Trending Towards Social Entrepreneurship: Update on Michigan’s Benefit Corporation Legislation.

  House Bills 5710, 5711 & 5712 were introduced on May 31, that would allow BCorps to be formed under Michigan Law. Although the State House has taken no formal action since June 1, in late September the House Fiscal Agency issued a Fiscal Analysis on the BCorp bills, check it out here. The Analysis

Encountering the homeless in Downtown Grand Rapids and Mel Trotter’s Season of Hope.

Occasionally when I am walking in downtown Grand Rapids I will run into a guy with dirty clothes, smelling bad, looking homeless. When this guy asks me for money, my gut reaction is to want to help. Honestly though, oftentimes I have no idea what is the right response. I will invariably pray for them,

Michigan Construction Law Update

Real estate transactions can be complex. Real estate lawsuits can be complex. Sometimes a statute or case does not speak directly on point to the exact circumstances of a legal dispute. This latest case is a good reminder of those points.   Today I read a construction law case issued on September 13. The case

What’s going on in Grand Rapids Real Estate and Beyond.

Happy Friday! Some headlines to share – enjoy! I. What’s going on in Grand Rapids Real Estate News: In the wake of Propaganda Donuts Leaving Division public attention has been drawn to the tension between local businesses and the homeless population on Division Ave. I explored this topic in my blog post: Can business, local government, and

Reflections on the Guy with the Jack Hammer…

This morning I was making my commute to work on the highway – traffic was backed up and at a stand still. Eventually, all cars started to roll along slowly (at this point, I was happy that at least traffic was moving). Fifteen minutes and a few miles later I slowly passed the root cause of the

About Propaganda Doughnuts’ Closing and West Michigan Business. Working to Build a Better Community.

A few days ago MLIVE posted about Propaganda Doughnuts’ closing on South Division in Downtown Grand Rapids. I was a fan of Propaganda Doughnuts. Occasionally on Sundays after church my family would pick up some doughnuts and go to a park with some friends. I am sorry that I won’t be able to do that any more.

Business Law Update- Corporate records must prove someone was a Corp officer? Court: Not so much.

Check out the this unpublished Court of Appeals decision here:  https://t.co/aNyuY85maL

West Michigan and its Thriving Culture of Social Entrepreneurship

Today I read an article by MLIVE  titled “Michigan Companies could act like non-profits under proposed law” commenting on Michigan’s new Benefit Corporation Legislation – I posted about the new BCorp Legislation a week ago Something caught my attention in this article: in Michigan, the biggest concentration of the B-Corp businesses are in the Grand Rapids

Michigan Business Law Update: B-Corp Legislation Introduced On May 31st

Just days ago I posted on B-Corps and the Rise of Social Entrepreneurship Yesterday House Bill 5710 was introduced in the State House. The House Bill is tie barred with HB 5711 and HB 5712 As I’ve previously written, B-Corps have a dual purpose – To create profit and “create a material positive impact on society

B-Corporations and the Rise of Social Entrepreneurship

  A few months back I sat on a panel to discuss Non-Profit Sustainability and Social Entrepreneurship. You can check out the video here. I was asked to provide some comments on B Corps – or Benefit Corporations. To cover some basics – B-Corps have a dual purpose – To create profit and “create a