Sam Perakis is the owner of Perakis Ironworks Group in Portland, where he specializes in architectural ironwork such as railings, fences, and gates. His work also includes sculpture, historical reproduction, repairs, and tool making. With a decade of blacksmithing experience and active membership in regional and national blacksmithing associations, Sam brings deep craft knowledge and creativity to every project.
After completing graduate school, Sam and his wife planned a move to Maine. At the same time, his mentor Bob Menard was retiring and looking to pass along some equipment and a shop lease. The opportunity to carry on the tradition in a new place came together naturally.
Despite his confidence in fabrication and metalwork, Sam knew he needed support navigating the administrative side of launching a business. That’s when he turned to Maine SBDC.
Working with Business Advisor Chris Cole helped Sam stay on track and avoid common pitfalls. “Chris and SBDC helped me get up to speed on my tax, permitting, and reporting obligations and helped me spin up the business in a timely manner,” Sam said. “Working with Chris greatly reduced the stress in starting a small business because I knew I was working with someone who’d ‘been there, done that.’”
Now operating solo, Sam faces the challenge of wearing every hat, but he’s excited about what’s ahead. He plans to bring in independent contractors and streamline the production of semi-custom work to make his services more accessible. This shift will allow him to devote more energy to the highly custom and artistic projects he loves.
Looking back, he credits the Maine SBDC with helping him launch on solid footing. “By working with SBDC, you reduce the chance that you get a nasty surprise in the mail one day,” he said. “Their checklists for starting up a small business are really helpful and can keep you on track when it feels like there are ten million things to do and they’re all equally important.”