Kimberly Weisul
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Professional explainer. Connector of dots. Previously editor-at-large, @inc. Optimist, amateur naturalist. Addicted to fresh air and natural light. She/her
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Articles by Kimberly Weisul
For Her Second Act, Sheila Lirio Marcelo Aims to Lighten the Load for Parents
If there were a Startup Hall of Fame, Sheila Lirio Marcelo would be inducted for at least two reasons: First, she raised a whopping $111 million in venture capital for Care.com, the platform she co-founded in 2006 that connects caregivers with those who need to arrange care. And then, in 2014, she took the company public as CEO. To put this into perspective, about 2,000 companies went public between 2013 and 2020. Only 18 of them were run by a female founder and CEO—essentially two a year.
How Lowe's is using supplier education to tackle Scope 3 emissions
Like many retailers, Lowe’s is under pressure from shareholders and activists to track and reduce its greenhouse gas emissions. And Scope 3 emissions, which come from suppliers, are the hardest ones to quantify and abate. Lowe’s has tackled its Scope 3 emissions with a unique blend of education, consulting and persuasion — specifically in a series of webinars for suppliers hosted by Campbell Weyland, a senior analyst in sustainability and compliance for the century-old home improvement chain.
How Lowe's is using supplier education to tackle Scope 3 emissions
Like many retailers, Lowe’s is under pressure from shareholders and activists to track and reduce its greenhouse gas emissions. And Scope 3 emissions, which come from suppliers, are the hardest ones to quantify and abate. Lowe’s has tackled its Scope 3 emissions with a unique blend of education, consulting and persuasion — specifically in a series of webinars for suppliers hosted by Campbell Weyland, a senior analyst in sustainability and compliance for the century-old home improvement chain.
How Startups Are Rethinking the Doctor's Office of the Future
There's ample evidence that the design of our health care spaces can help us heal -- but they mostly haven't. Instead, offices have been designed with a focus on staff efficiency -- hence the "cluster" of exam rooms that are almost impossible to exit -- and a cost-effective use of space. Now, the doctor's office -- with its confusing layout, harsh lighting, and disconcerting educational posters -- is about to get an overhaul, for a whole host of reasons.
We Asked 16 Business Owners and Economists About Bumping the Minimum Wage to $15. Here's What They Said
THE GLOBAL PANDEMIC and subsequent recession have brought many companies to the brink. At the same time, the fortunes of the 1 percent continue to rise, widening the racial and gender wealth gaps. Depending on which side of the issue you're on, it's either the most crucial or the most fraught moment ever to address a long-simmering debate: What's a livable wage? And how responsible are employers for paying one?
How Michigan Manufacturer Cascade Engineering Is Becoming an Engine for Social Justice and a Leader in Conscious Capitalism
In their early days, all companies are in some ways embodiments of their founders. Launched in 1973, Grand Rapids, Michigan-based Cascade Engineering is now a 1,000-person company with $370 million in revenue. It makes plastic parts for companies such as Herman Miller and Ford. And it's still very much a reflection of founder Fred Keller, and more recently his daughter, CEO Christina Keller.
5 employee retention strategies to keep working mothers — and all caretakers — from feeling burned out
The pandemic has upended how we work, and employers have found creative ways to retain hard workers. Parents and other caregivers need more flexibility to manage their jobs and their families at the same time. Employers can help by looking at their employees' lives holistically and making adjustments. See more stories on Insider's business page.
How Washington Can Get Moms Back Into the Paid Economy
Covid-19 has unleashed all kinds of grief, but economically, the pandemic been far worse for women than men. In the pandemic's first 10 months, women lost a million more jobs than men. In December 2020, the economy shed 140,000 jobs, but women somehow managed to lose 156,000 jobs, because men actually gained 16,000 jobs. And as of March, one in four women were considering leaving the workforce or downshifting their careers, according to a study from McKinsey.
