We're helping small local businesses stay in the game
We created a special discount program for Worcester County residents and businesses that are fighting to stay open as the city changes
What's happening
The cost of doing business is going up and business owners are more vulnerable to tech scams
We've seen so many of the businesses we know and love shut their doors for good because they couldn't afford their lease renewal. Even worse, we've found a lot of owners falling for more website and SEO scams when they try to improve their digital presence than ever before.
We're data people, so we've done the research to back up our hunch that small businesses in Worcester need real help navigating all of these changes. Identifying the problem was our first step to figuring out how we could help our Hometown Heroes.
Leases for brick + mortars are getting more expensive
%
increase in Canal District commercial leases since 2018
%
increase across Worcester County since 2020
Scams with false guarantees are eroding trust in tech-based marketing
No one can guarantee placement in search results, and yet the guaranteed listing scams never seem to disappear. Small businesses are especially vulnerable to more recent scams that promise AI-driven results.
%
of business owners are exposed to advertising scams
average amount business owners lose to scams
Local small business owners are feeling the strain
%
say their operating costs have risen faster than their sales since 2019
%
say they're likely to close or sell their business within five years
What we're doing about it
We've created a special program for local businesses to cut through the bulls#!%
The Hometown Heroes Project is a discounted brand and website program for independent businesses in Worcester County. We charge a flat rate of $500 to build or rebuild a business's entire brand and digital presence.
During the build process, we educate business owners on how to recognize scams, reseller markups, and unreasonable pricing. We cover ROI and how to utilize community connections to build business instead of digital "hacks" that promise the moon but deliver a rock.
Business owners and select members of their staff receive 3-10 hours of consultation and training. This way they can manage things on their own until there's enough return to justify a deeper investment in growth.
Businesses apply for the rate, and we select 2-8 businesses a quarter to work with based on their needs and eligibility.
Eligibility criteria
Applicants must do business, and live, in Worcester County
Business must be independently owned and in operation for at least 6 months
Business must actively give back to the community
Applicants must be ready and available to work with us in the scheduled build period
How we're different
We focus on the humans at the center of every business
The Hometown Heroes Project is designed to identify and celebrate the relationships that make a community special. We can't do that work if we're thinking about profits instead of people.
We live our values in all of the work that we do, and we don't ask anyone to do something we're not willing to do ourselves.
In addition to the steeply discounted program for small businesses, we provide tech grants to nonprofits. This allows us to provide free services to grassroots and community organizations that are doing great work for vulnerable populations. Added bonus: we get to do some really amazing volunteer work with incredible people all over the county.
We know we ask a lot of our clients, and we hold ourselves to an even higher standard.
Our standards + values
We're not affiliates or resellers of any service
We don't hold domains or websites hostage
We don't fake metrics or make false promises
We extend absurd generosity to members of our community
Want to apply for The Hometown Heroes Project rate?
We're currently accepting and reviewing applications for our 2026 Winter Build. Apply by October 15, 2026 if you want a build scheduled between November 1 and January 15.
References
1. Worcester Business Journal. (2024). Canal District transformation part 2: Creating the next chapter. View article ⬈
2. Northeast Private Client Group. (2026). Worcester County, Massachusetts market report. View report ⬈
3. Better Business Bureau Institute for Marketplace Trust. (2023). Scams and your small business research report. View report ⬈
4. Kane-Lee, E., Fagundo Ojeda, K., Molina, S., & Williams, M. (2025). Massachusetts retailers survey. UMass Donahue Institute, Economic and Public Policy Research. View study ⬈