Cincinnati

XU, UC communities can leave cars at home this year

By Newsroom

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August 21, 2012

Last year, UC pioneered the Zip Car in the city, and since their delivery to campus, two red Zipcars retain prime parking spaces in front of McMicken Hall, while another, a hybrid, sits at Daniels. This fall, Xavier University launches WeCar, an automated car rental option offered through a partnership with Enterprise Rent-A-Car. Thanks to these two options, local students, faculty and staff can reserve cars on an as-needed basis, limiting demand for parking and adding to the convenience of traveling around town. The new WeCar options at Xavier University are two Kia Souls, which will be parked near Flynn Hall. The program offers 24-hour access to hourly, daily and overnight rentals. Both programs benefit younger college students, those aged 18 to 20, who are normally not able to rent cars. XU’s WeCar program even taps into alumni support: with 20 XU alums working for Enterprise in the region, students can feel connected not only to the cars, but the company. All it takes is a driver’s license and a credit card to start the rental process for either option. Both are designed to accommodate sustainability minded students as well as expand transportation options for members of university communities. By Elissa Yancey Follow Elissa on Twitter

Latest in Cincinnati

Routing Djokovic, Federer Rolls On

By Newsroom

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Cincy In The News

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August 21, 2012

Well over a decade into his career, Roger Federer has achieved the rare sort of successes that surpass even childhood dreams. “When I was a kid, I wasn’t thinking of winning five Cincinnatis,” Federer said after his semifinal win Saturday over his Swiss compatriot Stanislas Wawrinka. “But then again, here I am in this great situation being able to do it — the first man ever.” Read the full story here.

Cincinnati Innovates’ winners collect $100K in awards

By Newsroom

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Architecture + Design

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August 21, 2012

One is a soccer dad tired of suffering on the sidelines. Another is a savvy entrepreneur with a plan to help professionals who have said “yes” to one too many find a safe and convenient way home. Still another is a mom inspired by healthy living. This year’s Cincinnati Innovates winners encompass an impressive range of ideas and strategies to improve quality of life and health. Rick Pescovitz of Under-the-weather.com won one of the top awards, the $25,000 CPG Strategies Award, for his all-purpose tent built to fit soccer chairs and protect fans from extreme weather. The other $25,000 winner, Brooke Griffin of Skinny Mom, has built a network of more than 70 mom-bloggers around the world. She won investment help from CincyTech. Another winner, Jon Amster of 321RIDE.com, received a $5,000 Taft Legal/Patent Award for his innovative approach to his membership-based designated driver service already used by the Cincinnati Reds and Dunhumby USA. In its third year, the Cincinnati Innovates competition awarded $100,000 in funding and in-kind services to entrepreneurs representing 12 business ideas. Since its inception, the competition has sparked millions of dollars of investments in companies with local connections. More than 200 entries vied for support this year, with awards given in a variety of categories. Commercialization award winners were selected by their sponsors (CincyTech, LPK) with help from a team of judges; in-kind services awards were chosen by sponsors with help from judges; community choice award winners were chosen by the public. Browse this year’s innovative entries here. By Elissa Yancey Follow Elissa on Twitter.

Winning A 5 Minute Pitch: How Candace Klein Won $1.7M in 25 Competitions (And Why She and SoMoLend A

By Newsroom

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Cincy In The News

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August 21, 2012

“Tell me something unique or quirky about you. Something nobody knows.” Candace Klein, the founder of Bad Girl Ventures andSoMoLend, an online lending platform, was still in high energy last night after presenting her live pitch strategies to several hundred entrepreneurs in Salt Lake. The small dinner group was the denouement of an intense evening. She’d flown in earlier in the day to give her presentation at the University of Utah for Grow America and the local Entrepreneur Circle Meetup. Response was so overwhelming, Grow America EVP Richard Swart had moved the event to a bigger facility. Twice. Read the full story here.

