Items tagged with 'small businesses'
The 2016 AOA Startup Grant winner
From left to right: Josh an Jamie Wallbank of Collar City Candle, Melissa Parade of Tivoli Park Peace Farm, Sarah and Aaron Marquise of Marquise Productions.
This year's field for the $2,500 AOA Startup Grant was very strong. There were a bunch of interesting, compelling projects.
But through crowd voting -- and an AOA editors' pick -- we narrowed the list of finalists to three.
And now we find out who's won the prize. Without further ado...
StartUp Discover at UAlbany
UAlbany is hosting StartUp Discover this Saturday, a free event for entrepreneurs that's part of a collaboration with Albany Law. Blurbage:
StartUp Discover, presented by Albany Law School and University at Albany, is a free event aimed at helping entrepreneurs and businesspeople learn how to identify market niches, build a business plan, and solve early start-up legal issues.
Participants will learn how to construct an effective business model, and will have an opportunity to build a Business Model Canvas (BMC) during a "working lunch." Representatives from Albany Law School and Heslin, Rothenberg, Farley & Mesiti will give a legal presentation focused on best practices for the early-stage company. Participants are encouraged to stay after the presentations for networking, a resources fair and free attorney consultations.
The event is Saturday, November 7 from 9:30 am-2 pm in the Assembly Hall on the UAlbany uptown campus. It's free -- here's how to register.
It's part of the Startup Series, which has two more events (date tbd).
Follow up: Brew
AOA is taking things a little easy this week for summer break. So we thought it'd be a good time to catch up with some local businesses we've covered during the last year (or so) and find out how things are going.
Next up: a look at Brew. Almost exactly one year ago Joshua Cotrona, who owned the Fuzz Records shop at the corner of State and Lark in Albany partnered with August Rosa to turn the space into Brew, a beverage shop featuring craft beer and specialty coffees.
A year ago Rosa told us why they were opening a craft beverage shop on Lark Street:
The idea came up when we realized the need for a craft beer outlet in the Center Square neighborhood. We decided to expand the offerings to include coffee, teas, and other beverages down the road. Our shop will help residents in downtown Albany skip a trip out to the suburbs for these items.
A year later, they're still there educating customers about craft brews, hosting tastings, and balancing their dreams with the wants and needs of a constantly changing neighborhood.
Follow up: Fort Orange General Store
Katy Smith (left) and Caroline Corrigan
AOA is taking things a little easy this week for summer break. So we thought it'd be a good time to catch up with some local businesses we've covered during the last year (or so) and find out how things are going.
Today we're checking back with Fort Orange General Store (FOGS), a small lifestyle shop that opened on Delaware Ave in Albany last May. FOGS is owned and operated by friends Caroline Corrigan and Katy Smith, who remain committed to sourcing wares from working artists, and who care a lot about their local community.
When we first visited with FOGS, Corrigan told us:
"People will come to Fort Orange because we aren't a big box store! We offer items are that are a little different and special. It's a great place to buy a thoughtful gift. If you care about where your products are coming from, and about investing in local business, this is a great place for you."
After about 14 months in business, Corrigan and Smith have a lot to say about paying attention to customers, sorting through potential products to carry, and what happens when people ask who's the owner.
A big check for Flower Scout
From left to right: Dan Ciampino of Staff Ciampino, Jon Dion from the College of Saint Rose, Colie Collen of Flower Scout, Justin Priddle from Berkshire Bank, Mary Darcy from AOA, and Sue Conroy from the College of Saint Rose.
The giant check is always fun.
The winner of this year's AOA Startup Grant -- Colie Collen from Flower Scout -- was awarded the giant $1,500 prize check today at the Huether School of Business at the College of Saint Rose. (She's also getting a smaller check that she can actually deposit.)
This year's prize money was provided by Berkshire Bank, and the contest was sponsored by Staff Ciampino & Company P.C., Certified Public Accountants and the College of Saint Rose.
Flower Scout will be using the prize money for a hoop house on its farm lot in Troy, which will allow it to extend the growing season for flowers to supply its floral services. Which are in demand! Colie was preparing for a wedding later this weekend before stopping over at Saint Rose.
And Flower Scout also got a bonus prize today: Dan Ciampino of Staff Ciampino offered Colie a year of free consulting and accounting services! That's in addition to the business planning class that the Community Loan Fund also has offered.
Speaking of bonus prizes, many thanks again to the Albany-Colonie Chamber of Commerce for offering the Dutch Udder, one of this year's runners-up, free enrollment in Janet Tanguay's Entrepreneur Boot Camp. And thank you to Outspoken Media for offering Kristine Lambracht $1,500 in in-kind services to help Jerzey's Dog Resort, another runner up, to refine its online branding and messaging.
