Entrepreneurs + Innovators
"Sometimes a company's future growth is contingent on landing angel investment funding," the article's author writes. "The challenge is to find the right angel investor who is passionate about your business."
"You can get started with this resource list of the largest angel investing firms in the U.S., according to the Angel Capital Association, a trade association of investment groups," he offers.
With a roster of 180 angels, Cleveland's North Coast Angel Fund, which invests in Ohio-based technology startups, claims the sixth spot. Columbus-based TechAngel Funds, with 282 angels, is the number one group. This group supports early-stage Ohio-based information technology, advanced materials, and medical technology companies.
Read the rest here.
“Our bar is unique because it has 100 percent of your daily fruits and vegetables,” says Pabley. “We’ve loaded it with all the stuff you’re supposed to be eating.” The bars are gluten free, vegan and have a low glycemic index. But don’t let the fact that they are healthy scare you; they’re tasty, too.
Pabley first got involved with the product when his family invested with the doctor who created a nutrition powder that is the basis for Good Greens Nutrition Bars. While working on his MBA at Baldwin-Wallace College, Pabley’s family approached him about marketing the doctor’s product.
“It was a good product, but had to be positioned properly,” Pabley recalls. He did just that. In May 2011, he went out on his own, brought the price down from nearly $5 a bar to less than $2, and partnered with Heinen’s, Marc’s and Dave’s Supermarkets to promote and sell his products.
Just four months later, Pabley has three employees and the Good Greens bars are the number-one seller at Heinen’s. The bars are so popular that Pabley has been developing new flavors, such as chocolate mint, chocolate fudge brownie, and Greek yogurt with blueberries. He plans to introduce them later this fall.
“For a small company without a big marketing budget, to put those numbers up is pretty phenomenal,” he says. He hopes to hire additional people soon and do his own manufacturing.
Source: Keith Pabley
Writer: Karen Connelly
So Larsen decided to do something about it. She volunteered at her children's schools in Cleveland Heights, teaching and helping students with creative writing projects. Then she met Amy Rosenbluth, a fellow teacher who was running youth poetry slams at a neighboring school. Soon Lake Erie Ink was born.
Now the nonprofit organization, which offers creative writing classes, camps and workshops for school-age youth, has made the jump to leasing space at the former Coventry School and plans to offer additional classes beginning in September.
"My kids went to this school, so it's great to be back in the building, and for it to be put to good use," says Larsen. "Originally, we were looking for a storefront, but the district offered us a deal too good to pass up. Plus, this place is a kid magnet."
The former Coventry School is located at the corner of Coventry and Euclid Heights, adjacent to a playground, the Peace Park and the Coventry Library.
Since launching Lake Erie Ink in 2010, its founders have learned that there is significant demand in the community for their services. In fact, the group had waiting lists for all three of its summer camps this year. "When the students started coming to us, we realized we were really onto something," says Larsen.
This summer, Lake Erie Ink held a play-writing camp (the kids produced 22 separate plays), a comic book camp, and a "people and places" camp where students interviewed local businesses and wrote down their stories.
"The need here is so apparent," says Larsen, who got part of her inspiration for Lake Erie Ink from the 826 Valencia literary centers launched by writer Dave Eggers. "We provide a welcome relief for the parents, teachers and kids."
Source: Cynthia Larsen
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Owner Jeff Campbell says he decided to expand in Ohio City because of the loyal customers he's generated at his West Side Market stand, which has seen 25 percent annual growth since he opened it in 2004.
"Ohio City is already Cleveland's foodie area," says Campbell. "I believe it will become nationally known as a foodie neighborhood."
Before the store opened at the beginning of August, Campbell and his crew made all of their popcorn and sweets in two tiny stands at the West Side Market. "We probably should have been here a year ago," he says with a laugh.
The new store is airy and spacious by comparison. It is playfully decorated with bright orange walls and a creamy brown ceiling that stir up cravings for cheese popcorn and chocolate-covered pretzels as soon as one walks in the door. Large storefront windows allow passersby to watch popcorn pop and other treats being made before being lured inside for a taste. Next month, a large sign with Campbell's new logo will be installed on the exterior of the building.
