I’ve been hearing a lot about food hubs lately, but it wasn’t until Iattended a workshop at NESAWG this past February that I fully understood what they are. What I’ve been calling aggregators (companies like Farmers to You and Boston Organics) are, in fact, …
About a month ago, a chance run-in with Creative Realities‘ Chief Talent Officer led to an offer to participate in their Facilitator Development Program. I first learned about Creative Realities, a business innovation consulting firm, many moons ago when I was …
The recent Stanford Study called to attention the reason so many folks choose organic foods over conventionally grown, and it’s not necessarily nutritional value. The study asserted that conventional is the same as organic, nutritionally speaking.
Already at the forefront of the local food movement, Boston continues to become a better city for restauranteurs committed to sourcing foods locally and sustainably. The Boston Redevelopment Authority (BRA), in conjunction with the Mayor’s Food Council and Office of Food Initiatives, is hard at work developing plans to modify the city’s zoning regulations to permit and even encourage urban agriculture.
All business owners face challenges and opportunities on a regular basis. And with all the details of running a business, it’s often difficult to find the time to think creatively about the best solutions. For the bigger challenges – such …
At the Slow Money National Gathering last month, I gave a Fundraising 101 presentation that covered the basics of business planning and financial projections required when seeking investors or loans. One of the first questions asked was, “How does Slow Money business planning differ …
The barriers to entry for food manufacturers make entrepreneurship difficult. Many of us have the perfect idea for a rich chocolate sauce, frozen food line or catering business. Getting your product to market is lined with pitfalls. The first on …
During high school summer vacations, I worked in a gift catalogue warehouse. I loved climbing up the racks to pull inventory off the shelves and then packing them in boxes. The machine that filled the boxes’ empty space with peanuts …
The books proliferate. The newspapers cover it, and the movies mainstream it: people want to know where their food comes from, and think more about creating a sustainable food environment. Meanwhile, commercial agricultural has demonstrated to have a profound, negative …