Maine Outdoor Brands partners with Founded Outdoors to educate, engage and evolve outdoor businesses

April 8, 2024

The national platform for outdoor entrepreneurs to design and implement a Maine-specific 2024 programming series

PORTLAND, MAINE /OUTDOOR SPORTSWIRE/ – Founded Outdoors, the national platform for outdoor entrepreneurs, will partner with Maine Outdoor Brands, the alliance of Maine’s outdoor product, service, and retail companies, to design and implement a 2024 programming series that will connect and support outdoor entrepreneurs in the state.

Outdoor recreation contributes $3.3 billion to Maine’s economy annually, close to 4% of the state’s Gross Domestic Product, and has long been a key connector between the state’s iconic outdoor places and its innovative business leaders.

The first sessions will be held from April 24 through May 15, 2024, and are free to Maine-based outdoor businesses thanks to the support of a PRIME Ecosystem Fund grant from the Maine Technology Institute.

Session topics and dates are slated to include “Your Brand: Your Why, Your Target Customer, Your Positioning” (April 24), “The Market: Industry Trends & Outdoor Business Strategy” (May 1), “Go-to-Market & Customer Acquisition: Understanding the Marketing Funnel and Use of Channels” (May 8), and “SEO: How to be Found by your Target Audience” (May 15).

For additional information and to register, please visit this LINK.

“Working with Founded Outdoors will allow us to provide more tailored support to emerging entrepreneurs in Maine. Together, we aim to build a culture of collaboration, empowering new, innovative leaders to thrive and help shape our state’s outdoor recreation economy for years to come,” said Jenny Kordick, Executive Director of Maine Outdoor Brands.

Launched in 2021, Founded Outdoors supports emerging businesses nationwide through community, programming and connections, with the goal of increasing access in the outdoor industry as well as in outdoor places. Their recent initiatives include support of Embark – a national accelerator program created in partnership with REI Co-op Path Ahead Ventures that provides entrepreneurs of color with resources and learning to turn their early-stage ideas into viable business options – as well as a growing emphasis on addressing state-specific needs and opportunities.

“As Maine is ahead of the curve in their commitment to building a cohesive business community at the state level, we’re developing a program that can match that energy and vision and help it grow over time,” said Katie Doherty, Founded Outdoors Director of Partnerships.

Since its founding in 2017, Maine Outdoor Brands has united business leaders and entrepreneurs in raising awareness of Maine’s outdoor recreation economy. MOB strengthens Maine’s outdoor product, service, and retail companies through networking, knowledge sharing, collaborative marketing efforts and access to professional resources.

The partnership between Maine Outdoor Brands and Founded Outdoors will key on numerous topics that address the gaps and needs of outdoor entrepreneurs and help grow a collaborative network. The program will focus on three areas: thought partnership and knowledge sharing, instruction, and community. Program elements in Maine will include both a spring and fall workshop series, a three-day “founder bootcamp” for aspiring entrepreneurs, and the establishment of peer groups for founder-to-founder group problem solving.

ABOUT MAINE OUTDOOR BRANDS:

Maine Outdoor Brands (MOB) is a member-driven alliance of more than 180 outdoor product makers, experience providers, retailers and organizations invested in strengthening Maine’s $3.3 billion outdoor recreation economy. As champions of our state’s growing outdoor industry, we believe there is strength in numbers and aim to be a catalyst for growth. We empower outdoor businesses to thrive by providing collaborative marketing, networking, resource sharing and education in partnership with the Maine Office of Outdoor Recreation. To learn more about Maine Outdoor Brands, please go LINK. To become a member or supporter of Maine Outdoor Brands please go LINK.

ABOUT FOUNDED OUTDOORS:

Launched in 2021, Founded Outdoors supports emerging businesses nationwide through community, programming and connections, with the goal of increasing access in the outdoor industry as well as in outdoor places. The Founded Outdoors community includes over 400 outdoor entrepreneurs at different stages across product categories and is supported with ongoing knowledge-sharing, peer support, resource databases, and topical workshops and events. Founded Outdoors programming includes business accelerator initiatives and fundraising pitch events; and partnerships with organizations including REI Co-op Path Ahead Ventures and the Michigan Outdoor Recreation Industry Office. To learn more about Founded Outdoors, please go LINK. To become a member of the Founded Outdoors community please go LINK.

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