Downtown
Mario Schulzke has always been fascinated with the spirit and drive behind entrepreneurs. The Plettenberg, Germany native came to America on his own at age 16, went to college and ended up in advertising in Los Angeles.
“I always wanted to be an entrepreneur but I couldn’t because of my work permit,” Schulzke recalls. So in 2009, he launched IdeaMensch, a vehicle to celebrate and learn from entrepreneurs. “I’d always admired entrepreneurs and people who brought their ideas to life. The original idea was to learn more from these people.”
This year Schulzke, now 31 and with his green card, decided to take his search on the road. He and a few friends are traveling across the country, inviting local entrepreneurs to share their stories. “People with ideas truly live everywhere,” Schulzke says. “I figured there was no better way to start this than to go on a road trip and try to learn from these people in person.”
The group is organizing 50 events in 48 states in 115 days. This past week they were at Quicken Loans Arena. The entrepreneurs featured were Eric Wobser of Ohio City Inc., Joe Pulizzi of Content Marketing World, Laura Bennett of Embrace Pet Insurance, David Levine of Wireless Environment and Deb Papes-Stanzak of Ronwear. Each entrepreneur gave a 15-minute speech about how and why they brought their ideas to life, followed by a brief Q&A.
Schulzke’s goal is to get other would-be entrepreneurs to act on their ideas. “The goal is to encourage and inspire people to bring their ideas to life,” he says. “If I could get one person to say ‘I have this idea and I’m going to get started on it,’ I’ll be happy.”
Source: Mario Schulzke
Writer: Karin Connelly
“I always wanted to be an entrepreneur but I couldn’t because of my work permit,” Schulzke recalls. So in 2009, he launched IdeaMensch, a vehicle to celebrate and learn from entrepreneurs. “I’d always admired entrepreneurs and people who brought their ideas to life. The original idea was to learn more from these people.”
This year Schulzke, now 31 and with his green card, decided to take his search on the road. He and a few friends are traveling across the country, inviting local entrepreneurs to share their stories. “People with ideas truly live everywhere,” Schulzke says. “I figured there was no better way to start this than to go on a road trip and try to learn from these people in person.”
The group is organizing 50 events in 48 states in 115 days. This past week they were at Quicken Loans Arena. The entrepreneurs featured were Eric Wobser of Ohio City Inc., Joe Pulizzi of Content Marketing World, Laura Bennett of Embrace Pet Insurance, David Levine of Wireless Environment and Deb Papes-Stanzak of Ronwear. Each entrepreneur gave a 15-minute speech about how and why they brought their ideas to life, followed by a brief Q&A.
Schulzke’s goal is to get other would-be entrepreneurs to act on their ideas. “The goal is to encourage and inspire people to bring their ideas to life,” he says. “If I could get one person to say ‘I have this idea and I’m going to get started on it,’ I’ll be happy.”
Source: Mario Schulzke
Writer: Karin Connelly
Northeast Ohio's 80-plus young professional organizations play a critical role in plugging new talent into Cleveland. Research shows that there’s a 90-day window from when people move to a city to influence them and give them reasons to stay. Once plugged in, these YPs are helping to reshape the city’s future.
When musician educators with Roots of American Music hold workshops in Cleveland public schools, it almost goes without saying that they are entering a place that doesn't have a full-time music teacher. Most cannot afford to hire full-time music staff, so they rely on part-time faculty and visiting artists.
The 14-year-old nonprofit organization educates more than 15,000 students throughout Northeast Ohio each year, teaching social studies, financial literacy and health education through music.
"We do a lot of songwriting about topics that are important to kids," says Kevin Richards, ROAM's Director. "They work with authentic artist-educators who not only can teach but are also bluesmen, Cajun zydeco artists or rappers."
Richards likens ROAM's educational approach to parents who disguise healthy foods to get their kids to eat them. In general, the artists have little trouble convincing kids to participate. "Kids don't realize they're getting an academic message at the same time as they're fooling around with traditional music."
ROAM's curriculum has changed as educational goals have evolved. When Richards created the organization, the focus was on teaching social studies. Today, such staple courses are supplemented with programs about financial literacy and health education (the latter is in partnership with the Cleveland Clinic).
One popular program called "On the Move" teaches students in the Central neighborhood of Cleveland about migration patterns throughout history. Students learn the song "Kansas City" and change the lyrics to fit their family's story.
Roots of American Music will host its 13th annual Benefit for Education on Saturday, October 6th at the Beachland Ballroom. Multi-award-winning Austin singer-songwriter Guy Forsythe is the headliner. The tickets are $125 for VIP access including dinner and preferred seating, or $15 for the concert only.