Thank you to everyone who helped out with this year's contest, including Jon Dion of Huether School for coaching, and our judges Lissa D'Aquanni from the Community Loan Fund, Rhea Drysdale from Outspoken Media, and Duncan Crary from Duncan Crary Communications.
And thank you again to our sponsors, Staff Ciampino & Company P.C., the College of Saint Rose, and Berkshire Bank.
The 2015 AOA Startup Grant final
Left to right: Kristine Lambracht from Jerzey's Dog Resort, Colie Collen from Flower Scout, Kehmally Karl and Jeff McCauley from The Dutch Udder Artisanal Ice Cream.
The field for this year's AOA Startup Grant was deep.
Many of the entries would have been worthy finalists, but there could only be three. And each of the finalists would have been a worthy winner, but there could only one.
Monday evening at the College of Saint Rose we found out which project took the prize.
AOA Startup Grant 2015 finalists
The pool of entries for this year's AOA Startup Grant included a wide variety of projects -- from an ice cream company, to an educational play group for kids, to a bakery, to boudoir photography, to a game design studio program.
There are now three finalists, two chosen from last week's crowd voting and one picked by the Editors.
And here they are...
A good local graphic designer?
Sean emails:
A business acquaintance of mine is looking to redesign some logos for their (2) apartment complexes and I was wondering if anyone from your community might be able to recommend someone they've used that has done good work and is local.
There are a lot of designers out there, and if you know of a local one who could be a good fit for this project, by all means please mention that person (bonus points for why you're recommending that person).
But because there are a lot of design options, it can be hard to sort through them. So, got some advice on what to look for in a good designer or design firm? We'd love to hear about that, too.
Greulich's Market checks out
Greulich's Market in Guilderland, in business since 1949, has closed, according to its Facebook page. The Gazette's Bethany Bump reports the situation around the closing is unclear, and there was at least some indication that the store might still have a future.
Greulich's, near the border between Guilderland and Schenectady, was like something from another time -- a small, independent grocery store that focused on customer service. But the grocery business is a notoriously difficult industry with tiny margins. And as manager Robert Van Allen told Liz Clancy Lerner for AOA a few years back, Greulich's was feeling the pressure of staying small in a world of supermarket giants:
You gotta realize when you go into a big chain, their groceries are going to be cheaper; they'll always be cheaper because they buy railcar loads, where I buy one at a time. ...
The biggest change is that years ago Hannaford wasn't down here, the beverage center wasn't down here. So when the other places come in, probably our grocery business has gone down a little bit -- but our perishables are still way up there because we can offer a more personal touch to that. The beer business has gone down because that's gone to drugstores and discount beverage stores because they get a huge quantity.
But as Van Allen told Liz about managing a small, independent store: "You become tight knit and you're able to do things on your own [here] where in a chain you have to just follow the policy 'bang, bang, bang, bang, bang.'"
A giant check for the AOA Startup Grant winner
From left to right: Dan Ciampino from Staff Ciampino; Heather Lashway, Berkshire Bank senior VP of product and designs; Sara Mae Hickey from Puzzles Bakery & Cafe; Mary Darcy from AOA; Justin Priddle, Berkshire Bank VP, Relationship Manager; Karen Mason, Berkshire Bank branch manager.
You know what's fun? Giving someone a giant check.
Sara Mae Hickey from Puzzles Bakery & Cafe -- the winner of this year's AOA Startup Grant -- was awarded the giant check for $1,500 today from the sponsors of the contest, Berkshire Bank and Staff Ciampino & Company P.C., Certified Public Accountants. (She also got smaller, actual check so she wouldn't have to try to deposit the giant check -- though, you know, that could be fun, too...)
And there was a bonus prize! Staff Ciampino also awarded Puzzles a year of free consulting and accounting services!
It was great to see Sara Mae and hear about the progress on Puzzles. She said they're currently finishing off some construction work and waiting on some kitchen equipment. The bakery/cafe on State Street in downtown Schenectady is aiming for a soft open this July.
Speaking of bonus prizes... The Albany Colonie Regional Chamber of Commerce and the Community Loan Fund of the Capital Region both stepped in after this year's finals to offer the two runners-up -- Raya's Raw and Cultured and The Rise and Shine Company -- entrepreneurship classes. Thanks to those two organizations!
