On last night’s episode of the Saturday Six Pack, I talked with Ypsi Community Schools (YCS) art teacher Lynne Settles, an Ypsi High student by the name of Paris, Jackson-based artist Douglas Jones, and local historian Matt Siegfried about a new mural that, thanks to their tireless efforts, and the efforts of a good many […]
Tag Archives: cool local initiatives
ZipCap: empowering America’s most loved local businesses by transforming customer loyalty into working capital
In spite of the billboards around town by local banks claiming to support homegrown businesses, the truth is, when our small “mom and pop” stores need capital, it’s almost impossible to come by. When a local restaurant, for instance, needs capital to grow, or to make it through lean times, there are few options, in […]
The Oakwood Seed
Earlier this month, in a post about the first annual MarkMaynard.com Ypsilantian of the Year award, I mentioned several people who had been nominated for the distinction. One of those was a 9 year old girl named Juna, who publishes a small newspaper called the Oakwood Seed. She was nominated by Rob Hess, the man […]
Accelerating Community Capital (part one)… at the BALLE 2012 conference
I spent the day in Grand Rapids, participating in a workshop on new models that are evolving for local businesses to raise capital from lenders, investors and donors, at the 10th annual conference of the Business Alliance for Living Local Economies (BALLE). What follow are my rough notes, for those of you who care about […]
Zingerman’s co-founder Paul Saginaw on the importance of robust local business ecosystems, the upcoming BALLE conference in Grand Rapids, and the meaning of “real prosperity”
For the first time ever, the Business Alliance for Local Living Economies (BALLE) will be holding its national, annual conference for independently owned, socially responsible businesses, here, in Michigan. The meeting, which is being called Real Prosperity Starts Here, is scheduled to take place in Grand Rapids this May, and, as of right now, I’m […]