May 16, 2024 – The Henry, Autograph Collection
The MichBusiness Women Thrive Conference is a day of celebration, informative panel discussions, facilitated networking opportunities, and knowledge-sharing. It is advised by a distinguished board of businesswomen and community leaders.
May 16, 2024 – The Henry, Autograph Collection
The MichBusiness Women Thrive Conference is a day of celebration, informative panel discussions, facilitated networking opportunities, and knowledge-sharing. It is advised by a distinguished board of businesswomen and community leaders.
Check in with Lance Tyson on any given day, and he may be coming from a meeting with an up-and-coming sports franchise, leading a training session for a professional football team or creating a highly personalized training workshop for team leaders.
All of these people – whether it is coaches, players or the associated staff – all have something in common, Tyson says. They are selling something for a living. That begs the question: What do sports have to do with selling?
Finding the right coach or mentor is essential to becoming a leader in the sales field, Tyson believes. And there are five ways that you can learn from sports teams, great coaches and legendary sports figures in your effort to be a better salesperson, says Tyson, president and CEO of Tyson Group and author of “Selling is an Away Game: Close Business and Compete in a Complex World.”
Salespeople are not born that way – they have to be built, nurtured and developed over time, Tyson says. That is why sports is a great comparison, he notes, because every year a coach like Michigan State University’s Tom Izzo has to rebuild a team and sell himself. About 25 percent of the team graduates annually, so that’s a lot of rebuilding and investing, Tyson notes.
“The team has to buy into Izzo when they join – that’s what makes it a crew,” Tyson says. “Izzo tailors how he motivates to each individual. He knows what is important to them. … Or consider a guy like Chris Granger (group president, sports and entertainment for Ilitch Holdings Inc.). People know that he believes in them and he’s going to invest in them. That’s the key to a great team or a great sales team.”
Tyson’s sales training, coaching and consulting company is listed among SellingPower’s Top 20 sales training companies of 2018. Among its clients are many professional sports teams such as the New York Yankees and Dallas Cowboys. He conducts over 100 workshops annually in areas such as performance management, leadership, sales, sales management, customer service, negotiations and team building.
According to Tyson, the attributes required to drive success in sales and sports are similar: encouraging a positive attitude, motivating, presenting a clear strategy, insisting on dedication and breeding consistent winning habits.
—Identify weaknesses. Tyson says sales leaders must keep their eyes and ears open to find areas that need improvement. This information may come from a customer or vendor, a performance review, or observations from a colleague. “Regardless of the source, always assess different opportunities for coaching and improvement,” Tyson says.
—Establish desired results. This requires a leader to describe to salespeople the gap between what they are currently doing and what they should be doing. “Associate an identifiable action with all the steps in between,” Tyson says. “When you outline the process up front, your team member can envision well-defined results.”
—Provide resources. For the coaching process to be successful, you must clear away obstructions and make the appropriate resources available: time, money, equipment, training, upper management buy-in and support, Tyson says. “Most importantly, your salespeople must commit to the process and want to achieve the results,” he says.
—Practice, practice, and observe implementation. Better results require new behavior, Tyson says, which won’t come overnight. “Once you have the resources in place and you’ve explained and demonstrated the desired skill, it’s time for the team member to implement it,” he says. “They must sharpen the behavior with the help of a coach. Practice allows the coach to identify strengths and opportunities for improvement while witnessing the skill in real-time.”
—Use effective follow-up. Many training sessions have gone for naught when there was no follow-up and new ways toward success were forgotten. “Remember as a sales leader that your goal is to effect a behavioral change,” Tyson says. “Coaching is a process, and it never really ends. The next step is follow-up – at regular intervals to review results. And when your salespeople reach goals, take time to acknowledge and celebrate it.”
A collaborative partnership designed to bring more cruise business to the Great Lakes is bringing together states that border the Great Lakes, plus Canadian provinces and travel partners, an initiative by the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Governors & Premiers organization.
Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder, current chair of the organization, announced the international partnership at an August 30 news conference on Mackinac Island. The event coincided with a port of call by Victory 1, a two-year-old vessel owned by Victory Cruise Lines that regularly tours the Great Lakes.
Officials say cruising on the Great Lakes is poised for major growth in coming years, with significant economic benefits for the entire region. In 2018, eight ships plan to operate in the region, representing approximately 100,000 port visits by passengers. Two additional ships plan to enter the region by 2020. “Cruise the Great Lakes” positions the region for sustained cruising growth for years to come.
Cruise the Great Lakes is the region’s cruise marketing partnership, working to grow regional cruising through an optimized and unique brand. Its near-term focus is on marketing to potential consumers in North America. The Great Lakes St. Lawrence Governors & Premiers serves as the organizing body.
Partners in the initiative include the State of Michigan, Province of Ontario, Province of Québec, State of Illinois, State of Minnesota, State of Pennsylvania, Victory Cruise Lines, Visit Detroit, Detroit/Wayne County Port Authority, Muskegon County Convention & Visitors Bureau, Muskegon Lakeshore Chamber of Commerce, Destination Cleveland, Port of Cleveland, St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation, Blount Small Ship Adventures, Duluth Seaway Port Authority/Visit Duluth, Pearl Seas Cruises, Tourism Thunder Bay, and Visit Milwaukee/Port of Milwaukee.
Many experts say the “human element” in cybersecurity is responsible for 80 percent or more of the incidents that take place.
A news headline announces yet another breach of consumer data, one where the personal information (perhaps credit cards and customer transactions, identifying records, even credit scores) are scooped out of what was supposed to be a secure spot on the internet.
Someone has clearly messed up, but we’re not sure how and, worse, we’re not sure the corporation who was responsible for the safety of that now stolen data is prepared to make sure it doesn’t happen again.
More to the point, the company itself doesn’t seem to be sure.
And what about the security of information, stored in servers located who knows where, that drives systems and facilities like power plants or even airports?
In a world where bad people are seemingly running amok, how can we be sure that the data is secure and protected?
And can we be sure the information we count on to pursue our goals and dreams is protected?
We start with Maj. Gen. Mike Stone, currently the assistant adjutant general-installations for the Michigan National Guard. As the state’s Dual Status Commander for domestic response situations, Stone is responsible for Army armories and installations, strategic communications, strategic level cyber initiatives, and National Guard employment initiatives.
No place is truly safe
From Stone’s perspective, protecting electronic systems, whether they’re at the government level or anywhere else that’s connected to the internet, starts first with a basic assumption that no place is impenetrable from malicious hacking.
“You will waste a lot of time and energy dwelling on whether someone can get in to your systems,” he said. “Assume everything and every system can be compromised.”
From that point, the questions become related to what is the information being stored, who would want access to it, and is it worth the time and effort for them to acquire it.
What is clear when talking with people like Stone and others is that there is very much a community of experts involved in either directly protecting data online or establishing ways that others can do the same.
One of those is Rajiv Das, the chief security officer for the State of Michigan, who understands that the critical issue on his plate is a data breach, the penetration of online systems.
“We focus all of our preventive work and our security efforts around preventing those from happening,” said Das, who has been in his role for about two years, coming from the technology consulting sector.
With responsibility for the wide range of systems under the state umbrella—including Treasury, Lottery, Corrections, and Transportation—Das says one of the most important ways he and his staff can reduce the risk of a data breach occurring, is to improve what he calls the “cybersecurity posture.”
Das sees keeping the trust of the citizens of Michigan as one of his primary goals.
Prevention of a data breach is the second part of an ongoing strategy, one that includes adoption of layered security steps, as well as continuous monitoring of networks. Das and his team are also looking for so-called “phishing” emails, a technique often used as a fraudulent attempt to have the recipient give out sensitive information, including user names, passwords, and even credit card information.
“We analyze those attempts when we see them and take corrective action,” said Das.
Both military and civilian cybersecurity officials are seen working one of the multiple exercises that are conducted every year. The purpose of these ongoing exercises is to make sure authorities are able to plug any “holes” that could lead to breaches of data security before they occur.
Social engineering is much of the problem
Phishing and other forms of attempts to get information or even control related to information online are known as “social engineering” and Das and his group have a strategy designed to reduce the number of attempts that ultimately become successful.
“We do it with a structured training program that we roll out to about 55,000 state employees on a regular basis,” said Das.
His group also uses “phishing campaigns” to help educate employees around ways they can protect against the type of breach a malicious attempt would achieve.