Thank you to everyone who helped out with this year's contest, including Janet Tanguay at the Chamber for her coaching services, and our judges -- Lissa D'Aquanni from the Community Loan Fund, Blake Hanan from Mealo, and Rhea Drysdale from Outspoken Media. And thank you again to this year's contest sponsors Staff Ciampino & Company P.C., Certified Public Accountants and Berkshire Bank.
The Albany Colonie Regional Chamber of Commerce advertises on AOA.
Rare Form Brewing Company
Rare Form's tap room/brewery space, which was being prepped on Tuesday.
The new Rare Form Brewing Company in Troy is set to open its doors this Friday. The startup craft brewery is the result of a long-running plan by married couple Kevin Mullen and Jenny Kemp, who moved to the Capital Region after stops in Denver and Seattle.
Rare Form's opening also marks the ongoing transformation of its block at Congress St and 4th Street, which over the next few months four new storefronts are planned -- the sort of change that has a lot of people optimistic about the future of Troy.
We stopped by this week to get a look at what's in the works, and talk with some of the people involved.
Fort Orange General Store
Friends Caroline Corrigan and Katy Smith planned for years to open a business in downtown Albany. They had a couple different ideas -- including an urban grocery. But they ultimately ended up in the Delaware Ave neighborhood with a modern home goods shop: Fort Orange General Store. It's grand opening is today.
"We wanted to open something that was needed in the neighborhood it was in, and we thought about what Albany still doesn't have," Corrigan said. "Since we are connected to the art community, and both of us make stuff, this made sense."
The 2014 AOA Startup Grant final
Left to the right: Raya's Raw and Cultured's Raya Ioffe, The Rise and Shine Company's Michael Conlin, Puzzles Bakery and Cafe's Sara Mae Hickey.
The three finalists for the 2014 AOA Startup Grant gathered at the Berkshire Bank on Wolf Road Wednesday evening to make their final presentations to the judges. At stake: a $1,500 grant.
All the finalists made good impressions. But only one could win...
AOA Startup Grant 2014 finalists
There were a lot of good entries.
The pool of entries for this year's AOA Startup Grant was very strong. Many of the applications of would have made very fine finalists. But there can only be three, two chosen by crowd voting last week, and one chosen by the Editors.
Here they are...
Voting now open for the 2014 AOA Startup Grant!
The entries for the 2014 AOA Startup Grant are now posted online and voting is open!
Three finalists will be chosen to compete for $1,500. Crowd voting will pick two of the finalists, the Editors will pick the third. The finalists will make presentations to a panel of judges that will pick the winner.
This year's group of applicants looks very strong. They range from arts programs to body piercing to food companies to retail to design to apparel. Go have a look, and then vote for your two favorites.
The All Over Albany Startup Grant contest is sponsored by sponsored by Staff Ciampino & Company P.C., Certified Public Accountants, with prize money from Berkshire Bank.
Startup Grant Contest update: The Radix Center
Scott Kellogg from the Radix Center, AOA's first startup grant winner, with the aquaculture system at the center in Albany.
There are just two weeks left to enter a business idea in the All Over Albany Startup Grant Contest, sponsored by Staff Ciampino & Company P.C., Certified Public Accountants. One winner will receive $1,500 from Berkshire Bank to help start up a new business, or take an existing business to the next level. You should apply. Don't wait!
The first AOA Startup Grant winner was The Radix Center for Ecological Sustainability in Albany. When they applied for the grant, Scott Kellogg and Stacie Pettigrew had already had a 40-foot greenhouse and were working on raising chickens, rabbits, and vegetables on a plot of land in Albany's Grand Street neighborhood. But the founders of the educational center for urban sustainability pitched an addition to their project -- an aquaculture setup in which they could raise fish, watercress, and water lettuce.
Today Kellogg says they're using the system as a teaching tool and selling some of the resulting products.
Startup Grant Contest update: The Giddy Up Bus
Traci Cornwell's successful Giddy Up Bus was a finalist in the AOA Startup Grant Contest in 2012. (photo: AWASOS Entertainment)
There are just over two weeks left to enter a business idea in the All Over Albany Startup Grant Contest, sponsored by Staff Ciampino & Company P.C., Certified Public Accountants. One winner will receive $1,500 from Berkshire Bank to help start up a new business, or take an existing business to the next level. You should apply. Don't wait!
One of the things we love about the Startup Grant Contest is that not only does it help the winner, it also calls attention to lots of interesting, creative ventures in the Capital Region. Past finalists have gone on to build successful ventures based on the plans they proposed, with a bit of help from the feedback provided by the startup contest judges.
One of those finalists is Traci Cornwell, the entrepreneur behind the Giddy Up Bus, a bus service that runs from Albany to Saratoga and transports people for weddings and special events.
