Entrepreneurship

Cultured.GR launches to examine and celebrate Grand Rapids’ fine arts scene

G-Sync: The counterculture effect and embracing hippie ideals in Grand Rapids

A recent visit to the "Hippie Modernism" exhibition at Cranbrook Art Museum has Rapid Growth's Tommy Allen considering the role of the counterculture on the future of Grand Rapids — and all of society.

Don’t let them call you sweetheart: Women entrepreneurs break the glass ceiling in West Michigan

These West Michigan  women are kicking butt and taking names. As business owners and entrepreneurs in male-dominated fields, they're proving there's no glass ceiling that can't be shattered.

On The Ground: With entrepreneurship, diversity & family, South Division sets sights on the future

Rapid Growth's new On The Ground series focuses on the community found along South Division Avenue, touching on the Garfield Park and Burton Heights neighborhoods. This series will highlight the stories of the neighbors and community members who make this area what it is today. The project begins with a celebration of the strong spirit of entrepreneurship and hospitality in the area.

Founder Mark Sellers: HopCat is the ‘anti-chain chain’

HopCat's success stems from defying many traditional restaurant norms, says its founder.

Making it in Grand Rapids: Social enterprise fights for a place in the entrepreneurial ecosystem

How do you succeed as an entrepreneur if your number one focus isn't your bottom line? Where do you find help to start a business that wants to use its profits to decrease homelessness or keep kids in school?  While the entrepreneurial ecosystem in Grand Rapids continues to thrive, social entrepreneurs are still struggling to find their place, and the resources that will help them thrive, within that same ecosystem. 

Loving, living & leaving: Why we call Grand Rapids home, why we don’t & what that means for our city

What makes a city a home? And, specifically, what makes Grand Rapids a place where people want to lay down roots? Or, on the other hand, want to leave? Current and former Grand Rapidians, from CEOs and entrepreneurs to musicians and retirees, weigh in on what our city does well to make people stay — and what it could do better.

GROW’s micro-loan program increases opportunities for women entrepreneurs in West Michigan

UIX: With passion and perseverance, Latesha Lipscomb makes Grand Rapids a better home for many

Latesha Lipscomb isn't just making Grand Rapids a happier home for many in the city, she's showing the world how things get done. Along with working as a housing advocate for the Inner City Christian Federation, Lipscomb empowers women through her work at POSH Innovative Event Management, runs a successful makeup business, and leads others on the Seeds of Promise Entrepreneurial Impact Team.