Entrepreneurs + Innovators
If the future belongs to those cities that can frame their opportunities and challenges, act in ways that demonstrate measurable progress, and connect and engage with the smartest people and the smartest ideas, than City Vitals 2.0 can act as a road map for urban leaders.
The Cleveland Metropolitan Housing Authority (CMHA) will soon break ground on an array of 4,200 solar panels -- one of the largest solar arrays in Cuyahoga County -- that will reduce energy consumption on its campus by as much as 80 percent.
"When Mayor Jackson said that he wanted to be leading a green city by a blue lake, CMHA took heed of that," says Donovan Duncan, Director of Real Estate and Development for CMHA. "This is one way of reducing our carbon footprint."
The solar panel project will be developed and administered by Carbon Vision, a renewable energy analysis and project development company based in Shaker Heights. Carbon Vision will lease the land from CMHA, and after a period of 15 years, CMHA will have an option to purchase the panels at a sizeable discount.
The project is being developed at CMHA's headquarters, a LEED-certfied building at E. 82nd Street and Kinsman Avenue. Carbon Vision is developing the project using a combination of federal energy tax credits and New Market Tax Credits.
"We selected Carbon Vision because they've been a leader in this industry and had the most successful track record of those responding to our RFP," says Duncan.
Carbon Vision also will hire local residents to work on the project, which will generate high-quality jobs and is expected to take about six weeks to build.
CMHA has undertaken a wide variety of sustainability projects in recent years, including adding solar panels to other development projects, building rooftop gardens and green roofs, and building homes to energy-efficient standards.
Source: Donovan Duncan
Writer: Lee Chilcote
"When Mayor Jackson said that he wanted to be leading a green city by a blue lake, CMHA took heed of that," says Donovan Duncan, Director of Real Estate and Development for CMHA. "This is one way of reducing our carbon footprint."
The solar panel project will be developed and administered by Carbon Vision, a renewable energy analysis and project development company based in Shaker Heights. Carbon Vision will lease the land from CMHA, and after a period of 15 years, CMHA will have an option to purchase the panels at a sizeable discount.
The project is being developed at CMHA's headquarters, a LEED-certfied building at E. 82nd Street and Kinsman Avenue. Carbon Vision is developing the project using a combination of federal energy tax credits and New Market Tax Credits.
"We selected Carbon Vision because they've been a leader in this industry and had the most successful track record of those responding to our RFP," says Duncan.
Carbon Vision also will hire local residents to work on the project, which will generate high-quality jobs and is expected to take about six weeks to build.
CMHA has undertaken a wide variety of sustainability projects in recent years, including adding solar panels to other development projects, building rooftop gardens and green roofs, and building homes to energy-efficient standards.
Source: Donovan Duncan
Writer: Lee Chilcote
'nerd-friendly' shaker launchhouse featured in the altantic
Alexis Madrigal, senior editor at The Atlantic, has been writing about "Rust Belt" startups as part of an ongoing series called "Startup Nation."
In a feature titled, "A Space to Be an Entrepreneur and Not Feel Like You Have Leprosy Here in Cleveland," he writes about Shaker LaunchHouse, where an abandoned car dealership has been transformed into a "lively space for Cleveland's nerds and entrepreneurs alike."
"Run by native Clevelander Dar Caldwell, LaunchHouse takes a bunch of the weird and geeky things going on in the Bay and compresses them into one glorious space filled with entrepreneurs, developers, designers, and (I use this word lovingly) nerds," Madrigal writes.
Writing about some of the more eccentric "tenants," he notes, "I'm not sure I could explain to an economic development officer or even some venture capitalists why these guys are so important in the formation of new companies, why you need them drinking beer with the entrepreneurs, or why their love for the sheer thingness of things is so exhilarating. But I'll put it like this: these guys are the wizards, even if they aren't the kings or the knights. They're the soul of a tech scene, even if they may never sign a term sheet, trademark a name, or raise seed capital. And where they are, there is magic."
Read the rest of the news here.
In a feature titled, "A Space to Be an Entrepreneur and Not Feel Like You Have Leprosy Here in Cleveland," he writes about Shaker LaunchHouse, where an abandoned car dealership has been transformed into a "lively space for Cleveland's nerds and entrepreneurs alike."
"Run by native Clevelander Dar Caldwell, LaunchHouse takes a bunch of the weird and geeky things going on in the Bay and compresses them into one glorious space filled with entrepreneurs, developers, designers, and (I use this word lovingly) nerds," Madrigal writes.
Writing about some of the more eccentric "tenants," he notes, "I'm not sure I could explain to an economic development officer or even some venture capitalists why these guys are so important in the formation of new companies, why you need them drinking beer with the entrepreneurs, or why their love for the sheer thingness of things is so exhilarating. But I'll put it like this: these guys are the wizards, even if they aren't the kings or the knights. They're the soul of a tech scene, even if they may never sign a term sheet, trademark a name, or raise seed capital. And where they are, there is magic."
Read the rest of the news here.
Chamberlain College of Nursing has announced plans to open a new campus in the MidTown Tech Center amidst Cleveland's Health-Tech Corridor this January. The new school will offer an accelerated, three-year Bachelor of Nursing degree program.
