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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 S E P T E M B E R 7 , 2 0 2 0 From the Editor T his issue focuses on startups and entrepreneur- ship, but what we're really talking about is small businesses and the people that lead them. Small Business Administration numbers on Maine's small businesses speak for themselves. Maine has 147,240 small businesses. at's one small business for every nine people. Of Maine businesses, 99.2% are small businesses. Maine small businesses have 289,156 employees, accounting for more than half of the state's workforce, 56.5%. Small businesses created 4,728 net new jobs, according to the SBA's 2019 small busi- ness profile. In a time where there's increased attention on minority-owned businesses, such businesses have 5,213 employees in Maine. Looking abroad, 1,548 Maine small busi- nesses engage in international trade. e Top 5 sectors, by small business employ- ment, are health care, accommodation and food services, retail trade, manufacturing and construction. ose five sectors account for 177,000 employees. In this issue, we offer a mix of startups and entrepreneurs. For our cover story, Laurie Schreiber looked at the alumni of one of the state's pitch competitions, Top Gun, and where they are today. Her story starts on Page 14. Maine's craft brewing sector continues to grow. Renee Cordes takes a look at four new breweries that have started this year. Her story starts on Page 20. Maureen Milliken spotlights a young entrepre- neur that has had some ups and downs but persists in developing a business that turns unused hemp stalks into fire starters. Her story starts on Page 24. is issue has two lists: e largest Finance Authority of Maine loans (on Page 28) and the largest Maine Technology Institute loans (on Page 34). Peter Van Allen pvanallen@mainebiz.biz 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 most popular content for the two weeks from Aug. 17–30. 1. Westbrook Market Basket opens Friday, first phase of Rock Row development 2. Maine Med garage comes down to make way for Congress Tower 3. Far-spreading Millinocket wedding outbreak spurs call for individual, business vigilance 4. Abbott buys its Scarborough plant for $17M 5. Proposed Portland co-op development addresses housing 'missing middle' 6. Despite US-Canada border restrictions, Houlton holds on 7. Maine sets date for recreational marijuana sales 8. Libbytown deal is latest of several acquisitions in recent years 9. Massachusetts health plan startup to double Maine workforce 10. Mother's caring spirit spurs Shaw Brothers Construction gift to Maine Med expansion project P H O T O / M A U R E E N M I L L I K E N 1 Be smart. BE SHUR. bernsteinshur.com When you need someone committed to raising the bar, not just passing it. Small businesses are Maine's economic backbone Maine small businesses have 289,156 employees, accounting for 56.5% of the state's workforce.

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