The strategy is nothing new for Das and his group, who have been proactive on the issue for about four years and who in October will gather for an annual cybersecurity summit. This year’s event will be October 17 at the Amway Hotel in Grand Rapids.
Twelve days later, on October 29, Michigan will host the North American International Cyber Summit at Cobo Center.
These events seem to reflect a community perspective that’s widely held by those who see cybersecurity as something that gets better when more people participate in a consistent strategy to protect online information.
One of those is Joe Adams, vice president of research and cybersecurity at Merit Networks, the state’s research and educational network, and the oldest and largest in the country.
Started in 1966 through a collaboration between Michigan State, University of Michigan, and Wayne State, Merit had a foundational role in building out the internet, operating the network operations center before commercialization took place in the early 1990s.
Today, Merit, a nonprofit that is owned by Michigan’s 12 public universities, serves all K-12 school districts in the state, as well as its community colleges.
Adams, who joined Merit five years ago, had previously served as its interim CEO. He is the former chief information officer at the National Defense University and an associate professor at the United States Military Academy, having earned his doctorate in computer engineering from Virginia Tech.
Today, one of Adams’ principle contributions has been the building of the Michigan Cyber Range, a virtual training and exercise platform that leverages Merit’s 4,000 miles of fiber network that exists throughout Michigan, Ohio and Wisconsin.
With that, Adams said, a barrier to accessing cybersecurity education was broken.
Working together makes us all stronger
“We’ve been able to build community and we do that by providing the content necessary to qualify people for jobs in the field,” said Adams, talking about key initiatives such as workforce development through certification and training.
“We’re working hard to put these folks in a position where they’re qualified and can get interviews with employers,” he added.
Adams’ role goes beyond cybersecurity, however.
“A lot of my job includes taking someone who has an interest in IT and teaching them how to do that securely.”
The former military part of Adams (he retired with the rank of colonel) is a strong believer in a “crawl, walk, run” mentality of getting better at what you do.
“In the crawl phase, we introduce the tools and techniques,” he said. “In walk, it’s about working with groups and relying on other people’s skillsets. And in run, that’s where we’re into the softer skills, where you start seeing the flashy cyber exercises.”
Adams says having a better understanding of what people are actually exposing themselves to when it comes to cybersecurity issues might be a good first step.
“We’ve stuffed our lives into the ether and that’s a broad attack surface where we’ve exposed ourselves to hackers,” he says. “But we’re also exposed to natural disasters and just plain bad planning.”
One of the areas that has Adams’ attention is electronic voting and specifically the vulnerability made possible by the fact that a significant number of counties in Michigan—about 15 percent, representing about 10,000 voters—have no backup, obviously a concern in light of news reports (and speculation) around hacking by so-called “state actors.”
“You wouldn’t have to change those results by much to affect an election,” said Adams.
At another level—how governments are equipped to respond to data vulnerable from natural disasters—Merit stepped up during Hurricane Sandy, which hit the East Coast in 2012.
Faced with a potential loss of ALL its data, the state of New Jersey reached out to Merit, which had just four hours to successfully back up the entire repository of data, becoming its disaster recovery center.
“We have a relationship there,” said Adams. “They picked up the phone and said ‘help’ and we were happy to do so.”
Cooperation is key
Maj. Gen. Mike Stone relies on the kind of interagency cooperation he gets from members of the Michigan Civilian Cyber Corps, more than 50 vetted experts who train with the Michigan National Guard and police, participating in tabletop exercises that are made possible in no small part by Merit.
The cost of putting on the kind of exercise that took place last fall at Cobo Center and involving 10 states, and eight foreign countries, is almost unbelievably low—about $30,000.
Stone was also asked to participate in an exercise for the City of Houston, the scenario being a deliberate cyberattack, concurrent with a hurricane hitting the city and closing the Port of Houston, which translates into millions of dollars a day in lost revenue.
On the civilian side of the cybersecurity issue are people like David King, CEO of Red Level Networks, which is based in Novi, Mich.
“Because we’re human, without the training to know and understand what to do, we tend to open things online that we shouldn’t,” he said, making the point that 80 percent of security breaches are somehow related to the human element.
With phishing being the primary method for online attacks, monitoring the responses of employees to those attacks and putting user training in place to reduce the impact is a strategic move.
“We focus on the quick identification of a breach,” said King, who makes the point that it takes an average of 270 days before a breach is actually detected.
For King’s company, the overwhelming need for robust security practices has resulted in the transformation of Red Level Networks into a managed security service provider, with IT services becoming part of that offering.
“It’s a change in not only our industry, but in business as well,” said King.
There’s also the legal implications of cybersecurity to be considered, which is why folks like Jeffrey May and Claudia Rast are kept so busy.
May is an associate attorney with Kerr Russell, a firm with offices in Detroit, Troy and China. His graduate degree in Information Technology, coupled with his law degree, helps him deal with clients concerned with data breaches and the protection of their customers’ data.
“We also work with them on questions about who they have to report to, and when, if a data breach occurs,” he adds, noting that the procedures and responses are on a case-by-case basis.
Understanding the statutory requirements flows through to areas like the new General Data Protection Regulation, a legal framework whereby the European Union has set guidelines for the collection and processing of personal information of individuals.
“That’s a big one right now and it’s driving security discussions, with companies having to be clear about the data they’re collecting, using and storing and how they respond to customer queries,” said May.
How blockchain could make a difference
Claudia Rast, an attorney with Butzel Long’s Ann Arbor office, has put her background in forensics, IT environments and security to good use for clients with concerns around cybersecurity.
“Theft is one thing, but we’re also moving into an era where it’s the corruption and manipulation of data that is
having a significant impact,” said Rast.
Think about the effect of an intrusion into company networks, where the terms of a deal are adjusted or the balance of negotiations is altered, and it doesn’t take long for the sweat to break out.
It is one reason why blockchain (the underlying technology for cryptocurrencies) could be something of a savior when it comes to keeping an impenetrable lock on contracts (often called “smart contracts”), largely because of the
nature of how blockchain transactions are sealed.
The methodology—known as a hash, that comes before and after a digital record of a transaction—may not be perfect for all data, but it is at least a bright light for some forms of data records that might otherwise be subject to hacking.
“Frankly, you want parties that you may not trust to be part of a blockchain,” said Rast. “It makes them step up to the ‘authentic’ world.”
So should we be worried?
Experts like Joe Adams of Merit might suggest turning worry into a highly tuned sensitivity would be a better course of action.
The good news is that a growing community of cybersecurity warriors is committed—working collaboratively and without ceasing—to keeping an eye on things and training the rest of us to take better care of how we treat our own data and that of others.
Attorney Charissa Potts understands how it feels to be a working mom, especially because she is one herself. That is why she decided recently to launch a progressive employee Infant-At-Work policy for her law firm.
Freedom Law, which is based in Eastpointe, now has an Infant-At-Work policy that serves to support its part- and full-time employees as they become parents. The female-owned law firm seeks to provide a positive work environment for its employees, said Charissa Potts, founder and Principal Attorney for Freedom Law.
Potts said she believes that when a parent can stay with an infant the firm, the employee, infant, Freedom Law’s clients and all of society ultimately benefits.
“As a mom myself, I understand the connection a parent has with their child, especially in those all-important early months,” Potts said. “My aim is to retain talent and provide clients with the highest level of personalized service. We serve the whole person, and that means supporting parents in their new role.”
Baby on Board Before any infant is brought into the workplace, a meeting must take place between Potts and the eligible parent. Both parties must review, discuss, and approve the proposed Individual Plan. The employee must maintain acceptable work performance and ensure that the presence of the infant does not create any office disturbances. The parent also must select one other firm employee to provide back-up care for the infant. Each parent shall make her/his workstation suitable and safe for the baby and the baby shall be located primarily at that workstation during the work day.
Freedom Law’s Infant-at-Work policy encourages new mothers or fathers to return to work sooner by allowing the new parents to bring their infant to work with them until the child is 180 days old or begins to crawl, whichever comes first.
Freedom Law, PC, is an Eastpointe, Mich., law firm represents debtors in Chapter 7, Chapter 11, and Chapter 13 bankruptcy.
Thanks to the Comerica Hatch Detroit Contest, Metro Detroit soon will have a new tasting room featuring hand-crafted Tequila and Mezcal via Toma Detroit.
Toma Detroit in August won the $50,000 top prize in the 2018 Comerica Hatch Detroit Contest presented by Bedrock. The annual contest supports brick and mortar business growth in Detroit, Highland Park and Hamtramck.