"Chamberlain is sensitive to the nursing shortage and the need to create nurses at the bachelors level to provide care where there's high levels of need," says Adele Webb, President of the new Cleveland campus. "We're a three year program, so within three years, we can contribute nurses to market."
According to the Health Policy Institute of Ohio, there is likely to be a deficit of 32,000 nurses statewide by 2020. According to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, Ohio turned away more than 2,300 nurses last year.
Chamberlain's new Cleveland campus -- its 12th in the nation and second in Ohio -- offers several innovative features. The school's SIMCARE Lab gives students a chance to work on mannequins that simulate real-world situations such as labor, birth and when a patient stops breathing. The school also will include a Center for Academic Success to help students get the resources they need to stay in school.
The rising demand for nurses due to health care reform, an underserved market in Cleveland and the opportunity to be a part of Cleveland's medical community were all factors driving Chamberlain's decision to locate in the city, Webb says.
"As the City of Cleveland is trying to develop the Health-Tech Corridor around major institutions, this was an opportunity for us to be a part of it," Webb says.
The new Chamberlain School of Nursing facility will be located at 6700 Euclid Avenue.
Source: Adele Webb
Writer: Lee Chilcote
"Chamberlain is sensitive to the nursing shortage and the need to create nurses at the bachelors level to provide care where there's high levels of need," says Adele Webb, President of the new Cleveland campus. "We're a three year program, so within three years, we can contribute nurses to market."
According to the Health Policy Institute of Ohio, there is likely to be a deficit of 32,000 nurses statewide by 2020. According to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, Ohio turned away more than 2,300 nurses last year.
Chamberlain's new Cleveland campus -- its 12th in the nation and second in Ohio -- offers several innovative features. The school's SIMCARE Lab gives students a chance to work on mannequins that simulate real-world situations such as labor, birth and when a patient stops breathing. The school also will include a Center for Academic Success to help students get the resources they need to stay in school.
The rising demand for nurses due to health care reform, an underserved market in Cleveland and the opportunity to be a part of Cleveland's medical community were all factors driving Chamberlain's decision to locate in the city, Webb says.
"As the City of Cleveland is trying to develop the Health-Tech Corridor around major institutions, this was an opportunity for us to be a part of it," Webb says.
The new Chamberlain School of Nursing facility will be located at 6700 Euclid Avenue.
Source: Adele Webb
Writer: Lee Chilcote
the atlantic visits sparkbase as part of 'startup nation' series
Alexis Madrigal, senior editor at The Atlantic, has been writing about "Rust Belt" startups as part of an ongoing series called "Startup Nation."
In a feature titled, "A Framed First Dollar for the Internet Age," he writes about SparkBase, a Cleveland-based loyalty, gift, and reward card processor.
"SparkBase is a nice success story," he writes. "They've been hiring like crazy in Cleveland, particularly in the last year and a half and are up to 50 people working out of their new offices. They're one of several middleware vendors in the retail space that are emerging to collect and analyze retail data."
The title, by the way, is a reference to SparkBase's conference table, which instead of displaying the company's first dollar earned features the mother boards from their first servers.
Read the rest of the story here.
In a feature titled, "A Framed First Dollar for the Internet Age," he writes about SparkBase, a Cleveland-based loyalty, gift, and reward card processor.
"SparkBase is a nice success story," he writes. "They've been hiring like crazy in Cleveland, particularly in the last year and a half and are up to 50 people working out of their new offices. They're one of several middleware vendors in the retail space that are emerging to collect and analyze retail data."
The title, by the way, is a reference to SparkBase's conference table, which instead of displaying the company's first dollar earned features the mother boards from their first servers.
Read the rest of the story here.
Mention Rivergate Park in the Flats in conversation and you'll likely be met with blank looks. Yet an eclectic alliance of skateboarders, cyclists and urban recreation groups are trying to change that with Rollin' on the River, an event that aims to put Rivergate on the map as a recreation destination.
Rollin' on the River, which takes place Saturday, September 29th at 1785 Merwin Avenue, will bring together skateboarding, cycling and music for an afternoon of fun.
"A lot of change has come to the Flats over the summer and 2013 will hold even more," said Vince Frantz, Executive Director of the skateboarding advocacy organization Public Square Group, in a release. "We wanted to celebrate that and highlight the amazing recreation organizations doing awesome work in the city.”
Rivergate Park is a new, 2.4-acre Cleveland Metropark that lies adjacent to the Columbus Road bridge along the Cuyahoga River in the Flats. The Cleveland Rowing Foundation also owns acreage there which includes its boathouse. In the coming months, there are big plans for this small slice of urban waterfront.
The City of Cleveland will break ground on the long-awaited Crooked River Skatepark by the end of the year. The Metroparks also plans to develop its new park and offer programming that will include adventure sports, canoeing and kayaking. Rivergate Park is already home to the Head of the Cuyahoga regatta race, the Ohio City Bike Co-op and the Cleveland Dragon Boat Association.
The free, all-ages event starts at 2 p.m. with a pop-up skateboard park, dragon boat rides on the river, live music, beer and food. Bike Cleveland is also organizing rides to Rivergate, and a contest will be held for the best bike carrier for a skateboard.
