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Through approachable learning activities, this badge gives you a real-world, no-fluff look at what it actually takes to buy and take over a business successfully. By the end of this minicourse, you will be better able to identify and articulate your “why” – the driving force behind your search to acquire an entrepreneurial venture, which frames the search process and the aspects you’ll want to evaluate in potential acquisitions. You will also develop a better understanding of how that search process typically unfolds, including elements like business valuation, conducting due diligence as a buyer, financing the purchase, and the types of documents needed to prepare for a purchase. Those who earn the Foundations badge can also enroll in a BuyME Advanced workshop, where they can apply their skills to create a business acquisition plan, receiving additional training and support from University of Maine Cooperative Extension and Maine Business School experts.

If you want to strengthen your business and prepare for the unexpected quickly and effectively, you’re in the right place! In just under two hours, you’ll explore the key principles of business resilience through engaging lessons, practical tools, and real-world strategies. From crisis management to operational systems and financial preparedness, you’ll gain the skills and confidence to bounce back stronger from disruptions and adapt to change with clarity and purpose. Whether you’re launching a new venture or leading a long-standing enterprise, this course offers immediately applicable insights to keep your business agile, sustainable, and ready for whatever comes next.

Welcome to Finances in a Flash! If you want to take control of your business finances quickly and easily, you’re in the right place! This interactive and practical course, offered by the Maine Business School and UMaine Extension, provides essential financial management knowledge designed for busy professionals. In just two hours, you’ll gain a solid foundation in small business financial management through engaging lessons, fun videos, and interactive activities. We’ll cover key topics like creating a solid budget, understanding your cash flow, building an emergency fund, and the importance of financial statements—giving you the tools and confidence to make smarter, more informed decisions. Whether just getting started or fine-tuning your skills, this course makes financial management easy, actionable, and immediately applicable to strengthen your business.

Marketing in a Flash: Core Concepts for Small Businesses Boost your business’s reach and impact with our concise, high-value training. Designed specifically for small business owners and entrepreneurs, “Marketing in a Flash” equips you with the foundational marketing strategies needed to connect with your audience and drive growth. In this intensive session, you will gain the skills to build a marketing plan from the ground up: Customer Personas: Identify and deeply understand your target audience. The 4 Ps of Marketing: Master the core components of Product, Price, Place, and Promotion, and learn how to optimize each for your specific business. Adaptable Strategies: Learn how to pivot and adjust your marketing approach using the 4 Ps framework when market conditions change. Tracking Success: Discover how to effectively use Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and marketing metrics to evaluate whether your strategies are working.

Drive innovation for greater business resilience and sustainability. You will: Learn & apply key tools and concepts for innovation and building a sustainable approach for your business; Map your current business model and identified opportunities for its sustainable re-design and adaptation; Discover prioritize, & craft an implementation plan to pursue opportunities that impact people, planet, and profit. Level 1: build a foundation for sustainable innovation in your business - sustainability, business modelling, and innovation concepts. Level 2: work side-by-side with program instructors & peer organizations to develop a new sustainable roadmap for your organization. Level 3: work with coaching support to guide development on an implementation strategy for sustainable change in your business or organization, helping you troubleshoot plan development, and creating a pitch for sustainable change within your organization for stakeholders.