ECDC - Entrepreneurship and Community Development Clinic

11/09/2023

So proud of our former client Sweets & Meats BBQ and all of their success. Anton and Kristen are wonderful people who make delicious food. Enjoy this great PBS story highlighting their business.

Kristen Bailey's gift of a BBQ smoker to Anton Gaffney changed their lives.

11/03/2023

The ECDC/Duke Energy Law Dept. Free Legal Advice Event was held yesterday. This wonderful collaboration included twenty attorneys from Duke and the legal community who held 44 client meetings helping entrepreneurs with their various legal questions. The clinic interns observed the meetings and networked with the attorneys. The clients were so appreciative and the attorneys and students enjoyed the interactions. A productive, fun time was had by all!

05/17/2023

Congratulations to our wonderful 2022-23 ECDC/PTC interns who graduated on Saturday, May 13. Each year we take a group picture and hang it on our clinic wall. I love this year's beach-themed picture! We are so proud of our interns and we can't wait to hear about all the incredible things they do!

05/17/2023

Thanks to all the former ECDC interns and supervisors who turned out for our Happy Hour event last Thursday. Former director Lew Goldfarb returned and it was great to catch up and hear about all the amazing things our former interns are doing. The food was amazing (thanks to Sean's wife Stacy) and the UC Law Terrace was the perfect place to enjoy the gorgeous day.

05/08/2023

Thanks to Paul Keith for the t-shirts and the spectacular cake! We love assisting our entrepreneurships and it was great to spend time with Paul and Myrkol. Our ECDC interns, Will Murphy and Bernie Casis, did a great job assisting Paul and his business, PK Beard Essentials LLC.

03/06/2023

Thanks to Lindsey Boyd, Margo Brandenburg, and Zahki Davis for leading our ECDC Alumni Panel Discussion last week. Attendees learned a lot from you sharing your work experiences, lessons you learned, and suggestions for their first year in practice.

10/26/2022

Thanks to Duke Energy Law Dept. and all the local attorneys who helped out at the ECDC/Duke Energy Free Legal Advice to Better Your Business Event last week in our new building. The attendees were grateful for the free legal advice, our interns enjoyed participating and watching local attorneys in action, and our volunteer attorneys did an amazing job assisting entrepreneurs.

10/11/2022

Once again, the ECDC and the Duke Energy Law Dept. are sponsoring the "Free Legal Advice to Better your Business Event" on Thursday, Oct. 20, at UC Law from 3:00-7:00 p.m. Any entrepreneur can sign-up for a 30-minute meeting with an attorney to ask legal questions. Topics include business start-up, contracts, trademarks/copyrights, patents, labor/employment, litigation resolution/tax/employee benefits, non-profit, real estate or environmental. UC Law's new building is located at 2925 Campus Green Dr. The event is in room 170A&B. Free parking is available in the Campus Green Garage located on Woodside Dr. To register, email lori.strait@uc.edu or call at 513-556-0117. Appointment times are at 3:00, 3:45, 4:30, 5:15, 6:00 and 6:30 p.m. Please pass this info along to friends and family.

05/26/2022

Welcome to the ECDC Client Cameo! Each month, we highlight a former ECDC client and their business. Our May Cameo is Arrow Adventure.

Want to have an outdoor adventure but have no idea where to begin? Check out the offerings at Arrow Adventure. Owner Niki Marengo has partnered with local organizations to offer activities like hiking, backpacking, rock climbing, biking, paddling, archery or yoga. Her goal is to make the outdoors accessible to everyone.

In 2017, Niki and her friend went backpacking on the Appalachian Trail. When they returned, Niki realized that lots of people want to be adventurous and try new things, but don’t know how to begin or what gear they need. Niki decided she wanted to push people out of their comfort zone and help them feel the adrenaline of the challenge. Her brother, a mountain biking enthusiast, encouraged her. She felt that there is an intimidation factor with getting started in trying outdoor sports. People often don’t know the right shoes to wear or what equipment they need, and there is sometimes pressure to “look like” a hiker, climber or mountain biker. Niki wanted to change the image of what an “outdoor” person should be. That is how Arrow Adventure was created.

In 2019, Niki added the Adventure Gear Exchange to the company. She realized that outdoor gear was expensive. The Exchange buys, sells and consigns gently used gear so everyone can afford to get outdoors.

