Blog

Pure Michigan Microlending Initiative with MEDC & Huntington Bank. GROW is proud to be involved and a part of the Pure Michigan Microloan Initiative. You can download a PDF of our brochure for more information and details about the program, or get more information about our Microlending programs now. As Michigan continues its internationally recognized economic … Read more

The Importance of Knowing Your Customer Knowing your customer is key for any business endeavor. Successful business owners understand what their customers want and the most effective way of making their product or service available. The depth of knowledge is also crucial – it requires knowing more than their names, ages and incomes. As a … Read more

The National Women’s Business Council (NWBC) is conducting a study on how corporate supplier diversity programs can help women-owned businesses grow. As part of the research for this study, we are inviting women business owners in our database to complete a survey about their experiences in the corporate market. Whether you are currently selling to … Read more

An informative segment via The Entrepreneurial Insider with Shelley Irwin on WGVU Radio. The session covers Business Research. Guests include Jamaal Ewing, Microloan Program Manager for GROW and Grand Rapids Public Library Business Librarian Steve Assarian.

When LinkedIn launched in 2003, it changed the status of building relationships and has continued to refine and define the importance of online business networking and branding.  LinkedIn gives individuals and businesses a professional online community to meet, socialize, interact, and learn from each other. Unlike most social channels, time spent on LinkedIn is invested … Read more

An informative segment via The Entrepreneurial Insider with Shelley Irwin on WGVU Radio. The session is about transitioning from freelance to full-time business ownership with Mary Brown, Program Manager at GROW and special guest Veronica Kirin of Green Cup Design.

Starting out in business can be very overwhelming. We’ve heard many times from our clients that coming up with the idea was the easiest thing to accomplish on their road to successful entrepreneurship. To help with some of the hurdles you may be encountering, adopt these four strategies: 1. Surround yourself with invaluable resources. This … Read more

With apologies to baseball and your mother’s apple pie, nothing is more American than National Small Business Week. Our country was founded by risk-taking pioneers in search of new horizons. More than two centuries later, what sets America apart in the world is the willingness of our entrepreneurs to take risks. Small businesses allow Americans … Read more

Volunteering isn’t just something nice that people do – volunteers are critical partners in GROW’s quest to serve those seeking economic independence through launching, expanding and sustaining their businesses. Our volunteers have an enormous impact on our day-to-day operations and also through our monthly workshops and training sessions and special events. We have many ways … Read more

GROW is proud to host the SBA Dialogue with the Director Roundtable on Wednesday, April 29 from 9:30 am to 11:30 am at YWCA West Central Michigan in Grand Rapids.  SBA District Director Gerald Moore will host a small business roundtable that gives you an opportunity to talk about your business goals and find out how the SBA can … Read more