March 2024

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View this email in your browser THE ELLSWORTH BUSINESS PULSE MARCH 2024 Supported by Maine Downtown Center's Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Grant Heart of Ellsworth's Board of Directors and staff had a productive and fun time during their Annual Board Meeting & Celebration at local business establishment, Finn's Irish Pub. Jump to: Local Business Highlight | Funding Opportunity | Local Resources & Events | Workshops & Webinars | Statewide & National Resources Local Business Highlight Union River Book & Toy Company Union River Book & Toy Company is located in the heart of downtown at 100 Main St. You can find more information about their business here. We contacted owner Molly DiLena and asked her a few questions about her experience purchasing this business. "The biggest challenge in buying Union River Book and Toy Co. was making the decision as a family to become small business owners, taking on both the financial responsibility, especially in Maine where our business would be seasonal, and also taking on a career that is more than full time.    To address this challenge we gathered as much information as we could about being small business owners in Maine.  Working part-time at the store for three months prior to the purchase was an incredibly helpful experience.  The Maine Small Business Development Center (SBDC) offers free advising, and that was invaluable.  They gave us so much information, all of which helped with our decision, with making our deal for the business, and with starting off as owners.     If we were to give advice to anyone starting on this entrepreneurial journey, we would just say that you need to realize that owning a small business is more than just a job, it is a lifestyle choice for your whole family.   We are so happy with our decision and are glad to see our children embracing the store and everything that goes along with it despite the enormous change. I would make sure you are ready for the commitment before diving in!" Are you interested in hearing more about the DiLena's journey to buy an existing business and become small business owners? Come to our event, So You Want to Buy A Business, on March 27th. Scroll down to learn more! Additional Spotlight: Desert Harvest Ellsworth's very-own Heather Florio, the CEO of Desert Harvest and a key innovator in the health and wellness industry, was recently featured in the Action & Ambition Podcast. Tune in to learn more! Grant Opportunity In partnership with American Express, the Backing Small Businesses grant program supports economically vulnerable and under-resourced small businesses with community reach. This year, eligible small business owners can apply for $10,000 grants for projects that grow or improve their businesses by building community, supporting their economic viability, or bolstering meaningful change.  Applications will be accepted now through April 7, 2024, at 11:59 pm CT. The application period will close once 5,000 applications have been submitted, even if that occurs before the deadline.  Apply Now Local Resources + Events Upcoming Historic Preservation Workshop Series Do you own a historic building or property? For those who want to learn more about protecting Ellsworth’s oldest and most unique buildings while rehabilitating and preserving them for generations to come, please join Brad Miller, Preservation Manager with statewide non-profit, Maine Preservation, for a workshop series on historic preservation. The first workshop is coming up! March 28th, 5:30 pm – 7:00 pm, Ellsworth Public Library From the castles and cathedrals of Europe to the historic districts of Charleston, learn about the origins of the historic preservation field and discover how it can play a powerful part in shaping your community’s future. Together we’ll explore how to identify, recognize, and support the buildings and places that make Ellsworth a special city to live, work, and visit. These workshops were made possible by the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s Hart Family Fund and Nate Holyoke Builders. RSVP & LEARN MORE ABOUT THE SERIES HERE Local Event Do you dream of owning your own business? Buying an existing one might be a smart approach. Discover the secrets to acquiring or transferring small businesses at this informative gathering. Hear from: MOLLY DILENA, successfully acquired the Union River Book & Toy Company. MARTHA BENTLEY, founder of Proprietor a valuable network and essential tools for acquiring or transferring ownership of small businesses. JANNA RICHARDS, the Economic Director for the City of Ellsworth. This enriching event fosters connections within the small business community in Downtown Ellsworth and beyond. The presentation will be followed by Q&A and time for mingling. RSVP HERE Downtown Ellsworth Spaces for Rent State Street Retail Space  This State Street retail space for rent in downtown Ellsworth historic building. 