Mainebiz

W W W. M A I N E B I Z . B I Z 19 S E P T E M B E R 5 , 2 0 2 2 F O C U S S TA R T U P S / E N T R E P R E N E U R S H I P I f you walk into most businesses and forget your wallet, the owner might hold your purchases behind the counter or otherwise suggest you come back some other time. But in Ellsworth, the owner of Momo's Cheesecakes Bakery isn't waiting by the register to check your payment. And no cashiers are watching you peruse the merch from behind the counter. at's because, while there is a security system, no one employed by the bakery actively monitors the lipstick-red garage, where people come and go all day long to grab a few freshly made slices (or more) of the massive popular cheesecakes filling the wall-to-wall freezers. Owner Brenda Ledezma — bet- ter known as Momo because of her chatty "motormouth" personality — is almost always in the com- mercial kitchen built into her home churning out cheesecakes, nipping into the garage to empty the till or restock a freezer. Customers instead leave a check or cash — or send a Venmo payment — in a small lock box in the back, painted to match the facade. If none of those options are available when you're in the store (or perhaps you're a Mainebiz reporter with $88 worth of cheesecake but only a $50 in your Portland, ME | 207.773.7100 | dunhamgroup.com A Partnership For Optimizing Opportunities Tom Moutlon, CCIM, SIOR, George Cacoulidis and Katie Allen, Esq. When putting together a real estate deal, George Cacoulidis likes to surround himself with a team of experts. He has found the right local brokers with Tom Moulton, CCIM, SIOR and Katie Allen, Esq. Recently, the group closed on a large deal involving land and a group of nine industrial buildings. Moulton and Allen's work has just begun as they line up leases for all the buildings. Says Allen, "Now it's time for us to optimize that opportunity for George." With a deep trust in this long-lasting partnership, Cacoulidis has the right team in place to do just that. Entrepreneurship and Innovation are Deeply Rooted in the Maine Economy When starting a business, you have a lot to keep your eye on. Sometimes it's hard to see the opportunities and the risks clearly. That's where Drummond Woodsum attorneys Michael High, Aaron Pratt, Gary Vogel and Lisa Whitt can help. We provide expertise in all phases of your business, from formation and financing to strategic relationships and business combinations. It's important for start-ups and young companies to get the legal insight they need, so that they can focus on growing their business. We offer practical, business-focused advice and have shepherded many companies from formation through ultimate sale and liquidity for founders. We practice law differently. Since 1965. dwmlaw.com dwmlaw.com | 800.727.1941 800.727.1941 C O N T I N U E D O N F O L L OW I N G PA G E » People will leave sticky notes to say, 'There wasn't change, so we gave you extra,' or 'There wasn't change, so we owe you $2. — Brenda Ledezma Momo's Cheesecakes Bakery Whether it's Venmo, cash or an IOU, an Ellsworth bakery works with the customer B y B r i d g e t R e e d M o r a w s k i

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