Molly Crist

Molly Crist's Latest Articles

RapidChat: Ashima Saigal

By Molly Crist

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Entrepreneurship

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October 23, 2014

Ashima Saigal just returned from the Dreamforce conference in San Francisco where she was recognized for her work helping nonprofits make peace with their data. Ashima has always been ahead of her time: she studied Computer Science at MSU and was an early adopter of both cloud-based computing and yoga. Now that the world is catching up, she’s zooming ahead: weaving a thread of mindfulness throughout life and work, observing more women entering her field, and, finally, moving to a new home in Grand Rapids proper. Read on as we chat all about it.

RapidChat: Diana R. Sieger and Lizzie Williams

By Molly Crist

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Entrepreneurship

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October 2, 2014

Diana R. Sieger and Lizzie Williams recently received community-wide recognition as ATHENA Award winners at the Chamber of Commerce’s annual event recognizing really amazing women. Their careers are different in sector and length, but they share a common perspective on the importance of taking a macro view and considering why it all matters. Read on as we chat about art, entrepreneurship, and building community just by showing up. 

RapidChat: Susan J. Smith

By Molly Crist

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Talent

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September 18, 2014

Susan J. Smith finds adventure around the world and in her own local community. She's a passionate amateur photographer, inspired by her former writing career with the Grand Rapids Press. Using her writing and photography skills, she catalogs her wanderlust with a weekly design-focused travel blog. Rapid Growth sat down with Susan at her home to chat about her experiences as a world traveler, blogger, grandmother, and Gilda's Club Founder.

RapidChat: Keegan Loye

By Molly Crist

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Arts & Culture

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August 28, 2014

Ten years ago Keegan Loye found his people at Blues on the Mall. After years spent watching music videos and teaching himself b-boy moves, he discovered a group of hip-hop-loving-dancers. He’s been breakdancing with the 61Syx Teknique crew for a decade and we’re all invited to join the 10-year anniversary celebration on August 29 at Louie’s Bar and Rocket Lounge. But in the meantime, let’s get to know Seoul, owner of 61Syx Teknique Street Dance Academy and hip hop enthusiast.

RapidChat: George Eberhardt

By Molly Crist

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General

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August 14, 2014

George Eberhardt works with young artists every day as a drawing, painting, illustration, and graphic design instructor at WMCAT. He’s passionate about nurturing creativity and his story comes full circle as he, too, had fantastic art educators early on. Rapid Growth chatted with George at the bright and energizing WMCAT facility about his art (including a giant west-side mural), his toe-tapping love for music, and his work with students that inspires and fuels his own creativity.

RapidChat: Diane Griffin

By Molly Crist

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Talent

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July 31, 2014

Surely you’ve seen the bright green Gerbera daisy in yards all over West Michigan. Today, Rapid Growth talks with the savvy, energized woman behind the flower: Diane Griffin. Griffin Properties recently relocated to Heritage Hill (“another bright green building on a corner”) and has a team expansion in the works. But for Diane, it’s not all work and no play. Read on as we talk about triathlons (she won her age group last weekend), fox hunting, and the reasons Diane has dug her roots into this town.

RapidChat: Kelly LeCoy

By Molly Crist

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Entrepreneurship

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July 10, 2014

For this week’s RapidChat, Molly Crist and Kelly LeCoy, friends and food-entrepreneurs, threw a blanket down in Wilcox Park to chat it up and reflect on Kelly’s experience starting, operating, and recently selling (as of last week) Uptown Kitchen, a shared-use incubator kitchen in Eastown. She’s moving on in life, leaving the keys with a pair of local bagel geniuses, and pursuing the next opportunity. Read on as Kelly talks about her work growing the local food culture, engaging with her beloved business districts, and learning hard lessons.

RapidChat: Ted Velie

By Molly Crist

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Entrepreneurship

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June 12, 2014

For this week's RapidChat, Molly Crist sits down with Ted Velie, furniture entrepreneur, on location in Austin, Texas. A group of Grand Rapidians (hosted by Dana Friis-Hansen and Mark Holzbach) headed to Austin for an early-June long weekend to form connections between the cities and enjoy the land of food trucks, art, and music. Read on as Ted chats about story-telling, tacos, and the mobile showroom he's driving around the midwest.

RapidChat: Jonathan & Johannah Jelks

By Molly Crist

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Talent

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May 22, 2014

For this week's RapidChat, Rapid Growth sits down with a brother-sister change-making duo who share a passion for community activism and a love for G-Rap. Jonathan and Johannah Jelks are in pursuit of a culturally competent community and are stirring up conversation and sharing their fresh and candid perspectives. Read on as we chat with these lifelong Grand Rapidians, self-proclaimed yin and yang, about everything from GR Soul Club to a global Grand Rapids.

RapidChat: Kelly O’Hara

By Molly Crist

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General

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May 8, 2014

Between TEDxGR and Design Week, Kelly O'Hara's in the middle of a pretty busy week, and if you've been to any downtown events in the last few days, you've likely experienced some of her designs. Kelly is a Senior Designer at Conduit Studio with a love for karaoke, a thing for Instagramming cat butts, and a soft spot for Detroit. Read on for her take on home decor, life as a hyper-local Eastowner, and the design work that gets her excited.