How Erin Ovalle Built a BIG Local Brand in a ROUGH Media Climate! Maine Life Founder on Media Biz Struggles & Building Her Dream Life

2026-02-09

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Erin Ovalle didn't want to do it anymore.No more storm-chasing. No more murder-suicides. No more doom-and-gloom of the news business.So, she quit the evening news business in Florida, and the Massachusetts native then found her way to the anchor chair, where she hosted morning TV shows in Portland, ME, for the city's ABC and CBS affiliates.After years of telling more positive stories in Portland, she began to get a different itch: Entrepreneurship.So, despite the challenges of the modern media climate, she...

Erin Ovalle didn't want to do it anymore.

No more storm-chasing. No more murder-suicides. No more doom-and-gloom of the news business.

So, she quit the evening news business in Florida, and the Massachusetts native then found her way to the anchor chair, where she hosted morning TV shows in Portland, ME, for the city's ABC and CBS affiliates.

After years of telling more positive stories in Portland, she began to get a different itch: Entrepreneurship.

So, despite the challenges of the modern media climate, she decided to start her own media organization in 2016, Maine Life Media.

Maine Life Media tells the stories of the people and businesses across the entire state of Maine. Their media network produces several TV shows, with lifestyle show Maine Life TV serving as the flagship. Their shows air on weekends on NewsCenter Maine, as well as NBCSports Boston.

From her office in Portland, the nine-time Emmy nominee sits down with host Troy Farkas to discuss why she entered the media business several decades ago, the strange places her early career took her, the tragic circumstances that led her to move to Maine, the struggles of finding happiness working in the media business, why she started Maine Life Media, the joy telling stories brings her, and more.

Plus, with Seacoast Stories Dinner Club preparing to take over Portland on Feb. 18, Ovalle lists the restaurants that we absolutely have to hit.

To support Ovalle, you can follow her on Instagram @erinovalle and/or subscribe to the Maine Life YouTube channel.

SPONSORS:

⁠⁠Jenn Bakos Photography⁠⁠: Get 10% off your first photography session with one of the Seacoast's finest photographers! DM Jen ⁠⁠@jennbakosphoto⁠⁠ on Instagram to get started.
⁠Oomph Salon⁠: Special happy hour haircuts for just $45 at New England's top-rated salon!

AFFILIATE LINKS:

⁠⁠⁠⁠3 Bridges Yoga⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠: NEW yoga students can unlock a stellar deal of $45 for unlimited classes at the Seacoast's top yoga studio for a month! Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠3BridgesYoga.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, select the "Seacoast Stories" special, and type in promo code SEACOASTSTORIES to activate the deal.
⁠⁠Studio One⁠⁠: Use the code COASTIE26 at checkout on ⁠⁠⁠the Studio One website⁠⁠⁠ to unlock a 1-month trial of UNLIMITED spin, yoga, strength, pilates, and barre classes for a special price of $25 for "Seacoast Stories" listeners ONLY!
Check out ⁠this article⁠ about "Seacoast Stories" in the Portsmouth City Lifestyle magazine

UPCOMING EVENTS:

Seacoast Stories Dinner Club: Wednesday, February 18, in Portland, ME! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sign up here.⁠⁠⁠⁠
Seacoast Stories Dinner Club: Wednesday, March 4, in Dover, NH! ⁠⁠Sign up here.⁠

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