Rebecca Dutcher 
Get to Know GROW’s Operations Manager, Amy Deel What was your first job and what did you learn from it? A grocery store bagger. I learned a lot about physical labor because I also had to take groceries to cars and take care of the recycling machines (which were much more difficult to manage then). … Read more
Cimone Casson Gets in Front of the Green Rush Cimone Casson is a leading player in one of the most quickly growing industries in the state of Michigan: marijuana. Casson is the founder and owner of Cannas Capital, an insurance agency specializing in the cannabis industry and the craft beer industry. This isn’t her first … Read more
Q&A: Cynthia Kay on Creating a Successful Virtual Event If 2020 taught is anything, it’s that virtual events are here to stay. Virtual events can be a great benefit to your business, but according to Cynthia Kay, owner of Cynthia Kay and Company media production, we have a lot to learn to make these events … Read more
6 Ways to Support Black-Owned Businesses, Long-Term Supporting black-owned businesses closes the racial wealth gap, fosters economically healthy communities, and creates jobs and opportunities. Before the pandemic, 95% of small businesses in mostly black communities had a cash buffer of 2 weeks or less. 46% of black-owned businesses closed or will be forced to close … Read more
Grand Rapids Opportunities for Women (GROW) Announces 2021 Board Members West Michigan non-profit organization, Grand Rapids Opportunities for Women (GROW), welcomes many new members to the 2021 Board of Directors to further provide strategic direction for the development of the organization. Janis Petrini, Owner and Operator, Express Employment Professionals Tracey Burke, Healthcare Consultant Catherine Kloska, … Read more
Do you know what your brand is? Branding expert Ricardo O’Neal of Aurikk shares his insight into what it is, and why it matters for your business. Q: Let’s start from the beginning! What is branding and why is it so important? A: Branding is the universal method of your business. It is the way … Read more
Basic Bee Boutique Serves Up Style for a Young Urban Demographic For Renise Warners, her business is an extension of herself. “All of the pieces of my brand represent me,” she said. “It’s my vision– everything reflects a part of me.” Warners is the owner of Basic Bee Boutique, where she sells a curated collection … Read more
An Evidence-Based Approach to Crushing Your Goals this Year Whatever you want to achieve this year– start your business, grow your business, expand a product line– SMART goal framework is almost guaranteed to help you get there. What are SMART Goals? How often do we declare vague goals (“I want to have more customers this … Read more
We’re Ready for You, 2021 2020 was challenging in ways we couldn’t have imagined in our wildest — seriously, wildest — dreams. We are proud to have pivoted and persisted in the face of the pandemic to give entrepreneurs in West Michigan the tools they needed to make it through the challenges of COVID-19. As … Read more
Robert Gillum knows his way around the kitchen — he’s worked in food service since he was 13 years old. “I tried to do other jobs,” he laughed. “But I always came back to cooking.” He developed a special love for barbeque and spent years entering competitions, perfecting his technique and flavors. As Gillum came … Read more