Source: Kevin Richards
Writer: Lee Chilcote
The 14-year-old nonprofit organization educates more than 15,000 students throughout Northeast Ohio each year, teaching social studies, financial literacy and health education through music.
"We do a lot of songwriting about topics that are important to kids," says Kevin Richards, ROAM's Director. "They work with authentic artist-educators who not only can teach but are also bluesmen, Cajun zydeco artists or rappers."
Richards likens ROAM's educational approach to parents who disguise healthy foods to get their kids to eat them. In general, the artists have little trouble convincing kids to participate. "Kids don't realize they're getting an academic message at the same time as they're fooling around with traditional music."
ROAM's curriculum has changed as educational goals have evolved. When Richards created the organization, the focus was on teaching social studies. Today, such staple courses are supplemented with programs about financial literacy and health education (the latter is in partnership with the Cleveland Clinic).
One popular program called "On the Move" teaches students in the Central neighborhood of Cleveland about migration patterns throughout history. Students learn the song "Kansas City" and change the lyrics to fit their family's story.
Roots of American Music will host its 13th annual Benefit for Education on Saturday, October 6th at the Beachland Ballroom. Multi-award-winning Austin singer-songwriter Guy Forsythe is the headliner. The tickets are $125 for VIP access including dinner and preferred seating, or $15 for the concert only.
Source: Kevin Richards
Writer: Lee Chilcote
To build off of the growing economic and residential development taking place downtown, Old Stone Church and the YMCA of Greater Cleveland are launching a new preschool on Public Square.
The preschool will be located in Old Stone Center, next to the church, and will accommodate up to 55 children. Early-bird registration opportunities will be available to downtown residents, church members and YMCA members. Drop-off and pick-up parking during the peak periods when downtown traffic is at its busiest have been arranged with the aid of Downtown Cleveland Alliance.
Mark Giuliano, Pastor of Old Stone Church, believes that the new preschool will address the lack of educational offerings downtown. This is an oft-cited reason why young families leave downtown, says Giuliano, who also is a downtown resident and President of the Downtown Cleveland Residents Association. Having a preschool will encourage more young families to remain downtown, he says.
"The partnership between the Old Stone Church and the YMCA gives parents and their children opportunity to access a creative, program-based preschool right on Public Square,” Giuliano said in a news release.
Source: Mark Giuliano
Writer: Lee Chilcote
The preschool will be located in Old Stone Center, next to the church, and will accommodate up to 55 children. Early-bird registration opportunities will be available to downtown residents, church members and YMCA members. Drop-off and pick-up parking during the peak periods when downtown traffic is at its busiest have been arranged with the aid of Downtown Cleveland Alliance.
Mark Giuliano, Pastor of Old Stone Church, believes that the new preschool will address the lack of educational offerings downtown. This is an oft-cited reason why young families leave downtown, says Giuliano, who also is a downtown resident and President of the Downtown Cleveland Residents Association. Having a preschool will encourage more young families to remain downtown, he says.
"The partnership between the Old Stone Church and the YMCA gives parents and their children opportunity to access a creative, program-based preschool right on Public Square,” Giuliano said in a news release.
Source: Mark Giuliano
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Thrive Cleveland, a new grassroots "happiness incubator," wants to amaze you. The goal is to provide experiences that are "surprising," "boundary expanding" and "beyond your comfort zone," according to cofounder Scott Simon.
"What we’re doing is creating what you could call a happiness gym," says Simon. "It will be a series of ongoing, curated experiences for Clevelanders. We want to get them to meet other people, be creative and hear from the best and brightest in Cleveland."
The group is composed of 13 Clevelanders who are volunteering their time to create happiness-inducing events aimed at engaging the city's residents.
The first experience, entitled "WTF? (What's That Food?) -- A Local Farm-to-Table Exploration," will take place on Saturday, August 25th from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Participants will meet at Cafe Benice and then travel as a group to the Cuyahoga Valley Countryside Farmers Market, where they'll meet with farmers, taste just-picked produce, and learn how fresh food contributes to happiness and well-being. Afterwards, the group will return to Cafe Benice to participate in a hands-on cooking experience utilyzing the farm-fresh foods.
According to Simon, the event is part of a national movement towards fostering greater happiness in cities across the country. He cites the Happiness Institute in San Francisco and Life Labs NYC in Brooklyn as two comparable organizations.
Source: Scott Simon
Writer: Lee Chilcote
"What we’re doing is creating what you could call a happiness gym," says Simon. "It will be a series of ongoing, curated experiences for Clevelanders. We want to get them to meet other people, be creative and hear from the best and brightest in Cleveland."
The group is composed of 13 Clevelanders who are volunteering their time to create happiness-inducing events aimed at engaging the city's residents.
