Portland-based businesses SCORE Maine and Fork Food Lab are teaming up to offer a three-part webinar series designed specifically for food and beverage entrepreneurs in Maine. The series will cover a range of topics, from starting and growing a business to funding, scaling and getting advice from successful small business owners.

The first webinar, titled “Food & Beverage – Resources, Pop-Ups, and Micro-Retail,” is this Thursday, April 27. During this webinar, attendees will learn about the many resources available to food and beverage entrepreneurs in Maine, including financing, licensing and certification options. They will also discover how to use pop-up events and micro-retail opportunities to grow their business and reach new customers.

The second webinar, titled “Food & Beverage – Scaling and Funding Your Business,” is scheduled for May 4. This webinar will cover the various options available for funding your business, both traditional and alternative. Attendees will learn about traditional funding options like loans, lines of credit and SBA financing as well as alternative funding options like crowdfunding, angel investors, grants, city and state funding, and partnership investment. The webinar will also cover the key considerations for scaling a food and beverage business, including operational efficiency, supply chain management, marketing and branding, and hiring and training staff.

The third and final webinar, titled “Food & Beverage – Advice from Main Street,” is on May 11. During this webinar, attendees will hear from a panel of three to four small-business owners from the food and beverage industry who will share their experiences and insights into the challenges and opportunities of running a small business in Maine. Panelists will answer audience Q&A, moderated by SCORE Maine, focused on “The things you wish you knew before starting your business.”

All three webinars begin at noon on their respective dates and are free. They are designed to be interactive, so attendees can bring their questions and be ready to participate in lively discussions with our panelists and other food and beverage entrepreneurs.

“We are thrilled to partner with Fork Food Lab to offer this three-part webinar series for food and beverage entrepreneurs in Maine,” said Dan Reed, marketing and admin manager for SCORE Maine. “Starting and growing a food and beverage business can be challenging, and we want to provide entrepreneurs with the knowledge and resources they need to succeed.”

Interested participants can register for the webinars at score.org/southernmaine/event/food-beverage-resources-pop-ups-and-micro-retail.

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