The first session, Business Planning, covered elements to consider when making a business plan. Maggie Cohn from Cooperative Fund of the Northeast provided a valuable financial perspective, having funded many cooperatives with loans. The session got into a discussion on the basics of finance. In worker-owned cooperatives, it is particularly important that all the worker owners, being owners of the business, have some understanding of finance. The session was guided by a business planning template created by the Boston Center for Community Ownership.

The second session, Marketing Your Business, focused on branding and identity to start. Logo guidelines and obtaining a domain for branding started the session. We then moved onto marketing products and services. The pros and cons of social media promotion brought up different perspectives.

As always, I’m grateful for being part of workshops where the ideas of participants had much to offer the group. Group experience included backgrounds in healthcare, cooking, real estate investment, faith leadership, and more. Attendees had input on management, attracting customers, email management, marketing campaigns, and a good debate about whether to print business cards or use a digital app.

I’m excited to see what the future holds for Worcester Roots and the co-ops of Worcester. I was also introduced to The Village Worcester which hosted the event. The Village is a new (formed in 2020) Afrocentric cultural, learning, & healing center in the Main South neighborhood of Worcester, MA.