BELGRADE — Julie Goldsmith and Michelle Wiswell believe you have to be creative and think outside the box if you want to make it
in this economy. The women have developed a traveling crafters-and-small-business trade show that sets up in Maine towns and features everything from jewelry to cooking and bath equipment. On Saturday, they were at the Belgrade Community Center, where 24 vendors touted their wares. Crafts included candles, T-shirts, jewelry, handmade quilts and pottery. Pampered Chef, Bath Fitter and SendOut Cards were among the small trade show vendors. “We promote small businesses,” Goldsmith said. The women met three years ago when they were Avon representatives working in the same district. They got to talking about devising a fair or festival that included both crafters, direct sellers and small trade show vendors — a festival they say did not exist in Maine. Goldsmith, 45, of Skowhegan, and Wiswell, 40, of Winslow, said they wanted to give crafters and small businesses exposure and make it inexpensive for them to show and sell their products in a tough economy. The women developed MJ Promotions set up a Web site, MJeventplanners.com and held their first festival in March at the American Legion hall in Waterville. It was a success, they said.
“We wanted to go where the money and the people were,” Wiswell said. “It’s just expanded beyond what we had dreamed of.”