“You can wait, or you can start it now. The sooner you do it, the sooner it’ll be your business,” were the words of advice Noah Kleiner received from his CEI business advisor that ultimately kickstarted his business, Equinox Guiding Service, LLC.

Kleiner dreamed of owning a business that combined his passion for teaching kids in the outdoors and rock climbing. He met with a CEI business advisor to discuss his initial idea. As they began getting quotes and writing a business plan, the dream began to take shape into a rock climbing guiding service in Camden, Maine.

This May will be Equinox Guiding Service’s third year in operation. Kleiner Co-owns and runs the business full time and works with John Sidik seasonally. The business operates year-round, offering rock climbing in the spring, summer and fall, and ice climbing in the winter to new climbers, visitors, groups, schools and other local organizations. While most of the climbing is based in Camden, more advanced climbing trips take clients to Acadia National Park where Equinox Guiding Service obtained a climbing permit last year. Each summer, Kleiner spends a week teaching climbing at Hurricane Island foundation, an outdoor education program for students of all ages.

As the business has grown, Kleiner remarked, “I didn’t expect the whole community to be so willing to collaborate. Mainers want to help out other Mainers.” Without that help, he wouldn’t have been able to do this full time, he explained. “We’re all working together. That’s how we’re making it work.”