EME Deco and Designs is doing quite well, Max tells us. While he has not adopted all the marketing recommendations provided through the GE programme —particularly those related to social media platforms such as Facebook, he has for example found good use of the spreadsheet and record keeping tools, which help him to have key data points for his company at any time.

One recommendation was to shift the business focus toward promoting newly manufactured furniture, as opposed to primarily offering upholstery and couch repair services. But considering the economic realities in Alex, most customers simply don’t have the means to purchase new items, and demand remains more sustained in the repair market.

Although Max didn’t follow all the recommendations from the programme, he has indicated that he may revisit some of the suggestions from the GE programme as his business environment evolves. He continues to get steady work through referrals, which shows that his customers trust him and value the quality of his work and reputation. He also shared that the insights from the programme were helpful in opening his eyes to different ways of doing business, even if he hasn’t applied all of them yet. Moving forward, for now, he remains focused on delivering quality service through the channels he knows best.