JumpStart has championed entrepreneurship as a driver of innovation and economic growth for over 20 years. Just as we advise our clients to be adaptable to market changes, embrace opportunities and create a culture of constant improvement, we must also practice what we preach.

While we remain rooted in our mission, the JumpStart organization continues to evolve – and so should our brand.

Over the last 18 months, our team has conducted a comprehensive brand audit, community outreach and internal discovery sessions to take a holistic approach to rebranding. From our digital presence to our brand positioning, JumpStart is modernizing our look, improving user experience and creating a future-forward strategic plan that will continue to empower entrepreneurs for years to come.

At the heart of this brand transformation is a fresh visual essence, revitalized brand voice and messaging that better align with JumpStart’s mission and reflect a renewed commitment to the startups, small businesses and communities we serve.

The updated brand pays tribute to our entrepreneurs – highlighting the different stages of their journeys and emphasizing growth and opportunity. More than a new logo or color scheme, the rebrand reinforces JumpStart’s role as a trusted partner in Northeast Ohio’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.

Together with a new CEO, strategic plan and office headquarters, our revamped brand reflects not only the innovation within the organization but throughout the community as well.

To learn more about our organizational rebrand, watch the video below.

As 2024 winds down, JumpStart is reflecting on a year of change. Not only did we celebrate 20 years of service and welcome a new CEO this year, but we are now on the eve of a big move to the newly constructed Midtown Collaboration Center (MCC) in the heart of the Midtown neighborhood.

JumpStart’s move to this vibrant hub will harness the power of place-based proximity where we will share space with innovation and research organizations, including Case Western Reserve University, the Cleveland Institute of Art and other prominent institutions.

Change is GROWTH

Although change isn’t one of JumpStart’s six core values, one could argue that JumpStart’s ability to embrace the partnership between change and risk has been the secret sauce to its longevity and success. The founders of JumpStart began with a vision to revolutionize the entrepreneurial ecosystem by riding the risk-driven waves of venture capital to spur its altruistic mission.

The formula sometimes yielded successful returns; sometimes, it didn’t. However, one thing that has remained constant is JumpStart’s commitment to empowering individuals with keys to unlock the power of entrepreneurship as a driver of change.

I’m talking about the kind of change that leads to transformation—the kind that creates generational wealth, lifts individuals and their families out of poverty to prosperity.

Change is BOLD

For JumpStart, this move represents more than just a change of address. It is a bold statement of a commitment to collaboration and innovation.

This time, change will come with a new office on the second floor of the MCC. JumpStart, one of the nine tenant partners that will occupy the building, is the anchor, charged with activating the first-floor Innovation Hall with community-focused programming and activities. We’re also leading efforts to ensure the space has a welcoming vibe that authentically brings people together to explore and discover the connections that support purpose, passion and progress. Isn’t that the true meaning of community building?

We will utilize our new suite to provide genuine and tangible support for client entrepreneurs, foster synergy with expected and unexpected partners, and advance economic development.

Change is ACTION

As the leaves begin to fall, our office is filled with excitement and chatter about our upcoming move to a new space. We adopted the old-school McFadden & Whitehead song “Ain’t No

Stopping Us Now” as our theme to keep us energized and motivated as we purge items that no longer serve us and pack up memories, expertise and achievement while leaving room for growth and evolution.

As you can imagine, orchestrating a move like this requires teamwork, cooperation, and clear communication. We assure you that our services and support for entrepreneurs will continue throughout this transition. Our last working day in our current office will be Friday, November 22nd.

Beginning November 25th, we will work remotely from our home offices, coworking spaces around the city and the Learning Centers (in the Clark-Fulton and Union-Miles neighborhoods). JumpStart will complete its move and begin operating in our new space by Christmas.

Although we’re on the move if you need to reach our team, email us at info@jumpstartinc.org or call our general office at 216.363.3400.

Address CHANGE!

Last but not least, our new address is 1974 E. 66th Street, Suite 200, Cleveland, OH 44103.

This year at JumpStart Inc., we are marking a milestone: Our 20th anniversary. Since 2004, JumpStart has been empowering entrepreneurs by connecting them to opportunities that take their ideas from concept to creation, grow their businesses and secure necessary funding.

Accessing business opportunities can be difficult due to disparities in wealth accumulation. Entrepreneurs often struggle to obtain financing and support services they need to grow their businesses. Studies show that these entrepreneurs are more likely to face obstacles that limit their access to crucial resources.

According to a report from the U.S. Department of Commerce, minority-owned businesses are twice as likely to be denied loans compared to non-minority-owned firms. Furthermore, the study found that these entrepreneurs receive only a fraction of venture capital funding.

