Since Inhale Yoga Studio opened its doors here in Athens in 2007, founder Michelle Stobart hasn’t seen its growth falter. While Stobart began her career in Marietta in 2004, it was in Athens that her vision truly came to life.

Inhale Yoga Studio has moved three times since its inception in 2004, beginning at 8 N. Court St., then moving to ARTSWest and now to its current location at 63 S. Court St. in September 2012 above Follett’s University Bookstore. The business has expanded and its following has only grown with each iteration.

“I’m pretty driven. I have a vision of what I want to do with my business,” Stobart said. For her, this means creating what she calls a wellness center for Athens. She added that Athens “lends itself to more conscious living.”

Always inspired and never content, Stobart’s latest efforts are being put toward three milestones: launching a kids’ afterschool art program, building a kitchen for healthy cooking classes and using the large studio space as an event venue. The art program for kids is already taking registrations for April and healthy cooking classes are set to begin at the end of March.

While these goals are all part of the bigger picture of a wellness center, they are also evidence of Stobart’s belief in community involvement. “I think there’s a way business and community can come together,” she said. This can also be seen in the open houses she periodically holds with free food and classes all day and the way that she and her staff at Inhale Yoga Studio “don’t really know a stranger.”

Although numbers are always in flux due to the nature of Ohio University’s schedule, Stobart said that the studio supports about 15 classes and eight teachers for 300 students. In addition to group and private yoga classes, Inhale Yoga Studio also boasts a sauna room, therapeutic and Thai message, personal training sessions and teacher training sessions for those interested in becoming a yoga instructor.

And what about the town where this all took shape? Stobart said, “I think Athens is a really fantastic town for supporting someone’s dream.”

In 1995, the Athens County Board of Commissioners created the Athens County Port Authority in order to foster economic development in the county.

The charge of the quasi-public entity is to lead Athens County into a new era of economic development. For Athens County Port Authority Chair Jack Bortle, this means facilitating new business in the community.

Bortle explained that the Athens County Port Authority was founded through a regulation in the Revised Code of the State of Ohio that allows local governments to do so. Port authorities have the ability to own land, set fees and levy taxes–putting them in an excellent position to stimulate development in counties with as much potential as Athens. The Port Authority’s first project was a 50,000-square-foot speculation building at the Industrial Park. After housing the Nebraska Book Company for several years, it is now the home to Global Cooling.

“It hit our purposes perfectly because our job is to try to foster business within the community, which doesn’t necessarily mean bringing people back to Athens to form a new business,” Bortle said. “Sometimes it means being in a situation where business can expand and stay in Athens County.”

As for leading the county toward a new era of economic development, Bortle said Athens is right on track. The three areas he said Athens need to focus on are advanced technology, biotechnology and locally- grown food distribution–all industries that the Port Authority is currently pursuing. For example, acquirement of CGI’s newest Center of Excellence proved to be a powerful source of jobs, while the food distributor Purely American drives Athens’ emphasis on locally grown foods. The Port Authority works jointly with the Athens County Economic Development Council to stir businesses, like CGI Group Inc. and Purely American, toward purchasing land and putting down roots here in Athens.

“Through the efforts of many, we’re probably positioned the best we’ve been since my involvement with economic development in Athens County,” Bortle said, adding, “We have the foundation and the economic development infrastructure to really facilitate an incoming business who wants to stay and grow in Athens.”

During April 2012, the Athens County Economic Development Council launched an ambitious marketing campaign called Start It Up! Athens. The dual grant and storytelling competition offered a total of $10,000 to one business grant winner and a total of $5,000 in cash prizes to three winning storytellers.

Our goal was to increase awareness of Athens County as a place to live, work and play to entrepreneurs and C-level executives outside of Athens, while also increasing awareness of the ACEDC and our mission to businesses already operating in Athens County. We believe, without a doubt, that this campaign achieved that goal.

The storytelling portion of the competition encouraged past and present Athens County residents, as well as Ohio University students, to explain what drew them to Athens.

The first place storytelling entry, created by Brian Grady, is titled “Live It Up Athens!” and walks through the life of an Ohio University student in Athens. The video, produced by his Athens-based company, Sway Productions, is absolutely phenomenal and we expect it to have a long life in promoting Athens County online to thousands of viewers.

“It’s all about showing people what there is to do in Athens,” Grady said. “Because Athens is a very visual place with unique scenery and people.”

The recent OU graduate added that many of the locations visited in the video, from the Ohio Pawpaw Festival to the Gordon K. Bush Ohio University Airport were locations students and residents might not have already seen. He said it was encouraging to hear that people “are counting, out of the 30 places we visited, how many they have been to in Athens.”