Source: Vince Frantz
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Rollin' on the River, which takes place Saturday, September 29th at 1785 Merwin Avenue, will bring together skateboarding, cycling and music for an afternoon of fun.
"A lot of change has come to the Flats over the summer and 2013 will hold even more," said Vince Frantz, Executive Director of the skateboarding advocacy organization Public Square Group, in a release. "We wanted to celebrate that and highlight the amazing recreation organizations doing awesome work in the city.”
Rivergate Park is a new, 2.4-acre Cleveland Metropark that lies adjacent to the Columbus Road bridge along the Cuyahoga River in the Flats. The Cleveland Rowing Foundation also owns acreage there which includes its boathouse. In the coming months, there are big plans for this small slice of urban waterfront.
The City of Cleveland will break ground on the long-awaited Crooked River Skatepark by the end of the year. The Metroparks also plans to develop its new park and offer programming that will include adventure sports, canoeing and kayaking. Rivergate Park is already home to the Head of the Cuyahoga regatta race, the Ohio City Bike Co-op and the Cleveland Dragon Boat Association.
The free, all-ages event starts at 2 p.m. with a pop-up skateboard park, dragon boat rides on the river, live music, beer and food. Bike Cleveland is also organizing rides to Rivergate, and a contest will be held for the best bike carrier for a skateboard.
Source: Vince Frantz
Writer: Lee Chilcote
There was no shortage of naysayers when Ward 13 Councilman Kevin Kelley and other leaders launched an effort to provide free wireless Internet access to residents of the city's Old Brooklyn neighborhood.
Yet three years later, wireless hotspots blanket 90 percent of the neighborhood, and about 20,000 individuals use the service monthly. Kelley says the project could be a model for other areas that are seeking to bridge the digital divide.
"We learned through [Case Western Reserve University's] NEO CANDO program that about 50 percent of the ward had a daily Internet subscription," says Kelley of the impetus behind the Old Brooklyn Connected project, which also offers a community website. "To me, when you look at how people now communicate and look for jobs, or how kids perform in school, that simply wasn't adequate."
Kelley led an effort to hire a contractor that installed wireless equipment throughout the neighborhood. The City of Cleveland, Cleveland Public Library, Cleveland Housing Network and Old Brooklyn Community Development Corporation collaborated to train residents how to use computers.
Although the project cost over $800,000 to implement, Kelley says it was well worth it. "We were looking for a way to invest in people," he says. "That's less than two dollars per month per household when you look at it over a five-year period."
Most of the money came from the city, and equipment is expected to last at least five years before it needs an upgrade. The results speak for themselves, he says. "I'm now getting a better signal from my front porch than from paid service."
Kelley hopes the project will also attract new residents. "How do we make Old Brooklyn a young community, a progressive community? This is a tool for doing that."
Source: Kevin Kelley
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Yet three years later, wireless hotspots blanket 90 percent of the neighborhood, and about 20,000 individuals use the service monthly. Kelley says the project could be a model for other areas that are seeking to bridge the digital divide.
"We learned through [Case Western Reserve University's] NEO CANDO program that about 50 percent of the ward had a daily Internet subscription," says Kelley of the impetus behind the Old Brooklyn Connected project, which also offers a community website. "To me, when you look at how people now communicate and look for jobs, or how kids perform in school, that simply wasn't adequate."
Kelley led an effort to hire a contractor that installed wireless equipment throughout the neighborhood. The City of Cleveland, Cleveland Public Library, Cleveland Housing Network and Old Brooklyn Community Development Corporation collaborated to train residents how to use computers.
Although the project cost over $800,000 to implement, Kelley says it was well worth it. "We were looking for a way to invest in people," he says. "That's less than two dollars per month per household when you look at it over a five-year period."
Most of the money came from the city, and equipment is expected to last at least five years before it needs an upgrade. The results speak for themselves, he says. "I'm now getting a better signal from my front porch than from paid service."
Kelley hopes the project will also attract new residents. "How do we make Old Brooklyn a young community, a progressive community? This is a tool for doing that."
Source: Kevin Kelley
Writer: Lee Chilcote
greater cle firms nabbed $1B in vc cash in 5 years
According to a report released by the Venture Capital Advisory Task Force based on data provided by investors and collected by tech-based development organizations BioEnterprise and JumpStart, Greater Cleveland companies attracted $961 million from venture capitalists and angel investors from 2007 to 2011.
That figure represents a 26-percent increase in dollars when compared to the previous five years.
“There is a dramatic change in the activity, the number of investable companies and the quality of the companies in the pipeline in Northeast Ohio from 10 years ago,” says Bill Trainor, co-founder and Managing Director of Mutual Capital Partners Funds I & II.
The bulk of the money went to companies in the fields of biopharmaceuticals, medical devices, healthcare service, IT, and software.
“We’re only beginning to see the results of the public, private and philanthropic initiatives begun almost 10 years ago to accelerate the successes of startups in the state,” says Doug Weintraub, JumpStart’s chair and an active investor in the region. “Given that Northeast Ohio started ramping up activity to assist and support the creation and growth of tech companies in 2005 and 2006 -- and that the National Venture Capital Association estimates the average time from initial investment to a company’s exit is about nine years -- we can expect even more success stories in the coming years.”