X-Lab offers startups opportunities, expertise, community

By Newsroom

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Development News

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August 21, 2012

In 2010, Xavier University’s Williams College of Business launched its X-LAB program (short for Xavier Launch a Business) in an effort to recognize on-campus opportunities for community engagement. The program is returning for its third year, and is accepting applicants until Sept. 7. The X-Lab program is designed for people (including students) in the Cincinnati area who are excited about their ideas, but may not necessarily have the skills to execute them in the business world. “A lot of people understand their ideas and are passionate about them,” says Joe Carter, director of the X-lab competition and a professor at Xavier University, “but they have no idea how to take the next step or how to run a business.” The program will accept 25 applicants from Cincinnati who are interested in starting their own businesses, social enterprises and nonprofits. The businesses and nonprofits are chosen based on the applicants’ ideas and the potential for local and national growth. After the X-Lab committee chooses the program’s 25 finalists, they are invited to attend free workshops conducted by local executives and Xavier students and staff. The free workshops teach applicants how to turn their ideas into actual businesses and nonprofits. “We teach them the components of the business model,” says Carter. “Like how to protect their intellectual property, identifying target audiences and marketing skills.” Then, the X-Lab committee will choose five finalists in the program and introduce them to potential investors and collaborators. Carter says small businesses and nonprofits are important to the community because they help attract and retain jobs and talent in the region. He also says the X-lab members become a community of entrepreneurs, who work together to make their ideas successful. “We teach them how to run a business, and that builds confidence,” says Carter. “They also want to help one another and network, so it’s a positive experience for everyone.” By Jen Saltsman Follow Jen on Twitter

Plans for Northside Skatepark in motion

By Newsroom

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Development News

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August 21, 2012

In 2000, after considering options for the empty space, Northside Community Council (NCC) members proposed turning the space between Colerain and Kirby into a skatepark as a way to welcome visitors to the neighborhood and reflect the interests of its residents. Backed by the City of Cincinnati and with grant funding, that never-forgotten project is now in motion. “The idea was that we had to come up with something that we wanted people to see when they come into the neighborhood,” says Tim Jeckering, former president of the NCC. “Whatever we decided on needed to set the tone for what we want this neighborhood to be.” The Council enlisted the help of the international consulting firm Action Sports Design, which has designed parks in Denver, Santa Fe and St. Cloud, MN. The company recently completed the initial designing phase of the Northside project. Next, members of the NCC plan to raise funds for park construction. The proposed skatepark will cover 2,300 square feet and will include a skating area, a community garden, a space for small children and a walking trail. Action Sports Design constructed the layout of the new park with multiple uses in mind: the skate platforms can also double as stages for performances; hiking trails and a garden provide other outlets for visitors in and from the community. “We want it to be a positive place for youth for physical activities, exercise and recreation,” says Jeckering. “The idea is to make it a destination skating place; it’s something Cincinnati lacks.” Jimmy Love, who has been skating Cincinnati for 10 years, says he’s excited to see the project move forward. “I can't wait to have a spot with new ramps and rails to shred,” says Love. “As a local skater, I realize we damage a lot of the architecture in the city. Now that we’ll have a legitimate place to skate, it's a win-win situation." By Jen Saltsman Follow Jen on Twitter

AI Software evolves with tech marketing trends

By Newsroom

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Entrepreneurship

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August 21, 2012

In tech time, 10 years is forever, and if a privately owned software company reaches that milestone, it's through hard work and adaptivity. AI Software, in Kenwood, recently passed that 10-year mark, meeting market and economic challenges along the way. The company, headquartered in Cincinnati with another office in Arizona, was founded by high school buddies and Cincinnati natives Dave Ebbesmeyer and Ed Buringrud. The pair ran into each other after college and found they both were trying to start web development companies. Teaming up, they began AI Software, offering development services including a signature content management system. They developed the system for non-coders at a time when those systems were far less ubiquitous than today. Now, AI Software has six full-time employees, two part-time employees and occasionally hires subcontractors. They continue to sell their SiteManager v5.0 content management system, but have added a full array of digital marketing products to meet client demand. In the last 18 months, the company has started offering content services as well. "Clients want a single point of contact for their web development and web and social media campaigns," Ebbesmeyer says. "We've become a place that handles companies' entire online web strategies. That could include an online web store or video," Expanding AI Software's services also has helped them compete against a crowd of freelancers, Ebbesmeyer says. "Freelance competitions still continues to be a bit of a challenge, but it's difficult for freelancers to offer everything," he says. This service shift has helped the company weather the economic downturn and subsequent sluggish rebound since 2008. "We do offer a great content management system, but our clients are less concerned about tech than they are about managing their web presence," Ebbesmeyer says. "We've really seen a lot of that in the last year. And because of the growth of that demand, we are adding talent to deliver things outside the scope of ones and zeros (the bedrock of computer coding language)." By Feoshia H. Davis Follow Feoshia on Twitter

