From Research to Retail: The Impact of 10KSB's Entrepreneurial Librarian
Resources through 10KSB open new opportunities for business owners
During each cohort of the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses (10KSB) program at Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®), Karen MacDonald introduces the scholars to her work as an entrepreneurial librarian, educating and supporting business owners as they grow their companies.
10KSB is a $750 million investment to help entrepreneurs create jobs and economic opportunities by providing them with greater access to education, financial capital and business support services. As part of the curriculum, business owners are connected to resources such as MacDonald, who has served as a panelist and local resource since 2020. She has provided over 150 research consultations, giving business owners the tools and opportunities to grow their businesses.
Chris Tarr, a recent 10KSB graduate, saw immediate growth in his business, Branch Sauce Co. in Lakewood, thanks to his collaboration with MacDonald.
"Karen has the experience and the knowledge on which investigative questions to ask so that search results are dialed down to the most meaningful data set possible," Tarr said.
MacDonald provided Tarr with a contact list and news articles that directly led to new business for Branch Sauce Co. Once Tarr found a distributor in Buffalo, New York, his sauce almost immediately hit the shelves of 55 retail locations throughout the region.
"Without Karen's skills, knowledge, and experience, I would have never found the right contact," Tarr said. "She finetuned a search in a way that you could never find with a Google search."
As part of MacDonald's role as the business and entrepreneurship outreach librarian at Kent State University, she provides research assistance to anyone in Northeast Ohio who needs help finding business information. This includes students, faculty, and staff at Tri-C and Kent State, as well as entrepreneurs, local businesses, and regional economic development agencies.
MacDonald earned a Bachelor of Business Administration from Eastern Michigan University and both a Master of Business Administration and a Master of Library and Information Science at Wayne State University. Prior to joining the faculty at Kent State University, she served as a business librarian at Georgia State University and Texas A&M University.
Emily Prioletti is another business owner and 10KSB alumna who benefited from MacDonald's expertise.
Prioletti's business, Belenky Inc., services commercial laundry locations such as hotels and institutions. After learning from MacDonald how to use different research databases, Prioletti took the information back to her team. They used the data to identify new opportunities and optimize their marketing and ad spend.
After two years, Belenky Inc. has seen an increase in new clients, a growth Prioletti attributes to the 10KSB program and MacDonald's guidance.
Both Tarr and Prioletti's stories underscore the significant impact that an entrepreneurial librarian like MacDonald can have on small businesses, helping them navigate the complexities of market research and connect with the right opportunities for growth.
10KSB is a no-cost program offered to qualifying business owners. This program is designed for growth-oriented business owners. For more information or to apply, visit Tri-C's 10KSB website.
September 19, 2024
By Anthony Moujaes, 216-987-3068 or anthony.moujaes@tri-c.edu