Two local business organizations, the Lewiston-Auburn Economic Growth Council (LAEGC) and the Androscoggin County Chamber of Commerce, have teamed up to send a message loud and clear:  the cities of Lewiston and Auburn, Maine welcome young, creative entrepreneurs – particularly youth who have roots in the community but who have moved away. To back up that sentiment, a number of local companies have stepped forward to contribute what is expected to be over $100,000 in cash and in-kind services to the most promising start-up company willing to come back home and set up business.

On September 1,  the LAEGC and the Chamber of Commerce launched an entrepreneurial contest that has an ambitious goal of connecting with youth who have roots in the local community, and encouraging them to consider starting a business in Lewiston-Auburn, Maine. The program, called “Launch L-A!,” features a contest inviting young entrepreneurs to submit a proposal to start a business in L-A. Entries will be screened by a committee of business and banking professionals who will judge the ideas on a number of criteria including creativity, viability, and community need. Adding a page from the “American Idol” script, finalists will be voted upon electronically by community members of Lewiston and Auburn in January 2011.

The winning entrepreneur will receive an equity infusion of $10,000 – $20,000 seed money, along with a number of in-kind services for a year, including business consulting, accounting services, legal fees, advertising agency services, rent, and more — all provided by Chamber members. Runners-up may also receive in-kind services.

Three local Maine banks, Bangor Savings Bank, Northeast Bank and Auburn Savings Bank, have already committed $11,500 to seeding the prize package. In addition, dozens of local businesses are offering in-kind services including:

• Rinck Advertising: Branding, creative and public relations package – $15,000
• Curry Printing: Printing package – $1,200
• Next Level Business Coaching: Business consulting – $3,600
• LAEGC: Start-up office space, conference room space & receptionist – $4,000
• Robustelli, Soucy & Hussey, PA: Accounting services  –  $10,000
• Brann & Isaacson: Legal fees for a year –  $2,500
• Core Zero Creative: Search Engine Optimization, web and social media marketing strategy – $1,500
• Oxford Networks: Internet/Phone lines – $1,900
• WGME-13: Advertising package, including cost of production – $2,000
• Leighton Images: Video production — $4,500
• Mainely Portrait Photography: Photo session – $500
• Strategic Talent Management: Personality aptitude testing –  $2,500
• Chamber of Commerce: Membership, advertising, and support package – $500
• RE-Group! Business Solutions: Risk mitigation and business infrastructure – $1,000
• Sun Journal: One year’s worth of advertising and consulting – $5,000
• Marriott Residence Inn: One-week stay – $1,000

The competition is open to entrepreneurs between the ages of 18 to 30 who have roots in Androscoggin County but have not lived here in at least nine months. Applicants will be encouraged to support their idea using digital applications such as video presentations, web sites, podcasts, and digital photos.

“The value of this program is not merely that a few entrepreneurs will get assistance to launch a business in Lewiston-Auburn,” says Paul Badeau, Marketing Director, Lewiston-Auburn Economic Growth Council. “What’s perhaps more important is the message this sends to the world outside of L-A’s borders: namely, that Lewiston-Auburn welcomes young, creative entrepreneurs and is committed to helping them succeed.”

“The contest is part of a broader initiative to connect and keep in touch with young people, particularly college grad “expatriates” who have graduated from local high schools,” says Wendy Tardif, a member of the event planning committee and Executive Director for The Dempsey Challenge. “Using e-mail and social media like Facebook and Twitter, young people will get regular updates about the community’s ongoing renaissance.”

“Native sons and daughters often leave for college and don’t return, sometimes because they don’t perceive that gainful employment or opportunities can be found in Maine,” explains Laura Davis, a partner at Rinck Advertising who is also a member of the committee. “We hope people follow this story chapter by chapter.”

Rinck Advertising, an Auburn-based advertising and public relations agency, has contributed its services in-kind to developing the logo and PR strategies for the effort. In addition, the agency will donate over $15,000 in services to the winning business.

“We have what young people are looking for right here in L-A: urban life, arts and culture, affordable housing, a riverfront, plenty of good restaurants, and talented people,” says Davis. “What we don’t have is enough recognition for our assets, and enough help for struggling entrepreneurs.”

“Even if young people don’t return to the community for whatever reason, it is still important that they feel proud of their community in order to serve as ambassadors, stay connected to local institutions, and serve as future benefactors for local institutions,” says Chip Morrison, president of the Androscoggin County Chamber of Commerce.

“Will our youth return in droves because of this? Probably not,” adds Morrison. “But if we can help a few entrepreneurs get off the ground, and get young people with roots in the L-A area to feel proud of their home community, we will have been wildly successful.”

T.H. Creations, a Lewiston-based web site development company, created a web site to promote the contest. Entrepreneurs can enter the contest with their business idea right online at: http://www.launchlamaine.com. Contestants and interested parties can also follow the contest on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/LaunchLAMaine or Twitter at https://twitter.com/LaunchLAMaine.

Companies interested in finding out more about the contest and how they can be a part of it should contact the Lewiston-Auburn Economic Growth Council at 207-784-0161 or the Androscoggin County Chamber of Commerce at 207-783-2249.

To back up that sentiment, a number of local companies are willing to contribute what is expected to be about $100,000 or more in cash and in-kind services to the most promising start-up company.

As part of the “L-A: It’s Happening Here!” campaign, the Growth Council and Chamber are launching a new initiative that has an ambitious goal of connecting with youth who have roots in the community, and encouraging them to consider starting a business in Lewiston-Auburn.

