Tue, May 7, 2024 • 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM EDT
Jody brings to the table three decades of technology expertise to help integrate Artificial Intelligence into small to mid-sized businesses, demystifying this cutting-edge technology to deliver engaging, insightful, and accessible presentations tailored for business owners across any sector.
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.
United Shore Fair – United Shore team members and their families enjoying a night out at the company’s annual United Shore Fair in Birmingham
United Shore team members participate in a 3 o’clock dance party, a weekly event that’s become a popular part of the company’s culture.
Imagine this: Half of your company’s employees are Millennials, that age or generation known for its ingenuity, strong opinions and social activism.
For some old-school businesses, that might be a challenge. But for Troy-based United Shore, having a large population of Millennials in its workforce is a dream. And it shows in its employee benefits, work events and more.
As a result, United Shore has been selected by Fortune magazine as one of the nation’s 100 Best Workplaces for Millennials in 2016, based on the list that was released this week.
Gabrialle and Bobby Christian enjoying a casual ride around United Shore’s campus on the company’s new “UBike” bicycle sharing program [note: they are married millennials both working at United Shore]Fortune’s 100 Best Workplaces for Millennials list is based on anonymous employee surveys and highlights the best organizations for millennials when it comes to levels of trust, pride and camaraderie in the workplace. With more than 1,600 current team members, 56 percent of United Shore’s team is made up of millennials.
“Our top priority at United Shore is our people,” said Mat Ishbia, president and CEO of United Shore. “It is a huge honor to be selected as one of Fortune’s 100 Best Workplaces for Millennials. We know our team members are what make us a great company. That’s why we place such an emphasis on promoting from within and creating an exciting and engaging culture.”
United Shore is lauded for its Firm 40-hour work week, company perks and programs that maximize a work/life balance, including:
Firm 40 – Maximizing work-life balance, team members are encouraged to work hard for eight hours each day and then go home to friends and family
3 O’Clock Dance Parties – Team members crowd to the dance floor on Thursday afternoons to shake it out…and re-energize and refocus for the last couple hours of the day.
“UBike” Rentals – Bicycles can be rented during breaks, whether it’s to grab off-campus lunch or to get the blood flowing with some extra cardio
United Shore Fair – United Shore team members and their families enjoying a night out at the company’s annual United Shore Fair in Birmingham
Onsite Gym – state-of-the art fitness center with equipment and free weights to work out at any time of the day
Onsite Starbucks – there’s no annoying wait in the drive-thru line when you have a Starbucks in the cafeteria
Extensive Training – 36,000 hours of training are committed to training each year, ensuring that team members receive the knowledge and resources they need to be successful, without necessarily having mortgage experience.
Mark Berry and Alen Serifovic go head-to-head in a game of Madden 2016 in United Shore’s cafeteria.
The designation as one of Fortune’s 100 Best Workplaces is a feather in the cap for the fast-growing United Shore, which prides itself on its unique, fun and family-oriented company culture. The company’s commitment to work-life balance has been highlighted locally in the Metro Detroit area, as well as nationally.
United Shore, the parent company of the nation’s No. 1 wholesale mortgage lender, United Wholesale Mortgage, has emerged as one of the premier workplaces in the Metro Detroit area. In addition to being named the “Best of the Best” Overall Company to Work For in Michigan, United Shore has also been named a Crain’s Coolest Place to Work, Detroit Free Press Top Workplace, Inc. 5,000 Fastest Growing Company, and a National Best and Brightest Company.
The word “culture” can be a turn-off for executives and leaders. It may conjure images of unattainable workspaces—pingpong tables, in-house boot camp classes, Google-esque warehouses filled with employees at makeshift desks. All of which may appear to symbolize a shift inward, away from the customer, and toward a business strategy that emphasizes employee happiness over productivity. However, rather than being anathema to productivity, a strong, supportive culture is the foundation for increased productivity, say experts.
Culture impacts a company’s financial gains, its customer engagement, and its capacity to recruit and retain high performing workers. “Intangibles explain about 50 percent of the market value of publicly traded firms,” wrote Wendy and Dave Ulrich in their book, “The Why of Work.” Those intangibles include “leadership, talent, innovation, skill, and vision,” as well as “employee competence, commitment, and passion or energy,” wrote the Ulriches. Wendy Ulrich is a psychologist and Dave Ulrich is the Rensis Likert Professor of Business Administration at the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business. “In general, a 10 percent increase in employee sentiment leads to a 5 percent increase in client sentiment which, in turn, leads to a 2.5 percent increase in profits,” said Ulrich. His research is supported by studies from Towers Watson, Gallup, and Deloitte University Press. All of which point to the same outcome: “Organizations that create a culture defined by meaningful work, deep employee engagement, job and organizational fit, and strong leadership are outperforming their peers,” reported the Deloitte University Press in its Global Human Capital Trends 2015 report.
Dave Ulrich is the Rensis Likert Professor of Business Administration at U-M’s Ross School of Business.
It is not only researchers and academics who understand the value of culture; leaders get it too, reported Deloitte. Yet attaining an effective company culture remains elusive for most companies. In 2015, “employee engagement and culture issues exploded onto the scene, rising to become the No. 1 challenge around the world,” according to Deloitte. Illustrating this point, 48 percent of companies said they struggled to attract top talent and 35 percent struggled to hang on to top talent, reported Towers Watson in its 2013-14 Talent Management and Rewards Study.
Contrary to the results of the studies mentioned above, the winners of the 2015 Best and Brightest Companies To Work For scored exceptionally well in three areas indicative of company culture: employee engagement, teamwork, and diversity and inclusion. The employees of these companies felt appreciated for their work, felt supported by their colleagues, and the companies reported positive impact through their inclusion initiatives, said Alicia Wilson, executive director of the Best and Brightest program.
These winners have operationalized their cultures, developing them with intention, so they serve in support of the companies’ overall business strategies. As a result, 83 percent of employees said if they were offered a similar position at a different company they would not take it. Eighty-seven percent of employees reported feeling appreciated for their work. This sense of appreciation is the number one reason employees feel engaged.
Engagement
At its heart, culture may be reflected in how engaged a company’s employees are. Work is a significant portion of a person’s life. It may be the activity an individual does more than anything else, so it makes sense that people will create meaning from their work. Generally, engagement is a measure of an employee’s discretionary efforts, those times when employees go above and beyond the call of duty. Such effort happens when an employee feels “an emotional investment in the company,” wrote author and entrepreneur Kevin Kruse in Forbes.com. This emotional investment is the result of “meaning-making,” a term used by the Ulriches. They argue that people are “meaning-making machines who find inherent value in making sense out of life.”
And that meaning can impact a company’s bottom line. Those companies with high employee engagement do better throughout all aspects of their business. Higher employee engagement means “higher productivity, profitability, and customer ratings, less turnover and absenteeism, and few safety incidents,” reported Gallup in its 2013 State of the American Workplace study. Yet, just as companies struggle to build strong cultures that retain top talent, they also struggle to engage the employees they have. Just 30 percent of employees were found to be engaged, reported Gallup. Fifty percent were simply not engaged, and a whopping 25 percent were actively disengaged. That 25 percent of the workforce could cost companies as much as $450 billion per year, reported Gallup.
All the more reason why meaning-making or employee engagement should not be left to chance. Meaning-making must be developed by the company’s leaders and grounded in “routines and patterns driven by our deepest values,” wrote the Ulriches. Looking at some of the Best and Brightest surveys, communication seems to be ground zero for developing those value-driven routines. These companies diligently communicate their vision, garner feedback from their employees, and create opportunities to share accomplishments.
On its Best and Brightest survey, ThoughtWorks, a software development company based in Chicago, stressed that a well-informed employee is a “bought-in” employee. To that end, the company focuses on communication with its staff. There are regular communications via email, blogs, conference calls, webinars, the intranet, and in-person meetings. But opportunities for communication do not end at the office doors or planned meetings. The company dedicates space and time to impromptu gatherings, including dinners and happy hours.
Much like ThoughtWorks, Blue Chip, a computer consulting firm based in Bloomfield Hills, Mich., focuses heavily on communication. On its Best and Brightest survey, it listed one of its primary goals as “constant contact with our employees internally and externally, so they have the best employment experience.” It hails its employees as “our greatest asset.” At Blue Chip, a white board wall is a vehicle for conveying the company’s vision and values to its employees. On the board, leaders and staff post goals, strategies, and motivational statements. Leaders have open-door policies to encourage feedback from anyone within the company. In addition, the CEO and director of Human Resources host one-one-one lunches with staff, and the sales team visits employees at client sites, as well as checks-in via phone throughout the year.
Neither ThoughtWorks nor Blue Chip mentions pingpong tables on their surveys. But happy hours, a white board, open doors, and habitual yet genuine communications can be just as effective at drawing employees into a company’s culture and inspiring them to expend discretionary effort.
Teamwork
Anyone who has ever worked with a bully or a slacker knows the value of cooperation and how the lack of it can suck the joy out of even the most rewarding job. When employees enjoy their colleagues, there is less turnover and greater retention, reported Melissa Herrett at Avatar, a survey research organization. In a world where, as reported by Towers Watson, 35 percent of companies have trouble retaining top talent, teamwork is not just a feel good vibe, it is a necessary business strategy.
Prosperity decreases over time with the rise of arrogance in leadership. Source: Dave Ulrich, co-author of “The Why of Work.”
As team leaders and shepherds of company values, managers play a pivotal role in employee engagement. According to Gallup, managers have the most influence on an employee’s engagement. Towers Watson echoes that finding, reporting that a manager’s relationship with her staff is “one of the top five drivers of sustainable engagement.” Managers set the pace for the habitual behaviors within a company. “Their person-to-person, day-to-day interactions influence how employees feel about their work environment, the value they create for the organization, and their pay and growth opportunities,” reported Towers Watson.
Ninety percent of the employees of the Best and Brightest winners reported positive, cooperative relationships with their colleagues, according to data collected from winners’ surveys. Communication norms like calling off-site staff to keep them in the loop and to ask what their working conditions are, writing a motivational note on a white board, all help employees feel supported and part of a larger whole.
