Written by The Cackle Holiday Edition
2020 Midwest Shop Local Gift Guide
For this special weeklong holiday edition of The Cackle, we will interview 25 of the small business owners participating in EntryPoint’s 2020 Midwest Shop Local Gift Guide. This is your chance to learn about their business and the gifts they can offer you ahead of the 2020 holiday season!
The Cackle highlights small businesses, startups, and people who have an impact on communities across the Midwest. We explore a wide range of topics relating to the vibrancy of local economies, including: entrepreneurial journeys, economic trends, the challenges small businesses and startups face, and the importance of building a diverse and inclusive community.
The pandemic makes shopping difficult this year, so we’re here to help small businesses by creating the 2020 Midwest Shop Local Gift Guide! Encouraging people to shop locally is core to our mission of promoting entrepreneurship and supporting entrepreneurs. As a nonprofit research institution, EntryPoint partners with organizations to deliver comprehensive research insights. These crucial insights are used to support the small business community and startup ecosystem.
Our Guests
- Lettering Works, vibrant, high-quality art products that spread positivity and build community.
- The Little Seedling, a full range of products, from car seats and strollers to clothing to toys and games for children of all ages.
- Parks Old Style Bar-B-Q, an “old school barbecue joint” that specializes in pit grilled pork and beef, ribs, and chicken.
- ILERA Apothecary, plant-based skincare products with the highest quality and ethically sourced ingredients.
- Empowerment Plan, a durable and innovative coat that transforms into a sleeping bag.
- YUMI TUMI, sauces that complement and elevate your plate, no matter the place, occasion, or cuisine.
- Ash & Erie, the first major brand for shorter men offering premium clothes designed exclusively for men 5’8″ and below.
- Dribble Stick Training, a basketball training system designed to help basketball players of all ages perfect the fundamentals of the game.
- Olive Seed, integrative services, including nutritional counseling, wellness workshops, and wholesome products.
- Ann Arbor Art Center, a regional hub for the visual arts that provides a variety of ArtBoxes.
- Tactile Craftworks, a woman-owned and operated leather crafting company.
- Genusee, eyewear developed from the surplus of plastic waste caused by the Flint Water Crisis.
- Matthew’s Bonfire BBQ, a holiday gift bag – Matthew’s Bonfire BBQ, sparking a fire for taste and acceptance.
- The Butters Hygienics, Co., 100 percent vegan hygienics, aka everything you need to care for your skin, hair, mind, body, and soul to solve unique hygienic problems.
- Constructive Eating, a business that provides a plate and utensil set that helps kids gain their independence, build fine motor skills, and make mealtime feel like playtime.
- PedalCell, a company that allows cyclists to stay safe and connected by powering smartphones, lights, GPS, and other USB devices through rider motion.
- Hopscotch Children’s Store, unique, modern, and classic gifts/toys/books (and more) for babies and kids.
- Bags to Butterflies, a social enterprise that empowers formerly incarcerated women with transitional employment, resources, and a caring network by creating jobs through the development and sale of handbags.
- Pure Orchid Aesthetics, natural skincare with quality, responsibly sourced ingredients that you know.
- Rebel Nell, an organization that employs women facing barriers to employment in Detroit, educates them on financial management, life wellness, and entrepreneurship, and empowers them to transition to a life of independence by hiring them as creative designers for custom jewelry.
- Estellas Vegan Cuisine & Desserts, a pop-up vegan restaurant and bakery offering vegan pound cakes.
- DOLLed Up By Darnishous, a business that provides a wide selection of unique handcrafted jewelry and accessories for men and women.
- InBooze, a line of cocktail kits to infuse your favorite booze.
- Iverson Outdoors, a business that provides traditional snowshoes to serve the region’s foresters, loggers, and trappers.
- Good Cakes and Bakes, an organic bakery offering strawberry crunch cake.
About The Cackle
The Cackle is EntryPoint’s popular, weekly interview series available to watch every Wednesday at 10:30 AM EST live on Facebook and Twitter!
– Watch Past 50+ Episodes of The Cackle –
Each week on The Cackle, we highlight small businesses, startups, and people who have an impact on communities across the Midwest. We explore a wide range of topics relating to the vibrancy of local economies, including: entrepreneurial journeys, economic trends found in our research, the challenges facing small businesses and startups face, and the importance of building a diverse and inclusive community.
At EntryPoint, we LOVE working with economic development organizations and nonprofits that are strategic, value listening to the needs of community members, and are passionate about building more opportunity and vibrancy in their communities.
EntryPoint is a registered 501(c)(3).
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