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Student entrepreneurs craft impressive business plan for REthink Water

Wednesday, December 15, 2010
A team of student entrepreneurs from local colleges continues to impress with their business plan for REthink Water. &nbsp;<br><br><a target="_blank" href="http://www.facebook.com/#%21/REthinkWater">REthink Water </a>seeks to eliminate the use of plastic water bottles by creating a free refill station providing not only water, but also campus information and a rewards plan. This plan aims to foster sustainability and the increase of environmental awareness, one campus at a time.<br><br>THe business plan, drawn up by Zach Fortney, Christina Takens and Joshua Smith from GRCC and Hardip Singh from GVSU, was one of 28 out of 300 businesses recently selected to compete in the student semi-finals of the state's largest business plan competition, the<a target="_blank" href="http://www.acceleratemichigan.org/main.cfm?cid=2235"> Accelerate Michigan Innovation Competition. </a><br><br>Although they did not advance beyond the semi-finals last weekend, Singh says the experience at the event was priceless. <br><br>"All of the ideas were very good and the presentations were well done," he says. "Most of the students that presented were graduate students from University of Michigan or surrounding schools. We were the only ones from the west side of the state."<br><br>Singh adds, "Most of the feedback was that we have a really good idea and we should definitely make it happen." Singh says one piece of important feedback was to not let a lack of money stop the group from developing their idea into a reality. <br><br>Next steps include developing a prototype and competing in the<a target="_blank" href="http://www.grcc.edu/departments/service/innovationchallenge/innovationchallenge.html"> GRCC "Armen Awards" Innovation Challenge,</a> in which they have already become one of the top 10 finalists.&nbsp; &nbsp;<br><br>For more information on REthink Water, you can visit their<a target="_blank" href="http://www.facebook.com/#%21/REthinkWater"> Facebook page.</a><br><br><br><br>Source: Hardip Singh, REthink Water<br>Writer: John Rumery, Innovation and Jobs Editor. <br><br><object width="640" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/21sScZx9Xmc?fs=1&amp;hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/21sScZx9Xmc?fs=1&amp;hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="640" height="385"></embed></object>
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The Rapid: Bringing Home the Goods

Robin LuymesWednesday, December 15, 2010
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What is TEDxGrandRapids? A Q&A with Steve Frazee

J. Bennett RylahThursday, December 9, 2010
TEDxGrand Rapids finally has a date: May 12, 2011. And a theme: Innovate X. One of the event's organizers, Steve Frazee, explains what it all means.
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The Music Man: Grand River Music's Terry Poe

Kelly QuintanillaThursday, December 9, 2010
Grand River Music's Terry Poe is as much an entrepreneur as he is a musician. Poe talks about using the skills you have and finding collaborators who have the ones you don't, as well as the model behind Eastown's new music stop.
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G-Sync - A New Kind of Manhattan Project for GRR

Tommy Allen, Lifestyle EditorThursday, December 9, 2010
The Manhattan Project was controversial, but that doesn't mean that with some tweaking, we couldn't recreate this model for the greater good. Tommy Allen imagines leadership through collaboration.

American Seating's new innovation helps customers become LEED certified

Thursday, December 9, 2010
In the fixed-seating sector of the furniture industry, American Seating is "ahead of the curve," according to Deb McDermott, VP of marketing and business development. After a year of development, American Seating became the first North American fixed-seating manufacturer to produce chairs with curved plywood backs that are not only Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)-certified, but also contain no added urea formaldehyde (NAUF). McDermott says that "curved plywood has been a challenge for furniture makers" because plywood backs require a strong adhesive to hold their original shape. For years, glues containing added-urea-formaldehyde resins have been used to fill the need for this strong adhesive.   After new NAUF glues were developed, American Seating began testing them and quickly found them to be an effective solution to the challenges they were facing in the manufacturing process.   With the addition of this new innovation, American Seating is able to help their customers in the LEED certification process. Currently, American Seating NAUF curved plywood-back products have been installed at Wyoming National Guard headquarters, Tryon Palace in New Bern, N.C. and  Brocade in San Jose, CA. Source: Deb McDermott, American Seating, VP of marketing and business development Writer: John Rumery, Innovation and Jobs Editor.

