What you need to know Upon walking into Handzy Shop + Studio, customers are hit with waves of bright colors and eclectic products. It’s part of the vibe co-owners Suzy Hinnefeld and Brittney Braemer wanted to curate in their space. As artists, the duo strives to curate an environment that reflects their creativity. The store […]
Category: Entrepreneurship
Posted inBusiness
Covington’s Cymbal House: take a look inside NKY’s most niche music store
What you need to know Despite being situated along Main Street in Covington, Erce Gohkan’s Cymbal House seldom sees customers walking in off the street. “I am not doing a local business at all,” Gohkan explained. “Almost no one walks in off the street and buys a cymbal.” Occasionally, curious tourists wander into the store […]
Posted inCommunity Voices
Community Voices: Five essential tips for women ready to start their own business
This Community Voices column is written by Jill Morenz, the CEO of Aviatra Accelerators in Covington. Jill is passionate about equipping women-owned businesses with the tools and support they need for lasting success. Women are starting businesses at a greater rate than ever before. In 2024 alone, women-owned businesses in America generated $3.3 trillion in […]
Posted inBusiness
Rooted in love: Covington’s Succulent Señorita blossoms from healing, heritage
What you need to know When Becca Calhoun’s husband, Anthony, was sick with pancreatic cancer, she used succulent plants as a way to keep her mind at ease. In the midst of his cancer battle, Anthony purchased a customized greenhouse for Becca. When he began to heal, Becca decided to turn her love for plants […]
Posted inBusiness
Lasting legacy: Egelston Maynard Sports celebrates 80 years as a Covington mainstay
What you need to know Although stores and restaurants have come and gone over the decades, Egelston Maynard Sports has remained an enduring presence on Covington’s Madison Avenue. To survive in a retail landscape dominated by national chains and online e-commerce giants, Egelston Maynard adapts to stay competitive while maintaining an authentic hometown connection with […]
Posted inBusiness
NKU awarded nearly $1 M grant to expand startup internship opportunities
Northern Kentucky University’s Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship has been awarded nearly $1 million from the National Science Foundation to support paid, hands-on opportunities for students while supplying talent to regional startups. The grant was awarded in collaboration with the Kentucky Science & Technology Corporation’s Kentucky Commercialization Ventures. The $999,495 funding will support the launch […]
Posted inBusiness
Starter Coffee revived as SparkHaus exclusive brand
What you need to know Blue North Executive Director Dave Knox wants Starter Coffee to become the unofficial brand of entrepreneurial progress in Northern Kentucky. Knox, who leads Blue North, the region’s primary resource and advocacy organization for entrepreneurs, spearheaded an effort to revive the dormant coffee brand, reintroducing it as an asset for SparkHaus, […]
Posted inEntrepreneurship
Community Voices: Is your website a digital dumpster fire? Here’s how to fix it
This Community Voices column is written by Tonya Bolton, who shares advice, tips and ideas for entrepreneurs. You can reach her at info@tonyaboltonphotography.com. Your website is your business’s online handshake. But for too many local businesses, it’s more like a limp fish, or worse—a mysterious junk drawer from 2007. We’ve all seen those sites: tiny fonts, blurry […]
Posted inNews
Entrepreneurship a key driver in NKY economy: ‘We need to keep that support going’
What you need to know Following the recent opening of SparkHaus, Northern Kentucky’s economic development leaders have a renewed focus on marketing the upsides of the region’s entrepreneurial community. To align with SparkHaus’ opening, BE NKY Growth Partnership, Northern Kentucky’s leading economic development organization, commissioned a report with Blue North, Northern Kentucky’s key entrepreneurial resource […]
Posted inNews
NKY-based online marketplace expands reach for local businesses
What you need to know What started as a chef’s side project to bottle bold Cajun and Creole flavors has evolved into Origin Trade Goods, a Covington-based food brand that’s gaining momentum through new local partnerships. Covington-based chef Thomas Hull, the brand’s founder, previously worked at Rich’s Proper Food and Drink, located at 701 Madison […]
