Mainely Succulents wins Bangor Big Gig pitch-off
Image / Zoom screen capture
Lauren Tuell, bottom right, owner of Mainely Succulants, reacts after winning the Bangor Big Gig pitch contest finale Tuesday night.
Lauren Tuell, owner of Orono-based Mainely Succulents, won the Bangor Big Gig pitch final competition Tuesday night.
Tuell won $5,000 in the competition for Bangor-area entrepreneurs who are still in the development process or early stages of their business.
The plant business, which partners on workshops and education with businesses and other organizations, as well as sells plants and related products retail, has a focus on "cultivating community," Tuell told the judges during her pitch via Zoom Tuesday night.
Tuell beat three other competitors for the prize. Other final competition winners were Kim Slininger, of Spirit Warrior, of Bangor, an equine therapy program that helps rehabilitate individuals suffering with PTSD and autism; Brian Ross, of Chef Brian's Kitchen, a Bangor nonprofit that provides nutritious specialized meals to cancer patients; Colby College students Christian Krohg and Katharine Dougherty, of Easy Eats, a Waterville-based college campus food delivery service for students.
The goal of the contest is to create a network of innovators and entrepreneurs, making positive change and bringing economic growth to our communities in the Bangor area, organizers said.
Tuell told the judges that creating a website and reverting to online selling with curbside pickup and delivery during the pandemic increased sales by 25%, she said. The business also recently launched a plant-of-the-month subscription kit, and she's expanding that into kids' kits, including macrame and fairy garden.
During her pitch, she said the prize would allow her to hire two people and enroll them in a master gardener course, helping her plan to expand the business across the state, both physically and online.
"I'm so excited to hire now and grow our community and offer some jobs to some plant lovers," Tuell said when she was announced as the winner.
The panel of judges for Tuesday's final was Jeff Perkins, CEO of Portland Pie Co.; Patrick Breeding, CEO and co-founder of Marin Skincare and a former Big Gig winner; and Jaclyn Silk, vice president, regional market manager of Bangor Savings Bank.
All three said they liked the way Tuell pivoted the business with the COVID-19 pandemic, as well the fact her pitch addressed plans for the future.
"The second that you said 'fairy garden kit,' I could think of 15 adult friends that would buy that immediately, probably at a higher price point," Breeding said.
Silk said, "I love the specific details about what you're going to be doing next, your long-term plan."
Mainely Succulents has a retail store on Mill Street in downtown Orono and also hosts collaborative events and partnerships with businesses, schools and organizations across the state. The plant business is focused on reconnecting people with nature, and Tuell created the business to provide education, connection with, and inspiration in, the community, she told the judges. As a mother of three, she also wants to instill a love of gardening in the next generation.
Particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic, connecting with nature is important to mental health. "Bringing plants into the home, having greenspace in the workplace, can actually reduce stress and increase productivity," she said.
Each winner of four pitch-offs over the course of the year got a $500 cash prize and a chance to be in the final. The next Big Gig season begins Nov. 17, with applications available on the Big Gig website later this week.
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