CEI Stories
Crafts From The Bay
A Business Born from the Heart
Tell us a little about yourself. My name is Belinda Miliano. I’m a single mother with an incredible support system, sole proprietor, and employed in the social services field. My two children are 5- and 6-year-old boys who are an absolute blessing, keep me going, and inspire me. We reside in Sipayik on the Passamaquoddy Reservation in Down East Maine. Before becoming a mother, I was a working professional in the mental health field and decided to dedicate my time to being a stay-at-home mother after my first child was born. It was important for me to provide a steady presence to my children, nurse them both, witness their first steps, first words, and provide the environment every child deserves in order to thrive.
Mis Primeros Pasos
Taking steps to help children develop a loving connection with the natural world and diverse cultures
Crown Fried Chicken & Kebab
Elbow Grease + Expertise = An Excellent Eatery
Rhona Beauty LLC
From New Career to New Business Owner
Tubelite Inc.
Creating Good Jobs in Mesquite, Texas
Carolina’s Specialty Shop
Bringing an immigrant's perspective to supporting locally-made goods.
OurShelves
Celebrating Diverse Individuals and Families in Children's Books
American Unagi
Netting the American Eel Industry for Greater Traceability and Transparency
Zero Energy North Avenue Affordable Housing Baltimore
An Investment Helps Catalyze a Community Renaissance
Wood & Sons
Scaling up good jobs with capital, coaching and collaboration over time
CEI’s Child Care Business Lab
Creating Community-Centered Child Care
The Galvan Foundation
Building Opportunity in Hudson
Aqua ViTea
Growing a National Brand with a Commitment to Good Jobs
Rise and Shine Youth Retreat
Connecting Black, Brown and Indigenous people with each other and the outdoors
LooHoo Wool Dryer Balls
Bringing Environmental Sustainability into Everyday Life
Frenchman Bay Oyster Company
A returning veteran turns to aquaculture
Rwanda Bean Coffee
A coffee company committed to community
Little Learners Homestead
Farming + Cooking = Learning in “daycare without walls”
Falafel Time
A Second Generation of Entrepreneurship on Forest Ave
Long Shot Revival Homestead
A Veteran Farmer with a Commitment to Community
Il Leone
Approachable Farm-to-Table Dining on Peaks Island
Mosher’s Seafood
Supplying Fresh Seafood in Franklin County
Just Add Water Floating Camps
A unique eco-immersion vacation
Whole Medicine
Opening a Medical Practice in the time of COVID
Wandering Goat
Expanding in a Pandemic
Saddleback Mountain Ski Resort
Restarting an Economic Engine in Rangeley
Pieceworks, Inc.
Helping Businesses Manufacture in Maine
Maine Grains
Rebuilding Maine’s heritage grain industry, one bag of flour at a time.
Atlantic Sea Farms
Diversifying and Decarbonizing Maine's Working Waterfront
Common Wealth Poultry
Growing Meaningful Employment and the Local Food Chain
C.W. Hunt Photography
Turning a Passion into a Career
Over the Moon
A Service-Oriented Approach to Retail
Rayitos de Sol
Connecting Children and Culture
Serenity Holistic Massage
Side Hustle to Full Time Career
Little Bird Child Care
Meeting the Need for Quality Child Care in Rural Maine
Watershed Floral
Building a Business around Balance
CEI 2020 Holiday Gift Guide
Looking for something special? Our clients have you covered for the holidays!
Mary Jane’s Slice of Heaven
Serving Community
Glidden Point Oysters
Long-term planning and patient capital
The Blueberries of Welch Farm
Adjusting to the New Normal
Experience Maine
Tourism Season in the time of COVID
Lāna‘i Community Health Center
Affordable Public Health Access on Remote Island
GSD Home Improvement
Starting a New Business in Unusual Times
G-Force Adventure Center
Building on a Solid Foundation
Windham Butcher Shop
Building a Business through Expertise and Community
Henry Benner
A Helping Hand Toward Financial Wellness
The Mustard Seed Bookstore
A Successful Business Transfer
Empanada Club & Mariama’s Beauty Supply
Showing Respect for Where They Came From
Science Dogs of New England
Fetching Conservation Data
Mousam Valley Mushrooms
From the Sidelines into the Workforce
Clamar Floats
Building a Workforce from Scratch
Guru Vintage + Modern
Environmental Sustainability Meets Vintage Clothing
OurShelves
Seeing Ourselves in Our Stories
Ameera Bread
Starting Smart and Growing Wisely
Maven Seats & Maven Leather
Combining Unique Passions into a Successful Business
Black Bear Support Services
Expanding Support Services with Qualified Staff
EMPANADA CLUB
Finding the Confidence and Expertise to Go Forward
Woods + Waters Gear Exchange
Q&A with Jenna Vanni
Eighteen Twenty Wines
Hearth and Harrow
Environmentally Sustainable Screen Printing
Bangor Pet Resort & Spa
From Employee to Owner
The Village Woodworker
Keeping a Business in the Family
Equinox Guiding Service, LLC
Climbing and Collaborating in Midcoast Maine
Harvest Tide Organics
Sustaining Local Roots
Wilcox Wellness and Fitness
CEI 2018 Holiday Gift Guide
Looking for something special? Our clients have you covered for the holidays!
Taste the World Event
Supporting the New Mainer Culinary Entrepreneur Program
Farmington in the Spotlight for Upcoming Small Business Saturday
A Thriving Rural Maine Downtown
Dandelion Catering Company
Humble Beginnings Pave the Way to Success
Morano’s Authentic Pizza
Never Too Late to Rekindle Your Dreams
Carmichael Transport Inc.
