Five Questions With Sharia Livingston of Living Rich

Living Rich apparel is a unisex, high-quality streetwear brand that prides itself on high-end quality and affordable prices, highlighting the idea that value is determined by self—not a price tag.   How did you get your idea or concept for your business? The idea behind Living Rich literally came from a combination of my daughter

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Five Questions with Mary Johnson of Vitiman Kandie

Inspired by her own fitness journey, Mary launched Vitiman Kandie to provide an innovative line of natural herbs and juices for hopeful spirits in pursuit of improving their personal health. Her flagship cafes offer fresh cold-pressed juices, herbal supplements and healthy meals.   How did you get the idea for your business? After losing 120lbs

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Five Questions With Eduardo Rodriguez of Café Social Latinoamericano

Café Social coffee shop offers exclusively sourced coffee from Latin America and culturally inspired desserts. Eduardo offers not only a place for authentic café favorites but a place in the city for sharing and learning about Latin American cultures and ideas.    How did you COME UP WITH THE concept for your business? The name

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Five Questions With Brittany Nichols of House of B Jewels

House of B Jewels is a carefully curated collection of jewelry for the unique and the fashion-forward.  Established in 2014, House of B Jewels boutique specializes in timeless accessories for all occasions and offers jewelry repairs and custom pieces.    How did you get your idea for your business?  Jewelry has always been in my

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Five Questions with Jumar Newell of LaunchArts Media

LaunchArt Media serves small businesses and brands who are looking for stand-out creative marketing. A product of Jumar’s career in corporate marketing and PR,  LaunchArt Media provides brands of various industries with memorable advertising through media and design services.   How did you come up with the idea for your business? I was working in

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Meet Cohort Eleven of the Cleveland Small Business Impact Program

Congratulations to the graduates of the eleventh cohort of our Small Business Impact Program. This 12-week business accelerator program is designed to help individuals overcome obstacles to 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, with

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Ripple Effect: Startups and Small Business Make Up Vital Part Of Regional Economy

Jobs, wages and economic growth are topics frequently covered at the dinner table and boardroom alike, because these things impact our lives and communities in significant ways. Adding to the conversation, this week JumpStart released its annual economic impact report indicating startups and small businesses engaged with JumpStart and its partners generated more than $1.2

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Angela Flowers Built A Business To Change Kids’ Lives

Angela Flowers has spent her career counseling at-risk kids challenged with mental health and social issues. Her years working in Cleveland’s public schools showed her the power of providing intervention directly in the learning environment. That set the stage for her to develop a business model to bring specialized support to as many kids as

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5 Things To Consider Before Starting A Business

Entrepreneurship has its perks. Owning your own business can put you in control of your life, your career and your financial future. But as any small business owner knows, entrepreneurship has its challenges too. It can be risky, stressful and even lonely, which is why JumpStart advisors are here to assist! JumpStart helps entrepreneurs start

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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

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Five Questions with Vicki and Stephen Kotris of Cleveland Cookie Dough Company

Cleveland Cookie Dough Company is a mobile business serving edible cookie dough, ice cream sundaes and more via its mobile food truck, nicknamed “Chip.” Recently named the second-best food truck in Cleveland by Cleveland Scene, the company publishes its mobile locations on its website and also offered a variety of catering options for individual clients.

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