Posts By: Jennifer Boutin

Handful Studios – Portland

Julian Erickson-Watson’s love for pottery began during his senior year of college when he decided to enroll in a pottery class. Not knowing what would come of it, he chose to follow this passion to see where it would lead him. Eventually, Julian relocated to Maine, where he discovered the rich pottery community in Portland…. Read more »

Sip House – Freeport

Delicious treats and beverages on a mosaic tabletop at Sip House in Freeport

In the spring of 2023, Tammy Nonni took the bold step of becoming a business owner by acquiring a cafe in downtown Freeport. Over the next few months, she undertook numerous renovations and changes, culminating in the re-launch of the establishment as Sip House. Tammy envisioned the cafe and smoothie shop as a welcoming and… Read more »

How to Reach Your Customers

Decorative imagery - hand with magnifying glass over wooden cutouts of people - identifying target market

Part 4 of the “Things we wish we knew” Blog series By: Tina Oddleifson, Business Advisor   “If you market to everyone, you’ll market to no one”  – Famous Marketing Guru As business advisors, we review a lot of business plans. One thing we see regularly are marketing plans with vague references to social media… Read more »

Palette Crêperie – Monhegan

Various crepes offered by Palette Creperie

Originally hailing from Morocco and residing New York City, Redwane Gatarny, a trained chef, embarked on a journey back to his culinary roots. After seven years in public health, he decided to return to his passion for good food with a dream of sharing the authentic flavors he remembers from his childhood. He wanted to… Read more »

Maine SBDC Releases 2023 Results: Supporting and empowering entrepreneurs throughout Maine

February 26, 2024 The Maine Small Business Development Centers (SBDC) is proud to announce the release of its 2023 Annual Report. The report, available here, highlights the Maine SBDC’s impact in supporting Maine’s entrepreneurs and small businesses. The report showcases the tangible outcomes in 2023 and spotlights individual success stories that underscore the powerful effect… Read more »

Ease Massage & Manual Therapy – Saco

Stefani Sellers, owner of Ease Massage & Manual Therapy, giving a massage to person laying down on a table, looking relaxed

Stefani Sellers has always been passionate about healing and helping others. This is why she launched her business, Ease Massage & Manual Therapy, in 2022. Ease is Maine’s only nationally board-certified medical massage therapy practice certified in manual lymphatic drainage. She provides her clients with effective healing solutions tailored to their individual needs including massage… Read more »

Create realistic financial projections

Part of a financial spreadsheet with pen and calculator

Part 3 of the “Things we wish we knew” Blog series By: Tina Oddleifson, Business Advisor   We get it, you’re an artist, a baker, or love working on cars.  You’ve decided to start a business doing what you love, and you plan to let someone else worry about the financial details later.   But when… Read more »

New Federal Reporting Requirements for LLCs and Corporations

If you have an LLC, corporation, or other entity registered through the Maine Secretary of State, you’ll want to know about your obligations under the federal Corporate Transparency Act. On January 1, 2024 the Corporate Transparency Act went into effect requiring millions of small businesses to register with the US Treasury’s Financial Crimes and Enforcement… Read more »