Free flow of information is just one way to build a team environment. At Blue Chip, one of their stated goals was “to promote individual and team successes on a continuous basis.” They do this through on-the-spot and peer-to-peer recognition opportunities. In addition, monthly lunches are held, so employees can get to know each other not just professionally, but personally as well. Blue Chip’s leaders are “strategically positioned” at the center of the office to give all employees easy access to them.
Teamwork is made all the more challenging when companies have employees spread across the world. At ThoughtWorks, every employee utilizes a company “online management tool” through which they can chat with other employees anywhere, according to their Best and Brightest survey. In some ways, this virtual office can help break down barriers that might be felt if staff worked out of the same office but on different floors. Virtual connections can flatten the org chart, creating a sense of team between workers in different departments.
Diversity and Inclusion
Creating an inclusive work culture may be the core of meaning-making and employee engagement. Employees need to feel confident that their perspectives are valued, despite that they are different from those of their colleagues. Less intuitively, inclusion is critical because it provides a space in which to explore common ground and sameness between seemingly different groups of people. Where employees find the alignment of personal values with corporate values, they find meaning in work. “Citizenship efforts underscore values of stewardship and accountability that help employees see how their personal values align with corporate values to make a real difference in the real world,” wrote the Ulriches.
While these arguments for inclusion can appear solely altruistic, there is business strategy behind this meaning-making, as well. Inclusion delivers tangible results. “When coupled with an inclusive culture, diversity delivers higher performance, less absenteeism, more customer satisfaction and greater innovation,” wrote author Sebastian Bailey in Forbes.com.
In his study of talent practices and how they impact business outcomes, human resources analyst Josh Bersin found that diversity and inclusion are the leading indicators of business success. “Your ability to attract and engage people of all ages, cultures, backgrounds, and types is paramount to your business success,” wrote Bersin on Forbes.com.
Page Group, a recruitment company based in New York City, was a 2015 Best and Brightest winner. Its work in diversity and inclusion stands out as a model for other companies. On its Best and Brightest survey, Page Group reported launching three different programs to nurture the inclusion of women, the LGBT community, and individual workers generally.
Women@Page was launched when Page Group realized that female employees were leaving the company. The loss of these women was bad for business and our employees, wrote Page Group in its survey. Women@Page is designed to “improve gender balance” throughout the company and works to share best practices and grow gender diversity, wrote Page Group. At the time it submitted its 2015 survey, the company had already found that more new mothers were returning to work after giving birth “than ever before.”
Like Women@Page, Pride@Page was launched to give a voice to a specific segment of workers, those in the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community. OpenPage was designed to more broadly address and remove “barriers to success, real or perceived,” they stated in their survey.
While Page Group may value inclusivity for its own sake, it recognizes it as a critical business strategy. On their survey, they listed these goals for their inclusion programs: minimize turnover, improve employee engagement, expand the customer base, improve customer service, and showcase Page Group as a model employer.
Page Group, ThoughtWorks, Blue Chip, and the many other Best and Brightest winners understand the connection between culture and financial results, said Wilson. “HR is not about HR; it’s about helping the business win in the marketplace,” added Dave Ulrich.
The Best and Brightest are transforming human resources executives from payroll and benefits processors to employee engagement strategists, or, as Ulrich suggested, to “architects.” This view of human resources is at the heart the Best and Brightest program’s goal of bringing its winners’ practices to the larger business community. The broader view is to bridge the gap between old school human resources and strategic company performance – two business functions that go hand in hand.
Every business owner or manager has a story to tell.
For the winners of Corp! magazine’s Economic Bright Spots awards, the tales typically involve successfully overcoming challenges or seizing opportunities.
Take Birmingham-based Goldfish Swim Schools, for example. Seeking the best path for expansion, its owners hit upon the idea of creating a franchise network, rather than building a chain of corporate-owned locations.
It’s that type of adaptability that has allowed Goldfish and other Economic Bright Spots award winners to continue to achieve economic growth and expansion. In fact, some of this year’s 60 honorees are repeat winners, eligible because they have demonstrated consistent growth.
This year’s winning companies were honored during a June 23 breakfast at the VisTaTech Center in Livonia.
On Duty Gear LLC was the overall winner in the “small business” category (49 or fewer employees).
The “large business” winner was Great Expressions Dental Centers.
Companies honored represent a wide array of industries from throughout the state, including food service.
Consider, for example, Aubree’s Pizzeria & Grill, an Ypsilanti-based operation that was founded in 1972 and now has 11 locations employing 650 workers.
“As the industry has evolved over the years, we’ve had to find ways to make our brand unique to guests and become staples in the communities we serve,” said Andrew French, president & CEO. “We’ve developed seamless processes and systems that make our brand more consistent, more profitable and relevant in the markets we serve.”
Aubree’s has achieved this by creating proprietary key ingredients such as its dough, cheese and pizza sauce. “These innovations have made our product exclusive, as well as streamlining our purchasing with our purveyors,” French said. “In addition, we’ve created a financial model that creates the most opportunity for our corporate and franchisee locations.”
Looking outward, French said he would like to see more Michigan politicians oppose federal mandates that impact his industry. “Most restaurateurs’ margins are less than 5 percent, which means increases to labor costs will result in restaurants like ours incorporating more technology to help reduce expenses,” he said. “We will continue to voice our concerns with our representatives to help shed additional light to the impacts that some of this legislation can cause in our industry.”
Evolving technology is also central to the operations of Code Blue, a Holland-based maker of emergency communication systems.
“While we began as a hardware company, which is epitomized with our iconic cylindrical blue light phone pedestals, Code Blue is becoming more and more recognized for our approach to layered security, which encompasses physical products as well as software and third-party applications,” said CEO David Cook. “Our continued investment in and development of software and IP technology has allowed us to grow into new markets and work with new partners.”
On Duty Gear LLC was the overall winner in the “small business” category
By expanding its reach into technological advancements for both hardware and software, the company is positioned to capitalize on the growing and changing security landscape, which is seeing a move to open systems and the integration of multiple disparate platforms, Cook said.
Goldfish Swim School, founded in 2006 with a single location in Birmingham, also believes it is essential to continuously evolve its processes in order to grow and move forward, CEO Chris McCuiston said.
After McCuiston and his wife, Jenny, opened the Birmingham school, they decided to expand by selling franchises. Birmingham remains the only corporate-owned location, but there are more than 55 schools open or in development in 17 states, including nine in Michigan.
“While getting into franchising was not our original intention, as we have continued to perfect our franchise model, it has definitely been our biggest opportunity for growth,” Chris McCuiston says.
Collage.com, which specializes in custom photo products, is also spreading its operations throughout Michigan and the country.
“We’re excited to develop new partnerships with businesses and nonprofits across Michigan and the United States,” said Joe Golden, who along with Kevin Borders, co-founded the Brighton-based company. “For example, we can work with nonprofits to make custom photo books as thank you gifts for donors, or can work with businesses to create personal, thoughtful employee recognition gifts like our best-selling photo blankets.”
Here are snapshots of each 2016 Economic Bright Spots winner.
365 Retail Markets Troy 365retailmarkets.com Founded in 2009, 365 Retail Markets proudly proclaims that it’s a Pure Michigan company that has translated its Michigan roots into global success. The company offers a platform for vending, food service and hospitality that uses self-checkout vending technology to improve the vending and food-service space. The company offers three distinct kiosk models, each created to meet a specific need, according to its website.
A.Z. Shmina Brighton azshmina.com A.Z. Shmina, a nonresidential construction and renovation company, focuses most of its efforts on taking care of customers, with a passion for working as a team, solving problems and ensuring safety, says President Andrew Shmina. “We are in it for the long haul, as evidenced by our 100-year anniversary,” he says. “We embrace continuous improvement through both better business processes and new technologies such as bid/estimating software, project management and business operating systems, all of which have been upgraded recently.” Investing internally improves the company’s ability to perform for project owners, he says. “We perform work in many sectors — health care, industrial, commercial, wastewater,” Shmina says. “Our team is experienced in each, and growth opportunities exist across the board.” The company also takes pride in community involvement, he says. “Our families and friends are here and our legacy of great building canvasses in Southeast Michigan,” Shmina says. “We are proud of that. The business climate is steady.” The commercial construction business is also highly competitive, he says. “We enjoy solving problems and teaming with our partners — owners, architects, engineers and subcontractors,” Shmina says. “But we also have a high degree of respect for our competitors and enjoy the fight!”
Angott Search Group Rochester www.asgteam.com Angott Search Group, an executive search firm founded in 1981, aims to provide its 20 employees all the tools to be successful, says President Mark Angott. “That means giving them excellent administrative support, up-to-date technology, innovative marketing ideas and support if they want to attend industry functions,” he says. Most areas of the business have grown in the past few years, including the financial services area, which supports banks, credit unions and mortgage companies in a wide geographic area, and the automotive team, which works for many big and small suppliers in the region. “All areas of our business are going strong since the general economy in Michigan and the Midwest is solid,” Angott says. The company this year added a full-time, dedicated Research Analyst to support its business developers and recruiters. It also launched an internship program where students can learn the ins and outs of the business and source candidates for the automotive and energy divisions. Michigan has a good business climate right now, with companies hiring and most doing well, Angott says. “Our national reputation has improved greatly in the last few years, and that makes it easier to attract people from out of state,” he says. “Our state also needs to continue to diversify so that we aren’t totally dependent on the auto industry.” Still, Angott sees a lot of opportunity moving forward. “The demand for top talent is still there,” he says. “Great companies know that the secret to their ongoing success is finding the right talent, and that’s what we do.”
