Three Building Blocks To Create A More Inclusive Work Environment

“Diversity is the mix. Inclusion is making the mix work.” — Andres Tapia, global diversity & inclusion solutions leader, Korn Ferry Hay Group Now that you’ve enhanced your recruiting and hiring processes to build a team which reflects diverse perspectives and experiences, you’re done, right? Well, not exactly. There’s more to be completed before your

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Urban Kutz Barbershop Takes Top Prize At The Core City: Cleveland Entrepreneur Showcase

On December 6, Core City: Cleveland Impact Program participant Waverly Willis pitched his business, Urban Kutz Barbershop, during the program’s culminating entrepreneur showcase—taking home the top prize of $10,000 to grow his business. At Urban Kutz, Waverly juggles duty as a part-time marriage counselor, psychiatrist, spiritual advisor, voice of reason and expert listener, all while

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Five Questions With Our Favorite Things Boutique Founder Lisa McGuthry

Decades ago, Lisa McGuthry’s grandmother sold peanuts at baseball and football games in Cleveland Municipal Stadium. She grew her operation by employing many neighborhood children and provided many with their very first job. In 2002, Lisa decided to take a page from her grandmother’s book when she founded her own business, Our Favorite Things Boutique,

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Five Questions With Backattack Snacks Founder Lauren Back

Poor snacking habits aren’t easy to shake, and most of us are no stranger to the struggle of finding alternative, guilt-free options that are just as delicious as they are nourishing. To help change that, husband and wife team Brian and Lauren Back founded BackAttack Snacks. Their company offers tasty, healthy snacking alternatives, including certified

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Five Questions With Getting Our Babies To College 101 Founder Jowan Smith

Paying for college is difficult for many families, but the burden is often far greater for single parents, and even more so for single parents that head low-income households. Jowan Smith doesn’t want the dream of obtaining a college degree to be out of reach for any child, no matter their family’s financial situation. This

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Cleveland Council On World Affairs Hosts Entrepreneurs From Latin America And The Caribbean

Each year, the Cleveland Council on World Affairs (CCWA) coordinates programs with the U.S. Department of State that bring hundreds of international visitors–professionals, students and government leaders–to the Cleveland area. It’s all part of the organization’s mission to foster global awareness of Northeast Ohio as a hotbed of innovation and entrepreneurship. This year, CCWA has

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Three Tips To Build A Hiring Process That Attracts Diverse Talent

As a leader, you’re bound to have seen at least a few pieces of literature outlining the many benefits — financial and otherwise — of diverse teams in the workplace. You probably already know teams that embrace diversity enjoy a distinct competitive advantage over teams that succumb to sameness. But how do you go about

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Entrepreneur Insight: Alysha Ellis, Healthy Living Kitchen

Since 2015, Alysha Ellis and her mother have been transforming the lives of Northeast Ohio residents as the creators of Healthy Living Kitchen, a foundational vehicle aimed at empowering individuals to make healthy food and lifestyle choices that can be sustained throughout their lives. Healthy Living Kitchen offers cooking classes and educational workshops that help

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JumpStart Celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month

Every year from September 15 to October 15, the U.S. celebrates National Hispanic Heritage Month, highlighting the contributions and the culture of Americans whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America. The celebration runs across two months because September 15 marks the anniversary of independence for five Latin American nations (Costa

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Meet Our Core City: Cleveland Impact Program’s Fall 2017 Cohort

We are excited to welcome the fourth cohort to our Core City: Cleveland Impact Program! As the name implies, the 12-week business assistance program is designed to drive economic impact in the city of Cleveland by helping individuals overcome obstacles to entrepreneurship through hands-on advising and industry-specific mentoring. The free program accepted five aspiring entrepreneurs

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Step Out Of Your Echo Chamber To Gain A New Perspective

“I like friends who have independent minds because they tend to make you see problems from all angles.” — Nelson Mandela Human beings have a natural tendency to surround themselves with those who share similar backgrounds and ideas. We’re all biologically programmed to avoid discomfort, and focusing your time and attention on those who share

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Five Questions With Healthy Living Kitchen’s Founder Alysha Ellis

Put simply, Alysha Ellis is transforming lives. In 2015, The Cleveland State MBA student teamed with her mother to found Healthy Living Kitchen, a foundational vehicle aimed at empowering individuals to make healthy food and lifestyle choices that can be sustained throughout their lives. Healthy Living Kitchen offers cooking classes and educational workshops that help

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