The first experience, entitled "WTF? (What's That Food?) -- A Local Farm-to-Table Exploration," will take place on Saturday, August 25th from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Participants will meet at Cafe Benice and then travel as a group to the Cuyahoga Valley Countryside Farmers Market, where they'll meet with farmers, taste just-picked produce, and learn how fresh food contributes to happiness and well-being. Afterwards, the group will return to Cafe Benice to participate in a hands-on cooking experience utilyzing the farm-fresh foods.
According to Simon, the event is part of a national movement towards fostering greater happiness in cities across the country. He cites the Happiness Institute in San Francisco and Life Labs NYC in Brooklyn as two comparable organizations.
Source: Scott Simon
Writer: Lee Chilcote
When Earl Pike of the Cleveland Leadership Center helped design the new Civic Engagement Boot Camp, he tapped the popular national trend of half marathon benefits as a wellspring of inspiration.
"People want to be challenged," he says. "We didn't want to do the typical thing of getting a bunch of young people in a room to listen to an old person pontificate. We wanted to ask people to do something really hard and put their hearts and souls into it."
The result? A one-day civic engagement half marathon, if you will. The Boot Camp starts at 6:30 a.m. and runs until 9 p.m.
"At the end, you'll be exhausted and probably smell bad and be a little frayed," says Pike. "But you'll see every major sector of Cleveland and you'll be engaged in a way that changes you, challenges you."
In June, participants held a behind-the-scenes meeting with the editorial board of the Plain Dealer, worked out with an 82-year-old woman, dug in the dirt at Ohio City Farm, went on a bike tour of Cleveland, and honed their improv skills at Cleveland Public Theatre. And that was just part of the day. It concluded with a meeting of area foundation leaders at the Terminal Tower Observation Deck.
The next installment of Boot Camp, titled "Cleveland from dawn to dusk -- like you've never seen it before," will take place Thursday, October 4th. The cost is $500.
"It doesn't really matter what people do: We love seeing people inspired and getting active in whatever domain they choose," says Pike, who says the long-term goal is combining civic engagement with personal growth. "Now we're beginning to look at the coaching that might come after the experience."
Source: Earl Pike
Writer: Lee Chilcote
"People want to be challenged," he says. "We didn't want to do the typical thing of getting a bunch of young people in a room to listen to an old person pontificate. We wanted to ask people to do something really hard and put their hearts and souls into it."
The result? A one-day civic engagement half marathon, if you will. The Boot Camp starts at 6:30 a.m. and runs until 9 p.m.
"At the end, you'll be exhausted and probably smell bad and be a little frayed," says Pike. "But you'll see every major sector of Cleveland and you'll be engaged in a way that changes you, challenges you."
In June, participants held a behind-the-scenes meeting with the editorial board of the Plain Dealer, worked out with an 82-year-old woman, dug in the dirt at Ohio City Farm, went on a bike tour of Cleveland, and honed their improv skills at Cleveland Public Theatre. And that was just part of the day. It concluded with a meeting of area foundation leaders at the Terminal Tower Observation Deck.
The next installment of Boot Camp, titled "Cleveland from dawn to dusk -- like you've never seen it before," will take place Thursday, October 4th. The cost is $500.
"It doesn't really matter what people do: We love seeing people inspired and getting active in whatever domain they choose," says Pike, who says the long-term goal is combining civic engagement with personal growth. "Now we're beginning to look at the coaching that might come after the experience."
Source: Earl Pike
Writer: Lee Chilcote
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) last week awarded CWRU a $64.6-million, five-year grant for the continuation of a collaborative effort to bring medical research to hospitals, clinics and doctors’ offices, improving the health of patients in the region. The federal grant is the largest in Northeast Ohio history.
The NIH founded the Clinical and Translational Science Awards (CTSA) six years ago to accelerate the transition of medical ideas to medical applications. “Five years ago the NIH decided a program was needed to help bring basic decisions from the science lab to patients,” says Pamela B. Davis, CWRU School of Medicine dean and principal investigator.
Cleveland is one of 61 institutions in the country to have a CTSA. Along with CWRU, the program is a collaborative effort between the Cleveland Clinic, MetroHealth System, University Hospitals Case Medical Center and Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center.
In addition to Davis, Richard A. Rudick, MD, vice chair of the Neurological Institute at Cleveland Clinic, serves as the effort’s co-principal investigator. The two applied for the original $64 million grant five years ago, which at the time was the largest in the region’s history.
More than 1,300 individuals have participated in CTSA-related efforts in the past five years in three categories: community engagement, teaching and mentoring, and acceleration of medical research and discovery.