5 Strategies to Keep Moms--and Everyone Else--on Staff From Quitting
During the depths of the pandemic, business owners had to get creative about keeping their best employees--especially moms, who were more likely to have to quit their jobs to care for school-age kids and sick family members. Now, with a light at the end of the tunnel, many entrepreneurs have no desire to go back to 2019. Their pandemic-era strategies, devised to help hold onto parents, are helping them retain valued employees, recruit talent, and often, work more efficiently.
For Women Seeking Investment, Health Companies Are a Bright Spot
Kate Ryder says that when she was first raising money for Maven Clinic, an on-demand digital care clinic for women and families, the friends-and-family round came together "pretty easily." But that was 2014, and Ryder was in London. By 2016, Ryder and her company were both based in the U.S. She thought the pitch that helped her raise money in London would be persuasive in the U.S., too.: Health care is one of the largest industries in the country. Women control .
Backstage Capital Founder Arlan Hamilton Eyes Another Milestone: A $5 Million Crowdfunding Campaign
As one of the first funds to prioritize underrepresented founders, Backstage Capital has long been hailed as an innovator. Now its founder, Arlan Hamilton, is raising money for what could be another breakthrough: hitting the new $5 million crowdfunding limit enacted on Monday. March 15 marks a key milestone of the Jumpstart Our Business Startups, or JOBS, Act, which then-President Barack Obama authorized to make it easier for small businesses to raise money.
How Women-Owned Businesses Are Faring in Covid
Kimberly Jung, co-founder of Austin-based Solar Service, knows that Covid slammed her 12-person business, which cleans solar panels. She just isn't sure how badly. As Jung says, Covid meant that "people kind of stopped everything." Homeowners didn't want crews coming over to clean, even though the crews would be outdoors. Commercial customers, feeling uncertain about the future, didn't want to commit to cleaning contracts.
PPP Loans Are Supposed to Be Tax Free. These 19 States Didn't Get the Memo
Tax time is confusing and stressful under the best of circumstances. It could be even worse if you've taken out a loan from the government's Paycheck Protection Program. The tax status of the PPP has been muddled from the beginning. While these forgivable loans were never meant to be taxed as income, the Treasury Department and the Internal Revenue Service, under the Trump administration, held that business owners could not deduct expenses that were paid for with PPP.
Jessica O. Matthews Always Looked Up to Beyonce, Oprah, and Even Michelle Obama. But in 2020, She Needed Something More
For Black History Month, Inc. is catching up with notable Black founders who have appeared on its pages to ask, "Who inspires you?" In 2016, Jessica Matthews's company had raised $7 million. It was known as Uncharted Play and was best known for developing a soccer ball and a jump rope that produced energy when used. As brilliant as those toys were, Matthews had bigger ambitions--to build devices that generated renewable energy, and embed them into a city's infrastructure.
Sweeten's Jean Brownhill Is Inspired by 108 Things, Every Day
Editor's note: For Black History Month, Inc. asked notable Black founders who have appeared on its pages, "What inspires you?" In November 2019, Jean Brownhill's company had just raised $7 million. Sweeten, a technology platform to help homeowners find contractors, was in four cities with a goal of reaching 35 by the end of 2020. Just a few months later, all that seemed to change, as the global pandemic essentially shut down the construction industry.
When These Startup Platforms Prioritized Founders of Color, Everyone Prospered
Karen Cahn, the founder and CEO ofIFundWomen, a four-year-old crowdfunding site for women entrepreneurs, has long known that her customers were predominantly women of color. But those women weren't having the same success raising money on her platform as White women. Through the end of 2019, women of color were the majority of the site's members, but raised only 28 percent of the money. Enough was enough.
7 Ways Washington Can Help Small Businesses Now
If a walk down your local Main Street doesn't tell you that small businesses are hurting, the data will: The number of open small businesses has decreased by a third since January of 2020. Any small-business recovery is going to depend largely on the speed of vaccine distribution, the ability of entrepreneurs to think creatively, and the availability of appropriate financing.
The End of LIBOR Could Raise Your Loan Payments. We'll Explain.
It's time to pull out those loan documents from your bank. And we totally understand if reading them makes your eyes glaze over. But because an upcoming technical change to the way interest rates are set--which could have an impact on how much you repay-- it's worth another look. There is good news, though: Just search for the word LIBOR, and you'll know pretty quickly if you need to take action. LIBOR stands for the London Interbank Offered Rate, and it's going to be retired at the end of 2021.