Traci was just 23 years old when she entered the contest and was selected as a finalist. Though she didn't win, she says the feedback from the judges was invaluable. Today she's successfully operating the Giddy Up bus and is considering adding a second bus to the fleet in the fall.
AOA Startup Grant Contest 2014
The first Startup Grant winnter, The Radix Center, used its prize to help build an aquaculture system for raising fish, watercress and water lettuce, and teaching urban sustainability.
There are all kinds of good ideas floating around the Capital Region. We hear about them all the time. And sometimes all a good idea needs to get off the ground is a little push. So, with the help of Berkshire Bank and Staff Ciampino & Company P.C., Certified Public Accountants, we're bringing back the AOA Startup Grant contest.
The idea: Provide $1,500 in cash to help a budding entrepreneur get a new project off the ground, or take an existing small business project to the next level.
It's also an opportunity to get a look at some of the good ideas circulating just below the radar in our region. The 2012 contest helped 3 Chicks and a P fund its hummus and tapenade business. And the first startup contest helped the Radix Center fund an aquaculture setup in which they raise fish, watercress and water lettuce, and help educate the public about urban sustainability.
This year Berkshire Bank is offering a $1,500 startup grant to help get another local micro-enterprise off the ground. And once again, you get to help decide who gets that funding. Or -- you know -- maybe even enter your own idea.
Here's a look at some of the 2011 and 2012 entries.
We're really looking forward to seeing what people come up with this year.
So, here's what we're looking for -- and how to apply...
Now open: Nine Pin Cider Works
Nine Pin Cider Works -- the startup cidery in the warehouse district in North Albany -- officially opened its tasting room on Broadway Friday. And it was jammed. Apparently Albany was ready for some locally-made cider. A handful of photos from the Friday's open house are after the jump.
It's been interesting to watch Nine Pin develop over the last year -- from a lot of empty containers, to the bottling process, to the the first farm cidery license in the state.
The hours for the tasting room are Thursday and Friday 4-9 pm, and Saturday 1-9 pm. Nine Pin also now has a distributor, so it should be popping up in bars, restaurants, and retail stores around the area.
Flower Scout
Last summer I received a few bouquets through Flower Scout, a local grower and purveyor of fresh-cut flowers that was also running a CSA. Flower Scout has since morphed into flower sales, event flowers (weddings, for example), and other ideas.
I recently had the opportunity to chat with Colie Collen, creator of Flower Scout, about balancing creative projects, working for yourself, and Troy.
Checking in with Nine Pin Cider Works
Bottling and packing this week.
Last August we met Alejandro del Peral and got an early look at his startup cidery in North Albany, Nine Pin Cider Works. At the time, some of the equipment had just been installed and del Peral was waiting on the fall apple crop to start making his product.
Nine Pin has made a lot of progress -- and a lot of cider -- over the past six months, as we found out when we stopped by the cidery on Broadway this week for a tour. Here's a look.
A peek at the reopening Madison Theater
The screens at the Madison Theater in Albany will flick back to life January 17 when the theater opens for the first time after a renovation.
The 85-year-old venue has lived through many different versions in its history. But this next life represents a significant transformation. The Madison is now operated by Tierra Farm, the Columbia County-based organic nuts/coffee/dried fruit company that also runs the coffee shop at the front of the building. Tierra has big plans for the space: upgraded theaters, digital projectors, a retail store for its products, and, eventually, an event space.
We stopped by the theater Monday to get a look at the renovations and hear a little bit more about what's planned for the neighborhood theater.
Be it known, this chimney has been swept
Here's the receipt in large format.
Some fun follow-up on Val's question from a month ago about finding a chimney sweep. She posts on Twitter:
Thanks to my Ask @alloveralbany inquiry we had our chimney swept by Pete Looker who left this excellent receipt. [above]
I wish I was home to meet him. As the other commenters on @alloveralbany noted he did indeed wear a stovepipe hat!
And the judges award the win to Pete Looker, for execution and style!
After seeing this receipt, we were thinking we might enjoy those ridiculously long drugstore receipts if they had passages from Dickens or some sort of other Victorian literature on the back. Heck, some of them are long enough, you might be able to fit a whole chapter.
(Thanks, Val!)
Checking out The Grocery in Troy
The new food market in downtown Troy -- The Grocery -- officially opened Tuesday on Broadway, half a block from Monument Square.
It's the latest project from Vic Christopher and Heather LaVine, owners of The Confectionery, located in an adjacent building. And much like the wine/coffee bar, Christopher and LaVine have created another space with a definite sense of place.