Grady went on to say that he hopes to continue to build upon Sway the Crowd’s growing reputation. The video production company has already gained both local and national attention for its viral YouTube video of the Marching 110 version of “Gangnam Style,” while 5-Hour Energy recently purchased a commercial for an online campaign to be released in the near future.

“In five years, I want to have a studio. I want to have a reputation for producing viral content,” Grady said. “We have a track record for creative, we have a track record for news, and being timely and having a production quality that puts us above all of the competition.”

As for the grant portion, the ACEDC fielded entries ranging from a yoga studio to a crowd-funding website to an entertainment company. The business grant winner, Jackie O’s Pub & Brewery owner, Art Oestrike, sought funding to purchase a tank for the brewery’s new facility on Stimson Avenue. Oestrike said, “With the number of students that have gone through Ohio University and the number of people that have gone through this wonderful little community, we really want to try to get a product that they’re familiar with into their hands in an area that’s not just 45701.”

A panel of local community and business leaders, as well as other economic development stakeholders, judged winners of both the grant and storytelling competitions.

You can still check out some of our storytelling entries and business grant entry videos here.

We APPLAUD THE CITY OF ATHENS FOR MAKING IT POSSIBLE TO OPEN OUR NEWEST LOCATION

CGI is a leading information technology and business process services company seeking candidates for software development, testing and system administration positions. We are committed to recruiting qualified workforce that includes recent graduates and IT professionals as well as returning veterans and military family members.

Please visit www.cgi.com/careers for available positions and make sure to attend CGI’s Career Fair on Wednesday January 23^rd from 9:00am to 4:00pm in the Walter Hall Rotunda on the Ohio University campus.

DATE: January 23^rd

TIME: 9:00am-4:00pm

LOCATION: Walter Hall Rotunda on the Ohio University Campus

Athens-based Third Sun Solar has grown to become one of the Midwest’s leading solar contractors since its inception in 2000. And this August, the company reached a huge milestone by officially graduating out of the Ohio University Innovation Center’s business incubator into its own independent space at 762 W. Union Street.

Wayne National Forest Headquarters

Third Sun was conceived in 2000 in Geoff and Michelle Greenfields’ Athens home. When the pair made the move from Oregon to Ohio, buying land with no power access, they decided to live off of the grid rather than to destroy trees and pay thousands for power line installation, Michelle recounted.

Third Sun expands beyond Ohio.

Specializing in regional solar installation for residences, commercial businesses and institutions, Michelle explained that Third Sun now services approximately 25 homes a year, with 5-10 percent of its business coming from residential customers. The business has also completed installations for Fortune 500 companies, as well as institutions such as Muskingum University and Ohio University. Now, it has expanded beyond Ohio to surrounding areas like Arkansas, Illinois and Maryland—establishing itself as an alternative energy powerhouse.

Not to mention, A Business Remixed Web story  reported that the company logged its first over-a-million-in-revenue year in 2007, showing a growth rate of 128 percent over 2006.

Giving back to Athens.

Third Sun employs 23 Athens County residents, giving it HUBZone certification as a business that employs people in economically distressed areas. It sources as many supplies as possible from local vendors while also funding several philanthropic efforts, such as local non-profits and a Pelotonia bike team in Columbus.

Holzer Clinic installation

And because it utilizes its power of business to create local benefit, the company is a certified B Corporation. This establishes Third Sun as a triple bottom line company that makes decisions based on the planet, people, environment and community around it.

What lies ahead for Third Sun.

Looking toward the future, the Greenfields realize that their customers are people who use traditional electricity, meaning Third Sun is competing with entrenched electrical companies. As electricity costs go up, Michelle said, there is a huge market potential for their service and product offering. Particularly with increasing awareness of environmental and climate change issues after disasters like Hurricane Sandy, solar presents an answer to a growing concern.

“We are living in a new reality,” Michelle added. “There are solutions and we can help the situation if we put our minds to it.”

Photos courtesy of www.thirdsunsolar.com

We recently celebrated the ribbon cutting of the new CGI Center of Excellence in Athens. The center will employ 150 IT professionals over the next three years, expanding CGI’s footprint in Ohio to over 700 employees and boosting regional economic development.

This great win for Athens County will utilize the outstanding recruiting resources we have in the area, such as Ohio University and Hocking College.  CGI will begin recruiting for the new center this fall, targeting both experienced IT professionals and college graduates, including veterans and military family members.

Currently, the Center of Excellence is seeking the following:

Application Developer

Business Analyst

College Hire Entry Level IT Consultant

Please continue to check CGI Careers for future job postings!

Join us in welcoming a new business to Athens County

You are invited to a ribbon cutting ceremony for CGI’s new Center of Excellence on East State Street in Athens.

