​Meet the newest member of our VGV team. Vionna Vincent is a YSU Monous Fellow majoring in Finance. She also is a waitress at The Lake Club, taking summer classes, and enjoys giving back to her community. She hopes to help VGV give back to Mahoning County, build a professional network, and explore the different areas of business.

VGV announced its newest portfolio investment in TonDone, a simple, all-in-one facility and building service management platform.
TonDone is trusted to manage millions of square feet of commercial space at hundreds of locations, from malls to hospitals. 

“When you’re building a startup, you need all the help you can get! Valley Growth Ventures has fully rolled up their sleeves to help us in a multitude of areas like company strategy, business development, and marketing,” said TonDone co-founder Matt Crowley in a statement. “Valley Growth Ventures has been extremely strategic for our company. They’ve helped position us for continuing growth and success in our target markets.”

For more information, visit www.tondone.com or follow TonDone on LinkedIn for more company updates.

Calling all entrepreneurs! Applications are now OPEN for our partner YBI's 3rd Annual Shark Tank on Oct. 6, 2022 at Mr. Anthony’s Banquet Center.

Shark Tank invites businesses and entrepreneurs to pitch their ideas to a live audience in order to gain exposure and potential investment.

The six “sharks” that will serve on the panel : Lenny Fisher, CEO Handel's Homemade Ice Cream, Lena Esmail, Owner/CEO QUICKmed Urgent Care, Ray Mancini, Entrepreneur and Boxing Legend, Ellen Tressel, Philanthropist, Herb Washington, CEO/Founder of HLW Fast Track Inc. and Tom Stabi, Senior Advisor, SSB.

EMCEE will be Youngstown State University President, Jim Tressel.

Tickets, table reservations, and sponsorship opportunities can be found at ybi.org/sharktank/ 

Visit www.ybi.org for more information or follow YBI on LinkedIn to stay up to date.

What started as a simple app, has now become a serious marketing weapon. For those of you who are not familiar, TikTok is an app where users can share short videos. They can add effects and music to these videos. Each user had a unique experience in this app due to their algorithm. The creators made a way to fine-tune each app to the users' likes. This could be the reasoning behind why so many individuals are addicted to it.  Now one might be asking themselves, how did an app affect business? ​

By Vionna Vincent

What started as a simple app, has now become a serious marketing weapon. For those of you who are not familiar, TikTok is an app where users can share short videos. They can add effects and music to these videos. Each user had a unique experience in this app due to their algorithm. The creators made a way to fine-tune each app to the users' likes. This could be the reasoning behind why so many individuals are addicted to it. TikTok also has a presence worldwide. The app also came out when quarantine was at its peak. This increased the success of the app because most people were locked in the house on their phones. All of these factors have come together and created a monumental app that has an influence on its users. 

 Now one might be asking themselves, how did an app affect business? The answer is in every way. This app has an appeal of anyone can go, make content, and if people like you, can become famous. TikTok also pays its content creators well once they do reach the limelight. For example, Charli D'amelio danced to a song on TikTok, went viral, and now has 144 million followers. Now, her whole family has a reality TV show and you can see her next to A-list celebrities at all big events in society. In addition to being able to make someone famous, it has made small businesses and products go famous.

Consumers spent $500 million on this app in one quarter alone.  A person may be famous for having nice skin, share the product they use, and the next day this product will be sold out on all platforms. So there is clearly a huge opportunity for products and marketing, but one can even further their music career with this app. This app has made songs from years ago make an appearance back on the radio and even win awards like going platinum and double platinum. 

Without question, if you are trying to start a business, you should seriously consider hiring someone to create a TikTok page for you. With almost little to no cost of creating these videos and having the ability to reach millions of people, it would be a waste not to. All one needs is an iPhone, creativity, and time to edit these videos, and your business could be the next viral sensation. 
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A quarterly update on VGV portfolio companies, partners, and industry trends. ​

MedaSync, a leader in AI software solution for skilled nursing operators, recently brought in $250K of new investment with Youngstown connections.

Aztec Capital Management added the AI software solution to their exclusive portfolio, already comprised of Anchor by DatAnchor and Comeback Capital. Aztec includes members of the Bushey family who are based in Youngstown and very active in the community.

Two angel investors, Phillip DePaul and Jeff Bleacher, who both grew up in the Youngstown region also invested in the AI software solution. 
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“We’re using technology to keep nurses away from administrative manual workflows and in front of patients,” says Ryan Edgerly, CEO of MedaSync. "It's amazing to have more NE Ohio investors involved and is a testament to MedaSync’s ability to help skilled nursing operators strengthen their businesses and improve the patient care experience.” 

Funds from the investment will further MedaSync’s growth plans while giving operators enhanced access to MedaSync’s technology. To stay up to date follow MedaSync on LinkedIn.

The Youngstown Business Incubator's Youth Entrepreneurship Program, led by Tanisha Wheeler, was named to the “Inc. 2021 Best in Business” list. The program began in January 2021 with a 15-week cohort, The LaunchPad.
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Programming included general entrepreneurship and building a business model, as well as leadership, teamwork and communications skills. Of the 25 students enrolled in the program, 14 registered their businesses with the secretary of state, got employer identification numbers, and learned about financial literacy and the cost of doing business.

Visit www.ybi.org for more information or follow YBI on LinkedIn to stay up to date.