To Build a Business, First Build a Relationship
Tyrone "Tye" Caldwell is a lifelong student of human relationships. His formal study began early, as his mom and dad started teaching him how to talk to adults and how to socialize. As he reached school age, and then as a teenager, his parents briefed him on how, as a Black man, he needed to be cautious and intentional in his interactions with police.
85% of MBA Students Are Considering Entrepreneurship After Graduation, According to a Study
Some MBA students have always wound up as entrepreneurs. Lately, they're even more bullish on startups. That's according to a new study from Illuminate Ventures, a seed-stage venture firm, which shows MBA students are hugely optimistic about entrepreneurship as a career path.
5 Venture Capital Deals That May Show Us Where 2021 Is Headed
Venture capitalists are supposed to be investing in tomorrow's companies today. And despite the pandemic, they plowed plenty of money into startups in 2020: While investment slowed down dramatically in the spring, VCs invested $36.5 billion in the third quarter of 2020, a seven-quarter high. Here are five deals that shed some light on what the next year might look like--for entrepreneurs, their customers, and their backers. 1.
This Barrier-Breaking IBM Engineer Says Black Women Will Be 'the Mark Zuckerbergs of the World'
"I grew up in a family that preached education for as long as I can remember," says Sandra Johnson, the founder of Global Mobile Finance, the maker of remittance app geeRemit. All that preaching seems to have worked: Among Johnson's immediate family and cousins are two electrical engineers, a microbiologist, and a physicist. When Johnson was defending her dissertation for a PhD in electrical engineering, her family sat in the back two rows.
How This Startup Makes Homeownership Affordable for Renters
Divvy Homes is a 2020 Inc. Best in Business honoree. This year, Inc. launched the Best in Business Awards, featuring Company of the Year, to recognize companies that have had a superlative impact on their industries, their communities, the environment, and society as a whole. Adena Hefets knows firsthand the benefits that come from being a homeowner rather than a renter. Her parents were immigrants, and her dad worked construction.
You Really Can Keep Control of Your Company--and Other Lessons From Airbnb's IPO Filing
After 12 years of proving that people will indeed pay actual money to rent a spare bedroom in an a stranger's home, Airbnb is fixing to sell that idea to the masses by way of an initial public offering, which some project could net the company $3 billion at a $30 billion valuation. While it remains to be seen what's its listing price--or even its valuation--will be, much can be gleaned from the San Francisco-based home-sharing giant's S-1 initial registration form.
Presidential Debate: A Mute Button is Great. But it Doesn't Solve the Problem
It's certainly welcome news that the Commission on Presidential Debates is trying to avoid a repeat of the noisy chaos that was the first Trump-Biden debate by muting a candidate's microphone when his opposite is speaking. Go ahead, call it the Donald Rule. It will apply only at certain designated times, not during the entire debate.
Meet the Most Inspiring Women in Entrepreneurship--and Get Their Best Business Advice
One of the most telling definitions of entrepreneurship, courtesy of Howard Stevenson, a professor emeritus at Harvard Business School, is also one of the simplest: the pursuit of opportunity beyond the resources controlled. And let's face it: In 2020, no one has been controlling anything. Whether it's a pandemic, government-mandated business shutdowns, or unheard-of forest fires, the uncontrollable has erupted at a global level and filtered down to the trivial details of daily life.
This Atlanta Entrepreneur Found a Brilliant Way to Make Cities More Inclusive
Wanona Satcher knows how cities work. As a community and economic development specialist with a background in landscape architecture, she also understands how they often fail to work -- specifically in providing affordable housing. In 2017, Satcher founded Makhers Studio to convert shipping containers into affordable housing. Since then, she has raised a seed round from a crowdfunding campaign on IFundWomen, a grant from Visa, and an angel investment from investors Esther Dyson and Reed Marill.