Thanks to its hustle getting votes, smart presentation and local support, Toma Detroit was announced the winner at a ‘Shark Tank’ style Hatch Off event that took place at the M@dison Building in Downtown Detroit.
Toma Detroit will serve fresh, locally sourced cocktails and foods from Latin America. Their tasting room will focus on Tequila and Mezcal and will educate guests about regional distillation methods and styles of Agave. The owners said they hope to open their business sometime in 2019.
“Toma Detroit will be a valuable addition to the city’s growing independent small business and craft cocktail environment and we are eager to support them as they work toward opening their doors and growing their business,” said Vittoria Katanski, executive director, Hatch Detroit.
Business development Toma Detroit will receive $50,000 from Comerica Bank and a package of more than $200,000 in pro bono support and counsel from Hatch Detroit and its partners. Support includes legal services from Honigman Miller Schwartz and Cohn, architectural design, IT and public relations services, in addition to technical assistance and mentoring from Hatch Detroit.
“Thank you to everyone,” Toma officials wrote on Facebook. “This is just the beginning.” Toma Detroit is a project between co-owners Eddie Vargas, Corey McIntosh, Jose Maldonado and Tony Lopez.
Ten semi-finalists in the Comerica Hatch Detroit Contest were announced to the public for voting in early August. After tens of thousands of votes were cast, the four finalists, Neighborhood Grocery, Paradise Natural Foods, Slyde and Toma Detroit were selected by the public. A second round of public voting took place and each finalist pitched their business idea live to a panel of judges and an audience of their peers during tonight’s Hatch Off event.
“The continued success of Hatch alumni proves over and over again that Detroit is a great place to start a business. We know we will see great things from Toma Detroit along with all of the other finalists,” said RJ Wolney, vice president of finance at Bedrock and Hatch Detroit board member.
Toma, which is Spanish for “Drink Up,” joins previous Comerica Hatch Detroit Contest winners including Baobab Fare, Meta Physica Wellness Center, Live Cycle Delight, Sister Pie, Batch Brewing Company, La Feria and Hugh. Together with its finalists and semi-finalists, Hatch Detroit has helped to launch 34 businesses to date.
Hatch Detroit is a Michigan based 501(c)(3) organization supports both existing and new retail initiatives in the cities of Detroit, Highland Park and Hamtramck. Hatch Detroit was founded in 2011 to give residents and aspiring entrepreneurs a voice in the redevelopment of Detroit. Beyond the contest, Hatch Detroit provides funding, exposure and mentoring in support of its alumni entrepreneurs. Together, Hatch Detroit alumni have opened 34 businesses, employ over 500 people, and have invested over $6.5 million in their businesses.
Intended to fuel the global Creative Economy movement and energize leaders who strive to build resilient economies, engage youth, create jobs, & spark wealth formation. Alice Loy & Tom Aageson encourage leaders to invest in Creative Economy entrepreneurs, & more regions to support creative ventures.
What happens when you bring more than 200 women together – mostly women who are mothers in one way or another – to talk about how to thrive in and beyond motherhood?
You have a lively summit, thanks to Mother Honestly. Detroit-based Mother Honestly, a think tank and platform for women who are mothers, will bring thought leaders and doers together for a one-day event on Oct. 20 at the Madison in downtown Detroit.
The experiential event will “inspire and enable the modern woman” to engage, expand and develop what motherhood is, organizers say. This year’s summit theme is “Being a mother in a modern world,” and it will include keynote speeches from local business owners, fireside chats and breakout sessions throughout the Oct. 20 event.
A fresh take on business, motherhood
Blessing Adesiyan founded Mother Honestly in 2018 to provide women with a fresh take on career, business and motherhood. Through online content, and offline activations, the community unlocks the potentials of mothers to live out their best lives.
“Becoming a mother changes everything and our goal is to align who we are as mothers with our passion and ambition,” said Adesiyan, who also is the CEO of Mother Honestly. “Society expects women to shrink themselves once motherhood calls — to put those dreams and ambitions on hold or never realize them.”
Through repeated sold-out curated events, Mother Honestly gathers high-achieving mothers to spark conversation around topics they are passionate about; from building your business to raising money to cultivating a fulfilled motherhood.
Five pillars
Detroit’s summit focuses on the community’s five pillars; (1) Love, Relationship and Family, (2) Passion, Creativity and Innovation, (3) Health, Nutrition and Wellness, (4) Awareness, Discovery and Spirituality and (5) Money, Abundance and Giving Back.
The Summit aims to inspire, empower and equip women with the tools, resources and infrastructure needed to align their goals and ambition with their role as mothers. The summit will provide hands-on experience with the brightest and most inspiring leaders and innovators in the Detroit community who hold the title, “mom” themselves, including April Boyle, head of Build Institute. Other speakers will be announced in the weeks to come.
Max Out Fitness owner Jermaine Branner won both the Existing Business prize ($10,000) and the audience's People's Choice prize ($5000) in the Aug. 30 "Pitch 'N Pontiac" live business pitch competition hosted by CEED Lending at The Crofoot in Pontiac. Amber Johnson, owner of Gourmet Fresh Prep, won the Startup prize ($5000).
Pontiac small business owners competed for $35K in prizes in the Pitch ‘N Pontiac live business pitch competition, hosted by CEED Lending. Sponsored by Chemical Bank, Oakland County Business Finance Corporation and the Oakland County Department of Economic Development and Community Affairs.
Max Out Fitness owner Jermaine Branner won both the Existing Business prize ($10,000) and the audience’s People’s Choice prize ($5000) in the Aug. 30 “Pitch ‘N Pontiac” live business pitch competition hosted by CEED Lending at The Crofoot in Pontiac. Amber Johnson, owner of Gourmet Fresh Prep, won the Startup prize ($5000).L-R: Belinda Turner Dubois, CEED Small Business Lender; Laura Castone, Chemical Bank Community Development Manager; Jermaine Branner, Max Out Fitness owner; Greg Doyle, Supervisor, Oakland County One Stop Shop; and Thomas Kimble, Master of Ceremonies.
With Labor Day just around the corner, The Conference Board’s latest survey on job satisfaction finds that 51 percent of U.S. employees feel overall satisfied with their job, according to a statement from the organization. The results also show that, over the last seven years, employee attitudes about wages and job security experienced the biggest improvements. However, workers feel quite disappointed with their job’s professional development aspects – a warning signal for any organization looking to attract and retain talent in today’s tight labor market.
The Conference Board’s survey gauged approximately 1,500 employed individuals, who together comprise a snapshot of the U.S. workforce. Participants weighed in on 23 components that contribute to job satisfaction.
Job satisfaction improving for lower-income households
Additional findings from the survey include the following:
Job satisfaction is improving faster for lower-income households The tightening labor market has become more visible in blue-collar and low-paid services occupations than in white-collar occupations. As a result, labor market conditions for these workers have improved, and so has their job satisfaction.
Overall job satisfaction increased for the seventh year in a row During this period wages and job security saw the largest improvements. Satisfaction has increased each year following the Great Recession.
Greatest satisfaction: a job’s relational and social aspects Among the 23 survey components, participants gave the highest marks to the following five: in first place, People at work, followed by Commute to work; Interest in work; Supervisor; and Physical environment.
Greatest disappointment: a job’s professional development and recognition aspects Among the 23 survey components, participants gave the lowest marks to the following five: Workload; Educational/job training programs; Performance review process; Bonus plan; and, in last place, Promotion policy.
Minnesota is the state with the highest job satisfaction Minnesota displaced Texas, the prior frontrunner, as the state with the highest job satisfaction (58 percent). Potential explanations come from the state’s strong job market, which is much tighter than the national job market.
Labor market will continue to tighten
Through 2018 and 2019, the labor market will continue tightening; it will benefit employees and challenge employers With many workers having more job options than they have had in some time, both this year and next year, companies will likely have to try harder to satisfy their workers for retention and productivity. As a result, job satisfaction for employees will likely continue increasing.
“To attract and retain the most productive employees in today’s labor market, companies must make a bigger commitment to addressing the factors within their control,” said Rebecca L. Ray, Ph.D., a report author and Executive Vice President, The Conference Board. “Among other steps, that entails addressing the job components with which employees are least satisfied, including job training, the performance review process, and promotion policy. As workers continue to voluntarily leave their jobs at a record rate, the need to prioritize components relating to their professional development could not come at a more pressing time.”
