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Overcoming Obstacles
In 2006, Kathe Mickunas first reached out to New Ventures Maine (NVME). She got help to grow her flower farm and family business. But in 2012, Kathe faced a leveling divorce: “We lost everything. Our home and business. Our financial security.”
Kathe met with New Ventures Maine during that devastating year to explore way…
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Michael Libby first encountered New Ventures Maine in 2015, when he completed a Business Basics course. After this class, he was referred to the Family Development Account (FDA) program. The FDA program is a matched savings program that would allow him to save for business growth and development.
Steps to Small Business Success
Later in 2015, Mik…
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A New Path Forward
Clay Theberge came to New Ventures Maine after the dissolution of a family business. Moving forward, she needed to devise a plan that would allow her to raise her family.
Clay decided to return to school to earn a nursing degree. Healthcare always interested her, and the field had positive job outlooks. While she was in s…
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"As you can imagine, being a single mother, taking college courses and working part-time, the amount of funds I have to work with each month is very limited,” explains Santa. “I live paycheck to paycheck and never have much room for an emergency. With my Rainy Day Savings Account, my car repairs did not feel like emergencies."
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My biggest challenge coming into the program was mapping out a route to achieving my dream - it all seemed so overwhelming. My greatest joy is that I actually DID it! Remembering back to how scared I was about taking such bold and daring steps made celebrating the shop’s first anniversary this month so meaningful and rewarding.
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Even when the going gets rough, Jenna says, “Work harder when things are slow. Uncertainty can be frustrating at times and invigorating at others. Believe in yourself and know when to admit that your current strategy is not working.”
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Maria encourages other career-changers to “Believe in yourself and follow your heart. Be willing to say yes to opportunities without having unrealistic expectations. Be open to the journey and willing to learn.”
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Dakota Wilson contacted New Ventures Maine in the fall of 2016 to learn more about the Family Development Account program. He hoped that this program could help him provide a safe and secure environment for his one-year-old daughter. A home that they would live in for many years.
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With initiative and persistence, in August 2017, Susan found the job she was seeking. She has a full-time position and earns a livable wage as an administrative assistant at a yacht brokerage in coastal Maine. Susan advises others in situations like hers: “Be confident in your abilities. Most of all, be yourself. Plus, don’t ever, ever give up.…
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Angela King had been living in Maine for about a year and a half when she learned of New Ventures Maine. She and her family had recently decided to “change their pace of life” and move from Long Island to Maine. In New York, Angela was a Legal Aid staff attorney, and her husband commuted into New York City for his job. The move to rural Maine c…
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After completing the course, I opened a flamenco arts studio in Portland called Bourassa Dance Studio where I teach flamenco dance classes and organize events, performances, and guest workshops with national and international artists. The studio is also my creative space, where I create my artistic work as a performing flamenco artist. I have been …
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Jill Doucette has had a long-term relationship with NVME. She first reached out to NVME in 2001 when she signed up for a pro se divorce class. She recalls that at that time, “I had low self-esteem and was overwhelmed with stress in my life.” Of course, much has changed since then. Through the years, Jill took several additional NVME classes wh…
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Page enrolled in NVME’s Venturing Forth class in 2015 to build a plan for business growth. “Like many artists, my perceived strengths lay with creating the art, not selling it. In a supportive, structured framework, the class helped me learn the essentials of being an entrepreneur. My goal was to face my financial fears – baggage I was tired …
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It all started with a promise whispered into my newborn daughter's ear, that one day we would make it. The way I see it, you can choose to let single motherhood crush you, or light a fire within you. I chose fire!
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“The biggest joy for me so far is the fact that I gained so much confidence through VF. I realized that what I was doing was feasible, that it could become my career and that I could in fact take something I loved and make it work for me.” - Michelle Byram, Owner, Soulshine Soap Company
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The Decision
The decision to start my own business was quite simply a decision to make my passion my career. But making the business a reality was not so simple. It was both an exciting and daunting endeavor. How does one go about creating a startup business?
Early in 2013 I was considering a transition from my lifelong career in healthcare…
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Ariel was introduced to welding at a Totally Trades! conference. Now, as a welding student her goal is to “get as many certifications as I can and head right into the workforce.” In addition, she hopes to teach other young women like her and "complete the circle."