Donna Hager Left Her VP Job to Start Macan Deve, a Company That Prioritizes Career Growth
Donna Hager seeks opportunity wherever she can--for her firm, of course, but also for her people. Founded in 2015, Hager's architecture and engineering firm, called Macan Deve, is certified as a Section 3 Business Concern. That means when she works for the New York City Housing Authority, she agrees to hire people who live in the housing projects to help her execute those contracts. Then she and her firm do their best to mentor them, so they can advance within the construction industry.
How This Single Mother of Two Broke Into Energy's Old Boys' Club
Nooshin Behroyan established Paxon Energy & Infrastructure, a Pleasanton, California-based energy services company, in the wake of a divorce, and after seeing firsthand how poorly some companies in the industry treated employees. Paxon is now a 180-person firm with $27 million in 2019 sales. Behroyan herself has become a mentor and advocate for women, people of color, and veterans looking to enter the energy industry. My ex-husband and I owned a company that ran gas stations.
These Funds are Closing the Race Gap in Entrepreneurship
After the killing of George Floyd by police, and the weeks of protests that followed, many investors took to social media to announce they were going to support Black founders. Many of those founders had a ready response. They didn't need mentoring or coaching or technical advice. Instead, allies could show they were serious in two ways: Send the wire, make the hire. Below is a list of investors with a history of doing just that.
Don't Get Along With Your Boss? This May Be Why
What is your style of thinking? It's a basic question, but not one that most of us spend much time pondering. As long as the brain cells seem to be doing their jobs, we figure everything's okay. It's not that simple, says Thunderbird professor Denis Leclerc. He points out that not everyone thinks the same way, and not everyone likes the way their colleagues of bosses think. In a perfect world, this would be a good thing, with everyone using their own styles of thinking to solve common problems.
Nominations Are Open for Inc.'s 2020 Female Founders 100 -- Apply Today!
[Editor's note: Thank you so much to the more than 1,000 women who applied to our Female Founders 100, and who also went above and beyond to nominate another female founder! Nominations are now closed.] Thanks so much for your interest in the Inc. Female Founders 100. You can apply by filling out the form below by Monday, July 13.
How to Get Your Staff Off Unemployment and Back to Work
After 17 years, Rick Snow announced that he would be closing his business, Maine Indoor Karting, for good. He had shut down temporarily on March 16, as concern about coronavirus was growing. A loan from the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) paid some of his employees even though they weren't working. But rent in his Scarborough, Maine, facility was still $20,000 a month. "We couldn't survive at the current rent with no business to take us through the summer," Snow says.
Why Brands' Black Lives Matter Statements Can So Easily Go Wrong
Bonin Bough knows what it takes to get a message across. He's worked with some of the biggest brands in the world as well as some of the most impressive up-and-comers. Bough was chief media and e-commerce officer for Mondelez, a position he left in 2016 to lead growth and marketing for Sundial Brands. But he's also co-hosted a television show with LeBron James and is the founder of Bonin Ventures, a growth accelerator.
Dionte' Johnson Has an Unexpected Message for Looters Who Robbed His Store
Dionte' Johnson's Sole Classics storefront in Columbus, Ohio.Courtesy subject Jun 3, 2020
Black Business Owners: Leveraging Community in Crisis
Chana Ewing's company, Geenie, used to run a subscription box service for smaller beauty brands owned by Black women. Now, she and her Brooklyn-based employees are pivoting to build an e-commerce marketplace to link customers to inclusive brands. When Covid-19 first hit, Ewing and Sheena Collier, the CEO of membership group Boston While Black, started weekly Zoom calls for their network of Black women business owners, billing the sessions as business and wellness checks.
How Treasury Just Tweaked PPP Loan Forgiveness
CREDIT: Getty Images The defining characteristics of paycheck protection loans, created by the CARES Act, are also the most vexing. A paycheck protection loan can be forgiven if business owners use at least 75 percent of the proceeds for payroll, and the remainder for rent, utilities, or mortgage interest on their place of business. But until recently, it's been unclear exactly how those amounts should be calculated.
Your Sales Have Cratered. Rent Is Due. Now What?