And with the Bureau of Labor Statistics reporting that 18% of small businesses fail within their first year, and 50% after five years, support services and critical connections are essential for startup founders and small business owners. Business owners who have access to support and advising services feel less alone, more optimistic about their trajectory and more confident in their ability to navigate challenges.

Alongside our like-minded partners, we ensure every entrepreneur – regardless of their background – has the resources they need to succeed.

Startups and small businesses are the backbone of healthy economies and strong communities. Since 2010, the small businesses and tech startups we’ve supported have collectively generated more than $13.3B in economic impact. However, these figures represent more than just fiscal outcomes – they reflect the passion and determination of entrepreneurs finding solutions to real-world problems and revolutionizing industries in our region. Their successes create a ripple effect in our communities, leading to job creation, taxable income and purchasing power.

But the path to success isn’t easy. When entrepreneurs face challenges, your support enables our teams at JumpStart to step in and provide the services, connections, and access to capital needed to help them thrive.

As we light twenty celebratory candles and reflect on our legacy, we know the best is yet to come. We invite you to be a part of our next chapter.

All year long we’ll be commemorating our 20th Anniversary with special events, programs and opportunities. Join us as we celebrate the past two decades and Light the Candles, Raise the Match to ensure every entrepreneur, regardless of their background, has the resources they need to succeed.

Help us drive progress to a more sustainable future for our communities by becoming a JumpStart supporter. Click here to make your donation today.

As the piano man once said, ♫ I’d rather laugh with the sinners than cry with the saints. The sinners are much more fun. ♫ While that sentiment might make for a great social life, it can spell death for your digital marketing efforts.

The seven deadly sins listed below are common mistakes that small business owners often make, negatively impacting their online marketing efforts. These marketing missteps can hinder your ability to reach and engage with your target audience, reduce your website traffic and hurt your brand’s reputation.

Fortunately, they’re relatively simple to correct. To stay good, without dying young, make sure you’re not guilty of any of the following…

Neglecting Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

♫ Sooner or later it comes down to fate. I might as well will be the one. ♪
SEO is the practice of optimizing your website so that it ranks higher in search engine results. Neglecting SEO can result in lower visibility and website traffic. To avoid this, focus on creating keyword-rich, relevant content that resonates with your target audience. Use descriptive titles and meta descriptions, and make sure your website is structured logically with clear navigation.

Ignoring Mobile Optimization

♫ The stained-glass curtain you’re hiding behind, never lets in the sun. ♪
55 percent of website traffic comes from mobile devices and 92.3 percent of internet users access the web using a mobile phone. Simply put, it’s essential that your website is mobile-friendly. Neglecting mobile optimization can lead to poor user experience and lost sales. To avoid this, use responsive website design that adapts to different screen sizes and keep your website’s overall design simple and straightforward. Optimize images and work to reduce page load times to improve the mobile experience.

Overlooking Social Media Engagement

♫ You mighta heard I run with a dangerous crowd… we ain’t too pretty, we ain’t too proud. ♪
Social media is a powerful tool for small businesses, allowing you to connect with your target audience, build brand awareness and drive website traffic. Neglecting social media can hurt your online presence and make it harder to reach potential customers. Consider focusing on the social media platforms your target audience is most active on and create engaging content tailored to each channel. Develop—and stick with—a social media schedule to consistently post content and engage with your followers.

Focusing on Quantity Over Quality

♫ Aw, but they never told you the price that you pay. For things that you might have done. ♪
Posting low-quality content or too much content can actually be detrimental to your digital marketing efforts. Instead, focus on creating high-quality content that resonates with your target audience and is relevant to your brand. Repurpose this content across different channels to maximize its reach.

Failing to Measure Results

♫ But, Virginia, they didn’t give you quite enough information. You didn’t count on me. ♪
Measuring the success of your digital marketing efforts is crucial to understanding what’s working and what’s not. Without this information, you won’t be able to adjust your strategy and improve your results. Make sure you’re practicing data-informed digital marketing by using analytics tools to track website traffic, social media engagement and other key metrics. Analyze this data to identify patterns and trends and adjust your strategy accordingly.

Neglecting Email Marketing

♫ So come on, Virginia, show me a sign. Send up a signal, I’ll throw you the line. ♪
Email marketing remains one of the most effective ways to connect with customers and drive sales. Neglecting email marketing can mean missing out on a lot of potential business. To avoid this, build an email list and segment it based on your customers’ interests and behaviors. Create engaging, action-oriented content that is tailored to each segment and send regular newsletters or promotional emails.

Not Having a Clear Brand Image

♫ Said your mother told you all that I could give you was a reputation. ♪
In a crowded online marketplace, having a clear brand character is essential to standing out from the competition. Neglecting your brand can make it difficult for potential customers to remember and recognize your brand. Ensure that you’ve clearly defined your brand positioning, key messages, tone of voice and visual representation. Create a consistent brand image across all marketing channels to build brand recognition and loyalty.

