Showing posts with label Small business. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Small business. Show all posts

Wednesday, April 29, 2020

Webinars for Small Business Owners


NEED INDIVIDUAL HELP FOR YOUR SMALL BUSINESS?
Let our MSBDC business advisors help you navigate the SBA Debt Relief Programs.
Please complete our "Request for Counseling" confidentiality form and someone will call you to schedule a telephone appointment with an advisor.
https://www.msbdc.org/semass/rfc.html 
WEBINARS FOR SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS

PPP & Debt Relief Program with the MSBDC Southeast Regional Office

Wednesday, April 29, 2020
2:00 p.m.

Ili Spahiu, Assistant District Director for Lender Relations in the
U.S. Small Business Administration's MA District Office, will provide
SBA Covid-19 Updates for Economic Relief Programs.
Cliff Robbins, Sr. Business Advisor, MA Small Business Development Center (MSBDC) will discuss the benefits of utilizing the free services of the MSBDC.
https://clients.msbdc.org/workshop.aspx?ekey=110400005
Get the latest info on supporting your business with
Laurie Driscoll, South Eastern Economic Development (SEED), and
Jill Beresford, Massachusetts Small Business Development Center
at the next ZOOM meeting.

Friday, May 1, 10 a.m.

Use this link and Meeting ID to enter the live Zoom meeting:


Meeting ID: 316-252-883

Contact Pam @ pdziura@cranberrycountry.org with questions.
COVID-19 Recovery Update with City, State and Federal Officials

Friday, May 1, 2020
2:00 to 3:00 pm

Join us for a COVID-19 Economic recovery call update with the Metro South Chamber of Commerce, Massachusetts Office of Business Development, Mayor of Brockton Robert F. Sullivan, and special guest Neil Bradley, executive vice president and chief policy officer at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Register online.
https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_C_dkP-SBRTGOEnjWOKElAw 

Contact Lexi at areinertson@metrosouthchamber.com with questions.

MA Small Business Development Center Network Southeast Regional Office | 200 Pocasset Street, Fall River, MA 02721
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Thursday, April 23, 2020

“We’re used to it so we don’t think much of it"

From the Milford Daily News, articles of interest for Franklin:
"As most work places shut their doors, employees adjust to working from home and consumers get used to once-weekly shopping trips with face coverings and gloves, one South Shore business is working overtime to make sure airplanes, grocery stores and other essential spaces are still safe for the public: Clean Harbors.

“As it hit hot spots, so did we,” Clean Harbors Senior Vice President Chuck Geer said. “Our movements really did mimic the COVID-19 spread and our responses have spiked almost simultaneously with the virus cases.”

Clean Harbors is one of the nation’s leaders in decontamination, and has been for decades. The Norwell-based business has responded after major events such as the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks and the Gulf Oil Spill, as well as the swine flu spread and H1N1 scare, but as is true for most businesses, a pandemic is new territory.

“It’s completely new to us, America hasn’t seen a true pandemic like this and neither have we,” Geer said Tuesday. “But really, there are a lot of similarities between this kind of clean up and any type of infectious waste. . . The chemicals we use to destroy the virus may change up, but really it’s the same principal.”

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
https://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20200422/massachusetts-company-clean-harbors-leads-decontamination-response-nationwide-during-coronavirus-pandemic


https://www.cleanharbors.com/
https://www.cleanharbors.com/

Tuesday, April 21, 2020

United Chamber: Up-to-Date Information and Resources

Good Afternoon All,

During these crazy times we know most of you are working remotely and/or working from home. Your Chamber team is in the office every day and we want to be able to be an information resource for you and your business.

We want to be provide all of our members the most up-to-date information and resources available. At this time we do not have the staff or the talent to update our website as often as the information is being sent to us so we have been posting all of the information, links, etc. to our Facebook page.

Please like our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/UnitedRegional/ to keep up-to-date with the information we receive from the local, State and Federal resources.

Thank you and we hope everyone stays self and healthy.

Jack


Jack Lank, IOM
President and CEO
The United Regional Chamber of Commerce
310 South Street
Plainville, MA 02762
Phone: 508-316-0861

www.unitedregionalchamber.org "People Do Business With People They Know"

United Chamber: Up-to-Date Information and Resources
United Chamber: Up-to-Date Information and Resources

Monday, April 20, 2020

Visit the Franklin Business Gift Card portal

The Franklin Downtown Partnership is inviting residents to visit the FDP website to buy gift cards and to view updates from our local businesses. 