925 square feet of prime space complete with hard wired sound system, wall to wall hardwood floors, overhead track lighting system, sewer water and heat included. First last and security $1600 per month.  Call 207-479-5011 for showing.  Main St. Offices Two Large Office Spaces on 194 Main St available for $325 and $285 per month. One year lease. First, last, and deposit required. Not a living space -- no animals. For more information, click here. Do you have space in downtown Ellsworth that is available to rent? Please email us and we'll include it in our monthly newsletter! Local Banking Resource First Online Banking now offers My Money Manager. My Money Manager is a tool within First Online Banking that allows you to connect and manage all of your financial accounts in one place. Quickly and securely connect all your financial accounts from any financial institution to review your net worth, cash flow, set goals, start budgeting and more. Nearly any financial account can be linked: checking and savings accounts, investments, credit cards, mortgages, auto loans and other lines of credit. Click here for more information! Union River Center for Innovation In the area and need a space to get some work done for the day? Looking for a meeting space? Need an equipped space to work remotely? The Union River Center for Innovation has it all! Their co-working space is available on either a day pass or monthly membership basis, where their facility amenities are available for you to use at your convenience. Give them a call today to learn more at (800) 930-5313 or check out their website. Starting a business in Ellsworth? Check out: The City of Ellsworth has many resources for entrepreneurs and business owners. Check out their Ellsworth Business Guide and Business Attraction Plan.  Become a member of the Ellsworth Chamber of Commerce! The Chamber helps promote your business, provides networking and educational opportunities, and many other perks! Check out their website for more information. Workshops & Webinars SCORE Maine hosts affordable small business workshops -- both online webinars and live, in-person. You can find everything you need to know to start a business or discover tools to help your small business grow. OTHER UPCOMING WORKSHOPS BY SCORE: Starting Your Own Business on March 18 | Buying or Selling Your Business on April 4 | Logos from the Ground Up on April 9 Browse their upcoming workshops here. The CEI Women’s Business Center is a home for women who want to start or grow their own business in Maine. They offer courses, cohorts, workshops, and events which encourage peer-to-peer learning and community building, as well as 1:1 business advising support. UPCOMING WORKSHOPS Hiring 101: Resources to Help Build Your Team - Tuesday, March 26th 10:00am - 11:30am Tuesday Toast Talks: Meet, Share, & Connect - Tuesday, April 2nd 7:30am - 9:00am Becoming a Boss- Wednesday, April 3rd 9:30am - 10:30am Self-Worth Club: A Skills-Building Discussion Group for Female Business Owners- Thursday, April 4th 10:00am - 11:00am UPCOMING WORKSHOPS Financing Applications Do's and Don'ts - Wednesday, March 27th 12:00pm - 1:00pm Writing a Business Plan - Tuesday, April 2nd 12:00pm - 1:00pm Estimating Taxes: What 60% of Businesses Do Wrong- Friday, April 5th 12:00pm - 1:00pm Startup Checklist - Wednesday, April 10th 12:00pm - 1:00pm Statewide & National Resources  Main St. Spotlight: What Can Small Business Owners Expect in 2024? Looking back, this past year in many ways represented a slowing pace of change and settling into new norms. This could be called a cautionary time, in which all the talk around recessions and inflation made for decreasing consumer confidence environment and shifting spending priorities. Here are the miss, win, and push predictions from 2023. Read More Here. Thank you for reading the March edition of the Business Pulse Newsletter. Looking for more support? Check out our business benefits page! Build a Vibrant Community  DONATE Copyright © *|CURRENT_YEAR|* *|LIST:COMPANY|*, All rights reserved. *|IFNOT:ARCHIVE_PAGE|* *|LIST:DESCRIPTION|* Our mailing address is: *|HTML:LIST_ADDRESS_HTML|* *|END:IF|* Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list. *|IF:REWARDS|* *|HTML:REWARDS|* *|END:IF|*