SBA 2023

MAINE SMALL BUSINESS PERSON OF THE YEAR:

CAROLYN DELANEY  JOURNEY MAGAZINE

NOMINATED BY SARAH GUERETTE, DIRECTOR, CEI WOMEN’S BUSINESS CENTERS

2023 Award Winner

ACROSS THE COUNTRY

there are few communities that have not been deeply affected by the opioid addiction epidemic, but thankfully there are individuals doing everything they can to address the issue. The desire to assist others is what drove Carolyn Delaney to start Journey Magazine in 2019. After she herself started the process of recovery in the early 1990’s, Carolyn spent 20 years leading IT departments in the call center industry. After spending this time developing her skills and connections, Carolyn decided she wanted to put her technical expertise to use addressing some of the most stigmatized and difficult problems that individuals, families, and communities could face.

The result of her efforts, combined with a team of friends and family members, was the first publication of Journey Magazine with its March 2019 issue. The magazine provided readers with stories of hope from others who are living their lives, now, free from addiction, information on programs

available to people struggling with addiction, and accessible resources for families and employers to assist others. The goal was to reduce the intense stigma and shame that people with addiction face every day, and to make recovery a real and tangible goal for those individuals. After a year of publishing bi-monthly issues and realizing that Journey’s message of hope was attracting not only those struggling but family members,

With the insight and resources provided by the Women’s Business Center, Journey Magazine began to drastically increase its reach and audience. Each bi-monthly issue of the magazine now has a distribution of 15,000 copies, with subscribers including individuals, businesses and recovery organizations across the country. Revenues have more than tripled, and the business now employs three people full time, with an additional part-time employee who operates out of a co-working space in South Portland. With the assistance of a microloan through CEI in 2022, Journey Magazine is further poised for growth, with a contract signed in September of that year to support community engagement around a substance use communications campaign for the State of Maine.

employers and community members due to its fresh, optimistic approach to talking about recovery, Carolyn reached out to the Women’s Business Center for some additional guidance on how she could grow her business and increase her impact. After Carolyn attended several WBC workshops and began meeting with a one-on-one business advisor, Journey Magazine was ready to scale up and grow.

Because of her passion and the efforts Carolyn Delaney has put into her business from the launch of Journey Magazine, to the addition of wraparound services like a job board for those in recovery and roundtable meetings with employers, not to mention the incredible growth of the business, the Small Business Administration is thrilled to name her as Maine’s Small Business Person of the Year.

THE GOAL WAS TO REDUCE THE INTENSE STIGMA AND SHAME THAT PEOPLE WITH ADDICTION FACE EVERY DAY, AND TO MAKE RECOVERY A REAL AND TANGIBLE GOAL FOR THOSE INDIVIDUALS.

2023 Award Winner

NEW ENGLAND REGION SMALL BUSINESS PRIME CONTRACTOR OF THE YEAR: CREDERE ASSOCIATES  THERESA AND RIP PATTEN, OWNERS

THE WORD “CREDERE” means

“to believe” in Italian. Credere is also an acronym for community revitalization, economic development, environmental remediation, and engineering. It was very important to Theresa and Rip Patten when naming the company that the name communicates something more than crediting the owners. The name should embody the company mission: what the company believes, what it aspires to do for its clients, and the means through which it can be achieved. They believe that they can use their engineering education and knowledge of environmental remediation to help clients achieve community revitalization by successful completion of redevelopment projects. It is their small way to make the world a little better. Credere Associates works with planning commissions, municipalities, economic development boards, private developers, and local and federal government agencies to address environmental issues during the redevelopment process.

In the fall of 2007, after working with SCORE to develop a business plan, Theresa Patten and her partner Rip Patten acquired an existing environmental remediation company and incorporated Credere Associates. In December of 2010 they purchased their current building, and after renovations were complete Credere officially moved to Westbrook. As a best practice that encourages success, Theresa strives to employ people who are dedicated to using their talents to help Credere’s clients have a positive impact on the communities in which they serve, but she also tries to create a workplace where employees are proud to work and are excited about the work that they do. Cross training of employees is a major contributor to this positive environment, where employees are encouraged to develop new skills and take on different roles. As a result of these practices, Credere has grown from an initial five employees to the current 30.

