“Nothing begins with us. The more we pay attention, the more we begin to realize that all the work we ever do is a collaboration.” — Rick Rubin, The Creative Act
This story is a collaboration between me and two of my favorite Maine entrepreneurs: Fred Forsley and George Denney.
Beginnings on Middle Street
Back in 1993, I was a young entrepreneur running a small coffee shop at 100 Middle Street in Portland, Maine. I was newly married, fresh out of college, and just back from a stint living in Jackson Hole. After managing a couple of restaurants, my wife and I took a leap and bought the coffee shop — our first “real” business.
I didn’t know any Maine entrepreneurs at the time, but I was hungry to learn. Within a few months, we became friends with the building’s owner, Michael Liberty, and his then-wife Gail. Through Mike, I was introduced to a network of Maine business leaders — and that’s how I met both Fred Forsley and George Denney.
When Collaboration Becomes Education
Recently, Fred posted a short film on Facebook that caught my attention. It came across my feed via @Wild_Woman_MT, who knew I’d appreciate it — and she was right.
The video was beautifully shot, capturing George Denney’s reflections on business and life. Fred and his team did a masterful job distilling George’s insights into what I call universal business principles. It’s less than eight minutes long, but it’s packed with wisdom that could fuel a dozen posts.
For me, one theme stood out above all: labels.
The Wisdom of Giants
An interview with Maine entrepreneur George Denney – founder of worldwide fashion label Cole Haan. Created by Maine entrepreneur Fred Forsley – founder of Shipyard Brewing Company.
The Power of the Label
George talked about the importance of the label — not the factory, not the equipment, not even the inventory. The label.
“Label” is another word for brand, or in business terms, intellectual property (IP). When I studied brand management in business school, it quickly became one of my favorite topics.
George saw value where others might not — in the intangible. Fred clearly absorbed that lesson. Over the years, he’s built some of Maine’s most recognizable “labels”: Shipyard Brewing Company, Sea Dog Brewing, and Capt’n Eli’s Soda, to name a few.
A lot of entrepreneurs miss this. IP is what’s called intangible property — the part of a business you can’t touch but often defines its real worth. When you buy or sell a business, accountants separate tangible from intangible assets. The latter — brand equity, patents, trademarks, algorithms — often represent the majority of the company’s value.
Think about UPS. Are they worth more because of their trucks and distribution centers, or because of their logo, their brown uniforms, and their global trust? The tangible and intangible work together — but the brand is priceless.
Timeless Business Principles
George’s line — “Plan our work, work our plan, stay focused” — is one of those timeless truths that apply across industries.
It reminded me of something Alex Schultz, Meta’s Chief Marketing Officer, writes in The Art and Science of Digital Marketing: Move Fast and Stay Aligned.
In his framework, Schultz talks about having a North Star — a guiding metric or goal that keeps a team aligned as they move fast and grow. George and Fred both lived this long before the phrase became a Silicon Valley cliché.
George and Fred’s “North Star” were clear: keep building the label, keep building the brand, keep showing up, keep learning. That persistence — what I call fail forward — is what can turn a good entrepreneur into a great one.
Remembering George Denney
George Denney passed away on August 28, 2020, but his presence still looms large for anyone who knew him. A few personal memories:
- Joy on the Dance Floor – At Fred and Judy’s wedding, George — well into his seventies — was out on the dance floor with the younger crowd, leaping clear off the ground like he was twenty-five again. Married for life to his high school sweetheart, Joyce, he still carried a youthful spark that made everyone smile. He reminded us that fun is part of success.
- Roots That Never Left Freeport – George and Joyce lived about a mile from my place in Freeport — in his grandmother’s old house, the same one he grew up in. You can see it in the video: the fine cabinetry, the warmth of a home built by Maine craftspeople. Both our homes sat off Wardtown Road, what locals call “the wrong side of 295.” Not prestigious. Not fancy. But real.
No matter how successful he became — from factory floor worker to founder and leader of Cole Haan, a global fashion brand — George never “moved up” to a fancier zip code. He didn’t need to. He already had what mattered.
That humility stuck with me. In a world obsessed with appearances, George quietly modeled authentic success.
Collaboration, Legacy, and Learning
When I think back on those early years — running a coffee shop, learning from giants like Fred and George — I see now what Rick Rubin meant. Nothing begins with us. Every creative act, every business, every leap of faith is a collaboration between the people who came before and those who walk beside us.
Entrepreneurship isn’t just about creativity, risk, hard work and innovation. It’s about lineage — absorbing lessons, carrying them forward, and sharing them with those who come next.
If you’re an aspiring entrepreneur, look around your own community. Chances are, there’s a Fred or a George nearby — someone who’s willing to share coffee, swap stories, and pass on hard-earned wisdom. All you have to do is ask.
Listen carefully, and you’ll be amazed how much insight can fit into a 30-minute conversation.
The Takeaway
Fred and George taught me that success isn’t about chasing status or speed. It’s about staying grounded, building something that lasts, and collaborating across generations.
As R.E.M. sang, we’re all “standing on the shoulders of giants.”
For me, those giants will always be Fred Forsley and George Denney — two Mainers who understood that a label isn’t just a tag on a product. It’s a reflection of who you are, what you stand for, and how you treat your customers along the way.