Cybervise fixes web development impasses

By Newsroom

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Diversity

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August 21, 2012

Small businesses looking to maximize their marketing often invest in professional web development. But what happens when the developer steps away and the business takes over? All too often, it’s complete inaction, says Carmen Krupar, web developer and founder of Cybervise. (She advises revisiting your website content at least quarterly, by the way.) Before the launch, Krupar was working with a company that rolled out website after website, shrugging off client requests for ongoing maintenance and updates. Krupar began doing the work herself, first during the evenings after work and, later, out of her Hamilton County Business Center office, where she says she already networks enough each month to cover the rent -- and then some. Cybervise fills the gap between the creation of a website and the ongoing maintenance needed to keep it ranking well on search engines and up-to-date for clients and customers. Sometimes, this means creating new pages or reorganizing a site, but it might also mean simply fixing glitches left behind by other web developers. It can even involve some interpersonal work. “Folks that call us have an existing website, but their web developer has let them down,” Krupar explains. “Usually, the project’s taking too long to finish; they’re at an impasse where nobody can compromise – everyone’s stuck on their own idea of what the website should be, or they’ve lost touch with developer. We’re doing things like updating information, fixing broken functionality and creating graphics (like buttons added to the site), as well as code cleanups for search engine optimization.” Krupar, who is available on retainer, says the best way to avoid needing her services is to build your initial site with room for expansion, and to avoid free, quick-fix tools. Her favorite content management system is WordPress, though her team can handle nearly any system, she says, noting that most people with computer skills can learn to use it, and it’s search-engine friendly. “Ranking for search engine optimization is hard enough -- don’t make a site that search engines aren’t going to move through easily,” she says. By Robin Donovan

The Business Backer helps entrepreneurs find financing alternatives

By Newsroom

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Entrepreneurship

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August 21, 2012

Today it's tough for entrepreneurs to finance businesses growth. Banks have tightened lending standards since the 2008 financial crisis, and some business owners don't have the credit or collateral to score a loan for even small projects. There are some alternative and creative funding options, though, and one Cincinnati-based company has built a growing business on financing small projects that banks won't take a chance on. The Business Backer, in Mason, has provided more than 3,000 businesses across the country access to $60 million in working capital since its founding in 2007. The Business Backer is privately funded, and finances small business projects up to $75,000. In turn, the Business Backer receives a percentage of the borrowing company's future earnings, says Business Development Manager Daniel Royce. The funding is repaid, often in a year or less. "Our industry is not new, but it fills a void," Royce says. "This is for business owners who may not have the collateral (for a traditional loan). They may be unbankable, but that doesn't mean they are a horrible business." The Business Baker looks at financial information and the growth potential of each applying business. The relationship between The Business Backer and clients is an important aspect of the financing process, Royce says. "We look at the whole picture. We ask, 'Who is the businessperson, what services are they providing?' We see the value that lies beneath that (traditional financial) information, weighing that information and the risk to determine if we can do something," Royce says. Some financing companies have a bad rep for high interest rates that take advantage of customers, Royce acknowledges. The Business Baker, from the start, aimed to keep rates at "a half or a third of competitors," he says. The Business Backer was founded by software and business services entreprenuers Scott Avera and Mark Deeter. CEO Jim Salters, a turnaround consultant, joined in 2009. The company has about 40 employees. "We want to provide extremely affordable capital, and provide a service based on a relationship with clients," Royce says. By Feoshia H. Davis Follow Feoshia on Twitter.

Hero-building sculptor branches out with ‘Black Brigade’

By Amanda Palmer

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Arts + Culture

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August 21, 2012

What do Jimi Hendrix, Kurt Cobain and heroic black Civil War volunteers from Cincinnati have in common? They’ve all been brought to life via the sculpting talents of Cincinnati native John Hebenstreit, 39.