Credere has worked on numerous long-term, sustainable Brownfields Programs and private redevelopment projects, with both private and government entities at all levels from municipalities to the Federal government. These projects include various tasks, such as environmental assessment, re-use planning and remediation, and redevelopment engineering, for which Credere has received incredibly positive ratings from the recipient agencies.

Credere has been participating in the SBA’s 8a Business Development Program since 2014 and is serviced by the Maine District Office. The 8a Program is an SBA contracting program that allows eligible small businesses to receive preferential treatment in the government contracting process while they also receive dedicated business development assistance from the SBA and its partners. Credere has successfully leveraged the 8a program’s benefits, which has resulted in annual growth and increased capacity. They have been a pleasure to work with and the SBA is very impressed by their continued success. They have been a model participant in the 8a Program and as a result of this and their work with the Army Corps of Engineers have been selected as the 2023 New England Region Small Business Prime Contractor of the Year.

NOMINATED BY EVA MARIE D’ANTUONO, DEPUTY FOR SMALL BUSINESS, ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS

MAINE & NEW ENGLAND VETERAN-OWNED SMALL BUSINESS OF THE YEAR: KIDZ GO ECO NATURE SCHOOL  MICHELLE GOULET, OWNER

NOMINATED BY LAURIE WARCHOL, VP BUSINESS BANKING, MAINE COMMUNITY BANK 2023 Award Winner

A CONNECTION TO NATURE is an important part of a well rounded education for children. This is the basis of Kidz Go Eco Nature School, an early childhood education program in Saco based on the Reggio model. In this setting, students are taught about the world around them in a way that encourages curiosity and an awareness of the connections between people and nature. The Pre-K program at Kidz Go was started back in 2009 by Michelle Goulet, an Air Force veteran with a background in medicine, who wanted to provide a place where children could be taught about how they could positively impact the world around them.

school has managed to scale up to meet the needs without sacrificing the quality of education. The continued growth of the school is even more impressive when taking into account the effect of the Covid pandemic and the necessary closures of many schools and childcare facilities.

TO SUPPORT OTHER VETERANS, MICHELLE PRIORITIZES VETERANS IN HER HIRING PROCESSES, AND ENGAGES HER STUDENTS IN DONATION DRIVES FOR BOTH GOOD SHEPHERD FOOD BANK AND THE ANIMAL WELFARE SOCIETY.

From the initial eight students, Michelle has gradually built up the enrollment to nearly 50 students, by combining part-time and full-time students that provides a quality program that attracts families interested in her model. As the enrollment has grown, Kidz Go Eco has needed to gradually expand its buildings, first operating from a single building, then a second, then with a renovation to an existing garage and an expansion, the

Even so, Michelle reacted quickly to ensure the stability of her business. She applied for and received an Economic Injury Disaster Loan, and then a Paycheck Protection Program loan from Maine Community Bank. With these funds secured, Kidz Go Eco was guaranteed to make it through the worst of the shutdowns and survive until it was safe for students to return.

As the owner of a school focused on community and nature, Michelle is determined to live by these values as she instills them

in her students. To support other veterans, Michelle prioritizes veterans in her hiring processes, and engages her students in donation drives for both Good Shepherd Food Bank and the Animal Welfare Society. In a mutually beneficial partnership, Michelle formally volunteered as an interpretive tour guide at the Maine Wildlife Park, educating attendees about the animals in the park and the ways that staff are rehabilitating them for re-entry to the wild. This inspired her to have KGE preschool students celebrate their preschool graduation at the park each year, and cultivate a deeper understanding of how humans and animals interact and connect. Despite her own challenges following a very recent brain tumor surgery that left her visually impaired, Michelle has maintained her commitment to her community, her students, and to her business.

