It’s been five years since we last sat down with Cathy Roberts, founder of Pieceworks, Inc. in Montville, Maine. We visited her custom contract manufacturing facility to see how the business has progressed and to learn more about her journey as an entrepreneur. Cathy shared insights from nearly 30 years of building a business that helps other businesses bring their products to life.

Q&A as told to CEI by Pieceworks founder, Cathy Roberts, in her own words, with minor editing for context.

Tell me about your business, Pieceworks. How did you decide to start it?

My father was an entrepreneur and inventor. Growing up, my parents worked together and were always starting new businesses. But I didn’t set out wanting to be an entrepreneur myself… I only jumped in when my father needed help with one of his companies, GemSet. It was quite an innovation at the time.

I was a stay-at-home mom with three young boys, and my husband was running a custom woodworking business. Taking on a home-based business of my own felt like a natural step. I began helping my dad with GemSet, managing assembly, quality control, and international fulfillment from our home in Maine. The work was meticulous. Each kit required careful hand assembly. I handled everything myself at first, eventually hiring a few local employees as the business grew, until the company was sold in 1995.

When my parents sold the business, my employees asked for more work – they were good at the detail work and assembly, and wanted to keep going. That’s really how Pieceworks got started.

Can you describe what Pieceworks does today?

Every company who finds us needs something that still needs to be done by hand. Everything here at Pieceworks is done by hand or small machinery. We handle projects from a few hundred pieces to hundreds of thousands of pieces, all with the same attention to detail.

It really varies depending on what each client needs. For example, we work with a science education company on more than 100 different products—everything from precisely cut fabric pieces to pipes drilled at exact angles to components that require very specific assembly.

We also take on projects like extractors used to measure oil in drinking water, badge reels with custom graphics, even packaged dog treats 

One project, Hüga Heat, is a Maine company that makes battery-powered heated cushions. Initially, we created an efficient way to stuff the cushions but since then, production now includes a cushion-stuffing machine. It’s exactly the kind of problem-solving that we love to do.

That kind of problem-solving seems to be central to what you do.

Absolutely. My husband, Cam, is really the “production engineer” of the business. Because he’s a woodworker, he creates custom jigs for different machines throughout the building, like wooden fixtures that help us assemble or manufacture products more efficiently. It’s his creativity and expertise that make most of the jigs in here possible.

What’s one of the most challenging aspects of running Pieceworks?

How much the business varies from slow to busy periods. It’s hard to predict, but we have a great team that can flex with us, and we have a good routine and calendar. That flexibility is intentional…offering flexible schedules is important to me because many of our employees are working parents. It’s great for them to have that option. Some of my employees have been with me for years because of that flexibility. They’re highly trained and can transfer their skills to new products with success.

Why did you choose the name “Pieceworks”?

 I was actually advised not to call it Pieceworks because I was told that it didn’t explain what my business was enough. But it was important to me to keep it. The name works on two levels: we literally put pieces together for other businesses, but it also gives a second hopeful message that “peace works”.  Outside my work history, I was very active participant in peace education and youth leadership training. I am glad I stuck with my instincts and kept the name Pieceworks, as I do believe both meanings reflect very intentional messages.

How did you first connect with CEI?

Through word of mouth. I was applying to anything I could at the time for helping get Pieceworks the financing and advising it needed, and I heard that CEI could help small businesses. I signed up for their free advising services and worked with Betty Gensel. She was an excellent mentor and really hung in there with me during the ups and downs! Betty gently pushed me in areas that were not in my comfort zone. That’s a key to keep growing as an entrepreneur and not to be complacent in the status quo. I am still learning new things about operating my business, even after nearly 30 years.

What advice would you give to someone considering entrepreneurship?

There isn’t one way to be an entrepreneur. That’s the fun part. Being self-employed is an opportunity to be creative, independent, and take responsibility to operate a business however you want. You don’t have to follow someone else’s template. Find what works for you and your life.

And don’t be afraid to ask for help. That’s what organizations like CEI are there for.

Pieceworks has a been a labor of love for Cathy for over 25 years. While she may say that she fell into being an entrepreneur so she could work from home while being a fulltime mom, she has evolved and grown the very unique business with determination, integrity and innovation.  She has shown great care in her relationships with clients, with her employees and in every detail of each project along the way.    

– Ruth Feldman, CEI Business Advisor for Pieceworks