Ahead of the Hawaiian Airlines Made in Maui County Festival on November 1 and 2, 2024, the Maui Chamber of Commerce partnered with SCORE – a non-profit dedicated to mentoring small businesses – to launch a free E-Commerce Bootcamp. This six-session online bootcamp is designed to equip local entrepreneurs with the skills necessary to thrive in today’s digital marketplace.
Maui Chamber of Commerce was thrilled to collaborate with SCORE on this endeavor. SCORE is a renowned non-profit dedicated to supporting, growing, and helping small businesses succeed nationwide. A resource partner of the U.S. Small Business Administration, SCORE provides free, confidential mentoring and business training. Leading this initiative is Kim “Kat” Shepherd, the Southern California and Hawaii District Director for SCORE, who says this pilot program was designed specifically to help Made in Maui County Festival vendors and local entrepreneurs bolster their online presence.
“We created this course because of the makers in Hawaii,” says Shepherd. “We wanted them to be able to expand their customer base to anywhere.”
The weekly online bootcamp took a deep dive into all things e-commerce, from setting up a digital store to managing product listings and ensuring secure payments. At the end of the program, participants will develop and present a detailed e-commerce business plan that applies all the knowledge gained throughout the program. With expert guidance from e-commerce mentors, participants graduate from the bootcamp ready to apply new skills and effectively launch an online store.
The program wass designed to be very engaging, informative, and supportive, setting participants up for success. “It’s not a one way presentation where people are just sitting there listening to someone talk,” says Shepherd. “It’s very interactive. We stop, we ask questions. There are educated people who know the topic who are in the chat rooms to get questions answered live.”
During the first session on September 5, the workshop featured two instructors, a moderator, and three mentors in the chat room. “That’s the great part about this class; it’s an active demonstration. We’re not just talking about it. We’re demonstrating, we’re showing it.”
In addition to e-commerce mentoring, the program helped entrepreneurs sharpen sales techniques and essential digital marketing skills – such as SEO, social media marketing, email campaigns, and paid advertising.
While the program was invaluable for entrepreneurs looking to strengthen their online presence, it was also designed to help small business owners network and build relationships. “We invited people from off island [to the workshop], because my [SCORE] district covers Southern California,” says Shepherd. “We did it to integrate more people. We want [participants] to expand their network and expand their knowledge with other like-minded professionals.”
Shepherd also says the program invites entrepreneurs to find others from across the nation to be cohorts in the program and hold each other accountable.
The first session saw immediate success, with over 200 students. Although the bootcamp was originally promoted as a pilot program, the overwhelming attendance highlights the need for more workshops. “We’re going to do way more of this class in the future,” Shepherd says. “We are definitely going to do a part two of the E-Commerce Bootcamp, absolutely.”
Having a strong online presence is a necessity for small businesses today. Not only has the shift to online shopping accelerated, but an online store can also be invaluable in supplementing brick-and-mortar sales. Here on Maui, the importance of e-commerce for small businesses was underscored during the COVID-19 shutdown and the steep drop in tourism following the August 2023 wildfires. A healthy online presence is one step towards building a more resilient, “future-proof” business.
Programs like the E-Commerce Bootcamp will help Made in Maui County Festival vendors – and entrepreneurs from around the island – establish a strong online presence, enabling them to reach a broader audience and increase sales beyond the local market.