Because of the innovative programs at Kidz Go Eco Nature School, and the significant efforts Michelle Goulet has made to maintain growth without giving up on the practices that allowed her to succeed in the first place, the SBA is pleased to award Kidz Go Eco Nature School the 2023 Veteran-Owned Small Business of the Year Award for Maine and New England.

WOMAN-OWNED SMALL BUSINESS OF THE YEAR: LAURA MARSTON, OWNER  GOGO REFILL

NOMINATED BY SARAH GUERETTE, DIRECTOR OF THE CEI WOMEN’S BUSINESS CENTERS

2023 Award Winner

LAURA MARSTON’S AWAKENING to the importance of reducing plastic waste started as a New Years resolution to stop using single-use plastic water bottles. Once Laura started down the path to reducing her family’s waste, she saw plastic everywhere throughout her home. She set about trying to be plastic-free as much as possible, and found all of the spots in Portland to get everything she could without plastic packaging. She struggled to find plastic free home and body products — and so the idea for GoGo Refill was born. At the time Laura worked in software as a product manager & consultant, working with startups to design & build their businesses. Applying the same strategies she had used on her clients, Laura began dreaming up plans for GoGo, a community hub for resources on living with less waste, and skipping the single-use plastic. GoGo’s model encourages customers to bring their own containers to refill with bulk home and body products instead of buying a new plastic bottle every time they go to the store.

GOGO’S MODEL ENCOURAGES CUSTOMERS TO BRING THEIR OWN CONTAINERS TO REFILL WITH BULK HOME AND BODY PRODUCTS INSTEAD OF BUYING A NEW PLASTIC BOTTLE EVERY TIME THEY GO TO THE STORE.

GoGo opened in South Portland in July of 2019 after Laura began working with the Women’s Business Center, developing business strategy, financial projections, and market analysis. However, despite the best efforts to plan for the future, Laura could not have predicted that a mere seven months after launching GoGo Refill’s first store that the Covid pandemic would force her to immediately change her entire business model. Even though the pandemic presented incredible challenges, Laura was able to develop new plans, and quickly set up an e-commerce site that allowed GoGo to serve customers with curbside pickup which allowed the business to survive the initial disruptions. After a few months, GoGo was able to create a plan for employee and customer safety and reopened its doors with all employees brought back on payroll and regular hours restored. During this time, GoGo Refill was able to benefit from an SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loan to cover the necessary expenses for ensuring the survival of GoGo and the safety of staff and customers.

In keeping with Laura’s ideals and the goals for her business, GoGo Refill is a 1% for the Planet company — donating 1% of revenue to climate focused non-profits. In the two years that GoGo has participated, they’ve donated to non-profits focused on reducing the need for single-use plastics, donated to local environmental organizations, and organized cleanups of local trails around Portland. Laura has also advocated at the state level to reduce the burden of single use plastic on Maine’s waste stream.

Because of the immense efforts Laura Marston has made to not only provide quality products to her customers, but also stay true to her values as a business owner, while also surviving and thriving during the pandemic, the Small Business Administration is pleased to name GoGo Refill as the 2023 Woman Owned Small Business of the Year for Maine.

MAINE

YOUNG

ENTREPRENEUR OF THE YEAR:

ELISSA NALLY, OWNER  SOMETHING TO WAG ABOUT

NOMINATED BY SHANNON BYERS, AVP BUSINESS RELATIONSHIP BANKER, MACHIAS SAVINGS BANK 2023 Award Winner

ELISSA NALLY BEGAN working with the Small Business Development Center in 2019 as she started her dog grooming business, Something to Wag About. Cen-

a unique perspective as the previous owner of a similar dog grooming business! Byers advised Elissa through the CEI Wicked Fast Microloan application

Award Winner

ter Director and Business Advisor Shannon Byers was able to help her lay the groundwork for a solid business plan and financial projections, as well as offer

process which led to the funding needed to open their doors.

