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Lights in the Night, Doggie Dash and AIDS Walk

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As usual, Shelley Irwin and I had a packed house on this 4th Friday of the month for Your Biz, Your Town where we talk business news, events and nonprofit happenings.
Each one of our guests today represents something amazing in our community whether it be unity, animal welfare, or stopping the spread of an infectious disease in Grand Rapids, they are all doing great things right here in our town.
Lights in the Night: Where hope takes flight is an ArtPrize entry that will bring thousands to downtown Grand Rapids to launch Chinese Sky Lanterns into the night sky to unify the community around hope.

Join the community for…
-1 night
-5 venues
-15,000+ volunteers
-thousands of sky lanterns
-500,000+ photographs
-1,000,000+ emotional moments
-1 city united in hope
Volunteer to assist in this historic event here or sponsor a lantern here. Follow them on Twitter and like them on Facebook.
Bailey’s Doggie Dash is a fun event for you and your furry best friend  taking place on October 20th at Wabasis Park, just outside Grand Rapids. The Kent County Parks Foundation is partnering with Kevin Sweeney of the Michigan State Police to host the 13th Annual Bailey’s Doggie Dash. The event is a 5K Run/Walk and a 1-mile (walk) for owners and their dogs. It is to be held at Wabasis Park in Rockford on Saturday, October 20th at 9 a.m. Great fun for families and their dogs to come out and explore Wabasis Park and the beautiful fall colors! For more information, go to our website and you can print off a registration form: www.kentcountyparksfoundation.org
To encourage your participation, I have included a picture of one of my dogs. 834 is also a proud sponsor of Bailey’s Doggie Dash and we hope you will join Team 834 at this pet-friendly event.
The Grand Rapids AIDS Walk & Run will take place on October 13th right downtown at Rosa Parks Circle.
Aids Walk & Run is the Grand Rapids Red Project’s annual fundraising event dedicated to raising money to support services related to education and elimination of HIV/AIDS in the Greater Grand Rapids area.
Register as an individual, join an existing team or form your own and raise money to fund prevention, care, and advocacy programs for thousands of men, women, and families affected in our community.
We must all work together to stop the spread of HIV!
Register here.
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Recent Musings

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“It has been an incredible experience - getting to connect with women business owners from all across Michigan, learn from experts on planning for growth, and learn to lead to the best of my abilities for myself and my team.”

- @rcdutcher, CEO of @red66.marketing 

We’re looking for business owners who thrive in collaborative environments and can fully commit to the program—attending all in-person sessions, participating in one-on-one coaching, and engaging in every aspect of the nine-month fellowship. Participants who gain the most come ready to contribute, learn, and problem-solve alongside other committed business leaders.

Applications close on September 15.
FUN FACT FRIDAY: It’s only fitting for us to own a building where a trailblazing female operated her businesses in 1906. The Phillips family represented one of the longest-running retail tenures in Grand Rapids history; L.E. Phillips Jewelry in the 1365 Plainfield Ave. building from 1906 until 1973. 
Dr. Eva Phillips, a certified and licensed optometrist ran her practice out of the jewelry store’s secondary parlor and was an equal partner in the jewelry store. 

Together, they offered a unique one-stop shot which expanded to include appliances, record players, and more. The couple operated the shop through two World Wars and the Great Depression, acting as the neighborhood matriarch and patriarch. 

@crestongr @crestoncorridor @crestongrandrapids @citygrandrapids @grandrapidspubliclibrary
Have you tuned into The Happy Hour Hustle Podcast yet?
If not, a) you’re missing out and b) you need to follow immediately. Hosted by @bodespeaks, episodes drop every other week, and feature some pretty bada$$ guests if we do say so ourselves.

This week, Kim sits down with @kelsey_orchard , VP of Marketing and Communications at @fifthwheelfreight to chat building a personal brand, Gen Z entering the workforce, misconceptions about logistics, spotting fake LinkedIn profiles – oh and why your GPA doesn’t matter anymore.

Grab a watermelon margarita, sit back and enjoy for lots of laughs and real talk.

Listen now at the link in bio.
National Perimenopause Month starts today. We have a LOT to say, and we’re not going to be quiet about it, especially this month, so buckle up.

We were not prepared for perimenopause, much like our periods, sex, or anything else to do with our bodies. God forbid we talk about it openly.

We were taught to be ashamed, keep quiet, and to accept that it is just part of being a woman. We reject that narrative. In fact, like @bodespeaks, we want to bring it up in every conversation. 

When we normalize perimenopause and the conversation around it, we stop isolating, and we’re all more prepared.
Join us for Uncomfortable Conversations: The Pause on September 24th — a powerful conversation hosted alongside the @smallbusinessassocofmichigan 
Women’s Business Council, featuring some kicka$$ experts who will give you the real talk on perimenopause (more to come on them later).

Register at the link in bio.
You asked, we delivered.

Introducing the Women's Owners Network - a new program built for what comes first, joining our proven Fellowship model to support Michigan women at every stage of business ownership.

Whether you've got a team of 10 or it's just you and your laptop, you deserve a room full of women who get it.

Six months of leadership, finance, operations, capital access, paired with real support for the isolation, emotional volatility, and decision fatigue that come with owning your own business.

You'll have your own board of directors in your corner, including @bodespeaks plus a group of mentors, instructors, and coaches who've been exactly where you are.

Applications due October 1. Apply now at the link in bio.
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