“In 2019, we forecast unemployment to dip close to 3.5 percent, a low rate not seen since the 1960s,” said Gad Levanon, a report author and Chief Economist for North America, The Conference Board. “As a result, we can expect employers to continue reducing educational requirements in the hiring process, leading to fewer workers feeling overqualified in their jobs, which further raises their job satisfaction.”
Want to know something about Detroit, the city’s current events or its history? Then tune into Podcast Detroit.
Podcast Detroit, a metro Detroit based podcasting network of nearly 100 shows on a variety of topics, views and opinions, recently opened another Detroit studio located in the new Detroit Shipping Company based on the success of its programming.
The innovative Cass Corridor area studio brings the count to three Podcast Detroit locations with six studios in metro Detroit capable of supporting a podcast from a solo host to a host with seven guests.
“As a response to the interest from companies throughout the city searching for convenient daytime access to studio space for corporate communications, Detroit Shipping Company seemed the perfect fit for our newest location,” said Dave Phillips, partner in Podcast Detroit. Phillips and his partner Bob Waltenspiel launched their business venture in Detroit in 1995 with one podcast, IT in the D.
By 2015, Podcast Detroit, LLC was formed to host the increasing lineup of podcasts in a variety of categories including business, geek life and technology, interviews, lifestyle and events, music, paranormal, self-improvement, sports, talk shows and true crime. Today the stable of Podcast Detroit shows is heard approximately 4.5 million times a month by listeners, according to Blubrry, SoundCloud and Midroll.
“The Detroit Shipping location offers a unique opportunity for corporations in Detroit to cost effectively create a podcast or internal communication for employees and other constituencies in a fun, vibrant atmosphere, where all the latest state-of-the-art technology is available to create a captivating podcast,” said Waltenspiel. “All you have to do is show up and record, we take care of the rest. Think of us as the easy button for podcasting.”
In addition to the Detroit Shipping Company studio, Podcast Detroit has studios in the Detroit School of Digital Technology (formerly the 3rd District Police Academy) and in Royal Oak. The Detroit Shipping Company is a 12,000 square-foot entertainment venue, restaurant collective, beer garden, artist and retail space created with 21 shipping containers.
Several Podcast Detroit shows will regularly broadcast from the new site including the popular IT in the D and Daily Detroit. The new facility will have a live broadcast stream that will be available through the Podcast Detroit app as well as the Podcast Detroit website.
If you’re out and about this September, Cornerstone Community Financial asks that you think about picking up a teddy bear for a child in need.
The 3rd annual public teddy bear collection drive, presented by Cornerstone Community Financial (CCF), supports Children’s Hospital of Michigan (CHM) and the Children’s Hospital of Michigan Foundation, as part of September’s Childhood Cancer Awareness Month.
There are three ways to participate:
• Anyone can donate a NEW* teddy bear/stuffed animal at any CCF branch location. Collection bins will be available during regular credit union business hours throughout September.
• Anyone can make an online donation (Sept. 1-30) at CCF’s website: www.ccfinancial.com.
• CCF members only can make a financial donation in-person at any CCF branch during regular credit union business hours throughout September.
The supply of new stuffed animals collected – CCF is hoping to gather at least 1,500 – will be gifted to CHM patients in Detroit. All funds raised will be donated to the Children’s Hospital of Michigan Foundation to support cancer research and to help families of oncology patients to pay for treatments.
Children’s Hospital of Michigan can only accept new teddy bears and stuffed animals. Some of the children who receive these new friends may have compromised immune systems.
All Michigan CCF branch locations are participating:
• Auburn Hills – 2955 University Dr.
• Center Line – 7291 Bernice St.
• Royal Oak – 30606 Woodward Ave.
• Troy – 1785 Rochester Rd.
• West Troy – 3001 W. Big Beaver Rd.
Cornerstone Community Financial is a progressive, full-service, state-chartered credit union, owned and operated by its members, which currently number more than 23,000. Originally established in 1951 as Motor Parts Credit Union, CCF today has six branch locations in Michigan and Ohio and more than $260 million in total assets under management.
Established in 2003, the Children’s Hospital of Michigan Foundation is the state’s largest funder dedicated solely to advancing the health and wellness of the children of Michigan. Through fundraising, grant-making and advocacy the Children’s Hospital of Michigan Foundation enables researchers and community organizations to identify and implement innovations capable of advancing children’s health. Since 2010, it has provided more than 42 million dollars in grant funding. Current areas of focus for the Foundation include mental health, nutritional wellness, abuse and neglect, oncology and cardiology research and injury prevention.
Bill Cousins started in law enforcement as a Livonia police officer in 1977. Back then, even being caught with a bag of weed was a felony.
Fast forward 41 years and Cousins is indirectly helping people sell the drug, albeit for medical purposes.
This is hardly a tale of a cop turned bad or even a quantum ethical leap in his mind. Cousins, who went on to work 22 years as a special agent with the United States Secret Service, is merely following his nose for business as a private security contractor with Troy-based W.J. Cousins & Associates.
Cousins specializes in developing security plans for a burgeoning number of medical marijuana-related operations, which is likely to include provisioning centers, grow facilities and processing outlets.
“Law enforcement has lost the war on marijuana; you can’t control it,” said Cousins, who led two security companies after leaving the U.S. Secret Service. “I would compare it to Prohibition, when everyone was bootlegging alcohol and beer and wine out of their homes.”
History, he says, is repeating itself.
“We’re having the same phenomenon now with marijuana. People are just growing it.”
Cousins’ security firm is one of a litany of businesses profiting from the green boom in Michigan. They represent a subsidiary of professions — ranging from architects to tax accountants — that only 10 years ago would likely have steered well clear of anything bearing even a whiff of weed.
That all began to dissipate in 2008, with the approval by Michigan voters (62 percent were in favor) for the medicinal use of cannabis.
While a 10-year battle ensued between the state courts and local authorities in how that law would be enacted and dispensaries would be regulated (since rechristened as “provisioning centers”), business is buzzing, despite the fact that no licenses have been issued, as of June.
Even so, the slow pace hasn’t hastened interest in those itching to get in the game.
Growth is only expected to surge with the prospect of a state ballot proposal this November that would, if approved, allow for the recreational use of marijuana. A February poll conducted by NORML (National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws) showed 61 percent of likely voters approving such a measure.
Enter Cousins, who’s added the budding industry of medical marijuana security consulting to his staple of security and private investigation work that already includes security plans, background checks, finding missing people and probes into cybercrime. He has no qualms about his new line of work, either.
“In my opinion, the people have spoken,” Cousins said. “The legislature has spoken on the state level and they want to decriminalize it totally, so I believe it’s in everybody’s best interest. It’s out there.”
And about the issue of quality? Cousins is equally straightforward in his opinion.
“We should regulate and control the quality so when an individual goes into buying a certain product, they know what they’re getting, that they’re not getting something that might be mixed with carcinogens or chemicals that you don’t want in your body, that you might get off the street.
“With the state guidelines, like this and in the other 28 to 30 states, they’re controlling the grow process and eliminating those hazards to the patients. We should accept, embrace and make the most of it, tax-dollar wise, medically, everything.”
While Cousins started out catching offenders who were holding the “bag,” attorney Matthew Abel has always been the front line in defending them.
Purple Test
Based in Detroit, Abel has never shied away from his belief that the use of marijuana should be legalized. The founder and senior partner of Cannabis Counsel, he also serves as executive director of NORML’s Michigan chapter.
About 15 years ago, Abel would doggedly argue on behalf of his criminally charged clients that the law defined marijuana as “Cannabis Sativa,” and it was the prosecutor’s job to prove that his clients were, indeed, guilty of possession or use of that specific substance.
Because both Cannabis Sativa and Cannabis Indica turned purple on a drug test, Abel would argue that the findings were inconclusive and, thus, such a case should be dismissed.
“I used to have to whisper that I was a marijuana lawyer. Now I can say it out loud,” said Abel, whose law practice on East Jefferson Avenue once housed former FM rock station WWWW (now WDTW), where famed shock jock Howard Stern hosted a morning show in the early 1980s.
“The public attitude has changed markedly in the last 10 years. We’ve gone 15 points in my direction,” said Abel.
When the vociferous barrister switches hats from legal eagle to prospective entrepreneur, Abel sees nothing but opportunity, citing the need for testing labs, transporters, and software companies to facilitate the entire “seed-to-sale” process.
Medical marijuana businesses will be required to be licensed by the state and those employed will be subject to background checks. The state’s Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) agency is overseeing the licensing process.