Read the rest of the news here.
That figure represents a 26-percent increase in dollars when compared to the previous five years.
“There is a dramatic change in the activity, the number of investable companies and the quality of the companies in the pipeline in Northeast Ohio from 10 years ago,” says Bill Trainor, co-founder and Managing Director of Mutual Capital Partners Funds I & II.
The bulk of the money went to companies in the fields of biopharmaceuticals, medical devices, healthcare service, IT, and software.
“We’re only beginning to see the results of the public, private and philanthropic initiatives begun almost 10 years ago to accelerate the successes of startups in the state,” says Doug Weintraub, JumpStart’s chair and an active investor in the region. “Given that Northeast Ohio started ramping up activity to assist and support the creation and growth of tech companies in 2005 and 2006 -- and that the National Venture Capital Association estimates the average time from initial investment to a company’s exit is about nine years -- we can expect even more success stories in the coming years.”
Read the rest of the news here.
Andy Halko has entrepreneurship in his genes. The characteristics that make an entrepreneur succeed -- vision, hard work, and a touch of daredevil -- prompted Halko in 2002 to create Insivia, a strategic marketing and sales agency focused on business-to-business.
“In high school and all through college I worked for a company doing website development and software solutions,” recalls Halko. After graduating from John Carroll University, Halko stayed with the company for a while before deciding to go into business for himself.
“My dad was an entrepreneur. I had nothing to lose and I thought, I can do this," he says. "It’s kind of in my blood and I’m not afraid of work.”
Insivia focuses on four areas: Generating leads through SEO and direct mail; converting those leads; closing sales through presentations, proposals and online sales; and retaining customers. “We consider ourselves a full gamut firm, from leads to retaining customers,” Halko says. “We really try to come up with new ideas for things to improve our clients’ business. We use technology to close sales and design to impress customers.”
An additional component of Halko’s vision is customer service. “The other piece is good work,” he says. “Our stratagem is don’t settle for good enough. We take ideas, plans and strategy to reach our clients business goals. We’re really looking at the end goal and our focus being proud of every single piece.”
The philosophy has worked: 10 years later, Insivia has 15 employees in “the coolest” space on the West Bank of the Flats. The company is looking to hire people in account management, customer relations and software development.
“We’re always looking for talented people,” Halko says. “People who can produce good work and come up with good ideas.”
Source: Andy Halko
Writer: Karin Connelly
“In high school and all through college I worked for a company doing website development and software solutions,” recalls Halko. After graduating from John Carroll University, Halko stayed with the company for a while before deciding to go into business for himself.
“My dad was an entrepreneur. I had nothing to lose and I thought, I can do this," he says. "It’s kind of in my blood and I’m not afraid of work.”
Insivia focuses on four areas: Generating leads through SEO and direct mail; converting those leads; closing sales through presentations, proposals and online sales; and retaining customers. “We consider ourselves a full gamut firm, from leads to retaining customers,” Halko says. “We really try to come up with new ideas for things to improve our clients’ business. We use technology to close sales and design to impress customers.”
An additional component of Halko’s vision is customer service. “The other piece is good work,” he says. “Our stratagem is don’t settle for good enough. We take ideas, plans and strategy to reach our clients business goals. We’re really looking at the end goal and our focus being proud of every single piece.”
The philosophy has worked: 10 years later, Insivia has 15 employees in “the coolest” space on the West Bank of the Flats. The company is looking to hire people in account management, customer relations and software development.
“We’re always looking for talented people,” Halko says. “People who can produce good work and come up with good ideas.”
Source: Andy Halko
Writer: Karin Connelly
The Blackstone LaunchPad program opened its doors on the Baldwin-Wallace College and Lorain County Community College campuses on Sept. 6 and 7 and will open at Kent State University later this month and CWRU in January.
The Burton D. Morgan Foundation in Hudson and the Blackstone Charitable Foundation announced last November that they had committed $3.2 million to open LaunchPad locations in Northeast Ohio to train area student entrepreneurs.
The LaunchPad is a venture coach program developed at the University of Miami, Florida in 2008. The program provides participants with advice and mentorship to take business ideas to fruition. Students are matched up with venture coaches to guide them through the development process.
“The real goal here is around education,” says Deborah D. Hoover, president and CEO of the Burton D. Morgan Foundation. “We’re providing a strong education, it’s experiential. Our key approach to the program is about networking – obviously in Northeast Ohio and venture coaches, but also in the larger community and through the national network of LaunchPad locations.”
Hoover reports that the potential is there for 150 new sustainable companies in the next five years, which could generate as many as 3,000 jobs.
Amy Stursberg, executive director of the Blackstone Charitable Foundation, says Northeast Ohio is an idea fit for LaunchPad. “We try to choose locations where we feel there is a robust entrepreneurial ecosystem and culture,” she says. “We’re leveraging those assets to jumpstart the region where it already exists.”
Kent State, which had a soft launch of LaunchPad this summer, already has 70 to 80 students involved in the program.
