homepractical help for businesses along "main street"
Main Street Ventures is an innovative firm dedicated to helping small businesses (like those along
Main Street) come alive and thrive. We have a soft spot for helping startups through their hardest
stage - transitioning from concept to company - but our essential value is the same for businesses
"old" & new.
We take client companies to their next level of operations. We do this by:
- unifying their strategic efforts across critical business functions (marketing, technology, operations) so
the entire business moves forward as a single unit; and
- providing affordable access to the expertise and resources our clients lack as they grow into their next level
For a startup, this might mean coordinating a technology team to architect and build a working prototype of
their product or service. For an existing business, this might mean choreographing the execution of a
multi-step plan that will dramatically improve productivity or position key business functions for handling more
business. Though we occasionally make small cash infusions into the businesses with which we work (rarely more than
$10,000), our real investment is the time and professional resources we invest in your success (because we only make
money if you do).
Basically, by delivering "champagne on a beer budget." As entrepreneurs and small business owners ourselves, we've
spent a lot of time (and money) figuring out how to make things work really well on a shoestring. First, you
benefit from the fact that we (and our clients) have already paid to invent the proverbial wheel. In fine Yankee
tradition, we recycle a lot of work product with each of our clients. Second, we've been around the block more than
a few times. We've toiled in corporate America, started businesses, sold businesses, and closed businesses. We haven't
seen everything, but we're battle-tested & ready to help you face pretty much any challenge likely to come your way.
At the end of the day, you & your community gain a vibrant, sustainable business. We all make some money. Everybody's happy.
Click on the links below to learn more about some of the many ways we can help your small business do more with less:
professional services [more]
professional services
Even a small business is a complex beast, and recognizing the way different things are connected is not always
obvious. Very talented lawyers and accountants unaccustomed to running a business will often fail to identify
all the implications associated with many business dealings. For example, the contract you're about to sign might
be perfectly fine from a legal perspective, but force you to report income before cash is actually received?
Will your business be prepared to pay the tax bill on this "phantom income" when your accountant tells you it's
due next quarter?
Our basic services bring front-line professional help inside of your business. Though there is value in our
ability to handle many "generic" professional services on your behalf, that's not really what we're about. Instead,
we help you better manage your existing professional relationships by identifying critical issues up front,
and engaging your professionals to work at a level of detail that provides far greater business value for the
same (or less) dollars spent.
Don't have a professional relationship? We can introduce you to professionals we think provide the best "fit"
for you and your business. Many will offer a discount or agree to defer payment because of their relationship
with our firm.
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business services [more]
business services
New and small business owners go through a lot of "on-the-job" training that is both expensive and time
consuming. Effectively and efficiently managing basic operations will make or break many a small
business. Your ability to closely monitor performance is critical to not only preserving your investment,
but also to properly positioning yourself for an eventual "exit."
Almost every business will face a period of difficult decisions, ranging from financial crises to ownership
disputes. Those who hesitate or neglect to confront these realities will usually fail. Main Street Ventures
helps businesses avoid the slippery slope to failure first by bringing independent judgment to the table, and
then by delivering the practical help you need to actually implement uncomfortable & tricky plans of action
such as:
- renegotiating debts, leases, and other obligations
- collecting upon outstanding invoices or other payments
- positioning your business to attract additional investment
- managing owner disputes & employee layoffs
The kind of advice we give in this area is not something you can usually "buy," because the people qualified to give
it typically don't serve the small business community. We do.
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shared services [more]
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- legal
legal services
This arena is one of our sweet spots (thanks to our founder). Unlike your attorney, we don't charge by
the hour. Over the course of a month, our average client will pay for the equivalent of about 3 hours of
billed time from their attorney. In exchange, they're getting no less than
20 hours of hands-on work from their account exective from MSV. We don't replace your professional
relationships, but if we can manage their tasks so they only have to bill you for 4 hours of work instead
of 7, then we've more than paid for ourselves. chances are we'll do much better by you than this.
- financial
financial services
we'll have more info here shortly. Promise!
- media & community relations
media & community relations
we'll have more info here shortly. Promise!
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- general management
business leadership & management
we'll have more info here shortly. Promise!
- sales & marketing
sales & marketing
we'll have more info here shortly. Promise!
- human resources
human resources
we'll have more info here shortly. Promise!
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- information technology
information technology
This is another one of our sweet spots. Early in our professional careers, we recognized that
technology is the one tool capable of simultaneously reducing costs (by increasing productivity)
and increasing revenues (by creating new services and sales channels). The icing on the cake
lies with its ability to create meaningful business intelligence to management's fingertips.
We've tapped into each of these characteristics to create a sustainable competetive advantage for
the companies with which we've worked (let alone generate millions of dollars of savings and
new revenues). We just love the way we've effectively married our geekiness with business!
- infrastructure management
operational infrastructure
we'll have more info here shortly. Promise!
- cooperative purchasing
cooperative purchasing
we'll have more info here shortly. Promise!
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Learn more about how we work, and contact us to arrange a no-cost
evaluation of your operations. We'll design a program tailored to your needs & budget that will make a difference for
your business today.