7 Entrepreneurs Reflect on the Ups and Downs of Year One
 

7 Entrepreneurs Reflect on the Ups and Downs of Year One
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Year One is the hardest 365 days for any business owner. Sales projections are based on models, **t real data, and you have to work hard to create a niche for yourself and find customers in a crowded marketplace.

See also: 17 Business Models Shaking Up the Marketplace


We spoke with the purveyors of seven successful businesses in a variety of industries about what they learned in Year One, and the advice they have for other entrepreneurs who are just hitting the ground running.

Maine Root

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Image: Maine Root


Portland, ME
34 Employees
Founded in 2001

Matt Seiler started making Fair Trade soda in 2001 while working at a Flatbread Company, a Portland pizza company. As Flatbread expanded to multiple locations to spread the gospel of natural and organic food, so too did awareness of Seiler’s Maine Root soda. Today, it’s sold in Whole Foods and Wegman’s. Read more...

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