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13 Things I’ve Learned From Building a Startup

December 20, 2022
13 Things I’ve Learned From Building a Startup

By Ken So

Though Silicon Valley startups are often treated as separate from Main Street small businesses, the basic tenets of starting and growing a business are the same no matter what you’re building. As the founder of a business that serves both enterprise and everyday businesses, plus a mentor to new startups, it’s been a special privilege to be able to observe and learn from business owners from all backgrounds and walks of life. Here’s advice I find myself giving a lot to new founders that I think all entrepreneurs can learn from.

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Pattern Inspires Mother-Daughter Entrepreneurs

December 13, 2022
Pattern Inspires Mother-Daughter Entrepreneurs

By Amanda Kuhnert

Mother-daughter business duo, Sophia Manzi and Gail Borden, are both artists. Sophia is a painter and Gail is a quilter. Their company, Vivace Vermont, is the intersection of these two disciplines. They produce clothing and home accessories using colorful, one-of-a-kind fabrics.

The plan was hatched on a 2019 trip to New York City. “We visited Mood Fabrics in the Garment District and it left us reeling with ideas,” Sophia said. “At a diner, we started brainstorming what became Vivace Vermont.”

Sophia and Gail have always been inspired by each other’s work. “Growing up, I’d be painting and she’d be quilting in the same room, and we’d ask each other for tips and advice when we’d run into a problem,” Sophia said. On that memorable trip to New York, the two were able to pinpoint the common denominator in both of their practices—pattern.

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How to Do Business in Your Own Backyard With no Money

June 28, 2022

By: Sharita Humphrey

Starting a business can seem rather scary at first. You’ve got to think about how to get your resources, review whether your budget would be enough, or – whether a certain business would be profitable.

This is why, in order to live a simpler life, many people delay starting their dream business because of the challenges it may involve.

The good news is… there are ways to start a business in a simpler sense. You may start a business from the comfort of your own home and save a lot of headaches. It might not be the dream business you had in mind, but all big businesses started small.

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The SBDC Millennial Conference M3 Goes “Back-to-Back”

June 28, 2017

M32017 Attendees

Creating a sequel to your favorite movie is always a challenge. I mean, it’s almost impossible to duplicate the success. Think about it. Was Ice Cube’s “Next Friday” as good as “Friday?” How about “The Hangover Part II” compared to “The Hangover?” Or take it back even further and compare the original “Grease” and “Grease 2.” Back-to-back success is no guarantee, but for the second annual Maximizing Millennial Minds Conference (#M32017), it did what most can’t do – surpassed the success of its inaugural year!

#M32017 was centered around its content, New Orleans’ culture, and there were cocktails!  (more…)