No Umbrella Media, a renowned video production company, visited our charming downtown in mid-June and captured stunning photos and short videos of our local businesses. No Umbrella Media will visit during each season this year to capture and highlight Ellsworth's year-round vibrancy and uniqueness. This project is made possible by Heart of Ellsworth's affiliation with the Maine Downtown Center and the Maine Office of Tourism.
Several years ago, Carolyn Corro asked her son what he wanted for a Christmas gift. He replied that he wanted to go to New York City, and he suggested that she sell her homemade Needham candies at craft fairs to fund this trip. In only two months, they had raised enough money to travel to the city as a family. This success prompted Carolyn to start selling candies and baked goods as a side job, eventually leading her to where she is today: The Sweet Spot Coffee & Bake Shop owner. In early June, Carolyn expanded her business to include a candy store with over 500 varieties of candy and 36 flavors of soda.
After the trip to NYC, Carolyn started selling candies and baked goods out of her house, which led her to open the Franklin St. Café & Bakery. In the fall of 2023, Carolyn moved her business to Main Street and rebranded. Her business became “The Sweet Spot Coffee and Bake Shop."
Carolyn's journey was not without its challenges. The winter months proved to be a significant hurdle, with many of her loyal customers unaware of her business's new location and name. Undeterred, Carolyn relied on free advertising through social media and word-of-mouth. It was a few months later that her customers began to find her again, a testament to her perseverance and the strength of her business. . .
We’re excited to announce that Heart of Ellsworth has just launched the 2024 Bricks & Clicks program, thanks to the generous support of Machias Savings Bank!
Bricks & Clicks offers free consultations to address your business's specific needs. We pair downtown businesses with experts who can assist with e-commerce, social media, business scaling, marketing, website development, and design. During the program, you'll work closely with consultants to find solutions tailored to your business. Together, you'll create a plan to address your challenges and move forward. Participation is free, but spots are limited to 20 firms. By participating, you'll gain valuable insights, strategies, and connections that can help your business thrive.
We are currently accepting applications until 11:59 PM on Sunday, June 23rd. Consultations will occur throughout July - mid-September and will be based on your schedule. Each business can meet with their consultant twice to get the support they need.
To apply, simply visit our website at and fill out the application form.
Union River Center for Innovation - June Entrepreneurial Explorer Workshop
Pricing - How to Maintain Your Margins
Join Union River Center for Innovation for their June Entrepreneurial Explorer Workshop.
All workshops will be held in-person at the Union River Center for Innovation at 415 Water St., from 6-7:30 p.m.
Are you a member of the Ellsworth Chamber of Commerce? Members get exclusive access to Business After Hours events, such as the one on June 27th, 2024, to celebrate, network and learn more about Downeast Community Partners.
If you're interested in learning about more perks of being a member of the Ellsworth Chamber, visit here.
TWO ROOM OFFICE FOR RENT
Looking for an office in Downtown Ellsworth? Check out this two-room space for rent behind Union River Book & Toy Company. This spot offers a central location, handicap access front and back, WiFi and utilities included, and access to the back entrance any time of day! They're asking $800/mo. Call or text Michael at 288-8295 for more details.
Do you have space in downtown Ellsworth that is available to rent or is for sale? Please email us and we'll include it here!
SCORE Maine hosts affordable small business workshops -- both online webinars and live, in-person. You can find everything you need to know to start a business or discover tools to help your small business grow.
UPCOMING WORKSHOPS
DIY SEO for Small Businesses - June 25th, 12 PM - A one-stop guide to understanding search engine optimization (SEO) and taking control of your online presence.
For a list of all upcoming events and workshops, click here.
The CEI Women’s Business Center is a home for women who want to start or grow their own business in Maine. They offer courses, cohorts, workshops, and events which encourage peer-to-peer learning and community building, as well as 1:1 business advising support.
UPCOMING WORKSHOPS
Info Session: Maine Family Leave Act - June 20th, 1:00 - 2:00 PM - Learn how you can get ready for this new law, which takes effect in 2026 while payroll contributions begin in January 2025.
New Ventures Maine creates an empowering environment for Maine people to define and achieve their career, financial, and small business goals. Through tuition-free classes and individual coaching, they help people find good jobs, start or return to college, launch small businesses, manage their money and build their assets.
UPCOMING WORKSHOPS
Exploring Self-Employment - June 25th, 4-5 PM - Decide if self-employment is the right choice for you.
For a list of all upcoming events and workshops, click here.
Applications are now open for Maine Center of Entrepeneur’s FoodTech Maine, a business accelerator focused on driving growth and innovation in Maine’s food, agriculture, and aquaculture ecosystem.
The FoodTech Maine program connects and fosters collaboration among early-stage and mid-sized companies with a product or service that utilizes technology, innovation, or science in the AgriFood industry. The program provides tailored professional resources, industry expertise and coaching, and network building opportunities to enable participating companies to commercialize and scale their business and grow Maine’s FoodTech ecosystem.
Find out more about this excellent opportunity on their website.
MAIN ST. AMERCIA WANTS TO HEAR FROM YOU!
The Research Team at Main Street America invites you to take their Spring 2024 Small Business Survey. They are asking small business owners across the country to share their perspectives on the opportunities and challenges they're facing as summer approaches. Your insights will help them shape the resources and support that Main Street America offers to small businesses.
The survey quick and easy to fill out, and it is available in both English and Spanish. Anonymized results will be shared on mainstreet.org in July so that you can see what other Main Street entrepreneurs are experiencing.
Any questions or concerns about the survey? Please send them to the MSA Research Team at research@mainstreet.org.
The deadline to complete the survey is Wednesday, June 19.
Thank you for reading this edition of the Ellsworth Business Pulse!
Check out our Business Benefits page for more information on how we can support your business!
