Women, Work and Community

Free Tax Preparation Available Statewide

JeanD — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 09:30:56 +0000

Looking for a way to make the most of your money? Stop paying to get your taxes prepared, and find out if you qualify for tax credits. If you, or your household, made $50,000 or less in 2011, get your income taxes prepared for free by IRS-certified volunteer tax preparers! Call 211 or visit www.211maine.org to find a tax prep site near you.

Call one of the following CA$H Coalitions for FREE tax preparation:

Central Maine (Waterville area)~ 873-7700
Eastern Maine (Bangor area and Penobscot, Piscataquis, Washington, & Hancock counties) ~ 2-1-1
Greater Portland ~ 2-1-1
Lewiston/Auburn ~ 513-3160
Midcoast Maine ~ 319-1390
Oxford County ~ 491-7475
Presque Isle/Caribou ~ 896-5839
Wabanaki ~ 866-6572
Western Maine ~ 491-3747
York County ~ 324-5762, ext. 2718

WWC Graduates come to the State House

Eloise — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 20:21:37 +0000

Ambassador Anne Schink and Representative Jane Eberle

Twenty Women, Work, and Community Ambassadors and graduates from across the state convened at the State House in Augusta on 2/7 to observe their Legislators in action. Starting with a well attended breakfast in the Cross Café, graduates shadowed their Legislators throughout the day in Committee meetings and party caucuses. The group observed and received special recognition in morning sessions of both the Senate and House of Representatives. Participants also learned about current budget and policy issues from Legislative leaders and women’s advocates.

Feedback from the day has been very positive:

“Very well organized…the focus on individual appointments with Legislators was important. I liked the closing session with women leadership; good way to end the day together as a group.”

“Appreciated the ‘touch base’ opportunities throughout the day which prompted me as to what to do and what was ahead.”

“Shadowing my own state Representative was a highlight.”

Ambassador Kerry Corthell, Representative Amy Volk and Carolyn May, Regional Manager WWC

Minority Leader Emily Cain with Bangor area staff and Ambassadors

Gigi Guyton and Senator Richard Woodbury

Western Region staff and Ambassadors with Rep. Terry Hayes

Annual Report 2011

Kathy — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 22:18:02 +0000

Women, Work, and Community is pleased to present our 2011 Annual Report. “Helping to turn dreams into reality is what WWC has been doing for over thirty years.” We hope you enjoy reading about our work and our program graduates. WWC_2011_Annual_Report Our thanks to the team at Encompass Marketing for their help in the production of this report.

Business Of bodywork improves as people become aware of health benefits

Eloise — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 22:05:14 +0000

The business of bodywork
By Jenn Dobransky, Reprinted from the Bangor Daily News article published Feb. 3, 2012
The only thing I have ever known has been self-employment. I grew up in a household where both of my parents were busy running a family business. I lived those struggles and joys every day. Ten years ago I returned to Maine after college and graduate school and went back to school to become a massage therapist. I received my license on a cold December day in 2004 and realized the circle was complete. It seemed like second nature to me, running a business. But I, like many of the entrepreneurs that I counsel every day, didn’t know what I didn’t know.
As a small business, a bodywork practice is very unique. The business can range from a one person studio, to several therapists sharing space, to a large practice with multiple therapists. However, the recipe for success for a bodywork business is really the same as any other type of business: have a vision, have passion, have a niche, create a plan, dedicate yourself to marketing, keep in contact with your customers, continue to grow and learn.
In this regard, several things are clear: consumers are driving demand for therapeutic services; bodywork has an increasing role in our healthcare; and these factors have created an environment for this type of business to thrive.   According to a survey conducted by the American Massage Therapy Association, more and more people are incorporating massage therapy into their regular health routines, Wendy Decker who is the sole proprietor of Reflexology and Massage in Bath states, “When I started doing reflexology 21 years ago, hardly anyone knew about it. That has changed. Many people now call up and specifically ask for reflexology.”
Over the years, the industry has transformed in numerous ways. Kim Jacques, co-owner of Revelation Massage in Auburn explains,   “in addition to all the research validating the benefits of massage, the general public has become very educated about the value of massage therapy for their health. Massage therapists work alongside physical therapists, chiropractors, and doctors with a focus on wellness care. And in fact many health insurance policies across the country are acknowledging massage therapy’s role in healthcare by reimbursing their services.”    Ms. Jacques continues, “as our stress levels have increased, consumers and the medical field alike have begun to realize that relaxation is medicine. Massage therapy is now part of a new paradigm of health care.”
So, how does one build a successful practice? One thing for sure: be committed to the development of the education and skills you need in order to be successful. As Ms. Jacques asserts, “The management of time, resources and people are all essential to the success of my business and I can honestly say that I did not naturally come by those skills. I needed to develop them.” And so she did. Since 1998, Ms. Jacques developed her business as a solo bodyworker; she worked as an educator and subsequently, as the Director of Education at SpaTech Institute in Westbrook. Ms. Jacques explains, “the necessary skills I developed over the last 14 years prepared me to open the business of my dreams.”
As with other small businesses, it is important to market oneself and keep in regular contact with clients in order to ensure success. Having an active website, blog, newsletter, and facebook page are all important factors in developing your marketing strategy and communicating effectively with your clients.   Ms. Jacques cautions, “Never underestimate the need to dedicate serious time to a diversified marketing campaign. Embrace marketing as a fun opportunity to meet great people. Marketing is more than just advertising, it is relationship development.”
Undoubtedly, it is important to have passion in the owning and operating of a small business. Having joy in your work could arguably be the single most important factor in operating a successful practice. As Ms. Decker offers, “my greatest joy is in helping people, making a difference in their lives. I love my work in so many ways it is difficult to pinpoint one thing.” Ms. Jacques agrees, “Working long hours from a place of joy is so much better than working a 40 hour a week job that you are not passionate about…My greatest joy occurs on a daily basis. We are able to have a positive effect upon people’s lives on a daily basis. Life does not get any better than that.”