We stopped in Tuesday afternoon to have a look and talk with a few of the people involved, about how it came together and trying to find the right approach for a grocery store in downtown Troy.
Web developer for an online business?
Anonymous emails:
I am looking for an experienced web developer to help me launch an online business, someone who is highly proficient in HTML to hit the ground running on my site.
It sounds like Anonymous is maybe looking for a developer who has experience setting up an online shop or e-commerce system, so that might narrow the range a bit.
And, of course, a developer doesn't necessarily have to be local -- but it's nice to be able to meet up and talk to face-to-face. (We do get the sense Anon is looking for someone in the area.)
Have a web developer or firm to suggest? Please share.
The Giddy Up
Traci Cornwell comes from a long line of entrepreneurs. Her grandparents opened Cornwell Appliance on Central Ave in Colonie over sixty years ago. And her great-grandfather owned a shuttle business in Coxsackie. So her current path probably shouldn't be a surprise.
Traci was a finalist in last year's startup grant contest with what was then called The Bridge Runner Express, a plan to transport people between Albany and Saratoga. She didn't win the grant, but the judges were big fans of her, and they liked the idea -- they just thought it needed some more development.
A little more than a year later, her idea is up and running as The Giddy Up, offering $10 rides between Albany, Clifton Park, and Saratoga for Track season -- with plans for more.
Tech Valley Center of Gravity
At the corner of 4th and Fulton in downtown Troy, in what was formerly an OTB space on the ground floor of a parking garage, is now a workshop with metal and wood working machinery, racks of tools and parts, 3-D scanners and printers, and biotech equipment.
The new Tech Valley Center of Gravity is a makerspace -- a place for hackers, crafters, artists, geeks to build stuff, take things apart, hack new things to together, and to learn from each other.
But organizers see it as part of something even bigger.
Book House part of lawsuit against Amazon and big publishers over e-books
The Book House of Stuyvesant Plaza is one of three indie book stores that have filed a class action suit against Amazon and the "big six" book publishers alleging the companies have violated anti-trust law by forming agreements, and using digital rights management, to exclude indie book stores from the e-book market. The suit also alleges the arrangement is moving Amazon toward having an e-book monopoly. [Huffington Post Scribd]
As the book stores' lead attorney explained to the Huffington Post this week: "We are seeking relief for independent brick-and-mortar bookstores so that they would be able to sell open-source and DRM-free books that could be used on the Kindle or other electronic ereaders." [Huffington Post]
So, in other words, the books stores are looking to prohibit the publishers from publishing e-books that can only be read on a Kindle (or via a Kindle app), and Amazon would be required to allow e-books from any store to be read on a Kindle. They also want the publishers to allow indie brick-and-mortar book stores to be allowed to sell e-books with "open-source" digital rights management ("DRM" -- technology that makes it harder to copy something).
The Confectionery
Old is new.
On November 3, 2011 Vic Christopher and his wife Heather LaVine bought the building at 12 Second Street in Troy and began the work of restoring it that very night. It had most recently been the Troy Insurance Agency, but stood vacant across the street from the Illium Cafe for several years.
However, from 1863-1951 this had been the site of the Charles F. Lucas Confectionery.
Mr. Lucas, an Austrian-born emigre, brought the people of Troy something special, something sweet from the place he called home. Mr. Christopher is doing the same thing, but he's drawing from his roots in Brooklyn. After almost a year of renovations, soon the Charles F. Lucas Confectionery will re-open as a wine bar.
Recently I had the opportunity to talk with one of Troy's most passionate supporters about how this project began, what baseball has in common with operating a wine bar, and why Vic and Heather are hoping this will be your home away from home.
A giant check for 3 Chicks and a P
Everybody say hummus: Sunmark president/CEO Bruce Beaudette; Matthew Paniccia and daughter Sophia; Jennifer Rittner-Paniccia and daughter Olivia; and Susan Siegel, a Sunmark senior vice president.
Let's hear it for giant checks and hummus!
Yesterday the winner of this year's AOA/Sunmark Startup Grant -- 3 Chicks and a P, a small business in Rotterdam that makes hummus, bean dips, and tapenades -- got its prize money from the people at Sunmark.
The giant check came with $1,500 actual dollars (in a smaller check via direct deposit) that 3 Chicks owner Jennifer Ritner-Paniccia and her husband Matthew say they'll use for nutritional labeling for some of their newer flavors. They're hoping the labeling will help get their products onto supermarket shelves. 3 Chicks currently sells at local farmers' markets and co-ops.
Everyone celebrated the giant check with broccoli and hummus.
We'll be checking back with 3 Chicks and a P in a few months to see how they're doing.