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In 2015 when they learned they would be receiving a tax refund, David and Diane Schubarth signed up for a Rainy Day Savings Account (a matched emergency savings account) with New Ventures Maine. They learned that they were eligible for the account where their $300 savings would be matched dollar for dollar. Money is usually pretty tight but the tax…
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Deena's advice to other entrepreneurs: You must create a great team to support you and help you. Find the best people of each task you are not able to do well yourself. No one succeeds on their own.
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“New Ventures Maine is a cheerleader for folks who need an extra push to awaken the potential within them that they don't quite see. The program helped me say, ‘Here is my goal, this is how I can achieve that goal, this is my roadmap, and once the roadmap is there, I can do whatever I want.’"
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When I first came to New Ventures Maine (NVME), I was in a difficult place in my job search. I was new to Maine and barely keeping myself afloat with part-time senior care work. I had a background as an attorney and in nonprofit management, so I knew I was capable of finding full-time work, but I had no idea what direction I wanted to go in. I was …
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Thanks to New Ventures Maine’s (NVME) Financing Your Future class and the Family Development Account (FDA) matched savings program, Gail was able to go back to college part-time while working full-time and graduate debt-free. Gail graduated debt-free in 2010 with her Associate Degree. She then went to work in the office at Lane Construction…
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Wanda did not seek out leadership, but her actions and attitude have propelled her into that role. Her philosophy is that “Leadership is about encouraging cooperation and information sharing. It is the ability to empower others.” She will often hear from others in the Deaf community that they wish they had the opportunity to attend worksh…
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When the Town of Stockholm, population 253, relocated its town office leaving a small building vacant in the center of town, Kristi and Glen Peterson saw an opportunity to make something new.
Kristi and Glen, who live down the road in New Sweden, rented the building and turned their sweat equity into a thriving business. The result: Jemtland Gyp…
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Marianne Russo will tell you her late life passion is all things tea. She loves the civility, mindfulness, and cultural expression surrounding tea so much that she is Maine’s only Certified Tea Specialist. But like many who come to New Ventures Maine (formerly Maine Centers for Women, Work, and Community) for microenterprise training, Russo n…
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Joline first came to WWC in 2012 while a student in the Mental Health and Human Services (MHHS) program at UMA, based at the University College Bath Brunswick (UCBB). As a new non-traditional student with an unconventional work history, Joline needed assistance with a resume that would highlight her transferable skills so she could get part-…
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At The Children’s Center in Augusta, Andrew Oliver works with young children with a range of developmental delays and disabilities. He says with a grin, “It feels like the right fit-like a square peg in a square hole. “
When Andrew first came to WWC in May, 2014, his vocational path seemed very different. Although a recent UMA gradua…
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Danielle Ireland McGuckin’s mom referred her to Women, Work, and Community. “I had several discussions with my mom about the dream that I had of starting a business or creating a nonprofit organization. I wasn't sure how to even get started. She suggested I contact WWC because the organization had helped her so much.”
After meeting sever…
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Not long after the Hurley family moved to Wilton, Maine Melissa Hurley’s husband lost his job. In response, Melissa opened her photographic portrait business Memories by Melissa Photography. Her husband worked part-time while in school. Despite these efforts, the family ended up relying on the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) p…
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I meet with new business owners all the time, and I consistently recommend WWC. I believe the organization provided me a broader spectrum of services and is a prime reason for my success.
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“Monthly meetings [with Jenn] helped me to get focused and allowed me to set deadlines and do my homework which ultimately kept me on track towards my goal of growing my business. Writing my business plan actually made my life easier because it helped me hone in on what my real goals were in my business.”
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“It is never too late to be what you might have been.” Western Region ambassador Amy Scholl picks this quote to sum up her experience with WWC. An FDA account holder, graduate of My Money Works and Career Planning, Amy tells her story of returning to Maine broke, in debt, and finding a way forward.
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(Story edited from Shannon’s remarks at an October, 2014 WWC luncheon.)
In early March 2013, I abruptly found myself laid off. My husband was also out of work at that time. Nonetheless, I was confident that, with17 years of management experience, I would readily find an equivalent job. Confidence soon evaporated as I learned that most such…
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Jean Szczepanski has a relationship with Women, Work, and Community that spans 15 years. Backthen, Jean looked to WWC Bath/Brunswick for support during the divorce process. WWC was able to provide that support through classes in communication and self-esteem.
