(Featured Photo Courtesy of 77 Idea Lab Youtube Page) By Kayla Sosa Students who want to solve a problem in their community or society through a product or service have a new opportunity through the 77 Idea Lab at Grand…
Read More First GVSU student entrepreneur accelerator program finishes strong despite setbacks
By Kayla Sosa In an effort to support each other and the entrepreneurial community, four sisters came together in 2017 to form the organization, Sisters in Business. Nicole Parker, Alisa Parker, Tiffany Parker and Teleshia Parker are four biological sisters,…
Read More Sisters in Business: Building community by supporting women of color
By Kayla Sosa A Grand Rapids couple are in the process of bringing a wine and jazz bar to the city. Coming from a background in education, Nadia and Shatawn Brigham want to offer something to the community that’s accessible…
Read More GR Noir invites customers to ‘exhale’ and unwind with wine, jazz
By Kayla Sosa Three teams of teen entrepreneurs took home cash prizes in the final pitch and showcase for the TESA program. TESA, the Teen Entrepreneur Summer Academy is hosted by the Grand Valley State University Center for Entrepreneurship…
Read More Teams place, win cash prizes in teen entrepreneur competition
By Kayla Sosa Nick Kaminski is the recent grand prize winner of the Michigan Veteran Entrepreneur-Lab at Grand Valley State University’s Center for Entrepreneurship. Before MVE, Kaminski was involved with Heroes to Hives, a program that teaches veterans how to…
By Kayla Sosa Ravel Bowman is an esteemed graduate of the Teen Entrepreneur Summer Academy (TESA) held every year at Grand Valley State University’s Seidman College of Business. After participating two years in a row in the program, Bowman continued…
By Kayla Sosa This year marks 30 years that a local Grand Rapids organization has been helping women start their own businesses. Grand Rapids Opportunities for Women, or G.R.O.W., is a nonprofit organization that supports business owners at every stage…
By Kayla Sosa In September, owners of Malamiah Juice Bar and Royal Jelly Foods participated in the Grand Rapids Business Boot Camp Pitch Competition. This endeavor is lead by Michigan Good Food Fund, a “thirty million dollar loan fund created to provide…
By Kayla Sosa A community survey in Grand Rapids showed that residents feel there is a need for a free, non-judgmental space for the LGBTQ community. After learning this, Audrey Hutchinson created Liberate GR – a community center for those…
It’s no secret that there are limited employment opportunities for individuals with special needs. In a 2015 survey conducted by the National Center on Health, Physical Activity and Disability (NCHPAD), 57 percent of respondents with Down syndrome reported working paid…
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