Displaying items tagged: small business

The foundation for the Grand Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce wants to raise another $2 million for an emergency relief fund for small businesses affected by closures from the COVID-19 pandemic.

When looking to get Michigan back to business, the state must answer a variety of questions to assess the risk, according to Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.

The U.S. Small Business Administration approved relief loans totaling $10.38 billion for nearly 43,500 small companies in Michigan before running out of money.

Small business owners with multiple entities affected by the coronavirus may be in for a surprise when they go to apply for U.S. Small Business Administration loans. 

The historic $2 trillion federal economic stimulus bill signed into law Friday contains $350 billion in loans for small businesses that could transition into grants.

Michigan’s loan and grant program for small businesses affected by the coronavirus is now accepting applications, state officials announced today.

BATTLE CREEK — The city of Battle Creek’s economic development agency has doubled its emergency loan fund to $1 million as more small businesses are impacted by the coronavirus. 

Leaders of the Small Business Association of Michigan voiced frustration Wednesday with what they consider a lack of clarity on what businesses can stay open under the governor’s stay-home order this week, as well as how it gets enforced.

Consumers Energy President and CEO Patti Poppe announced this morning she and her husband have made a $1 million personal donation to a new fund supporting small businesses in Jackson, where the utility is headquartered.

The U.S. Small Business Administration promises to decide as quickly as possible on loan applications from small businesses hurt by the coronavirus and COVID-19 pandemic.

The U.S. Small Business Administration has approved a statewide Economic Injury Disaster Loan declaration, unlocking low-interest loans for Michigan small businesses as requested two days ago by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.

BATTLE CREEK — Battle Creek Unlimited Inc., the economic development arm for the city of Battle Creek, has established a $500,000 emergency small business loan fund in the wake of COVID-19.

The state intends to create two funds totaling $20 million to support grants and low-interest loans to small businesses that had to close or have been disrupted by the coronavirus and COVID-19 pandemic.

The Small Business Association of Michigan has launched a daily webcast today to brief members on the latest developments in the coronavirus pandemic and offer guidance for small businesses.

After extending into Kalamazoo in 2019 and preparing for a Newaygo County location this spring, Tandem365 wants to grow further.

GRAND RAPIDS — A business accelerator in East Lansing wants to extend into Grand Rapids this fall to tap into the local entrepreneurial ecosystem and support more high-tech startups.

Dykstra IT LLC, a provider of fully managed information technology services, recently merged into Quantum Leap Inc., a telecommunications provider.

Backers of legislation that would bar employers in Michigan from requiring certain employees to sign a non-compete agreement say they simply want the free market to work.

Corey Hart returned to Grand Rapids last September to find that support for entrepreneurship and startup companies had grown well beyond what it was when he left for California a decade earlier.

Oswaldo Cordova and Evangelina Abundis opened El Globo Restaurant LLC 14 years ago.

GRAND RAPIDS — The Grand Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce celebrated entrepreneurial, progressive, innovative and collaborative local business leaders at its 10th annual EPIC awards Wednesday evening.

MUSKEGON — The origin of HyVIDA Brands Inc. goes back six or seven years when Rick Smith took a taste of sparkling water.

GRAND RAPIDS — The owner of Anna’s House restaurant has voluntarily dismissed its lawsuit against the Meritage Hospitality Group over its newly-opened Morning Belle restaurant.

GRAND RAPIDS — The company that owns the popular Grand Rapids breakfast spot Anna’s House has sued the owners of the newly-opened Morning Belle restaurant. 

Since securing a $40 million capital investment last spring, Vestaron Corp. has been assembling commercial and operating teams as it prepares for the broad launch of a brand of eco-friendly pesticides in 2020.

The February deal for Grand Rapids-based tech firm Conway, Dierking & Hillman Inc. allows Red Level Networks LLC to expand its client list, core I.T. services and reach across the state. 

ADA — Software development firm Michigan Software Labs LLC expects to nearly double its headcount as part of an expansion at the company’s Ada location. 

Backed by a key small business advocate in Lansing, a bipartisan group of lawmakers have proposed a legislative package to boost state support for companies operating in the space between small startups and larger corporations.

Operating a family-owned business comes with unique circumstances and considerations that other companies and corporations don’t face. 

GRAND RAPIDS — When John Van Tongeren became the owner of Ferris Coffee & Nut Co. in 1985, he did not imagine eventually passing it down within his family.