About
In 2020, Maine was home to 184 large businesses (100+ employees) and over 147,000 small businesses. Without the resources and economies of scale of large businesses, however, many of these small businesses struggle to access high quality leadership training and coaching due to cost, distance, time, and other factors. Launched in 2020, the Visionary Leadership Program (VLP) meets this need by helping Maine small business leaders scale up and strengthen their leadership skills. The program is a collaboration between the Maine Center, the Maine Center for Entrepreneurs, and Bangor Savings Bank.
Through monthly virtual meetings, the program builds a strong peer group, teaches leadership skills and tools for today’s business challenges, and introduces participants to experienced Maine business and thought leaders. The 2020-2021 pilot cohort has 14 members representing 12 different companies from a range of sectors across Maine. The VLP is co-facilitated by Skip Bates, SVP and Director of Main Street Banking at Bangor Savings Bank and Alexa Dayton, COO at the Maine Center. Each session features a guest speaker from the Maine business and leadership communities.
2020-2021 Curriculum
*Curriculum is reviewed and revised as needed each year.
Building culture
Understanding your strengths
Personal & business mission building
An introduction to conscious capitalism
Deliberate team building
Knowing your customer using design thinking
Change leadership
Goals, performance, & feedback
Bringing it all together
2020-2021 Guest Speakers
Kimberly Pope – Bangor Savings Bank
David Pease – Bangor Savings Bank
Kerem Durdag – Great Works Internet
Tara Jenkins – Conscious Revolution
John Shorb & Dana Morris-Jones – The Delphi Group
Prof. Richard Bilodeau – University of Southern Maine
Steve Musica – Lean East
Sam Fratoni – Maine Angels
Bob Montgomery-Rice – Bangor Savings Bank
2020-2021 Cohort
What People Are Saying
I am honored to be part of this conversation. The pilot group members share experiences, work together to solve real problems, and have volunteered their businesses as classrooms. They are forward thinking, candid, and are experts in their fields. VLP provides tools, space, and expertise to help them grow. I believe, firmly, that their experience here will put them in a position to address larger social challenges. They are the business leaders we need.
How to get involved
For prospective participants
For prospective guest speakers
For prospective collaborators
For Inquiries
Laurie Johnson, MCE
ljohnson@mced.biz