Participant Stories

Sally Lehtinen: Dreams Do Come True

When I had taken several classes with New Ventures Maine, I wanted to run my own business. I also wanted to get out of debt and straighten out my...

Craig Reimer: A Path to Success

I was in active addiction for my whole adult life until about four years ago. The support I’ve received has helped me to continue on a path to...

Shari Hamilton: Hello Good Pie

One of the main things I got out of Venturing Forth was learning that the stuff I didn’t like to do is the stuff I need to do. I started my first...

Micah Smith: Trust the Process

In January of 2020 I decided to start my own plumbing business. I had worked as a plumber in South Carolina and got a similar job when I moved my...

Circe MacDonald: Diligence Pays Off

I moved to Portland in 2016 to attend The Chaplaincy Institute of Maine. My aim was to earn a local accreditation where my ceremonial arts training...

Diane Madruga: Taking a Leap

Because of chronic pain, the childcare job I had would not work for me as I aged, so I took NVME’s career planning course to help me identify...

Jenny Valentino: Managing Limited Finances

When I reached out to NVME in 2020, I was a newly single mom caring for three children while working two jobs in healthcare. There were limited...

Sally Thorn: A Post-Retirement Career Change

When I enrolled in NVME’s My Next Career Move class in March of 2022, I had been retired for two years and wanted to pursue a part-time position. I...