By Kayla Sosa Living in Utah, Christina VanDam developed an interest in aerial silks and fitness. When she moved to Grand Rapids about four years ago, she couldn’t find a place that supported those areas of fitness on the flexible…
Q&A: Dean Lawson, GVSU Seidman College of Business
By Kayla Sosa Diana Lawson brings years of international business and business leadership experience to her role as the Dean of the Seidman College of Business at Grand Valley State University. She has led and taught at universities nationally and…
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Boston Square Brewing Company: Entrepreneur plans to open first black-owned brewery in Michigan
By Kayla Sosa When Terry Rostic, Project Manager at Rockford Construction, decided to open up a brewery, he couldn’t think of a better location than the neighborhood he grew up in: Grand Rapids’ own Boston Square. “It’s a nice,…
Spotlight: Mamaleelu Cold Brew
By Kayla Sosa Starting a business was not something Maliesha Pullano always intended to do, but was something that kind of fell into place at the right time. In 2014, Pullano was unemployed and looking for an opportunity. She soon…
Spreading ‘LIT’-eracy with We Are LIT
By Kayla Sosa We Are LIT is more than just a book shop, it’s a movement within the community to bring more diverse books and reading to everyone. The “shop” is actually online, and offers new, multicultural selections to readers…
The state of black business in Grand Rapids
What a local advocacy organization is doing to support black entrepreneurs By Kayla Sosa Jamiel Robinson is the founder of GRABB – Grand Rapids Area Black Businesses – an organization that supports and assists black business owners and entrepreneurs in…
Student entrepreneur club president’s five takeaways from national conference
By Kayla Sosa Back in November, the Grand Valley State University Collegiate Entrepreneurs’ Organization (CEO) traveled to Kansas City, Missouri to attend the national CEO conference. Club president and GV senior Ben Parsell learned a lot as a leader and…
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Spotlight: A Q&A with Calvin’s Lawn Care
By Kayla Sosa Calvin Pimpleton is a 16-year-old student at Innovation Central High School with a passion for business. Last winter, he saw a need in his neighborhood for shoveling services and he wanted a little extra cash in his…
Spotlight: Bremer Produce
By Kayla Sosa In 2015, Ross Bremer and his brothers started a family business selling unwanted produce from local commercial farms that’s still good but not qualified to go to a grocery store - because it’s too small or a…
Five entrepreneurs win prize money at first MVE Pitch Competition
By Kayla Sosa Five entrepreneurs with military background or connection took home prize money at the first showcase and final pitch competition for the Michigan Veteran Entrepreneur Lab. Produced through the Grand Valley State University Center for Entrepreneurship and…
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NEU 