Incubator Without Walls
Down East Business Alliance
Senator Susan Collins joined a group of IWW students for a graduation event in April. (Robin Farrin Photo)
DBA's Incubator Without Walls series encourages for-profit business owners to operate their businesses from their own locations while participating in valuable business training.
IWW is a no-cost membership program for small business owners. It offers interactive training by Nx LeveL certified instructors, technical assistance, business counseling, financing, and business-to-business networking opportunities for established business owners, start-ups, and people developing their business idea. Member business owners have the opportunity to network with their peers and to attend presentations by experts in various aspects of business.
The Incubator Without Walls series is a five- to 12-month commitment for up to 20 business owners selected to participate. Any for-profit business owner who is willing to commit to attending two or more sessions per month over a five to 12 month period is eligible to join.
IWW training increases business viability and strengthens micro-enterprise throughout our region. Past IWW series have been offered in Calais, Eastport, Lubec, Bucksport, Deer Isle-Stonington, Ellsworth, Machias, and Schoodic to over 385 businesses. We've helped create over 325 jobs.
Click here for an IWW application (includes IWW fact sheet and business planning worksheet). Click here for an IWW fact sheet. Click here for the business planning worksheet. For more information, contact DBA at the number or email listed below.
Advanced IWW
DBA offers an Advanced IWW series, especially designed for graduates of any of our 30 sessions. This series includes all the best IWW features - expert presenters and certified instructors, one-on-one business counseling, business-to-business networking opportunities and peer support - combined with focus on topics of special relevance to underway businesses. Each session provides information and resources you can immediately apply to your business.
DBA's first Advanced IWW will be held in Machias (meeting every other week for 15 sessions with breaks for holidays) from October '09 to March '10. Participation is limited to ten IWW graduates. An application, pre-application and an interview must be completed prior to the start of the series.
Click here to download your Advanced IWW application.
Contact
Hancock County: contact Jeff Ackerman at 664-2424, ext. 4470 or email gro.pacachw@namrekcaj.
Washington County: Machias area, contact Elizabeth Sprague at 479-3071 or email gro.pacachw@eugarpse; Calais area, contact Roland Bechard at 214-2192 or email gro.pacachw@drahcebr.
IWW is funded in part by a grant from the US Small Business Administration (SBA). SBA’s funding should not be construed as an endorsement of any products, opinions, or services. All SBA-funded projects are extended to the public on a nondiscriminatory basis.
IWW is funded in part by a grant from the US Small Business Administration (SBA). (See below for more information.)
What WHCA's
Clients Say...
We need more of what it takes to help people become something other than low income, to my mind, the kind of training Incubator Without Walls and Down East Business Alliance have. Down East Business Alliance is one of the strongest programs I've seen."
-- Will Hopkins
It was good for somebody who was just getting started. I would recommend IWW to anybody who has a small business."
-- Bonnie Foss, Bonnie & Clyde's Gently Used Furniture