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Michael Weaver grew up in Alaska before joining the military for a career that would eventually bring him to Maine where he met his wife, Nichole, who grew up in western Maine.  Their careers took them to Washington, D.C.,, and to curb homesickness they would watch television that reminded them of home, such as “Alaska: The Last Frontier.” The show inspired them to start a bison farm in the foothills of western Maine and learn all about the challenges and rewards of raising bison on their family farm.

Trevor Maxwell had been telling stories for years, first as a journalist and later through his PR company, Maxwell Media. When Trevor was diagnosed with stage 4 colorectal cancer, he was battling severe depression. He looked for support, only to realize people –  men specifically– struggled in asking for help or sharing their needs. Trevor talks with us today about starting Man Up to Cancer to show that seeking support and asking for help is the ‘tough’ or ‘manly’ thing to do. He’ll also talk about how he’s setting Man Up to Cancer up for long-term success and why the wolf-pack mentality is so important to the company.

Martin Beavers is a self-taught cook who started a food business out of his home before joining Portland’s Fork Food Lab. Later when a space opened up at the Maine Mall Food Court in South Portland, he jumped at the chance to stake a claim. The New York City native shares the story of Soul Food Paradise’s early success and his unexpected route to Maine’s biggest shopping mall. 

After a career in risk management, Brian Elowe switched gears when he became CEO of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Southern Maine in March 2020. Brian talks about the path that led him to move to Maine and his transition to the nonprofit world, and what it was like to succeed a longtime leader at the start of the pandemic

The terror attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, forever changed the world – in a matter of minutes. The horrific series of events began in places including Portland International Jetport, where two men departed for Boston before joining others and hijacking American Airlines Flight 11. Paul Bradbury, Airport Director of the Jetport, talks about that day, and what he and his team did and felt as the tragedy unfolded.

In December 2020 when Ryan Fecteau was elected Speaker of the Maine House of Representatives, the Democrat was both the youngest person in that role in the United States and the first openly gay Speaker of the Maine House. The 29-year-old revisits some of his life’s milestones and his path into politics

When Chase Morrill, Ryan Eldridge and the rest of their carpentry crew were first approached about doing a cabin-makeover reality-TV show, they weren’t sure what to expect. Several seasons later, the duo takes us behind the scenes of how “Maine Cabin Masters” started and what it’s been like to become famous.

Reconnecting with her Indian roots turned Cherie Scott into an entrepreneur who started a food blog, podcast and a line of simmer sauces called Mumbai to Maine sold online and at specialty stores throughout Maine. The Boothbay resident talks about her multicultural background and the story behind Maine’s first Indian-inspired culinary brand.

More than a decade ago just after Amanda Rand had given birth to her third child, an unexpected health scare shook her world. Amanda takes us back to the day she had a stroke and how that affected her life and approach to business leadership at Portland wealth management firm Spinnaker Trust, as well as her involvement with the American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women initiative.

Tyler Ferguson was a laborer with PM Construction when he realized there might be an opportunity for the company to expand into firestopping. When Tyler got a meeting with the company’s CEO to pitch his idea, he came prepared with research and examples of how the industry was lacking. Tyler talks with us about that pitch, the CEO who gave him a chance, and how he grew his idea into a new company.

Patrick Breeding was a biomedical engineering student at the University of Maine when he discovered something unique with his co-founder Amber Boutiette, special proteins called glycoproteins that are found in lobsters. Patrick speaks to Mainebiz about a defining moment that inspired him to launch Marin Skincare, and help make a significant difference in people's lives.

Saddleback Mountain is a popular ski resort in Maine, and is vital to the economy of the Rangeley region.  When the resort closed in 2015, it was devastating to both skiers who loved the glade friendly mountain and to the region that relied on the resort. After years of will they/wont they, the mountain secured investment and reopened with Andy Shepard at the helm.  Andy talks to Mainebiz about the challenges of reopening a resort that had been closed for 5 years, the major investments that had to be made, and what it meant to the Rangeley region to have their mountain back.

Kim Block was a successful journalist- she worked for over three decades with WGME 13 News in Portland bringing stories to our homes every night. In January of 2019, Kim slipped on a patch of ice resulting in a traumatic brain injury. After a year of trying to “get better,” Kim realized that she was going to have to walk away from the career she loved. Kim talks with us about coming to terms with walking away from the newsroom, her continued recovery, and how she stays involved with the stories that made her a part of the Maine community for so many years.

Scott Gillespie is a fitness industry veteran and owner of Saco Sport & Fitness that he opened in 1983. Running the club has had its challenges, starting with a fire early on that destroyed the facility he then rebuilt from scratch. Fast forward to 2020, when the pandemic forced a business-model rethink in one of the hardest-hit industries during COVID. Hear from Scott how Saco Sport & Fitness adapted with virtual classes and new outdoor equipment.

After Bill Benson left the U.S. Army to start a new life in Maine with his family, there were many changes to navigate — including the ups and downs of running a small business with his wife before he joined Portland-based nonprofit Boots2Roots as program director. Bill, who became the group’s executive director in early 2020, talks about his transition to civilian life and how Boots2Roots helps returning military members hit the ground running in Maine.

Mainebiz podcast interviewers Alison Nason, Renee Cordes and Andrea Tetzlaff reflect on what they learned from business and nonprofit leaders this year. Some common themes include: the human side of leadership; planning, risk and perseverance; and strategic approaches to business.  

Diane Atwood was a health reporter in television news for years- and found her passion in telling people’s stories. She started blogging and podcasting which allowed her to continue bringing important stories to her followers, however when Diane attended a conference in 2018 on loneliness and aging in rural America her focus shifted to telling the stories of older Mainers- and learned some surprising lessons along the way. Andrea Tetzlaff talks with Diane about why that conference had such an impact on her, and why it is so important to document these stories.

When Amy VanHaren was a new mom with a full-time job, breastfeeding posed challenges from finding places to pump while travelling, to packaging and sending breast milk home. During one trip, an emotional call with her sister sparked a thought about providing support to other breastfeeding parents. Amy reflects on the lightbulb moment that led her to launch an app called pumpspotting, and how her Kittery-based startup is evolving.

United States Army Staff Sergeant Travis Mills was on his third tour of duty in Afghanistan when he was critically injured by a roadside IED. He is one of only five quadruple amputees from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan to survive his injuries. As he worked towards recovery, Travis and his wife Kelsey started the Travis Mills Foundation to send care packages overseas. Travis talks with Andrea Tetzlaff about his recovery, what the foundation turned into, and how he lives by his motto, “‘Never give up, never quit.”

Kay Aikin and the late Caryl Johnson, founders of a startup that designs intelligent technology for electrical grids, were romantic and business partners until Caryl’s death from cancer in November 2019. Kay talks about how she carried on after her loss and stepped down as CEO for another role, the book she’s writing in tribute to Caryl, and where she sees the company and her professional future longer-term.