HOULTON, Maine — Steve Milligan’s big dreams are becoming a reality, thanks to Houlton’s Entrepreneur Challenge.
A resident of Houlton, Milligan has opened Green Minnow Media, a full-service advertising and marketing agency that will provide personalized service for radio, television, print, websites, social media and other creative mediums. Milligan also offers video production, visual effects, web development and even 3D animation.
Milligan said expanding his business would not have been possible without the aid of the Entrepreneur Challenge. Milligan will share over $35,000 in awards, including forgivable loans and incentives from program partners, with two other individuals selected by the Entrepreneur Challenge committee.
“This is huge for me,” Milligan said. “I will use the bulk of the money for new equipment and software. I am using equipment that is from 2012, which is limiting my capacity for jobs. A new high-end production computer will allow me to increase my productivity.”
The Houlton Entrepreneur Challenge is a collaborative effort of the town of Houlton and the Southern Aroostook Development Corporation with major financial support from Machias Savings Bank.
The program is designed to be an innovative approach to business recruitment and retention. It is a way to assist new or expanding businesses with expenses while also providing basic business knowledge and guidance in developing a business plan.
This year, three individuals were chosen to split the prize package. Milligan was chosen along with Matt Donahue of Shiretown Stoves and Outdoor Living and Michelle Sprague, owner of Raising The Bar fitness center.
“The selection committee, when reviewing applicants, looked at everyone’s plans and what it was they needed to get over that hump,” said Nancy Ketch, Houlton’s community and economic development director. “We deliberated for a really long time and all three candidates were very strong.”
“We had all the intentions of giving the full package to one individual,” said Jon McLaughlin, executive director for the Southern Aroostook Development Corporation. “The generosity of our partners allowed us an increased pool of funds that was large enough to help all three businesses. They each had their strengths and weaknesses, but overall the rankings were quite even.”
A native of western Maine, Milligan, 35, graduated from the University of Maine at Orono in 2004 with a degree in new media. From there, he worked in design studios in western Maine, before joining the state’s Art Commission in the marketing department. He also worked for the University of Maine at Farmington in marketing.
“We had our first child, so I left my job at UMF to be a stay-at-home dad,” Milligan said. “After eight months, I was ready to get out of the house, and my wife wanted to be home with the kids, so we swapped.”
His wife, Hodgdon native Jessica (Suitter) Milligan, worked as a special education director for a western Maine school system. The couple also decided to relocate to Aroostook County.
“At first, I was concerned that there was not a market for what I do in northern Maine,” he said. “A job came up at Katahdin Valley Health Center for a marketing manager, and I stayed there for about a year.”
In August, Milligan decided to take the plunge into opening his open advertising agency, specializing in 3-D animation for websites, video effects and traditional marketing. He cited the impressive fiber internet system in place in the Houlton area as one of the main reasons he is able to do his business.
Milligan said while the bulk of his clientele is spread throughout the state and country, he has been pleasantly surprised by how many County businesses have come to him for services. He provides discounts for local businesses.
For more information on Green Minnow Media, email Milligan at steve@greenminnow.com.