Grow operations will bring environmental issues, including waste streams and recycled soil, and the need for companies to remediate them, Abel said. Lobbyists will see an increased workload as well.
“The increase in property values can’t be overstated,” Abel said. “It’s just huge, partially because it’s in the state. As more and more places pass ordinances, hopefully, there won’t be such a challenge finding real estate, but contractor industries, there are all types of ancillary businesses, and the grow shops, people are buying lights and fans and the nutrients and will continue to do that.”
Finding a Place
The brimming medical marijuana industry has opened a new vista for Allegan-based Wightman & Associates, a company that provides architectural, engineering, planning, environmental and design services, among others.
The southwest Michigan firm is working with five different clients, designing structures that will serve as future sites for provisioning centers, grow facilities and processing outlets. They range in location from Bay City, Midland and Saginaw to south of Muskegon.
Construction has yet to start, as owners of those respective facilities await state approval and licensing.
The whole process has been an eye- opener for Carl Baxmeyer, the 73-year-old employee-owned firm’s business planner. Wightman has offices in Allegan, Benton Harbor and Portage, on the outskirts of Kalamazoo.
Wightman’s involvement in the legalized marijuana realm came by happenstance.
The firm’s surveying team was working with a client who was having difficulty pinpointing an ideal site. The surveying unit recommended Wightman’s planning squad and things took off from there.
“When they first came to see us and we talked to them, (I thought) what is there to this? Some flower pots, some grow lights, you know, come on,” Baxmeyer said with a slight chuckle. “I rapidly learned that there is a lot more to it, especially where you’re talking about everything from the growing to the processing, as well as the provisioning.
“So part of it was self-education and then we took our plans and showed them to firms that are knowledgeable in the industry and got a lot of positive feedback about how we had come up with the design and how it was laid out and how the whole process would flow throughout the facility.”
Wightman did a GIS (geographical informational system) analysis to hone in on suitable sites, and when one was found, the company helped the client navigate the local approval process. Then the company began designing a structure.
“One thing led to another and we were off and running with our first design and their attorney has since recommended us to several people,” said Baxmeyer, whose specialty includes the planning and design of K-12 school buildings. “So we continue to pick up clients and, no pun intended, it’s a growing portion of our practice here in Michigan, designing these types of facilities.”
To get a handle on the marijuana industry, Baxmeyer visited facilities in Colorado, which legalized recreational use in 2012.
Baxmeyer said he was amazed to find one Colorado grow operation nestled discreetly in a business park. “You would never know it was a grow facility,” he said.
Today, Baxmeyer, who who started in the field 42 years ago, doesn’t give it a second thought that he and his firm have traversed into a culture that was once associated with “reefer madness.”
“It’s legal,” Baxmeyer said. “Heck, we work on casino projects and there are people who have some sort of ethical dilemma with gambling. It is a legal operation. We didn’t have any problem with it and a lot of us firmly believe that there truly is a medical reason for marijuana and its use.
“It’s a changing view on marijuana in general. If you’d said this 20 years ago, there would’ve been a huge hue and cry. From everything I’ve read, learned and discussed with people, certainly overall, people’s views are much broader than they were 20 years ago. I can’t imagine it 20 years ago … You’re doing what!?”
Providing Protection
The contrast between the winged-tip-shoe insurance salesman and the roach-clip holder couldn’t be greater, but Eric Ede of Utica-based Green Leaf Insurance seamlessly melds those two stark images.
Ede is a medical marijuana card holder, citing insomnia. Though he’s been an insurance agent for 20 years, he started Green Leaf two years ago and is frequently receiving leads for medical marijuana-related businesses by going to events and networking.
“Being a medical marijuana card holder, I felt it was important to be able to offer protection for these people,” Ede said. “This is a new market, but this allows them to navigate the process of getting the protection they need.
“I also want to educate people on this—what the product is, how it can be used—and you hear all these amazing medical stories on how it’s being used. I think it’s awesome what’s happening right now.”
Ede’s business offers crop insurance and commercial property coverage, as well as workers compensation for those in the medical marijuana industry.
“These people have a lot of money invested in it, in the equipment and everything,” he said.
For instance, the state will require all licensed facilities to carry at least $100,000 in liability coverage in cases of adulterated marijuana.
“I feel like there definitely could be more education on the process, how to do it,” Ede said. “It’s not really there.”
Those who are following the emerging legal marijuana industry envision numerous commercial facilities geared to serving the market.
Intricate Details
In drawing up security plans, Cousins has become immersed in the intricacies of Michigan’s medical marijuana law.
The “seed to sale” concept will require facilities to use the METRC (Marijuana Enforcement Tracking Reporting Compliance) system, which provides each plant an electronic ID number, so it can be tracked throughout the entire process, similar to monitoring alcohol or pharmaceutical sales.
The state is also putting parameters on surveillance systems, ensuring recordings are kept for a certain period of time. Cousins recommends clients go with a comprehensive commercial tracking system that specializes in cannabis sales, two options being BioTrackTH or SilverLeaf CBC.
“Michigan’s guidelines for regulation aren’t as stringent as some other states, but I tell my clients what’s going to dictate some of the levels of security are going to be your insurance providers,” Cousins said. “Because the insurance company will insure the actual marijuana product itself, but they won’t insure the currency — any cash on hand — and the reason for that is going back to the METRC, BioTrack and SilverLeaf systems, whereas, if there’s a break-in and you have $5,000 in your safe and may claim there’s $50,000 … there’s no accountability factor.
“The METRC and BioTrack systems, they provide an accountability to state and local authorities, as well as for auditing and so forth for your internal audits.”
Once the state issues provisioning center licenses, those with any lingering anti-pot bias may be compelled to jump in, Abel said. The fact the U.S. Justice Department hasn’t been budgeted to go after state-compliant medical marijuana businesses is also reassuring to those who’ve remained on the sidelines.
In the end, the weed entrepreneur is no different than any business person, Ede said.
“They’re people that own other successful businesses and they’re just looking at this as another opportunity to have a successful business.”
The phrase “trust in the workplace” may draw laughs from some, worried looks from others and a lot of questions from everyone else.
That’s because a recent HBR survey shows that more than half or 58 percent of people say they trust strangers more than their own boss. It’s a phenomenon Audrey Epstein, a leadership development expert and partner in the Trispective Group, considers cause for concern in every company.
“It’s very hard for us to accomplish important results at work without trust,” Epstein says. “When there is distrust in an organization, people are less productive and unwilling to take a risk. Instead, people spend their time and energy worrying about things like: What’s his real agenda? Will anyone have my back if I put myself out there? Can I speak my truth without getting shot down?”
Trust is the foundation
Businesses may believe conversations about trust need to be defensive or aggressive – but they really need to be based on curiosity and understanding, Epstein says. Trust is the foundation for “strong, productive relationships, teams and organizations,” she adds.
“When we have trust with others, it gives us the confidence to be bolder and braver and to be ourselves. We don’t have to worry about politics or what’s happening behind the scenes or some backroom maneuvering,” Epstein says. “I wanted to focus on trust because it’s both absolutely foundational for strong teams and cultures AND hard to describe and define. I think it’s very important for us to think deeply about what we have done to build or destroy trust with others.”
How to build trust
So how do you build trust and change people’s perspectives? Here are some of Epstein’s best tips for when you hear as a boss or co-worker, “I don’t trust you.”
—“It all depends on how we look at things, and not how they are in themselves.” – Carl Jung. People have very different standards for judging if someone is trustworthy. For some people, it’s all about fulfilling commitments. Did you do what you said you would do? Are you accountable for your results? For others, it’s about authenticity, vulnerability, and connection. Did you show that you cared about them? Were you open and honest about who you are? Did you disclose something more personal about yourself that demonstrated trust? And yet for others, it’s about loyalty and candor. Did you stand up for me when I wasn’t around? Did you gossip about me or tell me to my face?
—“The best way to find out if you can trust somebody is to trust them.” –Ernest Hemingway. As much as you want to be seen as trustworthy, how hard do you make people work before they earn your trust? Some of us grant everyone trust right away, as soon as we meet them. We assume they deserve our trust until they break it. Some of us don’t trust anyone until they have earned it. But once they have, they enjoy unlimited trust with us. Think about how you extend trust to others and ensure you aren’t making it so difficult for others to earn your trust that you are preventing relationships from forming or progressing. Don’t “secret test” people. Let them know what you expect and help them build trust with you quickly. In business, we often don’t have the years we might enjoy in personal relationships to slowly build up trust. We have to form the team quickly. We have three months to complete the project. Others sense it when you are distrustful. By withholding trust, you may actually be creating a more difficult road for yourself to get things done at work. Don’t make others distrust you by being distrustful.
