Entrepreneur Spotlight: Hermes Ortiz of Ortiz Art Drafts Designs

Like much in life, entrepreneurship often depends on knowing the right people. In Northeast Ohio’s Hispanic-Latino business community, the old adage rings especially true. Hermes Ortiz, owner of Ortiz Art Drafts Designs, is purposefully intertwined with his community. These days, Hermes is an established business owner, and he serves as an ambassador of sorts for

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Small Business, Big Conversations: James Barnes of Immaculate Cleaning Co.

James Barnes is building an empire, one mop bucket at a time. A Cleveland-area native, James’s entrepreneurial spark ignited early, propelling him into a journey of creating a business centered around his customer’s every need. It wasn’t long before 2011 saw the rise of Immaculate Cleaning Co., quickly becoming the gold standard for janitorial services

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Celebrating Black Brewers Day: A Toast to Ohio’s Brewing Pioneers

In the heart of Ohio, where the craft beer industry thrives, there’s a brewing revolution quietly gaining momentum. It’s a movement driven by passion, innovation and dedication to breaking barriers. This movement is embodied by the Black brewers who have been reshaping the brewing landscape in the Buckeye State. JumpStart is proud to join the

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Meet the Participants of the Cleveland Small Business Impact Program’s 19th Cohort

JumpStart’s Small Business Impact Program is a 12-week business accelerator that provides hands-on advising and industry-specific mentoring to participants. The program focuses on helping these entrepreneurs overcome key business issues, with a significant emphasis on financial projections and capital pitches. Throughout the program, participants will have the opportunity to work closely with the Impact Program

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Entrepreneur Spotlight: Brady Payne of Cleveland Rugby League

Savvy entrepreneurs know that identifying a gap in the market is a crucial first step in building a successful business. When Brady Payne’s high school friend and former football teammate, Monté Gaddis, approached him with the idea to create a North American professional rugby league, Brady’s interest piqued. A college athlete, sports enthusiast and enterprising

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10 Reasons Why “Good Old Email” Is Still the Best

In the ever-evolving world of digital marketing, trends come and go. But amidst the never-ending stream of fleeting fads and emerging technologies, email remains a constant and effective tool for increasing brand awareness and driving actionable conversions. But Freddie, it’s 2023… surely Ray Tomlinson’s 52-year-old ARPANET messaging system can’t still be the top dog in

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Celebrating Black Business Month 2023

Every August, Black Business Month invites us to champion the more than 3 million Black-owned businesses across the nation. Black Business Month was created to not only highlight Black-owned businesses in the United States, but to raise awareness of the unique challenges Black entrepreneurs face and to help shape and inform policy decisions that affect

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Entrepreneur Spotlight: The Aarons of Skin District

The Aarons are the definition of a tight-knit family. Deborah and her wife Neicya and their four children do everything together—from school to play to work. After making a mint selling handmade lip balm at their lemonade stand during a Juneteenth celebration, Deborah and Neicya asked daughters 7-year-old Raveah, 8-year-old Riley and 10-year-old Myah what

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Crafting A Community: Chris Harris of Black Frog Brewery

Like so many brewers, Chris Harris got his start in the garage, trialing new recipes to share with friends. Chris launched Black Frog Brewery soon after, inspired by his roots and his hometown of Toledo, Ohio (lovingly dubbed Frog Town). The beer took off, and his homebrewing hobby soon gained local notoriety. What started as

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Advocating for Educator Wellness: Chanelle Walker of Professional Inspiration

Chanelle Walker was forever changed by her decade as a public-school educator. She knows first-hand how joyful working with, and inspiring young people can be. She also remembers the burnout she encountered. Chanelle launched Professional Inspiration to help other teachers combat that burnout. The Cleveland-based company empowers clients to embrace wellness and self-care by offering

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Leveling Up In Style: Valerie Mayén of Yellowcake Shop

As a recent art school graduate, Valerie Mayén didn’t see her style reflected in the retail chains, so she created her own clothing line. When a dress she designed didn’t sell quickly, she took it as a signal from the market and went back to the drawing board to create what would ultimately launch her

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