The Lupine Cottage owner Margaret Masessa was recently asked to be part of The Republican Journal: Mar 28, 2019: Midcoast Women Series.
Below is Margaret's writeup.
MARGARET MASESSA
Owner
THE LUPINE COTTAGE – Belfast
Age: 54
Life Stage: Super steady and loving it
Year founded/started: 2004
Pursuit: It had always been my dream to run my own small business. That dream was realized when I opened the doors to The Lupine Cottage, a Maine artist coop.
Motivation: I had been a part of other cooperatives throughout the years and I saw what worked and what did not. This in turn guided me to my final goal.
Inspiration: None… this was just the road I took.
Path: My path to running my own business, like life itself, has been full of challenges. The first is just being a woman in business and wondering if people will take you seriously. I have had to deal with building codes, the loss and gain of new crafters, and during the rise of my business, my husband got deployed to Afghanistan. Raising our three daughters and trying to grow the business while he was gone was probably the biggest twist.
Challenge: Maine DOT took my access away on Route 1. They said that with a change of ownership, they could take it. It took a lot of fighting to get it back. Financially it also was very expensive. I had to pay over $9,000 to have the existing access to the business removed, and then almost $10,000 to have it replaced after they said it could go back.
Midcoast Impact: I was surrounded by like-minded people, each with something different and unique to offer, but all wanting the same result.
Resources: There were no real resources available at the time I started down this path. However, there were some great people that had the same dream and supported me.
Advice: Dreams do come true, but they come after years of hard work and determination.
Special Place: The land where The Lupine Cottage is located, on the hill.
Coffee Mate: My Dad, he would be so proud of what I have built. He always listened and had great advice.