In 2010 a beloved two century old elm tree nicknamed Herbie died in the small coastal village of Yarmouth in Maine. The town offered sections of the tree to area craftsmen for various works of art. Bruce Bohrmann purchased a small quantity of the wood, and created a limited production of quality, collectable knives reflecting the character of the city. The first collection of knives received a very positive response, and Bruce knew his business could do more with a little help. He turned to SCORE for guidance on taking it to the next level.
www.bohrmannknives.com
My Successes
The story of Bohrmann Knives has caught the attention of other cities with fallen trees that were a part of the community. Bruce is working with the People Plus organization to make a collectible knife out of a 100-year old beech tree that has been cut down to make room for a hotel in Brunswick, Maine.
What's Great About My Mentor?
SCORE mentor Skip Orem has worked closely with Bruce to develop the proper pricing for his specialty products. The two have been developing a way to market the knives to potential customers. Bruce has come to rely on Skip's knowledge, expertise, and devotion as an essential element to his success. They connect frequently as Bruce refers to Skip as a one-man board of directors. Bruce Bohrmann describes his path to success with SCORE as this, "Herbie died and gave me life. Skip has provided the sustenance." They both look forward to more successes in the future.
How SCORE Helped
With assistance from SCORE, Bruce Bohrmann's Herbie Knife was recently featured in the Christmas Gifts section of Yarmouth's Down East Magazine. Being featured in the magazine has led to an increase in sales for Bohrmann Knives. The knife became a part of Yarmouth’s Annual Clam Festival. The festival is one of the largest in the New England area, and draws national attention to Yarmouth.
Published Jan. 30, 2012
An advisory board is an informal group of outside advisors with no legal responsibilities to the company except for a formal non-disclosure and a non-compete agreement.
An advisory board is an informal group of outside advisors with no legal responsibilities to the company except for a formal non-disclosure and a non-compete agreement. Most often members of an advisory board have no financial interest in the firm and may receive a nominal honorarium for serving on the advisory board.
Published Jan. 30, 2012
Published Jan. 30, 2012
Newsletter 07
Published Jan. 30, 2012
Slide Presentation
Published Jan. 30, 2012
Many businesses start as sole proprietorships or partnerships. However, these structures have unlimited personal liability for company debts. As a result, many business owners opt to incorporate or form a limited liability company (LLC) to protect their families and financial interests. Businesses may change structure at any time. Here are the most critical items to consider when selecting—or re-selecting—your business structure.
How operations management is carried out in any organization depends on the nature of products or services of the firm. Retail, manufacturing, and wholesale each have different requirements, but all businesses can become more effective through business improvement engineering.
This flowchart example, is one step toward optimizing a shipping.
When starting and growing a small business it is advisable to define how "Quality, Safety, and Regulatory Compliance is Assured." All businesses are subject to a large number of local, state, and federal regulations.
Print