The program, called “Launch L-A!,” features a contest inviting young entrepreneurs to submit a proposal to start a business in L-A. Entries will be screened by a committee of business and banking professionals who will judge the ideas on a number of criteria including creativity, viability, and community need. The winning entrepreneur will receive an equity infusion of $10,000 – $20,000 seed money, along with a number of in-kind services for a year, including business consulting, accounting services, legal fees, ad agency services, rent, and more — all provided by Chamber members. Runners-up may also receive in-kind services.

Bangor Savings Bank has already committed $5,000 to seeding the prize package.

The application will encourage ideas to be supported using digital applications such as video presentations, web sites, podcasts, and digital photos. Adding a page from the “American Idol” script, finalists will be voted upon electronically by members of the L-A community.

“The value of this program is not merely that a few innovators will get assistance to launch a business in Lewiston-Auburn,” says Paul Badeau, Marketing Director, Lewiston-Auburn Economic Growth Council. “What’s perhaps more important is the message this sends to the world outside of L-A’s borders: namely, that Lewiston-Auburn welcomes young, creative entrepreneurs and is committed to helping them succeed.”

The Chamber will solicit members to contribute by providing in-kind services to the winner for a year. Sponsor companies will be recognized in various media and on-line promotion. Chamber President Chip Morrison explains that sponsors may also benefit by earning the entrepreneurs’ business after the contest is over.

Morrison says when it comes to sweetening the pot for the lucky winner, the committee working on planning the contest is open to any ideas for prizes: a hotel account for business clients, a business meal account at a local restaurant, car rental, office space, even housing for the entrepreneur. “The sky’s the limit,” says Morrison. “The more in-kind support we provide, the more we become a national model about providing entrepreneurs with community support, and ultimately, the more publicity the community — and our businesses — will get.”

“The contest is part of a broader initiative to connect and keep in touch with young people, particularly college grad “expatriates” who have graduated from local high schools,” says Wendy Tardif, a member of the event planning committee. “Using e-mail and social media like Facebook and Twitter, young people will get regular updates about the community’s ongoing renaissance.”

Although the “L-A: It’s Happening Here!” image and awareness campaign has made efforts to reach out to young adults over the years — namely, by hosting downtown walking tours with Bates College freshmen and launching a scholarship contest encouraging students to write essays about what they value in L-A – Badeau says the community, like many others, struggles to retain/attract young people.

“That’s often true of native sons and daughters who leave for college and don’t return, sometimes because they don’t perceive that gainful employment or opportunities can be found in Maine,” explains Laura Davis, a partner at Rinck Advertising who is also a member of the committee. “We hope people follow this story chapter by chapter.”

Rinck Advertising, an Auburn-based advertising and public relations agency, has contributed its services in-kind to developing the logo for the effort.

“We have what most young people want here in L-A: urban life, arts and culture, affordable housing, a riverfront, plenty of good restaurants, and talented people,” says Davis. “What we don’t have is enough recognition for our assets, and enough help for struggling entrepreneurs.”

Even if young people don’t return to the community for whatever reason, it is still important that they feel proud of their community in order to serve as ambassadors, stay connected to local institutions, and serve as future benefactors for local institutions, says Morrison.

“Will our youth return in droves because of this? Probably not,” answers Morrison. “But if we can help a few entrepreneurs get off the ground, and get young people with roots in the L/A area to feel proud of their home community, we will have been wildly successful.”

T.H. Creations, a Lewiston-based web site development company, will create a web site to promote the contest. Companies interested in finding out more about the contest and how they can be a part of it should contact the Growth Council at 784-0161 or the Chamber at 783-2249.

###

The cover of the Nov. 16 Mainebiz.

(LEWISTON) — In its November 16 issue, Mainebiz featured a cover story on the Foreign Trade Zone and its importance in establishing the area as a distribution and logistics hub. The article ran as part of the publication’s annual focus on Lewiston-Auburn.

The story described the success that the Growth Council recently experienced in activating the zone with two dedicated users, Safe Handling and LynxUS. Both companies are located in Auburn and provide warehousing as well as tranportation and distribution services.

To read the complete story, click FTZ Mainebiz scan.

Citizens Commission on Lewiston-Auburn Cooperation Website

The Citizens Commission on Lewiston-Auburn Cooperation approved and released its final report summarizing its work at a meeting on August 27, 2009. The Commission has been working since November of 2006 on finding ways for both cities of Lewiston and Auburn to “implement combining municipal services to save taxpayers money and to improve services.”

Areas ranging from fire and police to assessing and public works were examined during the multi-year project, funded in part with about $163,000 in state grants.

The Commission, which served as an advisory board to the city councils, is the successor to the Lewiston-Auburn Commission on Joint Services, which issued its final report to the mayors and city councils of Lewiston and Auburn in February of 2006.

The Citizens Commission identified savings of about $2.7 million per year within five years of consolidating various municipal services, excluding school system services.

To access the report, click on FINAL CITIZENS COMMISSION REPORT 8 – 09

Maine Democratic Party Chair John Knutson

The Maine Democratic Party has selected the City of Lewiston’s Androscoggin Bank Colisee as the site of the 2009 Maine Democratic Convention, slated for May 21-22, 2010.

The Colisee, formerly the Central Maine Civic Center, has undergone substantial renovations over the past several years, and now attracts a number of special events in addition to serving as the home of the Lewiston MAINEiacs hockey team.

According to the Lewiston Sun Journal, the last time the convention was held in Lewiston was in 1984. Conventions typically attract between 1,500 and 2,000 attendees, and offer a chance for gubernatorial candidates to speak to party members about their issues prior to the June primary.

Gov. John Baldacci will be barred from seeking a third term as Maine governor due to term limits.