Expert Marketing Strategies Offered at County Business Center

Maui County Business Resource Center is located at the Maui Mall in Kahului across from IHOP.. File photo.

By Sonia Isotov

During the month of December, the Maui County Business Resource Center (MCBRC) is hosting several workshops geared toward helping small and micro businesses succeed on Maui.

Fred Rickert, the business consultant at the Small Business Development Center in Kihei will talk about market and sales strategies, and two other experts will speak on personal organization and interpersonal communication.

The Maui County Business Resource Center also has an entire lineup of other short business workshops during December. Every month, local business experts share a wealth of knowledge and experience at the free workshops and topics vary by month but usually focus on starting, financing, and growing a small business.

The Center, a division of the County of Maui Office of Economic Development, also has free business counseling with business executives in the US Small Business Administration’s Service Corp of Retired Executives (SCORE) counselor program. SCORE is a federal program and the Maui Chapter is lead by long-time SCORE counselor and certified public accountant, Richard Kehoe.

Harry & Jeanette Weinberg Pono Center: How Can It Help Your Small Business” by Susie Thieman – Tuesday, December 4
Learn what the Lokahi Pacific’s Pono Center can offer your business, i.e. a training facility, conference room, office space or a commercial kitchen. Join Susie Thieman, the interim executive director of Lokahi Pacific as she discusses all the options at the Center in Wailuku.

“Internet Income Strategies” by Chris Mentzel – Tuesday, December 11
This workshop will benefit both people searching for a new source of income and entrepreneurs who want to advertise their business. Mentzel will spend a majority of the session responding to questions from attendees, on topics such as: the need for internet marketing, products and services (what people pay for), product search, broad advertising (banners and emails), advertising according to needs (AdWords), advertising according to demographics (Facebook), and social marketing. Chris Mentzel has a masters in computer science from the University of Berlin.

Maui Business Brainstormers meet for business networking at the MCBRC. Photo courtesy of MCBRC.

“Marketing & Sales Strategies to Help Small Business” by Fred Rickert – Wednesday, December 12
Learn ways to develop your target market, research, and find affordable ways to advertise your product or service. Understand the size of your market, pricing strategies, competitor analysis, and distribution channels. Learn approaches to personal selling your product or service.  Handouts will be provided for future reference. Fred Rickert is currently a senior business consultant with the Hawaii Small Business Development Center-Maui

“Understanding Your Credit and Scores”  by Jason Hall – Thursday, December 13
This is a 60 minute crash course on how to improve your credit scores.  We’ll discuss how to deal with collections, tax liens, judgments, late payments, foreclosures and short sales on your credit report.  Find out how this information can possibly be removed in less than 7 years to improve your scores.  This workshop is presented by Jason Hall, a certified credit expert and credit consultant.

Maui Business Brainstormers Monthly Meeting – Monday – Dec. 17 – 11:45 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. The public is invited to meet other business owners/managers, share and learn with thought-provoking questions, answers and coaching. Bring your business challenges to the meeting. Features: introductions, “get to know your neighbor”, brainstormers sharing, expert coaching, quickfire. No charge. To attend, RSVP at www.meetup.com/MauiBusinessBrainstormers.

“Discover the Skill to Achieve Success in Your Business” by Mike Kern – Tuesday, December 18
If you’re currently unsure of how to quickly grow your business, stuck because of analysis paralysis, frustrated because you’ve bought lots of marketing information but your results haven’t improved, struggled with a lack of motivation or battling perfectionism (bringing your progress to a standstill) and unable to overcome procrastination, Kern will present information to help. Through the years, Kern has owned many businesses in multiple industries, usually selling to larger corporations or completing an IPO.  His specialty is business finance, marketing and sales, and operations.

“Creating Harmony in the Workplace” by Stan Dokmanus –Wednesday, December 19
Attendees will learn mental control skills, together with a method to change limiting and painful beliefs. Stan Dokmanus has worked for a non-profit on Maui for six years as a substance abuse counselor.