Young entrepreneur developing application to keep ideas flowing

Thursday, December 9, 2010
Nathan Bashaw, 21, of East Lansing found his inspiration for Thoughtback from an old practice of writers and artists who kept a "commonplace book," a place where they could capture all their ideas and then return to for inspiration. As a participant in Startup Weekend Lansing, Bashaw and his team pitched the idea of a modern commonplace book in the form of a mobile application. His pitch was compelling enough to be chosen as one of the businesses to be developed in the 54-hour Startup Weekend. According to Bashaw, Thoughtback is a very easy way for individuals to capture their ideas digitally. He says his application is "more suitable" than other similar applications, such as Evernote, because of Thoughtback's simplicity. Since the Lansing weekend, Bashaw won a Grand Rapids pitch competition at The Factory in mid-November and is continuing to add more features to Thoughtback, such as a weekly "email update of ideas." Bashaw says he does not know if his application will make money yet, but "it's been fun to develop," and he is confident that as he presses on, something positive will come out of his efforts. Bashaw is one of thousands of entrepreneurs who have participated in one of the Seattle-based Startup Weekend events, a Kauffman Foundation-funded organization that seeks to catalyze startups and provide entrepreneurship education throughout the world. Grand Rapids will be hosting its Startup weekend Jan. 14-16. For more information on that event, you can visit their site here. Source: Nathan Bashaw, Thoughtback Writer: John Rumery, Innovation and Jobs Editor.

Grand Rapids' Economic Development Foundation grows economy, jobs across Michigan

Thursday, December 9, 2010
Officials at the Grand Rapids-based Economic Development Foundation say they stand ready to help entrepreneurs throughout Michigan get funding for business expansion and job creation and retention.The Economic Development Foundation helps small businesses apply for low-interest Small Business Administration (SBA) 504 loans. That assistance has enabled Grand Rapids businesses like Adtegrity, Alternative Mechanical and Baribeau and Sons Jewelry Hospital to obtain loans to purchase buildings and equipment, and spur job growth, says Executive Director Sandy Bloem."We walk the small business through the loan application process, get it approved, get the loan funded and then stay in touch with the small business through the term of its loan," says Bloem. "With any government financing, the loan process can be pretty daunting; with us being in business for 30 years, we can put it all together and then say 'sign here.'"The SBA defines a small business as one with a net worth of $15 million or less and a net income of $5 million or less. SBA 504 loan is a partnership between a bank or credit union, the SBA and the small business: the lender provides 50 percent of the loan amount, the SBA provides 40 percent and the business supplies a 10 percent down payment -- much less than the 20 to 30 percent lenders require.The SBA portion of the loan carries a fixed interest rate for 20 years (for financing a building), a rate that is often lower than a bank's, Bloem says. "It's very common practice to give a loan for 20 years, but after five years the loan will balloon and the bank renegotiates the interest rate," Bloem says. "I don't know how your crystal ball works, but mine doesn't tell me anything about the future of interest rates."The outlook for economic development in West Michigan is good, says Bloem, and adds that growth in manufacturing, hair salons and microbreweries has prompted an increase in loan applications from local businesses in those industries.Source: Sandy Bloem, Economic Development FoundationWriter: Deborah Johnson Wood, Development News Editor

Taco Boy adds a sixth location, opens new quick eats option in downtown Grand Rapids

Thursday, December 9, 2010
Sue Drolema says she didn't intend to be part of the family restaurant business. Now, she's the owner of the largest leg of the family-owned Taco Boy enterprise, with plans to fulfill downtown Grand Rapids customers' yen for traditional Mexican food, fast. For Drolema, 27, the new 1,100-square-foot downtown eatery at 180 Monroe NW between Mojo's Piano Bar and Bull's Head Tavern will be her fourth Taco Boy location; the other three, 6539 28th St. SE, 2529 Alpine Ave. NW, and 509 44th St. SE, Drolema opened over the past six years, starting when she was just 21. Drolema's mom, Anita, owns the original Taco Boy at 3475 Plainfield, founded by Drolema's grandfather Robert Baltierrez in 1967. Uncle Bob Baltierrez, Jr. owns the Mount Pleasant store. All of them use traditional family recipes from Mexico and prepare everything fresh onsite. "There's so much excitement with ArtPrize and downtown Grand Rapids seems like the exciting place to be in the heart of the city," Drolema says about her reason for looking outside the suburbs for a new location. "We wanted to get into new areas as we expand and grow, and hit places where our customers are. A customer survey says many of our customers live or work downtown and they want Mexican food that's affordable and fast. We listened to them on that and thought, yes, we need to be downtown."The restaurant will stay open until 2:30 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays to catch the crowds after the bars let out. Sunday through Thursday hours are 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. A ribbon-cutting ceremony, Drolema's first, will take place on opening day, Dec. 13, at noon, with Grand Rapids Mayor George Heartwell. Source: Sue Drolema, Taco Boy; Anne Marie Bessette, Grand Rapids Downtown Development AuthorityWriter: Deborah Johnson Wood, Development News Editor

