Tag Archives: Think Local First

Local entrepreneurs Jean Henry, Lisa Waud and Helen Harding on what it means to be “Small and Mighty”

We didn’t announce it until this evening, but the October recipient of the Ann Arbor Awesome Foundation’s monthly $1,000 cash grant was Small & Mighty, the scrappy, little entrepreneurial support network created in the fall of 2012 by brilliant local shit-stirrers Jean Henry, Helen Harding and the cheese-loving Lisa Waud. What follows is a transcript […]

Posted in Ann Arbor, Detroit, entrepreneurism, Local Business, Michigan, Uncategorized | Also tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 25 Comments

Should Ypsi withdraw from the Ann Arbor – Ypsilanti Chamber of Commerce?

It’s been brought to my attention that, during Tuesday’s Ypsi City Council meeting, Pete Murdock will request a vote on a resolution to terminate the City’s relationship with the Ann Arbor – Ypsilanti Regional Chamber of Commerce. “To paraphrase the Governor,” said Murdock in a message that I received earlier this evening, “we are exercising […]

Posted in Politics, Ypsilanti | Also tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 20 Comments

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

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 , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Might a local currency be in our future?

I just heard from Ingrid Ault, the Executive Director of Think Local First, that her organization has been awarded a $5,000 grant from the Ann Arbor Downtown Development Authority to study the feasibility of a local currency here in the Ypsi-Arbor area. And, as it’s something we’ve discussed passionately here in the past, I thought […]

Posted in Ann Arbor, Economics, Locally Owned Business, Special Projects, Ypsilanti | Also tagged , , , , | 33 Comments

Interview with new Think Local First director, Ingrid Ault

Over the past week or so, I’ve been exchanging emails with Ingrid Ault, the director of the locally-owned business advocacy group Think Local First. Following, with her permission, is our exchange… Mark: It’s my understanding that a few communities in the United States are considering, or have recently passed laws that would keep national chains, […]

Posted in Local Business, Other, Ypsilanti | Also tagged , , , , , | 9 Comments

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