Mainebiz

W W W. M A I N E B I Z . B I Z 31 M AY 1 7 , 2 0 2 1 F O C U S S M A L L B U S I N E S S "I wasn't sure [about staying open]," Eldredge says. "But one thing everyone could do was go outside. I just had a gut feeling and I took a chance. I said, 'I'm going to build this thing.'" Eldredge's inventory came through a wholesaler, who cut back last spring because of overwhelming demand. at complicated Eldredge's plans. "I wasn't planning on being my own grower," she says. She was still getting some items from the whole- saler, but not others, like hanging baskets, a big seller. "I had to say no to customers, it was very frustrating," she says. "I had to rethink the purpose of the greenhouse." McAlhaney "made it doable, not overwhelming," Eldredge says. She helped Eldredge write a busi- ness plan and apply for a CEI Wicked Fast Loan, which she used to increase her inventory for the 2020 season. A second loan, also through CEI, paid for the greenhouse. After a very busy summer, the 24-by- 48 greenhouse was built in the fall, with most of it geared for production. Small window, big money Brown, of Longshot Revival Homestead, started his livestock farm in 2018 after 10 years with the Army National Guard. When he got a nice poke of Mangalitsa pigs from someone getting out of the business, he sought help on the farming side from Mark Baker, a Michigan farmer familiar with the pigs, known for their excellent bacon. "But I realized I needed a business mentor, too," Brown says. "I had this little business plan," which he took to Shannon Byers, an SBDC and CEI advisor. Together, they wrote a new business plan that he used to apply for a Farm Services Agency loan. Brown has also made use of the Veteran's Administration Veteran Readiness and Employment program, which offers loans and other resources. Brown had been processing pork at the farm, which he runs with his wife, Haley, and kids Josie and Jack, 6 and 4. "When the pandemic hit, I decided butchering was going to be the thing." Solution Focused. Client Focused. Value Focused. Complex problems require smart solutions. At Jensen Baird, our goal is to offer legal guidance that helps clients with the problems they face today and avoid the problems they may face tomorrow. This is how we build partnerships that endure. 207.775.7271 • 800.756.1166 jensenbaird.com Portland / Kennebunk Mental Health • Developmental Services • Education • Recovery Our caring and compassionate donors, volunteers, and staff create better tomorrows for Maine children, families, and adults every day with the services they need and deserve at sweetser.org Promising Futures sweetser.org 1-800-434-3000 Sponsorship opportunities are available. Contact Director of Development Todd Henry at thenry@sweetser.org. C O N T I N U E D O N F O L L OW I N G PA G E » County Clients advised Business starts Jobs saved and created Capital formation Androscoggin 212 22 77 $4,848,274 Aroostook 242 14 202 $6,294,035 Cumberland 673 9 30 $6,985,306 Franklin 63 5 32 $2,824,009 Hancock 222 5 25 $4,422,409 Kennebec 147 3 9 $1,690,522 Knox 121 1 5 $512,281 Lincoln 95 2 4 $2,264,002 Oxford 83 4 23 $699,831 Penobscot 290 16 33 $2,860,784 Piscataquis 35 3 18 $241,310 Sagadahoc 50 1 9 $550,369 Somerset 57 1 5 $718,500 Waldo 120 3 13 $660,259 Washington 58 1 11 $76,300 York 455 3 18 $2,661,361 Other 33 0 0 0 SBDC BREAKDOWN BY COUNTIES FIVE YEAR TRENDS CAPITAL FORMATION IN MILLIONS NEW BUSINESSES STARTED JOBS CREATED AND RETAIEND 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 $47 $44 $38.9 $26.7 $38.3 120 98 136 133 93 1006 661 810 600 514 S O U R C E : Maine SBDC 2020 Annual Report

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