Sources: Deborah H. Hoover, Amy Stursberg
Writer: Karin Connelly
The Burton D. Morgan Foundation in Hudson and the Blackstone Charitable Foundation announced last November that they had committed $3.2 million to open LaunchPad locations in Northeast Ohio to train area student entrepreneurs.
The LaunchPad is a venture coach program developed at the University of Miami, Florida in 2008. The program provides participants with advice and mentorship to take business ideas to fruition. Students are matched up with venture coaches to guide them through the development process.
“The real goal here is around education,” says Deborah D. Hoover, president and CEO of the Burton D. Morgan Foundation. “We’re providing a strong education, it’s experiential. Our key approach to the program is about networking – obviously in Northeast Ohio and venture coaches, but also in the larger community and through the national network of LaunchPad locations.”
Hoover reports that the potential is there for 150 new sustainable companies in the next five years, which could generate as many as 3,000 jobs.
Amy Stursberg, executive director of the Blackstone Charitable Foundation, says Northeast Ohio is an idea fit for LaunchPad. “We try to choose locations where we feel there is a robust entrepreneurial ecosystem and culture,” she says. “We’re leveraging those assets to jumpstart the region where it already exists.”
Kent State, which had a soft launch of LaunchPad this summer, already has 70 to 80 students involved in the program.
Sources: Deborah H. Hoover, Amy Stursberg
Writer: Karin Connelly
Giancarlo Calicchia, the Italian-born sculptor and artist who has been a fixture in the Cleveland art scene for decades, is opening a new gallery and offices in a historic, restored building at 4600 Carnegie Avenue in the Midtown neighborhood.
Calicchia still owns a large building at 6550 Carnegie Avenue, where his studio is currently located. However, he may be selling it to Fred Geis, who is developing space for high tech and biomedical companies along the Health-Tech Corridor.
The building at 4600 Carnegie will soon become home to Artisan Direct, a company that represents over 1,000 artists from around the world. Artisan Direct helps artists to market, show and sell their original work to a diverse audience. Previously, the company was headquartered in Rochester, New York.
"One of my dreams has been to establish Cleveland as an international center for the arts," says Calicchia, who adds that Cleveland's artistic community and central location make it a natural fit for Artisan Direct's headquarters. "Cleveland is already a mix of ethnicities, so we just have to revitalize what's already here."
Artisan Direct helps artists to gain access to valuable new markets. "We give artists exposure to shows and galleries they might not otherwise experience, and we also publish our own magazine and marketing materials," says Calicchia.
The new Artisan Direct gallery will officially open for business on October 26th.
Calicchia still owns a large building at 6550 Carnegie Avenue, where his studio is currently located. However, he may be selling it to Fred Geis, who is developing space for high tech and biomedical companies along the Health-Tech Corridor.
The building at 4600 Carnegie will soon become home to Artisan Direct, a company that represents over 1,000 artists from around the world. Artisan Direct helps artists to market, show and sell their original work to a diverse audience. Previously, the company was headquartered in Rochester, New York.
"One of my dreams has been to establish Cleveland as an international center for the arts," says Calicchia, who adds that Cleveland's artistic community and central location make it a natural fit for Artisan Direct's headquarters. "Cleveland is already a mix of ethnicities, so we just have to revitalize what's already here."
Artisan Direct helps artists to gain access to valuable new markets. "We give artists exposure to shows and galleries they might not otherwise experience, and we also publish our own magazine and marketing materials," says Calicchia.
The new Artisan Direct gallery will officially open for business on October 26th.
When Sonali Morris first enrolled her children (ages five and three) in swim classes while living in a Detroit suburb, it was a miserable experience.
"They were crying because they could see me sitting right on the pool deck and the water was very uncomfortable,” says Morris. “I had to go out and hide in the locker room area of the country club. I hated I couldn't see them taking lessons and had no idea what was happening.”
But then Morris discovered Goldfish Swim School, a swimming facility designed for kids four months to 12 years old.
“This was a place that really spoke to them, took the fear out of the water,” Morris says. The water is always 90 degrees, a four-to-one student teacher ratio and classes deigned to teach children to enjoy swimming. Private or semi-private lessons are offered. There’s also a snack bar, air-conditioned viewing room for parents and a pro shop.
Now, Morris and her husband Michael, along with Robert and Vicki Pietrick, are opening a Goldfish Swim School in Warrensville Heights. Construction has begun on a 8,900-square-foot facility and is expected to open in mid-November.
“We have a proprietary curriculum,” says Morris. “Swim school concepts aren’t new. We took the best practices and standardized it.”
Not only will the Goldfish Swim School teach children how to swim, the new facility will employ about 40 people year round. Morris is the general manager.
“We have a lot of part-time positions,” says Morris. “We need instructors, lifeguards, front desk workers and deck supervisors.”
Source: Sonali Morris
Writer: Karin Connelly
"They were crying because they could see me sitting right on the pool deck and the water was very uncomfortable,” says Morris. “I had to go out and hide in the locker room area of the country club. I hated I couldn't see them taking lessons and had no idea what was happening.”
But then Morris discovered Goldfish Swim School, a swimming facility designed for kids four months to 12 years old.
