The Coast of Maine: Meet people who see the world as their marketplace. They see beyond the horizon; they know no boundaries and no borders; the world's people are their family.

There is a state of mind that is uniquely found in the state of Maine. There is more coastline in this state (3500 miles) than the entire West Coast. Here is the largest area in the country of unspoiled virgin forest (17 million acres). Over 90% of the 1M person population lives in the lowest one-third of the state. It takes nine hours to drive from Kittery (in the South) to the northernmost region above Caribou.

The people here have become quite self-sufficient.

Summers are ever wistful (winter is always coming!), Autumn spectacular, winters long and bone-chillingly cold, and a spring that predictably defines "mud season." It makes for a tenacious, resourceful personality that somehow enjoys the temperature of the ocean waters (so cold the lobsters are the sweetest on earth). People settle in and become "Mainers" and going "Down East" always means returning home.

In this episode of the show we meet eleven business owners who would rather live in Maine than anywhere else in the world. They are seasoned travelers who, after touring the world, decided to stay in Maine and make it their home and build their legacy.

We can learn a lot from these hardworking, decent folks.

Contact:
Who's Who in this episode of the show.

(IN ORDER OF APPEARANCE)

• Contact:
  Barbara Scully
  Glidden Point Oysters
  707 River Road,
  Edgecomb, ME 04566
  Tel: 207.633.3599
  E-mail: Click here.
  URL: http://www.oysterfarm.com/

• Contact:
  Michael Gagne
  Robinhood Free Meetinghouse Restaurant
  210 Robinhood Road
  Georgetown, ME 04548
  Tel: 207.371.2188
  Fax: 207.371.2424
  E-mail: Click here.
  URL: http://robinhood-meetinghouse.com/

• Contact:
  Gil Harper
  Weatherend Estate Furniture
  6 Gordon Drive,
  Rockland, Maine 04841
  Tel: 800-456-6483 Fax: 207.594.4968
  E-mail: Click here.
  URL: http://weatherend.com/

• Contact:
  Tony Correa
  A.G.A. Correa & Son
  P.O. Box 1, River Wind Lane,
  Edgecomb, Maine 04556
  Tel: 800.341.0788 Fax: 207.882.9744
  E-mail: Click here.
  URL: http://www.agacorrea.com/

• Contact:
  Susan & Bill Menz
  Harpswell Inn
  at Lookout Point
  108 Lookout Point Road,
  RR1, Box 141
  Harpswell, ME 04079
  Tel: 207.833.5509
  Reservations ONLY: 800.843.5509
  URL: http://harpswellinn.com
  
  

• Contact:
  Stacey & Al Crocetti
  Hardy Boat Cruises
  Route 32 at
  Shaw's Fish & Lobster Wharf
  P.O. Box 326
  New Harbor, Maine 04554
  Tel: 800.2.PUFFIN
  207.677.2026
  E-mail: Click here.
  URL: http://hardyboat.com

• Contact:
  Deborah Meehan and Perry Gates
  Maine Gold,
  aka Bald Mountain Maple, Inc.
  555 Commercial Street,
  Rockport, ME 04856
  Tel: 800.752.5271
  Fax: 207.230.0139
  E-mail: Click here.
  URL: http://www.mainegold.com

• Contact:
  Karen Good
  Michael Good Designs
  PO Box 788
  Rockport, Maine 04856
  Tel: 800.422.9623; 207.236.9619 Fax: 207.236.8606
  E-mail: Click here.
  URL: http://www.michaelgood.com/

We invite your questions or comments

• FAMILY BUSINESSES. The Baylor Family Institute reports that 90% of small business is essentially family business, but the failure rate is very high. Just think what happens when there is so much failure. Let's reverse the numbers!

• THE BAYLOR INSTITUTE (for Family Business): Read more from Dr. Nancy Upton, Director of the John F. Baugh Center for Entrepreneurship, then go on directly to the Instititute.

• CASE STUDIES: If you are part of a family business, we encourage you to review these other episodes of the show.

• NATIONAL TRADE ASSOCIATIONS / LOCAL CHAMBERS. Please note that these national associations are representative of the different types and our small business owners are not necessarily members. They are members of the local chamber which recommended them.

• Glidden Point Oysters: National Shellfisheries Association
  Chamber of Commerce: Boothbay Harbor & Damariscota
• Robinhood FreeMeetinghouse: National Restaurant Association
  Chamber of Commerce: Brunswick-Bath

• Weatherend Estate Furniture:
  National Home Furnishings Assoc.
  Chamber of Commerce: Rockland
• A.G.A. Correa & Son:
  Jewelers of America (JA)
  Chamber of Commerce: Boothbay Harbor
• Harpswell Inn:
  National Bed & Breakfast Association
  Chamber of Commerce: Brunswick-Bath
• Hardy Boat Cruises:
  Passenger Vessel Association
  Chamber of Commerce: Damariscota
• Maine Gold:
  Maine Maple Producers Association
  Chamber of Commerce: Camden
• Michael Good Designs:
  Jewelers of America
  Chamber of Commerce: Camden

• CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE: To find your local chamber, click here.

• MAINE'S MAINE: More about the experience and spirit of Maine, click here and go to Down East, the insider's Maine.
• SPECIAL THANKS: The Chambers of Commerce of Maine. What a special group of people. Bath-Brunswick, Boothbay Harbor, Damariscota, Greater Rockland and Camden.
  
  Wendy Hebb, once the owner of the Rogue River Food & Supply Company, helped with this production. This is "the place near Reny's where the community gathers to talk about the meaning and value of life, and sometimes less important, even trivial, things." It is a special cafe in downtown "Scotty" (Damariscota, Maine).
  
  We also thank the Skidompha Public Library (just across the street) where we shot several segments of this show.

• GO FURTHER: Spend some time with the ten key points of the case study guide (just above in the green box) and each of the related transcript segments.

• Here is a print version of the transcript.

• FIRST PRINCIPLES: Starting a business is the road to economic independence for most of us average people. Read a little more to see why incorporating a business keeps the passion of the American revolution alive!

• CASES BY BUSINESS TYPE. Click on the heading to find all the business types and then click on your type of business to check out those case studies.

• SUPPORT PUBLIC TELEVISION:
  Become a member of your local station. If you are already, great. If not and your business is doing well, consider joining the Producers' Club ($1000).

• JOIN, JOIN, JOIN: Your professional associations in your industry are your key to continuing education, market research, collaborations, strategic partnerships, capital and so much more ... often you'll find that you enjoy like-minded people and many will become friends for life.