I love small businesses. I have been surrounded by them my entire life. Growing up in Massachusetts, my mother was an accountant and bookkeeper for small businesses — a lot of them (60 or 70 at a time). When I had breaks from school I never had to look for a job. My mom would tell me that this business needed help or that business needed an extra hand. I delivered flowers on Valentine’s Day. I stuffed invitations for graduations. I worked as an amateur roofer, plumber, electrician, barber and log clearer – to name a few.
Along the way I got to see behind-the-scenes. I got to know the entrepreneurs who had founded these local institutions. I learned about their pains, how they spent money, what worked and what didn’t. I always wanted to help.
As it turns out, I wasn’t the greatest barber (have you seen my beard!) or roofer. Instead, I became fluent in technology. My career has led me to some of the best tech companies in New England, like TechTarget and Acquia, tackling some exciting challenges. Yet, I could never truly stop thinking about small businesses. I lent them my help whenever I had a spare moment. I helped design websites and show them how to bend technology to their needs. It never felt like enough. Plus, I enjoyed watching an ambitious entrepreneur use a new technology to further his or her business.
Finally, the calling was too strong and I joined forces with Cory von Wallenstein to found Adored, an app that I think will revolutionize how small businesses engage with their customers and level the playing field against massive corporate conglomerates.
And it can’t happen soon enough. Main Street is under attack by massive companies with even larger marketing budgets. This worries me because I love the authentic experience. I take pride in the people and places that make my local neighborhood special. If I can go to Starbucks anywhere and it is the exact same experience anywhere, then we’re at risk of losing our identity. We’re at risk of losing what makes our cities and towns unique. We’re at risk of losing what makes us special.
Our local entrepreneurs are what make us special. Technology can be a powerful tool that exposes their life’s work to new audiences. Yet many struggle with understanding the tools that are out there and how to use them to fit their needs. That is what I do. And I can translate it into their language. That is what led to this column. I will be sharing tips and tricks I’ve learned over years of working both in technology and with small business owners. I hope you will enjoy them, learn from them and implement them and, in doing so, I hope your business not only survives but thrives.
An experienced developer and entrepreneur, Dan Vine is the CTO and co-founder of Manchester-based startup, Adored. He has spent more than 15 years as a leader in the tech industry. His true passion is helping small businesses solve problems.
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