Within the Whale

Jessica Woodend turned a lifelong passion for marine education into a traveling business with a unique twist. Within the Whale brings marine mammal science directly to Maine schools, libraries, and summer camps, featuring a life-sized inflatable humpback whale named Chunk. Students can step inside the whale to explore anatomy and ocean conservation topics.

After years of working in wildlife education and animal care across the country, Jessica was inspired by similar programs along the East Coast. When she realized there wasn’t a lot like that in Maine, she saw an opportunity to launch her own venture and offer hands-on marine science experiences to communities statewide.

Jessica reached out to the Maine SBDC and Business Advisor Jenn Dobransky provided the structure and support she needed to move forward confidently. With personalized advising, Jessica launched her business and started making an impact right away. Schools and libraries across Maine have embraced the program, developing themed events around her visits like ocean animal days and whale weeks.

“The advising provided helped me get my idea off the ground more smoothly than I could have done on my own,” Jessica commented.