—”Never ruin an apology with an excuse.” – Benjamin Franklin. If you break trust, own it immediately. Apologize fully. Most of the time, we do not break trust with intent. We are not intending to break a commitment, share a confidence, take credit for someone else’s accomplishment. But stuff happens. When you believe you may have created distrust with someone else, confess quickly. Apologize for the impact. Ask how you can rebuild trust.
—“The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is an attribute of the strong.” – Mahatma Ghandi. Practice forgiveness. Don’t hold others to impossible, perfect standards that you wouldn’t want to be held to. Remember that their mistake may be different than one you would make, but we all transgress. Be clear with others on your needs and your expectations. Create candor in your relationships. Tell others if you believe they have broken trust. Allow them to fix things and accept their apologies. Holding on to that wrong can really weigh you down. Being able to forgive is often more for you than the person you are forgiving and can help continue to build trust between you and your colleagues.
“Feedback is the breakfast of champions.” – Ken Blanchard. If someone says they don’t trust you, don’t freak out. Don’t take it so personally that your righteous indignation keeps you from finding out what is at the core of this challenge. Remember, trust is a big word with many meanings. Dig in and find out what happened.
—“You can always control you! So, start with yourself. Reflect on how trustworthy you are. And think about how you extend trust to others. Personalize trust by choosing one or two important relationships you need to make stronger. Then, go work on them. Own them and be willing to do more than 50 percent to build or rebuild trust,” Epstein says. “If you are in a leadership position, work really hard to create an environment where others can be honest, provide feedback, and get their thoughts on the table. Trust and candor go hand and hand. The more trust people have, the more they will be candid and speak up. And the more they can speak up and say the tough stuff in the room, the more you will build trust in your culture.”
The concept of eating out while watching a movie isn’t revolutionary; lots of theaters have tried the concept. But what is new is how Flix Brewhouse is doing it – along with the beer they are serving with food and a film.
Texas-based Flix Brewhouse is expanding quickly throughout the United States as what company officials describe as “the next generation in movie theater/dining/brewery entertainment.” The business says it is on track for “tremendous” expansion through 2021.
With $50 million currently committed to various building and fixturing contracts across the nation, and a total of nine new locations under construction or signed and in the pipeline, Flix Brewhouse is set to more than triple in size over the next 24 months and operate more than 100 total screens.
Now under construction for 2018 openings are cinema breweries in Little Elm/Frisco in Texas, Madison, Wisconsin and Chandler, Arizona. The company has four additional Texas locations and one in Oklahoma in its signed pipeline.
Flix Brewhouse boosts local economies with each new unit creating approximately 200 ongoing full and part-time jobs internally as well as substantially increasing immediate construction employment.
Company officials also recently announced record-breaking attendance and revenues for 2017. So far, Flix Brewhouse says its company revenues are up 41 percent in, despite overall North American domestic box office attendance dipping 6 percent to a two-decade low.
What sets Flix apart other than its specially designed chairs, unique tabletops and well-appointed lobbies is its beer. Flix offers movie-goers a multi-dimensional experience with top-notch customer service and chef-driven rotating culinary menus with on-site breweries that offer a wide variety of beer and wine offerings.
“Think of our interior as industrial brewhouse modern,” says Greg Johnson, director of Sales and Marketing for Flix Brewhouse. “We are an industrial style brewery with a modern twist. … It’s a hybrid experience. From where you sit in the lobby, you can see the brewing equipment and watch it brewed right in front of you.
“When you go down the promenade and into the auditoriums, you are then in a state-of-the-art theater enjoying a great movie with great food, great beer and great hospitality,” Johnson said. “We’ve designed it so you can enjoy the film, a fine dining experience and beer at the same time – it’s the best of all worlds.”
With the rising popularity of in-home viewing and streaming platforms such as Netflix, Amazon and Hulu, “movie night in” has challenged the traditional multiplex for mainstream entertainment dominance.
Johnson says the expansion, which is all company-owned, shows how much the Flix experience resonates with moviegoers.
Huge strides in technology and sensory developments as well as its no-nonsense cell phone policy have also been instrumental in thrusting the company to the forefront when consumers consider where to view the next big movie.
The company provides first-run “Experiential Release Parties” 12-16 times per year, which include selfie-stations with props, custom menus, specialty brewed beers. In addition, guests enjoy special Flix Picks experiential throwback events based on cult classics like Pulp Fiction and Harry Potter enhanced by souvenir “swag” and interactive activities. Movie-buff activities such as these paired with a high level of hospitality help shape the Flix Experience, drawing both new guests and keeping the experiences fresh for existing Flix Fans.
Flix Brewhouse currently has locations in Round Rock, Texas; Carmel, Indiana; Des Moines, Iowa; and Albuquerque, New Mexico.
In less than a month, the Phoenix Society for Burn Survivors, a national organization dedicated to empowering burn survivors and their families at all points of recovery, begins the 30th annual Phoenix World Burn Congress.
The event, said to be the world’s largest gathering of its type, will give burn survivors, their families, medical professionals and first responders the opportunity to share stories, provide support, and increase knowledge of burn recovery.
The September 12-15 event will use space at the Amway Grand Plaza and the DeVos Place Convention Center in Grand Rapids, Michigan, say organizers.
Among the keynote speakers at this year’s event is Dennis J. Gardin, a burn survivor who as a child received injuries over 70 percent of his body as the result of a gasoline explosion. His presentation focuses on a fulfilling life after the accident.
Samoana Matagi, whose electrocution burn resulted in a double amputation of his hands, will speak about how he regained his identity after multiple failures.
Amy Acton, herself a burn survivor, is executive director of the Phoenix Society.
“There is nothing more inspiring than seeing people from across the world come together to support one another.”
Medical advances in treatment for the more than 486,000 burn injuries that occur annually in the U.S. has resulted in a more than 96 percent survival rate, say officials from the American Burn Association. But making the point that survival is not enough, the Phoenix Society remains committed to providing a community that supports lifelong healing for burn survivors.
At the beginning of this year’s Phoenix World Burn Congress, event attendees, local firefighters, burn care professionals and Grand Rapids community members will gather for a Walk of Remembrance, an annual tradition honoring those lost to burn injuries and the impact on communities. This year’s walk, which takes place on Thursday, September 13 and begins at 8:30 a.m.
Samoana Matagi
The walk will end at Grand Rapids’ Ah-Nab-Awen Park, where there will then be an Opening Celebration.
“The Walk of Remembrance is an inspiring event that helps raise awareness about burns, which are a leading cause of accidental death and injury,” said Lorraine Carli, vice president of Outreach and Advocacy at the National Fire Protection Association and board president of the Phoenix Society. “It is important to remember and honor those who we have lost, and to thank those who are dedicated to helping burn survivors heal.”
In addition to the Phoenix World Burn Congress, the Phoenix Society has a variety of different programs throughout the country that assist burn survivors in every stage of recovery. The Phoenix SOAR (Survivors Offering Assistance in Recovery) program provides peer support for burn survivors, ensuring no one recovers alone. The program is currently in over 64 hospitals across North America, giving 12,800 patients access to local support.
New this year, those who are unable to attend or travel to Grand Rapids for the Phoenix World Burn Congress have the option to attend the conference virtually. The virtual experience can be live streamed to a computer, smartphone or tablet.
Registrations for the Phoenix World Burn Congress, which includes two breakfasts, two lunches and Saturday evening’s Closing Celebration, can be completed here.
She was the Queen of Soul but to Michigan residents of all ages, Aretha Franklin also was the woman they saw at local restaurants, bars and music venues throughout her life.
That is why Detroit is working hard to create a tribute to Franklin in the wake of her recent death. Museums including the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History, the Detroit Institute of Arts and the Detroit Historical Museum are putting together tributes this week and beyond as part of her funeral and continuing legacy.
For example, the Detroit Historical Museum will help share her inspiring story with the public in a small tribute display next week in the Kid Rock Music Lab.
Visitors will be able to learn about Franklin’s central place in Detroit’s music history and view items from the Detroit Historical Society collection, including albums, costumes and artwork. The display will also include Franklin’s handprints, which were cast in cement for the museum’s Legends Plaza last summer.
A more comprehensive exhibition exploring Franklin’s life and legacy is set to open in mid-October.
