:
One-on-one training and coaching covering
all business issues, leadership, finance,
marketing, operations and human resources
Development of a work plan and follow up
visits to implement plan.
Financial Coaching:
Analysis of financial statement
Training of business owner in pertinent
financial issues
Create a customize financial management
GNEMSDC
Business Types
Retail, grocery stores, service,
distribution, restaurant and
contractors
Inventory:
Cash Flow Problem
Analysis of root of problem
Improved purchasing and cash
GNEMSDC
Key Lesson Learned:
Business owns the solution to
International Institute of New England
Overall Business Development Support Financial Management
Marketing
Customer Service Support
Business Types & Needs
Micro to small businesses Businesses that are looking to:
Strengthen bookkeeping strategy
Create and implement new marketing strategy Market their product & Services
International Institute of New England
Needs of the business
Recruit new customers
Retain existing customers
Explore customer satisfaction
Ultimate goal to open an
antique shop
Services provided
Strategy focused on improving
online presence, analyzing
customer feedback, traditional
marketing and identify
additional channels to sell
products, Inventory
International Institute of New England
Outcome
Improved sales/ Customer
retention
Plan to open a store in the
summer
Key Lesson Learned:
Analyze customer satisfaction
and Interact with your
Main Street Partners
Description of Services:
Customized assistance provided by top
professionals in their respective fields
Common focus areas include: marketing, social
media, website design, pricing strategy, HR processes, business system implementation, inventory management, bookkeeping, growth strategy development
Business Types and Business Needs that are the
Best Fit for your Services
Storefront businesses that have been in operation
for at least 6 months
Owners must be willing and able to work with our
teams to implement changes to grow and improve their businesses!
Main Street Partners
Case Study: Situation: Relatively new business that needed assistance
putting systems in place to structure their business for growth
Key focus areas included: Inventory management,
bookkeeping, online presence, marketing, growth strategy
Outcomes: Researched various systems and implemented
bookkeeping, POS, and business management systems; optimized Google searchability for newly launched
website; developed various marketing materials, suggestions to grow email marketing, and a plan for non-digital marketing; developed partnership strategy to target relevant
Main Street Partners
Key Lesson Learned: Keep track of your goals! Know what you
want to achieve in the short, medium, and long term. Continue to track what works and what doesn’t when trying to achieve these goals. Review your notes and reprioritize frequently!
Assistance Process
Main Street Directors, board members, volunteers speak with
business owners about their dreams, needs, opportunities.
The Main Street contact invites their Neighborhood Business
Manager (NBM) to meet with the business owner to do a
comprehensive needs assessment. The Main Street contact and NBM discuss best programs and services to meet needs.
The NBM works with the Office of Business Development team to
match the business with services.
If the business is good fit for On-Site Business Assistance, OBD
team matches contractor to business based on needs.
The assistance is provided over a period of up to 6 months, with
6 months of follow-up.
The Main Street organization plays KEY role in supporting
Next Steps!
Think of the conversations you’ve had with business
owners over the past several months.
What are their goals? Concerns?
Speak with them about their goals for 2015 and what
they need to achieve these goals.
Then, talk with your Neighborhood Business Manager
to set up a visit with the business owner to talk about ways to assist them!