Cincinnati

Canopi fashions new web channel for style bloggers

By Newsroom

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October 30, 2012

There literally are millions of blogs with hundreds of thousands created dailcy. As any avid blogger already knows, not all blogs are created equal. Some are as professional, well-written and relevant as any glossy magazine. Others are, well, not. Social media channels like Youtube, Facebook and Twitter can help somewhat cull the best content, but it's still not a great way to find good content about specific topics. A small group of Cincinnati entrepreneurs are working to do their part to make the fashion blogging space more manageable and efficient for bloggers, readers and brands. The Canopi startup is aimed at the fashion blogging community and billed as an "An All Access Pass to Top Blog Content." It's working to amass the best content, help readers and bloggers connect, and better match bloggers and brands. Erin Flynn, a blogger who lives in Columbia Tusculum, started Canopi in July 2011. Formerly known as Righting Style, Canopi is just launching the site in Beta, and seeking blogger content. The site will have a system that divides content by specific topics, and allows bloggers to use the platform to grow their influence. Readers can vote up their favorite content, and brands can tap into a system that sets pay rates for bloggers based on influence and content. Flynn, who has a background in marketing, started Canopi in response to problems she saw as a style blogger. She's the author of Reality Chic, devoted to real-world style tips for young women transitioning to work from college. "I graduated from college in 2009, and the economy crashed. I decided I wanted to do something for myself. I was passionate about fashion, and started a fashion blog. I was addicted," she says. But she saw problems. It was hard to cut through the blog noise to reach readers, and difficult for brands to quickly identify great bloggers to partner with. "I was finding brands were spending 25 hours per campaign looking for bloggers," she says. Canopi is in its early stages, but will soon be contacting brands. The company is also seeking angel investors, and Flynn's husband is leaving a job at Procter & Gamble to work full-time for the company. "We're open to all opportunities," Flynn says. By Feoshia H. Davis Follow Feoshia on Twitter.

Latest in Cincinnati

UC study reveals two native plants suited for green roofs

By Newsroom

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Environment + Sustainability

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October 30, 2012

It would appear that not all native Ohioans dread the scorching summers typical in our region. In fact, members of UC’s biology department recently identified two plants that thrive under the same conditions that send humans running for air-conditioned shelter. A pilot study conducted by UC biology student Jill Bader and assistant professor of biology Ishi Buffam found that of four native Ohio plants tested, the nodding wild onion (Allium cernuum) and a European sedum (Sedum acre) are particularly well suited for the vegetated roofs becoming increasingly common—and which the pair hope to help popularize even further—in local green building practices. Green roofs have been utilized in many cities to address environmental issues, from air pollution and street noise to excess stormwater runoff. According to Buffam, however, most of the plants currently used on green roofs are not native to the region. “We aim to help inform policy and details of green roof construction and implementation by increasing the knowledge base,” Buffam says. The results of the study, which Buffam and Bader presented earlier this month at the CitiesAlive 2012 conference in Chicago, confirm earlier studies which have found the nodding wild onion to be a successful green roof plant. “It was exciting to see everyone coming together to share research data, case studies and ideas for increasing green roof adoption as a solution for the environmental issues created by urbanization,” Bader says. “In order for green roof installations to become more widely adopted in the region, more guidance supported by research data is needed,” says Buffam. “Especially as it relates to the selection of green roof plants and the ecosystem services they provide. [Such research] is extremely important to the efforts of municipalities, businesses and environmental agencies who utilize green roofs in their efforts at reducing stormwater runoff and protecting the quality of our surface waters.” Buffam and Bader direct those interested in learning more about green roofs to the Civic Garden Center’s Green Learning Station, a roundup of “…responsible methods to grow gardens anywhere and everywhere: yards, rooftops, walls, patios, driveways and parking lots.” By Hannah Purnell

UC welcomes more Indian students

By Newsroom

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Cincy In The News

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October 23, 2012

In 2010, Indian students at the University of Cincinnati were granted scholarships worth $5 million; in 2012, scholarships worth $7 million are expected to be given. Read more here.

