Providing the skills, confidence and connections to help your business thrive

Our knowledgeable and friendly team will help you hone your business skills and build your confidence and connections, whether you are an aspiring business owner or an experienced one.  Interpretation services available at no cost.

Our business advising has assisted immigrants and refugees from over 100 countries of origin transfer their skills and experience to business ownership in Maine. Interpreting services available at no cost.

The Child Care Business Lab has three programs to support entrepreneurs on their child care ownership journey. The Explore program helps you decide if the time is right for you to open a child care. You’ll work at your own pace to get ready for business ownership through a series of workshops designed to help you identify a location, prepare your finances, and build a foundation for your business.

The Get Licensed program coaches individuals through the licensing process in a supportive group.

Once you own a child care, Thrive workshops will develop your small business acumen – from being a good boss, to understanding policy changes and managing your finances.

Our fisheries and aquaculture experts have the knowledge and experience to help you start, diversify or grow your marine-based business, including harvesters, growers, processors, distributors and support businesses along Maine’s working waterfront.

Our team of advisors, lenders and food system experts are here to help you start or grow your farm, food processing, value-add production or agricultural support business. We are committed to supporting a sustainable and vibrant regional food system that starts with you!

The Weatherization Business Lab is a multi-week class for starting new weatherization businesses, if you’d like to be alerted when the application for our next cohort is live, please leave your name and email address in the form to your right.

Interested in making your operations greener or strengthening your business against the impacts of climate change? Advisors across all our programs are ready to help you find ways to improve the sustainability and climate resilience of your business in ways that make both financial and environmental sense.

Interested in improving the quality of jobs you offer at your business? Curious as to what your options are for benefits as a small or very small business? Want to know how to create job descriptions that attract a diverse pool of applicants? Our business advisors and workforce specialists can help you build Good Jobs that will help you attract and retain employees with options that fit the size and budget of your business.