🔒How to turn an idea into a business

Every three days or so last summer on the island of Vinalhaven, I made the drive into town to stock up. I popped into the grocery store, stopped by the wine shop and checked in at the Paper Store for local gossip and a copy of the newspaper. I saved my favorite errand for last. I stopped by ArcCafé, a coffee shop and produce market, to pick up a latte and a bag of vegetables from Sparkplug farm, one of several sustainable island-based farms. On Saturdays, I would go to the farmers market, a mini tent-city where locals sell locally produced lemonade, scones, produce, soaps, textiles and crafts. Memories of these experiences stayed with me long after the end of the summer.

It got me thinking. What if there was a way to buy these products after I left the island? Sure, a phone call to a local artisan might yield a pleasant package in the mail; some even had developed sophisticated e-commerce sites. But it could take hours of Google searches to find a particular handmade product from Maine, and many local artisans have no online presence at all.

The seed of an idea was born, to create an online old-fashioned dry goods store with a focus on local products from Maine. But I didn't want this to simply be the Etsy of Maine. I wanted our company to embrace social responsibility, to support local artisans and also give back to Maine.

After many late-night strategy sessions with family and friends, we developed our mission: to support the individualism of Maine's artists and artisans, the beauty of its natural resources and the organizations that help support the state. In July 2014, we launched Crocketts Cove, an online marketplace that connects socially responsible consumers with Maine artists and artisans.

So how do you move from an idea to a company?

 • Turn your idea into a business plan: Possibly the best advice I had early on, was to stop thinking and start writing. Write down your idea, expand on that idea and plan for success. 

 • Surround yourself with key advisors: We turned to every successful friend or family member we could find: business executives, web developers, accountants, designers and entrepreneurs for advice.

 • Set tangible goals: We set up weekly conference calls to gather our team and brainstorm ideas and set goals and deadlines. Before we knew it, we were incorporated, our first artisans were signed up and our partner nonprofits were chosen. There was no turning back.

 • Network and connect: Maine has been an incredibly supportive place to start a business. With connections and persistent outreach to vendors and nonprofits, we have created partnerships with some tremendous organizations who believe in our mission almost as passionately as we do. The more you step out of your office and talk with people, the more accountable you are and the faster your company grows.

 • Embrace flexibility: Our original mission has not changed. But as fiercely as we are committed to that mission, we are equally flexible about making changes as the company develops. We originally partnered with a new nonprofit every month, but it was exhausting for us and the nonprofits. So now we partner with two nonprofits per year, a change that allows us to cosponsor and participate in programming and events all year long.

Crocketts Cove now has dozens of artists and artisans selling on the site. The site lets people know about events and pop-ups, artist conferences. The following continues to grow. Every day we are learning something new, taking on each new challenge one by one, with wonder and gratitude for how far we have come in so short a time.

Christine Williams, CEO of CrockettsCove.com, an online marketplace that connects socially responsible consumers with Maine artists and artisans, can be reached at christine@crockettscove.com.