What’s your “Why?” At Thrive Cincinnati, impact sourcing is the key. It creates high quality job opportunities for talent in low-employment areas that provide a win-win to make businesses more efficient and transform lives with careers as IT professionals. Read on to find out more about Kelly and Michael and their Cincinnati, OH-based B Corp.
Our mission to fill the IT gap: “Thrive is an IT talent incubator delivering locally sourced IT solutions. Thrive was created to provide a pathway for smart, eager and capable individuals to launch a sustainable career in IT. Our business value is providing locally sourced and trained talent to fill the IT gap while changing the socioeconomic trajectory of underemployed and unemployed talent.”
How we got involved with B Corps: “In Ohio, we are not yet a B Corp state. Our business is an LLC and we are a Certified B Corp. This is our Founders second B Corp, the first one was launched seven years ago, Ingage Partners. Our Founders and employees believe in the mission of the B Corp movement and recognize its value as a differentiator. Business can and should be a force for good. and collaborate with to maximize our impact.”
Our greatest success story: “Thrive has successfully identified, trained and mentored 45 new IT professionals in the last 18 months, launching their careers in a sustainable job market and providing a way out of poverty.”
What Thrive Cincinnati does to “B The Change” daily: “We thoughtfully weigh each business decision to ensure it is balancing people, planet, and profit.”
What you need to know about the B Corp community: “As an entrepreneur, if having a positive impact on society is part of your Why, then joining the B Corp community is a significant step towards fulfilling your purpose. It is publicly declaring that your business exists for good, which keeps you accountable and the community of like-minded businesses will keep your ideas fresh.”
A place for B Corps in history: “The B Corp movement will one day show up in history for creating a major shift in how business views their role in society. What an amazing world this would be!”
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About Kelly Dolan & Michael Kroeger, Co-Founders of Thrive Cincinnati
Kelly Dolan began her career in the consulting industry 20 years ago after graduating from Miami University with a Bachelor degree in Organizational Communications. Kelly relocated to Cincinnati to open a new Software Architect’s consulting practice with her primary role being business development. This experience played an instrumental role in shaping how she viewed community within an organization where talented people can grow. In 2011, Kelly and her business partner Michael, were inspired to launch Ingage Partners to provide an opportunity for themselves, and eventually many others, to blend a successful career with a greater purpose of building into the community. The experience of launching Ingage and having an opportunity to work with a team of passionate and creative people has fulfilled a life-long dream of building something that will have a lasting impact. Launching Thrive Impact Sourcing is another journey rooted in deep faith. It is an experience of a life time to be in a position to expand our impact on the community.
Michael Kroeger is a results-driven professional with 16 years of experience, excelling in dynamic business and technology environments. Michael has extensive experience in IT custom development, package evaluations, and project management in all phases of the software development lifecycle. He also has expertise in process design, business transformation, business analysis, and organizational change management. After graduating from the University of Dayton, Michael began his career at Accenture building custom solutions and managing large complex projects for the Insurance and Financial Services Industry for over six years. After three years with another local firm specializing in operational improvements, Michael joined Centric Consulting’s Cincinnati office focusing on leading major IT and business transformation projects. Most recently, Michael was a partner for Centric, leading their local healthcare industry practice and sourcing & procurement service offering. Michael lives in northwest Cincinnati with his wife Viktoria and two young boys. They enjoy traveling and giving of their time to worthy social causes.
This has been a Fantastic B Corps post, MyCorporation’s salute to the entity that gives back to business and society. Join us biweekly for a glimpse at the entrepreneurs using their small business to “B The Change” in this global movement for good.
Deborah Sweeney Deborah Sweeney is an advocate for protecting personal and business assets for business owners and entrepreneurs. With extensive experience in the field of corporate and intellectual property law, Deborah provides insightful commentary on the benefits of incorporation and trademark registration.
Education: Deborah received her Juris Doctor and Master of Business Administration degrees from Pepperdine University, and has served as an adjunct professor at the University of West Los Angeles and San Fernando School of Law in corporate and intellectual property law.
Experience: After becoming a partner at LA-based law firm, Michel & Robinson, she became an in-house attorney for MyCorporation, formerly a division in Intuit. She took the company private in 2009 and after 10 years of entrepreneurship sold the company to Deluxe Corporation. Deborah is also well-recognized for her written work online as a contributing writer with some of the top business and entrepreneurial blogging sites including Forbes, Business Insider, SCORE, and Fox Business, among others.
Fun facts/Other pursuits: Originally from Southern California, Deborah enjoys spending time with her husband and two sons, Benjamin and Christopher, and practicing Pilates. Deborah believes in the importance of family and credits the entrepreneurial business model for giving her the flexibility to enjoy both a career and motherhood. Deborah, and MyCorporation, have previously been honored by the San Fernando Valley Business Journal’s List of the Valley’s Largest Women-Owned Businesses in 2012. MyCorporation received the Stevie Award for Best Women-Owned Business in 2011.