Tag Archives: business models

Ypsi Book Co-op meeting tonight at 7:30

By Mark | December 1, 2014

Several months ago, our local used bookstore, Cross Street Books, was shut down by the City for various code violations. This led to a spirited conversation here on the site, during which almost everyone, regardless of how they felt about Cross Street Books, seemed to agree that, in order to have a thriving downtown, Ypsilanti […]

Posted in Shadow Art Fair, Special Projects, Water Street Commons, Ypsilanti | Also tagged Ben Miller, Black Stone, books, business ideas, co-ops, cooperatives, Cross Street Books, independent bookstores, Retail, Richard Murphy | 17 Comments

Paul Saginaw sets the record straight on employee ownership and participation within an evolving Zingerman’s, contemplates the future without him

By Mark | June 24, 2014

As I suspect most of you know, a few days ago the Business Insider posted an article stating that, in the near future, Zingerman’s would be transitioning to a “worker-owned cooperative”. As you may not know, however, the folks at Zingerman’s quickly came out to say this wasn’t the case. While they were indeed planning […]

Posted in Ann Arbor, entrepreneurism, Food, Local Business, Locally Owned Business | Also tagged Alissa Barron-Menza, Ari Weinzweig, BALLE, brand identity, Business Alliance for Local Living Economies, consensus, cooperatives, corporate structure, Dancing Sandwich Enterprises, employee ownership, equity, ESOPs, intellectual property, Paul Saginaw, SEC, Securities and Exchange Commission, succession planning, sucessation, Zingerman's, Zingerman's Community of Businesses | 28 Comments

Zingerman’s to explore cooperative structure and shared employee ownership

By Mark | June 18, 2014

Over the past several months, I’d heard from a few reputable sources that the folks at Zingerman’s were exploring the possibility of transitioning to a business model in which their 600-some employees would share ownership to some degree. And, a few weeks ago, when I’d heard that an unknown person had edited the company’s Wikipedia […]

Posted in Ann Arbor, entrepreneurism, Food, Uncategorized | Also tagged Ari Weinzweig, co-ops, Paul Saginaw, worker ownership, Zingerman's, Zingerman's Community of Businesses | 29 Comments

Donald Harrison to launch FUSE: Mobile Microcinema series with A2Awesome grant

By Mark | November 6, 2013

A few days ago, the Ann Arbor Awesome Foundation handed over $1,000 in cash to local filmmaker Donald Harrison, who had applied for a grant in order to launch a new local film series. After our meeting, I took the opportunity to ask ask Donald a few questions about the local film scene, and his […]

Posted in A2Awesome, Ann Arbor, Art and Culture, entrepreneurism, Uncategorized | Also tagged Ann Arbor Film Festival, art film, Awesome Foundation, Donald Harrison, experimental film, Film, film making, Forest Juziuk, FUSE: Mobile Microcinema, George Manupelli, HOTT LAVA, independent film, John Roos, Leslie Raymond, microcinema, MOCAD, Roos Roast, Shadow Art Fair, Shadowbox Cinema, underground film | 23 Comments

It might be too early to announce the company’s death, but good riddance to Groupon

By Mark | March 2, 2013

I’ve never liked Groupon. Rightly or wrongly, I’ve always thought that the company, and it’s well-known “daily deals,” were bad for small businesses. My sense, and I’ve had it verified by a few business owners, is that they gravitate toward Groupon when they’re desperate, offering deep, unsustainable discounts to Groupon users, who, for the most […]