Fast Forward Maine Podcast

Show me the money! In this week's episode of Fast Forward Maine we're going to be looking at one of the main barriers to growth...a lack of funding. There are tons of ways to get your growth funded in Maine, and Diane Sturgeon from the SBA will share them all and how to approach each one.

https://www.fastforwardmaine.com/81

Maine has a workforce problem. Although no one solution will fix it all, today we speak with Tae Chong about how immigrants and a healthy approach to DEI can make a big difference for your business and for Maine.

https://www.fastforwardmaine.com/80

This week on Fast Forward Maine we're going to be talking about how to generate positive press and media coverage for your company. We've got PR expert and podcaster Kristan Vermeulen on the show and she's going to talk about everything that goes into good PR, from developing your brand story, to developing relationships with journalists, to the evolving role of PR in a social media world. https://www.fastforwardmaine.com/79

What goes into the branding of a growing business? Is it your logo? Your colors? Your business cards or trucks? In today's episode we talk to branding expert Emily Brackett on what goes into a successful company brand and what impact it has on your bottom line.

As business owners and leaders, we all want more sales. How do we get that? Is it by hiring better sales people? Lowering our prices? Better marketing material? Before you take any of those steps, you need to understand the customer journey, which has changed dramatically over the past year. In this week's episode, we chat with Tom Morgan, sales trainer and consultant, on the role of the salesperson in your organization. We talk about the customer journey, the impact of COVID on the sales process, and the one thing that's missing from most successful sales teams. If you're looking to generate more sales from your ideal customers, stop what you're doing and hit the play button now on this week's episode! https://www.fastforwardmaine.com/77

Do you wish the politicians in Augusta would listen to you? Do you wish you could have an impact on the laws that govern your business, your work force, the taxes you pay, and more? Well, in this episode, the Honorable Amy Volk is going to show you how YOU can have an impact on the laws that impact your business, and your success. If you're looking to grow your business in Maine, you'll want to know how Augusta actually works.

It's been 75 episodes and Yury is leaving! Before he goes, though, he has five life lessons he wants to share.

With recreational or "adult use" cannabis now legal in Maine, what impact will that have on your business? How will it impact your hiring process, your health insurance, and your government contracts? To find out, we chatted with Kristin Collins at PretiFlaherty, who has been helping Maine businesses navigate these tricky waters.

Do you struggle with what to charge? Are your prices too low or too high? And how can you raise your prices without scaring away your customers? Today we dive into the math and psychology of pricing, and how you can attract your ideal customers with the right pricing strategy with Lori Allen of the Maine Small Business Development Center.

Are you looking to grow your company? Or maybe you're looking for an exit strategy? In either case, the answer might be in an M&A: a merger and acquisition. Today we talk to M&A expert George Raftopoulos, founder of ROI Cubed, about what you need to know whether you're looking to buy or sell, and how things like financials, mission, and culture all play a critical role.