By Mark | February 19, 2013
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 A2Awesome, Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti Regional Chamber of Commerce, Blake Reetz, business ethics, business owners who get it, capitalization, Cliff Bell’s, EAT, Helen Harding, Jean Henry, Jefferson Market, Lisa Waud, Michael Shuman, networking, Open City, Pot and Box, Small and Mighty, small business, Sweet Heather Anne, The Wedding Party, Young Entrepreneurial People |
By Mark | December 14, 2012
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 Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti Regional Chamber of Commerce, consolidation of services, hypocrisy, local income tax, Michigan Ladder, Paul Schreiber, Pete Murdock, Rick Snyder, Stop City Income Tax, Tom Harrison, Ypsilanti City Council |
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, SEC, 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, unaccredited investors, Woody Tasch, Zingerman's |
By Mark | February 15, 2010
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 […]
By Mark | February 1, 2009
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, […]