Sustaining Homeownership
Housing Counseling Services Help a Family Avoid Foreclosure
Stevens School, Hallowell
A State Historic Tax Credit Renovation Project
Maine Grain Tastemakers Tour
Growing a Thriving Grain Economy in Maine
Machias Bay Wreath
Charting a New Course: A Young Entrepreneur's Story
C. Love Cookie Project
Cookies with a Purpose
’cause Digital Marketing
Helping Pet and Cause-Based Businesses Succeed
Lavender
An Eco-Friendly Salon in the Heart of Portland
Your Maine Concierge
Maine's Local Hospitality Expert
Rudman Winchell Law Firm
Serving the business community of Bangor and beyond
Fork & Spoon
Vegan Restaurant in Downtown Bangor
Children’s Odyssey
Opportunity and Hope for Kids and Families in Need
The Captain’s Catch
Castine's Newest Take-Out
Lyme Mountaineer
Mahala’s Day Spa
Changing a Business Model to Benefit Employees
Niyat Catering
Authentic Ethiopian Cuisine in Maine
Quoddy Bay Lobster
Entrepreneurship in Eastport
Sweeties Dog-O-Rama
World-Class Dog Grooming Boutique in Small-Town Maine
Eastport Family Pharmacy
Serving Downeast Maine
The Ecology School
Moving Location, Maintaining Mission
Columbia Pulp I, LLC
Greater Portland Health
Making Healthcare Available to Everyone
Seedlings to Sunflowers
Childcare Center that Meets Community Needs
Tear Cap Workshops
Hands-On Learning in Rural Maine
Kendall Community Case Management Agency
Lofts at Saco Falls (Saco-Lowell Shops), Biddeford
State Historic Tax Credit Financing
Grand Trunk Railway Company Building (Gorham Savings Bank), Portland
State Historic Tax Credit Financing
46 Lisbon Street, Lewiston
State Historic Tax Credit Financing
The Francis Hotel, Portland
State Historic Tax Credit Financing
Schlotterbeck & Foss Building, Portland
State Historic Tax Credit Financing
Plummer School, Falmouth
State Historic Tax Credit Financing
Center for Maine Contemporary Art
Financing the Construction of a Creative Economy
Pemaquid Mussel Farms
Growing Maine's Mussel Industry
Mariama’s Beauty Supply
Topsham Meineke Car Care Center
Long Time Employee Takes on Ownership
Huse Memorial School Apartments
Reuse of School Building Provides Affordable Housing
Grime Studios
Relocation for Expansion
Central Lincoln County YMCA
Reaching Community Needs
Gelato Fiasco
Growing a Workforce, One Scoop at a Time
Dog Not Gone
Niche Markets Offer New Opportunities for Maine Stitchers
Berrie’s Hearing & Optical Center
American Roots
Manufacturing Career Pathways in Portland
The Local Gear
Building on a Legacy
Maine Grains
Local Manufacturing Boosts Downtown Revitalization
Tilson Technology Management
Based in Portland, Creating Jobs Throughout the U.S.
Maine Music & Health
Award-Winning Music Therapy Business with Big Dreams
Ocean Renewable Power Company
Powering-Up Remote Communities
Goranson Farm
Innovation & Efficiency: A Family-Owned Farm becomes Energy Independent
Winterstick Snowboards
Carving Out Jobs in Carrabassett Valley
Bumbleroot Organic Farm
Establishing Roots in Southern Maine
Fork Food Lab
"Connection" is the Key Ingredient
Dove Tail Bats, LLC
Big League Manufacturing in Maine
Hyperlite Mountain Gear
Revitalizing Community and Textile Manufacturing in Biddeford
Pika Energy
Clean Energy Manufacturing
From Foreclosure to Home Recovery
CEI Housing Counseling
SunRaise, LLC
District-Wide Solar Energy Production in New Hampshire
EterNav
Solutions for Navigating one of Life's Toughest Challenges
Natural Fitness
Over 10 Years of Specialized Wellness Training in Portland
Illuminated Me by Sharon Herrick
Local Handcrafted Jewelry with a Global Connection
Tiller & Rye
Local Food Hub Serving Rural Maine
Platte Valley Distillers LLC
Vintage Maine Kitchen
Potato Chip Start-up Capitalizes on Local Ingredients & Old-Fashioned Charm
Lāna’i Community Health Center
Affordable Public Health Access on Remote Island
Native Energy
Investing in Global Sustainability
Done Roving
Locally Sourced Artisan Yarn
ARWO Learning Center
Childcare for Young Mainers in Portland
Bo’Lait Farm
Millers’ Wharf Lobster LLC
Providing Commercial Fishing Access in Rural Maine
Viracon, Inc.
Ocean Approved, LLC
All Boats Rise with Innovative Approach to Kelp Farming
Premium Peanut, LLC
The Press Hotel
Workforce Solutions and Equity Investment
Mayo Mill
Revitalization and Renewal
Blue Ox Malthouse
Local Processing for Regional Impact
Farnsworth Art Museum
Capital Benefits for Maine's Future
Lāna’i Community Health Center
Farnsworth Real Estate, Inc.
Mano en Mano
Hand in Hand Apartments
Marfa, Texas
Revitalizing a Contemporary Art Mecca
Beansprouts
Creating Opportunity for Families
Interphase Energy
Fueling Maine's Economy with Renewables
Verbena
Local Ingredients at Reasonable Prices
Island Employee Cooperative
Collaborative Financing for Small Business Ownership
GWI
Putting Infrastructure into "Place"
Bixby & Co., LLC
Winning Ingredients for Rural Business Development
Tortillería Pachanga
Sourcing locally in Maine for a taste like Mexico
Misty Brook Farm
Environmentally friendly agriculture with real horsepower