“This was a place that really spoke to them, took the fear out of the water,” Morris says. The water is always 90 degrees, a four-to-one student teacher ratio and classes deigned to teach children to enjoy swimming. Private or semi-private lessons are offered. There’s also a snack bar, air-conditioned viewing room for parents and a pro shop.
Now, Morris and her husband Michael, along with Robert and Vicki Pietrick, are opening a Goldfish Swim School in Warrensville Heights. Construction has begun on a 8,900-square-foot facility and is expected to open in mid-November.
“We have a proprietary curriculum,” says Morris. “Swim school concepts aren’t new. We took the best practices and standardized it.”
Not only will the Goldfish Swim School teach children how to swim, the new facility will employ about 40 people year round. Morris is the general manager.
“We have a lot of part-time positions,” says Morris. “We need instructors, lifeguards, front desk workers and deck supervisors.”
Source: Sonali Morris
Writer: Karin Connelly
Juma Gallery and Boutique will soon move into the building at Chagrin Boulevard and Farnsleigh Road following a $195,000 facelift.
Juma's new space, which will offer shared artist and retail space as well as a place where people can meet for coffee or tea, is located adjacent to Lucy's Sweet Surrender, Opus Restaurant and Bicycle Boulevard, among others.
The gallery is a second location for artist and businesswoman Erica Weiss, who opened Juma in Little Italy 10 years ago. She was attracted to Shaker Heights by the city's aggressive approach to economic development and the public investment that will take place in the reconfiguraton of the Chagrin/Van Aken intersection.
"We're just doin' it," says Weiss of taking the plunge in a still-shaky economy. "Shaker has so much to offer, and we want this area to become the city's downtown. We want people to believe Shaker can be funky and cool, too."
The building at 20100-20106 Chagrin Boulevard is owned by David Weiss, Erica's husband. He had originally planned to develop it into live-work housing, but the downturn soured that idea. Yet in some ways, the original dream of supporting artists lives on in Juma's new approach -- which will welcome small businesses such as Housewarmings, operated by Shaker Heights resident Carina Reimers.
Juma Gallery and Boutique received a $40,000 job creation grant from the city's Economic Development and Housing Reserve Fund. Weiss is also taking out a $15,000 micro-finance "Ignition" loan from the City of Shaker Heights.
Source: Juma Gallery and Boutique
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Juma's new space, which will offer shared artist and retail space as well as a place where people can meet for coffee or tea, is located adjacent to Lucy's Sweet Surrender, Opus Restaurant and Bicycle Boulevard, among others.
The gallery is a second location for artist and businesswoman Erica Weiss, who opened Juma in Little Italy 10 years ago. She was attracted to Shaker Heights by the city's aggressive approach to economic development and the public investment that will take place in the reconfiguraton of the Chagrin/Van Aken intersection.
"We're just doin' it," says Weiss of taking the plunge in a still-shaky economy. "Shaker has so much to offer, and we want this area to become the city's downtown. We want people to believe Shaker can be funky and cool, too."
The building at 20100-20106 Chagrin Boulevard is owned by David Weiss, Erica's husband. He had originally planned to develop it into live-work housing, but the downturn soured that idea. Yet in some ways, the original dream of supporting artists lives on in Juma's new approach -- which will welcome small businesses such as Housewarmings, operated by Shaker Heights resident Carina Reimers.
Juma Gallery and Boutique received a $40,000 job creation grant from the city's Economic Development and Housing Reserve Fund. Weiss is also taking out a $15,000 micro-finance "Ignition" loan from the City of Shaker Heights.
Source: Juma Gallery and Boutique
Writer: Lee Chilcote
The LaunchHouse Accelerator kicked off its inaugural program on September 4 with 10 technology startup companies eager to move to the next level. The program is funded through a $200,000 ONEFund grant and a $50,000 grant from Clarion Direct Investment. Each company will receive a $25,000 investment from LaunchHouse to grow their business.
“We’re quite excited,” says LaunchHouse CEO Todd Goldstein. “It’s changing the way investments are made in Northeast Ohio. With a little bit of capital we work with them to go from idea to validation.”
Goldstein describes the accelerator program as “customer-centric,” emphasizing the identification and needs of potential customers to grow the business. The 12-week program will provide mentors and instruction to the startup owners, guiding them through set goals.
“We’re hitting the ground running,” says Goldstein. “We’re not starting from scratch. We’re looking at the best innovators and how the company has grown.”
More than 60 companies from around the world applied for the accelerator. Twenty were selected to make their pitches to a panel of experts. From there, 10 companies were chosen, nine of which are from Northeast Ohio. The hope is that these 10 businesses will remain in Northeast Ohio once they are better established.
“The goal is to keep these companies in the region,” says Goldstein. “We believe Northeast Ohio is prime for an explosion of entrepreneurs.”
Source: Todd Goldstein
Writer: Karin Connelly
“We’re quite excited,” says LaunchHouse CEO Todd Goldstein. “It’s changing the way investments are made in Northeast Ohio. With a little bit of capital we work with them to go from idea to validation.”
Goldstein describes the accelerator program as “customer-centric,” emphasizing the identification and needs of potential customers to grow the business. The 12-week program will provide mentors and instruction to the startup owners, guiding them through set goals.
