Entrepreneurs going 'as fast as we can'
Startups are the lifeblood of a growing economy, and Maine has more than its share of entrepreneurs.
In her cover story, Senior Writer Laurie Schreiber talks to Bill Mook, an enduring entrepreneur who recognizes the need to continually invest and update his company, Mook Sea Farm, an oyster farm on the Damariscotta River. He also recognizes the need to continually cultivate employees at all levels, from high school graduates to Ph.Ds.
“We've been creating a lot of jobs. And they're good jobs. We're actively involved in pushing for more aquaculture training programs for all skill levels,” he tells Laurie.
That's good to hear.
We also like to hear about companies like Wayside Publishing, which is profiled by Senior Writer Renee Cordes on Page 26. The company's president, Greg Greuel, bought the company in 2010. As Renee reports, Greuel says he “still runs it like a startup, launching new products 'as fast as we can.'” Wayside, which has 18 employees, is on pace to hit $7 million in sales this year.
An author and athlete with Maine ties
Lynne Cox is an endurance athlete known for aquatic feats like swimming the English Channel at age 16 and swimming the Bering Strait at a time when Gorbachev and Reagan were thawing the Cold War.
But did you know about her Maine ties? She learned to swim in a lake near Oakland and has family ties in Liberty and Waterville. I had the chance to meet her after she spoke at a film festival in Colorado, where my family vacationed recently. She is the author of several books about her projects and is featured in the recent movie “Fishpeople,” which was produced by Patagonia, a company founded by Lewiston-born Yvon Chouinard.
She grew up in New Hampshire, but the cold waters of Maine may have prepped her for her many cold-water adventures.
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