Fast Forward Maine Podcast

Are your “we're hiring” pleas being ignored? Discover how to attract more qualified employees and reduce friction in the hiring process in this week's episode. https://www.fastforwardmaine.com/99

Cash management issues can strangle your ability to grow and prosper in your business. Discover some of the biggest pain points and how to avoid them, including fraud. https://www.fastforwardmaine.com/98

Company growth doesn't just happen. To scale up, you'll need to do the research to understand the pain points your customers suffer from. Here's how.

Are you investing in leadership in all levels of your company? Discover what that looks like and how to bring in an outside trainer.

There's a lot of variables that go into running a successful business, but there are ways to simplify things to accomplish growth and keep from being overwhelmed. Here's where to start. 

I'm a big fan of LinkedIn. I know LinkedIn isn't cool. I recognize it's not the birthplace of dank memes or viral videos. But when it comes to helping me grow my business, it's one of the best, most rewarding tools out there.

What is leadership? Are you a leader just because you own a company? Or can you lead, even if you have people above you? In today's episode we're going to explore what it means to be a leader, and how you, as an owner, can become a better leader, bringing your team along for the ride.

Zoom, GoToMeeting, Google Meet, and Microsoft Teams (ugh), aren't going anywhere, so as business professionals, leaders, and owners, we need to improve our game on these video conferencing platforms. https://www.fastforwardmaine.com/92

Say it with me… “Pinterest is a search platform.” Yup, it's true. Just ask Pinterest expert, Lindsay Shearer. She shared with us specific tips to help drive more organic traffic to your site and how turn that into customers.

Do you understand your business financials? Can you create projections for the coming year? In this week's episode of the Fast Forward Maine podcast, we chat with Raynor Large on how to read your financial tea leaves. https://www.fastforwardmaine.com/92

Public speaking is a critical skill for all business owners and leaders. Whether you are managing internal communications, a sales call, or taking the stage. If you don't feel comfortable presenting, you're at a competitive disadvantage. Today we speak with Communications Coach, Elizabeth Peavey. 

This week on Fast Forward Maine we're going to be talking about digital transformations and digital marketing and how they will help your business grow. We're speaking to Jenna Chouinard, owner of JC Marketing Group. Through her experience she's been able to identify what a well-oiled marketing machine not only looks like, but also how it should be properly executed. With so many moving parts in marketing, she simplifies it and boils it down to the key areas that need to be focused on to see results. 

What are the mistakes that business owners make? How do you handle your first hire? What's more important: systems or financials? We'll get to the bottom of all your questions with business consultant Bradshaw Swanson! 

Discover how to protect your growing business from phishing scams, fake websites, and other cyberthreats with cybercrime expert Brandon McDonald. 

Never let a crisis go to waste. We'll look at what Maine businesses did to survive and even thrive during the pandemic so that you can be better prepared for the next crisis your business faces. We are joined by Tina Oddleifson who is a small business advisor for the Maine Small Business Development Center in Portland.

Thinking about buying or selling a business? In this week's episode, we discuss what you can do to maximize the value of your company before selling it, and what to consider when buying an established business. 

Does your business need an operating system? Maybe that seems like an odd question because when we think of an operating system or OS, we think of the software that powers our computers, tablets, or smartphones. But the same approach can turn your struggling business into a growth machine! We'll learn more about whether or not you need one, and how to implement one in this week's episode of Fast Forward Maine. https://fastforwardmaine.com/84

This week on Fast Forward Maine we're going to be talking about content marketing and its role in attracting more of your ideal customers. To help us out, we've got Allie Ulrich, Content Manager at Envirologix, who shares her process of creating the content that answers customers' questions, reduces their risk aversion, and fills them with FOMO?

This week on Fast Forward Maine we're going to be talking about what it will take to bring broadband throughout the state of Maine. We've got President and Chief Operating Office of GWI, Kerem Durdag, with us, to talk about why broadband is essential to the growth, health, and well-being of the people and the business ecosystem here in Maine. https://www.fastforwardmaine.com/82

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.

How does Maine stack up against other states for our economy? There are plenty of factors to look at, and the Maine Development Foundation is measuring all of them! From wages to entrepreneurship, the cost of doing business to broadband access, the Measures of Growth report considers a wide variety of factors and rates them all. They’ve even included some new measures this year including racial/ethnic income equity and pre-K education. For a breakdown of the report’s findings, we talk to the MDF’s Executive Director, Yellow Breen.

Due to social distancing, facemasks, and work from home orders, networking events ground to a halt in 2020. Sure, there are virtual networking events, but can you really make meaningful connections in 2D? Networking expert Debra Boggs enthusiastically says yes! and shares specific tactics on how to work a Zoom breakout room and make connections on LinkedIn.  Get ready to up your virtual networking skills with this week’s interview!

Maine has a challenge in keeping young people here in the state. But as owners and employers, we can do our part to keep them here, or get them to return after college. What they need is opportunity. But are there challenges in finding, hiring, and managing a young person? Leah Gulliver from Eastern Maine Development Corporation joins us this week to talk about the benefits of keeping young people here in Maine and what you can do to help.

