Should social media even be in your advertising budget in 2023? From navigating targeting capabilities to tracking brand safety on turbulent platforms, it takes insight to design an effective strategy.
Join moderator Carol Coultas and social media experts Dan Reed of SCORE, Izzy Siedman of flyte new media and Nathan O’Leary of Mainely SEO to learn how to create a successful campaign that’s worth your time.
Congrats to small businesses on making it this far. Now join us on Oct. 21 to learn what tax, accounting and operational issues you should consider before year’s end. How about a primer on the more than a dozen grants and programs that could help your business now? Or a checklist to assess your financial health, especially if you’re considering big moves like deciding whether to close temporarily?
On the panel:
Dan Gayer, Baker Newman Noyes
Steve Veazey, SCORE
Mark Delisle, Maine Small Business Development Centers
Sarah Guerette, Director and Senior Business Adviser, Coastal Enterprises Inc.
Discussion was moderated by Business Projects Editor Carol Coultas.
More info: https://www.pressherald.com/2020/09/30/making-it-work-how-small-businesses-can-close-the-books-on-2020/
This is a recording of the Portland Press Herald Business Breakfast, November 6, 2019 HR Drives Culture - creating an appealing place to work.
HR used to just process payroll checks and handle employee benefits. But today, the ability to attract and retain workers is a priority for Maine businesses. And that has transformed HR into a driver of corporate culture.
About the moderator:
Hosted by Business editor Carol Coultas. Carol Coultas has been practicing journalism in Maine since the mid-‘80s and focusing on business journalism since 2003. She’s been the business editor at the Press Herald, overseeing an award-winning staff, since 2014.
About the panelists:
Cynthia Murphy, Senior Program Director, Workforce Solutions, CEI
Cynthia helps companies develop workforce solutions, including working with employers to create a people strategy that delivers a competitive advantage. She also has extensive experience helping marginalized job seekers find work.
David Pease, Senior Vice President, Director of Talent, Diversity & Inclusion, Bangor Savings Bank
David know that culture is an important employment topic. For employers – culture is what makes you unique – your competitive advantage – your promise – why should people work for you and not somewhere else? For job seekers – they should seek corporate culture that align with their personal values, will leverage their strengths and passions and allow them to perform at their highest level. When the organization’s culture and a candidate’s skills & interests are congruent – that is employment gold!
Angela Hansen, Consultant, KMA Human Resources
Angela is an HR professional with more than 20 years of experience in employee relations, leadership, performance management, policy development, benefits, recruiting and corporate compliance. She is a public speaking pro and enjoys helping groups enhance their understanding of human working relationships through her engaging and relaxed style. She has presented on a broad range of subjects, including: managing conflict; engaging in difficult conversations; performance management; creating a positive work culture; and social styles.
High-speed internet service is essential to Maine businesses, but access is often determined by where you live. Gov. Janet Mills pledged to make statewide broadband access a priority.
What changes are needed? What are providers doing? What is working?
This event was recorded live on May 22, 2019 at the Portland, Maine Public Library.
Hosted by Business reporter J. Craig Anderson
Panelists include:
Tracy Scheckel, Otelco
Peggy Schaffer, Director, ConnectME Authority
Fletcher Kittredge, GWI
Shopping, whether in store or online, has become a magnet for innovation. Pick a product off a shelf and see a video display of its uses. Overwhelmed by online choices? A personal shopping guide is at the ready. Concierge services are becoming the norm as retailers offer customized convenience in exchange for your purchase. On January 23, 2019, we heard from some Maine companies at the fore of these innovations, and where they are going next.
Host: Press Herald Business Editor Carol Coultas has been practicing journalism in Maine since the mid-‘80s and focusing on business journalism since 2003. She’s been the business editor at the Press Herald, overseeing an award-winning staff, since 2014.
Matthew Bray, Head of Community Happiness, Grove Collaborative
Grove Collaborative is a San Francisco based certified B-Corp that is an e-commerce platform consumer package goods retailer selling exclusively natural products. Bray headed Grove’s expansion to the east coast, scaling the Community Happiness department to over 50 employees and opening an office in the Old Port. Before Grove Collaborative, Bray opened the Brunswick Wayfair location and was the National Sales Director for Bethel-based Maine Energy Systems which manufactured and distributed fully automated wood pellet heating systems. A graduate of the University of Maine at Farmington, Matt is a Brunswick native who also has a passion for non-profit work having served as the head of the Suicide Prevention Program for the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Maine and is active in Maine’s largest Civil War Re-enacting non-profit the 3rd Maine Volunteer Infantry.
Greg Elder, Vice President of Retail, Outdoor Discovery Program and L.L. Bean for Business, L.L. Bean
Greg Elder’s role involves the oversight of L.L.Bean’s 43 retail and 10 outlet stores spread across 18 states with a focus on store operations, visual presentation and customer experience. Greg also oversees Outdoor Discovery Programs, a team dedicated to developing and promoting courses, trips, tours and events that enable L.L.Bean customers and the community to learn and further their participation in the “Shared Joy of the Outdoors.” Finally, Greg leads L.L.Bean for Business that offers a range of product and embroidery solutions from workwear to recognition/promotional products for businesses. Greg is a Finance and Philosophy graduate of Gustavus Adolphus College in Minnesota. He has been at L.L.Bean for 11 years and was with Eddie Bauer in Seattle, WA for 15 years prior to Bean and has a passion for running, biking, skiing, hiking, fishing, and camping.
Julie Libby, Vice President of Fresh, Hannaford Supermarkets
As Vice President of Fresh, Libby oversees departments that include fresh produce, meat/seafood, deli and bakery. Her role involves procurement and replenishment of product, development of merchandising strategies and sales development. Her scope of responsibility is across Hannaford’s five-state operating region, 181 stores and numerous competitive marketing areas. She has led many projects at Hannaford focused on retail innovation. A graduate of the University of Southern Maine, she has held a wide range of leadership positions during her 15 years at Hannaford, including Business Process Engineer, Associate Category Manager in Center Store, Category Manager in Produce, Store Manager, Support Specialist for Retail Operations, and Director of Produce Category Management.