Reimagining Main Street

Tracy and Joe Greenwood were excited about the opportunity to purchase Martin's Service and Sales in rural Andover, Maine. With Tracy's business skills and Joe's mechanical skills, they hoped to win over Martin's regulars and grow the decades-old business. Business Advisor Alison Lane helped them traverse the transition. They worked together to navigate the interpersonal, operational, financial, and marketing elements of a business transition, focusing heavily on cash flow projections. With a clear plan for managing their resources and taking care of their customers, the Greenwoods completed their purchase and launched into their first year of ownership. They intend to grow good jobs in the area by expanding their team.

Rhona Johnson Deah of Rhona Beauty reached out to the Maine SBDC for help making her dream a reality! She saw an unmet need for on-trend beauty services specifically designed for style-conscious ethnic women in Maine. She wanted a place where women of color could feel understood and appreciated. She was paired with Business Advisor Tina Oddleifson, and the two work closely to secure financing and get the doors open at Rhona Beauty in Biddeford, Maine.Rhoda comments, “I'm forever grateful to the Maine SBDC and my fairy godmother Tina Oddleifson, the best Business Advisor anyone could ever ask for. It feels great knowing as a new small business owner, you always have that support system to run back to with questions and concerns.”

The Skowhegan Center for Entrepreneurs' Business Lab is a fast-paced, interactive program designed to help entrepreneurs create and refine their businesses. The program concludes with a pitch competition where participants can win $5,000. In November 2022, Maine SBDC Business Advisor Peter Piconi assisted in the training and judging of the program. Quinn Tree Farm was selected as the winner of the pitch competition.

of Maine SBDC clients are 35 years or younger, helping to inspire the next generation of entrepreneurs

Good friends Mandy Caruso and Ashley Hanson of Campfire Booking joined forces after the pandemic provided the impetus they needed to leave their careers and follow their dream of starting a vacation rental business. They worked with Business Advisor Tina Oddleifson who provided guidance on moving their vision forward. They tackled issues ranging from branding and value proposition development to taxes and accounting. With this help, they launched their business and surpassed expected goals during their first summer season. They comment, “We were very excited to see what the Maine SBDC had to offer...Tina made herself readily available and her wealth of experience and knowledge proved to be invaluable.”

Mark and Carrie Mancini are both veterans with 8 years in the Army National Guard and 25 years in the Air National Guard respectively. They bring many skills from their military experience with them into their business, Aegir's Den Meadery in Palermo. They connected with the SBDC for help expanding their meadery. They needed to grow in order to keep up with demand and that meant they needed capital to hire more employees and purchase additional equipment. Business Advisor Peter Piconi worked with them to understand their capital needs and develop short and long-term plans for their business growth. With these plans and a solid set of financial projections, they successfully won over an investor, allowing them to expand into a new location.

“Working with Chris and the Maine SBDC team was a great experience. They provided tactical, actionable recommendations and were always really prompt in responding to my questions. It's clear they understand the ins and outs of small business ownership, and wrap their services around our unique experiences and challenges.” -Jess Fadale, Portland Yoga Collective

Jason Doppelt initially came to the Maine SBDC for advice on buying a historic hot dog stand, when he was presented with another opportunity to take over the kitchen at a Camden Snow Bowl, a ski mountain with views of the ocean. Jason turned to Business Advisor Jenn Stein for guidance creating his proposal. Jenn helped with the logistics, the business plan, and financial projections. Jason won the bid and launched just before the opening of the season. After a strong first season, he was able to follow through on his original idea, successfully taking over Harbor Dogs; a community staple for over 50 years on the Camden's public landing. He'll be bouncing between the two businesses as they have unique seasons and offerings!