Aubree’s Pizzeria & Grill Ypsilanti www.aubrees.com As the industry has evolved over the years, Aubree’s Pizzeria & Grill has found ways to make its brand unique and become a staple in the communities it serves. “We’ve developed seamless processes and systems that make our brand more consistent, more profitable and relevant,” says Andrew French, president and CEO of the 11-location operation. “We’ve done this by creating proprietary key ingredients such as our dough, cheese and pizza sauce. In addition, we’ve created a financial model that creates the most opportunity for our corporate and franchisee locations.” Aubree’s best growth opportunity this year has been the sale of craft beer. “Working closely with distributors and the breweries themselves, we’ve been able to create a solid foundation for growth that includes education, point of sale materials, exclusive beer offerings and additional marketing tools to help promote the options we have available to our guests,” French said. So far, Aubree’s has seen same-store increases north of 7 percent, he says. Aubree’s also works closely with the Michigan Restaurant Association to be proactive on legislation that can impact its business. “We believe that Michigan has some unique advantages, including our current legislation on minimum wage and joint-employer liability,” French says. “We would like to see more of our Michigan politicians opposing some of the federal mandates that have caused our industry to be severely impacted. Most restaurateurs’ margins are less than 5 percent, which means increases to labor costs will result in restaurants like ours incorporating more technology to help reduce expenses.” Indeed, moving forward, the biggest opportunity is to continue to find ways to innovate within restaurants by utilizing technology, French says. “This could include table side ordering, autonomous devices and more,” he says.
Bay View Cash n Carry Flooring Traverse City www.cashncarryflooring.com Tim Hyland has been in the flooring business for over 30 years and has never seen higher customer confidence. “It is an honor to be a part of a thriving economy in Michigan,” says the owner of Bay View Cash n Carry Flooring, a flooring design center that offers carpet as well as a wide assortment of tile, laminate, vinyl, rugs and hardwood floors. The company has opened a builders division called Bay View Flooring that now accounts for over 60 percent of total revenue. The business also is benefiting from the strong construction market and through adding experienced salespeople to its staff and hard surface to its product line, Hyland says.
Bricker-Tunis Furs West Bloomfield Township brickertunisfur.com Bricker-Tunis Furs, which will soon celebrate a century of doing business in metro Detroit, has positioned itself as one of the nation’s premier furriers, according to its website. Since 1916, Bricker-Tunis Furs has maintained one of the Detroit area’s largest selections of high-quality and custom furs, with sizes ranging from petite to plus. The store’s selections include mink, sheared mink, sable, chinchilla, fox, beaver, sheared beaver and leathers and shearlings from Europe. It also stocks a selection of fur accessories, including gloves, fur hats for men and women, scarves, purses, belts and key chains.
Broglin Distribution LLC Allen Park broglin.com Broglin Distribution prides itself in providing full-service gourmet and specialty food distribution. Its website states that Broglin Distribution adds value to the product lines it represents and to the retailer consumers trust by providing unique services such as brand management, in-store sales force, point-of-purchase marketing, in-store marketing, inventory systems, market analysis, inventory management and product demonstrations.
Capital Mortgage Funding Southfield www.lowrateonline.com Since its founding in 1992, Capital Mortgage Funding has grown into one of the largest independently owned mortgage banking firms in Southeast Michigan. In October 2014, it became a part of Fairway Independent Mortgage Corp. Because Capital Mortgage Funding is a mortgage bank, not a broker, it lends its own money, giving it flexibility that brokers lack, the company’s website states. It is also able to save customers money on fees associated with a mortgage by processing, underwriting, closing, funding and servicing its own accounts.
Clarity Voice Southfield www.clarityvoice.com In the past three years, Clarity Voice has moved its offices, boosted the size of its new location, increased the number of employees from 20 to 34 and raised its revenues and footprint in the VoIP cloud communications field. “Our concentration on our values-based culture and organization has proven we are on the right track to reaching our future goals and objectives,” says Dr. Mary Welsh, whose title is Chief People Person. She says that Gary Goerke, president and CEO, recognizes that his company is based on the commitment of his team, and he has created a culture that attracts and retains talent and services the needs of the customers. “The turnover rate is minimal as employees embrace the Clarity Way of respecting each other, their customers and the betterment of the community,” Welsh says. Clarity has expanded its sales team and added marketing functions to further enhance its contributions to Michigan and globally by providing a VoIP cloud communication service dedicated to the betterment of small and medium-sized businesses, she says. “As a Michigan-based business, we value the contribution the state has made to furthering the needs of small and medium-sized business startups, franchises and established businesses,” Welsh says. “This commitment has allowed us and other business entities to thrive and flourish.”
Coastal Automotive Rochester Hills www.coastal-automotive.com Automotive manufacturer Coastal Automotive announced in June that it is expanding production into the West Michigan community of Holland, the first step in a strategic, four-year global expansion initiative. Coastal secured 300,000 square feet of production space at in Holland and expected to begin operations in July with plans of creating 150 new jobs over the next three years, according to a press release. The company manufactures several products, including an energy management solution, IMPAX. The technology is used globally in passenger and commercial vehicles, as well as by NASCAR and the aerospace industry. “Expanding production into Holland was a natural fit for us,” said Clarence Martin, president. “The Holland area has significant expertise in manufacturing and the auto industry, and the area has a very talented workforce.” Coastal Container, a sister company to Coastal Automotive, is also based in Holland. Coastal Automotive also plans production growth into Mexico, China and Europe, allowing it to provide lightweight, passive safety devices to more drivers and passengers around the world.
Code Blue Corp. Holland codeblue.com A new period of growth began in 2012, when CEO David Cook was placed in charge of Code Blue, which makes emergency communication systems. “In the past few years, we have created an atmosphere that blends diverse and talented backgrounds, featuring a solid mix of recent hires and long-term employees,” Cook says of the 32-worker operation. “Employees are empowered through process and project management ownership that extends to each individual regardless of their position. The result is a highly motivated organization that is dedicated to the brand and where changes, whether to product or processes, can come from anyone in the company.” Code Blue has also redesigned the product development process to place greater emphasis on design thinking and focus on IP technology. “While we began as a hardware company, which is epitomized with our iconic cylindrical blue light phone pedestals, Code Blue is becoming more and more recognized for our approach to layered security, which encompasses physical products as well as software and third-party applications,” Cook says. “Our continued investment in and development of software and IP technology has allowed us to grow into new markets and work with new partners.” He calls Code Blue “a Michigan company through and through.” More than half of Code Blue’s components are sourced from Michigan-based suppliers and vendors. “We believe in the reputation Michigan has earned across the United States and around with the world for the high level of quality products, hard work and innovation,” Cook says.
Collage.com Brighton www.collage.com Collage.com uses a scientific, data-driven approach to running its business and making custom photo products easy for anyone to create. “We learn causal relationships from analysis, not by speculation or hasty assumptions,” says Joe Golden, co-founder and co-CEO with Kevin Borders of the 9-year-old company, which employs 30. “We constantly run A-B testing on different parts of our website to determine what works and what doesn’t. Our in-house data analysis team also constantly surveys our customers to isolate potential problems and ensure satisfaction.” In 2014 and 2015, the company’s growth took off. “We grew from a startup to a successful, established company, bootstrapping our way to $15 million in 2014 revenue and more than $22 million in 2015,” Borders says. “We were able to improve our margins while expanding our customer base, too.” Collage.com has also focused on making the mobile experience better for customers. In 2013, only 8 percent of revenue came from mobile (tablets and smartphones). Through constantly refining its website experience and releasing new mobile apps for iOS and Android, 39 percent of revenue came from mobile in 2015. As for doing business in Michigan, Golden and Borders would like to see a greater state commitment to education. “Businesses like ours depend more than anything on talent,” Golden says. “Michigan has some of the best universities in the world, but state higher ed and K-12 funding cuts have made it harder for everyone to attend them.”
Credibly Troy www.credibly.com Credibly helps small and medium-sized businesses get access to loans and working capital. According to its website, Credibly provides a faster, simpler lending experience for loans that range from $5,000 to $250,000 and that are customized to borrowers’ exact needs. “Unlike other lending services, we cater exclusively to small and medium-sized businesses, which often find it difficult to get a traditional loan,” the website states.
CrossFire Group Auburn Hills xfiregroup.com Prior to creating staffing, consulting and managed services firm CrossFire in 2002, co-founders Deborah Schneider and Martin Rosenau had worked in business and seen issues with companies being too rigid. They decided that CrossFire needed to be flexible, allowing the co-founders and employees the ability to work anywhere in the world (through cloud-based systems). “In addition, we wanted to make the company a good place to work and attractive to new ideas,” says Schneider, the CEO. “There has never been a vacation policy, and we ask only that our employees tell us when they are not able to make it in and do not abuse the non-vacation/PTO time. We expect our employees to take care of their work and their clients, and so far have not been disappointed.” Rosenau, who serves as CrossFire’s COO, said Michigan is becoming more of a destination to work because of innovation and automation. “For the first time in a while, we’ve been able to not only retain talent locally, but also attract talent from other locations,” Rosenau says. “As a staffing and recruiting company, this has been a huge benefit.” For the future, the company is looking at expanding into new market areas through acquisitions in such fields as medical staffing or moving into different geographical regions.
Doberman Technologies LLC Mason www.dobermantechnologies.com Doberman Technologies LLC was founded in November 2005 by Ian Richardson in Lansing. It specializes in acting as a third-party IT management firm, meaning that Doberman functions as a fully outsourced IT department for organizations. Purchasing, help desk support, vendor management, long-term IT planning, business consulting, equipment disposal, physical infrastructure, cloud services and compliance management are services listed on the Doberman website.
Dry My Gloves Inc. Portage www.thegreenglovedryer.com After developing a green energy solution to drying gloves, mittens and other items, Karen Smoots is constantly striving to improve and position her product line as a household necessity for Snow Belt states. “Therefore, we have designed and are currently fabricating our second product, Thegreenglovedryer Wall Unit for heat/vent registers that are located in the wall,” she says. “This addition to our product line not only allows our product to be used in many more homes and apartments across our country, but also positions our company as a more valuable product line for placement in larger retailers.” Her largest growth opportunity in the past year has been product placement in Bed Bath & Beyond stores across the country, Amazon, and Michigan sporting goods retailers Dunham’s Sports and MC Sports. “The business climate in Michigan has played a positive role in the learning process of small business startups,” Smoots says. For example, the Michigan Economic Development Corp.’s variety of resources has helped her uncover funds, international trade contacts and, “most importantly, synergies with programs designed to increase production and revenue,” she says. She is working swiftly to start exporting goods into neighboring countries and those that have climates that fit the need for Thegreenglovedryer.
