ENTREPRENEURSHIP EXPERTS TELL LAWMAKERS PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS ARE VITAL TO SUCCESS

Programs providing access to capital and counseling set the foundation for success

SOUTH PORTLAND—National and local entrepreneurship and business development experts informed the Legislature’s special Workforce Committee on proven strategies for growing and developing entrepreneurship in Maine.

The panel discussion began with two national experts: Seth Goodall, a Regional Director for the Small Business Administration, who spoke on the national and regional perspective on small business and entrepreneurship, and best practices to help small businesses grow and succeed. The keynote on “Supporting Entrepreneurs in Maine: From Incubation to Acceleration, from Start Ups to Scale up” was delivered by Dr. Erik Pages, founder and President of Entreworks of Arlington Virginia, a national economic development and policy development firm.

“Mainers by our very nature are creative, self-sufficient, and hard working. These are precisely the foundational characteristics for a successful business but we need to figure out how to better support industrious Mainers so they can take it to the next level,” said Democratic Senator Linda Valentino, co-chair of the Joint Select Committee on Maine’s Workforce and Economic Future.

The panel also included successful local Maine entrepreneurs including Josh Broder from Tilson, Heather Sanborn from Rising Tide Brewing Company, Joshua Davis, CEO of Gelato Fiasco, Kirby Pilcher, President of Artel and Renee Kelly, the Director of Economic Development Services from the University of Maine.

“It is inspiring hearing about the real-life successes of Maine entrepreneurs. Now, as lawmakers and policymakers, we need to try to figure out what we can do to help replicate their experience throughout the state,” said Senator Roger Katz of Augusta who serves as the Republican lead on the workforce committee.

Many of the owners noted that Maine was a great place to do business and expressed their pleasure at being able to return “home” to start and grow their businesses. Each owner also noted specific Maine programs that offered support and guidance in getting their businesses off the ground.

“Small businesses are telling us that access to capital can help them leap forward. Maine has the opportunity to jumpstart their growth through a small business development bond to support entrepreneurship. Smart investments in our innovation economy are crucial for our state’s prosperity,” said House Majority Leader Seth Berry of Bowdoinham, co-chair of the committee.

This is the committee’s fourth off-site listening session since the committee convened in late January. Earlier sessions included a trip to Bangor in February, where the committee toured the Advanced Manufacturing Center at the University of Maine and held a listening session at the Eastern Maine Community College with experts in workforce development. In March, the committee toured Front Street Shipyard in Belfast and held a panel discussion with local economic development and downtown revitalization experts. And in April, the committee travelled to Biddeford for a tour of the North Dam Mill, a premier mill redevelopment project, and held a panel discussion on workforce training, attracting a skilled workforce, and strengthening downtowns.

Earlier this year, the committee passed a first-of-its-kind comprehensive workforce development bill that created a seamless credit transfer system between the University of Maine System and Maine Community College System; reduced the waiting lists at community colleges for 14 high-demand programs; created a “training pipeline” for 500 existing workers to upgrade their skills; created a Welcome Center for trained for highly skilled foreign-trained to college without completing their degree.

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