Safeguards Your Sales Have Cratered. Rent Is Due. Now What? Business owners may have more leverage than they think. Getty Images May 21, 2020 Sponsored Business Content
Female Founders' Advice for Finding the Perfect Mentor
Getty Images From the May/June 2020 issue of Inc. Magazine
How 10 Founders Landed Great Advice, Investment, and Support From Other, Successful Women
Getty Images From the May/June 2020 issue of Inc. Magazine
The Result of PPP Confusion: Billions of Dollars Remain Untapped
The first round of money authorized for paycheck protection loans -- some $349 billion -- lasted 14 days. The second round of money -- $310 billion -- has been available since April 24. When that funding was released, many banks cautioned that they already had enough applications in queue to soak up all the money, even if no new applications came in. As of May 8, according to the SBA, $189 billion in loans had been approved. As of May 14, at least some money remains.
Getting Your Paycheck Protection Loan Forgiven, the Legal Way
Back in mid-April, the most confusing part of the Paycheck Protection Program was navigating the process of getting a loan. Now business owners are faced with a potentially more complicated head-scratcher: getting the loan forgiven, which was a core selling-point of the program. "In terms of frustration, on a scale of one to 10, this is a 14," says William McDevitt, head of the tax practice at accounting firm WilkinGuttenplan, which serves clients in New Jersey and New York City.
National Small Business Town Hall:
As states and cities begin to roll out reopening plans, our panel answers questions about how to do so safely and smartly. — National Small Business Town Hall from Inc. and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Events » Past Events This Friday, May 8, 2020, tune in at 12 p.m. EST, our seventh virtual discussion with Inc. and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce regarding small business concerns relating to the COVID-19 pandemic.
How Picking Clients That Do Meaningful Work Helps a Company Thrive
Courtesy company From the May/June 2020 issue of Inc. Magazine
National Small Business Town Hall: Coronavirus Funding & Resources
Learn how to navigate the PPP loan program and get answers to your most difficult coronavirus funding questions. — National Small Business Town Hall from Inc. and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Events » Past Events In our sixth installment from Inc. and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Inc. Editor-At-Large Kimberly Weisul and U.S. Chamber Chief Policy Officer Neil Bradley discuss the latest in coronavirus funding.
Why Public Companies Are Morally Obligated to Return the Loans Meant for Small Businesses
A global pandemic is not a signal that it's okay to continue business as usual. But hundreds of public companies seem to be treating it that way. For many companies, taxes and regulations represent an extended game of cat and mouse. When a new rule comes along, companies employ a flotilla of accountants and lawyers to figure out why, actually, the new rule doesn't apply to them. It's about obeying the letter of the law, not the spirit of the law.
Small Business Resources
Strategies and ideas you need to continue through the coronavirus pandemic and help you map your next move. — National Small Business Town Hall from Inc. & U.S. Chamber of Commerce Events » Past Events Details on the new small business aid package and strategies and ideas to continue through this pause. This week, Congress passed a new $484 billion coronavirus aid package that includes $310 billion in additional funding for the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP).
Paycheck Protection Program Gets Additional $320 Billion for Small-Business Loans
The Coronavirus Crisis Paycheck Protection Program Gets $320 Billion Boost The second round of stimulus funds for small businesses is once again expected to run out quickly. Apr 21, 2020 Sponsored Business Content
National Small Business Town Hall Inc. and U.S. Chamber Coronavirus Resources
Learn more about the available resources to businesses in our Small Business Town Hall with Inc. and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Events » Past Events The fourth installment of our National Small Business Town Hall from Inc. and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce took place April 17, and discussed the resources available to businesses in need of funding. Share The fourth installment of the National Town Hall discusses the current status of aid available to business struggling amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
A Remote Work Expert's Top 4 Tips for Managers
Chances are, you've been in work-from-home mode now for weeks. And while maybe you're finally settling into a new routine, it doesn't yet feel like the best routine. It's time to learn some simple things you can do to up your game. Moe Vela, chief transparency officer at workforce-management software company TransparentBusiness and a former advisor to vice presidents Joe Biden and Al Gore, is a fervent advocate of remote work. In a webinar Monday moderated by Inc.
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