Earlier on AOA:
+ Three Chicks and a P Sunmark Startup Grant entry
+ A giant check for the Radix Center (last year's winner)
+ Sunmark Startup update: The Radix Center
RAD Soap Co.
Yep, the soap with hemp seed oil is called "Toke."
Sue Kerber thinks the Capital Region needs to use more soap.
More specifically, her soap.
A familiar face and vendor at local farmers markets, Cohoes-based RAD Soap Co. has grown quickly in its four years. Sue's soaps and lotions began as a natural remedy to her family's ailments, from eczema to muscle pain to sinusitis. Those home remedies eventually turned into a full line of soaps, lotions, crèmes, balms and teas made from all natural ingredients -- and shipped all over the country.
Sunmark Startup Grant 2012 winner
The finalists.
The three finalists in this year's AOA/Sunmark Startup Grant competition made their presentations to our panel of judges this week at the Albany Colonie Chamber of Commerce.
They all did well -- but there can only be one winner...
2012 Sunmark Startup Grant finalists
There were a lot of good submissions for this year's AOA Sunmark Startup Grant. Projects ranged from a resource for new parents, to car sharing, to art, to web apps, to food. If you haven't read through the applications, you should -- you might find a project with which you'd like to get involved.
But there can only be three finalists -- two selected through crowd voting, the other by the Editors.
Here they are...
Sunmark Startup Grant voting leaderboard
We're about halfway through the voting for this year's AOA Sunmark Startup Grant. The leaderboard, as of Wednesday (May 9) afternoon, is posted in large-format after the jump.
Crowd voting will determine two of the finalists. And there's still time for a bunch of projects to claim those top two spots -- the middle of the pack is only about 100 votes out of the top two. (There have been more than 1000 votes so far.)
There are a lot of interesting projects this year -- you should have a look and check them out:
+ Albany Baby Book (a directory of Capital Region services for parents of babies)
+ Baker's Intuition (a bake shop in Troy)
+ Berrylicious Bouquets (bouquets made from berries dipped in chocolate)
+ Bridge Runner Express (a shuttle from Albany to Saratoga)
+ Car Sharing in the Capital Region (an independent car sharing startup)
+ Installation Art Exhibition (a multi-artist exhibition in Troy)
+ My Ride Board (a website for ride sharing)
+ PinkHouse Pottery (a pottery studio offering classes)
+ Real Time Albany (a website that tracks what people are talking about)
+ Saratoga Artisans and Crafters' Market (annual craft market)
+ Stories and Gables (a website for sharing the stories of old houses)
+ The Cheese Traveler and Tilldale Farm (a gourmet food shop)
+ Three Chicks and a P (hummus, bean dips, tapenades)
Big thanks to Sunmark Federal Credit Union for its continued support of the startup grant.
Vote now for the 2012 Sunmark Startup Grant
All the entries for this year's AOA Sunmark Startup Grant have been posted, and voting is now open.
Two of the three finalists for the $1500 startup grant will be chosen by crowd voting. (The Editors pick the third finalist.) Voting ends this Friday, May 11, at noon.
The final three will get an entrepreneurial crash course with business coach Janet Tanguay next week at the Albany-Colonie Regional Chamber of Commerce. They'll then make short presentations to a panel of judges, who will pick the winner.
This year's group of applicants includes some interesting and potentially community-changing ideas -- ranging from food to art to transportation. Have a look and then go vote.
Big thanks to Sunmark Federal Credit Union for its continued support of the startup grant.
Applications for the Sunmark Startup Grant are now closed
Update: The applications are now closed. Voting starts May 7.
Just a friendly reminder that the application deadline for this year's AOA/Sunmark Startup Grant is the end of the day Friday (May 4). Here are all the details you'll need to apply (please read them all before applying).
We already have a handful of applications in, and we're getting them posted online. The sooner you apply, the sooner your application will get posted.
Voting for two of the spots in the final round will begin the morning of May 7 (next Monday). The Editors will pick the third finalist.
Don't procrastinate!
Good online media consultant for a small or medium-sized business?
John asks:
I am looking for a media consultant. Someone to help our organization here in Albany with about 60 employees, with website redesign, and social media: facebook, twitter, etc. etc. We just don't l have the time to do it ourselves. Any leads on good local people?
There are a lot of people pitching this sort of service these days. We're not convinced all of them actually know what they're doing.
So, know of a local consultant or agency that would be good for a small or medium sized business? Please share.
Update: If you mention your own company or agency, please clearly state that you're affiliated with that organization.
