From the Sea Up

What's it like to sell or buy a business in the middle of the pandemic? Laura Serino recently sold Island Apothecary , the natural skincare company she founded, to longtime employee and friend, Fiona Robins. They discuss navigating this transaction in uncertain times.

Tessa Rosenberry and Davis Saltonstall co-founded ScrapDogs Community Compost . We talk about their start-up story, the importance of sustainable food systems, their goal to create an organics management business, and how they have navigated the pandemic.

Merritt Carey is the Community Relations Director at Luke’s Lobster. We talk about her extensive and diverse career, the importance of adaptive learning, and how she’s "never been afraid to drink from the firehose."

Maine’s fishermen and coastal communities have been challenged due to the impacts of the pandemic. We discussed the trajectory of the lobster season this summer and the future of the industry with small business owner and commercial lobsterman, Dave Cousins.

We checked in with some of the business owners we first spoke with at the start of the pandemic to see how things are going — Melissa Raftery & Megan Wood of 44 North Coffee and Gabe Pendleton of Pendleton Yacht Yard.  

We checked in with some of the business owners we first spoke with at the start of the pandemic to see how things are going — Alison Thibault, owner of WindHorse Arts   and Liz Lovell of North Haven Brewing Company.

Cyndi Prince is the founder and CEO of LooHoo, which makes wool dryer balls — a reusable, energy-saving alternative to dryer sheets. Cyndi started LooHoo — a women-owned and Black-owned business — in her home and now leverages a local supply chain to meet a global market. Cyndi discusses how Maine’s business community can address racial injustice, and how organizations can help amplify black voice...

The hospitality industry has been hit hard by the pandemic, and unfortunately, the Topside Inn is no exception. Rather than shut their doors, Innkeepers Mark and Brian Osborn got creative and rethought their business model.  Produced and edited by Galen Koch of The First Coast.

As global food systems break down due to the pandemic, restaurants already utilizing local food systems have an advantage. We discuss how Sammy’s Deluxe , a restaurant known for its hyperlocal supply chain, has adapted in uncertain times with owner Sam Richman. Produced and edited by Galen Koch of The First Coast

Melissa Kelly is the executive chef and owner of Primo Restaurant . She shares how she was able to pivot quickly in response to the pandemic, the importance of embracing innovation, and how her new business model cultivated a hyperlocal community. Produced and edited by Galen Koch of The First Coast.

In our first mini-episode, we hear from Mandy and Dylan Metrano of La Nef Chocolate on Monhegan Island. We discuss the challenges of running an exclusively e-commerce business on a remote island, and the importance of cultivating a community with their customers. (Photo: Kelli Park kellipark.com/ )

Peter Piconi, Marine Business Specialist at the Island Institute, talks with Brendan Parsons of Black Stone Point Oysters LLC. Brendan is an oyster farmer, a restaurant owner, and a three-time Maine Oyster Shucking Champion. They discuss the importance of network building in an uncertain economy.  This episode features Galen Koch of The First Coast.

We talk with Liz Lovell of North Haven Brewing Company about how they're adapting in uncertain times. We also chat with Rebecca Falzano, co-founder of Helm Digital , the marketing firm that created Maine Open Online, the free online directory for small commerce in Maine.

Small businesses everywhere are struggling to make sense of the current world. To better understand the state of our local businesses, we talked with Shannon Byers of the Maine Small Business Development Center at Coastal Enterprises . Shannon has been helping businesses navigate federal aid, innovate, and think creatively.

Craig Olson, Senior Community Development Officer at the Island Institute, discusses the nuts and bolts of the CARES Act. Alison Thibault of WindHorse Arts , takes us through her application to the Paycheck Protection Program and shares her concerns about the future of brick-and-mortar shopping.

Gabe Pendleton of Pendleton Yacht Yard shares his experience navigating the SBA relief loans and the recent CARES Act.

These short conversations with Maine's small businesses provide an opportunity to check in and find bright spots in this confusing economic landscape. Melissa Raftery and Megan Wood of 44 North Coffee talk about the changes they've made to keep business going.