Maureen Bane owns a small antique business where she rents space in an antique store called Spaulding Cooperage. She purchases used antiques cheaply, fixes them up, and sells them for a profit. While owning her own sole proprietorship business was risky, renting space in Spaulding Cooperage provides more stability with less pressure as she shares the costs and risks with other dealers. Her goals are to continue profiting from her business and eventually open her own antique shop.

1. Signature Finishes
Maureen Bane
Mike Bane
Nichols College
Business and Society
MGMT-100-02

2. Maureen’s Business
 Maureen Bane is my Mother, but to others she is a small
business owner.
 She runs her own business through Spaulding
Cooperage, an Antique store in Townsend, MA.
 At this store she rents out a 10 x 10 area which she can
place items for sale.

3. Maureen’s Business Cont.
 The items she sells are used Antiques in which she
purchased for cheap to fix up and sell for profit.
 Spaulding Cooperage has over 10 Antique Dealers who
rent out spaces for $150 a month.
 Along with the $150 dollar charge the owner of the
store also takes 4% of the dealers sales each month.

4. Background in Business
 After studying at the New England Institute of Faux
Finishing and Royal Design Studios in San
Diego, California she acquired the skills to be successful
in the art and Faux Finishing field.
 Starting her career in 2006 and few years of completing
painting and redecorating jobs she saw how the
economy was affecting her business so she decided to
move to a store with multiple owners last spring to
ensure job safety.

5. Successes/ Challenges
 After moving her business to Spaulding Cooperage last
Spring she has felt a lot less pressure because owning a
business with others is a lot less risky than being a sole
proprietor.
 The biggest challenges in her business is to make profit
and to compete with the other dealers in the store.

6. Successes/ Challenges Cont.
 Fortunately for Maureen she has never had an
unprofitable month at Spaulding Cooperage.
 Some Critical challenges in this business is to make sure
the products are in top shape.
 Products that are in poor shape will not sell and
promote bad business.

7. The Future
 In the future my Mom wants to continue to make profit
and see how far she can take her business.
 Her next step in the future is to make a website and
blog.
 Her dream one day is to own her own shop.

8. Unique Questions
 What's the biggest profit you’ve made off of an antique?
 Answer: I bought an old chair for $5, fixed it and sold it for
$140
 Where do you buy the majority of used antiques?
 Answer: Mostly yard sales and Auctions.
 Would you ever want to teach your skills?
 Answer: I’ve never thought of that, maybe someday.

9. Summary
 Her advice to the members of the class was to get
involved in something you love and if you have an idea
to follow it.
 I learned a lot about how to conduct “conservative” or
“safe” business from interviewing her and think these
things will help me promote safe business in the future.

10. Before and After
 Here is a before and after shot of some typical work she
does.