AOA Sunmark Startup Grant 2012
Last year's winners -- Scott Kellogg and Stacey Pettigrew from the Radix Center -- in their greenhouse in Albany's Grand Street neighborhood. They used the grant money to help start an indoor aquaculture system.
Sometimes all a good idea needs to get off the ground is a little push. And we know there are a lot of great ideas floating around the Capital Region. So we've brought back the AOA Sunmark Startup Grant.
Sunmark Federal Credit Union is offering a $1,500 startup grant to help get one local micro-enterprise off the ground. And once again, you get to help decide who gets that funding. Or -- you know -- maybe even enter your own idea.
Last year more than 30 people or groups submitted entries to compete for the grant. It was inspiring to see the variety and creativity among the entries -- from cheesecakes and cell phone pods to public art and aquaculture. We're really looking forward to seeing what people come up with this year.
So, here's what we're looking for -- and how to apply...
Troy Flea
The organizers of the TightKnit market have something new coming up: Troy Flea.
From the blurbage:
In 2012, Tight Knit is re-imagining its role as a presenter, reaching out to an expanded audience with the introduction of "Troy Flea: An Urban Bazaar". The areas best Artisans and Crafters will mingle with connoisseurs of Vintage clothing, Antiques, collectibles, oddities, and what-nots; curated to present you with only the best, most diverse market the area has to offer. With a strong focus on community and small business over big box globalization, Tight Knit's mission since inception is to organize and motivate local artists and citizens to share their perspectives, knowledge and creativity with others. Let's keep our dollars in our communities and grow together.
The bazaar will be Saturdays in June, July, and August from 9 am - 2 pm. It will be located on River Street between Broadway and State (the other side of Monument Square from the farmers' market).
Organizers are still taking applications for vendors. The deadline is May 1.
A good accountant for small businesses?
Rebecca emails:
Just wondering if you could ask readers if they have any suggestions for tax preparers/accountants who are familiar with small businesses/sole proprietors? Thanks!
We've had a question before about accountants, but that was for personal taxes. Things can get a bit more (or a lot) more complicated when you have a small business.
Got a suggestion for Rebecca? Please share!
photo: Edinburgh City of Print (Flickr user edinburghcityofprint)
Latest mobile app developed locally: Undecided
The first app from Deadmans Productions, a relatively new mobile app company in Troy, now available for both iPhone and Android. "Undecided" includes a handful of virtual methods for making choices: rolling dice, flipping a coin, drawing straws -- that sort of thing.
The app costs 99 cents. It's a little rough around the edges. Some of the touch objects (if that's the phrase) are a little hard to grab. But it is kind of fun to flip a quarter by giving your phone a little flick (screengrab right). The company is holding a contest to rename the app -- but the current name fits it pretty well.
Zooming out, there's a bit of a mobile app development scene sprouting in the Capital Region. Among the players:
+ Ghost Hand Games in Saratoga has developed a couple of successful (and great-looking) games.
+ Axeva, a Clifton Park company, developed a sudoku-like game called Cohabit and a coloring book app.
+ A group of RPI students created a popular Android utility app.
+ And 1st Playable, a well-established games studio, recently produced its first mobile app game.
Michael Ridley, the founder of Deadmans, told the TU he started the company specifically to develop mobile apps. "Undecided" is the first in a string of five that they're planning to produce.
It's not surprising a lot of companies are dipping their toes in the mobile app pool -- it's projected to become a zillion-something-dollar market over the next few years.
[via Troy Record]
A giant check for the Radix Center
Everyone loves the giant check.
When the people at Sunmark asked us if they could give one of those giant cardboard checks to the Radix Center for winning the AOA/Sunmark Startup Grant, our response was something along the lines of: "What other sort of check would you give them?!?"
It's true: everyone loves the giant check. And this afternoon, Sunmark CEO Bruce Beaudette and director of marketing David Weinstein stopped by the Radix Center's site in Albany's Grand Street neighborhood to present the money to Scott Kellogg and Stacy Pettigrew.
Thanks again to Sunmark for funding the startup grant. And congratulations to the Scott and Stacy -- we're excited to see their greenhouse and aquaculture system develop.
A few more pics -- of the giant check and the under-construction greenhouse -- after the jump.
The Sunmark Startup Grant winner
36 entries, 3 finalists, 1 winner.
After hearing the presentations, the judges have made their decision in the Sunmark Startup Grant contest.
And the winner of the $1,500 startup grant from Sunmark Federal Credit Union is...
Sunmark Start-up finalist presentations
Last night was the final leg of the AOA/Sunmark Start-up Grant competition: the final presentations.