For instance, doctor education on type 2 diabetes resulted in lowering three-month blood sugars in patients by an entire percentage point. “That’s enough to change the risk of complications,” says Davis. “It gives us the ability to make a real impact.”
Other efforts included retaining children with high blood pressure to run a portion of the Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon, resulting in significant long-term drops in blood pressure.
“We’re trying to reach into the community and make a difference,” says Davis. “We have done a lot of partnerships in town, and we’re looking forward to expanding that.”
Source: Pamela B. Davis
Writer: Karin Connelly
The NIH founded the Clinical and Translational Science Awards (CTSA) six years ago to accelerate the transition of medical ideas to medical applications. “Five years ago the NIH decided a program was needed to help bring basic decisions from the science lab to patients,” says Pamela B. Davis, CWRU School of Medicine dean and principal investigator.
Cleveland is one of 61 institutions in the country to have a CTSA. Along with CWRU, the program is a collaborative effort between the Cleveland Clinic, MetroHealth System, University Hospitals Case Medical Center and Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center.
In addition to Davis, Richard A. Rudick, MD, vice chair of the Neurological Institute at Cleveland Clinic, serves as the effort’s co-principal investigator. The two applied for the original $64 million grant five years ago, which at the time was the largest in the region’s history.
More than 1,300 individuals have participated in CTSA-related efforts in the past five years in three categories: community engagement, teaching and mentoring, and acceleration of medical research and discovery.
For instance, doctor education on type 2 diabetes resulted in lowering three-month blood sugars in patients by an entire percentage point. “That’s enough to change the risk of complications,” says Davis. “It gives us the ability to make a real impact.”
Other efforts included retaining children with high blood pressure to run a portion of the Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon, resulting in significant long-term drops in blood pressure.
“We’re trying to reach into the community and make a difference,” says Davis. “We have done a lot of partnerships in town, and we’re looking forward to expanding that.”
Source: Pamela B. Davis
Writer: Karin Connelly
In 2011, Trevor Shaw was working in sales and marketing for an industrial parts distributor, searching through Google AdWords accounts when his wandering mind struck upon an idea. “I was bored and thinking about the previous weekend and all the fun I had,” Shaw recalls. “So I started thinking.”
Shaw’s thinking led to Barkudo, an iPhone app that allows bar managers to input daily drink specials so customers within a five-mile radius can redeem them on their phones.
“The bar manager goes to the Barkudo website, logs in to their merchant account and creates deals throughout the week,” explains Shaw. “Users open the app within five miles of that bar and will see the specials.”
Barkudo differs from deal sites like Groupon in that users do not prepay for the special, and bar owners do not have to wait for their money. “The bar owners receive their money at the point of sale, up front from the customer,” says Shaw. “There’s no printout. You just have to be at the location to get the deal.”
In just a few weeks -- Barkudo launched at the end of July -- Shaw has commitments from Panini’s on Coventry, The Cedar Lee Pub and Grill, The Fairmount Martini and Wine Bar, and the Blind Pig. More bars are on the way in Ohio City, Tremont and Akron.
“In the next month we expect to be moving quickly as everything starts trickling in and moving week by week," adds Shaw.
Right now, Shaw works with a programmer to help him launch. He expects to hire a technical person and sales reps as the business grows.
Source: Trevor Shaw
Writer: Karin Connelly
Shaw’s thinking led to Barkudo, an iPhone app that allows bar managers to input daily drink specials so customers within a five-mile radius can redeem them on their phones.
“The bar manager goes to the Barkudo website, logs in to their merchant account and creates deals throughout the week,” explains Shaw. “Users open the app within five miles of that bar and will see the specials.”
Barkudo differs from deal sites like Groupon in that users do not prepay for the special, and bar owners do not have to wait for their money. “The bar owners receive their money at the point of sale, up front from the customer,” says Shaw. “There’s no printout. You just have to be at the location to get the deal.”
In just a few weeks -- Barkudo launched at the end of July -- Shaw has commitments from Panini’s on Coventry, The Cedar Lee Pub and Grill, The Fairmount Martini and Wine Bar, and the Blind Pig. More bars are on the way in Ohio City, Tremont and Akron.
“In the next month we expect to be moving quickly as everything starts trickling in and moving week by week," adds Shaw.
Right now, Shaw works with a programmer to help him launch. He expects to hire a technical person and sales reps as the business grows.
Source: Trevor Shaw
Writer: Karin Connelly
Jeff Griffiths launched Hands On Northeast Ohio in 2007 to "train and equip volunteers to be at the center of change in their communities." In 2011, the startup nonprofit organization helped connect nearly 5,000 volunteers with hundreds of worthy projects throughout the Cleveland area.
