Mark Maynard

Michael Shuman… there’s a local business revolution on the horizon, and we can make it happen

By Mark | February 3, 2013

Last week, I had the opportunity to spend a day with economist and author Michael Shuman. Shuman, for those of you who aren’t familiar with his work, is probably our nation’s foremost authority on the importance of cultivating, supporting and investing in local businesses. The stated purpose of his visit to Ann Arbor, which was [...]

Posted in Economics, Local Business, Locally Owned Business, Michigan, Uncategorized | Also tagged Amy Cortese, Austin, banks, Book People, Borders, business attraction, business retention, Colgate-Palmolive, crowdfunding, Daryl Issa, economic development, Economics, Google, investing, IRA, local investing, locavesting, Michael Shuman, Mission Markets, Oregon, Securities and Exchange Commission, self-dircted IRA, self-directed IRA, smart growth, startup investing, tax abatements, Tom’s of Maine, triple bottom line, walkability, Washtenaw County Economic Development, Washtenaw County Office of Community & Economic Development | 29 Comments

The biggest post-election losers… Or, six old white men that need to be set adrift on ice floes

By Mark | November 14, 2012

Bobby Jindal, the Republican Governor of Louisiana, when asked a few days ago to reflect on the election, said, “We cannot be, we must not be, the party that simply protects the rich so they get to keep their toys.” Sure, he’s probably lying, but I still think it’s safe to say that this comment, [...]

Posted in Observations, Politics, Uncategorized | Also tagged Albert Mohler, ALEC, American Crossroads, Americans for Tax Reform, anti-government, Ashley Judd, Bill Kristol, billionaires, Birthers, Bobby Jindal, bribery, Bush tax cuts, casinos, Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, Crossroads GPS, CrossroadsGPS, dark money, Dean Heller, Department of Justice, evangelical, fiscal cliff, Frank Wolf, Grover Norquist, immigration reform, Libertarianism, Macau, Megyn Kelly, Miriam Ochsorn, Mitch McConnell, Move to Amend, Nevada, Obama, organized crime, racketeering, Republican strategy, revolution, Romney, Romney. obstructionism, Saxby Chambliss, Securities Exchange Commission, Senate, Shaun Casey, Sheldon Adelson, starve the beast, Super PAC, tax the rich, Taxpayer Protection Pledge, tea party, The Apprentice, The Simpsons | 34 Comments

Author Amy Cortese on the burgeoning “locavesting” movement, and how we can harness it in Michigan

By Mark | October 25, 2012

Next Tuesday, October 30, Think Local First will be bringing author Amy Cortese to Ann Arbor to discuss her book Locavesting: The Revolution in Local Investing and How to Profit From It. Following is my interview with Amy, who, in addition to being a published author, has written for the likes of the New York [...]

Posted in Ann Arbor, Economics, entrepreneurism, Local Business, Locally Owned Business, Retail, Uncategorized, Ypsilanti | Also tagged Accelerating Community Capital, American Sustainable Business Council, Amy Cortese, Arbor Brewing Company, blood funnel, blue sky laws, butchershop, buy local, CDFI, Chamber of Commerce, Clare, community development loan funds, Cops & Doughnuts, crowdfunding, CSA, Dante Hesse, economic development, interviews, investing, Jobs Act, Judy Wicks, Jumpstart Our Business Startups, Kickstarter, LION, lobbying, local investing, Local Investing Opportunities Network, Localist, locavesting, Locavesting: The Revolution in Local Investing and How to Profit From It, Main Street vs. Wall Street, Matt Greff, Milk Thistle Farm, move your money to a credit union, Obama, Occupy Wall Street, Port Townsend, Port Townsend LION, private placement, public offering, Rene Greff, Securities and Exchange Commission, single-payer system, Slow Money, Small Business Administration, Stacy Mitchell, subsidies, tax loopholes, tax reform, The Big Box Swindle, The Brinery, Think Local First, unaccredited investors, Woody Tasch, Zingerman's | 7 Comments

Accelerating Community Capital (part one)… at the BALLE 2012 conference

By Mark | May 17, 2012

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 [...]

Posted in Economics, entrepreneurism, Uncategorized | Also tagged Awaken Café, BALLE, big box retail, biomimicry, Business Alliance for Local Living Economies, Capital Institute, Capitalism, Catskills, Co-op Power, co-ops, Common Market, cool local initiatives, Coop Power, credit unions, crowdfunding, CSA, Cutting Edge Capital, Direct Public Offerings, Don Shaffer, Equal Exchange, Erin Kilmer Neel, financial reform, financing local companies, general store, Harlem, investing, investing in the future, Jenny Kassan, Jobs Act, John Fullerton, JPMorgan Chase, liquidity, Little City Gardens, Local Economies Project, local economy, local investing, Localvesting, Lynn Benander, Marty Gay, Michael Shuman, Michelle Long, micro-financing, Move Your Money Project, move your money to a credit union, New World Foundation, Oakland, off-grid, personal finances, Port Townsend, Port Townsend LION, Quimper Mercantile Company, regenerative capitalism, resilience, resiliency, RSF Social Finance, SCOR, Securities and Exchange Commission, Slow Money, Small Company Offering Registration, South Bronx, startup investing, Sustainability, unaccredited investors, Washington State, what is wealth, White Dog Cafe | 12 Comments

Financial reform bill emerges from committee, but is it any good?

By Mark | June 26, 2010

I know that a number of consumer groups and unions are coming forward to support the financial reform bill that came out of conference committee on Friday. Among those singing the praises of the bill is Elizabeth Warren, the woman who heads the congressional panel overseeing the government’s bailout of American banks, whom I quote [...]

Posted in Economics, Rants | Also tagged auto dealers, banking reform, Bob Rubin, Commodities and Futures Modernization Act, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Dylan Ratigan, Elizabeth Warren, everage exemption, financial reform, Glass-Steagall Act, Hank Paulson, investment banks, Larry Summers, mark to myth, National Automobile Dealers Association, Obama, too big to fail, Wall Street, Wall Street bailouts, Wall Street bonuses | 2 Comments

Tag Archives: SEC

Michael Shuman… there’s a local business revolution on the horizon, and we can make it happen

The biggest post-election losers… Or, six old white men that need to be set adrift on ice floes

Author Amy Cortese on the burgeoning “locavesting” movement, and how we can harness it in Michigan

Financial reform bill emerges from committee, but is it any good?

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