Using WEB to Reach Startup Businesses throughout Maine

Kathy — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 16:42:28 +0000

WWC and SBDC Collaboration

Keys to a successful family owned business

Eloise — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 21:50:38 +0000

WWC business staff contribute bi-weekly Women@Work columns to the Bangor Daily News Friday edition offering tips for small business owners, and featuring many of our entrepreneurs and partners. We will be posting them here.

When my husband and his partners decided to sell the health food store they had owned for 18 years, our 8 year old son took the news the hardest. He’d grown up ‘in the business’ and figured he would get to run it one day. Together with his friend and fellow business child, he had spent time after school and weekends helping to stack shelves, break down cardboard boxes, and, favorite of all, use the pricing gun to tag prices on boxes of tea, whole grain cereals, and other inventory.

Family businesses are like that. There is an emotional attachment to the business as if it is another member of the family. Owning a business can be all consuming and even if others in your family circle are not directly involved in the business they are affected by its presence in your life. But the boundaries between family and business become especially blurry when more than one member of a family is engaged day to day in the business.

The challenges of leadership, decision-making, roles and responsibilities are amplified when layered on top of family relationships. According to the Institute for Family-Owned Businesses, a membership organization based in Brunswick, family-owned businesses represent approximately 90 percent of all businesses in Maine, yet less than 30 percent survive to the second generation and only 13 percent make it to the third generation. Family-owned businesses are generally understood to be ventures that are ‘owned, operated, and cherished’ by two or more members of the same family.

Joan Fraser, her husband Paul, and youngest daughter, Sara work side by side in the Bath Sweet Shoppe, taking turns bagging goodies and serving customers. While Joan is the creative force and the chocolatier behind the business, all work equally hard keeping the business running. “We naturally fell into our roles,” said Joan; “sometimes we even finish each others sentences,” added Sara.

The Fraser’s, who opened the candy store 8 years ago, admit they are driven to be successful even as they struggle with the lack of down time. “There is no time to think.” January, though is when they carve out the time to set goals for the business. “People who set goals are always more successful,” says Joan. “We prioritize both high level and simple goals for our business, from getting new accounts to new curtains for the upstairs production room.” They also set goals for the family: things to do, things to buy, and places to go during the year.

When Anne Trenholm came back home a year and a half ago to join her family’s diversified farm business in Winthrop, she asked her mother for a job description. She had worked in agricultural ventures out West after college, but knew she had a steep learning curve to establish her place as the third generation on the Wholesome Homestead farm. The job description provided structure and helped Anne and her mother set up systems for decision-making and communication. “We do quarterly check-ins and use a wall calendar to coordinate the operations and marketing,” related Anne.

Anne is still learning how best to use her talents to ‘keep the farm alive’ for the next generation. Her mother, who grew up on the farm, brings historical perspective and experience and oversees production and quality control. Together, they set specific product and income goals for the farm as a whole and then set individual goals within that larger vision. Anne, for example, is working on bringing more people to the farm for special events.

Her job description has evolved. “I’ve learned a lot about myself. It’s hard work and takes a lot of time.” Living on the farm with her parents, she admits it can be hard to set boundaries. She finds taking walks through their woods with her father to be rejuvenating, and allows her to step back, appreciate the value of what’s been created by previous generations. “At the end of the day, what really matters, what pushes us, is to grow good food for our neighbors and ourselves.”