We have set up a special portal for residents to easily purchase gift cards.
https://www.franklindowntownpartnership.org/p/gift-card-portal.html

 
Gift Card Portal

Gift Card Portal


Thursday, April 16, 2020

Franklin Downtown Partnership: Offers Free Promotional Resource To All Franklin Businesses

If you own a small business in Franklin, the Franklin Downtown Partnership (FDP) wants to help publicize changes to your business during this time of social distancing. For example, have your business hours changed, do you offer delivery or curb-side pick up, do you sell gift cards, etc.? 

Businesses should contact the FDP at Downtown.Franklin@yahoo.com so they can get their updated business information listed on the Partnership website. Businesses do not need to be an FDP member to be listed.
Franklin Downtown Partnership
Franklin Downtown Partnership

The FDP's goal is to provide Franklin residents with one place they can visit for all updated information on local businesses as well as one website that lists all the small businesses in Franklin that sell gift cards.

“During this time of social distancing, the Franklin Downtown Partnership is committed to helping our businesses weather this storm,” said FDP Executive Director Lisa Piana. “The FDP is currently working on a recovery plan for the months ahead to help our small businesses.”

Franklin business owners who would like to receive the monthly FDP newsletter should contact the FDP office to be added to the distribution list. The newsletter provides updates on local businesses, town news and information that affects local businesses. The FDP also provides lots of information through social media - follow the FDP on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

The Franklin Downtown Partnership is a nonprofit, 501©3 organization made up of more than 280 business owners, community leaders and residents working to stimulate economic development downtown and create a positive impact throughout the area. 

Visit www.franklindowntownpartnership.org for more information

Thursday, April 9, 2020

Attention Small Business Owners: Is Your Business on the Franklin Downtown Partnership list?

Attn Small Business Owners: Get on the Franklin Downtown Partnership List

Franklin Downtown Partnership
FDP
The FDP is encouraging all Franklin small businesses to contact the FDP office at Downtown.Franklin@yahoo.com so they can list your updated business information on the FDP website. You do not need to be an FDP member to be listed.

The FDP's goal is to provide Franklin residents with one place they can visit for all updated information on local businesses ... and one website that lists all the small businesses that sell gift cards.

Also, any Franklin business owner who would like to receive the monthly FDP newsletter please contact the FDP office so you can be updated on Franklin local business updates.



Sunday, April 5, 2020

Small businesses: Where to go for financial relief information



Consumer Alerts from the Federal Trade Commission
by Lesley Fair, Attorney, FTC Bureau of Consumer Protection

If you own a small business or work for one, you've seen the headlines about financial relief that may be available to some companies through the Small Business Administration (SBA). But you've also heard about scammers who extract a grain of truth from the news and distort it in an effort to cheat small businesses. 

Now more than ever it's critical for small businesses to go straight to the source for accurate information about what's happening at the SBA. And that source, of course, is the Small Business Administration's dedicated page, sba.gov/coronavirus.

Read more 
https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/blog/2020/04/small-businesses-where-go-financial-relief-information 

This is a free service provided by the Federal Trade Commission.



Friday, April 3, 2020

FM #235 URCC Jack Lank COVID-19 and small business 4/01/20 (audio)

FM #235 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 235 in the series.

This session of the radio show shares my conversation with Jack Lank, President of the United Regional Chamber of Commerce. We had this conversation via conference bridge to adhere to the ‘social distancing’ requirements of this pandemic period.

Jack is in the middle of a number of things trying to help his business community as they navigate the restrictions and changing requirements of this pandemic. They have canceled their in person events and are shifting as much as they can to virtual events and the use of social media tools to help spread good information.

We talk about the reach of the current United Regional Chamber and some of their initiatives like: their Facebook page to “Rally ‘round the Restaurants”, a virtual ‘Alive After 5” networking event and a recharged Young Professionals Organization (YPO). YPO is something we’ll likely hear more of as it is a business networking group for the 20-30-40 something crowd.

This conversation runs about 22 minutes, so listen to my conversation with Jack and see what we can do to help local businesses during this time.

https://www.hipcast.com/podcast/HckQRWn7





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Find the “Rally ‘round the Restaurants” page on Facebook and share your update for a restaurant
https://www.facebook.com/United-Regionals-Rally-round-the-Restaurants-109228560731634

Find the United Regional page on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/UnitedRegional/

Find the Young Professionals Organization (YPO) on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/UnitedRegionalYoungProfessionals/


We are now producing this in collaboration with Franklin.TV and Franklin Public Radio (wfpr.fm).