“We’re hitting the ground running,” says Goldstein. “We’re not starting from scratch. We’re looking at the best innovators and how the company has grown.”
More than 60 companies from around the world applied for the accelerator. Twenty were selected to make their pitches to a panel of experts. From there, 10 companies were chosen, nine of which are from Northeast Ohio. The hope is that these 10 businesses will remain in Northeast Ohio once they are better established.
“The goal is to keep these companies in the region,” says Goldstein. “We believe Northeast Ohio is prime for an explosion of entrepreneurs.”
Source: Todd Goldstein
Writer: Karin Connelly
TiE Ohio will recognize international entrepreneurs at its awards ceremony on Thursday, Sept. 20. Two Cleveland business executives, Jose Feliciano and Wayne Duigan, will be honored.
TiE Ohio is a resource for entrepreneurs to network and find mentors for their businesses. This event recognizes immigrant and American-born entrepreneurs who have taken their businesses to an international level.
“Entrepreneurs have the passion, the dream and they are willing to put themselves all in,” says Joe Cole, executive director of TiE Ohio. “We want to reward the entrepreneurs who are going global.”
Jose Feliciano, a trial lawyer with BakerHostetler, will receive the Community Catalyst Award. The award recognizes people who have supported immigrant entrepreneurs. “He’s really been in the forefront of advocacy of the immigrant entrepreneur,” adds Cole. “He has a predisposition to being an entrepreneur.”
Feliciano is the founder and chair of the Hispanic Roundtable, is former chairman of the Hispanic Leadership Development Program, founder of the Hispanic Community Forum and was a founder of the Ohio Hispanic Bar Association. He also hosts the monthly talk show, El Sol de Cleveland. “He’s really been out in the forefront,” says Cole.
Wayne Duigan, director international sales for Horizons, Inc. is nominated for the Global Entrepreneur award. “He has significantly grown Horizons’ global presence,” Cole notes. “They’ve really done a great job in establishing an international presence.”
The event will be held at the Ariel International Center at 5:30 p.m. Mark Kvamme, president and CIO of JobsOhio, will be the keynote speaker.
Source: Joe Cole
Writer: Karin Connelly
TiE Ohio is a resource for entrepreneurs to network and find mentors for their businesses. This event recognizes immigrant and American-born entrepreneurs who have taken their businesses to an international level.
“Entrepreneurs have the passion, the dream and they are willing to put themselves all in,” says Joe Cole, executive director of TiE Ohio. “We want to reward the entrepreneurs who are going global.”
Jose Feliciano, a trial lawyer with BakerHostetler, will receive the Community Catalyst Award. The award recognizes people who have supported immigrant entrepreneurs. “He’s really been in the forefront of advocacy of the immigrant entrepreneur,” adds Cole. “He has a predisposition to being an entrepreneur.”
Feliciano is the founder and chair of the Hispanic Roundtable, is former chairman of the Hispanic Leadership Development Program, founder of the Hispanic Community Forum and was a founder of the Ohio Hispanic Bar Association. He also hosts the monthly talk show, El Sol de Cleveland. “He’s really been out in the forefront,” says Cole.
Wayne Duigan, director international sales for Horizons, Inc. is nominated for the Global Entrepreneur award. “He has significantly grown Horizons’ global presence,” Cole notes. “They’ve really done a great job in establishing an international presence.”
The event will be held at the Ariel International Center at 5:30 p.m. Mark Kvamme, president and CIO of JobsOhio, will be the keynote speaker.
Source: Joe Cole
Writer: Karin Connelly
Thanks to crowdfunding sites like Kickstarter, entrepreneurs often overlooked by traditional investment sources are securing much-needed capital to launch their startups. In addition to raising cash, these sites are proving invaluable for testing new ideas, developing a customer base, gaining exposure, and launching ideas into a larger marketplace.
Tim Tramble of Burton Bell Carr Development Inc. tried for years to recruit a healthy eatery to the Kinsman neighborhood of Cleveland. When he found an entrepreneur willing to open a Subway here, however, the corporate chain nixed the idea.
The area, which has been dubbed "The Forgotten Triangle" because of the poverty and lack of opportunity rooted here, is a food desert that does not have a grocery store within a one-mile radius. That is a problem for the area's residents, many of whom don't have their own cars.
Faced with this problem, however, Tramble and his coworkers and board decided to open a community kitchen, healthy restaurant and community space. The $1.3 million project, which aims to create access to fresh foods, encourage healthy eating and support community market gardeners, opens later this month.
"This is a really low income neighborhood without much access to personal transportation, and people have to lug groceries and common things we take for granted," says Tramble of the project, which is called the Bridgeport Cafe. "They constantly shop for just two or three days at a time."
The community kitchen contains spacious, restaurant-style food preparation space that will allow neighborhood farmers to prepare their own foods for sale.
Tramble also plans to launch a Mobile Market, a specially built truck converted to an indoor market. Patrons can enter the truck, which will make stops throughout the neighborhood, pick out produce from two aisles, pay for it and exit the truck.
