One-on-One Business Counseling and Training for Women
The Women's Business Center at CEI (WBC) offers counseling and training in a full range of business issues to new and existing women business owners throughout Maine. WBC staff are responsive and knowledgeable and understand the opportunities and obstacles faced by women business owners.
The WBC helps women build their business skills by providing access to timely, accurate, tailored information within a setting that respects each woman's experience, management skills and learning style. WBC services can be accessed by any woman who owns or is interested in starting a business in Maine. Opportunities for networking, peer support and mentoring are also available. Through the Rim Counties Women’s Business Initiative (RCWBI), both workshops and one-on-one help are available online in formats that make business help and training especially accessible to those in remote rural parts of Maine.
Development of a long-term relationship with a skilled business counselor
Business plan development
Improved business skills
Ongoing support for business growth and expansion tailored to the needs of your business
Innovative approaches to supporting women's business ownership
Assistance with website development, E-Commerce, and Internet marketing
Opportunities for networking with other business owners
Getting help from the WBC is easy! For business counseling on a range of issues such as start-up, growth management, marketing and bookkeeping, websites and e-commerce, contact the business counselor nearest you.
Portland Gretchen Henn 2 Portland Fish Pier, Suite 201, Portland ME 04101 Phone: 207/772-5356 x112; Fax: 207/772-5503 E-mail:
Farmington Betty Gensel 107 Church Street, POB 963 Farmington ME 04938Phone: 207/778-6529 E-mail:
Machias (in partnership with Sunrise County Economic Council) Ruth Cash-Smith P.O. Box 679, Machias ME 04654 Phone: 207/255-0983 E-mail:
Wiscasset Internet/Website Counseling is available in Wiscasset, over the phone and online Marita Fairfield P.O. Box 268, Wiscasset, ME 04578 Phone: 207/882-7552 E-mail:
Houlton Stacey Emery Houlton Career Center 91 Military Street, Houlton ME 04730 Phone: 207/449-6645 E-mail:
Counseling is available by phone or online if these offices are not convenient.
All program participants must complete an application, which gives us basic information about you and your business, and will enable us to serve you better. This information is kept completely confidential and only shared in summary form. Download the application here.
For more information about workshops we offer and to register, please click here.
For general assistance with the Women’s Business Center or to determine which counselor will best meet your needs, please contact Sherrie Leverton at 207/882-7552, ext. 167 or
Other small business resources are available for small business owners across the state. Click on small businesses for more information.
The WBC is strategically aligned with the Maine SBDC/SBIDC. The WBC also has a strategic partnership with the Small Business Administration.
Predatory Mortgages in Maine Recent Trends and the Persistence of Abusive Lending Practices. A joint report issued by Coastal Enterprises, Inc. and the Center for Responsible Lending, 2006.
Visit the Maine Women's Business Owners Online Directory to meet other women business owners in the State of Maine and to promote your products and services on the Internet. http://www.wbcmaine.org/
Learn more about CEI's Business Development Philosophy!
Kids R Special Child Care Center - The business of child care
For Peggy Soucy, owner of Kids R Special Child Care Center, her
business is a "work of love." The center has grown from serving a
handful of children in 1992 to 37 children today, half of whom come
from families with low incomes. Like other businesses, running a child
care center in rural Maine requires planning, capital, and a strong
sense of market trends in order to thrive. When Peggy needed a loan to
build a new structure on her property for school aged kids, she turned
to CEI. The loan officer saw Peggy's solid track of growth and was
impressed with the high quality of care she provided. CEI loaned Peggy
$40,000 to construct the new building. This fall the building was
finished and is fully equipped with computers, puzzles, games, arts and
crafts, an air hockey table and more.
Peggy is looking at other ways of improving her business. With
the help of CEI's Women's Business Center, she is developing a web page
to advertise to prospective families and communicate with parents.
Peggy recognizes that more families are connected to the internet and
wants to take advantage of technology.
36 Water Street, PO Box 268, Wiscasset, ME 04578; Telephone: 207/882-7552; FAX: 207/882-7308; E-mail: cei@ceimaine.org
Maine Legislature Passes Model Anti-Predatory Lending Bill.