Junction Party Store
Rosè and Jacqueline Cuevas are an inspiring duo who share a common dream – to thrive as entrepreneurs. Despite facing physical limitations and juggling family responsibilities, the husband and wife duo never let their dreams fade away. With determination and community support, they brought their dream to life and created Junction Party Store. Their mission […]
Lily’s and Elise Tea House
The Lily’s and Elise Tea House is a luxury tea lounge located on the Livernois Avenue of Fashion in Detroit with a mission to provide an exceptional, European-style afternoon tea experience. Lily’s and Elise specializes in premium teas from around the world, pastries, and fresh flowers. The core values of Lily’s and Elise are femininity, […]
Symmetry Concepts
Tom and Shannon Westgate know a bit about business. They’ve owned and grown individual companies and jointly operate Arcadia’s Pleasant Valley Resort, purchased in 2012. Now, with the help of Venture North Funding & Development, they’re starting down a new path. Fueling Growth in Arcadia The husband-and-wife duo have launched Symmetry Concepts LLC, a company […]
Saltless Sea Creamery
When you talk with Dave and Joy Omar about their rapidly growing business, Saltless Sea Creamery, you are left with two seemingly disparate but closely connected impressions. One, they love what they do with unbridled passion. And, second, time is what makes cheese special. Dave and Joy make artisan cheese that has Mediterranean roots and […]
Myconaut
While Joe Lane, left, and Ryan Iacovacci are growing mushrooms to feed people, they’re also working to save the planet. The owners of Myconaut were awarded a grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to study how fungi can remediate PFAS in the soil. They’ve also been accepted into the NVIDIA Inception Accelerator Program to […]
El Caribe
Start Garden Demo Day is legendary. The Grand Rapids-based business incubator holds an annual pitch contest, beginning with a 100-second video pitch and ending with a raucous celebration, where 10 entrepreneurs are each awarded $20,000. The contest is open to everyone. In 2023, Northern Initiatives partnered with Start Garden to provide low-interest loans to all […]
Tienda Mexicana El Cuñao
The workers who grow our food need food. Vanessa Muniz makes sure they get what they need – and it goes well beyond food. Her store, Tienda Mexicana El Cuñao, in St. Louis, Michigan, is smack-dab in the middle of the Michigan mitten, surrounded by farms growing grains, fruit, vegetables and flowers, and the dairy […]
Eclipse Communications
In 1996, Christopher Varenhorst got his first computer. And it wasn’t long before he was fixing those of others. “I had a penchant to fix everything,” Varenhorst recalls. Now, the 40-year-old entrepreneur is running a million-dollar company, applying his technical expertise and knowledge to solutions on a bigger scale: Bringing high-speed Internet service to rural […]
MJ Design Co.
“Earrings, pendants, ornaments, signs, mugs, apparel and more – let your imagination run wild and bring your ideas to me!” says Jennie Zoll, owner of MJ Design Co., a new laser engraving business based in Mancelona. Zoll brings her expertise and passion for art and design to help all her clients design something special and […]
Hearth Sauna
A national tradition of Finland that likely originated in northern Europe around 2000 BC is now available to northern Michigan residents at Mt. Holiday thanks to the energy, inspiration and experience of entrepreneur Nick Olson, owner of Hearth Sauna. “We offer a high-quality Nordic sauna experience in a clean, thoughtful setting,” says Olson. “We greet […]