Maine Outdoor Brands

Maine is producing some of the best outdoor experiences and products in the world. Outdoor recreation is core to Maine - both in what it provides for residents and visitors, but also supporting Maine's economy. The future is bright for Maine. ?Video by 360 Media Ventures

MOB's own Brian Threlkeld enjoyed a sunny day in Newport last month to join students from the University of Maine and the Tri-County Technical Center to head into the field with the Bureau of Parks and Lands to inspect some of Maine's 20,000 miles of snowmobile and ATV trails. Students learned the ins and out of inspecting and maintaining these trails and how trails contribute to Maine's $3.4 billion outdoor recreation economy and its 30,000 jobs statewide. Trail building will be a major growth area over the next few years as implementation of the $30 million Trails Bond begins to take shape. Stay in the know on jobs and career opportunities with MOB's industry newsletter by signing up here: https://bit.ly/4i4iefA

'Tis the season... NOW HIRING for multiple summer and year-round positions! Check out the full list at https://lnkd.in/dbPey4J -- includes river guides, brewpub positions, reservations & sales, and housekeeping! Why work at Northern Outdoors? - THE PEOPLE! Your #GreenTeam will become family. And our guests are pretty amazing, too! : ) - Retail and restaurant discounts - Access to outdoor adventures at free and reduced rates - Affordable on-site housing for right candidates - Competitive pay - PTO and matching IRA contributions for eligible year-round employees

Last month, MOB, alongside a multi-disciplinary core team – including The Maine Office of Outdoor Recreation, University of Maine, Maine Technology Institute, Maine’s Bureau of Parks and Lands, and Maine Marine Trades Association – as well as a steering committee of industry stakeholders, helped launch the 10 Year Maine Outdoor Recreation Economy Roadmap, a plan designed to bolster our state’s $3.4 billion outdoor recreation industry through economic investments, workforce expansion, and community revitalization. This roadmap is the collective vision of hundreds of Mainers — business owners, community leaders, and outdoor enthusiasts — who shared their experiences and insights. It’s a strategic plan that honors our natural assets, creates new economic opportunities, and preserves Maine’s outdoor legacy for future generations. We closed the day out in true fashion by getting out on the fresh snow. Explore the roadmap here: https://lnkd.in/gkK84eny

Want to start a new outdoor business in Maine? This workshop is for you. Join Maine Outdoor Brands for a 4-day virtual ideation workshop designed to equip very early-stage entrepreneurs with the foundational knowledge and skills needed to start a business in Maine's outdoor industry. Each session includes a 70-minute workshop and a 20-minute story/Q&A session with a seasoned founder from the MOB network who will share insights from their journey to strengthen your entrepreneurial path. Here's the lineup: January 27: Business idea generation & evaluation featuring Jocelyn Olsen of?Hüga January 28: Founder mindset & customer persona featuring Mark Ferguson of?Brant & Cochran? January 29: Customer interviews and surveys featuring?Shay Bellas of?NaviTour January 30: Concept testing, early prototyping, and goal setting featuring?Amanda Lacy of?Bijou Build ? January 27-30 | 7-8:30 PM ET | All virtual. Attendance at all four sessions is encouraged. Register Now: https://lnkd.in/evtHbQs7 This workshop series was created in partnership with Maine Technology Institute and Founded Outdoors.

One of the highlights of 2024: The Rugged Runway Fashion Show at the Maine Outdoor Economy Summit! Kicking off with an unforgettable performance by Firefly, the show was a full-blown celebration of Maine-made and designed gear and apparel. We were thrilled to feature 40 incredible brands and 26 surprise guests from the outdoor industry who brought their energy to the runway. A huge thank you to?L.L.Bean?and The Maine Office of Outdoor Recreation for co-producing this show with MOB!

I'm always excited to talk about winter on Maine Calling. Thanks to Maine Public and Maine Outdoor Brands for putting together a great show. https://lnkd.in/g6zP9jR3

MOES 2024 is officially sold out! We’re thrilled to announce that all seats for the Maine Outdoor Economy Summit 2024 have been reserved. If you didn’t get a chance to grab a spot, don’t worry — you can still register for the waitlist! Register at www.moesummit.com, and you’ll only be charged if a spot opens up and your registration is approved. We hope to see you at Sunday River for an unforgettable event! #moesummit?is a 3-day outdoor industry event produced by?The Maine Office of Outdoor Recreation and?Maine Outdoor Brands

?? Ready, Set, Grow! Funding Options for Your Outdoor Business ?? Calling all Maine-based outdoor business founders! Join Maine Outdoor Brands and Founded Outdoors for a virtual in-depth workshop exploring the various pathways to financing your growing business. Whether you're considering bootstrapping, applying for grants, raising equity, or taking on debt, this workshop will cover the pros and cons of each approach. Register here: https://lu.ma/tp3618n2

In January 2017, after a long day on the show floor at Outdoor Retailer, a group of Maine-based companies gathered for beers in a basement bar near the convention center in Salt Lake City. We shared stories, played pool, laughed, and wondered why we had to travel 2,400 miles from home to make these connections. That moment sparked the idea for what would become Maine Outdoor Brands (MOB). Back in Maine, the core Salt Lake City group began meeting regularly. We filed the paperwork to establish MOB as a legal entity, met with officials from Maine Department of Economic and Community Development, and connected with other Maine outdoor business owners. Around this time, the Bureau of Economic Analysis released its first report on the impact of the outdoor recreation economy, ranking Maine third in the nation for the value outdoor recreation adds to the state’s economy. Armed with this data, MOB officially launched in November 2017 with a mission to strengthen Maine’s outdoor recreation economy by uniting and advocating for the state’s outdoor product, service, and retail companies. Senator Angus King, then-DECD Commissioner George Gervais, and L.L.Bean CEO Stephen Smith emphasized the importance of Maine’s outdoor economy and celebrated the launch of MOB. We had 22 brand members that day. A month later, that number doubled. MOB coordinated dozens of networking and educational sessions across the state, advocated for the creation of The Maine Office of Outdoor Recreation (which launched in 2018 under the leadership of Carolann Ouellette), and regularly secured space at Outdoor Retailer, helping smaller Maine brands gain national exposure. In 2019, Jenny Kordick was hired as MOB’s executive director, tasked with overseeing the organization’s continued growth. Under Jenny’s steadfast leadership, MOB has become the voice of Maine’s outdoor industry, and with a staff of four is the largest outdoor business alliance in the country. The organization now has close to 200 members and collaborates closely with Maine’s Office of Outdoor Recreation — a partnership that's recognized as the industry's gold standard. Since its founding, MOB has expanded in size, reputation, and impact far beyond what anyone could have reasonably expected. So, it was bittersweet for me yesterday when, after seven years on the board, I stepped down. Could I have imagined what MOB would become? Most definitely not. But it’s a testament to the dozens of people who have volunteered their time and talents to make it all possible. To all of you, I offer a heartfelt thanks. It’s truly been an amazing journey, and I couldn’t have wished for better partners along the trail. In particular, I’d like to thank my business partners at Blaze Partners, Jenna Klein Jonsson and Kevin Kayne, for supporting these efforts in spirit and resources. (Jenna continues to serve on the MOB board.) It proves the saying: if you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.