OXFORD, Ohio — Being a startup can be difficult, but owners don’t have to go through growing pains alone. A new collaboration is happening across Ohio to connect businesses and celebrate success stories.
What you need to know
- University of Miami announces first RedHawk50 list of fastest-growing companies founded by Miami alumni
- We want to celebrate these businesses and engage our students.
- Rooted Grounds owners say they are honored to be included on the list
- COhatch is the 9th fastest growing company on the RedHawk50 list
Patsy and David Knopf perfected their coffee. It took him nine years in the making, and he’s come a long way since his garage start.
“Good; I thought the garage smelled so good when I came home from work!” said Patsy, “and now I have to come in here to smell it!” ” he said.
And I owe much of Rooted Grounds’ success to my alma mater, the University of Miami, including my first job and the community that paved the way for me.
David and all Rooted Grounds employees perform blind taste tests on coffee batches to ensure everything tastes just right. (Spectrum News 1/Katie Kapusta)
“I think it gave me the experience that allowed me to survive as an entrepreneur. It’s tough,” David said.
“It helped us understand the importance and roots of community involvement, and that’s why so much of our foundation is rooted in communities in every market we serve. ” said Patsy.
And because of their experience and success, Rooted Grounds was named one of the 50 companies in the inaugural RedHawk50, which honors the 50 fastest-growing companies founded by former Redhawks.
At Rooted Grounds, we roast our coffee in-house in small batches. (Spectrum News 1/Katie Kapusta)
“We were honored and excited, and we were also curious to see what the other companies were like,” Patsy said. “And we thought it would be really cool to meet all the other Miami alumni and see what they’re up to and what they’re doing.”
With 360 companies nominated in its first year, University of Miami leaders are excited to see how the program can grow and contribute to the success of current students.
“Bringing back graduates who have succeeded in taking risks and starting something new provides our 20-year-old students with the opportunity to see and see that what seems impossible becomes possible.”Dean says Tim Holcomb. said Entrepreneur and Director of the John W. Altman Institute for Entrepreneurship at the University of Miami.
We also have alumni like Matt Davis, CEO and co-founder of COhatch, who is from Columbus. The coworking business has grown significantly over the past eight years, with more than 30 locations under construction. He is willing to serve as an example for his students.
Matt Davis has expanded COhatch to 30 locations and counting. (Spectrum News 1/Katie Kapusta)
“The more examples we give people, the more the network allows people to connect, and we want people to get involved in what we do, but we don’t want people to do it. The more visibility we have for our programs, the more success stories there will be.”What we gain from entrepreneurship will undoubtedly inspire the next generation,” Davis said.
Davis is proud of the company’s growth, but he’s even more proud of being RedHawk and being named to the RedHawk50 list. He sponsors a scholarship program and returns to Oxford each year to speak at the senior capstone class.
COhatch is more than just a co-working space, it’s a community for connecting with others. (Spectrum News 1/Katie Kapusta)
“This is probably one of the most rewarding things we do,” Davis said. “Especially if you can drag the kid around and make him listen!”
The original RedHawk50 list included both COhatch and Rooted Grounds, as well as 48 other companies. That’s how it paved the way for the current RedHawks.
“For us, it’s almost a selfish thing to do, but it’s very important to bring alumni back to campus and have them participate in our programs,” Holcomb said.
The University of Miami has already announced that this will be an annual list and that it will begin accepting nominations for a second list in June.
