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Lettenga overcomes stress of taking business to new location |
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Wednesday, 03 September 2008 |
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Page 2 of 2
The Pondera Regional Port Authority (P.A.) also has been working with Kim as she makes the transition to take her business in a new direction.
Cheryl Curry, of the P.A. said, “We have been closely monitoring her success and have helped her focus on pricing strategies as well as reviewing her business image as it reflects to marketing.”
The change of location also brought a new direction and line of items. Kim’s major inventory is now party items; plates, napkins, favors, balloons, utensils and gift baskets. Anything and everything one needs to put on a party, wedding reception, anniversary gathering, a reunion or just a casual gathering.
With the change in focus to party merchandise and gift baskets comes a change in image and new customers need to be targeted.
Curry comments that with this change, the P.A. has the help of Rebecca Engum of the Small Business Development Center in Great Falls.
“She brings many resources to the table such as studies in industry standards, community profiles and demographic studies that help a business determine if the customers they are seeking exist in the area,” Curry said.
She went on to add, “Rebecca has been helpful by making business projections and educating Kim on how to track costs as a percent of sales in order to be profitable.”
Lettenga says of her revamped business, “I want this to be a shop with atmosphere, sort of like a boutique. but still affordable.”
The business still carries some $1 items, but the main focus now is on jazzy party merchandise.
Of the new course of order, Lettenga says, “I love it and believe in it and the town needs it.”
She went on to add, “We were playing catch-up for awhile, now we’re getting our feet on the ground and are getting a lot of positive feed back.”
Curry added a final comment on the bold move, “Our goal at the P.A. is to work with businesses to help ensure their success.”
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