Judges Blake Hanan (Mealeo.com), Lorraine Murphy (Bettie's Cakes) and Lissa D'Aquanni (Community Loan Fund of the Capital Region) heard 20 minute presentations from the three finalists.
We'll announce the winner later this week. But first, the presentations:
Sunmark Startup Grant finalists
We had 36 projects apply for the AOA/Sunmark Startup Grant. And if we had the money, we'd give a $1500 push to a bunch of them. Really -- there were a lot of worthy projects. Thank you to everyone who applied.
But we can choose only one. And to reach that decision, we needed to narrow the field down to three finalists. Two of the spots have been picked via crowd voting. The third spot is a pick by the Editors.
And here are the finalists...
Sunmark Startup Grant voting leaderboard
The top 10, as of Thursday night.
We're just about at the halfway point in the voting to select the finalists for the AOA/Sunmark Startup Grant. The chart above has the top 10 vote getters, as of Thursday night (and 1,400 votes).
Two projects -- Fazana Saleem-Ismail's birthday parties for homeless children, and Katie Pray Designs -- have separated themselves as front runners. But we still have almost three days of voting to go. That's plenty of time for other projects, even those outside the top 10, to move into the top two.
The top two get a place in the finals. The Editors will choose the third finalist -- and it's going to be tough. There are a bunch of interesting ideas!
Voting ends at 6 pm on Sunday.
The Sunmark Startup Grant entries
A handful of the entries.
We're very happy to introduce the slate of entries for the Sunmark Startup Grant.
Thirty-five projects have submitted an application for the $1,500 grant. The projects range from bakeries to mobile apps to fashion design to jazz to birthday parties for homeless kids.
We wish we could give a push to a bunch of them! But there can be only one winner. To get there, we need three finalists -- and that's where you come in.
Two of the finalists will be picked via crowd voting. And it's now open! (You should probably browse the projects first.) The last spot in the finals will be chosen by the Editors.
Voting ends this Sunday at 6 pm!
The Sunmark Startup Grant is funded by Sunmark Federal Credit Union.
Capital Region cloth diaper services
No pins required: Diaper covers make cloth diapers easy.
Cloth or paper? Which one would you prefer cradling your butt?
On second thought, don't answer that. I'll just jump right in to talking about diapers.
With my first baby, I chose cloth. It was soft. I liked that it "breathed" better than disposables. And I liked the fact that we weren't sending extra crap (ahem) to the landfill. But washing diapers at home was not an option: We were renting; the landlord had shut off the hot-water line to the washing machine, and you can't wash diapers in cold.
So we contracted with a diaper service. Easy: They provided the diapers. We just tossed the used ones into a bin, set them out once a week, and fresh clean diapers would magically appear the next morning.
But by the time our second daughter came around, the diaper service we'd used had gone out of business. We went with disposables. Yeah, she got diaper rash more often. Yeah, we threw out a lot of trash. But whether we deserved the eco-guilt we felt isn't completely clear: When you take the laundering into account, reusables aren't exactly guilt-free, either. Studies comparing the environmental impact of cloth and disposables have shown mixed results, and even the Natural Resources Defense Council has reported that "environmentalists from various organizations declared a draw, suggesting we all move on to issues where the costs and benefits were more clear-cut."
Me, my heart's still with cloth; but whatever your feelings, it's nice that parents have options. There are now several diapering businesses in the Capital Region, and they make it as easy as could be to go cloth with your baby.
Read on to learn more about three of the area's cloth diaper services.
Tierra Farm: Quality, in a nutshell
Chocolate, meet coffee beans. Coffee beans, meet chocolate.
Consider the aroma of slow-roasting cashews dusted in curry. Consider the chocolate-covered coffee beans. Or the maple-glazed pecans. Or -- woah, are those pistachios?
No contest: The prize for the Capital Region's best-smelling workplace goes to Tierra Farm, an organic nut-roasting company in Valatie.
The warm, spicy fragrance of roasted nuts is only part of what's appealing about Tierra Farm. The company is working hard to create a product, a business model and a work environment that's consistent with their values. And they look like they're having lots of fun while doing it.
And wait till you taste the chocolate-covered Cajun cashews. ...
Community office space at 747 Madison
The recognizable pink building.
Updated with contact info.
We've talked a bit in the past about the push for coworking spaces in the Capital Region.
Well, yesterday we got a look at a space in Albany that points in that direction. It stops short of the ultra-flexible, hive-like coworking concept, but it's more flexible than a typical office rental.
The space is in the 747 Madison building in Albany. We met up with property manager Stephanie Means for a tour.
... said KGB about Drawing: What's something that brought you joy this year?