Less than a year later, things were going well enough to be exploring expansion op-

MAINE HOME-BASED BUSINESS OF THE YEAR:

COZY HANDMADE PILLOWS, scented with balsam and lavender, are some of the most iconic items people associate with craft fairs and gifts for loved ones. These kinds of products take time and attention to detail, as well as a significant level of skill and creativity to make. Knowing that the market was out there, and that she had the skills necessary, Kim Napolitano-Perry decided to start her business as an Etsy shop in 2010 to sell the first of her handmade products. By 2012 Perry Home Naturals, then under the name Winter Solstice Dreams, had joined the Maine Made program to

increase access to new markets under the shared branding.

Having been a teacher before the birth of her daughter, Kim went back to teaching in 2015, but found that she missed the feeling of being an artisan and creating quality products. Within a couple years she decided to take on business ownership full time, and rebranded as Perry Home Naturals. She worked with both SCORE and the Small Business Development Center to plan for the future of the business, and started to see significant growth in sales and opportunities. In 2022, Kim and her husband moved to Ox-

ford, where their new home would have over 1,000 square feet of space for Kim to use for her business, a drastic increase from their previous space where an unheated garage housed the business. Kim has even brought on independent contractors to help out during busy times of year or ahead of major trade shows due to the intense demand, with over 100 stores featuring her handmade products.

While being a business owner and pursuing her passion was part of her decision to leave the teaching profession, Kim has found ways to incorporate teaching into the business. She has worked with

local non profits and churches to teach sewing to younger generations, and with local high schools to teach students about how they can start their own small business, whether it’s a full time pursuit, or if it’s a part time business selling products at craft fairs. Kim also donates products to schools and non-profits in the area, making a strong connection to her community. Perry Home Naturals has built its brand on a wholesome and community-minded vision, and Kim has reinforced that branding through her efforts to lift up others in her community. Because of Perry Home Naturals’ growth, and the

NOMINATED BY GRACE MO-PHILIPS, WOMEN’S BUSINESS CENTER PROGRAM DIRECTOR 2023

IN ADDITION, WITH THE CONTINUED SUCCESS OF HER BUSINESS, ELISSA SUPPORTS NUMEROUS ANIMAL RESCUE ORGANIZATIONS THROUGH FUNDRAISERS AND PRO BONO GROOMING SERVICES.

tions when the COVID pandemic hit. Byers was one of the first people Elissa reached out to for guidance when the future became uncertain. Together they worked through the safest options for her and her clients, emergency funding options, management issues, and then some. The PPP loan Nally received from Bangor Savings Bank got the business through the worst of 2020, then came a different kind of problem. Due to the lockdowns and the boom in pet adoption, the demand for dog grooming became more than the company could handle.

In December 2021, the team expanded into their new location in Ellsworth offering doggy daycare and a grooming center. As her business grew, Elissa continued to

invest in her employees and the business. The team is regularly provided professional development and specialized training to better support the needs of the business, and also holds team building outings with employees and their families. In addition, with the continued success of her business, Elissa supports numerous animal rescue organizations through fundraisers and pro bono grooming services.

Because of her success and the efforts that Elissa has made to support her business, her employees, and her community, the SBA is please to name Elissa Nally, owner of Something to Wag About the 2023 Young Entrepreneur of the Year award for Maine.

significant efforts Kim has made to support other home-based businesses in her community, the Small Business Administration is pleased to name Perry Home Naturals as the 2023 Home Based Business for Maine.

2023 Award Winner

MICROENTERPRISE OF THE YEAR: SINGING PASTURES  HOLLY AND JOHN ARBUCKLE, OWNERS

NOMINATED BY STEVE

VEAZEY, DISTRICT DIRECTOR, SCORE MAINE

SMALL FARMS and the products they sell form the backbone of the economy in many of Maine’s communities. While Singing Pastures, owned by Holly and John Arbuckle, was started in Missouri, it has quickly become an integral part of the food system in Newcastle since they relocated their business in 2018. In the past few years they have made numerous changes to strengthen their business, support other small farmers, and improve the agriculture ecosystem’s environmental sustainability.

