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W W W. M A I N E B I Z . B I Z 47 Fact Book / Doing Business in Maine B U S I N E S S R E S O U R C E S "As someone with a background in health and human services, I had never created financial projections before," Kerner admits. "I first came to be aware of the services and programs offered by CEI in the middle of the pandemic. I was registered to attend an accelerator class [offered by the Women's Business Center] called Propeller." e Propeller program, a six-week accelerator course, is designed to guide women as they build their tech or tech-enabled business. And while Kerner's product didn't have much to do with tech, she figured gaining those skills would be important in getting her dough to market. "Because I learned how to identify custom- ers and how to talk to them, I was positioned to begin earning income and paying my team as soon as dough production began," she said. e course also introduced her to CEI, which led to connections with an advisor at the Women's Business Center and CEI's lending team. "CEI was willing to take a risk on an early-stage startup such as mine. When I set out to start the Good Crust, I had no savings set aside to start a new business," Kerner says. "Where other local banks would have required a significant down payment on a commercial property, CEI was willing to both provide the counsel- ing and preparation I needed for a commercial loan, but also secure the lending. Without that assistance, I would've spent an additional year fun- draising for an initial down payment on my manufacturing facility." at commercial property was 1,200 manufacturing facility in Canaan, where the Good Crust moved in mid-2022, with 11 part-time employees, having already outgrown a shared kitchen in Skowhegan. e CEI loan also helped her secure much-needed equipment, such as a large capacity commercial mixer, 3 phase power, dough-baller, and walk- in freezer. Natural growth In less than three years, the business had moved from startup to growth phase, and Heather continued to seek out resources in the Maine entrepre- neurial system to support this often- tricky part of a business's lifecycle. e Maine Manufacturing Extension Partnership helped Kerner develop a plan for an efficient layout to make the most of her new space, as well as the development of a food safety plan. Heather also gained superb lessons in business manage- ment from the Maine Center for Entrepreneurship's 2022 "Top Gun" program. Her inclusion in Dirigo Lab's first accelerator cohort in 2022 allowed her to hone her pitching skills, which paid off when she won second place in Green Light Maine's pitch competition that year. As she grows, Heather contin- ues to receive expert advice through the CEI's Women's Business Center including being paired with a consul- tant who helped her develop a cold outreach and marketing strategy. Her early growth positioned her to come back to CEI for a second loan to expand her freezer capacity; allowing her to further ramp-up production. Heather has also connected with the CEI Workforce Solutions team even further improved her hiring and employee retention practices. Maine's credit unions are here for you. mainecreditunions.org Local businesses are the financial heart of Maine. Like you, Maine credit unions are local. Our focus is not just on products or services; we invest in dreams, aspirations, and the vibrancy of our community. We have convenient services that make a difference in your success. • Better loan rates • Lower fees • Digital banking and remote deposit Open an account at a credit union today. C O N T I N U E D O N F O L L OW I N G PA G E » Maine has a lot of resources for startups. But, as CEI shows with this case study of a Canaan pizza crust business, there are ways to navigate the startup ecosystem.

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