Posts Categorized: Success Stories

Depot Square Hardware & Variety – Mechanic Falls

Chad Boulet (right) and Scott Hunter(left) proudly stand in front of their store front, at Depot Square Hardware & Variety

After a career managing grocery stores, Chad Boulet and his husband Scott Hunter, decided to embark on a new career and purchased their local hardware store! Depot Square Hardware & Variety is located in downtown Mechanic Falls, and throughout the pandemic their business actually grew as people relied on them for goods and services rather… Read more »

Sacred Paws – Porter

White women on a sandy beach with two dogs, they all look happy.

Stephanie R. Smith, M. Ed., CHES, CCDT has felt connected to animals since she was very young. Though she wasn’t totally sure how this would play out over the course of her life, she had a gut feeling that she was headed in the right direction! Opening Sacred Paws, a heart-centered holistic positive reinforcement canine… Read more »

Smile4ME Dental Hygiene – Richmond

a smiling white women in colorful scrubs sits in a pink room with a teal dentist chair

Jessica Alexander is another inspiring small business owner who proved that with hard work and dedication, anything is possible. Before starting her independent practice Smile4ME Dental Hygiene, Jess was a passionate dental hygienist with 16 years of experience in the industry. However, in 2021 she was looking for a change and felt ready to bring… Read more »

Maine Sol Botanicals – Scarborough

Maine Sol Botanicals logo, black font with a few yellow flowers, underlining and framing the words. The O in sol is a yellow flower too.

Katie DeLorme is a woman of many talents! She has taken her background in Integrative Physical Therapy and Health Coaching and blended it with her ever-expanding knowledge in organic gardening, permaculture principles, herbalism, and beekeeping. She brings this wisdom and passion into being a small business owner, focusing on self-care and healing. Katie has taken… Read more »

Brant & Cochran – South Portland

Brant & Cochran is the only company in the world hand-forging Maine wedge pattern axes these days! There used to be a vibrant edge tool industry in Maine, but it dwindled to nothing in the 1960’s. Their goal is to honor that heritage by bringing quality axe-making back to Maine and there’s certainly not a… Read more »

Bare Bones Handsewn – Lewiston

Bare Bones Handsewn is a very small team of outstandingly skilled craftspeople who are working earnestly to nurture and encourage the pride, history, and integrity of Maine shoe manufacturing community. Renee Robitaille and partner Roland Gauthier love having the creative freedom to practice fine shoe-making while celebrating the skills learned from past generations of family… Read more »

Evolution K9 – Sangerville

Melissa Pitcher opened her business, Evolution K9-Maine, to help guide and educate pet owners. They offer dog training and daycare services that allow pet owners to better understand and improve their relationships with their pets.  

Gray Urgent Care – Gray

Gray Urgent Care sign amongst tall grasses

Gray Urgent Care recently opened its doors providing non-emergent medical evaluations, unencumbered by bureaucracy. Teaming up to make it happen is Patricia Kittredge; a Family Nurse Practitioner and a local who saw the medical need in the area, and Anna Kittredge; a Physician Assistant, with 18 years experience as a PA in emergency medicine and… Read more »

King Eider’s Pub – Damariscotta

King Eider's Pub front sign

Scott McArdle & Damon Waltz have been close friends and co-workers in the food industry for years. They’ve been building up experience in different positions at a variety of locations, but have been long-time employees at King Eider’s Pub in Damariscotta. They truly knew the restaurant industry inside & out, co-managing & growing together –… Read more »

SerenityME – Portland

SerenityME logo has the name in light green, above it is a circle outline in the same color with a slack of rocks inside in various earth tones. White background smaller logo in center

Like so many others, Greg Dulac found himself both over and underwhelmed when the COVID pandemic began. While recovering from his experience in the corporate world he developed an appreciation for mindfulness. He saw the need in the community for those dealing with stress, anxiety, and other mental health issues to access tools to help… Read more »