[VIDEO] Cleveland Small Business Impact Program Summer 2021 Entrepreneur Showcase

On Wednesday, September 9, the 12th cohort of the Cleveland Small Business Impact Program participated in a virtual version of their culminating showcase event. This event was an online demo-day-style competition where program participants used their new knowledge and skills to present their pitch to a panel of judges for a chance to take home

Read Story

5 Questions With Shantae Lipscomb of Roll On In

The Roll On In franchise offers its customers unique sushi and burrito creations made with fresh multi-cultural ingredients that bring their food flavors to new levels. Shantae Lipscomb’s fast-casual restaurant serves a variety of sushi-inspired dishes such as sushi tacos and donuts. We caught up with Shantae to learn more about her and her business

Read Story

5 Questions With Mondie Gonzales of Escape In 60

Inspired by her friends’ love of escape rooms, Mondie Gonzales’s Escape in 60 Cleveland offers thrill-seekers five fully immersive and unique escape room experiences as well as event planning services and customizable events. We caught up with Mondie to learn more about her and her business as she readies to present in the culminating showcase

Read Story

5 Questions With Chris Harvan Of Memento Memorials

Artists Chris and Shelley Harvan created Memento Memorials to provide handmade, heartfelt cremation urns for those looking for modern and personalized memorialization keepsakes. We caught up with Chris to learn more about the couple and their business as they get ready to present in the culminating showcase of our summer 2021 Small Business Impact Program

Read Story

5 Questions With Stacey Ferguson of Lookfabulous LLC

Created from Stacey’s love of crochet, the Lookfabulous online shop provides customized apparel and specialized gifts to customers who want to look and live “outside of the box.” We caught up with owner Stacey Ferguson to learn more about her and her business as she readies to present in the culminating showcase of our summer

Read Story

5 Questions with Tina Haldiman of Larchmere Fire Works

Larchmere Fire Works provides one-of-a-kind blacksmithing and glassblowing combo classes with private, hands-on, one-on-one instruction to those seeking unique experiences. We caught up with founder Tina Haldiman to learn more about her and her business as she readies to present in the culminating showcase of our summer 2021 Small Business Impact Program cohort.   How did

Read Story

5 Questions With Allison Craig Of The Sweet Fix Bakery

Located in the Cedar-Lee neighborhood of Cleveland Heights, The Sweet Fix Bakery offers customers a variety of delicious desserts and sweet treats through its retail, wholesale and catering services. We caught up with owner Allison Craig to learn more about her and her business as she readies to present in the culminating showcase of our

Read Story

Meet Cohort Twelve Of The Cleveland Small Business Impact Program

Congratulations to the graduates of the twelfth cohort of our Small Business Impact Program. This 12-week business accelerator program is designed to help individuals overcome the obstacles of entrepreneurship through hands-on advising and industry-specific mentoring. Over the course of the program, these entrepreneurs worked together alongside JumpStart’s Impact Program team to tackle key business issues,

Read Story

WOVU JumpStart Fridays, Episode 32: Impact Program Entrepreneur Spotlight – Jumar Newell and Leatron Twitty

JumpStart and WOVU 95.9FM have partnered to bring you JumpStart Fridays, a show focused on supporting small businesses and entrepreneurs in Cleveland. Over the coming weeks, you’ll hear from local business owners, business assistance and funding experts, community organizations and more as we dive into live and honest conversations about entrepreneurship. In this week’s episode, Jumar Newell of

Read Story

4 Things Startups Need To Know About Social Media Measurement

Social media has given startups and small businesses an incredible opportunity to reach and engage with their consumers directly. But understanding how to measure social media’s impact leaves many startups scratching their heads. In fact, even large companies often struggle with the fact that each new channel has its own terms and analytics platforms that

Read Story

WOVU JumpStart Fridays, Episode 31: Impact Program Entrepreneur Spotlight – Eduardo Rodriguez

JumpStart and WOVU 95.9FM have partnered to bring you JumpStart Fridays, a show focused on supporting small businesses and entrepreneurs in Cleveland. Over the coming weeks, you’ll hear from local business owners, business assistance and funding experts, community organizations and more as we dive into live and honest conversations about entrepreneurship. In this episode, Eduardo Rodriguez, owner and founder of Café Social LatinoAmericano

Read Story

Looking For Leads? Technology Can Help

Healthy revenue begins and ends with a predictable sales pipeline. But how do you actually build that pipeline? Fortunately, technology affords businesses several highly effective options for prospecting clients and generating qualified leads. Here are a few tried and true techniques:   Optimize your website for search engines Search engine optimization is a powerful and

Read Story