April 21, 2022 | Community Spotlight: Skowhegan Center for Entrepreneurship | By: Marta Olmos, Communications Coordinator at Main Street America |
Main Street Skowhegan Executive Director Kristina Cannon cuts the ribbon during the grand opening of the Skowhegan Center for Entrepreneurship. Photo courtesy of Kristina Cannon.
Last week,
Main Street Skowhegan opened their new
Skowhegan Center for Entrepreneurship, a downtown space for co-working, meeting, entrepreneurial support, trainings, and education. “The Center is for the community, business owners, aspiring entrepreneurs, local youth, and anyone passing through who needs a place to co-work,” said Main Street Skowhegan Executive Director Kristina Cannon.
In 2020, Skowhegan was selected as one of three
Entrepreneurship Ecosystem Pilot Program communities in the state of Maine. As part of the program, a team of stakeholders gathered and evaluated Skowhegan’s entrepreneurial ecosystem using surveys, virtual focus groups, and a specialized assessment from Main Street America. Armed with all this information and grant funding from the Maine Community Foundation, Main Street Skowhegan drafted an implementation plan for bolstering their entrepreneurial ecosystem.
After engaging 135 business owners and hearing positive feedback from a significant percentage of them, Main Street Skowhegan began searching for a space to lease and hired a new staff member to run the Center. “It's important to have data, a plan, and strategies for success before applying for funding,” said Kristina Cannon. “Start small and figure out how to make the budget work to ensure future sustainability."
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