The Fraser’s would agree. When faced with the inevitable conflicts, they have learned to pause and ask: is this a family argument or a business issue? And they know that, at the end of the day, no one gets a paycheck unless the store is successful. Joan adds, “And, you can’t be angry for long when there is chocolate around.”
_ _ _ _
Eloise Vitelli is the Program Director for Women, Work, and Community, a statewide organization that has provided training and assistance to start-up entrepreneurs since 1984. For more on family run business, see: The Institute for Family-Owned Business http://www.fambusiness.org/ is holding its first Women in Family Business Affinity group program January 26. And, the Richard E. Dyke Center for Family Business at Husson University in Bangor http://www.husson.edu/index.php?cat_id=296 has recently hired a new Executive Director and will be offering programs focusing on leadership, relationships, and finances within family businesses in the coming months.

Three Legislators Attend Graduation of Saco New Ventures Class

Randy Runnels — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 15:15:44 +0000

The state legislators, Sen. Justin Alfond (D-Portland), Rep. Mary Nelson (D-Falmouth), and Rep. Alan Casavant (D-Biddeford), listened to many of the business plan presentation and offered words of encouragement to the class of fourteen. The event marked the finish of a 60-hour entrepreneurship training course that helps budding entrepreneurs develop a complete business plan. The course was facilitated by Gigi Guyton, Microenterprise Coordinator for WWC’s Southern Region.

In the photo, left to right: Melissa Rivera of lalo Boutique, Sally Lehtinen of The Essential Touch, Sen. Justin Alfond, Karen Wyman of Soft Landings, Emily Eschner of The Sage Organizer, Mary Stockmeyer of A Helping Hand LLC, Willow Femmechild of Create A Life You Love, Courtney Bird of Sky Parlor Clothing, and Gigi Guyton of Women, Work and Community.

Designing women Show to Benefit Women, Work, and Community

Randy Runnels — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 15:14:13 +0000

Women, Work, and Community (WWC) will again benefit from a designing women Fine Art and Craft show this fall. On Saturday, November 19, the annual Freeport designing women show will be held at the Merriconeag School on Desert Road from 9 to 4.A large gift basket filled with beautiful products made and donated by the show’s exhibitors will be raffled off. Proceeds from the raffle, food sales, and a $2 entrance fee directly support WWC’s community-based services.

designing women, bridging art and community since 1991, sponsors several shows featuring high quality arts and crafts by women artisans. Each show benefits a local organization serving women and families. The juried Freeport show will feature jewelry,
pottery, handwoven apparel, handbags and accessories, fine art, and more.

Women, Work, and Community offers training and individual assistance to help women succeed in their workplace, business, and community. Their programs help women build careers, manage money, start businesses, and become leaders throughout Maine. Karen Perry, founder of designing women, and Michelle Henning, Coordinator of the Freeport show, are both graduates of WWC’s New Ventures Entrepreneurship Training program.

“Our partnership with designing women is an excellent example of two organizations supporting each others’ work and promoting the creative economy”, stated Gilda Nardone, WWC’s Executive Director.

For more information, visit the designing women website www.designingwomen.org.

Coming Right Up: Totally Trades in Westbrook and Calais

Randy Runnels — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 15:05:59 +0000

Totally Trades is an opportunity for high school girls to explore trade, technical, and other nontraditional careers such as welding, automotive repair, firefighting, heavy equipment operation and more (workshops available depend on location of conference).

In Calais:

Friday, October 21, 8:30 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. at Washington County Community College in Calais.
Ask your guidance counselor for registration information or call 764-0050.

In Westbrook:

Friday, October 14, 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. at Westbrook Regional Vocational Center.
Ask your guidance counselor for registration information or call 799-5025.

For more about Totally Trades, visit www.totallytradesmaine.org.

In Maine there are 27 Career and Technical Education (CTE) Centers and Regions that provide hands on training programs for students. For more information about a CTE close to you, visit www.mainecte.org.

Career Exploration & Planning – Live and Online!

Randy Runnels — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 15:02:07 +0000

WWC Announces Statewide Launch of Online Career Class

Adults of all ages and backgrounds from across Maine will now be able to participate in a new online career planning class. Women, Work, and Community (WWC) will offer Career Exploration & Planning — Live and Online beginning the week of October 17. Registration for the class by September 19 is required in order to set up students’ online accounts.

The hybrid course will consist of two live class meetings and three weeks of facilitated online activities and discussion. Live classes will take place in Waldo, Knox, Cumberland, Kennebec, Somerset, Franklin, and Oxford counties. Other locations will be added in the spring.
“We’re pleased that we’re able to offer this online program to so many students,” says Linda Buckmaster, WWC Employment and Training Coordinator in the Midcoast. “We know how difficult it can be for people to make it to live classes because of transportation problems or conflicting work schedules. We also know that students are requesting more online programs to meet their needs, especially in rural parts of the state.”
The program has been adapted from WWC’s regular career planning courses. It is made possible in part by a grant from The Betterment Fund and the Maine Department of Labor. For more complete information, see listings on our Trainings page.