Mainebiz

W W W. M A I N E B I Z . B I Z 31 J U N E 1 1 , 2 0 1 8 F O C U S S M A L L B U S I N E S S invented out of recyclable plastic. At the time he noticed how many women were wearing plastic earrings with geometri- cal shapes that had no meaning. "I fi gured that by applying that same material to the symbols, it's going to generate interest, and then in turn I'd be able to make some money," he says. Today, he blends his skills in jewelry making and computer-aided design as a one-man business peddling "inspired designs for your soul." He recently launched the Maine Culture line of clothing and accessories featuring Maine motifs in colors that convey the same meanings as the adinkra symbols. He reinvests all his earnings back into the business and 70% of proceeds from his Emekor jewelry collection into proj- ect to improve water quality in Ghana. As he works to fi nd more wholesale customers and think more strategically about what trade shows to attend, he's thinking about using his industrial-design skills to launch 3-D printing services. 'Building the Maine of tomorrow' Orson Horchler, the son of a French- Moroccan mother and a Hungarian father, has been an immigrant twice in his life. Born in Philadelphia, he spent age three to 18 in a suburb of Paris he says was full of racial tension but no guns. "One movie was made about where I grew up and it was called 'Hate,' he says. " at's how bad it was." A U.S. citizen by birth, he considers himself a New Age-New Mainer after growing up speaking French and reading English. "When I came here," he says, "I had lots of vocabulary but I didn't know how to pronounce things like hippopotamus." After years in northern Maine, which he found unwelcoming to foreigners, he prefers Portland, where he started a high-end carpentry busi- ness two years ago. He named his fi rm Bondeko, the Lingala word for experiencing a family bond with those who aren't blood relatives. at's the culture he's created for his small crew of new Mainers, who hail from Albania, the Caribbean and e Republic of the Congo. "Emotions can run high because we're mostly here without family," he says, "but I wouldn't be a good business leader if I didn't have that good connection." He picks up his team every morning in his black pick-up truck, advertising that it's "Building the Maine of Tomorrow," for work mainly at residences. Besides getting clients to appreci- ate the quality of their work, Horchler — also a street artist who goes by the name Pigeon — frequently talks to new Mainers about the value of learning a trade, telling them: "One good way of having a viable business is to learn a trade and then go out on your own." Speaking the language of business Dolgormaa Hersom left Mongolia in 1996 to study political science and government at the University of Maine at Farmington despite having to teach herself English. Since she already had a sociology degree from Mongolia, she was able to graduate from UMF in two years. She's put her language skills to work in various jobs in the past 20 years, mainly in the non-profi t sector. A Mongolian and Russian interpreter and translator, she founded House of Languages Inc. in 2012. It now provides interpreter and translation services in more than 30 languages. She employs three people full-time and one part-time and contracts more than 60 interpreters and translators, and has been seeking a document translation manager for the past few months. "Some of the challenges we have are not really because of language ser- vices we off er, but the growing pains of a small business," says Hersom, who prefers slow but steady expansion over taking on too much risk or debt. Back at Rwanda Bean, Mwenedata and his business partner plan to launch a new crowdfunding campaign to raise $35,000 for a roaster after their initial try fell short. ey also have big plans for their White Cap Cold Brew Coff ee subsidiary via a new regional distribution agreement expected to double sales. After a recent visit to Rwanda, Mwenedata says it's rewarding to see the country rebuilding: "It's a positive thing, so it's not hard to go back." R C, Mainebiz senior writer, can be reached at @ . If I see an opportunity If I see an opportunity If I see an opportunity If I see an opportunity If I see an opportunity If I see an opportunity If I see an opportunity If I see an opportunity If I see an opportunity If I see an opportunity If I see an opportunity If I see an opportunity If I see an opportunity If I see an opportunity for a family member for a family member for a family member for a family member for a family member for a family member for a family member for a family member for a family member for a family member for a family member for a family member for a family member or friend, I will talk to them and see if they're interested. If they say yes, why not help somebody advance their American dream? — Quang Nguyen immigrant entrepreneur

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