Last weekend, volunteers prepped bikes at the Ohio City Bike Co-op, served meals to the homeless, delivered meals to seniors, cleaned cat cages, and lended a hand at the Cleveland Botanical Garden.
Hands On Northeast Ohio offers accessible, well-managed opportunities to serve throughout the community. Volunteers attend an orientation session and sign up for opportunities on the group's website. With a point and a click, they can read descriptions of opportunities, find out which ones are available, and sign up.
"People wanted to help, but oftentimes accessing volunteer opportunities was filled with barriers -- the commitment was unrealistic, the training was too cumbersome, or the agency didn't have a way to recruit or train volunteers at all," says Griffiths. "By us managing projects, we make both parties happy."
In addition to 35-plus managed projects per month, Hands On also manages one-day national events such as the 9/11 National Day of Service and Remembrance.
Griffiths says the organization is part of a national network of similar groups. "We saw a need, took a proven model and adapted it locally to our needs here," he says.
Source: Jeff Griffiths
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Last weekend, volunteers prepped bikes at the Ohio City Bike Co-op, served meals to the homeless, delivered meals to seniors, cleaned cat cages, and lended a hand at the Cleveland Botanical Garden.
Hands On Northeast Ohio offers accessible, well-managed opportunities to serve throughout the community. Volunteers attend an orientation session and sign up for opportunities on the group's website. With a point and a click, they can read descriptions of opportunities, find out which ones are available, and sign up.
"People wanted to help, but oftentimes accessing volunteer opportunities was filled with barriers -- the commitment was unrealistic, the training was too cumbersome, or the agency didn't have a way to recruit or train volunteers at all," says Griffiths. "By us managing projects, we make both parties happy."
In addition to 35-plus managed projects per month, Hands On also manages one-day national events such as the 9/11 National Day of Service and Remembrance.
Griffiths says the organization is part of a national network of similar groups. "We saw a need, took a proven model and adapted it locally to our needs here," he says.
Source: Jeff Griffiths
Writer: Lee Chilcote
sawyer's noodlecat gets mad props from philly writer
While chef Jonathon Sawyer receives the majority of his well-deserved attention for his farm-to-table restaurant Greenhouse Tavern, located on East 4th St., Craig LaBan of Philly.com points out that Noodlecat should be receiving equal praise.
In an item titled, "Good road-trip eats," LaBan writes, “Noodlecat, the Cleveland ramen mash-up from chef Jonathon Sawyer, one of the more inventive and personal takes on the ramen trend, infused with good Midwestern ingredients: steamed buns (tempura-fried walleye!), noodle bowls with spicy Ohio corn chowder, matzo balls and brisket.”
“Also some killer desserts, including a buttered popcorn pot de crème with salted caramel and a deconstructed S'more (with a smoked chocolate torte) that were almost worth the detour themselves.”
Read the full column here.
In an item titled, "Good road-trip eats," LaBan writes, “Noodlecat, the Cleveland ramen mash-up from chef Jonathon Sawyer, one of the more inventive and personal takes on the ramen trend, infused with good Midwestern ingredients: steamed buns (tempura-fried walleye!), noodle bowls with spicy Ohio corn chowder, matzo balls and brisket.”
“Also some killer desserts, including a buttered popcorn pot de crème with salted caramel and a deconstructed S'more (with a smoked chocolate torte) that were almost worth the detour themselves.”
Read the full column here.
cleveland an 'up-and-coming bike city' according to bicycling mag
Along with New York City, Albuquerque, Long Beach, and Miami, Cleveland was named by Bicycling magazine as an up-and-coming bike city.
"It's no joke," writes David Howard, "The city on Lake Erie has cycling dialed."
"What's to love?" he adds. "For starters, the stretch of bike lane that now runs the length of historic Euclid Avenue, linking the city's two employment hubs. A new towpath just beyond Cleveland's southern border reaches Akron—80 miles away. Plans call for webs of bike paths to unspool east and west as well. To lure tourists in, the Downtown Cleveland Alliance launched a bike-rental program last summer -- it will expand this year into a parking garage with showers and lockers."
"And then there's the diversity. In January, a nonprofit unveiled plans to build an indoor velodrome -- the third of its kind in the country and the only one east of the Rockies. The city is home to the vast Ray's Indoor Mountain Bike Park and Pedal Republic, which organizes bike-polo tourneys, tall-bike rides and alley cat races."
Read all the news here.
This on top of the recent good news from HGTV..
"It's no joke," writes David Howard, "The city on Lake Erie has cycling dialed."
