Community

We invest in the community that drives us

We believe that everyone should show up exactly as they are. We also like to ask what people (and organizations) need to be the best version of themselves by offering that hand. Here in Maine, we care about our people, our economy, our environment, and working toward a more inclusive and equitable society.

Here are just a few ways we act: 

In our business community:

We create fulfilling careers for the people that want to be here, and we work to put Maine on the map as a nationally recognized hub of digital prowess and creativity.

Each year, iBec Creative hosts The Northeast Ecommerce Summit. As an exclusive (and free) event, we showcase New England’s best brands who are passionate about the quality of their products and are committed to delivering an outstanding omnichannel customer experience. 

We also participate in the GSB (Gorham Savings Bank) LaunchPad small business competition every year. As part of the grand prize, we award the winner $2,000 worth of in-kind business and marketing services, contributing to the total of $10,000 combined with other agencies. 

This award was so important in 2020 when the pandemic crisis threatened many Maine businesses, and validated the critical need to have a strong online presence. Because of this community challenge, we also donated three digital aid packages, each giving 20 hours of free work to people that needed it. 

In our diverse and inclusive environment:

In our local community, we look for ways to support diversity, equity, and inclusion. We strive to buy supplies/services from minority-owned businesses, as well as share our resources with these entrepreneurs, and mindfully create diverse event panels of speakers. We also prioritize pro bono work for organizations facilitating meaningful change.

In our local schools:

At 22 years old, our Founder and CEO, Becky McKinnell, started iBec Creative the day after graduating from the University of Southern Maine in 2006. Her realization that there’s no right age to start a business is now a TEDxTalk that continues to inspire local students — and us. 

We regularly welcome high school students into the agency for job shadowing, enjoying this opportunity to mentor our earliest entrepreneurs. We also proactively seek interns from organizations and schools that have students from diverse backgrounds.

In our Maine economy:

“Support local” isn’t a catchphrase for us; it’s a way of life. 

We’re enthusiastically dedicated to supporting our Maine businesses, restaurants, and brands every chance we get. This includes our clients’ products, where you’ll find them proudly displayed on our desks and in our holiday gift baskets along with other local brands. 

We’re also directly involved in helping drive the B Corporation movement here in Maine, from legislative advocacy to public panel discussions, to facilitate a positive impact on our local economy.

In our local organizations:

We’re proud to be part of groups doing good things. Becky is on the University of Southern Maine Foundation Board of Directors, and on the Board of Maine Center for Entrepreneurs. Matthew A. K. Smith, our Design Lead, is on the Communications & New Media Studies advisory board at Southern Maine Community College. 

We’ve also done in-kind work for Maine Ad + Design, an organization that’s dedicated to celebrating, cultivating, and connecting Maine’s professional creative community. And, our iBec team regularly volunteers with numerous Maine organizations.

In our collective Maine spirit:

It’s not just about us. We’re happiest when we’re all doing well. 

This includes protecting our environment: We became a carbon neutral company in 2020, minimizing our company’s negative impact on the environment. More than a quarter of our staff commute to work by walking, biking, or taking a bus. We take regular “trash walks” during business hours to pick up litter, we’re in the works of creating a little free library to spruce up our neighborhood, and we’re always finding new ways to help the planet.

It also means helping other people: Our iBec Creative Corporate Matching Program provides 

a $50 donation per employee to any 501c3 (a legal non-profit) organization that falls into our team-approved quarterly categories. In 2020, we donated 506 hours of pro bono work and volunteering for our community. In this same year, we were proud to give 24 non-profit organizations in-kind donations from our corporate matching program, as well as cash donations. In 2021, we chose to support underserved and disadvantaged communities, fight climate change, save our oceans, and advocate for social justice activism. 

In our love of Maine itself: 

We have so much fun in our downtown Portland office, and we love exploring Maine when we’re away from our desks. We’ve got the luxury of the coast to the slopes, and we wouldn’t trade it for anything — unless you ask us in February. From work to play, Maine is our heart.