When Singing Pastures was first started in 2016, the signature product was Roam Sticks, a pork snack made with traditional fermentation and smoking, with pork sourced from their farm and other local pasture based farms, as an alternative to the heavily processed and unnatural tasting snacks that had saturated the market. These proved incredibly successful, and formed the base

MINORITY-OWNED

of the business for years, until 2020 when they lost a major account and realized that they needed to find ways to market their products directly without relying on white-label sales. To help with this change in the business, Holly and John worked with their SCORE mentor to begin planning for a more independent and secure future for Singing Pastures. With the plan in place, Singing Pastures was able to successfully apply for a Value Added Producer grant from USDA to both produce and sell their charcuterie and snack sticks directly to customers. They have also secured contracts from several grocery stores and online markets, further strengthening the foundation of the business, and allowing them to expand their brand.

As a true small farm, Singing Pastures doesn’t define its success solely on sales, it also defines success by the positive impact it has

SMALL BUSINESS OF THE YEAR:

TEALIGHT STUDIOS  SELINA CHAN, OWNER

NOMINATED BY GRACE MO-PHILIPS, WOMEN’S BUSINESS CENTER PROGRAM DIRECTOR

TEALIGHT STUDIOS started from Selina Chan’s lifelong love of dogs. Being a self-taught artist since she was young, she wanted to try something different— a craft that still utilized her creativity but centered around something she loves. As a frequent wearer of hair bows, she thought, “Why not dogs too?” We express ourselves through the clothing we wear, and in companionship, we can strengthen the bond between us and our pets. Selina began making bows in 2018 and a year later, she was able to expand her product line to include bandanas as well. When she started the business, Selina was selling through

her etsy shop, but by the time she was adding her line of bandanas she had added wholesale accounts to two stores, one in Portland and one in Boston.

With the gradual expansion of sales, Selina invested in the business with new sewing machines, and attendance at more in-person craft fairs and shows. These paid off, with 15% growth each year, until the Covid pandemic made marketing at in-person events impossible. However, Selina did not give up on her business, continuing to make it work with online sales and efforts to pursue wholesale accounts. This paid off in a big way when in 2021 she se-

cured a deal with Canopy Hotels by Hilton to design and create specially branded bandanas for their four-legged guests. Another special collaboration line was released in the summer of 2022 with Downeast Magazine, where Selina designed and made nautical-inspired bandanas/bow ties for their online shop. Tealight Studios was also voted “Best Maine-Made Pet Product” in November 2022 by Downeast Dog News.

As she secured new contracts and the ability to market in person at fairs returned, Selina decided that it was time to take what had been a side gig to a full time business in spring 2022. To help

with this process, Selina worked with the Women’s Business Center to make sure she was prepared for any challenge of full time business ownership. Working with the WBC also allowed Selina to attend the New England Made show as part of the IDEA pavilion, a program specifically designed to highlight Maine’s woman owned businesses. As a result of her success and her experiences, Selina has participated in efforts to lift up other women in business, and especially members of Maine’s immigrant and refugee populations. In keeping with the basis of her business, she also supports several local organiza -

2023 Award Winner

on others. The 170 acre farm raises its livestock in a sustainable way with regenerative agriculture, a practice designed to preserve and improve soil quality over the years, and every year they share significant amounts of produce with local food banks and soup kitchens. As a community minded farm, Holly and John also host several incubator farms each year, allowing new farmers the opportunity to start on a small scale before striking out on their own. These incubator farms are given the opportunity to barter products, or assist with work on Singing Pastures to reduce any cost of rent,

allowing flexibility for farmers who might want to save money for the eventual purchase of their own land.

By building their business around a value system of restoring and supporting not just the land, but the community and other farmers, Holly and John Arbuckle have demonstrated that while they may not be from Maine, they understand what it means to be Mainers. Singing Pastures is the embodiment of everything that makes a small farm great, and for that reason, the SBA is pleased to name Singing Pastures as the 2023 MicroEnterprise of the Year for Maine.

tions that care for animals, through both financial and in kind contributions.

Because of Selina Chan’s continuous and sustainable business growth, and because of her efforts to lift up others in her community, the SBA is pleased to name Tealight Studios as the 2023 Minority Owned Small Business of the Year for Maine.

