Mainebiz

W W W. M A I N E B I Z . B I Z 25 S E P T E M B E R 3 0 , 2 0 1 9 RJA: I had just come from the Mainebiz roundtable, and Nick and I were talking about the students he had been working with. While Bricks had been growing steadily in the coworking space, I had really been lacking two key components: college students and innovation. I loved the projects the students and Nick were working on, and asked Nick what they were doing this summer to advance their projects. MB: Nick, how did the idea for Eariously come about? NR: Last summer, I was complaining a lot to my partner Brendan Barr that I had so many things that I wanted to read, but didn't have enough time to get through it all. When I told Brendan that I wasn't satisfied with any of the current options, he suggested that we should make it ourselves. So, we started making Eariously for our- selves. While we've been working on Eariously for nearly a year now, we'd like to think that we're just getting started. It's our goal that we begin selling subscriptions to our listen- ers this year. With that in mind, we started beta listening a few weeks ago, and we've been pleased with how things are going so far. We think the most important part of making any- thing is doing it with the right people. So, we've added some excellent team- mates, Kia Jones and Ruth Lin, as well as Turtle's software development team, to help create the best experi- ence possible for our listeners. MB: RJ, how did you identify coworking space as a need for downtown Waterville? RJA: What really started it was an idea hatched with Garvan Donegan of the Central Maine Growth Council. I work remotely for a tech company in Boston, and was struggling work- ing from home every day. I broached the idea with Garvan and he said it was something he had wanted to see in Waterville for quite some time. We spent months planning, evaluat- ing the need, reviewing site alterna- tives, and finding the perfect down- town location in Hathaway Creative Center. While identifying the need for coworking in Waterville, loca- tion was always a key factor. Situated in a historic redeveloped mill in the downtown's southern gateway, Bricks' location is walkable, enjoys ample parking, includes shared resources, has robust fiber internet, and displays lifestyle amenities I wanted to see in the space, including talented neigh- bors and a brewery across the hall, Waterville Brewing. MB: What sorts of other collabora- tions have come out of that space? RJA: With Summer Startup, we had five student entrepreneurs with a focus on delivering mentorship, expo- sure, training, and advancement for them and their businesses. is was done through informal meetings, col- laborative meetings, startup-focused events, a so-called startup bootcamp, taught by Mike Duguay of omas College's Harold Alfond Institute for Business Innovation. us far, one of the students has received initial grant funding: Tyler Hanen with PieFolio, a platform that allows students to pro- duce a portfolio website to share with potential employers in under an hour, and two others are in the process. When you look at any progressive startup community, such as Silicon Valley or Boulder, it's all about the collaboration of individuals and shar- ing of ideas and talent. I want to see that here in Waterville. Eariously Waterville What the company does: Software that converts text to audio Contact: nprimsa@gmail.com Bricks Coworking & Innovation Space 10 Water St., Suite 110, Waterville Contact: RJ@brickscoworking.com Commercial Financing 1 , Treasury Management, Merchant Services 2 , Business Insurance 3 and beyond. With People's United Bank, you have all the right tools to run your business the right way. Visit us and speak with one of our local experts. 1 Application and credit approval required. 2 People's United Merchant Services, LLC (PUMS) is a joint venture of People's United Bank, N.A. and Worldpay, LLC. PUMS is an indirect subsidiary of People's United Bank. Worldpay and People's United Bank are not affiliated companies. All merchants are subject to credit approval. ©2018 People's United Bank, N.A. | Member FDIC | Equal Housing Lender 3 Insurance available through People's United Insurance Agency, a subsidiary of Peopele's United Bank, N.A. Insurance Products are: •Not Insured by the FDIC or any Federal Government Agency •Not a Deposit of or Guaranteed by a Bank or any Bank Affiliate • May Loose Value 350 Fore Street Portland, ME 207-828-3155 Let's discuss your business needs. Commercial Banking Services Your way. There's only one way to run your business. The activity and energy exhibited in Waterville right now is unlike anything I've been involved with previously. — RJ Anzelc

• Cover