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VO L . X X I V N O. X V I I § 2 A U G U S T 6 , 2 0 1 8 12 F I L E P H O T O / T I M G R E E N WAY Pam Allen Owner and creative director emeritus / Quince & Co. What's changed: I've retired. What's ahead: Learning everything I can about native plants — working on a certifi cate in native plants and ecological horticulture from Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens. Advice: Find the balance between ignoring competition and scoping out what others are doing and pay- ing complete attention to your own ideas. ere's never a shortage of threats to a business, especially now when the internet makes it easy to be a startup of any kind. But if you pay too much attention to what everyone else is doing, and you worry about it, you miss fi nding your own great ideas and developing them. at's where the real satisfac- tion comes from — one's own creative urges. F I L E P H O T O / T I M G R E E N WAY Carolyn Brodsky President and CEO / Sterling Rope What's changed: I've gotten older, and as I approach 60, fi nd that going 90 miles an hour isn't as easy as it used to be. e economic and regulatory environment from 2012 to last year was miserable. It felt like a constant battle against all of the wrong things, instead of battling for more custom- ers. Sequestration and reduction of spending for military, FEMA and fi re service hurt us; people drop- ping out of the workforce has hurt, and increased regulatory costs and taxes hurt. Health care costs alone increased % during this time. Nonetheless, since 2012, we have managed to grow sales 1%, and increased employee count by 27%. And, while profi ts aren't what they were in 2012, we still have decent profi ts. What's ahead: Working on new products is always essential to what we do. at and trying to fi gure out millennials and how they are changing retail and selling space. Personally, trying to work with politi- cians to understand how to spur economic development in our state. Advice: Be smart and deliberate about what you do. Believe in yourself, because if you don't, no one else will. Don't be a victim. at goes back to being smart. Remember that you have choices, and sometimes that choice is to leave and get out of a bad environment. But, try not to put yourself there in the fi rst place. Most employers today are going out of their way to keep people. Find those employers and businesses. And, if the urge or the idea arises where you see a void in the marketplace, go forward and fi ll it. Understand the risks, and what you can stomach. Sometimes you have to go out on a limb because that is where the fruit is. F I L E P H O T O / T I M G R E E N WAY Blaine Grimes Chief development offi cer / Gulf of Maine Research Institute What's changed: I remain chief development offi cer at the Gulf of Maine Research Institute, but the job has evolved substantially dur- ing a period of rapid growth for the organization. It has been so exciting to grow our staff size, operating bud- get, and impact, supporting the Gulf of Maine ecosystem and the communities that depend on it. I served as a board member and board chair with the Maine Venture Fund. What's ahead: My current passion is exploring the continuum of fi nancial and social outcomes between impact investment and tradi- tional venture capital. I also have a keen interest in the evolving fi eld of corporate social responsibility and bring a unique perspective hav- ing lived at the intersection of private, nonprofi t and public interests. Advice: Meet as many people as you can in the fi eld of work you are interested in and ask questions. Stories and advice from others can completely shift your perspective and open up new opportunities. Your career is likely to take shape in cycles or phases. Embrace the ebb and fl ow — lean in and lean out as your life and family needs dictate. Know what matters most to you personally and honor those values above all else. 2012 August 6, 2012 V O L . 1 3 N O . X X M A I N E ' S B U S I N E S S N E W S S O U R C E $ 1 . 0 0 A woman of letters Theo Kalikow, new head of the University of Southern Maine, talks about priorities, in Newsworthy. Page 3 Blend and smooth Suggestions on integrating life and work, in Views from the Top. Page 31 Plain language Tips on communicating clearly, in Advice Squad. Page 32 Jay Pinkerton of Lincoln Academy talks shop about reviving the trades; state program helps pay employees' student debt; Thomas College prez connects careers and education, starting on page 26. Broadband network nears completion B Y K E N N E T H Z . C H U T C H I A N S uperb summer weather in Maine has done more than make a drought-weary nation envious of the Pine Tree State. It is pushing the completion of a 1,100-mile fiber optic network ahead of schedule by two to three months. Maine Fiber Co., the firm created three years ago to oversee construction of the Three Ring Binder project, has completed construction of the historic network, with the economic intent of linking small businesses and large rural regions to their potential. "We are currently finishing up with splicing and testing," says Jeff McCarthy, vice president of business development at Maine Fiber. "We expect to make a formal announcement of the comple- tion in September when we have all the accep- tance testing completed." The original timetable pegged construction completion at the end of 2012, says McCarthy, noting that excellent out- 2012, says McCarthy, noting that excellent out- 2012, says McCarthy, noting that excellent out door working conditions helped move the proj- ect along at a quick pace. A l s o I N s I d E Continued on page 6 August 6, 2012 V O L . 1 8 N O . 1 7 M A I N E ' S B U S I N E S S N E W S S O U R C E $2.00 Visit us online to sign up for the Daily Report: The noontime enewsletter from Mainebiz is all you need to know about statewide business news — sent to your inbox every day. Sign up at www.mainebiz.biz/enews. Profiles begin on page 18 Manufacturing carolyn Brodsky President, Sterling Rope nonProfit Blaine grimes Chief development officer, Gulf of Maine Research Institute Professional services Melissa smith President of The Americas, Wright Express He altH care lisa letourneau Executive director, Maine Quality Counts WoMan-oWned coMPany Pam allen Owner of Quince & Co. 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