Campbell says he's encouraged by the new businesses that are opening on West 25th Street. "We're planning on adding sidewalk dining, and the owners are close to signing a deal with a hostel that would occupy the floors above us," he says. "Ohio City's growth will come down West 25th Street."
This is in addition to the recent news that Mitchell's Ice Cream will take over the former Moda space down the street.
Campbell's Popcorn and Sweets is located on West 25th St. south of Lorain, near Chatham Ave.
Source: Jeff Campbell
Writer: Lee Chilcote
This year's show, which is the third annual, will be bigger than ever. It features more than 20 designers, including two that are based in Columbus and Toledo.
"The furniture design industry here keeps growing -- this year we even had to turn a few people down," says P.J. Doran of A Piece of Cleveland (APOC), who organized the event along with Jason Radcliffe of 44 Steel. "We'd like this event to evolve each year, and hopefully begin attracting more out-of-state designers."
The show's organizers hold the event in a new space each year to highlight unique properties. In addition to the building's raw industrial beauty, the artwork of owner Giancarlo Callicia, a sculptor, will also be on display. Part of the designers' challenge, Doran says, lies in how to take advantage of the open space.
"This isn't a typical trade show with velvet ropes and white platforms where the work is displayed," he quips. "Each designer will personalize their display."
Doran is particularly excited about the younger designers taking part in the show, many of whom are graduates of the Cleveland Institute of Art (CIA) who emphasize sustainability. "These pieces are made to last," he says. "We call them heirloom pieces, which means there are multiple lives to the product."
He should know: APOC fashions furniture products using 'upcycled' lumber from reclaimed from buildings before they are deconstructed or demolished.
Doran expects more industry collaboration and more buzz about Cleveland's growing furniture design community to come out of this year's event. "We started the FGroup last year as an offshoot of the furniture show, and people started working together," he says. "We're showing there's strength in numbers."
As for the customers, Doran loves seeing visitors' surprised faces the night of the show. "People are always surprised by how much is being made in Cleveland."
F*SHO takes place on Friday, Sept. 9th from 2 to 11 p.m. at 6550 Carnegie Avenue.
Source: P.J. Doran
Writer: Lee Chilcote
When Happy Dog owner Eric Williams offered up his hot dog bar to food-truck operator Chris Hodgson for a night, he had no idea USA Today would get wind of the bash.
Hodgson, chef and owner of the popular food trucks Hodge Podge and Dim and Den Sum, is currently a participant in Season Two of the Food Network's "Great Food Truck Race." Hosted by Tyler Florence, the series features eight top food trucks competing for a $100,000 grand prize.
For Week One, Williams hosted a viewing party at his Detroit Shoreway venue. Hodgson parked both pig rigs out front to feed insatiable fans.
USA Today reader, and Cleveland local, "Big Business" submitted comments and photos of his visit to the viewing party.
Check them out here.
When it opens on September 1, The Nest will be yet another creative weapon in Tremont's arsenal to lure art-friendly shoppers to the neighborhood. Located in a storefront immediately adjacent to Edison's Pub, the boutique and gallery will feature an eclectic array of fine art, photography, jewelry and clothing.
Inventory will range from $6 jewelry items all the way up to $4,000 paintings. There will be products geared towards children, adults, and home décor fans.
"The clincher is that it is all handmade treasures from local artists," explains owner Robin Schulze. "We only support local people. You won't find anything bought wholesale from department stores."
Artists and craftspeople submit work on a modified consignment arrangement, Schulze says. The Nest gets a monthly fee to house and promote the work, but takes only 20 percent on the back end.
Schulze says that she was surprised to discover how easy it was to find participating artists.
"Before we secured the space, I put an ad on Craig's List to test the marketplace," she explains. "I was overwhelmingly inspired by how many people wanted to be a part of this." Now, she adds, there is a waiting list for artists to exhibit their products.