Diversity. Equity. Inclusion. What do those terms each mean, and how can you implement each in your business? Chris Hunt, the Associate Provost for Community, Equity, and Diversity at the University of New England joins us today to talk about the power of a diverse workforce, and the benefits it brings your company.  Discover how to overcome hidden biases in your hiring practices, and create an environment that gets the most out of your team in this week’s episode.

When CEO Kevin Hancock was diagnosed with spasmodic dysphonia at a critical, challenging time for his company, he wondered how he could lead his team out of the housing bust.  However, he discovered the power of shared leadership, which he wrote about in his book The Seventh Power. In this week’s interview, Kevin shares with us his journey and how you can implement shared leadership in your own company to empower your people and grow your business.

High-performing women often have more barriers to overcome than their male counterparts, both internally and externally. To support their professional growth and to improve your own business, you need to understand what might be keeping them from leveling up and make sure they have the resources to succeed.  This week we talk to business coach Jodi Flynn of Women Taking the Lead on how to best nurture high-performing women.

As an owner, do you have too many things to get done in a day? Are you often the bottleneck in your own business growth? Do you find yourself working late nights and weekends, and missing time with your family? Have you considered hiring an Executive Assistant? Derek Volk, President of Volk Packaging, shares with us how his life and business have changed since he brought on his EA.  Discover the trigger point for hiring an EA, how the hiring process works, and how to get the most out of your EA in this episode of Fast Forward Maine. 

Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion, has become a goal for many businesses, but what does it exactly mean? Are there real and tangible benefits of DE&I, or becoming an LGBTQ-friendly workforce? We sit down with Ed Patterson, Head of Global Communications for Hill+Knowlton, to talk about what companies should be doing today.

Would a Board of Advisors or a Board of Directors help jumpstart your company? If so, which is right for your business, how do you find the right people to sit on your board, and do you need to compensate them? We’ll tackle all of these questions and more with Colleen McCracken.

he coronavirus has ravaged Maine’s business ecosystem with no end in sight. Businesses, schools, and organizations are opening, but with many restrictions. How do we get out of this? What is Maine’s economic plan for recovery? Today, we talk to Joshua Broder, CEO of Tilson and co-chair on Governor Mills’ economic recovery committee to see what the future will bring. 

Should you worry about your employees’ financial health, knowledge, and well-being? How your employees feel about and manage their money can directly impact your bottom line. Empowering them through education and training can provide them with a peace of mind that will cut down on “presenteeism” and make your workforce more productive.

Do you ever wish you could get free business advice from someone in your industry, or who has been through what you’re going through now? The answer may be in joining or starting a mastermind. What is a mastermind, and how do you run one? Great questions, which we’ll answer in this episode.

How healthy is your company’s cash flow? How often do you check your business financials, and which ones are you reviewing regularly? If these questions make you clutch at your chest, you can relax! Earle Durham from Supporting Strategies is here to help you make sense of your business financials, understand your cash flow (and how to improve it), and make sure your numbers make sense to you.

Do you believe that some people are just born to be great salespeople and other people aren’t? Well, sales, like just about everything else, is a skill that can be improved upon and mastered. Bob LaBrie, of LaBrie Training and Consulting breaks down the sales process into achievable pieces, talks about the Internet’s impact on sales, and even “reads” Rich and Yury!

How protected are you and your company from a cyberattack? Think that only big corporations are at risk? Think again! Cyberthreats come in all sizes, and many target small to medium sized businesses that haven’t put cybersecurity measures or training into place. Rob Simopoulos, co-founder of Defendify, is here to share with you how you can protect your company.

Do you ever wonder why your website doesn’t appear at Google? Why your competitors show up in all the local searches? John Paglio, Digital Marketing Specialist from flyte new media, is our guest today and breaks down what you need to do to get to the top of the first page of Google.

Are you looking for ways to fund your company and you’re interested in venture funding? Perhaps you wonder what it is, and whether it would be a good fit for your business? Today we’re talking to John Burns of Maine Venture Fund to get all your pressing questions answered!

What is a personal brand, and can it really help you stand out and generate more business? Nancy Marshall of Marshall Communications shares the benefits of developing a personal brand, how you can get started, and what a difference it can make to your business.

Looking for a way to fund a new product or offering, but not sure if a loan or angel investment is right for you? Have you considered setting up a crowdfunding campaign on KickStarter or Indiegogo? This week, Maddie Purcell, founder of Fyood Kitchen, shares her story of setting up a successful crowdfunding campaign, and what lessons she imparts to others. 

Social distancing. Stay at home orders. New safety precautions for businesses. How can a business make meaningful connections with its customers and clients? The Entrepreneur on Fire, John Lee Dumas, speaks to six ways to connect in a meaningful way with your customers, clients, and peers during a crisis.

You’ve heard about the power of storytelling, but exactly what kind of stories should you be telling as a business owner? Are there different stories for your customers, employees, and stakeholders? Different stories depending on where you are with growth? And when is the best time to deliver these stories? Chris Brogan, the creator of StoryLeader™ system, shares how to tell the stories that make a difference.

With fifty episodes under our collective belts, we take a look back on what we learned from our guests, the Coronavirus pandemic, and each other.