Posts Tagged: maine small business

AWEN – Portland

Three white women squat on a wooded trail with a white and tan dog, all 4 are smiling.

AWEN; Family Recovery and Relationship Coaching, is an educational and counseling service for friends, partners, and parents of people with substance use disorder. It is different from most programs, as it uses a holistic experience-led approach. The coaching program offers support, education, resources, and community. Founded by Brinn Flagg, AWEN is unique in that Brinn… Read more »

The Nexus Arcade and Gaming Lounge – Winslow

Mark Blaschke and Nicholas Murray, the partners behind The Nexus Arcade and Gaming Lounge at the front desk.

Mark Blaschke and Nicholas Murray, the partners behind The Nexus Arcade and Gaming Lounge, wanted to create a place that brought the local gaming community together around their shared passions. They brought a lot of enthusiasm to the project but not much knowledge about the business side of things, Mark knew he needed help making… Read more »

CIA Cafe – Saco

Photo of the dining room at CIA Cafe, wooden tables and chairs and windows letting in natural light on the neutral walls and floor.

In early 2022, Jamie Bissonnette and his business partner Duncan Taylor were presented with the opportunity to purchase CIA Cafe (pronounced see-ya), a successful coffee, sandwich and art shop located in Saco. With tons of food and beverage business management experience, Jamie decided it was time to take a chance and step out on his… Read more »

Aegir’s Den Meadery – Palermo

Mark and Carrie Mancini both come from families familiar with fermentation and preserving, but a friendly competition leading to the accidental brewing of a honey mead made Aegir’s Den Meadery possible! After nearly a decade of experimenting and testing different meads with friends and family encouraging them, they opened their Pittsfield storefront in 2019 and… Read more »

Wine House on Main – Kennebunk

External photo of Wine House on Main's red building and large sign with logo and open flag.

Betsy Ross owns the Wine House on Main, a small wine shop and bar located in downtown Kennebunk. Since 2021, Wine House on Main has offered wine selections from small families around the world. With decades of experience in hospitality and the wine industry, Betsy shares the stories of winemakers, vineyards and regions with her… Read more »

Odyssey Event Designs – Portland

White women smiling in black jumpsuit sits at a table she set for a formal event

Rachel Johnson pivoted in college from Fine Art to Hospitality, which set her on the path of finding her passion in event planning! She worked her way through boutique hotels and luxury resorts learning as much as she possibly could and eventually started a side hustle while continuing to work her 9-5 job. She even… Read more »

To Purchase or Not to Purchase? – Penobscot County, Maine

black and white image of a person in a black suit on a white background with many Yes's and No's streaming out of their head into a cloud of confusion in the sky

Success stories come in all shapes and sizes, but sometimes avoiding a bad situation is the best-case scenario! While Maine SBDC Business Advisors are usually helping their clients towards a traditional happy ending, they are often tasked with helping aspiring entrepreneurs avoid potentially damaging situations. We saw it first-hand this past year when Shawn Bouchard… Read more »

Snow Dogs – Camden

Cartoon of a dog on a hot dog, riding it like a snowboard. Sun and mountains are in the background.

 If you’ve ever visited Camden you’ll know there is a little something for everyone, food, shopping and outdoor adventures! It also has the only ocean view from a ski area on the Eastern Seaboard at Camden Snow Bowl! Another thing you’ll only find at Camden Snow Bowl, Snow Dogs! Jason Doppelt’s food stand opened last… Read more »

Preventing Partnership Pitfalls: Part 3

Blue cut out paper people giving each other a high five on a blue to black gradient background

Preventing Partnership Pitfalls: Best Practices So… you and your best friend, brother, or spouse want to go into business together? Of course, you agree on everything right now, but what happens when you don’t? In many cases being realistic and pragmatic can be the kindest, mostly loving thing you can do for your partner and… Read more »