NOMINATED BY SARAH GUERETTE, CEI
Starting a business at any time is an incredible challenge and a courageous act, starting a business in 2020 in the midst of the Covid pandemic even more so. That was the case for Heather Kerner with her business, The Good Crust, making pizza dough from 100% Maine grown grains. Having come from the field of occupational therapy, where she’d had a 27 year long career, Heather wanted to include her experience and desire to provide opportunities for others as she started up her business.
Prior to launching The Good Crust, Heather participated in the Women’s Business Center’s Propellor program, designed to help women entrepreneurs gain the skills and connections they would need to succeed and grow their businesses. The connection to the WBC and its host organization CEI proved to be incredibly influential, providing Heather with a WBC Business Advisor and information about the SBA backed lending programs at CEI, which helped her purchase the current location and start growing. With an active partnership with the nearby Maine Grains, Heather was able to source locally grown ingredients for her pizza dough and take advantage of the Maine grown brand as she started making sales and growing her business.
Since launching in 2020, The Good Crust has grown to fully occupy its 1,200 square foot facility, has purchased over 150,000 pounds of Maine grown grains, and currently employs 4 full time and 15 part time employees, with a focus on individuals with challenges like autism, cerebral palsy, and those going through addiction recovery that might make it difficult for them to find employment elsewhere. This expansion was possible thanks to the incredible growth in The Good Crust’s sales, nearly doubling between 2021 and 2022, as well as funds received from competitions like Greenlight Maine, CEI’s Tastemakers, and The Big Gig. Amid the growth in sales and employees, Heather has also been planning to expand her product line into dry pizza dough mix, using guidance from the University of Maine to ensure efficiency and quality of the product.
As may have been apparent from Heather’s hiring processes, she does not focus solely on profits, but being a supportive member of her community. The Good Crust lives up to this by hosting a hub of the Winslow Community Food Cupboard, allowing hundreds of people to access resources every month. She also supports numerous community programs, including after school baking classes and cooperative extension events, and providing pizza dough and kits to nonprofits to sell as fundraisers. Outside of her business, Heather continues to work as an occupational therapist in the RSU 18 school district and serves as Vice President of the board for Lake George Regional Park.
Because of the incredible growth of her business, and her continued commitment to her community through purchasing local, hiring disadvantaged individuals, and giving back to numerous organizations locally, the SBA is pleased to name The Good Crust, owned by Heather Kerner, as the 2024 Small Business Manufacturer of the Year for Maine.