SMALL BUSINESS MANUFACTURER OF THE YEAR:

MOM’S ORGANIC MUNCHIES  BETTY CRUSH, OWNER

NOMINATED BY

GRACE MO-PHILIPS, WOMEN’S BUSINESS CENTER PROGRAM DIRECTOR

2023 Award Winner

MOM’S MUNCHIES was started in Betty Crush’s home kitchen when she was having health issues and couldn’t find any healthy snacks that she could eat. Her family and friends starting eating her snacks and placing orders. She thought, you know I could help a lot of people like me by offering healthy snacks that they could enjoy. She started the business by selling bars and cookies to a few local independent stores. Then, while shopping at Whole Foods a team member asked what she was using all of the ingredients she was purchasing for, and when she told him he went to get the local forager and he asked for samples. After that

point, Mom’s Munchies started being carried in the Portland Whole Foods store. As part of the Whole Foods sales, the store provided a loan to help bring the

Craig, Betty started meeting one-on-one with a business advisor at the Women’s Business Center. This guidance would be vital to the business, as Betty and Craig

AS A TRULY LOCAL BUSINESS WITH A MOM’S MINDSET, MOM’S ORGANIC MUNCHIES DONATES HEALTHY SNACKS TO THE LOCAL SCHOOL’S BACKPACK PROGRAM, AND FOR SEVERAL MONTHS BETTY TOOK TIME OUT OF HER BUSY SCHEDULE TO MAKE LUNCHES AT FREEPORT COMMUNITY SERVICES.

snacks into the whole region. With the scaling up of Mom’s Organic Munchies and working with her son

continued to plan at least a year in advance, making sure the business was as prepared as possible for any expansion or

disruption. This level of planning would prove vital when the Covid pandemic hit in 2020 and businesses across the country began to struggle with shutdowns and supply disruptions. Because of their diligent planning, Mom’s was able to secure funding from the SBA to ensure the stability of the business, with loans obtained through both the Paycheck Protection Program and the Economic Injury Disaster Loan program. With these loans Mom’s Organic Munchies was able to keep its 12 employees on staff and continue to support its local economy. These Munchie Makers have been vital to the success of Mom’s Organic Munchies, and

MAINE FINANCIAL SERVICES CHAMPION OF THE YEAR:

DANIEL WALLACE  CHIEF INVESTMENT OFFICER AT CEI

NOMINATED BY SARAH GUERETTE, DIRECTOR OF THE CEI WOMEN’S BUSINESS CENTERS

2023 Award Winner

WHILE THE AVERAGE loan made through SBA lenders is over $100,000, the microloan program for loans of $50,000 or less is a vital resource for many businesses across the country. Here in Maine, Daniel Wallace has been instrumental in expanding access to this source of financing to our small business community. In his role as Chief Investment Officer at CEI, Daniel has engaged the CEI lending team and has been proactive in the creation of new initiatives that further expand access in alignment with CEI’s mission to integrate finance, business expertise and policy solutions in ways that make

the economy work more equitably. Working directly with lending clients across the state, Daniel and the CEI lending team recognized that the burden of applying for microloans was disproportionate to the dollar amount requested. In response, Daniel led the development of the Wicked Fast microloan, which simplified the application process, and streamlined the approval process to a three-business day decision window. The Wicked Fast product has significantly increased the number of microloans approved at CEI since its implementation, with no corresponding rise in default rates.

Daniel demonstrated a similar responsiveness to CEI loan clients during the COVID-19 pandemic. Under his leadership, CEI was able to work with its borrowers to restructure existing loans, defer payments if necessary, and generally reduce the burden of debt during a time when many businesses weren’t sure if they would survive.

Daniel has shown great leadership in working to identify and address the inequities within our financial systems through a number of recent and ongoing initiatives.