♫ They say there’s a heaven for those who will wait, ♫ but I would recommend addressing these mistakes today. Avoid these seven deadly sins of digital marketing and focus on creating a comprehensive digital marketing strategy. You’ll go a long way toward effectively reaching your target audience, driving more website traffic and, ultimately, growing your business.

I’ll admit it, I’m a snob. When researching new business (whether I need a service or a product) a bad website is an immediate no-go. Simultaneously, I do ALL my research online, so how would I ever give you my money if there’s no way to find you?

It’s 2023 (I checked the calendar this morning) and that means that having an online presence is absolutely essential for small businesses to succeed. However, not all websites are created equal. A poorly designed and difficult-to-use website can leave a bad impression on visitors and potentially harm your brand. In contrast, having no website at all can limit your visibility and make it harder for potential customers to find you.

So, is it better to have a terrible website or none at all? Let’s explore the pros and cons of each option and provide actionable steps to create a website that is both effective and engaging.

The drawbacks of a terrible website

A bad website can harm your brand and reputation in several ways. Here are some of the key drawbacks:

Poor User Experience
A website that is difficult to navigate, slow to load or cluttered with ads can be frustrating for visitors. If users can’t find what they’re looking for quickly and easily, they will leave your site and quite possibly never come back.

Negative Impact On Search Rankings
Search engines like Google prioritize user experience, so if your website is not user-friendly, you could be penalized in search rankings. This could further harm your online presence and make it harder for potential customers to find you.

Negative Impression On Visitors
Perhaps the most dangerous of all, a bad website can make your brand look unprofessional and untrustworthy. Visitors are likely to assume that if you don’t put any effort into your website, you don’t put meaningful effort into other aspects of your business either.

The drawbacks of no website

On the other hand, not having a website can severely limit your visibility and make it harder for potential customers to find you. Here are some of the key drawbacks:

Limited Reach
Without a website, you’re missing out on the potential to reach a wider audience online. 99.99999999999% of your potential customers use search engines to find products and services, and if you’re not online, you may not show up in their search results. (Pro tip: Click here to read about a tactic to show up the right way on Google).

Limited Credibility
We are smack dab in the middle of the “digital age,” so having a website is both a sign of credibility and professionalism. Without a website, potential customers are left to assume that your business is either too small or too behind the times.

Limited Information
Your website is a great way to provide potential customers with information about your products, services and business overall. Without a website, it can be harder to communicate any and all of this information concisely or effectively.

What makes a bad website bad?

Chances are “you’ll know it when you see it,” but in case you don’t have the keenest of eyes for digital development, let’s look at some key elements of a “terrible” website. Here are some things that can harm your website’s user experience and credibility:

Poor Design
Sometimes, image is everything. A website that looks outdated, cluttered or unprofessional can leave a negative impression on visitors. Make sure your website is visually appealing, easy to navigate and reflects your brand’s personality and values.

Slow Loading Times
If your website takes too long to load, visitors may lose patience and leave and search engines will ding you big time. Make sure your website is optimized for speed by compressing images, using caching and minimizing code. Better yet, take advantage of a Content Delivery Network (CDN) like Cloudflare or Fastly to give you an added speed boost (and some additional protection).

Difficult Navigation
If visitors can’t find what they’re looking for on your website, they’ll leave… frustrated. Make sure your website’s navigation is intuitive and easy to use (test it on Grandma), with clear labels and logical groupings.

Lack Of Mobile Optimization
According to a new report released this month, 60.7% of all website traffic comes from mobile devices, making it absolutely crucial that your website is optimized for mobile. Make sure your website is fully responsive, meaning it adjusts to different screen sizes, and that all content is visible on mobile.

Poor Content
This one’s simple. If your website’s content is poorly written, outdated (hello “copyright 2020” in the footer) or irrelevant, visitors won’t see your brand as credible. Period.

How to create an effective website

So, how can you create a website that is effective and engaging? I’ll tackle this in much more depth in a future post, but here are some actionable steps to take right now:

Define Your Goals And Target Audience
Before you start building your website, take the time to define your goals and target audience. Understanding these factors will help you make design and content decisions that are aligned with your business objectives.

Invest In A Professional Design
A professionally designed site can help establish your brand’s credibility while simultaneously making your website more visually appealing and user-friendly. Consider hiring a professional designer or using a website builder (like Wix or SquareSpace) with pre-designed templates that you can customize to fit your brand’s aesthetic.

Optimize For Search Engines
To ensure that your website is discoverable online, it’s important to optimize it for search engines. This includes using relevant keywords in your content, making sure all your images have relevant titles and descriptions, and building quality backlinks from other reputable websites.

