Mainebiz

W W W. M A I N E B I Z . B I Z 25 M A R C H 1 8 , 2 0 2 4 AWARD B U S I N E S S L E A D E R S O F T H E Y E A R podcast with Krista Tippet when the words, 'What kind of an ancestor do you want to be?' synced up perfectly with a junction in the road. I decided then and there to turn my climate grief into action. I knew our family had experience and expertise in molded fiber, so we felt the responsibility to do something. We're creating sustainable packaging from Maine trees to give all businesses, big and small, a viable option they can scale. At the end of the day, scale equals impact. MB: What is your business outlook for 2024? ML: Our focus this year centers on growth, beginning with a Series A raise. We also plan to hire additional design staff and a robust sales force to shift our efforts from inbound to outbound sales to put Maine back on the map for molded fiber. MB: What is next for you? ML: We look forward to expanding our facilities with a line of sight for building a much larger facility at a legacy mill site in rural Maine. MB: What are some challenges your business has faced? ML: e reality is when you start a business, especially in manufactur- ing, everything takes longer and more money than you think. is was exag- gerated because we started Tanbark during a supply chain crisis. We had to stay hyper-focused and be willing to pivot on a dime at the same time. Once again, Maine's entrepreneurial community stepped up for us time and time again, helping us navigate challenges and stay on course. MB: What advice would you give to an entrepreneur who is just starting out? ML: Be coachable. Garner feedback. Know that everything you do will feel like you are pushing a boulder up a mountain. Know that in time, things will begin to be repeatable and scalable, but it takes enormous work and patience to get there (we're just getting there). As Elon Musk said, 'e difficulty and value of manufacturing is underap- preciated … even for rocket science, it's probably a factor of 10 harder to design a manufacturing system for a rocket than to design the rocket.' We get it. ere's so much you can't anticipate. Be humble, nimble and keep going even when you think you can't. Alexis Wells, Mainebiz staff writer, can be reached at awells @ mainebiz.biz sebagotechnics.com • south portland • 100% employee-owned O F F I C E S I N — S O U T H P O R T L A N D B R I D G T O N S A N F O R D B A T H When you engage our creative engineering collective, you'll immediately value how our innovation, collaboration, and expertise create solutions for your success. 100% EMPLOYEE OWNED OUR EMPLOYEE-OWNERS LEAD OUR BUSINESS EVERY DAY "When FAME says 'We believe in this and this is something that will work,' it's a real boost of confidence." Fred Horton, President & CEO FAME STANDARD BIOCARBON, Enfield Helping Maine Businesses Succeed Since 1983 1-800-228-3734 • FAMEmaine.com 9-Time Winner, Best Places to Work in Maine (2015–2023)

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