A huge thanks to the Black Moon Public House, which supported July’s concert at the Franklin Parklet! These events bring people to shop, eat, and spend time in Downtown Ellsworth. View our calendar of events here.
If you've ever passed by Coastal Interior Designs on a Friday morning, you'll have noticed a food truck in their parking lot with a line of hungry customers. This food truck, On the Horizon, is a mobile bakery run by Hailee Carter, a veteran native of Otis, ME.
"I'm one of those people that love to learn new things, and I feel like when you stop learning, you get stalled out, you lose that ambition, and I don't ever want to lose that. So, keeping that in mind, I'm just always looking for the next thing. . . I'm always looking for that happiness on the horizon."
Hailee's grandmother taught her how to bake at a young age. She often brought cookies to class in middle school or baked and decorated cakes for classmates in high school. However, starting her bakery only occurred years after graduation. She tried college, first hospitality management, and then childhood education. Then, she became a licensed cosmetologist. Finally, she enrolled in the army and loved it—until she got hurt two and a half years later and had to come home.
Hailee's resilience shone through as she started baking again to help her heal emotionally and accept the new direction her life had taken. She bought a house in downtown Ellsworth and, after a while, asked herself, “Why don't I just put a little shed in the front yard, and I'll sell bread on Saturday mornings?”
Take control of your time and take control of your life. Learn easy ways to take back your time and create more time for you - whatever you want to accomplish. This in-person, 3-class session will help you plan, brainstorm, and overcome obstacles to managing your time effectively. Click here for more information or to register.
Ellsworth Adult & Community Education is a program of Ellsworth Schools, a department of the City of Ellsworth, and is generously funded and operated by the school district.
Union River Center for Innovation -
Managing Winter Cash Flow
Join the Union River Center for Innovation for their Entrepreneurial Explorer Series event on September 18 - Managing Winter Cash Flow.
Contact them for more information and to RSVP, or watch their website and Facebook page for more details.
Office Space for Rent
Second Floor Office - 194 Main St.
Two spaces available: 10' x 12' and 16' x 16'. Great location.
Partners in Entrepreneurial Pathways 1.0:
Venture Exploration
Maine Street Business Building’s Accredited Start-Up Incubator Course
Starts September 19
The 1.0 entrepreneurial pathways experience covers what it takes to plan and start a business. You will dive into topics such as self-employment best practices, mission and vision clarity, marketing and management approaches, pricing strategies, value proposition exploration, intentional culture (from the start!), cash flow management practices, and much more!
You can earn 3 college credits + Entrepreneurship 1.0 Badges online for FREE in just 10 weeks or participate in up to 20 individual workshops that interest you, for FREE!
SCORE Maine hosts affordable small business workshops -- both online webinars and live, in-person. Find everything you need to know to start a business and discover tools to help your small business grow.
UPCOMING WORKSHOPS
SCORE Maine is gearing up for their two annual educational programs that provide tax preparers, enrolled agents, CPAs and legal professionals with updated information about annual changes in Maine and Federal tax laws. The Tax Practitioner Institute (TPI) and the Maine Tax Forum (MTF) both provide continuing education credits.
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
September Biz Fit: Check In & Check Up for Q4 - Going Deeper! - September 6, 8 - 9 AM - Topic: Managing a Business. In previous sessions they reflected on practices that help support a health and balanced business and self. They'll dive deeper into those initial ideas.
Women's Business Enterprise National Council Certification Info Session - September 18, 1 - 2 PM - Topic: Government Contracting. A key growth strategy for many businesses is getting certified as woman-owned. But what exactly is the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC) Certification?
For a list of all upcoming events and workshops, click here.
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
Venturing Forth: Business Planning for Entrepreneurs - September 3rd. This 60-hour course is a free, online comprehensive business planning class. An application is required for participation. The application is accessible online and is due by Noon on Tuesday, August 27.
Work for Yourself @ 50+ - September 10, 10 - 11:30 AM - Covers starting a business later in life.
Build Your Business Website - September 17, 3 - 4:30 PM - A 6-week, expert-led class to help you define your brand, create a professional website, and build your knowledge and confidence in Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and social media management.
Exploring Self-Employment - September 18, 12 - 1 PM - Designed for those interested in self-employment
Business Basics - September 18, 6 - 7:30 PM - Designed for those thinking about or in the early start-up phase of a new business.
For a list of all New Ventures upcoming events and workshops, click here.
Entrepreneurial Finance Workshop Series
Main Street Skowhegan and the National Coalition for Community Capital have partnered to create the Entrepreneur Finance Workshop Series. The program is designed for entrepreneurs and small business owners who are ready to solidify their financial plans, learn about financial opportunities for their business, and gain access to industry professionals. Each session features industry experts who will provide presentations and engage in conversations with participants.
September 17 - Workshop 1: Bootstrapping and Self-Funding September 24 - Workshop 2: Integrating Community Capital October 1 - Workshop 3: Crowdfunding and Alternative Funding Platforms October 15 - Workshop 4: Traditional Financing: Loans and Lines of Credit October 29 - Workshop 5: Equity Financing: Angel Investors and Venture Capital November 12 - Workshop 6: Grants, Subsidies and Government Programs November 19 - Workshop 7: A Panel on Strategic Partnerships and Collaborations
Time: 4:00 PM - 5:30 PM (Virtual Sessions) Cost: $25 per workshop or $120 for all 7 workshops
Coming this fall, Small Biz Digital Trainers are hosting a special 4-part webinar series designed to help Main Street business owners build their digital skills to grow their businesses.
Here’s the Lineup:
Building Your Digital Footprint Thursday, August 22 | 4 p.m. EDT
Learn how to enhance your online visibility with Google Search & SEO tips. Register Now
Managing Your Online Presence & Developing a Marketing Plan Thursday, September 19 | 4 p.m. EDT
Discover how to keep your profiles updated and create a winning marketing strategy. Register Now
Cultivating the Entrepreneurial Mindset Thursday, October 17 | 4 p.m. EDT
Cultivate a growth mindset to better handle challenges and seize opportunities. Register Now
How to Master Soft Skills for Small Business Success Thursday, November 21 | 4 p.m. EST
Boost your productivity with essential tools and skills like Google Workspace, AI, and more. Register Now
Maine Technology Institute (MTI) is accepting applications for PRIME Phase 2 Funding. PRIME Phase 2 is targeted to small businesses across Maine that work in, use, or leverage solutions connected to our state’s technology sectors. MTI’s PRIME Fund presents a unique opportunity to help businesses in Maine invest in new customers, new business lines, and other innovations that will strengthen their resilience and ability to thrive moving forward.
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!
