small business

'Mobile canning' comes to Michigan breweries

Stateside Staff — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 20:54:57 +0000

Michigan was recently ranked fifth on USA Today's list of craft brew states in the country.

Over the past three to four years Michigan has seen a large growth in microbrewies.

There has been recent buzz within the microbrewery scene in Michigan with news that the state's first 'Mobile Canning' line is being launched.

Microbreweries around the state will be able to get cans of their brew onto store shelves without having to invest in costly canning equipment.

Survey: Michigan small businesses want changes to graduation standards

Lindsey Smith — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 21:00:55 +0000

Small business owners want Michigan to make its curriculum standards for high school students more flexible.

The state passed broad standards in 2006 for all students. They are supposed to ensure all students are ready for college.

The Michigan Merit Curriculum requires four years of math and English language arts; three years of science and social studies; and two years of a foreign language. Complete standards are outlined here.

Michigan lawmakers to consider blocking local 'paid sick leave' ordinances

Steve Carmody — Mon, 04 Mar 2013 20:57:00 +0000

A state House committee this week will discuss whether to prevent local cities and towns in Michigan from passing laws requiring businesses to offer paid sick leave to their employees.

San Francisco, Seattle and several other major cities have passed ‘paid sick leave’ ordinances in recent years. The intent is to protect people in low paying jobs, who stand to lose their job, if they try to take a sick day.

New export finance center opens in Detroit

Michigan Radio Newsroom — Wed, 30 Jan 2013 20:01:04 +0000

Earlier this week, Gov. Rick Snyder, Senator Debbie Stabenow and nearly 100 small business owners were in Detroit for the opening of a new regional office for the Export-Import Bank of the United States.

The new office is expected to help Michigan businesses export products overseas by providing access to various types of insurance, loans, and financial resources.

According to their website, the agency has helped generate $456 billion in export revenue since its creation by Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1934.

Harbor Master in Leland "praying for snow and ice-cold temperatures"

Mark Brush — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 17:06:21 +0000

Lakes Huron and Michigan are reaching record low water levels, and businesses along the Third Coast are feeling the effects.

Yesterday, Russell Dzuba, the harbormaster in Leland, Michigan (think Michigan's pinkie right on Lake Michigan), spoke with NPR's Melissa Block about what he's seeing out his window.

The low water levels have revealed a sand bar inside the Leland Harbor.

"...that ordinarily is not a good thing in a harbor," said Dzuba.

From the interview:

"We had an incredibly warm season - warm winter season last year, and we lost a lot of water to evaporation, and that takes place during the whole winter, as well as the summer.... Traditionally, we don't freeze as we did in the old days. It used to freeze all the way across the channel, 11 miles out to North Manitou Island. That hasn't happened here in a number of years."

You can listen to the interview here:

Last month, I posted on the low lake levels. If they continue to drop, which is expected, the low lake level record from March 1964 will be beat.

Bar owners won’t let liquor control commission spoil employee appreciation day

Lindsey Smith — Wed, 24 Oct 2012 03:53:04 +0000

Co-owners of Barfly Ventures Mark and Michele Sellers wanted to thank their employees for working their tails off during ArtPrize. So they designated Tuesday as employee appreciation day; whatever alcohol they sold would be split among the employees.

But before they opened, Mark Sellers got a call from the liquor control commission. Turns out, the state doesn’t like servers having an incentive to sell lots of alcohol, and it’s against the law.

“I can’t really be too mad at them because they gave us a courtesy call in advance and told us ‘hey don’t’ do this or you’re going to get in trouble’. It’d be like if a police officer called you and told you to slow down or he’s going to give you a ticket,” Mark Sellers said.

So instead of alcohol sales the Sellers’ will give their employees the food sales, not for just one day but three. They’ll pool the money from food sales at all three Grand Rapids establishments (HopCat, McFadden’s, and Stella’s Lounge) and split the total among all employees; cooks, servers, busboys, managers, and even HopCat’s official “chief beer geek” I met a couple weeks ago.

Plan to relax alcohol sales in Michigan meets resistance

Jake Neher — Tue, 18 Sep 2012 21:55:45 +0000

A plan to relax the state's alcohol rules is meeting resistance from some public health groups, law enforcement, and businesses.

Governor Rick Snyder’s administration wants to make it easier for businesses like gas stations and farmers markets to sell alcohol. But a coalition opposing the plan says that could lead to more crime and violence.

Bob Stevenson directs the Michigan Association of Chiefs of Police. He says police are overburdened enough without expanding the availability of alcohol.

"When all these additional locations are selling alcohol to the motorists that are out there, potentially under-age drivers, we just don’t have the manpower out on the street to adequately police that and make sure they’re following the laws," says Stevenson.

Stevenson’s group also worries about a plan to eliminate fingerprinting for liquor license applicants.

Officials with the Office of Regulatory Reinvention say access to alcohol would not significantly increase under the plan.