Experi-Metal Inc. Sterling Heights www.experi-metal.com
Experi-Metal Inc. — which operates in the prototype, aerospace, military/defense, aftermarket, full-body build and alternative energy arenas — conducts business from a main campus in Sterling Heights consisting of approximately 233,000 square feet of manufacturing, warehouse and administrative space. All buildings operate as manufacturing facilities with a variety of specialty equipment in each, according to the company’s website.
Firebolt Group Inc. Wixom www.firebolt-group.com Over the last three years, Firebolt Group has put a management team in place that has led to the successful launch of new digital technology by the designer and fabricator of electronic signage and custom marketing media. “Our best opportunity has been a multimillion-dollar order that was placed for our new digital technology that allowed us to create new jobs and hire the additional staff to prototype, test and manufacture this order and to continue to develop the technology further,” says CEO Philip Ochtman. The company, which employs 42 people, works hard to keep business in the state by purchasing as many supplies as possible from Michigan-based companies and also selling products to Michigan companies. “We would like to see more funds spent in schooling to give opportunities for higher education in electrical engineering and digital technologies,” Ochtman says. Firebolt’s biggest opportunity moving forward will be in digital signage technology, which will offer instant sales results, face recognition and the capabilities to monitor and change content instantly.
foodjunky Detroit www.foodjunky.com Foodjunky.com is a concierge service that aims to make ordering food from local restaurants easy for individuals, groups and catering. “Our mission is to alleviate the headache of ordering lunch in the office so that businesses and employees can focus on what is truly important – their jobs,” the company states on its website. “Our business is to deliver happiness to our customers and vendors.” Foodjunky, which charges a service fee that varies depending on type of order, currently services seven states across the country and is continuously adding restaurants in new cities, including Detroit.
Genisys Credit Union Auburn Hills www.genisyscu.org Genisys Credit Union was formed 80 years ago, and it continues to make providing greater convenience to its members a top priority. Recent additions to Genisys mobile banking services include mobile bill pay and enhancements to mobile deposit. Genisys has also introduced debit and credit EMV chip cards to protect members’ security. Debit and credit card access has also become more convenient with the implementation of Apple Pay and Samsung Pay. “Genisys also strives to provide the highest-quality in-person service through our 28 branches,” says Jackie Buchanan, president and CEO. “We recently remodeled our busy Waterford Highland Road branch, adding new self-service technology for members of other credit unions to perform transactions at our branch.” Genisys recently expanded its branch network through a merger with the former Tri-Pointe Community Credit Union and now serves Genesee and Tuscola counties. Genisys also set credit union high marks for mortgage and consumer loans in 2015. “Genisys continues to see high demand for financial services throughout the state,” Buchanan says. “Genisys is glad to be here to meet the needs of Michigan families and small businesses. Michigan is also a great place to operate because of the high-quality employment base.” In the future, the credit union plans to expand services further into new communities and to provide greater technology-based convenience through mobile and online innovations.
Goldfish Swim School Birmingham goldfishswimschool.com Goldfish Swim School, founded in 2006 with a single location in Birmingham, believes it is always essential to continuously evolve its processes in order to grow and move forward, says CEO Chris McCuiston. “Our franchise team is always investigating better solutions, staying on top of trends in the franchise industry and, most importantly, working with our system to collect and share best practices,” he says. After McCuiston and his wife, Jenny, opened the Birmingham school, they decided to expand by selling franchises. Birmingham remains the only corporate-owned location, but there are more than 55 schools open or in development in 17 states, including nine in Michigan. “While getting into franchising was not our original intention, as we have continued to perfect our franchise model, it has definitely been our biggest opportunity for growth,” Chris McCuiston says. “We really liked the idea that it would allow us to grow Goldfish faster than we could on our own. We built a scalable system that allows us to provide training and support to individual franchisees in other areas, which increases our ability to educate families about water safety. When the local owner has a vested interest, it’s comforting to know that they have the same level of commitment that we do.”
Great Expression Dental Centers Southfield www.greatexpressions.com Founded in 1982, Great Expressions Dental Centers is one of the largest networks of dental care providers in the United States with more than 250 practices in 10 states, including Michigan, according to its website. Great Expressions Dental Centers-branded practices are independently owned and operated by licensed dentists and their professional entities who employ the licensed professionals providing dental treatment and services, which depending on the practice might include preventative dental care, orthodontics, surgery, and cosmetic dentistry.
Great Lakes Burger Bar Detroit www.greatlakesburgerbar.com Great Lakes Burger Bar opened in February with the promise of providing great food with impeccable service. The restaurant on McNichols Road, a block from the Southfield Freeway, serves craft burgers, fries and shakes. Already, President Omar A. Mitchell has set his sights on opening another locale and catering company — with the goal of doing so with no debt. He’s basing those plans on the “phenomenal” business climate, “with major companies and new developments” in the Detroit area. Advantages of doing business in the region are that customers are reachable and genuinely support local businesses, Mitchell says.
Great Lakes Caring Jackson www.GreatLakesCaring.com At the end of the 2015, Great Lakes Caring CEO William Deary asked the home health and hospice services provider’s executive management team to send him a list of their top three accomplishments for 2015. “The list of the requested 30 accomplishments included their 93 successes for 2015,” he says. Deary traces the company’s success to a focus on five key components: embracing compliance (“Health care professionals need and want to know that they are in a safe environment and that the work they are asked do is provided in a manner that will not jeopardize their professional license.”); focusing on the patient, every visit, every day; employees are the most valuable asset; identifying growth as the key to future success (“Our ongoing strategic investments in innovation, technology, education and equipment position us for continued growth and success.”); and controlling costs to provide the efficiency to manage the reduction in reimbursement (27 percent between 2010 and 2017) and simultaneously increase Great Lakes’ presence in the patients’ home, providing more care at the bedside. A constant focus on superior quality is also important, Deary says. “Hospitals across Michigan are no longer being paid to care for a patient who is readmitted for the same diagnosis within 30 days of discharge,” he explains. “Our ability to ensure that care is provided in a manner to reduce unnecessary readmissions, and proving that our systems, programs and processes effect a lower readmission rate to the hospital has resulted in hospitals that own their own home health and hospice companies to align with us as their preferred provider.”
Grout Doctor Rochester Hills www.groutdoctor.com Founded in 1992, The Grout Doctor lays claim to being the largest and most experienced national grout franchise in the industry. The Grout Doctor franchises, which are locally owned and operated, specialize in grout, tile and stone care. While tile is a nonporous material, the grout between the tiles absorbs everyday spills and dirt, almost like a sponge, according to the company’s website. If not cared for, over time grout will wear away, discolor or become damaged. The Grout Doctor provides an alternative to replacing existing tile and grout with its restoration procedures. “Restoration is less expensive, can often be completed in one day, and we believe it is just good ‘green’ karma,” the company says on its website.
Hayhoe Asphalt Paving Holt www.hayhoeasphalt.com Rebounding property values in Michigan mean that property owners are ready to start investing again in their property — “and that means increasing demand for construction companies,” says Amanda Hayhoe-Kruger, president of Hayhoe Asphalt Paving. “We have been investing significantly in new equipment purchases over the last two years to help us meet this increasing demand,” she said. The company has seen a significant uptick in the amount of construction work being completed on both residential and commercial properties over the past two years, and all indications are that this growth will continue, Hayhoe-Kruger says. “The biggest roadblock to this continued growth in the construction industry, though, is a lack of skilled trades workers. During the recession in 2008, many of the skilled tradespeople in Michigan left the state and went to work in other states where the construction demand was higher. Now that Michigan’s economy has rebounded, our company, along with all the other construction companies in the area, are struggling to find qualified workers to help us keep up with the demand.”
HMSA Detroit www.hmsanet.com HMSA, or Health Management Systems of America, began as a small counseling clinic in 1970, a place for returning war veterans and local citizens to find comfort and obtain the guidance they needed to get past life’s challenges and become a viable part of the community once again. Today, according to its website, HMSA provides employee assistance programs and work/life and wellness services to managers, employees and the families of over 2,000 companies nationwide. The company has grown from a regional provider of behavioral health services to a nationally recognized leader providing best-in-class behavioral health management, training and organizational development services. HMSA works with Fortune 500 corporations, government agencies, top universities and hospital systems.
HRPro/BenePro Royal Oak www.hrbenepro.com Founded in 1990, BenePro is one of Southeast Michigan’s premier employee benefit advisory firms. BenePro focuses first on process and integration with all other human resource functions. By streamlining the more mundane processes, it is able to work with clients on the important areas in their benefit plans – cost, communication and compliance. This can make a real difference in helping you achieve your best possible outcomes from your plan, says CEO Kristopher F. Powell. In the past year, the 26-employee company expanded into HR consulting and more HR services, he says.
i.M. Branded Rochester Hills imbranded.com i.M. Branded, founded in 1996, is one of the nation’s leaders in brand image components. The company specializes in designing and installing architectural millwork, fixtures, furniture and graphic components for automotive image programs and a wide variety of grand-scale, large-format digital printing elements across all 50 states, its website states. For example, in January it completed the installation of a building wrap promoting the new 2016 Chevrolet Malibu on Detroit’s Renaissance Center that was displayed through February 7, 2016. The company employs 75 people at its 70,000-square-foot headquarters and manufacturing facility.
Inmatech Inc. Ann Arbor www.inmatech-inc.com Inmatech is an emerging company dedicated to next-generation supercapacitors that incorporate low-cost, high-performing materials to optimize energy storage for a number of key industries. “The combination of performance, cost and safety offered by our supercapacitors will enable significant expansion of important electrical energy storage markets including automotive, smart grid and defense,” the company’s website states. The Inmatech team — led by co-founders Professor Levi Thompson, Dr. Saemin Choi, Dr. Paul Rasmussen and Dr. Stefan Heinemann — formed through the University of Michigan, where they work, teach, invent and collaborate. The U-M Office of Technology Transfer helps them leverage the commercial potential of their innovation, by licensing the product, attracting investment and actively moving it from lab to commercial marketplace.
Inteva Products Troy www.intevaproducts.com Inteva is a customer-driven global supplier of engineered components and systems. “We provide top-tier competitive products and services, with quality measured at single-digit rejected parts per million, delivered on time with competitive pricing,” the company’s website states. It serves customers in nonautomotive markets (such as commercial vehicle, defense and consumer) and provides closure systems, interior systems, motors and electronics and roof systems to global and regional automakers.
