In early 2022, Jamie Bissonnette and his business partner Duncan Taylor were presented with the opportunity to purchase CIA Cafe (pronounced see-ya), a successful coffee, sandwich and art shop located in Saco. With tons of food and beverage business management experience, Jamie decided it was time to take a chance and step out on his… Read more »
Mark and Carrie Mancini both come from families familiar with fermentation and preserving, but a friendly competition leading to the accidental brewing of a honey mead made Aegir’s Den Meadery possible! After nearly a decade of experimenting and testing different meads with friends and family encouraging them, they opened their Pittsfield storefront in 2019 and… Read more »
Betsy Ross owns the Wine House on Main, a small wine shop and bar located in downtown Kennebunk. Since 2021, Wine House on Main has offered wine selections from small families around the world. With decades of experience in hospitality and the wine industry, Betsy shares the stories of winemakers, vineyards and regions with her… Read more »
Rachel Johnson pivoted in college from Fine Art to Hospitality, which set her on the path of finding her passion in event planning! She worked her way through boutique hotels and luxury resorts learning as much as she possibly could and eventually started a side hustle while continuing to work her 9-5 job. She even… Read more »
As a healthcare worker negatively impacted by COVID, Jennifer Frazier decided to launch her own physical therapy practice where she could uphold her values and create personal plans to help her physical therapy clients recover. Out of that grew Custom Fit Physical Therapy & Wellness, an outpatient physical therapy clinic that assists clients develop and… Read more »
Success stories come in all shapes and sizes, but sometimes avoiding a bad situation is the best-case scenario! While Maine SBDC Business Advisors are usually helping their clients towards a traditional happy ending, they are often tasked with helping aspiring entrepreneurs avoid potentially damaging situations. We saw it first-hand this past year when Shawn Bouchard… Read more »
If you’ve ever visited Camden you’ll know there is a little something for everyone, food, shopping and outdoor adventures! It also has the only ocean view from a ski area on the Eastern Seaboard at Camden Snow Bowl! Another thing you’ll only find at Camden Snow Bowl, Snow Dogs! Jason Doppelt’s food stand opened last… Read more »
Jonathan Daggett of Black Bear Mobile Maintenance is a military veteran with the ability to repair everything from small engines to helicopters! Through his years of working experience at a tractor repair shop, he saw an opportunity to (quite literally) serve customers where they are at.
While the Covid-19 pandemic caused a large-scale economic disruption for most small businesses, it also fueled a historic surge in entrepreneurship. According to the US Census Bureau, new business starts in 2021 were the highest on record, surpassing the previous record set in 2020. For good friends Mandy Caruso and Ashley Hanson, the pandemic provided… Read more »
Gino Breggia approached the Maine SBDC in July of 2021 seeking financial advice to be able to open his own sanitation business. A Portland native, Gino moved out of state to explore career opportunities. He spent time in New York, where he got his introduction to the world’s largest sanitation department, before spending many years… Read more »
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