We Are Here - SouthCoast.fm - South Coast MA Entrepreneurs & Business

The global pandemic has had a major impact on many small businesses within the shallow pokckets of communities around the country.

Small business owners have scrambled to get themselves online and use social media to blast out their message on the “new normal” work hours they’re operating from.

A literal battle cry for survival while cutting and downsizing most of their operations.

The national media news cycle scrambles to keep up with the shifting trend of the virus, our stimulus money, and which political party is doing right by Americans — which looks to be a zero sum game to me.

Does the small business story die in this darkness?

The irony of that quip is not lost on me — thanks Washington Post — the small business story does not have to die in darkness.

Small publishers like Marlissa Briggett, owner of the South Coast Almanac, is a rock in what should be a larger foundation of local journalism and storytellers.

Monolithic newspapers and gossip-ridden-just-for-clicks media outlets are not the only means to amplify your brand’s message.

But to launch a printed magazine in the year 2015 where the height of the media market was all digital?? There was a silver lining through lockdown, and that’s a resurgence of deep care and appreciation for a handcrafted magazine.

Let’s join Marlissa on her journey of the South Coast Almanac, and how she’s writing her own story here on the South Coast.

Today's guest is Justine Crowley of Herbal Athlete, a new tea company looking to define a new segment for athletes here on the South Coast. 

As someone addicted to coffee, I sink back into my chair a lot in this episode -- I suppose you might, too. Caffeine aside, I had a great time learning what Justine is doing and how she's marketing + distrubuting her product in our little corner of the world. 

If you're looking to try some of her tea, you can find it at Duke's Bakery in Fall River. 

Drew Furtado is well-known for his creative poster series that captures memorable moments from around the South Coast, and joins us today to talk about his new film: Restart 2020. 

I'm always fascinted when talking to somone at the intersection of art and entrepreneurship. Tune in to today's episode to hear how Drew started this "poster business" and what's next on the horizon.

I'm excited to interview my former mentee from the EforAll program, Samantha Garlington, to explore her journey as an entrepreneur on the South Coast.

We're diving deep into the mind of a creative business owner and how we handle selling value for our respective crafts. It was a fun episode, I hope you learn a lot from Samantha's experience. If you do, please say thanks and share the episode with others!

We're back from vacation, entering into the Fall season of the We Are Here podcast! Consider subscribing so you don't miss all of the new content coming to your favorite podcast player.

Today's guest is Midori Evans, a local South Coast creative, artist, and entrepreneur.

We're looking at how business builders are turning to creative efforts in this COVID world we currently live in, while highlighting how we can still connect with community when social distancing is the new normal. This is a fantastic episode that has something for everyone!

Where you can find Midori on the web:

Brandan Burke is the CEO of B.B. Cuts, a company aimed at creating an on-demand app for beauty & barber services. Think of GotChew (or Lyft) for your hair needs, delivered to your work or home.

Enrolled in the Summer cohort of EforAll, Brandan and his team are looking forward to the all of exciting milestones ahead. For a We Are Here first, we’ll have Brandan come back in 90-days after the program ends.

One of the most valuable areas of the EforAll program is the story arc young entrepreneurs create for themselves. Coming into the program thinking their business will launch the way they envision it, to seeing how much they change during the accelerator.

I’m looking forward to having Brandan back to see the difference. If you liked this episode, consider subscribing to the email list or leaving us a review on iTunes and sharing this post on social media!

Today we’re joined by Suzanne Ramos, Business Technology Instructor at Diman Regional Vocational Technical High School.

I met Suzanne through the SouthCoast Emerging Leaders ceremony last year as one of the award recipients. Aside from the many job titles she holds around the Fall River area, I was really excited to talk to her about her efforts connecting students with local businesses.

A few years ago I won a EforAll pitch contest with an idea that bridged the connection of would-be website developers with local businesses & non-profits. I still think the idea has traction today, a reason why I was excited to interview Suzanne.

You can also find & support her efforts at many other Fall River organizations:

Thanks for listening today, if you like the show, please share it on social media. Don’t forget to subscribe to stay connected!

Patti Rego from WeLoveFallRiver Facebook page joins the livestream today to talk about what she's been doing for small businesses during these trying times. 

Owners of The Barre New Bedford, Gigi & Kelsey, join us to talk about the recent events of COVID-19 and how they are launching a new online component to add value to existing members.

In this previously recorded livestream with Ross Nunes, we talk about the impact of COVID-19 on his business and what his next steps are for Salon B.