Our history

A business is born

The SunriseGuide book was born in 2006 after owner and publisher Heather Chandler was inspired on a trip to the northwest, where she discovered a similar publication called the Chinook Book. The idea to create a local resource where Mainers could learn ways to reduce our impact on our natural resources while living healthy, full lives that support the local economy really spoke to her. In addition, she loved the idea of creating a local product that would help schools, faith groups and nonprofits in their fundraising efforts, while also aligning with their values. A business was born.

It takes a sustainable village

The SunriseGuide, LLC hired its first employees in 2006: Joe Walsh to lead our sales efforts and Lynne Rowe to develop our fundraising program. Fun Fact: Joe went on to create Green Clean Maine, a professional cleaning company that uses non-toxic cleaners. And Lynne went on to create Tortillería Panchanga, an organic tortilla manufacturer. Joe and Lynne aren’t the only entrepreneurially minded former team members at The SunriseGuide, LLC. Luke Livingston, who was part of the advertising sales team in 2009, went on to found Baxter Brewing, a brand synonymous with the craft beer explosion in Maine, and which also maintains a focus on sustainability.

The SunriseGuide, LLC is fortunate to have benefited from the expertise of many talented and passionate team members, mentors and advisors over the years. It indeed takes a village to raise a business, and we can imagine no more supportive place to do it than in Maine.

And we began to grow…

In 2010, we were approached by a local trade association about publishing their annual directory. We took on the challenge and our contract publishing arm was born.

2012 brought big growth as it marked the launch of our new website, featuring an online directory of green & healthy businesses, as well as our second publication, Green & Healthy Maine Visitor’s Guide (now called the SUMMER Guide), a publication we created to serve Maine visitors who don’t want to leave their healthy, eco-conscious lifestyles at home when they travel. The response to the magazine was overwhelming, and our distribution quickly grew from southern Maine to statewide and beyond.

And grow…

2014 brought the launch of our third publication –  Green & Healthy Maine HOMES magazine, a bi-annual publication for Mainers interested in healthy, efficient and high performing homes.

Later that same year, we launched the SunriseGuide mobile edition, empowering our customers to redeem coupons from their phones as well as the print edition.

We launched the Green Home + Energy Show in 2019, an annual trade show for people interested in sustainable, efficient, comfortable and future-ready Maine homes.

In 2020, Green & Healthy Maine became a quarterly magazine when we began publishing Green & Healthy Maine WINTER, a snowy complement to the SUMMER issue.

2021 brought the launch of Home + Energy Chats, a webinar series for homeowners interested in green home improvements with topics ranging from permaculture 101 to women in green building, historic homes to heat pumps, and indoor air quality to electric vehicles.

In 2023, we joined 1% for the Planet, committing to donate one percent of our gross sales to environmental nonprofits.

2024: We are as committed as ever to being a community resource that inspires happier, healthier and more sustainable lives.