James Group International Detroit jamesgroupintl.com James Group International (JGI) is a privately held, minority-certified provider of global supply chain management services. The company was founded in 1971 by John A. James and Calvin Outlaw. James overcame numerous legislative obstacles at both the federal and state levels to obtain its 48-state operating authority. The legislation at the federal level represented the first major change in trucking regulation and eased the burden of minorities entering the trucking industry. Today the company provides service initiatives that support a variety of vertical market industries.
Kuzzo’s Chicken & Waffles Detroit www.kuzzoschickenandwaffles.com Kuzzo, pronounced “cuz-oh,” is a term of endearment for one who is a friend or family member, for someone who has a cousin-like relationship with another person, regardless of blood relation. Whatever the pronunciation or meaning, the Kuzzo’s restaurant, opened in 2013 by former Detroit Lion Ron Bartell, is gaining kudos for its food, based on reviews posted on the eatery’s website. As the name suggests, Kuzzo’s menu is chock full of waffle- and chicken-based dishes, along with other Southern comfort foods.
L.S. Brinker Co. Detroit brinkergroup.com Founded in 1993, L.S. Brinker specializes in providing construction and management-related services. It is one of five independently owned and operated firms under the Brinker Group umbrella, according to the company’s website. L.S. Brinker is a national builder with such specialties as health care construction, education, science and technology, and high-performance green building.
McCardel Restoration East Lansing www.mccardelrestoration.com McCardel Restoration is a full-service restoration company with emergency services available to customers 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It states on its website that it provides damage restoration services for any size project. “Our success is measured by how quickly we can re-establish your daily routine,” the website states.
Mexican Food Specialties Livonia www.mfspecialties.com Mexican Food Specialties Inc. is a family-owned and -operated company offering a full line of Mexican food products for both retailers and restaurants across Michigan and the Midwest. It has been a family-owned and -operated business for more than 30 years. Its founder, Mark Gutierrez, who started the company in 1981, played a key role in developing Don Marcos Tortillas, according to the company’s website.
Midwest Linen and Uniform Service Pontiac midwestlinen.com Midwest Linen and Uniform Service is in its fourth generation of family ownership. Its name has changed several times during the past century, according to its website, but it continues to focus on leasing and laundering linens, uniforms, floor mats and a wide range of other facility services. It serves hospitality, medical and industrial clients in four states.
Midwest Mobility Solutions Chesterfield www.mmsmobile.com Midwest Mobility Solutions is an AT&T authorized retailer that employs 205 people in 35 locations in Michigan and northern Ohio. It fulfills needs ranging from simple cellular devices to complete networks, offering technology including smartphones, tablets, high-speed Internet, smart security, home automation and television, according to the company’s website.
Mike Morse Law Firm Southfield www.855mikewins.com The Mike Morse Law Firm bills itself as Michigan’s largest personal injury law firm with more than 20 years of experience and $250 million in settlements in the past three years alone. It provides legal representation for those involved in Michigan car accidents, truck accidents, motorcycle accidents, insurance disputes and tort matters. The firm’s attorneys handle cases statewide, with the main office in Southfield.
MJS Packaging Livonia www.mjspackaging.com Jacob & Sons, or MJS Packaging, is the longest-running packaging distributor in North America, according to a company history on its website. M. Jacob & Sons was first known as the M. Jacob Company, named after Max Jacob, a Lithuanian who immigrated to the United States in 1880 and started a one-man bottle exchange business in 1885. Over the years, the company reached new markets and provided new and diverse packaging products, including the establishment of Sprayco for consumer products, its acquisition of Packaging Consultants Group for pharmaceutical and medical products, and its acquisition of Dye Packaging for rigid packaging distribution. In 2014, M. Jacob & Sons changed its name to MJS Packaging to better reflect its core product line. With this change, Packaging Consultants Group and Dye Packaging Services LLC also began doing business as MJS Packaging.
MMI Engineered Solutions Saline www.mmi-es.com MMI ES is a global leader in designing and manufacturing solutions that improve performance, reduce weight and lower costs in OEM components and material handling applications. The company describes itself on its website as a project-oriented materials and engineering resource that focuses on the design, tooling and molding of solutions using advanced composites and engineered resins. Its engineering lab and manufacturing facility in Saline supports OEM product design and manufacturing engineers in diverse industries that include transportation, defense, food processing, alternative energy and medical devices.
Mobile Defenders Kentwood www.mobiledefenders.com Mobile Defenders, a provider of cell phone parts, has been on the move. “We created a state-of-the-art e-commerce website and fulfillment system to process and manage orders from customers across multiple continents,” says Steven Barnes, partner and COO. “In addition, we opened a second distribution center in Fresno, Calif., that houses over 10 employees.” The center helps service the West Coast and Mountain time zones. At the same, Mobile Defenders — which was founded in 2013 and employs 30 people — has remained committed to fostering an empowered and dedicated working atmosphere, Barnes says. “Our ownership group is born and raised in Grand Rapids,” he says. “Our network of strong followers and devoted fans has made it possible to expand Mobile Defenders into what it is today. We believe in the community and are blessed to be a part of a city and state that is growing exponentially.” The company has also begun selling product internationally and believes that its service can be duplicated across many different continents. “We plan on having distribution points in Western Europe, Mexico and Canada in the coming months/years,” Barnes says.
Mopec Oak Park www.mopec.com “Our staff has extensive product and industry knowledge and understands how capital equipment and consumable products enhance the safety, flexibility and productivity of our clients’ facilities,” says Jane VanDusen, CEO of Mopec, which provides equipment to the pathology, anatomy, autopsy, mortuary and necropsy industries. “We continuously create and use innovative technology and stay current with the newest industry updates.” Mopec introduced the industry’s first touch-screen grossing station in 2015, which VanDusen expects will become the industry standard. Mopec, which was founded in 1992 and has 71 employees, is committed to growing and creating jobs in Michigan, she says. Blackford Capital acquired Mopec in 2013, implemented a board of directors and employed operating partners to support the management team and growth of the business.
NITS Solutions Novi www.nitssolutions.com Tech company NITS Solutions is experiencing a tremendous growth period, says founder Neetu Seth. “Our revenue is on pace to double this year over 2015, we’re hiring for more than a dozen positions, and we’re expanding our Novi headquarters in a project that will more than double our space,” Seth says. “We expect to continue that growth trajectory in the coming years as we explore new service offerings, like predictive analytics, and diversify our client base by moving into new industries like education, retail and health care.” Seth describes NITS as, above all, a data firm at heart that has a diverse team of experienced specialists who are true data engineers and possess a high level of analytical expertise, technical ingenuity and hands-on experience. “We don’t rely on plug-and-play solutions,” Seth says. “We build solutions directly based on the client’s needs.” The company’s growth has largely been organic through word-of-mouth and referrals — “a testament to our ability to exceed client expectations and help them improve their business operations and decision-making capabilities,” Seth says. “We were one of the first to leverage cloud-based solutions in order to better serve our clients, and we regularly keep a pulse on exciting new tech innovations that can improve our level of service.”
“We transform information into intelligence, potential into profits,” NITS Solutions proclaims on its website. “Whether you’re an automotive OEM, world-class health care provider or other information-dependent industry, NITS Solutions can unleash the power inside your data.” The firm uses advanced machine learning concepts, algorithms and next-gen big data technologies to help clients open new paths to profitability. For example, its expert analysis uncovers patterns and identifies correlations, and its data visualization offerings transform raw data into meaningful information.
On Duty Gear LLC Port Huron www.ondutygear.com On Duty Gear LLC President Paul S. Riddell retired from the Port Huron Police Department in 2006 after a duty-related auto accident. On Duty Gear had already existed as a website for seven years, so Riddell and his wife, Cissy (the owner of On Duty Gear), decided to open a retail store in downtown Port Huron that sells police duty, tactical and fire/EMS gear. “My life is now dedicated to product testing and evaluations, research and more research, so I can give factual opinions about the equipment we sell,” Riddell states on the business’s website. “We are excited to say that we have experienced both unexpected and unprecedented growth. We have salespersons spread throughout the state of Michigan, all of them law enforcement retired or active duty, and have plans to add more nationally as we grow.”
Oxford Companies Ann Arbor www.oxfordcompanies.com The real estate industry is crowded with small firms that focus on signing the next lease and little else, says Jeff Hauptman, CEO of Oxford Companies, a full-service real estate company. To position itself for success, Oxford has worked hard to develop a culture of service and create a community-oriented identity, he says. “We view ourselves as not just ‘landlords,’ but rather stewards of the public realm, and we know the built environment influences the social environment and the economic environment,” he says. Last June, Oxford closed on a $100 million acquisition of its largest competitor, one of the largest private real estate transactions in Ann Arbor history. Oxford has made four more acquisitions in Ann Arbor since then. “All of these acquisitions have been the result of a remarkable growth opportunity in Ann Arbor since the Great Recession,” Hauptman says. “As local economists predicted employment growth in the region, Oxford was able to raise investment funds to buy properties and renovate them.” With the economic tailwinds of the past few years, Oxford has more than doubled its office portfolio, becoming the largest commercial property manager in the region. Oxford continues to view Ann Arbor, anchored by the University of Michigan, as an place to succeed. “Economies are constantly in motion, but one of the most reliable constants is the ability of a university to attract talent, drive innovation and build businesses,” Hauptman says.
Paulina Braiz-Harb Birmingham www.paulinabh.com Paulina Braiz-Harb’s aim in opening her boutique in downtown Birmingham is to make every woman’s dream come true, her website states. Originally from Venezuela, she started designing dresses at the age of 11 and finally opened her first retail store in the summer of 2008 in Birmingham. The minimalist concept behind the store’s clean white walls with accents of turquoise throw pillows and rugs is meant to allow each piece of merchandise to speak for itself. Every design is unique. All of her dresses are handmade and each piece of jewelry is hand glued. The use of sheer fabrics that create movement in a dress is one of the favorite elements of her designs. In addition to her own designs, she carries one other line of dresses made by Angel Sanchez, a designer to several celebrities and the creator of Eva Longoria’s and Sandra Bullock’s wedding gowns.
