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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Entrepreneur Spotlight: Amy Witzigreuter of Witzi’s Raw Granola

Back when Amy Witizigreuter’s son was young, she was a mother on a mission. Faced with multiple health problems, including an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) diagnosis, Amy was doing everything in her power to help her son Paul find relief and optimize his health outcomes. By the time he was eight, Paul had received both

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Entrepreneur Spotlight: David Levine, My Home Park

David Levine is hooked on entrepreneurship. Now on his third venture, Levine credits his enterprising spirit to his father, who owned and operated a drug store in New England. Along with being innovative, Levine says his dad was “un-hirable.” “He couldn’t work for anybody—it was just his personality,” Levine explains. Indeed, there’s a certain type

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Entrepreneur Spotlight: Nicole Paolozzi, OndeCare

It is often said that ‘necessity is the mother of invention,’ and for Nicole Paolozzi, founder of OndeCare, her past life as a single mom working a demanding job in Chicago planted the seeds for her current company’s success. “Back then, when I was traveling to the UK every six weeks, I used to dream

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Entrepreneur Spotlight: Saidah Farrell, Marshmallow of the Month Club

Business growth looks different for every entrepreneur. For some, it could mean product diversification or entering new markets, for others it could mean opening a storefront or upgrading technology. For Saidah Farrell, owner of Marshmallow of the Month Club, growing her company that creates subscription boxes of artisan marshmallows, freshly baked graham crackers and chef-inspired

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Video: Northwest Ohio Impact Program Spring 2021 Entrepreneur Showcase

On Wednesday, May 12, the fifth cohort of the Northwest Ohio 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

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WOVU JumpStart Fridays, Episode 18: Cleveland Favorites – Cathy’s Gourmet Ice Cream Sandwiches and Cleveland Flower Walls

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, Cathy Greene,

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WOVU JumpStart Fridays, Episode 17: Keeping Our Resolutions – Fitness Tips from Local Experts

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, Rashida

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Netra Hilliard Of MoeHill Trashout Wins $10,000 Grand Prize At Our Fall 2020 Northwest Ohio Entrepreneur Showcase

On Tuesday, December 1, Northwest Ohio Impact Program participant Netra Hilliard delivered the winning pitch for her business, MoeHill Trashout, during the program’s culminating entrepreneur showcase—taking home the top prize of $10,000. Launched in 2014, MoeHill Trashout was created to provide a high-quality property management and janitorial solution to the community. Netra is a Toledo native and

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WOVU JumpStart Fridays, Episode 4: Entrepreneurship During COVID-19 with Barbara Bradford and Lisa McGuthry

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 episode 4, we hear

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Video: Core City: Cleveland Impact Program Fall 2020 Showcase

On Wednesday, December 2, the tenth cohort of the Core City: Cleveland Impact Program participated in a virtual version of their culminating showcase event. This event was an online demo-day-style competition where the seven program participants used their new knowledge and skills to present their pitch to a panel of judges for a chance to

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