Please join us and representatives from JobsOhio in welcoming CGI, a leading provider of information technology and business process services, to Athens. CGI recently announced it will establish an information technology center of excellence in Athens, Ohio with a planned opening in January 2013. The center will employ 150 IT professionals over the next three years, expanding CGI’s footprint in Ohio to over 700 employees and boosting regional economic development. CGI will begin recruiting for the new center this fall, targeting both experienced IT professionals and college graduates, including veterans and military family members. Join us for this ribbon cutting celebration to learn more about the project and to hear from special guest speaker Mark Kvamme, president of JobsOhio.

When: Thursday, October 25, 2012 • 12:45 p.m. (Doors open at 11:45 a.m. and all attendees must be checked in by 12:30 p.m.)
Where: Stateside Technology Park, 1055 East State Street, Athens, Ohio 45701
RSVP is required. Please email laurel@businessremixed.com.

Why start a business in Athens, Ohio?

Athens County has the resources to help you launch a business, starting from the initial concept development to the actual company launch.

From Athens Business Remixed—Athens County Economic Development Council—to Ohio University and Hocking College, the region is rich with talented individuals and teams, opportunities, and resources to help new and growing businesses.

Not only does Athens County have the resources to promote business growth, it has the environment. Athens, Ohio has the heart of a small city with the potential of a large one. It’s the perfect place to raise a family, with beautiful natural landscapes, low crime rates, and plenty of family activities. Residents of Athens County enjoy wooded hiking trails, exciting events at Ohio University, and a thriving art scene.

Ready to start a business or grow an existing one in Athens County? Enter to win a $10,000 business grant from our Start It Up Athens competition.

Office space available in a three storey brick and concrete office building.

Lease Price: $12.00 sq. ft. including utilities

$10,000 Grant Award for Businesses; $5,000 in cash for Athens County Residents.

Economic Development Council Looks to Attract More Businesses to Athens County by Telling the Athens Story through the eyes of current and past residents

(April 20, 2012) – Athens County’s Economic Development Council (Athens Business Remixed), and partnering sponsor the Ohio University Innovation Center, are launching a nationwide business grant and story telling contest – Start It Up Athens! The competition will be announced during this weekend’s Startup Weekend at the Innovation Center.

There are two components to the competition, they include:

1. A $10,000 business grant competition – Businesses wanting to grow an existing business in Athens County or start up a new business in Athens County will compete for a $10,000 grant. The only catch? They must grow, expand or start their business in Athens County in 2013.

2. A $5,000 story telling and spirit competition – Past, present, and future Athens area residents and Ohio University students will be challenged to tell the best Athens County story in competition for a $3,000 first place prize a $1250 second place prize and a $750 third palce prize. The stories, told in their own words, with photographs or videos must be published somewhere online and must link back to the Website – http://www.startitupathens.com.

It is the hope of Athens Business Remixed that the competition results in one new business choosing to relocate or expand in Athens County and in the creation of hundreds of new pieces of online content about the true spirit of Athens County.

“The goal is to attract businesses to Athens County and to do so by telling the story of Athens County and who better to tell it than those of us who love it here and live here?” said Todd Shelton, Director of the Athens County Economic Development Council (Athens Business Remixed).

The grant component of the competition aims to bring new business growth to Athens County by awarding $10,000 to the business idea that is most persuasive, most efficacious, and best presented. The selected grant recipient will be required to use the grant dollars in Athens County to launch the award winning business idea in 2013.

The story component of Start It Up Athens will engage current or even former Athens County residents or Ohio University students to capture the spirit of Athens County with a series of, or one piece of online content. YouTube videos, Flickr photos, Facebook campaigns and/or blog posts would all be examples of qualifying entries. Three cash prizes totalling $5,000 will be awarded to the the most compelling entries. First place will be awarded $3,000, second place $1,250, and third place will take home $750.

Winners of both the grant and story telling competition will be judged by a panel of local community and business leaders, as well as other economic development stakeholders to be announced. In addition to creative presentation and the quality of content, judges will also be considering the amount of social shares the online content received. Award announcements will be made on January 9, 2013. Full judging parameters and considerations are available on StartItUpAthens.com.

Local businesses, a thriving arts and music scene, and access to our beautiful natural landscape make Athens County an ideal place to live, work, and play. Both competitions will add to this, with the grant money attracting budding entrepreneurs, existing businesses looking to expand, or even digital companies seeking an Athens presence. The story competition will give each community member a voice and a way to show off his or her Athens County.

About Athens County Economic Development Council

The Athens County Economic Development Council, known as Athens Business Remixed, is the champion of business in Southeast Ohio. A public-private partnership, the Economic Development Council is committed to increasing economic opportunity in Athens County by encouraging entrepreneurship, recruiting new businesses, and helping existing businesses grow and expand.

For additional information on Start It Up Athens, please visit BusinessRemixed.com and look for full contest rules and entry forms at StartItUpAthens.com. The site will launch on April 20th, 2012.