Peak Performance Physical Therapy Lansing www.peakperformanceompt.com The goal at Peak Performance Physical Therapy is to provide an advanced integrated approach to minimize or eliminate patients’ pain, to restore mobility, strength, flexibility and balance as well as to maximize function for activities of daily living, work and recreation. All of the physical therapists providing treatment at the clinic are Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapy (OMPT) trained, said to be the only certified therapy recognized by the American Medical Association. The training received is similar in nature with didactic and residency training for a medical doctor, Peak Performance’s website states.
Red Level Networks Novi www.redlevelnetworks.com Red Level Networks is a comprehensive technology services company that provides customized, scalable solutions keyed to businesses’ needs. It’s a preferred partner to technology leaders such as Microsoft, Dell and VMWare that provides technology consulting, cloud solutions and comprehensive IT management 24/7, 365 days per year, according to its website. “As we continue to meet and exceed our clients’ demands, we took note of the latest demand to have proactive and preventative maintenance in place, ultimately eliminating unnecessary and costly downtime,” the website states.
Rocket Fiber LLC Detroit rocketfiber.com Rocket Fiber touts its fiber optic internet service as the fastest in the world. “We are bringing 1,000 times faster Internet to the Motor City,” it states on website. Founded in 2014, the company’s initial focus is the downtown and Midtown areas of Detroit, and it moved into new downtown headquarters in November.
Sachse Construction Detroit www.sachseconstruction.com Sachse Construction provides commercial construction services throughout North America, from construction management, general contracting and design-build, to tenant coordination, program management and several LEED initiatives. “Sachse Construction was formed in 1991 on the foundation of a systematic approach to project management, and the principles of doing the right thing and striving for excellence by constantly raising the bar,” said Todd Sachse, CEO and founder. “The result is 25 years of successfully completing millions of square feet of customer projects in the commercial, institutional, multifamily and industrial sectors.” Sachse Construction believes in the constant use of technology to streamline processes, he says. For example, working closely with its IT department, the office monitors in the Sachse office in Detroit show a “countdown clock” to the scheduled completion date of all current projects. “This communicates to our entire team how important finishing projects on time is to Sachse Construction’s reputation and philosophy,” Sachse says. This past year, Sachse enjoyed a steady stream of high-profile projects that stand out as major opportunities for client growth and exposure to prospective clients in various markets. “Locally, there has been rapid growth and expansion in Detroit,” Sachse says. “This is especially true in the multifamily sector, because as more business and retailers move to the city, the demand for housing increases.” This year, Sachse Construction is working on three of Detroit’s largest multifamily projects: The Scott at Brush Park, the Lofts of Merchants Row expansion and DuCharme Place. Detroit has a significantly higher level of skilled trade compared with other cities in the country, Sachse says. “Because of the growth in development and construction, there is an increased need for skilled trades, but there is a challenge to find enough laborers to satiate the demand,” he says. “Sachse Construction would like more of our youth to feel empowered to pursue trade school, with the hopes that this will create an influx of skilled workers in the future.”
Service Express Inc. Grand Rapids www.seiservice.com Service Express specializes in flexible on-site hardware data center maintenance for mainframe, midrange and Intel-based servers for IBM, Cisco, DEC, HP, Sun and Dell, as well as EMC, STK, Hitachi and NetApp storage. Additional services include data center relocation services, OS support, virtualization and hardware sales and upgrade solutions. Based in Grand Rapids, SEI has three Michigan locations along with multiple offices in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and Wisconsin, according to its website.
Smart Bottoms Ada smartbottoms.com Smart Bottoms manufactures affordable, organic cloth diapers and accessories. “Smart Bottoms is more than just a business, it is a passion,” founder Christy Malone says on the company’s website. “I started Smart Bottoms because I am passionate about cloth diapering. It is a choice that my husband and I made with our second child, and have not regretted for a single day (even the messy ones)!” Smart Bottoms offers an organic cloth diapering system that is 100 percent made in the United States. Its products are offered at retailers throughout the United States, as well as Canada, Mexico and Puerto Rico.
Stormcloud Brewing Company Frankfort www.stormcloudbrewing.com Stormcloud Brewing Company joined the Michigan craft beer craze when it opened its doors in June 2013. From its pub two blocks from Lake Michigan in downtown Frankfort, it serves Belgian-inspired Michigan-made beer and locally inspired food. It has more than a dozen beers on tap and a menu that features various sandwiches and flatbread pizzas.
Sun Title Agency Grand Rapids www.suntitle.com Simply put, Sun Title provides real estate title insurance, escrow, closing and settlement services. More descriptively, the company is “a team of over 60 passionate, high performing individuals on a mission to create something bigger than ourselves,” according to its website. The firm was founded by best friends and young attorneys in prominent firms, Lawrence Duthler and Tom Cronkright II, who identified an opportunity to create a title insurance company whose focus was entirely on the needs of its clients, while creating a great internal culture. “Over the past 10 years, Sun Title has created the most culture-centric title agency in Michigan while continuing to improve the closing experience,” the Sun Title website states.
The Recovery Project Livonia www.therecoveryproject.net The Recovery Project is an industry-leading, nationally recognized provider of innovative and high-intensity physical and occupational therapy for people with spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain injuries and other severe neuromuscular conditions. “Our success has come as a result of several factors: our commitment to offering the most scientifically advanced therapy possible, our expansion of our therapeutic offerings, our partnerships with the community and our commitment to staff development,” says Charlie Parkhill, co-founder and co-CEO. More specifically, Parkhill says, President and Co-CEO Polly Swingle is constantly researching new equipment, programs and techniques, and regularly investing in bringing them to The Recovery Project so that everything a client needs is in one place. The Recovery Project has also strategically developed and expanded programs, including those for aging seniors and people with neuromuscular conditions such as Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, ALS and more. It has also focused on building partnerships and relationships with Southeast Michigan doctors and hospitals. “Our biggest growth opportunity in the last year and a half has been the opportunity to expand our Macomb County presence,” Parkhill says. In March 2015, it moved from a small location in Macomb Township to a newer facility in Clinton Township that is more than twice the size of the previous location. Another key growth opportunity has been Swingle’s efforts to expand the adaptive yoga offering to a wider population. The Recovery Project also recently invested in a specialized, highly advanced piece of equipment, the RTI 600 functional electrical stimulation stepper, which is designed for neurological rehabilitation. Only one other therapy clinic in the state and a handful across the country have this piece of equipment, Parkhill says. “Overall, Michigan has a very positive and supportive business climate,” he adds. “Having owned and operated The Recovery Project here for nearly 14 years, we have experienced steady growth and anticipate more in the future.”
Trivalent Group Inc. Grandville www.trivalentgroup.com In late 2015, Trivalent Group Inc. was approached by the owners of East Lansing’s KI Technology Group, a similar but smaller cloud computing operation that Trivalent had identified as an acquisition target in 2010, to purchase their business. “On May 1, 2016, we officially acquired KI, which has further expanded Trivalent’s footprint in mid-Michigan and brought an unprecedented breadth of IT services to the Greater Lansing area,” says Trivalent CEO Larry R. Andrus, adding that the acquisition will also assist in Trivalent’s expansion into Southeast Michigan. In addition, largely as a result of the efforts of its compliance and efficiency director, Trivalent automated 10 key processes, which has resulted in crucial time savings, thereby freeing up resources to provide greater customer service and be more productive. “Departing from the traditional marketing model, we have wholly embraced inbound marketing via partnering with two different companies that will aid in enhancing our online presence and drive new business by providing informative, relevant content to prospects and existing clients throughout the state,” Andrus says. In Michigan, trust plays a key role in organizations’ choosing which vendors to partner with, especially in regard to IT with the ever-changing technology landscape and the ubiquity of solution providers on the market today, he adds. “Trivalent’s clients (of which more than 100 that have been with us for 10 years or longer) trust us to do the job right the first time and for their IT infrastructure to work without them having to think about it so they can focus on their mission, not their technology that powers it,” he says. “Our biggest opportunity going forward is expanding our services portfolio both with regard to cyber security consulting and recurring services, especially managed and cloud services, as businesses of all sizes gradually embrace the cloud and all of its benefits, including lower, predictable monthly fees, increased scalability, guaranteed uptime, and enhanced security while guarding against the cyber security risks inherent therein.”
Wilshire Benefits Troy www.wilshirebenefits.com “We have assembled a highly talented group of seasoned industry professionals who are excited to build a benefit consulting organization that is growing beyond the typical benefit brokering model,” says David Sokol, president and CEO of Wilshire Benefits. “To thrive in the employee benefit business, we position ourselves as a human capital partner for our clients.” In January, Wilshire completed its first acquisition of a highly successful competitor. “While our primary growth strategy will remain based in organic sales and growth, we learned that there are many great competitors in our industry who can leverage our platforms and sales engine to grow and improve faster than they could ever do on their own,” Sokol says. “Therefore, we will also pursue further select acquisitions as our industry continues to consolidate. We expect to continue to experience significant double-digit growth for several years into the future.” Michigan companies are still struggling to find affordable ways to attract and retain key people, especially in a marketplace that has traditionally demanded generous benefits, he says. “As a benefit consulting organization, we see this as an advantage in that we broadly look at total compensation and breadth of choices for employees and we don’t simply focus on health care,” Sokol says.
Young Basile Hanlon & MacFarlane P.C. Troy www.youngbasile.com Young Basile Hanlon & MacFarlane P.C. is continually improving its technological capabilities to improve its efficiency and interface with clients. “We are always working on our best practices in areas such as patent and trademark prosecution to ensure that all of our associates are familiar with new case law and any changes put forth by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office,” says Andrew Basile Jr., president. He commends Michigan businesses for the efforts made toward achieving economic recovery that embraces post-auto and post-heavy industry employment sectors. “It still has a long way to go to achieve the type of size, diversity and robustness that people see on the East or West Coast or in metropolitan regions like Chicago or Atlanta,” he says. “We are still transitioning from a state whose citizen-workers aspired to rise up the ranks of large manufacturing concerns with the perceived security associated with corporate America to a state of business-savvy entrepreneurs.” In the meantime, the cost of doing business in Michigan allows for Young Basile to be extremely competitive in expensive markets, such as the Silicon Valley, the East Coast and Chicago, he says. “Our biggest opportunity lies in our expertise in up-and-coming technological areas and our continuously growing staff of excellent attorneys,” Basile says. “We are continuously expanding our growth on the coasts and in countries such as China, while keeping our main office in Michigan due to the cost of living and our belief that the Detroit metropolitan area will grow to be one in which talented attorneys are drawn.”
