Linx Construction & Contracting

James Watson, of Linx Construction & Contracting, knows personally the dangers involved with lead poisoning and how it can affect people’s lives. He wanted to create a lead abatement company that could also offer construction, carpentry, siding, and trash removal. Since Maine has a goal of being lead-free by 2035, and every construction company will need to be certified for lead abatement in the future, his services will soon be in high demand.

James quickly realized he would need a support network to get his business started. The Department of Labor’s Vocational Rehabilitation program referred him to Maine SBDC at AVCOG Business Advisor Christina Ramsdell for assistance in making sure everything was set up correctly. He also felt having a business advisor would increase his chances of longevity.

James and Christina worked together weekly for over 6 months to go through each element of his business plan. This helped James better understand each of the components involved in maintaining this new business. As they put together each page of the business plan, they also completed his LLC formation, discussed contracts, labor, and tax requirements, and began working on a marketing plan.

Ultimately, the work they did putting together financial projects also helped him obtain a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) to get things off the ground! This helped him acquire a few pieces of necessary equipment as well as cover some of his initial overhead. He was also recently approved for an additional loan which has allowed him to purchase a new truck. With access to all of these tools and resources, he can now start his work of keeping Mainers safe.