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V O L . X X X N O. X X S E P T E M B E R 2 , 2 0 2 4 24 S TA R T U P S / E N T R E P R E N E U R S H I P F O C U S A product born from black fly season In the Aroostook County town of Cary, Suzanne Hiltz launched Chapped Hide, a salve made from broadleaf plan- tain, a perennial plant (not the banana), marketed for dry skin, rashes, bug bites and other ailments. "I first made plantain salve, our flag- ship product, out of necessity for the black fly bites I accrued during the first planting season in 2014 when we moved to Aroostook County," she says. "I gave the leftovers away to friends, family and neighbors. Within a couple of years, I started receiving requests to sell jars of it and even ship it as far away as Florida." In 2018, Hiltz transitioned from glass quarter pint mason jars to plastic cosmetic containers. After receiving a business development block grant in 2023, she switched to tin containers that are rugged, recyclable and reusable. "At the same time I began to push my way into a few local and regional retail locations," she says. at's when Chapped Hide launched into a business. Other ingredients include bees wax, vitamin E and oils known for skin health, in which herbs native to Maine are infused. Jeff Spaulding Startup Attorney Jeff specializes in startups and emerging companies in growth sectors, advising them on angel/venture capital financings, securities offerings, strategic partnerships, and mergers and acquisitions. Jeff also works with investors and investment funds on fund formation/operation, regulatory compliance, and investments. Jeff chairs the Eaton Peabody startup program – an initiative through which we allow select emerging companies with with significant growth potential to defer limited fees until a debt or equity financing or similar event. Jeff currently has one of the largest emerging company practices in Maine. 1-800-564-0111 | eatonpeabody.com Augusta | Bangor | Ellsworth | Portland » C O N T I N U E D F RO M P R E V I O U S PA G E P H O T O S / C O U R T E S Y O F C H A P P E D H I D E In the Aroostook County town of Cary, Suzanne Hiltz launched Chapped Hide, a salve made from broadleaf plantain and other natural ingredients.