The Detroit Historical Museum is located only a few blocks from the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History, where Franklin’s public viewing will take place. Admission is free. The Kid Rock Music Lab is an interactive, participatory space that explores the rich legacy of Detroit’s music from Gospel to Motown and all things in between.
Group tour pricing and information is available by calling 313.833.7979. Permanent exhibits include the famous Streets of Old Detroit, the Allesee Gallery of Culture, Kid Rock Music Lab, Doorway to Freedom: Detroit and the Underground Railroad, Detroit: The “Arsenal of Democracy,” the Gallery of Innovation, Frontiers to Factories, America’s Motor City, and The Glancy Trains.
If you are what you eat, then how you eat and the company you keep during those meals – especially all-important business meetings – says a lot about you.
That’s why it is important to follow a certain amount of business etiquette when you are out to eat with clients or vendors, says Sharon Schweitzer, J.D., an international business etiquette, modern manners expert and the founder of Access to Culture.
Business meals are more than just talking shop, Schweitzer says. They are a way to distinguish your demeanor from the dinner table to the boardroom. You can be the best in your field or tops in your company, but if you mess up the business meal, no one is going to be impressed.
Here are five ways Schweitzer says allow you to present yourself in the best manner possible and ace every business dining experience that crosses your path.
1) Invitations– Remember that the person extending the invitation is the host and is responsible for payment of the bill. When receiving or extending invitations, pay attention to special dietary needs. The host may ask about food allergies or sensitivities, kosher, halal, gluten-free, sugar-free and dairy-free diets. Be sure to RSVP or reply within 24 hours with any dietary restrictions.
2) Guest Duties– As a guest, observe the host for cues. For example: place your napkin in your lap after the host; the host does so first to signal the start of the meal. When excusing yourself between courses, the napkin is placed on the chair seat soiled side down. At meal’s end, place your loosely folded napkin on the left of your plate after the host does. Don’t refold it.
3) Silverware & Service Signals – Once silverware is used, including handles, it doesn’t touch the table again. Rest forks, knives and spoons on the side of your plate. Unused silverware stays on the table. If you are resting between bites, place your fork, with tines up, near the top of your plate. To signal the server that you’re finished, place your fork and knife across the center of the plate at the 5 o’clock position. Service signals also include closing your menu to indicate you’re ready to order. If you are browsing an open menu, the server has the impression you aren’t ready.
4) To drink or not to drink? If the host orders alcohol, and you don’t wish to drink, you simply order the beverage of your preference without an explanation. “I’ll have an iced tea with lemon please” or “Diet Coke please” and continue to browse the menu. You are under no obligation to consume alcohol at lunch or any other time of the day. Polite dining companions will not comment or ask questions. If they do, simply ask, “Pardon me?” and look at them intently. They will realize the impertinence of their question.
5) Connections & Conversation– It’s the host’s job to keep conversation going during the meal; and guests must contribute with courtesy. Just don’t monopolize the conversation, rather ask questions and express interest. Light topics include books, travel, vacation, movies, and pets; avoid politics, sex and religion. If you need to talk to the server, don’t interrupt the flow of the conversation. Rather catch the eye of the server if you need assistance, or slightly raise your hand. If they are busy, softly call their name or “server?”
If you want to stand out among your competitors – whether it is other companies, offices or even homes – sometimes, you’ve got to get a little weird.
That is the idea behind Metro Detroit’s first Weird Homes Tour, which debuts this Saturday, August 25. Attendees can expect the unexpected, while they visit homes across Metro Detroit that classify as something unique, eccentric, funky, extraordinary, offbeat, magical and weird.
Why should a business look at this event as a marketing opportunity? Because finding a way to engage with customers or potential clients happens when you connect with them through sights, sounds and smells. Seeing a unique space, whether it is through your art, furniture or other areas of your office, could help boost your employee engagement and customer retention, surveys show.
Beyond inspiring individual creativity, the Weird Homes Tour is a triple bottom line company. Meaning, they wouldn’t be in the game if giving back wasn’t intrinsically part of the work they do. The tour in Detroit will be giving back to the community by donating 10 percent of gross ticket sales to the United Community Housing Coalition to help support their fight for affordable housing.
The full line up of homes includes:
• Fun House of Style – a funky house bursting with creative style and color with every square inch filled with interesting art, music, and lips on lips everywhere.
• Three Story Cargo Home – a super-sized 2,400 square feet, cool, modern and efficient shipping container building.
• Mid-Century and Magnificent – blast from the past, Jonathan Adler-styled home, with sharp-eyed eclectic, and fantastic furnishings.
• Playful on Pierce – a beacon of color and playfulness, built with salvaged and modern materials, by two Cranbrook Architectural students for their thesis.
• Detroit Abloom – a uniquely fresh and colorful rehabbed Victorian-styled home, with an adjacent cut flower farm full of dahlias.
• Casa Avery – an eclectic, craftsman-style home, full of amazing woodwork, and oddities from across the world.
• Fortress of Fun – a center of creativity, LA-style studio, with gray walls as a backdrop to a bastion of color and well-thought architecture.
• Wheel’n on Woodward – VIP ONLY, a spunout creative studio with Egg Chairs, exotic cars and motorbikes, home to Design Chief at Ford, Camilo Pardo
Because he first trained to be a teacher, it makes sense that Josef Bastian became an author and storyteller specializing in young adult books.
As a father of four, he especially wanted to write stories that young males could relate to and enjoy. That is why his latest work, “Excerpts from an Unknown Guidebook,” was born – Bastian hoped that young people of all ages and genders would enjoy this fantasy story that is turning into a series for tweens and young adults.
Bastian may best be known in Michigan for a series of stories he did around the Nain Rouge, or the Red Dwarf. Those tales, also aimed at teens but read by all ages, were his introduction to the power of folk tales across the state, nation and world.
Now, Bastian hopes that the Unknown Guidebook series – it starts with Phases of the Moon, which came out in August – will become a multimedia franchise. His goal is to write more books, see them turn into a series on television, or even a movie alongside social-media reach and other content.
Strong reviews The seven-part series has been described as “engaging and exciting,” as well as a “polished and thoroughly original fantasy for tween and young adults,” according to Foreword Reviews. Bastian wants his re-imagined folklore to bring these stories to a new generation.
“The Nain Rouge got me started – it was about cyptofolk, or the hidden stories that people tell one another. These are all these regional folk tales, and some stay only in the region where they’re created. You may never heard about them if you aren’t born there. They can get lost over time,” Bastian said.
“When I started writing about the Nain Rouge, I thought it would be cool to take a 300-year-old legend and resurrect it – I could bring it to modern day with storytelling,” Bastian said. “That opened up a new universe.”
Stories of the people This middle-grade series focuses on Bastian’s Tellerian Universe – people who love wonderful tales or folklore. In this fictional world, stories are the source of power, especially for Folktellers. These individuals collect the stories and, along with Travelers, go through time, space and dimension alongside Guardians, who protect the Folkteller universe.
“The series goes around United States and the world – China, Saudi Arabia, Sweden,” Bastian said. “It goes across the globe. … Folktales are the stories of the people; it doesn’t matter what nationality you are. Stories are about us.”
Bastian, who worked in corporate training and education, also has held positions at General Motors Corp. as a technical writer and elsewhere, has watched his own world expand through storytelling. Now, he’s pitching Netflix and the like with the Unknown Guidebook series. It only goes to show how far stories can take you, he said.
“We’ll never run out of folktales and stories,” Bastian said.
Learning in the workplace can be as easy as popping your head over the cubicle, an impromptu chat with co-workers in the breakroom, or writing emails to peers while sitting at your laptop in your backyard.
Regardless of the road taken, the goal is to tap into tips and ideas among co-workers. This kind of casual social learning, where two or more people talk about their jobs and at least one of them leaves knowing a little more about the best workplace practices, is a valuable, inexpensive tool for many savvy business leaders. The jackpot is when multiple workers learn tips from each other.
How it works Dante Villarreal, vice president of business services at the Grand Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce, said the casual social learning style not only makes life easier for employees to do their jobs, but also boosts the bottom line. Many times, the practice comes naturally and other times it needs to be pushed a bit, he said.
“I think that it happens in every business,” Villarreal said. “However, the more intentional a business culture is to fostering social learning, the stronger the business will be.”
Leaders who are most successful in spreading this social learning process create an atmosphere for it to flourish.