Northwood University invests in new downtown Grand Rapids location, adds evening MBA program

Thursday, December 9, 2010
Fifteen years ago, Midland-based Northwood University opened its Grand Rapids location. Now university leaders say that a move to a new downtown, high-tech facility is the best way to put the school on the local radar. That, and the addition of the school's part-time MBA program, the Richard DeVos Graduate School of Management. Northwood, whose Grand Rapids campus serves adult students, recently moved from 1971 E. Beltline Ave. NE to 515 Michigan St. NE, on the corner of Michigan and College Avenue NE. Formerly medical offices, the new 4,000-square-foot facility is now an open-concept classroom and admissions space and nearly doubles the school's capacity."We want a venue that is easily accessible, and is a real showcase that will serve as a regional admissions office for West Michigan," says Matt Bennett, director of admissions. "We really kept it modern; the admissions area is in clear glass offices and there are LCD panels in every classroom as well as the latest technology."In January 2011, the school launches the DeVos Evening MBA Program for adults who want to pursue graduate studies but can only do so on a part-time basis. It's the first time the program is offered in West Michigan, although it's already part of Northwood's curriculum in Midland, Lansing, Troy, West Palm Beach, Fla. and Cedar Hill, Tex.The MBA program complements Northwood's Adult Degree Program, also offered in Grand Rapids, for adults who want to complete their undergraduate degrees. Having both courses of study allows learners to get their degree and then move on to grad school at the same location. "Northwood University is a business school, and we are simply one of many partners in the business community," Bennett says. "We really want to be an active participant in Grand Rapids' entrepreneurial development." Source: Matt Bennett, Northwood UniversityWriter: Deborah Johnson Wood, Development News Editor

No more tough sledding in Muskegon

Thursday, December 9, 2010
Source: MLive.com
The Muskegon Sports Council has received $18,000 in new equipment from the DNR to help prepare the popular winter sports complex. According to excerpts from the story in MLive: Jim Rudicil, executive director of the Muskegon Sports Council, which runs the winter sports complex, said it has new trail-grooming equipment. Uneven surfaces that sometimes resulted from using the old equipment will no longer be a problem, he said. Skiers "will see the trails groomed much quicker after a snowfall," he said. "We'll be much more consistent in our trail conditions." You can read the complete article here.

Man buys railroad trestle, makes it part of $1.4M bike trail project on Grand Rapids' West Side

Thursday, December 9, 2010
Source: Grand Rapids Press
The Grand Rapids Press reports that a local Christian missionary finds himself the owner of an abandoned railroad bridge that will give cyclists a scenic ride across the Grand River, part of a $1.4 million urban bike trail connector.According to excerpts from the story:Bob Cunningham remembers his wife's reaction when he came home from a 1993 bankruptcy auction for the assets of the Penn Central Railroad. "You bought a what?" she asked when Cunningham announced he was the winning bidder for an old railroad bridge that spanned the Grand River and Market Avenue SW on the city's Southwest Side. Cunningham did not have a plan for the structure — it was just too cheap to pass up. But he is proud of the way his impulse purchase has turned out. Today, the old bridge has new life as part of a 1-mile bicycle and pedestrian trail connecting the Black Hills Neighborhood and Roberto Clemente Park to the city's lower West Side and the Kent Trails to the south to Millennium Park and eventually Byron Center. Read the complete story here.

