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V I E W P O I N T S W W W. M A I N E B I Z . B I Z 3 N OV E M B E R 1 2 , 2 0 1 8 Featured @ Mainebiz.biz For a daily digest of Maine's top business news, sign up for the Mainebiz Daily Report at mainebiz.biz/enews Get Maine's business news daily at mainebiz.biz and on Twitter (@Mainebiz). Below is our top con- tent from the weeks between Oct. 22 – Nov. 5. 1. Indiana's Vinalhaven home, Boothbay Harbor waterfront on 2019 'endangered' list 2. Young couple snaps up former Nina's Variety in Falmouth 3. 10 Maine startups to keep an eye on 4. Reed & Reed awarded contract for York toll plaza project 5. JPMorgan the newest kid on the block in Maine commercial banking 6. The lobster emoji has landed, heralded as 'positive outcome for Maine' 7. New study stokes the debate over oil heat versus wood 8. Duluth Trading Co. store opens in South Portland as part of aggressive expansion 9. No. 1 issue for Maine's trucking industry? A serious shortage of drivers 10. WEX to acquire Noventis in strategic move to expand its corporate payments reach P H O T O / C O U R T E S Y M A I N E P R E S E R VAT I O N 1 From the Editor G ov. Paul LePage's impact on business will likely be debated for some time. Setting that debate aside for now, it's going to be interesting what effect Gov.-elect Janet Mills will have on business. Mills, a Democrat who frequently clashed with Republican LePage in her role as state attorney general, laid out a rudimentary outline in her cam- paign of what she'd do to feed the state's economy. She advocated for small business accelerator pro- grams and incentives. is is from her campaign: Create the small business accelerator to serve as a one-stop shop for businesses and start-ups; Launch the 'job growth loans' program to pro- vide 18 months of no-interest loans for small businesses to finance adding a new employee; Establish the 'welcome home' program to help former and future Mainers to bring their current job to Maine to work remotely and live here; Provide the rural workplace grant to help com- munities convert a downtown building into a co- working space with high-speed broadband. If we can read into that, it sounds like seed money that comes through state-funded programs should remain a key piece of potential funding for small busi- nesses — whether the funding comes directly from the state through the state Department of Economic & Community Development or indirectly through sources like Maine Technology Institute, which relies on other funding sources as well. More than money, though, Maine needs an advocate and an influencer, someone who can help help shake loose other lines of funding, whether from the federal government, foundations or other grant sources. Maine needs an ambassador — someone who inspires the confidence of outside investors or who can go to the mat with other governors to recruit businesses of all sizes from other states. Will Gov.-elect Mills be that person? Time will tell, but it's a fresh start and it's worth listening to her broader plan as she gets into the Blaine House. Peter Van Allen pvanallen@mainebiz.biz Be ready. BE SHUR. bernsteinshur.com When you need outside legal counsel that feels like par t of your team. Will the business outlook improve under Gov.-elect Mills? Maine needs an ambassador — someone who inspires the confidence of outside investors or who can go to the mat with other governors to recruit businesses of all sizes from other states.

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