“Businesses that are intentional make sure that team members have access to each other and have some opportunities to work alongside each other to discuss projects, issues and problem-solve together,” Villarreal said.
Businesses around the country are seeing the benefits of social learning. In fact, the technique was among Forbes’ top business trends in 2018.
Since a lot of employees are working remotely, physical access to peers, and the most direct way to learn, is dwindling. To help provide a bridge among employees, business leaders often set up mentoring programs, coaching meetings, problem-solving teams, social software, and talent directories listing who does what best in the business. The result boosts employee engagement and fosters self-direction.
Creating workforce Management Business Solutions (MBS) uses social learning to train employees on a regular basis, says CEO Floriza Genautis, whose company is based in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Social learning has been “around for a long time,” she said, adding that MBS not only uses the technique to improve workflow, but it’s also a key tool for grooming interns for future job openings at the 12-year-old staffing solutions and recruiting business.
“We have a pretty open setting,” Genautis said. “A lot of the things we do is to bring in interns and we do a lot of shadowing to be able to understand the open environment and to learn from each other.”
Interns are encouraged to ask questions and they’re given a chance to see how things are done. The process also gives employees, at all experience levels, a first-hand look at best practices.
“It really engages individuals to see how the corporate setting works, collaboration and understanding of how the workplace runs,” adds Genautis. “It helps a lot in bringing in the new workforce and the millennials and it’s a great pool for us to hire people.”
Teach me The concept of the informal learning process focuses on the idea that employees will learn what they want to learn and they learn best from their peers in daily experiences at work. It heralds back to Benjamin Franklin’s advice about wisdom: “Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.”
Marcia Conner, co-author of “The New Social Learning,” supports this kind of business culture.
“Organizations need to provide millennials with ways to contribute and connect non-stop,” Conner says. “The smart ones won’t settle for anything less — and those who will are unlikely to be the leaders of your future.”
Conner advises against writing baby boomers off as not willing to change their ways and embrace new ideas about learning in the workplace.
“Older workers may be willing to work in traditional ways, but many are excited about the opportunity to share their knowledge and continue to learn what new technology offers,” she said. “This is your best chance to unearth the range of their insights based on their years of experiences.”
Promoting social learning starts from the culture in the organization by providing opportunities for interaction, openness and a chance to learn, watch and listen to each other. There’s not enough awareness of the importance of social learning in the workplace, she added.
Latoya Person, a partner at Management Business Solutions (seated), shows two employees—Michael W. Davis Arnold (left) and Caitlin Zielinski—the procedure for posting jobs.
Fruits of labor Tammy Carnrike, who is chief operating officer at the Detroit Regional Chamber, said she recently saw how effective social learning can be when millennials and baby boomers at the Chamber worked together on a project, brainstorming an idea for NeighborHub, a new partnership program with General Motors that provides grants and in-kind business support to nonprofit organizations proposing the most innovative and collaborative solutions to issues in Detroit neighborhoods.
Carnrike created an open work atmosphere by telling employees what she was looking for on a general basis, giving them the autonomy to take the freedom and run. Carnrike says she was overwhelmed with how involved the employees became and how well the self-direction worked out. They were also able to share their learning experiences.
“We sometimes take for granted and don’t stop to think about social learning and how present it is in the workplace,” Carnrike said. “It’s very prevalent and might not be recognized. I think it’s intergenerational. There is learning that goes both ways, whether it’s millennials and even baby boomers. As a baby boomer, I’ve learned from watching them. Social learning goes both ways. I think there’s a positive impact.”
Letting go Carnrike said she was blown away by the ideas from the intergenerational team, where everyone brought unique skills, creativity, ingenuity and techniques to the NeighborHub project.
CEO Floriza Genautis uses social learning to train employees on a regular basis.
“They used their own talents and thoughts and found a way to align it with the mission and goals of our organization,” she said. “I provided them with the structure that this is what is needed and I gave them a timeline. It was about giving them autonomy. They just ran with it and did something so unbelievable. I learned so much from them.”
Employees can also learn the kinds of work habits they don’t want to emulate by watching behaviors from peers who struggle at their jobs.
Carnrike said social learning can give employees a chance to learn good tips and knowledge, and it can also show employees the kinds of work practices they want to avoid.
“They learn behaviors and skills that aren’t positive and they learn that’s not what they want to be,” Carnrike said.
While some studies show that nearly half of corporations use social learning in the workplace, Carnrike said, there’s usually room for more opportunities. She doesn’t believe there’s enough awareness about how important social learning is and the necessity for creating a culture that fosters the technique.
“I think there’s a need for more trust and awareness and how learning can come from different ways and not all learning is in a classroom,” she said. “Let’s pay attention to the impact of what we can learn from the people around us in different situations.”
Proven method More than a decade ago, the Education Development Center, Inc. conducted a two-year study of workplace cultures involving major corporations such as Boeing, Motorola, Siemens, and Ford Electronics. The review supported other studies that said 70 percent of what people know about their jobs, they learn from their peers.
Cherished characteristics employers look for are a drive to keep learning, an ability to share information and an inclination to understand that other employees will add to their knowledge bank. Considering these factors, employers want people who have a knack for learning quickly on the job.
A social learning study conducted by the Brandon Hall Group pointed to a need for organizations to address what social technologies mean for employee learning functions and gauging attitudes.
Tapping into social media is another facet of social learning and it can be as easy as reading an informational blog, attending work-related social events and communicating by video conferencing. Ironically, employees might feel they will get in trouble for having conversations with their peers, reading blogs or going on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter, Vine, and YouTube at work. Discouraging these behaviors can stifle the social learning process.
Many resources In fact, weaving social media into the teaching process adds one more dimension to workplace learning, explained Sarah Kimmel, vice president of research and advisory services at Human Capital Media, based in Chicago.
“About 70 percent of learning is happening online,” Kimmel said. “How do you make online learning social? One of the ways you do that is having cohorts doing the online learning together. The cohorts can pose questions and have a discussion. That’s where you really start to see the biggest difference—the inclusion of technologies with a social component the same way you get in a classroom situation.”
Some people would argue that all learning is social, she said.
“I think what’s different right now is that learning leaders are looking to design learning in a way to maximize the benefit,” Kimmel added.
Adding a degree of competition among employees and breaking them into teams are a couple of approaches she recommends.
“There’s an awful lot going on out there with social learning,” she said.
Kimmel pointed to HCM’s 2018 Learning State of the Industry study, based on questions posed to representatives of 500 companies, of which 57 percent had more than 1,000 employees.
Asked about what their greatest learning and development technology challenges were for the next year, 19 percent said social learning tools and platforms were a priority, a number surpassed only by the 22 percent who ranked authoring tools and systems for content development higher.
The respondents chose social learning tools and platforms ahead of using facilities and classroom tools.
Less expensive approach Jack Van Tiem, the Detroit territory vice president at Kelly Services, said having others watch an experienced professional practice their craft is an effective, efficient way to train employees and it’s cost-effective, especially compared to the sometimes expensive, instructor-led training approach.
The social learning approach puts employees in the driver’s seat by allowing them to take responsibility for their own personal learning. Formal, instructor-led approaches are often done during certain allotted training programs and many times workers must interrupt their work to attend training, which may sometimes occur outside of the office.
“Training by social learning can be a relatively inexpensive and easy practice to implement within an organization,” Van Tiem added. “At Kelly Services, we use social learning and coaching sessions to help train new team members for customer engagements and interactions. Providing feedback is critical in supporting their development in their role.”
Kelly Services uses social learning at every opportunity, he said. In fact, the 75 employees in his office are so familiar with social learning, they don’t use the term to describe what they do, because “it’s engrained in what we do.”
It’s important to identify professionals who are experts in their fields to ensure the highest quality of learning and to avoid having employees pick up bad habits from what they see, Van Tiem said. It’s also a good practice to periodically assess the student’s retention and ability to replicate what they learned.
Not for everyone He has noticed that social learning has several strengths, including giving employees the ability to learn by getting direct experience in doing what needs to be done and by observing how specific situations were handled.
“Workplace social learning involves the collaboration of many people and provides a forum for participants to share ideas to resolve an issue, transfer knowledge, and for group reinforcement,” Van Tiem said.
Some people learn best by doing and experiencing and others absorb more by listening and reading. With all its many benefits, Van Tiem noted that social learning techniques may not be the best approach for all employees, because it can be difficult for some workers, with “extreme modesty or fear of judgment,” to interact effectively with their peers.
“They don’t seem to fare well in social learning environments.”
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