Small business owners in Michigan voice support for Romney's middle class plan

Lindsey Smith — Thu, 02 Aug 2012 20:39:41 +0000

Republican Presidential nominee Mitt Romney is refocusing his tax plan to strengthen the middle class. Romney was in Colorado Thursday to outline his plan, which included points that have been previously released.

In Michigan and other states the campaign lined up several small business owners to share their support for Romney.

Tyce Holst owns Taylor Rental and Party Plus, a rental store in Holland that employs 10 full time workers. Holst says the recession forced him to lay off two employees.

White House hosts forum for urban entrepreneurs in Detroit

Mercedes Mejia — Thu, 17 May 2012 18:10:14 +0000

Small business owners and hopeful entrepreneurs are in Detroit today to get advice on starting or improving a business.

The Urban Economic Forum, held by The White House Administration, hopes to help entrepreneurs in Detroit connect to resources and network with other business leaders.

The White House Administration said it is committed to supporting the Detroit area’s small businesses.

CBS Detroit reports:

Among the topics of discussion were the resources available to minority and urban entrepreneurs who are trying to access capital for their businesses. Mentors were also available to provide advice to business owners.

In a press, release the White House Administration wrote that other Urban Economic Forums will be held in Chicago, Illinois, and Columbus, Ohio.

Supporting small business in the alternative energy sectors

Jennifer White and Mercedes Mejia — Tue, 08 May 2012 21:53:49 +0000

Legislation is being introduced in the state house aimed at supporting small businesses and startup companies in the alternative energy sectors.

The legislation is co-sponsored by Democratic State Representative Marcia Hovey-Wright. She spoke with Jennifer White.

Hovey-Wright says, "Basically it’s a revolving loan fund for alternative energy, green manufacturing which includes, wind, solar, advanced battery and biomass. The intention is to create good paying jobs with good benefits."

Forget Silicon Valley: Can college students make Michigan a startup hub?

Michigan Radio Newsroom — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 19:37:09 +0000

What do you get when you put dozens of college students in the basement of a parking garage with some office furniture, a WiFi connection and free coffee?

Saying goodbye to a tradition, Ann Arbor's Parthenon Restaurant closes

John U. Bacon — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 11:00:22 +0000

Ann Arbor’s Parthenon Restaurant closed last week after almost 40 years at the corner of Main and Liberty.

For me, it marked more than the passing of a favorite spot, but the end of a time-honored ritual for the guys.

We filed in, and walked to our favorite table in the back.

A little warmer, and we’d sit outside, but it was still March, so whatya gonna do?

The owners and waiters nodded. They’ve seen us more than a hundred times.

Happy at home: Generation Y looks for success on its own terms

Michigan Radio Newsroom — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 13:30:00 +0000

Members of Generation Y---those Americans born in the 1980s and 1990s who are currently in college or cutting their teeth in the working world---have received their share of scrutiny in recent years. But where their parents might be discussed in terms of day-glo paint and ideological revolution, Gen Y-ers tends to garner attention for their inseparable relationship with technology and their bad timing, starting their adult lives in America's worst economic climate since the Great Depression.

Going Nowhere?

Last month, the New York Times ran an op-ed piece co-written by economist Todd Buchholz and his daughter Victoria, a student at Cambridge University. It bore the headline “The Go-Nowhere Generation” and in it the Buchholzs argued that unlike previous generations, Generation Y has "become risk-averse and sedentary," unwilling to leave home in search of "sunnier economic climes."

Event helps entrepreneurs network

Kyle Norris — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 21:29:27 +0000

More and more people have been attending an annual event that helps entrepreneurs turn their ideas into realities.

It’s called The Annual Collaboration for Entrepreneurship and it happens Tuesday, January 31. It’s hosted by the economic development organization Ann Arbor Spark.

Skip Simms is Ann Arbor Spark’s senior vice president. He says the event helps people with small operations engage in some good old fashioned networking, which can help them grow their businesses. Simms says in a few years’ time, these small start-ups could grow into the next DOW, Kellogg, or GM, and hire thousands of employees in Michigan.

About 1,000 people went last year and the space outgrew its original location at Washtenaw Community College. It now takes place at Skyline High School in Ann Arbor. Tickets are $20 at the door.

Veterans business conference set for Detroit

The Associated Press — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 19:57:37 +0000

DETROIT (AP) - A Veterans Affairs conference this summer in Detroit is expected to bring $3 million of spending to the area.

The National Veterans Small Business Conference will be held June 25-29 at Cobo Center. Organizers say more than 6,000 veterans, business owners and federal employees are expected to attend.

Nearly 5,000 people attended the conference last year in New Orleans.

Mayor Dave Bing and Veterans Affairs Chief of Staff John Gingrich announced the conference Wednesday. Gingrich says the conference and a hiring fair "will provide veterans with on-the-spot job opportunities and interviews" in the public and private sectors.

A partnership of federal agencies and private industry attracted more than 4,100 veterans and resulted in over 2,600 on-the-spot interviews and more than 500 tentative job offers earlier this month in Washington D.C.