Arrow Adventure leads an average of one to two experiences each month, with the hope to grow. Niki says there is a robust adventure community here and she often partners with Cincinnati Off-Road Alliance, Metroparks of Butler County, AVO Yoga, Practice Yoga, Cincinnati Parks, Cincinnati Hikes and more to provide a laid-back setting for an introductory experience . Most of her experiences are geared to approximately 8–15 people. For example, on May 28, she is offering a Mountain Biking 101 class at the Devou Park Bike Trail. On July 15-17, Niki is offering her annual Women, Wine + Wilderness Weekend at Mohican State Forest for around 15 women where they learn backpacking skills, and take part in paddling and yoga activities.

Starting a business is not without its difficulties. A challenge came for Niki when her business partner backed out and the entire business fell onto Niki. Her biggest accomplishment is that she pushed herself to continue the business on her own and made it a success all while having a full-time job. Niki attributes the amazing support of friends and her two sons for giving her the confidence to continue.

Arrow Adventure received legal assistance from the ECDC this past spring semester. Some of the documents that the interns drafted for Arrow Adventure included an Operating Agreement, Vendor Agreement, Event Waiver, Consignment Agreement and an Independent Contractor Agreement. Niki appreciated that the interns provided step by step instructions for her. She was surprised to learn the benefits of registering as a woman-owned business, was grateful that the students reiterated the importance of putting “as is” on all the consignment gear and happy to have the right language when participants sign a waiver, considering that potential injury may be a bit higher than it is with your average small business! Niki says that the ECDC interns made things less overwhelming and she was grateful for her patient team.

Niki has dreams for the future. Since the gear consignments are outgrowing her house, she would like to have a brick and mortar store. She would love Arrow Adventure to be her full-time job in the future and be able to hire several employees. Niki’s goal is for Arrow Adventure to serve an economically diverse population, be a sustainable business, build community and make the outdoors accessible to everyone.

Ready for an outdoor adventure? Check out Arrow Adventures’s website at www.arrowadventuregearexchange.com, email Niki at arrowadventurecincy@gmail.com, or follow Arrow Adventure on Facebook or Instagram

04/08/2022

Welcome to the ECDC Client Cameo! Each month, we highlight a former ECDC client and their business.

Our April Cameo is Tickled Sweet.

Looking for delicious candy for your Easter basket? Then head to Tickled Sweet in Milford.

Tickled Sweet owner, Bambi Merz, had no candy experience when she purchased Auel’s Fine Chocolates over five years ago. In 54 days, she and a friend obtained permits, remodeled, and opened in a new building under the name Tickled Sweet. She considers it a grassroots business, which grew organically. Having always loved candy, Bambi was a quick learner and is now an artisan chocolatier and one of the major chocolate supplies in the city.

Having no legal knowledge, Bambi felt overwhelmed because she had never been in the food industry before. She came to the ECDC in the Fall of 2017 needing assistance. Her intern provided her with wholesale and employment agreements, an employee v. independent contractor guidance memo, and reviewed her website terms of use and privacy policy. Bambi says the ECDC was a huge help to her.

Covid was another challenge for Bambi. In March 2020, Tickled Sweet had made 3,000 eggs ahead of time for Easter. When Covid hit, Bambi had to quickly convert to on-line sales and also offer curbside pick-up and delivery. She is proud that she never had to close the business. Bambi currently has seven employees that assist her, especially during her busiest times of September through May.

Tickled Sweet has a variety of items to choose from. They offer white, milk, and dark chocolates. Their bestsellers are sea salt caramels, turtles, and opera creams. They also make over 40 varieties of homemade fudge, including peanut butter, chocolate, vanilla, and maple. You can also purchase chocolate dipped chocolate chip cookies, graham crackers, and Oreos as well as French Pastry Macaroons. They provide sugar-free and nut-free products and other types of candy and seasonal favorites.

Always having an entrepreneurial spirit, Bambi loves trying things she hasn’t done before. She believes staying “community-minded” is her biggest accomplishment. She loves being a “cheerleader” for Milford and enjoys seeing the economic turnaround the city has taken. Bambi has donated to over 22 non-profits and lends her expertise to new business owners as an entrepreneurial coach.

Be sure to stop by Tickled Sweet at 317 Main St., Milford, OH 45150 or contact them by phone at 513.880.4169 or visit their website at www.tickledsweet.net. Your sweet tooth will thank you!

Hand-dipped, melt-in-your-mouth artisan chocolates, nut and caramel filled signature pieces, and over 30 varieties of house-made fudge are at the heart of Tickled Sweet as well as delightful hand-crafted cookies, macaroons and hard to find candies, gummies and seasonal favorites.

03/23/2022

Welcome to the ECDC Client Cameo! Each month, we highlight a former ECDC client and their business. Our March Cameo is Celebration Hunt.

