50 Businesses, 50 Solutions
Last year the League of New Hampshire Craftsmen undertook strategic planning sessions. One of the big takeaways that emerged was that the league needed to enhance its digital presence, teaching its 700 members to engage with their customers online. It seemed like an essential step for the organization, which has been around since 1932, but at the time executive director Miriam Carter didn’t realize how soon it would become critical.
Gregory Slossar, owner of Escape Room in Concord, has to search a bit to find a silver lining to the pandemic.
“If nothing else, I’m golfing better,” he said. “That’s one benefit to all of this.”
On a normal Saturday, Chris Prost and his wife Michelle Oeser would welcome 100-200 patrons to the microbrewery they run from their property in Croydon, a small town near Sunapee. Polyculture Brewing Company has a tiny tasting room with space for about 20 patrons, with space for 60 in an outdoor beer garden.
When the coronavirus hit, Melanie Isett knew that she needed to act fast. As the owner of The Leotard Boutique, an e-commerce operation based in Lebanon, Isett sells tutus and dance accessories directly to consumers. With many Americans re-evaluating their discretionary spending and the lucrative dance recital and wedding seasons cancelled, Isett wanted to get through her stock — and quickly.
2020 was supposed to be a banner year for Sarah Barkhouse (cq), owner of Vera Flora Farm in Gilsum. For nine years, Barkhouse has been a part-time florist, growing flowers and creating bouquets and displays during nights and weekends, while working during the day at nearby W.S. Badger Co.
Child Light Education Company is the rare pandemic success story. Before coronavirus, the business ran about 80 in-person teacher trainings for yoga and mindfulness, both at its Dover studio and in partner studios around the country. Since April, Child Light has switched to all online trainings. Since the trainings are not limited by a physical space, people from around the world can attend and the average class size has doubled in some cases. That means for Child Light Education Company, business if better than ever.
When retail shopping came to a sudden halt, Molly Taflas, manager of the Hannah Grimes Marketplace, had to find a way to keep sales going in the shop, which sells everything from pottery to jewelry to food and wine, all made within 150 miles of Keene. Usually, customers come in looking for a gift or just to see what catches their eye.
Heather Turner operates in many different arenas. A former chef, she now consults with small lodging operations and restaurants. The bulk of her business, Forfeng Designs and Media, involves educating small business owners on how best to use marketing and social media to grow their revenues.
