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V O L . X X V I I N O. X M AY 1 7 , 2 0 2 1 30 S M A L L B U S I N E S S F O C U S usually used after things like hurri- canes and fires. "It was clear this was going to be a 50-state disaster," Delisle says. Pandemic relief By the end of 2020, Maine SBDC had helped 507 small-business owners access $17.9 million in pandemic relief grants and loans. It also supported 93 new business starts, saved or created 504 jobs and helped business owners access $38.3 million in capital. More than half, 1,549 of them, were, like Eldredge, women. Some 8.2%, including Stiggle, are BIPOC business owners, and 6.3%, like Brown, are veterans. It also created the Recovery & Relaunch Resource Center and, over the course of the year, held 63 webinars that brought in 2,214 attendees. Delisle says the staff of nine also fielded count- less phone calls from business owners looking for answers. e virtual aspect was key, he says, reaching clients in the far corners of the state who normally wouldn't have been able to easily connect with an advisor or program. When the organization broke down the 2020 numbers by congressio- nal district, they saw the result. "You think of greater Portland when you think of jobs created," he says. But in 2020, more than half of the 504 jobs cre- ated and saved were in rural District 2. Sustaining for the future After Stiggle closed the restaurant, he, his nephew and wife decided to create a line of barbeque sauces. e sauce enterprise had a lot of moving parts, and there was also a bigger picture — the restaurant, where he and his family had built a welcoming commu- nity atmosphere. ey weren't going to give up on it. "We had to come up with ideas and solutions for viability, so we could sustain the restaurant for the future," he says. A restaurant customer, Brandon McDonald, had recently become the Aroostook County area SBDC advisor through the Northern Maine Development Commission. Stiggle reached out. "He was professional, kind and really knowledgeable," Stiggle says. McDonald helped figure out what they had to do to get the sauce busi- ness going, as well as helped Stiggle navigate loans and grants. Advice cov- ered not only the application process, but also how to use the money in a way that was best for the business. Selling barbeque sauce involved more than just cooking it up and put- ting it in jars. ey connected with the University of Maine food science lab on content for labeling, the state for certifi- cation; as well as figuring out branding, marketing and more. "It was a lot," Stiggle says. A seed is planted Eldredge had been operating her gar- den nursery for seven years when in February 2020 she contacted Maine SBDC for help with a loan to build a greenhouse. She'd been storing plants outside, and knew indoor space would help the business. "It was a problem I was running into every year, every other nursery was opening earlier than I was," she says. Shortly after she connected with Ann McAlhaney, an advisor with SBDC through CEI, the pandemic hit. » C O N T I N U E D F RO M P R E V I O U S PA G E Closer Coverage SM means more value, delivered with a personal touch. It's easier to protect a customer when you can see them from your window. That's how we work, too. We live and work in the same communities your clients do, so our local underwriters understand their needs firsthand. At Acadia Insurance, our consultative experts listen first and are ready to help by providing fast, responsive service, tailored coverage, and a consistent appetite. FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT WORKING WITH ACADIA INSURANCE, VISIT US ONLINE: AC ADIAINSURANCE.COM Micheal Stiggle, with his wife and business partner, Bobbie Jo, owns Timberwolves Restaurant in Mars Hill, and also last year launched a barbeque sauce line. P H O T O / C O U R T E S Y T I M B E RWO LV E S R E S TA U R A N T