Described as fresh, modern and not stuffy, the space features slate grey and melon-colored walls. A small coffee lounge will offer espresso, tea, and Wi-Fi starting at 10 a.m. Down the road, the owners intend to add retail wine and craft beer to the mix. Eventually, they hope to turn an old garage out back into a wine bar.
The Nest
2379 Professor Avenue, Tremont
Just when you think there couldn't possibly be any national media outlets out there that haven't yet praised Matt Fish's grilled cheese empire Melt Bar & Grilled, along comes Field & Stream magazine.
In the Sportsman’s Notebook section of the latest issue of the world's leading outdoor magazine, “Wild Chef” Jonathan Miles mentions Melt's Lake Erie Monster, pronouncing it one of the best ways to enjoy a catch.
“Melt Bar & Grilled, in the Cleveland suburbs,” Miles writes, “has one specialty: grilled cheese sandwiches. The menu of 26 variations on that humble childhood favorite is just one indicator of how far and wide owner Matt Fish is willing to take a grilled cheese. My favorite: the Lake Erie Monster, in which a Guinness-battered walleye fillet is swamped in a gleeful mess of melted American cheese, jammed between thick slices of toast, and served with jalapeño-spiked tartar sauce. This is fish-camp cuisine taken to its belt-loosening outer limits.”
This latest shout-out joins recent mentions in USA Today, Boston Globe, and ESPN The Magazine, which named Melt one of the top 10 best sports bars in the country.
What started out as a small printing company run out of a little office in Euclid by two guys with a background in graphic design and printing T-shirts, has blossomed into a booming print business, Jakprints, which has sprouted three sister merchandising companies: IndieMerch, IndieMerchandising and IndieMerchstore.
Founded in 1999 by Dameon Guess and Jacob Edwards, Jakprints has leveraged the partners' artistic talents, knowledge of the music industry, and instinct for what customers need into a thriving enterprise. The four companies are now spread across 146,000 square feet in two Midtown buildings, employing 130 full-time staffers.
"I never would have had a clue we would grow to this size," says Dameon Guess, co-owner and vice president of operations. "It's the kind of thing where you put your best intentions into it and just get rewarded each day and you get to come back and do it again."
Jakprints specializes in custom full-color offset printing, apparel printing, embroidery and sticker production. IndieMerch, IndieMerchandising and IndieMerchstore serve as outlets to develop merchandise and distribute unique creations on the likes of T-shirts, coffee cups and other goods. "We never got the feeling of 'abandon ship,'" Guess says. "We just kept going."
Jakprints continues to grow. Guess says they plan on hiring five to 10 more people over the next year for everything from production and sales to administrative positions.
Additionally, the team plans to launch an on-site creative incubator, where individual offices will offer artists of all types reasonable rent, shared receptionist, internet access and space to exhibit work. Guess would also like to add a coffee shop to the mix.
"It will be a culture that will support future endeavors," says Guess. "It will be a space to network, meet other artists and be downtown."
Source: Dameon Guess
Writer: Karin Connelly
The Cuyahoga Land Bank, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to reduce urban blight and improve property values by acquiring foreclosed properties and either returning them to productive use or tearing them down, is getting some help from two new partners. Bank of America and Wells Fargo began donating vacant and foreclosed properties to the Land Bank along with a $3,500 to $7,500 contribution towards demolition in July.
Wells Fargo and Bank of America are not the only partners to contribute to this program; others include Fannie Mae, HUD and J.P. Morgan Chase.
"Each partnership we establish provides us with more resources to tackle the issues of blight created by foreclosure and abandonment in our communities," Gus Frangos, President of the Land Bank, stated in a release.
Such collaborative approaches can also lead to solutions on a national scale, stated Russ Cross, Midwest Regional Servicing Director for Wells Fargo Home Mortgage. Recently, Wells Fargo announced an alliance with the National Conference of Mayors on addressing similar issues in cities across the country. Cross plans to share the Cuyahoga Land Bank model with mayors in other cities.
Many of these same lenders have also stepped up efforts to keep delinquent or at-risk homeowners in their homes. Bank of America recently launched a homeownership retention and foreclosure prevention initiative in Cleveland, including a recent mortgage modification outreach event where customers met with homeowner retention specialists over a three-day period to receive face-to-face counseling and underwriting of mortgage modification requests.
