Join WBC Business Advisor, Jodi Cordes, for an informal networking meeting with new, existing, or aspiring female entrepreneurs from Greater Franklin County!

Join us on the first Tuesday for a great conversation among business owners, at any stage. Come together to connect, share expertise, and learn from each other about running a business.

Location: Wears and Wares at 413 Wilton Road Farmington, ME 04938.

Light refreshments will be provided.

Agenda:

7:30 am-8:00 am - Facilitated conversation/educational presentation.

8:00am - 9:00am Meet, Share, & Connect - stay and chat, depart when you need to.

Join Cameron Monaghan, Associate Program Developer, for an information session on Maine’s new mandatory retirement savings program, MERIT: Maine Retirement Investment Trust.

Tailored specifically for small businesses, this session aims to guide you through navigating this new state law.

Businesses with 5 or more employees must register by the end of June, so now is the best time to learn about this program and prepare your business for its implementation.

During the session, we'll address important questions that pertain to small business owners, including:

What is MERIT?
Do I have to register my business?
What do I have to do to comply?
How can I be exempt?
What does this mean for my business and my employees?
The information session will also include a Q&A, in which you will have a chance to ask your own questions about MERIT.

Please join this 1-hour session to gain the knowledge you need to prepare your business for this program and get answers to any questions you have.

As we all know, the water levels in Maine aren’t the only things rising and we need to take action to build resilience in our communities. Businesses and individuals are all affected and it is becoming increasingly important to take action at the local level and address the impacts of climate change on our water resources, infrastructure, and communities.

During this event, we’ll be discussing the various challenges and opportunities that arise when building in a changing climate. From rising sea levels to extreme weather events, we’ll explore how we can adapt and build resilience in our communities. Join us on June 5th for an engaging and informative discussion on climate resiliency. We can’t wait to see you there!

This event is sponsored by Norway Savings Bank.

JOIN US FOR BUILD MAINE 2024
IN SKOWHEGAN, JUNE 5 AND 6!
FEATURING NATIONALLY-RENOWNED
SPEAKERS AND DYNAMIC WORKSHOPS

Build Maine brings together all people participating in the act of building our towns and cities. The builders, funders, elected officials, engineers, lawyers, planners, finance institutions, and rule-makers converge throughout the year to share best practices and aspirations for moving Maine forward within the political and economic climates of today.

Build Maine introduces cutting edge business practices and focused conversations with leaders in transportation planning, real estate development, and public service, demonstrating a breadth of knowledge we can apply locally.

Build Maine offers its diverse and engaging content to Mainers through a highly active social media presence, enriching workshops and events throughout the year, and, of course, the culminating experience - the annual Build Maine Conference.

Not from Maine? Living elsewhere? All are welcome at Build Maine events.

Please join our newsletter or follow us on Facebook or Twitter for the latest events and content.

Build Maine is co-hosted by the Maine Downtown Center, the Maine Municipal Association (MMA), and the Maine Real Estate & Development Association (MEREDA).

We hope you will join the conversation!

More details and speaker information linked here: https://www.build-maine.com/program-2

Organization’s have traditionally tracked their health by looking at their finances and sometimes a version of net promoter scores. While these are important benchmarks for success, they are incomplete. In this session we’ll discuss how to build a customized, meaningful dashboard to holistically track your organization’s health, significantly broadening your definition of success and ensuring you are tracking and discussing what matters most. You’ll learn how to capture your stakeholder impact and begin defining your aspirations to add more value to your stakeholders in the future.

This program is for individuals but can also be offered for your team. If you are interested, contact us.

Conscious Revolution offers transformative coaching, consulting, and community experiences that invite leaders to tune into their hearts to share their authenticity and coherence with the world.
https://www.consciousrevolution.com/

Do you want to own your own business? Are you helping to transition a family-owned business?

We need Small Businesses in our communities.

The retention of successful and established small businesses is critical to healthy rural communities. They provide employment and circulate three times more money back into local communities than absentee-owned businesses and corporate chains.

When businesses close in rural areas, everyone loses. Small towns lose their services, plus the economic and social drivers that make them desirable places to live. Workers, especially young ones, lose their jobs and move elsewhere.

Do you want to be a part of the solution? We all try to buy locally, but what about buying a local business?
Let’s discuss the ins and outs of acquiring or transferring small businesses.

