Impact Program Spotlight: Katie Melnick of Fizz Creative
Fizz creative is an award-winning strategic design & branding studio founded on the concept that the best brand connections occur beyond the logo. Run by Katie and Jasen Melnick, the company specializes in developing strong, confident visual systems that create more memorable businesses. COVID-19 made it impossible for us to connect in person with Katie
Impact Program Spotlight: Lisha Navarro of Elite Events & Weddings
Lisha Navarro’s Elite Events & Weddings is a one-stop-shop for event coordination and planning services. Coordinators consult with each client to discover their vision and budget and consider all the senses: sight, smell, sound, touch and taste to create an unforgettable experience that meets the needs of every client. COVID-19 made it impossible for us
Impact Program Spotlight: Abbey Markiewitz & Julia Gramenz of Fetch & Co.
Launched by two stay-at-home moms turned small business owners, Fetch & Co. is a clothing boutique with a mission to make sure women feel beautiful and comfortable in their clothes. Abbey Markiewitz and Julia Gramenz have grown the company by creating highly curated selections that complement each other from season to season and are always
Impact Program Spotlight: Denisha Anderson of Cleveland Flower Walls
Denisha Anderson created Cleveland Flower Walls in January 2019 after created her first flower wall as a DIY project for her own wedding. Now, the company offers the service to clients, hand-setting each custom cut flower into a wall designed specifically for each customer’s needs. COVID-19 made it impossible for us to connect in person
Impact Program Spotlight: Rashida Vanleer-McHargh of Iron Koi
Rashida VanLeer-McHargh is the founder of Iron Koi, a certified personal training service offering private studio training, group training, in-home/in-office training sessions, event appearances and competition prep coaching. Inspired by the koi fish – Iron Koi symbolizes strength, personal determination, perseverance over adversity and inevitable success. COVID-19 made it impossible for us to connect in person
Toledo’s Center of Hope Family Services Finds New Ways to Serve During a Pandemic
Toledo nonprofit Center of Hope Family Services is built on face-to-face interactions, as they help support vulnerable families and children in the city’s urban core. When COVID-19 forced this Northwest Ohio Impact Program participant to shut down their physical location, they knew they needed to reinvent their methods to serve their clients, who need their
SurgiHealth Solutions Helps Hospitals Access Critical Protective Equipment
Cincinnati-based SurgiHealth Solutions supplies sterile processing products to hospitals and surgery centers. The bulk of their business comes from supplies needed to clean and reprocess surgical instruments for surgeries. Demand for these supplies has fallen off in the wake of COVID-19 due to the national ban on elective surgeries. However, demand for personal protective equipment (PPE)
JumpStart’s Core City: Cleveland and Northwest Ohio Impact Programs Will Split Prize Money Equally and Eliminate Upcoming Showcase Events
In February 2020 JumpStart kicked off its third Northwest Ohio Impact Program and its ninth Core City: Cleveland Impact Program. Then COVID-19 hit our communities and we were forced to pivot our approach for these two cohorts, continuing to teach virtual class sessions while altering curriculum to meet the rapidly evolving needs of all the
BoxCast sees massive spike in demand during COVID-19
Cleveland-based BoxCast is one of the rare companies experiencing a massive uptick in business during the COVID-19 pandemic. The company specializes in live-streaming technology, which has made them very popular with organizations who are canceling in-person events and gatherings all around the world in an effort to stop the spread of the COVID-19. Here’s an
Meet Cohort Nine of the Core City: Cleveland Impact Program
We are excited to welcome the ninth cohort to our Core City: Cleveland Impact Program! This 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. Over the next three months, these entrepreneurs will be learning and
Meet Our Newest Portfolio Company: MedPilot
In early February, Cleveland AI startup MedPilot announced it has raised $1.5M in its latest funding round, bringing its total capital raised to $3.6M. JumpStart provided funding for this latest round alongside Cleveland attorney Jon Pinney, North Coast Angel Fund, Valley Growth Ventures, Wavemaker Three-Sixty Health and Hudson River Capital. READ MORE ABOUT MEDPILOT’S LATEST
Daron Henderson Takes $10K Grand Prize At Core City: Cleveland Entrepreneur Showcase
On Wednesday, December 4, Core City: Cleveland Impact Program participant Daron Henderson delivered the winning pitch for his business, Lo-Key Entertainment during the program’s culminating entrepreneur showcase—taking home the top prize of $10,000. Lo-Key Entertainment offers a variety of premium entertainment services including DJing, uplighting, photo booths and promotional printing. DJs from Lo-Key have performed all over the