Jean decided to return to Aroostook to be closer to family. Jean reached out to WWC a…
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“The Rainy Day Account has helped me to get back into a routine of putting money away for a ‘rainy day,’ and the courses have helped me better understand how to budget for things I need or want.”
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Debra Bell of Hermon came to Women, Work and Community when she was laid off from the Bangor Daily News. Bell Imaging & Design LLC, had been her part-time venture with a long-term goal of becoming full-time. In 2013, she launched Bell’s Furry Friends Photography, a pet photography division.
But she was stuck, feeling lost and in need o…
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Whether meeting business goals or fitness goals, the three words that come to mind when Dawna Hall thinks of sheJAMs and Women, Work, and Community (WWC) are: Supportive, Motivating, Inspiring. “I love the fact that WWC will be the sole beneficiary of the REV3 sheJAMs All Women's Olympic Triathlon this year!” said Hall who is a WWC graduate …
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Over 20 years ago Ellen Thayer discovered her first heart-shaped rock on a beach in Portofino, Italy. The tiny, half-inch stone launched a collection of nearly 300 'love rocks' which Ellen finds regularly on her beach walks with her dog in southern Maine. In 2010, as a tribute to the great state of Maine, Ellen laid out a 2 1/2 foot 'love…
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After Joan Farrar moved to Presque Isle with her husband Ernie, a flyer for WWC's New Ventures class caught her eye while she was searching for work at the CareerCenter.
Six months after starting the class, Joan is a graduate of two WWC training programs: New Ventures, a 12-week business planning class, and My Money Works, a comprehensive money …
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"It's a great organization that identifies that strengths in all of us and cultivates our growth as individuals and citizens...WWC is a great asset to the people of Maine."
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From laid-off professional to self-employed employer of two. Assistance with figuring out the logistics and reassurance that she was on the right path were key.
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Jackie’s targeted marketing work really paid off - she currently has a 2-3 week waiting list for new patients. She also determined that her minigrant generated almost $11,000.00 in additional income over the course of one year.
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"I have a stable job at an agency I am proud to work for, and have had the opportunity to further develop and learn new skills. Getting this job meant more than a steady paycheck – it was my opportunity to make my own future rather than have it dictated to me, and I owe it to Women Work & Community for helping me get there.”
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Lisa Giulianelli moved to Maine in 1996, continuing her career in Corporate Meeting Management as a freelance consultant until 2009 when the economy slowed--and with it demand for her service. She answered the question of what to do next by starting a business with her partner to provide extended-stay accommodations to business travelers-Execut…
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When squeezed by a too-tight family budget, Monica and Elmer Sprague went into action. Last winter they secured a loan from Northern Maine Development Commission (NMDC) to start their business, Git 'er Done Snow Removal. The business serves north Caribou businesses and residents, offering superior service-thanks to a snow blower and bucket. Rec…
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On May 18th, Lara Gordon will be awarded her Associates of Applied Science Degree in Occupational Therapy Assistant from Kennebec Valley Community College (KVCC). Lara will begin a new career providing comprehensive OT services under the supervision of an Occupational Therapist.
Lara’s path to a new career started more two years ago when s…
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..I sit around these different tables ...and I speak up and use my voice, my knowledge and I make a difference. Yes, it is scary, but I do it anyway.”
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Linda Johnson came to Maine from Massachusetts after raising a family and going through a life-changing event. She had always vacationed in Maine and felt it was the right place for her, but what she didn’t count on was the poor economy. After six months of looking for a job in the Portland area, Linda found a part-time, low-paying, no-benefits…
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Crystal and Scott Amundsen wanted a house to call their own. With the addition of their son, the Amundsen’s decided it was time to make a plan for home ownership and set down roots in the community that they loved.
Crystal had learned about the Family Development Account matched savings program while taking the Financing Your Future clas…
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Carol Ayoob, owner of The Whole Potato Café & Commons, developed her business plan in Women, Work, and Community's twelve-week New Ventures Entrepreneurship Training last year. She secured financing from NMDC, as well as community investments from friends and supporters, and opened her doors on her dream this month in downtown Presque…