Martha Bentley is the founder of Proprietor, a membership community centered on supporting, acquiring or transferring entrepreneurs at all stages of their journeys. She will share a little about what she has learned and lead a discussion on business ownership transition options.

Join us to share, to listen, to learn in this safe forum for conversation!

A key growth strategy for many businesses is getting certified as woman-owned. But what exactly is the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC) Certification? What are the benefits to a small business owner?

In this 1-hour info session, Meghan Cunningham, WBENC New England Certification Manager at Center for Women & Enterprise will review the WBENC certification in addition to the application process and benefits for small business owners.

You'll be connected with resources and people who can help you scale to the point of being ready for certification, help you with the application process and help you utilize the certification once you have it.

There will be a Q+A after the presentation.

In this 1-hour workshop, Tabin Tangila Mesu Kamba, CEI Workforce Solutions Program Developer, will share information on Maine's new Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA).

Come learn how you can get ready for this new law, which takes effect in 2026 while payroll contributions begin in January 2025.

Join this webinar to learn more about:

What types & sizes of businesses will be required to comply with FMLA.
What this means for employers.
What this means for employees.
How FMLA can affect you and your business as an employer.
What opportunities there are for you to influence the implementation.

MEREDA’s networking events attract key players in Maine’s real estate industry offering excellent opportunities to interact with the experts.

Join us and other industry professionals on Portland’s waterfront on June 13th from 5 – 7 pm for Hors d’ oeuvres, Spirits, and Great Conversation!

This event is sponsored by Maine Community Bank, PM Construction Company, and St.Germain.

Are you tasked with engaging and inspiring audiences?
Do people naturally look to you for guidance?
Are you effective at bringing people together?
Are you open to learning from others?
Are you willing to make mistakes?

In a time of unprecedented distraction and changing dynamics in the places we live and work, today's leaders are tasked with making meaningful connections throughout their days. Connections that inspire in some way – whether it’s a team meeting, a spontaneous networking opportunity or a donor presentation. Leaders need to connect in ways that are authentic and compelling.

Over two days, far away from the demands of daily work, in a quiet and supportive learning environment with like-minded peers, participants will gain the knowledge, confidence and self-understanding necessary to ground their ongoing development as authentic leaders.

Participants will:
-Examine their understanding of leadership
-Articulate their passion for the work they do
-Develop skills to build trust and connect with others
-Practice telling stories to inspire others to take action
-Identify situations where these lessons can be practiced

About the Presenter
Beth McCarthy (https://www.linkedin.com/in/emmconsulting/) has spent 20+ years helping people make their messages relevant to the people they serve. She engages people in dialog around what it means to be a human leader (and why this matters) and believes that everyone has a story to tell (and as leaders, it’s our responsibility to both tell stories that get beneath the surface and gather these stories from others – which in aggregate greatly influence the decisions we need to make).

Who: Institute for Family-Owned Business
What: “How-To” – Recruitment & Retention of Immigrants in the Workforce
Where: BerryDunn – 2211 Congress Street, Portland, ME 04102 and Zoom
When: Thursday, June 13, 2024 | 8:00 – 10:00 a.m. | 8:30 a.m. Zoom start (8:00 – 8:30 a.m. networking and continental breakfast, 8:30 – 10:00 a.m. Program both in-person and Zoom)
Cost: IFOB Members: Free; Future Members: $35 in-person, $15 Zoom
Register & RSVP at: https://bit.ly/3wvpnTO

Are you struggling with recruitment and retention? Interested in fostering diversity and inclusion in your community? Join us for an insightful event focused on the recruitment and retention of immigrants in Maine.

Following an outstanding and informational program on immigrant family business in 2023, we are returning with hopes of supporting your ability to recruit and retain more immigrants in your workforce.

Attendees will:
• Gain valuable insights from industry leaders and experts on the importance of recruiting and retaining immigrant talent in driving economic growth and cultural enrichment in Maine.
• Engage in thought-provoking discussions with immigrants, employers (including family-owned businesses), and community leaders. Explore best practices, challenges, and innovations.
• Connect with like-minded individuals, forge new partnerships, and expand your professional network. Exchange ideas, share experiences, and discover opportunities for collaboration.
• Participate in an interactive program designed to equip employers with the knowledge and tools to attract, support, and retain immigrant employees.


Don't miss this chance to be part of a transformative conversation and contribute to creating a more inclusive and prosperous Maine for all!