This podcast is my public service effort for Franklin but we can't do it alone. We can always use your help.

How can you help?
  • If you can use the information that you find here, please tell your friends and neighbors
  • If you don't like something here, please let me know

Through this feedback loop we can continue to make improvements. I thank you for listening.

For additional information, please visit Franklinmatters.org/
If you have questions or comments you can reach me directly at shersteve @ gmail dot com

The music for the intro and exit was provided by Michael Clark and the group "East of Shirley". The piece is titled "Ernesto, manana" c. Michael Clark & Tintype Tunes, 2008 and used with their permission.

I hope you enjoy!

------------------

You can also subscribe and listen to Franklin Matters audio on iTunes or your favorite podcast app; search in "podcasts" for "Franklin Matters"

the “Rally ‘round the Restaurants” page on Facebook
the “Rally ‘round the Restaurants” page on Facebook


Thursday, April 2, 2020

Great American Gift Card Purchase - Friday, April 3

Please join us in support local small businesses by participating in the Great American Gift Card Purchase
https://www.facebook.com/events/628613174537145/

Great American Gift Card Purchase - Friday, April 3
Great American Gift Card Purchase - Friday, April 3

Monday, March 30, 2020

What Small Businesses Need Now

"A month ago, if you had told me that schools and colleges would be closed, graduations postponed, all NCAA and pro sports cancelled, restaurants and bars forcibly shuttered, non-‘essential’ businesses closed down, and gatherings of more than 10 persons forbidden, I would have thought you were cooking up an elaborate April Fool’s joke. If you had added that it would be impossible to purchase chicken, beef, eggs, or toilet paper, I would have asked what you were smoking.

Sigh. If only.

We’re living in some deeply weird times, which are presenting some unique challenges, none more so than for small businesses. Restaurants- my heart just breaks for them. Pubs and diners may be able to-barely-scrape by with takeout, but fine dining restaurants are not set up for that. Many of them will simply not survive this.

What Small Businesses Need Now
What Small Businesses Need Now
And what about other businesses that have been forced to close? Clothing stores, toy stores, book stores, nail and hair salons…yeah, way too many to name. Small businesses are fragile. More than 50% of new small businesses fail in the first year-in normal circumstances. Being forced to close your doors is not a normal circumstance. No money coming in, while rent, utilities, insurance, and other liabilities still need to be paid? That’s a small business nightmare.

The coronavirus relief bill that (finally) passed Congress will help, but will it be in time, and will it be enough? Honestly, we all need to do our part to ensure that the small businesses that keep our communities vital can hang on until this is over.

So please, if you can, order takeout from a local restaurant. Contact services you usually use (hair, nails, massage, etc) and buy a gift certificate. They’ll get the money now, you can use the service later. Before buying something from Amazon, see if a local merchant would be willing to deliver that item to you. If a shop is still open, but you don’t want to enter a public space, ask if they’ll do curbside pickup for you. Each of these is a small gesture, but a multitude of small gestures just may save these businesses.

Eventually, this too shall pass. Let’s help make sure our treasured small businesses survive to see that day."

Ann Williams - Pour Richard's Wine and Spirits  https://pourrichardswine.com/

Shared with permission
https://pourrichardswine.com/whats-new/what-small-businesses-need-now/

Wednesday, March 25, 2020

Business & Employee Support during COVID-19 Restrictions

The Town of Franklin recognizes the impact the COVID-19 restrictions and closures are having on businesses and their employees. We have compiled a list of resources to guide you through the changing landscape. This document will be updated as new information and updates become available.

● Department of Unemployment Insurance (Department of Labor Relations). Read all of the information, latest updates and apply for unemployment assistance here
https://www.mass.gov/orgs/department-of-unemployment-assistance

Find the unemployment application here
https://www.mass.gov/unemployment-insurance-ui-online

● Guidance and Directives for Businesses & Employers: Updated information regarding unemployment resources can be found here:

https://www.mass.gov/info-details/covid-19-guidance-and-directives#businesses-&-employers-


● The Rapid Response Program works closely with companies to avoid layoffs and keep a skilled workforce engaged in the existing regional economy or industry. To find out more about how the Rapid Response Team can help businesses visit this link: https://www.mass.gov/service-details/rapid-response-layoff-aversion

● SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) are available statewide. Massachusetts received approval for the disaster declaration for small businesses and private non-profits to apply for the SBA EIDL loan program. Visit the SBA’s Disaster guidance web page: www.sba.gov/disaster Applicants may apply online, receive additional disaster assistance information and download applications to mail in forms here https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela. Applicants may also call SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov for more information on SBA disaster assistance.