Source: Cuyahoga Land Bank
Writer: Lee Chilcote
When Nora Egger returned to Shaker Heights after a decade in Europe, she was looking for her next career move. "I was completely lost," she recalls. Then she started to think about the flavor profiles of cocktails in Europe, compared to what she saw in the states.
"Everything's pomegranate or mango or berries," Egger says of American drinks. "So I said, 'Why don't I do something with flowers?'"
Egger started fooling around in her mother's kitchen and developed her Lounging Gourmet Elixir Collection. The elixirs feature floral essences that can be blended with alcohol to create a unique cocktail, or added to sparkling water for a light, low-calorie soda.
The line features four flavors: Damascan rose, English lavender, Andean fire orchid, and Antillean hibiscus. "They are a strong concentrate made with pure cane sugar," says Egger.
Egger began selling her elixirs out of her car last year, while still making them in her mom's kitchen. Then, in July, she began working with distributors, relocated to a bottling facility, and began to market her product on a wider level. She still mixes every batch by hand -- standing on a ladder to reach -- and individually labels and packages each bottle.
The elixirs are carried in local stores such as Heinen's, Zagara's and Minotti's, as well as through distributorships in California, Oregon, Washington, Las Vegas and New York City. They are also available through Egger's website. She regularly holds tastings around town to familiarize people with her products.
Egger uses all local distributors and operates out of her home office in Little Italy. Although it's still a small operation, she hopes to grow and hire some people.
Source: Nora Egger
Writer: Karin Connelly
The five companies represent the diversity of enterprises in Northeast Ohio -- from retail and publications to business products and services to social media. The companies are: All Points Connect, Mindset Digital, iGuiders, Bonitas International and Your Teen magazine.
"Build it Big identifies companies that already have successes and want to achieve that next milestone," explains Katie Gage, manager of programming for Springboard. "It's a chance to plug them in to the entrepreneurial community."
Twelve companies applied to participate in the Build it Big: Cleveland program. After a 10-minute presentation and 15 minutes of Q & A, the five companies were chosen. "They are now meeting with Springboard partners in advisory sessions to address strategies for growth," says Gage.
The Springboard partners include KeyCorp, Meaden & Moore, and Thompson Hine. Since January, 2000, Springboard has helped over 400 women-led companies raise more than $5 billion in equity financing, including 8 IPOs, and legions of high value M&As. Eighty percent of Springboard companies are still in business, generating $4 billion in revenues and creating tens of thousands of newjobs.
Source: Katie Gage
Writer: Karin Connelly
Hosted by Tyler Florence, the series features eight top food trucks competing for a $100,000 grand prize. Over the course of seven weeks, the trucks engage in a cross-country battle, with one team being eliminated at each stop. Thanks to omnipresent social media, Hodgson fans in Cleveland know that our favorite lunch-wagon guru makes it clear to the final week with his newly christened second truck, Hodge Podge. What happens next is a well-guarded secret.
Each week, Happy Dog will host hosting a viewing party. Hodgson will have both food trucks parked outside the Detroit Shoreway venue to feed fans. The show will be broadcast on all five of the bar's flat-screen TVs.
Check the schedule here.
Smart, outgoing people looking for a rewarding career are urged to apply.
"Progressive is known for taking risks and introducing innovative products," John Hoppes, national recruiting director at Progressive, is quoted in the BusinessWire article. "We are looking for energetic, customer-focused people who are passionate about finding new ways to solve problems and create ways to meet and exceed our customers' needs. In return, Progressive offers a culture that understands and welcomes diversity, rewards people for being themselves, thinking differently and for the ideas they bring."
Candidates must have an associate's and/or bachelor's degree for most positions offered except those in customer service roles.
In addition to medical, dental, vision and life insurance benefits, Progressive employees also enjoy potential bonuses, on-site fitness center, child-care subsidy and tuition assistance.
To find out more about jobs at Progressive, visit here..
To read the article, click here.