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V O L . X X I V N O. X I I J U N E 1 1 , 2 0 1 8 22 S M A L L B U S I N E S S F O C U S pitches. It off ers discussions in sales- manship, bootstrapping, hiring, fi ring and legal issues. Beyond Top Gun, staff ers provide one-on-one counseling and target workshops to hundreds of other Maine entrepreneurs. It has also developed a Maine Mentor Network with over 100 volunteer business mentors. In 2016, MCE launched a scale-up pilot program, called E*Next to support the growth of more-established small and medium-size businesses. In 2017, MCE partnered with FocusMaine to adapt its scale-up program for a three- year period, calling it Cultivator, accept- ing 10 companies a year. Criteria for participation in Cultivator include having a proven value-added product and scalable business model, annual revenue of at least $500,000 and a desire to grow and scale. Eight 'cultivators' irteen companies applied and eight have been accepted: Commonwealth Poultry; Belle Cove LLC, South Portland, seller of value-added seafood; Black Dinah Chocolatiers, Westbrook, maker of hand-crafted chocolates; Crown O'Maine Organic Cooperative, North Vassalboro, seller of Maine-grown foods; Mousam Valley Mushrooms, Springvale, family- owned cultivator of organic mushrooms; North Spore, cultivator of mushrooms and » C O N T I N U E D F RO M P R E V I O U S PA G E Serving Maine and New England Since 1974. 207-725-4304 P O U L I N C O N S T R U C T I O N M E . C O M C O N V E N I E N C E S T O R E S R E S TA U R A N T C O M M E R C I A L / P U B L I C R E TA I L Visit Patrons.com to find an independent Maine agent near you. We've been in business more than 135 years, and con nue to innovate by providing you a por olio that offers the kind of protec on your business needs — today. Business Property and Liability Insurance Products Cyber and Data Breach Liability Insurance Employment Prac ces Liability Insurance, EPLI & Equipment and Mechanical Breakdown Innova ve solu ons for today's business challenges. I N S U R I N G M A I N E B U S I N E S S — I N S U R I N G M A I N E P E O P L E Tom Rainey, executive director of the Maine Center for Entrepreneurs, and Sue Hanson, the center's program manager, at the Portland offi ce. P H O T O / T I M G R E E N WAY