Daniel and his team at CEI recognized that with growing populations of Arabic,

French, Portuguese, Spanish, and Somali speakers in Maine, language was frequently a barrier to accessing capital. Loan applications and documentation frequently contain legalese and industry jargon, which can feel overwhelming for individuals who do not speak English as their first language. To address this barrier, the lending team at CEI created a glossary of terms and FAQs to assist borrowers in the process, and then translated those documents, along with the application, into five languages beyond English. Having these documents in their primary language makes the loan application and closing process easier and more comfort -

Betty has said that without them, there would be no Mom’s Munchies.

As Betty has grown Mom’s Organic Munchies from a home kitchen to the currently planned 5,000 to 7,000 square foot facility, she has not abandoned the values that brought her this level of success. The snacks are still made with quality, wholesome ingredients by a dedicated staff. As a truly local business with a mom’s mindset, Mom’s Organic Munchies donates healthy snacks to the local school’s backpack program, and for several months Betty took time out of her busy schedule

to make lunches at Freeport Community Services, in addition to donating baked goods for Thanksgiving and other events throughout the year.

Because of the continuous efforts Betty Crush and Craig Morgan have made to plan for every eventuality, and her support of her community at multiple levels, the SBA is pleased to name Mom’s Organic Munchies as the 2023 Small Business Manufacturer of the Year for Maine.

able for Maine’s immigrant entrepreneurs.

Daniel was also instrumental to the piloting of a collateral pool that supports the applications of lowwealth borrowers and the creation of CEI’s Jumpstart loan, an initiative that provides flexible financing options for racially and ethnically diverse entrepreneurs across the state.

In recognition of the immense efforts that Daniel Wallace has made to support Maine’s small business community that

go above and beyond acting as a lender, the SBA is pleased to name Daniel Wallace of CEI as the 2023 Financial Services Champion for Maine.

MAINE & NEW ENGLAND FAMILY-OWNED BUSINESS: BRODIS BLUEBERRIES

A BUSINESS STAYING in the same family for three generations is a remarkable achievement, but for a family to continually operate a business for nine generations and 265 years, like Brodis Blueberries in Hope Maine, is nearly unheard of. This exceptional history and the traditions associated with it are integral to the success of the business. Gwen Brodis and her husband Dick purchased the farm from her parents in 1967 and Gwen has managed the 790 acres with 170 in wild blueberries since then, working the land and producing one of the iconic Maine crops, along with 15 members of the Brodis family across four generations.

Over the course of their ownership, Gwen and Dick put in place numerous improvements and innovations to increase sales and ensure the success of the business. With yields increased by land improvements, and sales increased with direct to consumer marketing, Brodis Blueberries built up over the years under their management. After Dick’s passing in 2016, Gwen’s son-in-law Ron Howard stepped up to both manage the fields and take on marketing for the business. As part of his marketing push, he began participating in numerous industry organizations that market wild blueberries collectively, like Wild Blueberry Weekend, which promotes visits to farms in a model similar to Maine Maple Sunday. New wholesale customers were added, including bakeries, specialty vinegar producers, and winemakers.

The family has also made numerous efforts to diversify the product range of the farm and protect the legacy of a business older than the State of Maine. Gwen has used the business advising services of the Small Business Development Centers, while the family began looking into new products that could add value to the blueberry crop. Grandson Jeremy started Blue Barren Distillery to produce blueberry spirits on site at the farm, and increase the incentive for customers to visit. A farm store was added, allowing the family to sell frozen wild blueberries, jams, sauces and pies to visitors year-round, not just during harvest season. Other efforts increased the energy efficiency and energy independence of the farm, with a heat pump installed in the processing facility, and a solar panel installation planned for 2023.

By building on the foundation of previous generations, while not being constrained by tradition, the Brodis family has shown the best of Maine’s family owned businesses. Thanks to the multiple generations working together and bringing new opportunities to their small farm the future of Brodis Blueberries is secure, possibly for another 265 years. Because of the incredible history of the business, and the significant efforts to ensure the continued success of the business, the SBA is pleased to name Brodis Blueberries as the 2023 Jeffrey Butland Family Owned Business for both Maine and New England.

NOMINATED BY GRACE MO-PHILIPS, WOMEN’S BUSINESS CENTER PROGRAM DIRECTOR 2023 Award Winner