Rachel Jackson is no stranger in the restaurant scene in Western Maine. She has operated two other restaurants in the area, and for years has dreamed of opening another in the Farmington area. Rachel began working with Business Advisor Larry Giroux as she explored her options and next steps in making this dream a reality.Read More
Farmington D – Farmington, Maine
Surf & Summit Motorcycle – Scarborough, Maine
Steven Salois came to see Maine SBDC Business Advisor Peter Harriman with a novel business idea. He wanted to start a motorcycle rental business in Southern Maine. This business would be much like car rentals for travelers, but for motorcycles. This type of business is uncommon, and Steven saw a need for Maine tourists who could not bring their own motorcycle but wanted to rent one.Read More
Engine 5 Bakehouse – Waterville, Maine
Stephanie LaCroix had big plans when she and her husband Roland purchased a retired fire department substation on Western Ave in Waterville. She wanted to completely renovate the building and start her own bakery. She and her husband worked for nearly 5 years to revamp the old space, but when it came time to start her business, she turned to Maine SBDC Business Advisor Rose Creps for guidance.Read More
Black Bear Support Services- Lewiston, Maine
Growing up as a daughter of a female entrepreneur, Laura Catevenis knew she was destined to start a business. From an early age, she watched her mother juggle a family, job, and college. After attending the same college as her parents and earning her Associates Degree, Laura discovered her passion for Human Service right away and knew the type of business she would start.Read More
Fire & Dough – Milbridge, Maine
As children, Anne Hassett and her sister Carrie Lacy ate homemade pizza that their father made from scratch every Saturday night. Originally from Connecticut, Ann had property in Milbridge and spent summers vacationing in Maine, a place both sisters loved. In 2017, Anne and Carrie approached the Maine SBDC with a dream of relocating to Milbridge permanently and starting their very own wood-fired pizza truck business. They need guidance on making this happen.Read More
Carmichael Transport Inc. – Bangor, Maine
Mickey Carmichael and his business Carmichael Transport Inc. have provided services to the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) for almost 40 years in the Bangor area. Recently, the USPS changed the way they award mail routes, with the consolidation of smaller routes into larger contracts. For the northern Maine Region, this meant there would only be two contracts out of the Hampden service center – for Region A and Region B. Mickey knew this could be an opportunity to expand his business and wanted to make sure he thoroughly understood the bidding process. For assistance, he turned to the Maine SBDC and met with Business Advisor Ann McAlhany.Read More
Rockwood Cottages – Rockwood, Maine
Rockwood Cottages consists of 7 two bedroom cottages situated on the western shore of Moosehead Lake in Rockwood, Maine. The cottages feature all the comforts of home and overlook the lake and popular Mt. Kineo, a majestic mountain that arises out of the water forming a sheer 700-foot cliff.
With a motto of “A stranger is just a friend we haven’t met yet,” the business had been built based on quality customer service and experience. When the business owners decided to retire in 2017, they looked to sell to someone who would take care of their customers and the business which they’d worked hard to build for many years. With experience in the cabin rental and property management business, they found the perfect match in Emily and Dennis Bodemer.Read More
David Jacobson Glass – Montville, Maine
David Jacobson has worked with Maine SBDC Business Advisor David Hill since 2004. Jacobson, a successful cartoonist and glass blower, had just moved to Maine from New York City and wanted to establish his own studio in Montville.Read More
Village Market – Carmel, Maine
The Village Market has stood in the heart of the Town of Carmel for over 70 years. After being closed for five years, Jamey Brown and his wife Raquel came to Business Advisor Ann McAlhany with a dream to purchase and re-open a local market. Read More
Katahdin Communications – Millinocket, Maine
Kata
hdin Communications is a locally owned radio broadcasting company. It’s main station WSYY AM and FM broadcasts in a sports format and serves Northern and Downeast Maine. It features programming from CBS Radio and CBS Radio News as well as covering local school sporting events.
Business owner James Talbot has big plans for the business. He wanted to expand his business, but was struggling to secure the funding needed to do so. His lender recommended he connect with Maine SBDC’s Ann McAlhany for assistance in mid-2015, and the pair have been working together regularly since. McAlhany listened to his plans. She helped him to organize his vision into manageable and executable phases.Read More