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
Small Business, Big Conversations: Emily Harpel of Art of Sucre
In 2016, Emily Harpel was inspired to give a nostalgic childhood treat a chic upgrade. Emily secured all of the social media handles, ordered her first machine and Art of Sucre was born. Emily launched @artofsucre as an events-based business, spinning out-of-the-box flavors of cotton candy at weddings, parties and concerts. In 2020, Emily knew
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
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
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
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
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
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
From Light Bulb Moment To Industry Leader, Wireless Environment Illuminates Cleveland’s Culture Of Innovation
David Levine and Michael Recker were tired of the same old lighting fixtures: the kind with tangles of wires and a complicated installation process that required an electrician. So, they set out to create a simpler, more cost-effective solution: bright, efficient, wireless lighting that could be easily installed anywhere. The Solution Wireless Environment launched
This Entrepreneur Brings A New Groove To Downtown
Anjua Maximo was working at fashion giant lululemon while teaching fitness in Los Angeles when she was first inspired to open a boutique studio focused on fitness and personal development. When her career led her to Cleveland, Anjua decided it was time to make the dream a reality. Her first consideration: Was there even a
OnShift’s Visionary Technology Solves Big Workforce Challenges
Mark Woodka and his partners wanted to solve the costly challenges of managing the senior care workforce. Post-acute care and senior living providers often deal with workforce shortages, high turnover rates and wage pressures that chip away at the bottom line. Mark and his team knew that the right technology could improve employee engagement, business
Rust Belt Riders Is Turning Food Waste Into Gold
Daniel Brown and Michael Robinson spent many years working in the restaurant industry, seeing exactly how much food ends up in the trash. Aware of the stark reality that nearly 40% of food is wasted*, they were inspired to find a productive use for that waste. THE SOLUTION They started by collecting compostable food