Craft Engaging And Informative Content
Your website’s content is one of the most important factors in attracting and retaining visitors. Create high-quality, engaging, informative content relevant to your target audience. Use a clear and concise writing style (think small digestible bites) and include visuals like images and videos to break up the text. Consider creating an ongoing content strategy to ensure that your website’s content stays fresh and relevant over time.

To establish a successful online presence, small businesses need a website that effectively communicates their value proposition, attracts new customers and builds credibility. While having no website can limit visibility, having a poorly designed and difficult-to-use website can harm a brand’s reputation, turning off potential customers entirely. Now more than ever, it’s critical to take action to improve your site’s user experience and design, thereby solidifying your business’s online cred.

By implementing the necessary steps your website will reflect your brand’s unique personality and values, engage your new target audience and get new customers through your door.

Pop quiz: How do new customers find your business?

Other than word-of-mouth from your devoted clientele (you have that, right?) and any traditional advertising campaigns you’re running, chances are high that you were Googled.

Nowadays, it’s absolutely essential for small businesses to rank high in Google search results to attract new customers and grow their business. Ranking high provides increased visibility, builds credibility with potential customers and can give your business a competitive advantage. Organic search engine optimization (SEO) is an effective way to achieve this, but it takes time to produce results. This is where using Google Ads, the most cost-effective digital marketing strategy there is, can help.

Google Ads is like a marketing Swiss Army Knife for a small business owner, providing a range of powerful tools to achieve your marketing goals. The platform offers targeted advertising, allowing you to slice through the noise and reach specific demographics and keywords. It’s an affordable solution, letting you stretch your budget by only paying for the ads that are clicked. Google Ads is also a data-driven tool, with the ability to hone and adjust campaigns using detailed reporting and analytics. Using Google Ads proficiently, businesses can light a fire under their online presence, generating traffic and leads more quickly than organic SEO.

By using these seven tactics, you can set up your Google Ads campaign for maximum impact to compete with even the biggest businesses in your industry.

Identify your target keywords using Google’s Keyword Planner

Let’s say you own a coffee shop in Midtown. Using Google’s Keyword Planner, you can identify keywords like “coffee shop midtown,” “best coffee in Cleveland,” and “coffee near me.” By including these keywords in your ad campaign, you can reach people who are searching for hot coffee shops in your area.

Create concise and compelling ad copy that highlights the benefits of your product or service and includes a clear call-to-action

For example, if you’re running a text ad campaign for your new yoga studio, your ad copy might read “Find Inner Peace at Our Yoga Studio. Get Your First Class Free Today!” This ad copy highlights the benefits of practicing yoga and includes a clear call-to-action to encourage clicks and conversions.

Use ad extensions to include additional information in your ads, such as your phone number, location, and links to specific pages on your website

In the ad campaign for your delicious spicy chicken restaurant, you could use ad extensions to include your phone number, location and a link to your online ordering page. This makes it easy for potential customers to find and order from the convenience of their phones.

Set a budget for your ad campaign and bid on the right keywords to maximize your budget

Whether you can afford to spend $50 or $500 per month, bidding on the right keywords can maximize the impact of your budget. You might find that certain keywords, like “pizza delivery” or “coffee shop near me,” have the highest search volume, but they also have much higher competition and cost per click. By adjusting your bids for these keywords, you can make sure that you’re getting the most bang for your marketing buck(s).

Monitor and adjust your campaign using Google Analytics to track your website’s traffic and conversions

Google is an ecosystem, and the combined power of Google Ads and Google Analytics allows you to track your website’s traffic and conversions from your ad campaigns, giving you valuable insights into the effectiveness of your ads. By regularly analyzing and adjusting your campaign based on these insights, you can optimize your ads for maximum impact.

Target the right audience using demographic targeting to ensure your ads are seen by the right people

Demographic targeting is another powerful feature of Google Ads that allows you to target specific groups of people based on factors such as age range, household income and location. By targeting the right audience, you can ensure that your ads are seen by people who are most likely to be interested in (and purchase) your products or services.

Use remarketing to show ads to people who have already visited your website

Remarketing (or “retargeting” if you’re old school like me) is a tactic that allows you to show ads to people who have already visited your website. By focusing your ad spend on people who are already familiar with your brand, you can increase the chances of clicks and conversions. Remarketing can be especially effective for businesses that have longer sales cycles or high-value products or services.

Ranking high in Google search results is crucial for small businesses looking to attract new customers and stay ahead of the competition. And let’s be honest, who doesn’t want to be on top?

With Google Ads, small business owners can achieve their goals through targeted advertising, cost-effective budgeting and measurable results. So, go ahead and get started this week, because it’s not the size of the business that matters, it’s how you use your Ads.