John Venhuizen, president and CEO of Ace Hardware, and Jules Pieri, CEO and co-founder of e-commerce start-up The Grommet, joined Cheddar to discuss the major stake Ace Hardware recently took in the online retailer.
According to The Grommet's CEO Jules Pieri, the partnership with Ace Hardware is going to provide entrepreneurs who sell products on The Grommet greater access to capital.
The Grommet currently brands itself as a company that "launch undiscovered products and helps them succeed." It is known for launching companies such as Otterbox, SodaStream, and Fitbit on its platform.
The deal with Ace is projected to help The Grommet expand its audience and grow its base of 3 million subscribers, according to Pieri. To make that possible, selected products from The Grommet are set to hit in-store and online shelves at Ace Hardware locations across the U.S.
The Grommet and Ace Hardware alliance comes at a time when entrepreneurs are gravitating towards locally-sourced products. Companies such as Amazon, and recently Wal-Mart, are competing in the field. Wal-Mart recently launched "Uniquely J" an independent label to rival Amazon.
Jules said that she believes locally-sourced products have piqued consumer's interest because people have a natural drive to create, and technology offers a platform for this creativity to flourish.
Venhuizen adds that Ace Hardware's brick and mortar stores offer independent entrepreneurs another platform to sell products beyond Amazon.
"We can now bring these makers what we think is a real clear path and a meaningful path to growth without always having to bow down to the altar of Amazon," he said.
With an increasing demand for mental health services, one person wanted to change the therapy game. In 2017, CEO Alex Katz founded Two Chairs, a company that uses technology to match patients with the right therapist.
Not only is April Financial Literacy Month, it’s also the kickoff of the spring homebuying season. So now is the time to make sure you have a financial plan in place – and why it might not be wise for that to include buying your first home.
While the U.S. may slowly be on the path to lowering inflation (and therefore interest rates), Europe has thoroughly trounced America, putting it on the path to lower rates by this summer.
April's release of the monthly Housing Starts and Building Permits reports by the Census Bureau provides crucial insights into the construction activity in the housing market. These reports are an economic indicator, shedding light on the current state of the housing market and its broader economic impact.
Caitlin Clark is heading to the Indiana Fever, the number one draft pick and the highest-scoring college basketball player of all time. And while she may not be getting millions from the WNBA, there's a few ways she'll net compensation for her generational talents.
Author of 'Clean Meat,' Paul Shapiro joins Cheddar to discuss how the cellular agricultural revolution helps lower rates of foodborne illness and greatly improves environmental sustainability. Plus, how his company The Better Meat Co. is bringing healthier food options to the table.
Recent headlines might make it sound like World War III is imminent, but when it comes to your finances, it's not the time to panic. The market is coming off its longest winning streak since 2011.
You may have noticed fewer new venture capital-backed startups (like Airbnb or Uber) lately. The market slowed to a crawl after 2021, but things are expected to take off again in 2025.
Corporate earnings season is underway, that time when companies share their billions in sales or double-digit profits. But the data shows even companies are struggling with high inflation and interest rates.
Boeing continues their terrifying trend of having their planes fall apart mid-flight, inflation — checks notes — is still up and the future of AI looks terrifying. Cheery!
