Jennifer Gillies completed her law degree at the University of Maine before dedicating nearly 10 years to serving Maine’s immigrant community as an immigration attorney at a local firm. During her time at the University, Jennifer was introduced to immigration law through the Refugee and Human Rights Clinic, igniting her passion for assisting asylum seekers… Read more »
Karen Bachelder established Countryside Kids Childcare, a home-based daycare in Hiram, in 2020. After two years in operation and with several families on her waitlist, she recognized an opportunity to expand to better serve the growing needs of her community and support more families needing childcare. She envisioned relocating to a new building that would… Read more »
Anik Derphilibossian is a Registered Nurse (RN), Armenian-born & raised in Lebanon, who immigrated to the United States from Lebanon in 2021. She found herself missing the flavors and food of her homeland. With a love for cooking and encouragement from her fellow nurse and best friend Kara, Anik started sharing her culinary creations – first… Read more »
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 »
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 »
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 »
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 »
Part 2 of the “Things we wish we knew” Blog series By: Tina Oddleifson, Business Advisor Being a successful entrepreneur means understanding how much capital you need to start a business so that you have room to grow. Not having enough capital can be a major pitfall for a new business owner, making it the… Read more »
Part 1 of the “Things we wish we knew” Blog series By: Tina Oddleifson, Business Advisor When we asked Maine SBDC Business Advisors about the biggest mistakes they see new business owners make (including themselves) many of the responses boiled down to the same essential thing: Moving forward before you are ready. We’ve all been… Read more »
Zachary Brann’s entrepreneurial journey is a testament to his passion for locally sourced food and beverages, coupled with a love for the Waterville area where he grew up and plans to raise his family. Now, he proudly contributes to Waterville’s revitalization through his new business, Main Street Provisions.
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