SocStock readies for relaunch, plans to make Cincinnati home

By Newsroom

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Diversity

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October 23, 2012

SocStock, a web-based company that lets people fund their favorite small businesses in exchange for double the amount back in products, services or experiences, is set to relaunch today. SocStock, a graduate of the latest Brandery accelerator class, will officially be back online today. On Oct. 25, the company will hold a launch event, SocStock Community Pitch Night, at the Know Theatre in Over-the-Rhine. SocStock and Cincinnati businesses that use the platform will be there to talk about the creative financing option. "This is a way for small businesses to raise zero-interest cash by reaching out to customers and community members for a cash advance to help their business grow," says SocStock Senior Associate Jillian Zatta. SocStock allows businesses to raise funds quickly from people who truly support them. At the same time, it gives customers a buy-in through investments in a favorite local business. "It's a very good consumer engagement tool, and it makes customers feel more connected to the small businesses they frequent," Zatta says. "It's also a way for customers to really help a business by doing more than buying from them." For every $1 invested, the business will pay back $2 in a combination of company products, services or experiences. SocStock also can serve as a valuable marketing tool. "They can give customers access to a special collection, invite them to a fashion show, a personal styling session or discounts," Zatta says. Zatta and SocStock's founder Jay Finch have finance backgrounds and relocated to Cincinnati from New York, where they worked at Goldman Sachs. They plan on making Cincinnati SocStock's home. "We want to stay here. We want Cincinnati to be our home. There's definitely a place for us here," she says. By Feoshia H. Davis Follow Feoshia on Twitter

Cincinnati Parks go digital with new video-tagging program

By Newsroom

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Entrepreneurship

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October 23, 2012

There’s something decidedly sci-fi about digitizing green plants, but that’s what a new partnership between the Cincinnati Park Board and local tech startup QuipTV hopes to achieve. This month, the duo launched a pilot project that allows Ault Park visitors to access informative videos about specific plants, the community and the park by using smartphones or handheld devices to scan QR-tagged plants. So far, 87 specimens have been tagged with another 40 to be added in the coming weeks, according to the Parks. Plans are also in the works to extend the project to Krohn Conservatory in time for its 2012 holiday exhibit, “Trains, Trestles & Traditions,” which runs Nov. 17-Jan. 6. “We would like to expand the program to more locations in the future, but we will wait to see some of the responses from the pilot projects at Ault and Krohn,” says Deborah Allison, business services manager at the Parks. You don’t have to visit the sites to learn about the plants, either. The informative videos can also be accessed remotely via the Cincinnati Parks’ YouTube channel and its mobile app, which was launched in July. According to Kris Kubicki, co-founder of QuipTV, the videos also direct users to local vendors that sell the featured plants. “We own a small nursery and were trying to figure out a way to generate enthusiasm for plants and let people know that we exist,” says Kubicki. “Recognizing that many small businesses are struggling and need the support of their community, this project helps them, too. In this technology-driven culture with smartphones in the hands of many, we can take a moment of curiosity and educate with a 20-50-second video.” Organizers hope the project will help people connect more with the outdoors and interact with other Cincinnatians through existing groups like the Greater Cincinnati Master Gardener Association and the Civic Garden Center. “This project engages people with their surroundings and provides options for citizens to be more proactive,” says Kubicki. “We all need each other. Supporting our local communities is where we start fixing the future.” By Hannah Purnell Follow Hannah on Twitter.

RobustCloud helps large companies gain efficiency with cloud computing

By Newsroom

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Entrepreneurship

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October 23, 2012

By now, most people have heard about "cloud," or web-based computing, which has made collaboration, innovation and efficiency easier. A Cincinnati tech entrepreneur, Larry Carvalho, is taking his expertise in cloud computing to large companies across the country through his business, RobustCloud. "I have a mechanical engineering degree, and have helped businesses learn how to use IT to improve their business," Carvalho says. "I took my experience to large enterprises by helping tech companies in the adoption of cloud computing." Carvalho, a native of India, lived in New York before coming to Cincinnati for work in the late 1980s. He started RobustCloud in 2009 after his job with IBM was relocated. "For most companies, there is a dearth of knowledge about what they can do with could computing," Carvalho says. "As a result, they look for experts to advise them on what steps to take." The main areas in which he consults are social networks, mobile computing and analytics. "That is really what is driving the need for cloud infrastructure," he says. "The bottom line benefit to business is business agility. They are able to react to market changes faster." Though based in Cincinnati, many of Carvalho's clients are on the East and West coasts. However, he is looking to expand his footprint in Cincinnati and will be among those presenting at the Digital Non Conference this Wednesday at 11:15 a.m. on "Data and Digital Marketing." "I'm really eager to help local companies adopt cloud computing," Carvalho says. "I want to make a difference in Cincinnati." By Feoshia H. Davis Follow Feoshia on Twitter

