Mainebiz

V O L . X X I I N O. X V 44 FA C T BO O K / D O I N G B U S I N E S S I N M A I N E C E O I N T E RV I E W Mainebiz: What are the advantages of doing business in Maine? Margo Walsh: e advantages of doing business in Maine are numer- ous and include: We are spoiled by the scenic beauty of our Maine. Everyone will take a phone call or respond to you! Access to people is quite easy and it is easy to estab- lish common ground and common experiences because of our shared experiences of Maine. We have ac- tive, accessible, business associations and networks. We have an awesome SCORE team and Small Business Administration team. MB: How much of your customer base is in Maine vs. the rest of the U.S. (or the world)? MW: Our customer base is through- out the state of Maine. We also have a business in Tennessee committed to the same social venture model of construction staffi ng with a social purpose of helping people in recov- ery and reentry. An individual phi- lanthropist took personal interest in our model and asked if I would bring it to Memphis. MB: What are the challenges of doing business in Maine? MW: e single greatest challenge of doing business in Maine is the size of the state and how far apart our centers of business are from each other. I would also say that divisive politics makes us look like a state that can't govern ourselves and that is stunning to me and very sad. e governor vetoed B Corp legislation, presented by the Associated General Contractors and MaineWorks, because at the time Gov. Paul LePage was vetoing every piece of legislation drafted by a Democrat. I have felt embarrassed and ashamed by the actions of this governor on many occasions. MB: Where are you from? Describe briefl y your own journey to where you are in Maine. MW: I grew up in Cumberland and graduated from Waynfl ete Academy in 1982. My parents moved to Maine from Ireland in 1960. After graduat- ing from Wheaton College in 1986 I worked in New York for Goldman Sachs and moved to Connecticut in 1990 and worked for the International HR Consulting fi rm Hewitt. We moved back to Maine in 2000 be- cause I wanted to raise my children in Maine and take care of ailing par- ents. I started MaineWorks in 2011 as a 'for profi t' with a social mission. MaineWorks is a staffi ng company that employs people in recovery from substance use disorder and reentry from jail and prison. Margo Walsh Title: Founder and president Organization: MaineWorks LLC Headquarters: Windham What the organization does: MaineWorks is a staffing company that employs people in recovery from substance use disorder and reentry from jail and prison. For-profit company with a mission Margo Walsh, founder and president of MaineWorks LLC, is at the front lines of finding workers for the construction industry, arranging work for people in recovery from drug use and/or those coming out of prison. In March, she was selected by the U.S. Small Business Administration as Maine's Small Business Person of the Year. Two years ago, Mainebiz named her one of four 'Women to Watch.' B y p e t e r v a n a l l e n The advantages of doing business in Maine The advantages of doing business in Maine The advantages of doing business in Maine The advantages of doing business in Maine The advantages of doing business in Maine The advantages of doing business in Maine The advantages of doing business in Maine The advantages of doing business in Maine The advantages of doing business in Maine The advantages of doing business in Maine The advantages of doing business in Maine The advantages of doing business in Maine The advantages of doing business in Maine The advantages of doing business in Maine are numerous and include: We are spoiled are numerous and include: We are spoiled are numerous and include: We are spoiled are numerous and include: We are spoiled are numerous and include: We are spoiled are numerous and include: We are spoiled are numerous and include: We are spoiled are numerous and include: We are spoiled are numerous and include: We are spoiled are numerous and include: We are spoiled are numerous and include: We are spoiled are numerous and include: We are spoiled are numerous and include: We are spoiled by the scenic beauty of our Maine. Everyone will take a phone call or respond to you. Access to people is quite easy and it is easy to establish common ground. F I L E P H O T O / T I M G R E E N WAY FA C T BO O K / D O I N G B U S I N E S S I N M A I N E Margo Walsh, founder and president of MaineWorks, helps place workers on construction sites, including the Martin's Point Bridge in Portland, where she was pictured in 2014.

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