Zara Creative Troy zaracreative.com Zara Creative is a video production agency that since its creation in 2012 has become a rapidly growing, award-winning and nationally recognized video production agency, according to its website. Among its services are web/brand films, TV commercials and event coverage. Founder and CEO Heather Zara was a television reporter and anchor for nearly a decade.
My son is eight years old. Like a lot of kids his age, he’s into baseball and plays in the kids’ Little League every spring. Watching a bunch of little kids playing baseball can be very entertaining. When someone on the other team scores a hit, most of the kids go chasing after the ball. When one of the kids finally catches up to it, they’ll usually throw it in the general direction of first base.
Unfortunately, this is of limited use since the first baseman is usually part of the crowd that’s chasing the ball. That’s actually not a problem, however, since the two teams tend to be pretty well matched in skills. In other words, having hit the ball, the runner might go the wrong direction, lap another runner, or forget to bear left at the base: he, and it is usually he, just keeps running in a straight line, sometimes into the game taking place on the next field over.
There are lessons to be learned from this. No, it’s not that the typical employee acts like an eight year old. Why would you think that?
What we can learn are some important lessons about workplace behavior. What we’re seeing with the kids is that they don’t really understand how baseball works. Sure, the rules were explained to them. As simple as they may seem to us today, to an eight year old, they are confusing. Perhaps more to the point, without context they are relatively meaningless. What does it mean to “round a base?” How about “steal a base and run home?” In one of my daughter’s favorite stories, Amelia Bedelia took that advice extremely literally: she gathered up each base and ran off the field and back home.
So how does this tie in to office behavior?
Structured goal setting is one of the most effective means of creating a productive workforce. Despite this fact, it quite frequently fails to work. Goals are set, but they are not successfully accomplished. The problem is one of context: just as the rules of baseball don’t initially make much sense to eight year olds because they lack sufficient context, so too do goals often lack context for newer employees, or on new projects, or when someone is on a new team, or when the team has a new manager.
The more “new” in the mix, the greater the probability that the goals will be confusing. Moreover, most people won’t want to admit that they don’t really understand their goals. Indeed, the more the organization views asking for help as a sign of weakness, the less likely people will ask questions when their goals don’t make sense. Even when the organization doesn’t have that little problem, it can still be difficult to get people to ask questions. Therefore, as a manager, you might have to have some questions prepared so that you can prime the metaphorical pump.
Another issue is recognizing something those kids do not: baseball is about playing your position. The second baseman doesn’t go running off randomly. He stays at second and waits for the ball to come to him, rather than running after the ball and slamming into the outfielder who is also trying to catch that ball. When that happens, rather than hitting a glove, the ball hits the ground. A big part of what makes a team member dependable is that they are where they should be when they should be there. When they are not, the system breaks down.
Similarly, in an office, people need to know what they are supposed to be doing and, to a lesser extent, not doing. For example, in software development, it’s not uncommon for a problem in one part of the code to trigger an “all hands on deck” callout. Everyone is expected to help solve the problem, whether they have anything to do with that piece of the code or not. Sure, it can be tempting to call everyone out to solve the problem, but in reality the people who know that part of the system best are the ones you want to have working on it. Adding unnecessary people to the mix only risks a metaphorical collision and a dropped ball.
Unfortunately, if you reward people for chasing the ball instead of playing their position, pretty soon you’ll have an entire team that goes chasing after every ball. The net result is that no one will be in the right spot at the right time, and your team will waste a lot of time and energy. It will also generate a lot of headaches. It can be difficult to not respond to every ball that goes by, but sometimes that’s what it takes.
In the end, baseball is about learning the context in which the rules and goals make sense and playing your position. The office is really not all that different.
Standing in front of a classroom of students — watching the note scribbling, yawns, and occasional spark of passion — can feel a million miles away from the business world.
My five years of teaching, however, shaped my business career.Here are some of the lessons I’ve found to be most helpful in sales, business and life.
1. Talk Less, Sell More As a teacher, I learned to be patient with my words, deliver messages concisely, and give students a chance to think. In sales, a good rule is that if you’re not listening, you’re not selling. Monitor the percentage of time you spend speaking on your next call. It varies across industries, but if you’re speaking more than 50 percent of the time, step back and ask why. If it’smore than 80 percent, there’s a problem.
2. Teach a Kid The world is full of jargon-filled “experts” who don’t know what they’re talking about. A good exercise is to ask someone to say what he means simply, in one sentence, as if he were talking to a child. (Kids don’t know jargon.) This is a great tool in the classroom to reinforce real learning. In sales, this technique helps get to the core value of the product. As Mark Twain says, “If I only had more time, I would have written a shorter letter.”
3. Become One With the Clicker A popular media executive, known to have a low tolerance for b.s., handles people presenting to him in a unique way. With your slides on the projector screen, you click from one to the next, giving your pitch. A few minutes in, you get the surprise: He also gets a clicker! Go too slow, he clicks ahead; go too fast, he moves backward.
This is fantastic training for helping teachers, and anyone in sales, get comfortable going off-script. Adjust to whatever your client prefers. With more upfront work, it’s easier to expect the unexpected.
4. Distinguish Between Coaching and Teaching There’s a saying that you don’t build muscle in the gym; you build it while you’re sleeping. I think of the classroom the same way. Often the real learning happens at home while independently working through difficult concepts. In some subjects, perhaps only30 percentof the learning occurs in formal settings. Given this, there’s tremendous value in being a coach. Teachers convey information, but coaches motivate. Inspiring students (and salespeople) towork independentlyis essentialfor success.
5. Use Your Funny Bone When most people think of school, they think of seriousness. It’s easy to fall into this trap. But humor at the right points can have wonderful impacts, relieving anxiety, building rapport, and reinforcing moments — people remember times they laugh.
This is also powerful in sales. Most clients expect the typical humorless pitch, so surprise them. We buy frompeople we like. That said, getting it righttakes work— a comic once told me it takes 100 hours of practice for every usable five minutes in a show.
6. Sell Like Socrates History repeats itself. One theory on this that I find appealing is people often need to learn lessons for themselves. Didactic teaching is simply to lecture, the way most teachers teach. Socratic teaching, on the other hand, is to ask a series of questions to help people come to conclusions on their own.
When meeting with a potential client, most salespeople go into didactic style, talking about the features and benefits of the product and hoping the client understands or cares. It’s much harder to ask smart, well-timed questions to help potential clients come to the answers themselves. Peopleretain information betterwhen they arrive at an answer on their own. If you’re not convinced, Socratic teaching is the main method used at Harvard Business School.
7. Realize Nobody Likes a Know-It-All We’ve all been in a class when a question stumps the teacher. The situation can go one of two ways: The teacher rambles through a meaningless answer, or he or she can say, “Good question; I haven’t heard that before. Let me find out and get back to you.”
The same goes for sales. Nobody knows all the answers, but clients will know if you’re full of it. Be honest and admit you don’t know it all — you’ll automatically become morelikable and credible.
Effective teachers and effective salespeople aren’t born; they’re made. We become skilled only by being students ourselves, by admitting our imperfections, and by practicing and acquiring a portfolio of tested techniques. Get in touch with your inner teacher today to put these skills to work beyond the classroom.
It is one of Michigan’s most iconic buildings: The Grand Hotel, the stunning century-old hotel that symbolizes summer, cool porches, hospitality and family fun.
Its third-generation caretaker, R.D. (Dan) Musser III, serves as both president of the state’s “summer hotel” but also as its spokesperson in many ways. He takes on this role with grace, elegance and heart, representing both his family and the Island as an ambassador of grand travel – a time when people dressed up for dinner, strolled the grounds and spent time together.
As a businessman, Musser was recently recognized as the EY Entrepreneur Of The Year 2016 Award in the Family Business Category for Michigan and Northwest Ohio. Musser was selected by an independent panel of judges. The award was presented at a special gala event at the Detroit Institute of Arts in June.
The award recognizes outstanding entrepreneurs who demonstrate excellence and extraordinary success in such areas as innovation, financial performance, and personal commitment to their businesses and communities.
“This award is recognition of the intense effort that our entire staff puts in every day to deliver the high standard of service that Grand Hotel is known for,” said Musser. “We are grateful for this recognition of the year-round effort that goes into maintaining the best of Grand Hotel’s traditions, while growing the legacy of this ever-evolving 129-year-old family business.”
A key factor in Grand Hotel’s continued presence as an iconic destination known throughout the world is the continuity that comes from having members of the same family at the helm for the past 83 years.
Musser is the third generation of his family to run the hotel, having started full time in 1986. He worked his way up through every department to gain a thorough understanding of all aspects of running the hotel, serving as kitchen assistant, bellman, bartender, bar manager, front desk clerk, front desk manager, reservations manager and vice president. He has been president since 1989.
Grand Hotel, America’s Original Grand Hotel, has been one of America’s premier summer vacation spots since it opened on Mackinac Island July 10, 1887, to receive vacationers who arrived by lake-steamer or by rail. Today the island is accessible only by ferry or airplane. No motorized vehicles are allowed, and the preferred modes of transportation are by bicycle and horse-drawn carriage. The 390-room hotel is a National Historic Landmark and a proud member of Historic Hotels of America.
As a Michigan and Northwest Ohio award winner, Musser is now eligible for consideration for the Entrepreneur Of The Year 2016 national program. Award winners in several national categories, as well as the Entrepreneur Of The Year National Overall Award winner, will be announced at the Entrepreneur Of The Year National Awards gala in Palm Springs, California, on November 19, 2016. The awards are the culminating event of the Strategic Growth ForumTM, the nation’s most prestigious gathering of high-growth, market-leading companies. The US Entrepreneur Of The Year Overall Award winner then moves on to compete for the World Entrepreneur Of The Year Award in Monaco, June 2017.