Source: Tim Tramble
Writer: Lee Chilcote
The area, which has been dubbed "The Forgotten Triangle" because of the poverty and lack of opportunity rooted here, is a food desert that does not have a grocery store within a one-mile radius. That is a problem for the area's residents, many of whom don't have their own cars.
Faced with this problem, however, Tramble and his coworkers and board decided to open a community kitchen, healthy restaurant and community space. The $1.3 million project, which aims to create access to fresh foods, encourage healthy eating and support community market gardeners, opens later this month.
"This is a really low income neighborhood without much access to personal transportation, and people have to lug groceries and common things we take for granted," says Tramble of the project, which is called the Bridgeport Cafe. "They constantly shop for just two or three days at a time."
The community kitchen contains spacious, restaurant-style food preparation space that will allow neighborhood farmers to prepare their own foods for sale.
Tramble also plans to launch a Mobile Market, a specially built truck converted to an indoor market. Patrons can enter the truck, which will make stops throughout the neighborhood, pick out produce from two aisles, pay for it and exit the truck.
Source: Tim Tramble
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Experienced Cleveland developer Mike DeCesare recently started construction on the Waverly Station Townhomes in Detroit Shoreway -- a 22-unit project that is the only new, for-sale housing development to break ground in the City of Cleveland this year.
"Getting the project up and running was no small task, as it proved to be impossible to find conventional bank financing for the project," he says. "We ended up doing private financing. We had investors willing to put money into it."
The project is located on a one-block stretch of land along Bridge Avenue between West 57th and 58th streets. DeCesare acquired a parcel of vacant land from Detroit Shoreway Community Development Organization and purchased several distressed multifamily properties that he tore down. These additional parcels expanded the project and will add to the sense of community, he says.
"There's a feeling of safety in numbers," he says of the $4.5 million project. "The scope of something like Waverly instills confidence in prospective buyers."
Waverly Station features high-end finishes and rooftop decks with city views. One- and two-car garage units are available, and all units include two bedrooms and two and a half baths. Energy-efficient features and 15-year, 100-percent tax abatement also are part of the community. Sales prices range from $179,900 to $209,900.
DeCesare already has several units sold and is hoping to break ground on the second building in the project later this year. Buyers have been drawn to the location within walking distance of the Gordon Square Arts District, he says.
Source: Mike DeCesare
Writer: Lee Chilcote
"Getting the project up and running was no small task, as it proved to be impossible to find conventional bank financing for the project," he says. "We ended up doing private financing. We had investors willing to put money into it."
The project is located on a one-block stretch of land along Bridge Avenue between West 57th and 58th streets. DeCesare acquired a parcel of vacant land from Detroit Shoreway Community Development Organization and purchased several distressed multifamily properties that he tore down. These additional parcels expanded the project and will add to the sense of community, he says.
"There's a feeling of safety in numbers," he says of the $4.5 million project. "The scope of something like Waverly instills confidence in prospective buyers."
Waverly Station features high-end finishes and rooftop decks with city views. One- and two-car garage units are available, and all units include two bedrooms and two and a half baths. Energy-efficient features and 15-year, 100-percent tax abatement also are part of the community. Sales prices range from $179,900 to $209,900.
DeCesare already has several units sold and is hoping to break ground on the second building in the project later this year. Buyers have been drawn to the location within walking distance of the Gordon Square Arts District, he says.
Source: Mike DeCesare
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Drawn by a craft beer scene that he considers to be among the top five in the Midwest, Cleveland native Paul Benner has moved back to town to open the Cleveland Brew Shop. His aim is to help customers make craft beer and premium wine at home.
"When I brewed my first beer, I knew that one way or another I'd do something with this," says Benner, who graduated from Baldwin Wallace University with a degree in Entrepreneurship. "I tagged Cleveland as a market in need of a shop."
The Cleveland Brew Shop will be located at 2681 West 14th Street in Tremont. The 1,200-square-foot storefront has new hardwood floors and plenty of natural light. In addition to selling ingredients and equipment, Benner plans to offer classes in homebrewing.
Although the shop does not currently have a license that allows consumption or sale of alcohol, tastings will be offered through a partnership with Bac, a restaurant that is located next door. A three-hour homebrewing class will cost about $10.
Benner says that he plans to host a soft opening for the shop around November 1st. His goal is to have the shop fully functional before the end of the year.
Source: A. Paul Benner
Writer: Lee Chilcote
"When I brewed my first beer, I knew that one way or another I'd do something with this," says Benner, who graduated from Baldwin Wallace University with a degree in Entrepreneurship. "I tagged Cleveland as a market in need of a shop."
The Cleveland Brew Shop will be located at 2681 West 14th Street in Tremont. The 1,200-square-foot storefront has new hardwood floors and plenty of natural light. In addition to selling ingredients and equipment, Benner plans to offer classes in homebrewing.
Although the shop does not currently have a license that allows consumption or sale of alcohol, tastings will be offered through a partnership with Bac, a restaurant that is located next door. A three-hour homebrewing class will cost about $10.
Benner says that he plans to host a soft opening for the shop around November 1st. His goal is to have the shop fully functional before the end of the year.
Source: A. Paul Benner
Writer: Lee Chilcote