The Institute for Family-Owned Business (IFOB) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the success of family-owned businesses in the State of Maine. Eighty percent of businesses in Maine are family-owned and we have over 140 family-owned businesses across the State, from all sizes and industries, who are part of the IFOB. Annually in the fall, we hold an awards program with over 400 in-person attendance and live streamed to celebrate these family businesses with the Maine Family Business Awards.

For more information, contact Brooke Stewart brooke@fambusiness.org or 207-281-2414.

Sponsored By: The Breakwater Group at Morgan Stanley, Androscoggin Bank , Mainebiz, Amjambo Africa, IntWork, LLC

Are you tasked with engaging and inspiring audiences?
Do people naturally look to you for guidance?
Are you effective at bringing people together?
Are you open to learning from others?
Are you willing to make mistakes?

In a time of unprecedented distraction and changing dynamics in the places we live and work, today's leaders are tasked with making meaningful connections throughout their days. Connections that inspire in some way – whether it’s a team meeting, a spontaneous networking opportunity or a donor presentation. Leaders need to connect in ways that are authentic and compelling.

Over two days, far away from the demands of daily work, in a quiet and supportive learning environment with like-minded peers, participants will gain the knowledge, confidence and self-understanding necessary to ground their ongoing development as authentic leaders.

Participants will:
-Examine their understanding of leadership
-Articulate their passion for the work they do
-Develop skills to build trust and connect with others
-Practice telling stories to inspire others to take action
-Identify situations where these lessons can be practiced

About the Presenter
Beth McCarthy (https://www.linkedin.com/in/emmconsulting/) has spent 20+ years helping people make their messages relevant to the people they serve. She engages people in dialog around what it means to be a human leader (and why this matters) and believes that everyone has a story to tell (and as leaders, it’s our responsibility to both tell stories that get beneath the surface and gather these stories from others – which in aggregate greatly influence the decisions we need to make).

It is an understatement to say that starting a business is overwhelming! Are you concerned with forgetting to get an important license, getting in trouble with the IRS, or putting yourself in legal hot water? Are you struggling to figure out which steps to do first in a "chicken or egg" sort of way? In this Webinar, Maine SBDC Business Advisors will help organize the legal, ethical, and social steps to starting a business by walking you through a Start-Up Checklist. We will leave ample time for Q&A, and you will leave the Webinar with the confidence to take the steps needed to be a legitimate business owner!

Funded in part through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. SBA. Reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities will be made if requested at least two weeks in advance. Contact mainesbdc@maine.edu

Are you curious about the conscious organization movement and the B Economy? Understanding the Benefit Economy can be confusing with an alphabet soup of terms. You’ll leave this introductory session with an understanding of the myriad of innovative ways leaders and organizations are choosing to participate in the Benefit Economy and what this means for us as individuals, organizations and the world. You’ll learn about the similarities and differences between Conscious Capitalism, Stakeholder Capitalism, Benefit Corporations, Certified B Corps, 1% for the Planet, and Employee ownership. As a follow-up you’ll receive a resource guide to continue your learning.

This program is for individuals but can also be offered for your team. If you are interested, contact us.

Conscious Revolution offers transformative coaching, consulting, and community experiences that invite leaders to tune into their hearts to share their authenticity and coherence with the world.
Learn more at https://www.consciousrevolution.com/

Dates:
Session 1: Tuesday, September 10th, 2024
Session 2: Tuesday, October 1st, 2024
Session 3: Thursday, November 7, 2024

As a continuation of the transformation sparked in our Foundations of Racial Equity program, this three part series supports you in moving from understanding what's been built in our society to what’s been built in you and your many identities. You’ll explore the impacts of racial identity in U.S. society and reflect on your own racial narrative. You’ll understand where your own racial history fits into the systemic racism story of our country. You’ll share your story with others to enhance reflection, build authentic, deeper relationships with others, while evolving our collective skills and comfort talking about race and racism.

The ideal prerequisite to this series is the Foundations of Racial Equity Series offered in the Spring 2024, however all are welcome to join and we’ll provide some pre-learning.

This program is for individuals but can also be offered for your team. If you are interested, contact us.

Conscious Revolution offers transformative coaching, consulting, and community experiences that invite leaders to tune into their hearts to share their authenticity and coherence with the world.
Learn more at https://www.consciousrevolution.com/