Dakota Angler & Outfitter opened as a fly-fishing shop and guide service in the historic Black Hills in 1996. After working there all throughout high school and college, Hans Stephenson bought the business and set out to modernize it in 2006. He shifted to online sales, which in turn helped…
With the world going digital, brick-and-mortar business owners intuitively know that in order to take advantage of this trend and stay relevant, they must bring their business online, as well. But how exactly do you go local online? And where do you start? With tons of possible business profiles and…
New York fashion model and Broadway fire-eater Carol Perkins began hand sewing dog beds, robes and toys while recovering from a life-threatening brain tumor. “She was homebound and looking for a positive distraction,” marketing director, Sarah Lovingood, says. “She started caring for her neighbor’s dogs while they were away and…
Will the ever-growing popularity of online shopping cause brick-and-mortar businesses to die a slow death? Forbes, Huffington Post, Quora and essentially every digital business hub has taken a stab at predicting what will happen to brick-and-mortar businesses as e-commerce grows exponentially. In the earlier days of the e-commerce explosion, many…
Today’s major companies can provide many great lessons in public relations; most of them by showing you exactly what not to do. In fact, one of the best PR teachers is actually one of the worst offenders: Uber. The ride-sharing giant even has even earned itself a page on The Guardian with what was (at…
Why is Google My Business (GMB) important for startups and small businesses? In today’s COVID-19 world, getting visibility online as a small business is more important than ever. Though there are a wide variety of SEO tools out there that can help you, I’ve found that setting up a Google My Business (GMB) is…
It’s been a tough year, to say the least, and without being a harbinger of doom and gloom, it’s looking like we won’t see significant improvements for a while yet. Therefore, it’s down to us, as entrepreneurs, to focus on what we can control. We can’t control the COVID-19 virus….
How Main Streets can still make sales while practicing social distancing For the majority of Main Street merchants, business as we know it has been seriously altered by the COVID-19 pandemic. As the U.S. now has the highest number of confirmed coronavirus cases worldwide, “non-essential” businesses have been ordered to…
Funding and Informational Resources for Main Street Business Owners Impacted by COVID-19 Earlier this week, we shared how Main Streets can maintain sales while practicing social distancing (LINK). If you’re a Main Street merchant fighting to keep your head above water, know that you’re not alone. There are countless…
How do you take opportunities and run with them? This is the most central question to businesses in every arena: striking while the iron is hot is the key to success.