"What's to love?" he adds. "For starters, the stretch of bike lane that now runs the length of historic Euclid Avenue, linking the city's two employment hubs. A new towpath just beyond Cleveland's southern border reaches Akron—80 miles away. Plans call for webs of bike paths to unspool east and west as well. To lure tourists in, the Downtown Cleveland Alliance launched a bike-rental program last summer -- it will expand this year into a parking garage with showers and lockers."
"And then there's the diversity. In January, a nonprofit unveiled plans to build an indoor velodrome -- the third of its kind in the country and the only one east of the Rockies. The city is home to the vast Ray's Indoor Mountain Bike Park and Pedal Republic, which organizes bike-polo tourneys, tall-bike rides and alley cat races."
Read all the news here.
This on top of the recent good news from HGTV..
Enforcer eCoaching, a personalized wellness coaching service, has secured $250,00 from JumpStart to expand services across the country. A spin-off out of the Cleveland Clinic, Enforcer eCoaching was founded by Cleveland Clinic chief wellness officer Dr. Michael Roizen, television health guru Dr. Mehmet Oz and entrepreneurs Steven Lindseth and Arthur Benjamin.
The eCoaching focuses on smoking cessation, weight loss, hypertension control and diabetes control through personalized one-on-one email coaching and behavior modification.
“It’s based on 25 years of health coaching by Dr. Roizen,” says Marty Butler, Enforcer’s president and CEO. “We’re seeing a lot of niche treatment programs in the marketplace for companies looking to reduce their healthcare spending. Employers see a very strong return on investment.”
Butler says participants in the smoking cessation program have an 85-percent success rate, while weight loss participants lose an average of two inches to their waist lines.
Employers or private individuals can sign up for eCoaching. They select the type of coaching they want, are assigned a coach, and then check in with daily email correspondence. “It’s part automation, part personal coaching,” says Butler. “Every email is reviewed by a personal health coach, and they really build relationships and people become more accountable for their own healthcare.”
The convenience of email contributes for Enforcer’s success. “People can email whenever and wherever they want, and read the emails whenever and wherever,” says Butler. “We’re slowly nudging people to success because of the daily email exchange.”
In addition to JumpStart’s investment to help Enforcer complete its computer platform, the organization has also provided expertise in hiring sales and IT staff.
Source: Marty Butler
Writer: Karin Connelly
The eCoaching focuses on smoking cessation, weight loss, hypertension control and diabetes control through personalized one-on-one email coaching and behavior modification.
“It’s based on 25 years of health coaching by Dr. Roizen,” says Marty Butler, Enforcer’s president and CEO. “We’re seeing a lot of niche treatment programs in the marketplace for companies looking to reduce their healthcare spending. Employers see a very strong return on investment.”
Butler says participants in the smoking cessation program have an 85-percent success rate, while weight loss participants lose an average of two inches to their waist lines.
Employers or private individuals can sign up for eCoaching. They select the type of coaching they want, are assigned a coach, and then check in with daily email correspondence. “It’s part automation, part personal coaching,” says Butler. “Every email is reviewed by a personal health coach, and they really build relationships and people become more accountable for their own healthcare.”
The convenience of email contributes for Enforcer’s success. “People can email whenever and wherever they want, and read the emails whenever and wherever,” says Butler. “We’re slowly nudging people to success because of the daily email exchange.”
In addition to JumpStart’s investment to help Enforcer complete its computer platform, the organization has also provided expertise in hiring sales and IT staff.
Source: Marty Butler
Writer: Karin Connelly
'cleveland rocks as vacation spot,' says lexington herald-leader.
As experienced Clevelanders, we are well aware of the greatness this city has to offer. But it's always a treat to read the kind words of an outsider who experiences those joys for the first time. Such is the case in this lengthy piece by Patti Nickell from Lexington Herald-Leader.
Nickel points out that she, like many others, has never truly considered Cleveland a vacation destination: That is until she took the advice of a friend and decided to visit.
“Then something unexpected happened," Nickell writes. "I had planned to have a brief romance with a city I had never been to, but I wound up falling in love."
Over the course of her four-day trip, she dined at some of our most beloved eateries (Greenhouse Tavern, Lucky’s Café, Lola, and L’Albatros), visited some of our favorite places (Cleveland Museum of Art, Greater Cleveland Aquarium, and the Cleveland Botanical Gardens), and had cocktails at the famed Velvet Tango Room.
She also visited places we sometimes take for granted such as Severance Hall and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Two fine gems in this great city.
Nickell is now a converted Cleveland fan. You can read about her full experience here.
Nickel points out that she, like many others, has never truly considered Cleveland a vacation destination: That is until she took the advice of a friend and decided to visit.
“Then something unexpected happened," Nickell writes. "I had planned to have a brief romance with a city I had never been to, but I wound up falling in love."