● MA Growth Capital Corporation:$10 million Small Business Recovery Loan Fund will provide emergency capital up to $75,000 to Massachusetts-based businesses impacted by COVID-19 with under 50 full- and part-time employees, including nonprofits. Loans are immediately available to eligible businesses with no payments due for the first 6 months. Massachusetts Growth Capital Corporation (MGCC) has capitalized on the fund and will administer it. Here is a link:
https://www.empoweringsmallbusiness.org/what-we-offer/emergency-loan-funds/covid-19-loan-fund
How to Apply: Please complete the application found on MGCC’s website, EmpoweringSmallBusiness.org.

● The IRS extended the tax deadline to July 15, 2020. Find details here
https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/tax-day-now-july-15-treasury-irs-extend-filing-deadline-and-federal-tax-payments-regardless-of-amount-owed

● The Center for Disease Control: CDC’s Guidance for Business during the
COVID-19 Outbreak  https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/guidance-business-response.htm

● Massachusetts Department of Revenue COVID-19 Information: Important updates from the Massachusetts Department of Revenue  https://www.mass.gov/info-details/important-covid-19-coronavirus-response-update-from-dor

● The Federal Reserve Board announced a Market Mutual Liquidity Fund
https://www.federalreserve.gov/newsevents/pressreleases/monetary20200320b.htm

Bulletin 2020-05; Flexibility in the Issuance and Administration of Insurance during COVID-19 (Coronavirus) Public Health Crisis; Issued 3/23/2020
https://www.mass.gov/news/bulletin-2020-05-flexibility-in-the-issuance-and-administration-of-insurance-during-covid-19

● Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office: Resources during COVID-19 Outbreak https://www.mass.gov/guides/resources-during-covid-19

● National Grid Information for Business customers regarding the COVID-19 Outbreak https://www.nationalgridus.com/COVID-19


Shared from the Town of Franklin page:  https://www.franklinma.gov/home/urgent-alerts/coronavirus-information-portal-updates-here

Business & Employee Support during COVID-19 Restrictions
Business & Employee Support during COVID-19 Restrictions

Monday, March 23, 2020

Shades IN Place: This wasn't the plan! (3/22/20)


Shades In Place
The Blind Spot
March 2020
I hope that you are safe and well during this crazy time. Like me, I bet you did not plan to stay put in your own home this Spring. In fact, I was scheduled to head down to Charlote, NC for a national convention this coming week. But sometimes, life throws a curvy ball at us, doesn't it?

We are living an unprecedented time and a global crisis that no one ever considered be possible (other than Hollywood movies)

Every business and every person / family will get a punch. Some will feel it harder than others, but nobody is out of the woods.

I am sure that my shade business is not your top priority at this moment. I get that, but please consider supporting the local small businesses in your neighborhood. They have a smaller financial cushion than large corporations.

Order food from local restaurants, keep your house cleaner schedule and why not get your shades from a local shady guy?

My hope is that since you are spending extra time inside your home, you will notice those twenty-year old mini-blinds must go.

All jokes aside, I wish that you and your family stay safe, wash your hands often and consider social distancing to slow the spread of the virus.

We are a strong nation and UNITED STATES to fight this pandemic.
God Bless America and the World.


Roger Magalhaes
Roger Magalhaes started in the window coverings industry in 2006 as a part-time installer for a national chain. After only two months, he was asked to leave for "standing out." Clients continuously requested him over the other installers and this didn't sit well with his colleagues. He knew he was on to something! Following this experience, Roger traveled to many parts of the country, acquiring formal training and receiving certifications from respected vendors such as Somfy, Hunter Douglas, Norman Shutters and Lutron. He also attended the Custom Home Furnishings Academy for formal installation training focusing on drapery and other soft treatments. Roger is the owner of Shades IN Place, Inc., located in the Boston area. He has done installations in seven states, as well as Cape Cod and the islands of Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket. He is the founder of the Facebook group Free Speech Window Covering Pros, a regular columnist for Window Fashion VISION magazine, a presenter at the International Window Coverings Expo and the installation instructor for the Window Fashion Certified Professional FastTRACK program. Learn more


Shades IN Place Inc. | 76 Grove St, Franklin, MA 02038


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