Want to celebrate an event in a different way? Try Celebration Hunt. Started in 2017, Celebration Hunt takes the traditional scavenger hunt and reinvents it. Each hunt is pre-planned and prepaid and includes a meal, two or more destinations, and a surprise treat at the end. The purchaser chooses the type of hunt and then the customers follow the hunt card prompts and have fun exploring the city in new ways.

Owner, Christianna Ware, got her business idea from her mother. One year, Christianna’s mom had to work on her birthday, so she created a scavenger hunt for Christianna and her grandmother. Using card prompts, her mother sent them to Sleepy Bee for lunch, a nail salon, a movie and dinner, and a cupcake to end the day. All of the employees at these various businesses thought this idea was unique and wanted to know how they could plan a hunt for their friends. Her mom suggested that Christianna start a business creating hunts. She started out doing hunts for friends and family and soon word of mouth brought Celebration Hunt more and more business.

Christianna has created hunts for date nights, birthdays, anniversaries, and Valentine’s Day and has selected activities for the purchaser to choose from, such as ax throwing, an escape room, or a massage. She has also started offering corporate team building hunts and would like to transition over to working with more businesses.

One memorable hunt for Christianna began when she donated a hunt basket to her daughter’s school raffle and there ended up being a bidding war for the hunt. The couple who ended up winning had to wait because Covid hit, and the hunt was delayed. Christianna was excited when she was able to fulfill their desire for a honeybee themed anniversary daytime hunt. The couple went to a chocolate factory, a pottery class, lunch at the Sleepy Bee and received a 3-tiered cake. They had such a good time, the couple said they would be back every year and they have!

Christianna believes putting herself out there to start a business and the perseverance to continue the business, especially during Covid, have been her biggest accomplishments. During Covid, she started Celebration Designs where she puts her graphic design talents to use and will soon offer interior design services. Her future plans consist of creating a lifestyle brand centered around celebrating life in general and blending all of her talents into one brand.

Christianna is thankful for the help the ECDC has given her. In the fall of 2017 and 2019, interns filed articles of organization, and drafted multiple agreements to help structure and protect her business. She came to the clinic because she was concerned about protecting her brand and was uncertain how to obtain reliable legal advice she could trust. Her team gave her reassurance that she was on the right track. Christianna says she appreciated learning about the legal process and watching it come together in real time.

To plan a Celebration Hunt for a family member or business, contact Christianna at www.celebrationhunt.com, or call 513-748-0967.

02/16/2022

Welcome to the ECDC Client Cameo! Each month, we highlight a former ECDC client and their business.

Our February Cameo is St. Clare’s Closet.

Getting married and need alterations done on your bridal gown? Want a pair of pants hemmed? Then you need to contact St. Clare’s Closet. St. Clare’s Closet does bridal/formal alterations, men’s tailoring, and offers private sewing lessons. They pride themselves on having a reliable turnaround time, high-quality work, and excellent customer service.

Owner Elizabeth Stockhauser named her business after the patron saint of needlework and embroidery, St. Clare of Assisi, who embroidered exquisite church altar cloths and invented the Assisi Embroidery, a special type of cross stitch. Elizabeth learned to sew at her 4H Club. As she improved, thanks to several mentors, she took on new challenges. She even helped sew habits for the nuns.

Elizabeth was working for a vet clinic when she realized that she wanted to own her own business. She began sewing out of her apartment. Her boyfriend, a marketing major, helped her with advertising on Google. Elizabeth then rented space for two years before purchasing her building in East Walnut Hills. She married her boyfriend, Nick Stockhauser, owner of Stock Digital Solutions Inc., who is also a former ECDC client. Her office includes her six employees, Nick’s marketing business, and her baby and nanny as well.

A challenge for Elizabeth was figuring out how to grow the business. She had to learn to be efficient and be careful not to take on more work that she could handle. As customers began posting positive reviews, her business grew. Elizabeth’s biggest accomplishments has been growing the business to the point that she needed to hire employees and learning to be a business leader who creates a good work culture for her employees. Another accomplishment for Elizabeth was designing and sewing her own wedding dress.

St. Clare’s Closet received assistance from the ECDC in the spring of 2019. Her intern, Gibran, drafted a Non-Disclosure and IP Agreement, an Employment Offer Letter, and a Services Order Form for her. Elizabeth appreciated that the documents helped protect her business and made it look more professional and she was grateful for the guidance the ECDC gave her.

St. Clare’s Closet is located at 2186 Victory Parkway (45206). To learn more about the business, go to www.stclarescloset.com, email Elizabeth at stclarescloset@gmail.com, or call her at 513-477-3154.