Food Network's new Ice Brigade TV show features Grand Rapids ice sculptors

Thursday, December 9, 2010
Source: Chicago Tribune
The Chicago Tribune reports that a new Food Network television series will feature a Grand Rapids ice sculpting company, giving viewers a chance to see daily life of these artists and their art. According to excerpts from the story:A piano carved from ice is heading to a west Michigan hotel as part of a new TV show featuring a Grand Rapids company. The Kalamazoo Gazette says the Food Network's new "Ice Brigade" show will deliver the sculpture to the Radisson Plaza Hotel & Suites in Kalamazoo on Friday afternoon. "Ice Brigade" will feature Grand Rapids-based Ice Sculptures Ltd., and travel to Niles and Detroit. Story producer Bradley Scott says the new show that's in its first of seven weeks of filming allows viewers to peek inside the daily rituals of ice carvers throughout Michigan. Scott said the piano will be assembled in the Radisson's lobby and is expected to be finished by 5 p.m. Friday for the beginning of Art Hop. Read the complete story here.

Sustainable Energy Financing, LLC seeks to bridge the gap between big ideas and big investments

Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Holland area duo Dan Kuipers and Kyle Denning have started a new company, Sustainable Energy Financing, LLC (SEF). SEF focuses on promoting project financing and financial advisory services for renewable energy projects throughout the world. ?Denning and Kuipers describe the renewable energy industry they work in as incredibly complex, having technical, policy and trade issues all contributing to an environment where developers often have difficulty explaining their plans to potential investors, and vice versa. "There's often times an information gap between those that want to develop and those that want to invest," Denning says. Besides starting this new venture, they are also in the process of acquiring Viability, a wholly owned subsidiary of Viability Ventures. The acquisition includes Viability Africa, which Denning co-founded with Viability Ventures while still an employee there.    Kulpers and Dunning say this acquisition provides them with a great deal of synergy and opportunity, especially with African-based projects. According to the duo, Viability Africa, LLC, based in Nairobi, Kenya, will focus on providing project financing and carbon credit development services for project developers across that continent. Although there are no plans to hire additional employees now, they hope to be able to double their team after six months. For more information you can visit their site here.  Source: Dan Kuipers and Kyle Denning, Managing Partners,  Sustainable Energy Financing, LLC Writer: John Rumery, innovation and jobs editor,

Gentex in position to profit from new safety rules

Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Source: MLive.com
Gentex stocks rose after new proposed safety rules require rear camera technology in mirrors beginning in 2014. Accoding to excerpts in the story from Mlive: Rear camera technology could be mandatory in U.S. vehicles by 2014, a move that fits perfectly with systems developed by Gentex Corp. In safety regulations proposed Friday, the U.S. Department of Transportation said the rear-mounted cameras, with a video display inside the vehicle, is the best system to show the blind spot behind vehicles. The rule is called the Cameron Gulbransen Kids Transportation Safety Act of 2007. You can read the complete story here.
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Rapid Growth Takes To The Airwaves on WGVU

Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Rapid Growth Media's Publisher Jeff Hill co-hosts Shelley Irwin's show on WGVU once a month. Hear them chat with the owners and creators of the Elemental Project and The Funky Buddha Yoga Hothouse
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Rear View Revue 2010

Wednesday, December 8, 2010
What do chickens, Google, superheroes, waterslides, social media and art have in common? Find out on December 22nd, as we take to the stage and look back at the year's top newsmakers.
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Rear View Revue 2010

Wednesday, December 8, 2010
What do chickens, Google, superheroes, waterslides, social media and art have in common? Find out on December 22nd, as we take to the stage and look back at the year's top newsmakers.
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Because it Brings Us Joy: A Chat with Reserve's Executive Chef, Matt Millar

J. Bennett RylahThursday, December 2, 2010
Rapid Growth Media encourages open-mindedness in a myriad of arenas. Reserve's Executive Chef Matt Millar encourages open-mindedness at the dinner table.
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A Seller of Lifestyle

Adam BirdThursday, December 2, 2010
AK Rikk's Jim Murray describes himself as a "seller of lifestyle." He talks about "finding cool" and passion, and how they relate to Rikk's success as one of the premier clothiers around.
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