Blog

How to Register Your Small Business in Michigan You’ve decided to start a small business – congratulations! This is a very exciting (and busy!) time and you’ve got a lot of decisions to make, but one of the very first steps you take should be registering your business and obtaining a formal license. This may … Read more

Cyber Security – What You Need to Know to Protect Yourself and Your Small Business Here’s something to think about: according to Forbes, about half of small businesses experience a cyber-attack, yet 87% of small business owners don’t think they are at risk. Hackers just go after the big dogs, right? Wrong. Small businesses are … Read more

Board Retreat & Client Visits Our board of directors recently embarked on a unique retreat to get out and meet the small business owners and entrepreneurs we work with every day. This included meeting at the GROW offices to be chauffeured by one of West Michigan’s newest private driving services, iRide Smart. You can find … Read more

Why You Should Consider a Microloan for Your Startup If you’re planning to start your own business, you probably already know that startup capital is difficult to come by. Especially if the amount you need is relatively small. The time and effort of the paperwork involved aren’t worth the risk of making the loan for … Read more

  The Importance of Shopping Small this Holiday Season Shopping small gives people the chance to truly celebrate and support their community, and this holiday season will be filled with customers shopping at local businesses. People have officially “bought in” to the idea of #shopsmall, so we’re here to help you get into the holiday … Read more

Holiday Marketing Ideas   As we head full steam toward Christmas, holiday shopping is in full swing. Shoppers are seeking out the best gifts for their loved ones and in today’s world, there are tons of options. But don’t fret! We’ve put together a few holiday marketing ideas that can attract your customers directly to … Read more

5 Elements of Customer Service That Can Impact Your Business Immediately   We’re now well into the holiday season, which is a busy time of year. And it’s also a time when many small business owners, like retailers, service providers, and small restaurants are their busiest. It’s a great opportunity to attract new customers and … Read more

    GROW Is Honored to Be Recognized as a Diversity Visionary Awards Winner!   GROW is excited to announce that we were recently recognized as a Rising Star Award Winner at the Diversity Visionary Awards, put on by the Grand Rapids Chamber of Commerce. The Diversity Visionary Awards was part of the D.E.I. (Diversity, … Read more

  3 Important Aspects of Marketing to the Hispanic Market   As Hispanic American communities continue to grow, becoming a serious group of consumers, influencers, and business owners, your business’ marketing efforts should both align with and reflect that. The Hispanic market is an important segment of your customer base and it’s important to understand … Read more

Seeds Recap – Panel Discussion   If you missed our 2017 Seeds of Growth Awards Luncheon & Fundraiser, you missed more than great food and award presentations. The format was a bit different this year, adding a panel discussion with three entrepreneurs who are GROW clients. These individuals shared some insights on starting and building … Read more

 How to Talk to the Media with Shelley Irwin For this month’s segment with Shelley Irwin at WGVU, we flipped the script! Our Program Manager, Mary Hartfield, interviewed Shelley instead. As you may have seen on Facebook, Shelley recently led our GROW Connects class that was all about how to talk to the media. Being … Read more