The best business ideas solve a problem for their customers and Ellen Finn of Cadillac Mtn. Summit Shuttle definitely does that! She has lived and worked as a local tour guide on Mount Desert Island for many years, just outside Acadia National Park. A few years ago, the National Park System instituted a reservation system… Read more »
Jamie Alexander fondly remembers working at the Brunswick drive-in restaurant, which her grandparents started in the 1950s. The restaurant was a staple in the community and Jamie began working there as a young teen, making milkshakes, frappes, and other drive-in favorites. It has been her dream for a decade to bring that experience to downtown… Read more »
Phillip Badger has 17 years of experience in the bar/restaurant industry, working his way through each front-of-house position. And though he loves the bar/restaurant world, he’s not a big fan of the late hours so he’s spent the last few years consulting. Having set down roots in Southern Maine he’s ready to share his expertise… Read more »
Lisa Park Laflin grew up in the Farmington area, left for a number of years but returned to raise a family and enjoy the mountains of western Maine. After a long career in non-profit management, she was looking for a way to combine her love for community, art and upcycling. Ultimately, this led her to… Read more »
Michael Odokara has one of the most important elements needed to succeed in entrepreneurship, a growth mindset! Having founded ESM Global Consulting, an IT consulting firm, he’s familiar with the need to embrace that sweet spot between curiosity and taking action. So when he decided to learn his native language of Igbo during the pandemic… Read more »
Making the transition to digital marketing has not been easy, especially for rural Maine. With a lack of internet infrastructure and old-school mentalities, small businesses need to be inventive with their marketing strategies. Noah and Ashley Sixberry know this all too well, both having grown up in Maine. So they started Sixberry Solutions in 2020… Read more »
Krystal Stone and Andrew Furbush came to the Maine SBDC in June of 2021. Andrew, a knowledgeable mechanic with a passion for antique and classic car restoration and Krystal who is great with managing all of the aspects of the auto business wanted to start their own company, MotoResto, LLC. At that time, they were… Read more »
Jeffrey Dobson has a passion for helping people through hard times. Born and raised in Maine, he knows how difficult dealing with the death of a loved one can be. Facing the complex and expensive funeral system after his mother passed in 2005 taught him some valuable lessons. He is now using that experience to… Read more »
Michael Begley was the 5th generation to work at the restaurant his father’s family owned and operated. So when his mother pitched the idea of a waffle-themed restaurant, he knew it would be worth moving to Maine to help with! In the fall of 2019, they got started in their first location. However, COVID quickly… Read more »
Market research is one of the first things small business owners should consider when starting their business. This research will help you identify who your customers are, what they like, and how best to reach them.
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