Over the course of her four-day trip, she dined at some of our most beloved eateries (Greenhouse Tavern, Lucky’s Café, Lola, and L’Albatros), visited some of our favorite places (Cleveland Museum of Art, Greater Cleveland Aquarium, and the Cleveland Botanical Gardens), and had cocktails at the famed Velvet Tango Room.
She also visited places we sometimes take for granted such as Severance Hall and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Two fine gems in this great city.
Nickell is now a converted Cleveland fan. You can read about her full experience here.
George Vlosich has been creating Etch-a-Sketch art since he was 10, but more recently his artistic creations have landed him on Oprah and earned him millions of views from followers on YouTube.
Now the arts entrepreneur, who has also launched a line of Cleveland-centric apparel and painted 40-foot murals of local sports icons inside Positively Cleveland, is opening a gallery on Professor in Tremont.
"Being on Oprah opened up opportunities for me, and now I create artwork for people literally across the world," says Vlosich, founder of GV Art and Design. "I'm trying to do things that take the Etch-a-Sketch and go beyond the red frame. I worked in advertising for the last nine years, but now I'm going full-time."
Vlosich's new storefront gallery is located in the space that formerly housed Asterisk Gallery. The artist is renovating the interior and restored the prominent storefront windows, which had long been covered up by a false, wooden facade painted blue. The gallery is scheduled to officially open sometime in October.
"I want to grow beyond Cleveland," says Vlosich of his future business goals. "I also want to start doing stuff that makes an impact on the community. We already do a lot of charity events, and we're going to get kids involved with artwork."
Source: George Vlosich
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Now the arts entrepreneur, who has also launched a line of Cleveland-centric apparel and painted 40-foot murals of local sports icons inside Positively Cleveland, is opening a gallery on Professor in Tremont.
"Being on Oprah opened up opportunities for me, and now I create artwork for people literally across the world," says Vlosich, founder of GV Art and Design. "I'm trying to do things that take the Etch-a-Sketch and go beyond the red frame. I worked in advertising for the last nine years, but now I'm going full-time."
Vlosich's new storefront gallery is located in the space that formerly housed Asterisk Gallery. The artist is renovating the interior and restored the prominent storefront windows, which had long been covered up by a false, wooden facade painted blue. The gallery is scheduled to officially open sometime in October.
"I want to grow beyond Cleveland," says Vlosich of his future business goals. "I also want to start doing stuff that makes an impact on the community. We already do a lot of charity events, and we're going to get kids involved with artwork."
Source: George Vlosich
Writer: Lee Chilcote
The inaugural Great Lakes Venture Fair will take place at the Cleveland Marriott Downtown October 17-18, on the heels of the National Association of Seed and Venture Funds annual conference. The fair is a collaborative effort between JumpStart, Ohio Capital Fund, Ohio Venture Association, TiE Ohio, CincyTech and TechColumbus and will bring together investors and startups from across the Midwest.
“It’s a chance for the venture capital community to come together and see some of the most promising startups,” explains Carolyn Pione Micheli, director of communications for CincyTech. “According to a study by the Kauffman Foundation, in 2007 all net news job growth came from companies that are less than five years old.” The event is the successor to the Ohio Capital Fund’s Early Stage Summit, which was held in Columbus for seven years.
The GLVF will only accept 18 startup companies in bioscience and IT to pitch their companies to investors. Other activities at the event include presentations on regional investment activity, and conversations about building future growth in startups and investing.
“In terms of growing fresh new jobs, small companies are the key, “ says Micheli. “The startup community is really important to our economic future.”
Keynote speaker will be Jeff Weedman, vice president of global business development for Proctor & Gamble. The application deadline for companies looking for funding is Aug. 12. Registration to attend is $200 before Sep. 15, $250 after that.
Source: Carolyn Pione Micheli
Writer: Karin Connelly
“It’s a chance for the venture capital community to come together and see some of the most promising startups,” explains Carolyn Pione Micheli, director of communications for CincyTech. “According to a study by the Kauffman Foundation, in 2007 all net news job growth came from companies that are less than five years old.” The event is the successor to the Ohio Capital Fund’s Early Stage Summit, which was held in Columbus for seven years.
The GLVF will only accept 18 startup companies in bioscience and IT to pitch their companies to investors. Other activities at the event include presentations on regional investment activity, and conversations about building future growth in startups and investing.
“In terms of growing fresh new jobs, small companies are the key, “ says Micheli. “The startup community is really important to our economic future.”
Keynote speaker will be Jeff Weedman, vice president of global business development for Proctor & Gamble. The application deadline for companies looking for funding is Aug. 12. Registration to attend is $200 before Sep. 15, $250 after that.
