Worcester Business Journal

wbjournal.com | May 13, 2024 | Worcester Business Journal 19 F O C U S 508-757-3311 Your Business is Our Top Priority Business moves quickly and your organization needs partners it can rely on. At S&G we have the knowledge, technical expertise and industry experience to get the job done. You'll always be our top priority! We'll be there to help with strategic Value Growth Planning - a holistic approach to helping business owners align their business growth plans with their personal goals and objectives. Our proven processes will help grow revenue, increase profitability, grow your business value and help the business be less dependent on you. Combine that with our "Awesome Service Guarantee" - our commitment to customer care and personal attention - and you'll see why S&G is the partner of choice for so many winning organizations. For more information or to set up a no-obligation initial consultation contact Matt Allison, Consulting Division Lead Partner at mallison@sgllp.com www.sgllp.com • Strategic Planning & Execution • Value Growth Planning • Business Transition & Exit Planning • M&A Advisory • Accounting & Tax Services to set up your no obligation initial consultation, please contact us today. Amazon Best Seller! Co-authored by Terry Shepherd of Worcester's S&G LLP - Business Consultants and Certified Public Accountants Based on more than 45+ years experience working with business owners. S M A L L B U S I N E S S & FA M I LY B U S I N E S S e store closed its doors for good in January, in the wake of a number of small businesses in Worcester expressing concerns about the impact of rising prices and changing consumer trends. During its four years of operation, the store directly contributed $2.1 mil- lion to more than 175 local farmers, said Cheney. "When I heard she was closing, I was in tears," Gon- zalez said. "e reason I was hurt by it was that she had a local market in the city selling fresh fruits and vegetables, but also was providing fresh and organic food to our organization on a monthly basis." Food insecurity was hardly just a pandemic-era problem, said Gonzalez. e situation right now is perhaps the bleakest in the 33 years the El Buen Samaritano Food Program has been oper- ational, highlighting the need for action and collaboration with groups like the United Way. "We've never seen it the way things are now," Gonzalez said. "Everybody is running out of food. Just on one [average] Friday, we're seeing over 400 households come through our door. Everyone is in survival mode." Gonzalez frequently provides food to individuals who are already working two to three jobs but are still struggling to make ends meet, she said. A bright spot Cheney's new job at the United Way has been a welcome distraction from the pains of closing her business, she said. e process of finalizing the details of closing a business is more complicated than one might assume. "Surprisingly, it's just as hard to close a business as it is to open one. It just requires an extensive amount of time, in addition to combatting the emotional aspect of closing a business," she said. "When you open a business, there's obviously an enormous amount of stress, but that is combated by the unique sentiment you have and the opportunity you seek to build relationships and grow. When you close one, it's devastating. "You're constantly burdened with pure sadness." e United Way role has been reenergizing and a welcome distraction from the sadness. "Making this transition into the United Way has really been a bright spot in all of this," she said. Worcester business owners and the community have expressed their appreciation for Cheney's work. Just days aer she closed Maker to Main, Harry Kokkinis, former president and current executive chairman of the board of directors at Table Talk Pies, and Kathryn Tsandikos, proprietor of George's Coney Island Hot Dogs, reached out expressing a desire to honor her commitment to the city with an event. "I was really taken back by the experience and con- versation with two amazing individuals who have had longstanding relationships in our communities with small businesses," Cheney said, referencing Kokkinis and Tsandikos, two people she only somewhat knew before they had reached out. Always one to deflect attention from herself back on to the cause of food insecurity, Cheney requested the event in honor of her, held on May 9 at BirchTree Continued on next page Maricelis Gonzalez, executive director of El Buen Samaritano Food Program

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