Nancy O’Brien, owner of FIORE Artisan Olive Oils and Vinegars, is a woman who had a brilliant idea. Inspired by the olive oils and vinegars found on trips to Italy, and armed with the skills gained from her years of working for the world’s largest premium drinks company, she made the decision to go into business for herself.

In the face of 2009’s crushing economic downturn, she obtained a loan from the Small Business Administration of Maine through Bar Harbor Bank & Trust after writing a strategic business plan. Then engaging the help of her supportive family and surrounding herself with talented people and business contacts, she “went for it.”

The winner of this year’s SBA Womenowned Small Business of Maine Award, she followed her passionate heart into the romantic, ancient world of olive groves and vineyards. “I thought my idea to provide customers with delicious, healthy olive oils and balsamic vinegars would be a cool little thing to do. I never thought it would take off as well as it has,” said O’Brien, who seems surprised by her success.

She first set up shop on Rodick Place in Bar Harbor and has never looked back. With the help of her husband Pat, “our marketing guru,” and daughter, Deidre, the company’s public relations expert, O’Brien created an online presence then opened another store with a tasting room on Rockland’s Main Street in 2010. Pat oversaw the seasonal tasting bars, mini-versions of the tasting rooms, on Mt. Desert and other island locations. Next came tasting bars at Bangor Wine & Cheese and The Vault in Lewiston.

Most recently, O’Brien has opened a store with a tasting room in the Mid-coast shopping mecca of Freeport, something that hadn’t even occurred to her at the start of her venture. Now just in time for the town’s Sparkle Weekend on Dec. 6-8, the FIORE flag flies at 58 Main St., at the bottom of the granite steps just across from L.L. Bean’s Bike, Boat, and Ski Store.

Amid the holiday season that holds the biggest shopping days of the year, O’Brien, who primarily lives in Bass Harbor, is on-site in Freeport with Deidre, who has flown in from Miami. They’re training the newest members of the FIORE family, which has swelled to more than 20 employees, something that O’Brien is extremely proud of.

O’Brien explained that the success of FIORE is about building relationships with customers, who return over and over again, buying and sharing products with their family and friends and spreading the word.

“The products speak for themselves,” she said.

They simply introduce people to the ultrapremium extra virgin olive oils and aged balsamic vinegars by sharing information and offering them an opportunity to taste.

“I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard customers say, ‘I had no idea!’ after they’ve spent time in one of our tasting rooms,” O’Brien said.

Unique varieties of oils and vinegars, imported from all over the world, are stored in Fustis, stainless steel tanks. After the customer makes a selection, the product is bottled and sealed, assuring they are getting exactly what they just tasted.

O’Brien has a great deal of commitment to her business and describes herself as someone who “listens well and has an eye for ‘visual appeal.’”

Unfazed by the hectic schedule that includes constant commuting between stores, her travels include trips with Pat to the attics of Modena where the 12-to-18-yearold balsamic is sourced and to the Italian countryside where the olive, which is a fruit, is grown and pressed. Once harvested, the pressing must occur within six hours for the very best-tasting, ultra-premium extra virgin olive oil that is the basis of the FIORE name.

Pat, who manages collaborations with more than 25 Maine restaurants that use FIORE products, is learning to speak Italian at the Penobscot School in Rockland and is immersing himself in the language at every opportunity. O’Brien, however, hasn’t felt a particular need to learn Italian at this point.

On one recent visit, she recalled how she sat with an old olive grower who couldn’t speak a word of English, “but I understood everything he said.” That’s what’s called “the language of the olive.”

FIORE, which translates to “blossoming flower,” has had a blossoming influence on the family as they use their specific talents to enrich the world. O’Brien said, “We all do something different with the day.” And it appears to work — beautifully.

Along with selling exceptional products, the O’Briens hope to offer tours of Italy to their customers in the near future; another reason to check out the Freeport store which is open Monday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Sunday, noon to 6 p.m., or take a look at the FIORE website at www.fioreoliveoils.com.

KAREN SCHNEIDER, of West Bath, is a freelance writer. She can be reached at iwrite33@comcast.net.