Sugar cookies from Mt Lookout Sweets match any occasion

By Robin Donovan

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Entrepreneurship

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October 23, 2012

Imagine the work that goes into a batch of cookies: mixing, rolling, baking, decorating and washing. Now imagine baking 1,000 cookies a month. That’s how many Debbie DeGeer typically creates at Mt Lookout Sweets, a bakery she runs from her Mt. Lookout home – complete with a commercial kitchen in the basement – each month. That’s 12,000 cookies a year, but DeGeer isn’t counting. Baking helps keep her hands busy and her creative mind active while she cares for her aging mom, who helping instill in DeGeer a love of floury hands and blustery ovens. Because DeGeer’s mom lives with Alzheimer’s, the duo spend their share of quiet nights at home. Baking started as “a kind of therapy,” and DeGeer often arrived at Comey Shephard, the real estate agency where she works, laden with cookies. Her creations with the company logo on them were particularly popular for the real estate company’s open houses, and from there, the requests grew. DeGeer specializes in hand-decorated sugar cookies that are part art and part dessert, and she has a design for everyone. When Keidel, a Cincinnati-based plumbing, cabinetry, appliance and lighting contract, celebrated its 100th anniversary, DeGeer created confections in the shape of bathtubs, light bulbs and even toilets. “I never thought in my life I would make a cute toilet, but I did,” DeGeer says. Active with other cookie pros, dubbed “cookiers,” on Facebook, DeGeer has about 1,200 Facebook fans for her business, and says it’s a top source of referrals, along with word-of-mouth. Mt. Lookout Sweets averages three to four orders per week, with her capacity filling up quickly around the holidays and in late spring or early summer as couples plan their weddings. DeGeer typically requests a week’s notice for each order and more during busy seasons. By Robin Donovan

Westside chef creates ‘the Ben & Jerry’s of hummus’

By Robin Donovan

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Entrepreneurship

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October 23, 2012

Ethan Snider has been carrying out a love affair with food for nearly a quarter of a century. Raised on Cincinnati’s west side, he worked up through the ranks at Macaroni Grill, eventually becoming an executive chef. It was dream come true. Until he hated it. “The corporate stuff just did not appeal to me,” he says. “I was there for less than six months.” He ended up at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, N.Y., graduating with a bachelor’s degree in 2004. After that, he moved around, working at a tiny Batesville, Ind., restaurant run out of a three-car garage and, later, at a fine-dining restaurant in Boca Grande, Fla. That worked for a while, but Snider grew homesick. “I liked it a lot, but I started to miss being here; I always wanted to have a name for myself in Cincinnati because this is where I’m from,” he says. Local farmers’ markets with low overhead and a home-grown touch seemed like a good way to get started. With an eye toward the need for more locally sourced, vegetarian and vegan options, he launched Summuh (pronounced “SOU-mah”), a specialty hummus shop, first at a farmer’s market in Madeira and, later, in Northside and Hyde Park. Most recently, he joined Findlay Market, where he plans to weather the winter months. Snider calls his wares “The Ben & Jerry’s of hummus,” promising “you’ve never had hummus like this.” Three core flavors include a chickpea hummus with lemon and rosemary and a hummus spiced with cumin, coriander and cilantro, topped with red onions. There are also 12-15 seasonal flavors, including “Squashbuckler,” which features a butternut squash and navy bean base with ancho chili powder, garlic and a spicy black bean relish on top. Though his hummus is organic and local, Snider says he’s no food evangelist. “I’m not trying to convert anyone to what I believe in or change the world." he says. "I just feel that if I believe in something, other people will start to believe in what I’m doing, too.” By Robin Donovan

Video Emery Sessions: Ralph Stanley & the Clinch Mountain Boys

By Emery Sessions

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Entrepreneurship

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October 23, 2012

At this year's Midpoint Music Festival, the legendary Ralph Stanley brought his Clinch Mountain Boys to town for a concert at the acoustically perfect Emery Theatre in OTR. The Emery Sessions captured their rendition of "Train 45" on video. Video courtesy The Emery Sessions.

‘Contained’ takes art into the streets of OTR

By Scott Beseler

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Architecture + Design

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October 23, 2012

'Contained,' an exhibit of art presented in shipping containers in Over-the-Rhine, takes art into the streets, as the Requiem Project extends its reach beyond the Emery Theatre. Soapbox's master photographer Scott Beseler offers a tour.