Source: Carolyn Pione Micheli
Writer: Karin Connelly
In the best of cases, getting a book published can take one to three years from start to finish. Or, you can do it the way Richey Piiparinen and Anne Trubek did with Rust Belt Chic: The Cleveland Anthology. The pair of Cleveland writers managed to compress the entire Sisyphean process into an implausible three-month timeframe.
cle-based film 'the sax man' on final fundraising push
Clevelander Beau Miller is in the process of shooting a film about the popular sax-playing street musician Maurice Reedus, Jr. (who happens to be the son of the late, great Grammy award winning saxophonist Maurice Reedus, Sr.).
Miller and cinematographer John Pope, director Joe Siebert and producer Todd Bemak hope to complete The Sax Man in time to enter it in the 2014 Sundance Film Festival. But to do so, they need to raise some cash.
The good news is that with just a dozen days left to go on their Kickstarter campaign, the group has raised over $20,000 of their $35,000 goal.
Donate a grand and you'll receive an Associate Producer credit in the film. How sweet is that?
Click here for more info.
Miller and cinematographer John Pope, director Joe Siebert and producer Todd Bemak hope to complete The Sax Man in time to enter it in the 2014 Sundance Film Festival. But to do so, they need to raise some cash.
The good news is that with just a dozen days left to go on their Kickstarter campaign, the group has raised over $20,000 of their $35,000 goal.
Donate a grand and you'll receive an Associate Producer credit in the film. How sweet is that?
Click here for more info.
Phoenix Coffee has introduced a direct trade coffee from Amado Nervo, in the Chiapas area of Mexico, to its menu. By purchasing the coffee directly from the growers, the middleman is eliminated and more money goes directly to the farmers.
“It’s a town of about 1,100 people and coffee is their only crop,” says Christopher Feran, coffee and marketing director for Phoenix. “We’re having a direct impact on the people of Amado Nervo. We like to connect people, and now we’re connecting them through coffee.”
Phoenix joined a coffee co-op out of Pittsburgh, Three Rivers Coffee Importers, to obtain the Chiapas coffee. The co-op provides health services, micro loans, low-interest loans, tools and education to the farmers. “This is the first of many direct trades to come,” promises Feran.
The direct trade concept fits Phoenix’s philosophy perfectly. “It makes a lot of sense for us,” Feran says. “We’ve always tried to focus on green and sustainability.”
The coffee is available online or in Phoenix cafes, in light and dark roasts.
Source: Christopher Feran
Writer: Karin Connelly
“It’s a town of about 1,100 people and coffee is their only crop,” says Christopher Feran, coffee and marketing director for Phoenix. “We’re having a direct impact on the people of Amado Nervo. We like to connect people, and now we’re connecting them through coffee.”
Phoenix joined a coffee co-op out of Pittsburgh, Three Rivers Coffee Importers, to obtain the Chiapas coffee. The co-op provides health services, micro loans, low-interest loans, tools and education to the farmers. “This is the first of many direct trades to come,” promises Feran.
The direct trade concept fits Phoenix’s philosophy perfectly. “It makes a lot of sense for us,” Feran says. “We’ve always tried to focus on green and sustainability.”
The coffee is available online or in Phoenix cafes, in light and dark roasts.
Source: Christopher Feran
Writer: Karin Connelly
travel writer visits cleveland, compiles list of quirky finds
A travel writer makes a visit to the North Coast and compiles a list of her quirky finds.
"Last month I traveled to northeastern Ohio -- around Lake Erie. The region is shaking its reputation based on the Cuyahoga river catching fire many years ago. Old images are hard to kick, but like other rustbelt cities, Cleveland and its environs is rejuvenating, regentrifying and reclaiming, with lively neighborhoods, farm-to-table restaurants, and a renewed pride in culture and history.
"Here, a few of my images representing some of the quirky happenings of summer in Ohio. The photos speak for themselves, I think."
Stops include the Greater Cleveland Aquarium, West Side Market, Big Fun, Melt Bar and Grilled, Polka Hall of Fame, and the Duct Tape Festival.
Read it here.
"Last month I traveled to northeastern Ohio -- around Lake Erie. The region is shaking its reputation based on the Cuyahoga river catching fire many years ago. Old images are hard to kick, but like other rustbelt cities, Cleveland and its environs is rejuvenating, regentrifying and reclaiming, with lively neighborhoods, farm-to-table restaurants, and a renewed pride in culture and history.
"Here, a few of my images representing some of the quirky happenings of summer in Ohio. The photos speak for themselves, I think."
Stops include the Greater Cleveland Aquarium, West Side Market, Big Fun, Melt Bar and Grilled, Polka Hall of Fame, and the Duct Tape Festival.
Read it here.