Cornville’s Matt Quinn is promoting his plans for a Christmas tree business as part of the Business Lab Final Pitch Contest held at the Scoughan Entrepreneurship Center on Saturday. Quinn’s presentation earned him $5,000 from the Skowhegan Savings Bank. Amy Calder/Morning Sentinel
SKOWHEGAN — Matt Quinn confidently stood before an audience on Saturday touting the benefits of his business, Cornville Christmas Tree Company LLC.
When he disputed the former speaker’s assertion that money doesn’t grow on trees, he was quick to laugh.
“I am here to tell you that it is,” he said.
Quinn, 43, and a handful of other entrepreneurs or would-be entrepreneurs competed for a $5,000 prize as part of Main Street Skohegan’s 1st Annual Business Lab Final Pitch Contest. They pitched their business idea in front of an audience of about 30 people, including three judges, at the Skogan Entrepreneurship Center.
Quinn, whose winner was later announced, already owns a Christmas tree business that runs Quinn Tree Farm, but he is working to expand it. If he were awarded his $5,000 scourgen savings bank tossed as a prize, he would save time and money with a tree shaker that shakes unwanted items such as dry softwood from trees. The bank sponsored Saturday’s event.
During an enthusiastic and entertaining presentation, Quinn said his father, Jeffrey, instilled in him a love of gardening, and every November and December, friends and family come to help him carry the trees where they are needed. .
“I have a Christmas tree stand. I need a Christmas tree,” he said. “We will provide a place to create memories for your family.”
Quinn, who has been a full-time Scoughan firefighter for seven years and has been a volunteer for 16 years, says his customer base is primarily within a 25-mile radius.
“They come to the farm and cut down trees and are happy,” he said.
The farm wholesales about 1,200 trees, which are bought and sold by people all over the East Coast.
“We are an eco-friendly, environmentally sustainable business,” Quinn said.
An acre of trees provides oxygen for 18 people a day and provides habitat for songbirds, deer, squirrels, skunks, wasps, bees and other animals. On this farm, for every tree he harvests, he plants two to three saplings, and last year he planted 2,500 trees, contributing not only to trees but also to sales of wreaths, wreaths, and related merchandise. made $35,000, Quinn said. This year he hopes to make $65,000. He is also looking for more land to grow trees and said he doesn’t need to own the land. Landowners get a portion of the profits.
Quinn and the other contestants have spent the previous seven Saturdays taking courses at the Skogan Entrepreneur Center, a program on Main Street Skogan that opened at 181 Water Street in April. They listened to speakers and learned about business vision, mission, values, finance and accounting, customer marketing, sales and project management. I also practiced his business pitch. The course facilitator is Patrick MooreBusiness Relations Manager for Skowhegan Main Street.
“They’ve been doing a lot of work over the last seven weeks,” Moore said after Saturday’s event.
Saturday’s other contestant was Heather Hutchins, who owns a salon but pitched her new business, Rock Bottom Cafe. Former papers in downtown Scooffgan He’s developing Joe’s Flatiron His cafe in Clipspace I have stated that I am ineligible for the $5,000 prize due to this. Noah Sixberry, owner of Sixberry Solutions, his digital marketing agency that specializes in search engine optimization, business his profile management and social media management. Sarah Forbath wants to start her mobile food truck, which will serve home-cooked meals for her sporting events, weddings, festivals and businesses.
Kristina Cannon, Executive Director of Main Street Skowhegan, welcomed attendees and audiences on Saturday, stating that Main Street is a non-profit organization that helps revitalize Skowhegan, including helping businesses and entrepreneurs thrive. I explained that it is
“There are many things we are working on to boost the ecosystem for entrepreneurs and businesses,” Cannon said.
She said more companies and prospective companies will take the center’s course and continue to work with them after it is completed.
“I’m really excited that Skowhegan Savings Bank said, ‘Yes, we’ll support you again,'” she said.
Saturday’s judges, Angel Quick, the bank’s vice president of finance and banking services, announced the winners. Peter Piconi of the Maine Small Business Development Center. and Kim Kennedy, administrator and faculty member of Kennebec Valley Community College in Fairfield.
Armando, the husband of Skowhegan town mayor Christine Armando, said on the pitch that he fell 25 feet into the Kennebec River gorge on July 26, ending his career as a firefighter. He broke his ribs, both wrists, and suffered other injuries, including a severe brain injury.
“So I had to make a new decision,” he said of plans to open a cafe downtown.
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