Marketing old and new

January 1, 2023  |  Business

I majored in marketing in college. I thought I was great at “packaging an idea” and running with it. Now that I have owned Onboard Interiors LLC in Marblehead, Mass., for almost 20 years, I understand that marketing changes with the world, and the marine world is a unique market for sure.
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Young marine fabricators in Australia

September 1, 2022  |  Business

Employing young people is painful.” “They don’t know how good they’ve got it.” “All they know how to do is play games on their phones and computers.”
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Workflow in a seasonal environment

July 1, 2022  |  Business

As I have grown Precision Custom Canvas Inc. from a single-person operation to a business of four full-time staff and two seasonal positions, I have struggled with the concept of providing a consistent living wage to my employees through the off-season while snow blankets the boats and ice fills the…
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Ransomware attacks affect small businesses

May 1, 2022  |  Business

The recent proliferation of well-publicized cyberattacks has revealed ransomware to be a serious national security threat. Still largely hidden from public view, however, are the attacks on small businesses, including many within the industrial, specialty and advanced textile industry, that don’t …
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Find creativity in marine fabrication frustration

March 1, 2022  |  Business

Are you dogged by missteps? Do you perceive your mistakes as creative opportunities or simply as failures? Are the challenges of custom work creating stress in the rest of your life? And finally, where do you as a fabricator find purpose in your life? I can’t speak for everyone, but I discover min…
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Supporting employees’ mental health

September 1, 2021  |  Business

Employers can help shift post-pandemic priorities from surviving to thriving. By Courtney Patt As we continue to emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic, many have been reflecting on the year that was—or perhaps wasn’t. For a vast number of folks, priorities have shifted from simply surviving to remai…
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Increase your efficiency

July 1, 2021  |  Business, Shop Techniques

Seven steps every business can take, from organizing more to doing less.  by Laurie F. Junker No business owner wants to waste time and money, have frustrated employees, and risk customer relationships with mistakes and delays. But the truth is that all of these things happen when businesses operat…
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Strong business cultures require strong leaders

May 1, 2021  |  Business

By Clint Halladay Four years ago, the fabric of our organization, SewLong Custom Covers, was held together by cheap cotton thread. Our company was growing and doing well financially, but our culture was in crisis. Our leadership was fractured and distracted, employees were frustrated, some were leav…
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