Since 1986, EY has honored entrepreneurs whose ingenuity, spirit of innovation and discipline have propelled their companies’ success, invigorated their industries, and benefited their communities. Now in its 30th year, the program has honored the inspirational leadership of such entrepreneurs as Howard Schultz of Starbucks Coffee Company, Robert Unanue of Goya Foods, and Mindy Grossman of HSN. Recent US national winners include Reid Hoffman and Jeff Weiner of LinkedIn; Hamdi Ulukaya, founder of Chobani; and 2015 winners Andreas Bechtolsheim and Jayshree Ullal of Arista Networks.
Corp! Magazine’s feature story on the Grand Hotel and its history is available here.
A name is a key part of any business – what you call your company defines who you are, what you stand for and what your customers will think of you from that moment forward.
That is why Oliver Nasralah took his decision to create a new name and brand identify for his enterprise so seriously. His decision – and the steps he took to get there – is a great lesson to any business owner about what it means to define your marketing, your niche and your potential client base.
Recently, Nasralah restructured his firm from HUI Design Group, a business he founded in 2012, to become Hallarsan Group. The name change came about as a result of the many changes his company has gone under over the past four years, Nasralah said, and he is excited about how the name change will affect the business in the future.
“The company has undergone tremendous growth and change over the past year—our portfolio increased in size, we added team members, our services diversified—we really became a new company,” said Nasralah. “The new name and brand are an effective way to communicate to potential clients who we really are.”
It was a process Nasralah took very seriously – he wanted to make sure it was the right decision. After all, a name change can be jarring for some who were previously familiar with the business as an on-going concern.
But with all of the additional services the company was offering, especially adding structural and architectural work, Nasralah said he felt compelling to go ahead with the project.
That said, it took time. Nasralah laughs a bit about that now, noting how rebranding his own company was challenging. “It was kind of like the shoemaker’s children having no shoes,” he joked. But going through the process has made him more emphatic to the way it affects his clients, new and old. Sitting down and talking to clients has always been an important part of discovering who they are, he said. But that is even more important to him now.
The Hallarsan Group is an independent design agency located in Dearborn. The studio is known for creating brands that people can connect with through a diverse array of media. Services include traditional advertising, shopper marketing, trade show strategy, illustration, identity, editorial, graphic, product design, web design, and architectural and interior design.
The Dearborn design group behind brands like Yogurtopia, Brome Burgers and Shakes and Brera Pizza and Salad Co. is unique from traditional branding agencies in that they offer architectural and interior design services, in addition to brand development and marketing, Nasralah said. This allows the firm to deliver an all-encompassing brand experience that is consistent across all platforms.
These clients have turned to Hallarsan to custom create everything from the brand’s logo and website to the restaurant’s interior design and elements like takeout bags and disposables. Everything—from the door customers walk through, to the chairs they sit in, and even the spoons they eat off of—is hand-picked by the Hallarsan Group to create an unparalleled brand experience for the consumer.
So while change is difficult, it means more business going forward, Nasralah hopes. To keep up with demand, Nasralah expects to hire three more employees over the next six months. The team is currently four members strong.
What happens when you partner motivated people, a great cause and community spirit? You get a huge result, like the more than 2,000 pounds of food a group of West Michigan companies recently donated to Kids’ Food Basket, a nonprofit organization.
Employment Professionals along with its franchise location in Grand Rapids also donated $5,000 to Kids’ Food Basket, which focuses on fighting childhood hunger in West Michigan. Express Employment Professionals of Grand Rapids also partnered with Kids’ Food Basket for Brand it Blue Day, a national day of volunteerism across all Express Franchises.
The donation is part of The Impact Project, an initiative of Express Employment Professionals philanthropic committee, designed to give back to nonprofits nominated by franchisees among their more than 760 franchise locations.
“We pride ourselves on having a culture built on giving and service at Express,” Bob Funk, CEO and chairman of the board of Express Employment Professionals, said in a statement. “With that in mind, we know how important it is to support the communities where we work, serve and live. The dedication and support that owner Janis Petrini and her office have shown for Kids’ Food Basket is a great example of that service.
Kids’ Food Basket provides meals for more than 7,000 children each week in Western Michigan through their Sack Supper program. The nonprofit also empowers children to help each other through volunteer and educational programs. One-third of the hours volunteered at Kids’ Food Basket are provided by youths under 18 years old.
“I’m honored to be a part of a company that believes so strongly in giving back to the communities where we live,” Petrini said. “Kids’ Food Basket holds a special place in the heart of our team at Express and we’re excited they were selected as one of the charities to receive this donation and that we can partner with them for Brand it Blue Day this year.”
The month-long food drive brought 18 companies together under the “Brand It Blue” slogan. Participating companies included Custom Profile Inc., Labeltape Inc., Gordon Manufacturing Co., Vi-Chem Corporation, Davis Dental Lab, Richwood Industries, Johnstone Supply, Advantage Label & Packaging, Turnkey Network Solutions Inc., Medbio Inc. and Feyen Zylstra.
The Grand Rapids Express Employment Professionals franchise began operation in 1996 and serves the Greater Grand Rapids Area. On behalf of both job candidates and client employers, Express Employment Professionals provides a unique blend of personalized service with proven knowledge and capabilities for supporting individual employment and company success.
A company’s choice of artwork for its offices should reflect not only the business but also its values and its commitment to the community. The new artwork at Mercedes-Benz Financial Services (MBFS) in Farmington Hills does all that and more.
MBFS and Cranbrook Academy of Art Master of Fine Arts student Brandon Bullard recently revealed an original fiber art piece he constructed on site at the company’s regional headquarters.
The custom work of art is part of the MBFS 16th annual Experiencing Perspectives art exhibition, which features the work of Cranbrook students and graduates.
He was joined by Cranbrook leaders including Christopher Scoates, Director of Cranbrook Academy of Art, as well as Leila Matta, MBFS Art Program Manager and curator of the full exhibition, for a conversation with employees about the inspiration and process behind creating the piece.
“Our long-standing partnership with the renowned Cranbrook Academy of Art enriches our employees and informs our culture, while giving exposure to talented emerging artists studying in our community,” said Peter Zieringer, President and CEO of MBFS USA LLC. “Each year, we see new opportunities to enhance the connection between business and the arts. For the first time, we have had an artist create custom artwork on site as part of our annual exhibition. We were honored to have Brandon Bullard with us for a week, enabling team members to share in his artistic process.”
Originally from Colorado, Bullard is a second-year graduate student at Cranbrook where he is an MFA candidate in Fiber. Before coming to Cranbrook, Bullard spent a post-baccalaureate year in Fiber & Material Studies at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. After completing a year at the Kansas City Art Institute, he completed his undergraduate degree in painting at Colorado State University. He hopes one day to divide his time between the United States and Germany, using Denver, Col., and Berlin, Germany as his home bases while doing on-site work and installations for organizations and communities around the world.
The newly installed exhibition will be on display for one year at the company’s Farmington Hills regional headquarters. A community open house will be held on Nov. 2, during which MBFS, Cranbrook faculty and students and other members of the community will come together to celebrate the artists whose works are being exhibited this year. The event takes place in the fall since many students are gone over the summer when the work is installed.
“Art is integral to our corporate culture at Mercedes-Benz Financial Services, as it helps us view our work and work life from different vantage points,” said Matta. “It is interesting each year when we take down the previous Cranbrook exhibition, how immediately our employees miss it—they want to know when the next exhibition is coming because it creates a stimulating environment and is the catalyst for some very dynamic and valuable conversations. I feel very privileged to be a part of this collaboration and am constantly amazed at the creativity and talent the artists share with us.”
She noted that the interest in this year’s exhibition is even stronger because of Bullard’s openness to creating his original piece in the building and engaging with employees and visitors while he was working. She added that many of the materials he used were provided by MBFS, enabling him to weave elements of the company’s identity into the piece.
“While my work space at Cranbrook is great, my real studio is the one in my head and what I love about making installations is the opportunity to engage with communities while I am creating,” said Bullard. “It is very much a dialogue with the people, as well as the environment and my own vision that informs what I ultimately create.”
Ninety percent of startups fail and with entrepreneurship at an all-time high, the competition has never been fiercer. While this is grim, entrepreneurs can find a little bit of comfort in knowing that their chances of success get incrementally higher with each business undertaken. But it’s more than just closing your eyes, wishing for the best and jumping off the cliff and starting a new company – it’s about knowing when and why.
As an entrepreneur who has made the “jump” multiple times and found the most success on the latest one, I wanted to share some insight and tips I picked up along the way on when and why to jump off the cliff.
When The market is changing. That’s a blanket statement since markets are always changing. We are talking about specific changes that change your customers’ behaviors, as it relates to your product.
When we scrapped our product two years ago, it was a combination of both technical and economical market changes. We had worked tirelessly to build great relationships with our clients, and did not want to jeopardize them. However, we knew that to not only survive, but to thrive in the future, we had to change course. Even with our paying clients, the market was just not there for the long haul.
Technical Changes—New technology is adapted that changes people’s habits. YouTube revolutionized how people consumed video. And it opened a vast new market for digital TV. This not only affected the major broadcast and cable networks, but even smaller boutique shops that made a living providing premium video services. They all scrambled, and some even went out of business, when YouTube democratized video.
Economical Changes—There’s nothing like falling revenues and slashed budgets to force both companies and individuals alike to act differently—to produce more with less. Businesses that change course during hard times and survive, typically go on to thrive.
You are losing business and may be forced to shut down. The signs are obvious. Current clients are not renewing. New business opportunities are fewer, and the fight to win them is much more difficult than it once was. This is a good time to take stock, carry on post mortems, and define weaknesses, strengths and evolving market conditions, which you should do to ensure a softer landing when you make your big jump.
Maybe you were forced to shut down your last venture. While it may be painful, having nothing to fall back on will force you to move forward. And it makes risk more palatable. Out of the ashes the phoenix arises.
Why The best way to know why to jump is to perform an analysis of your situation, of the circumstances affecting your past. This requires deep reflection. Some might find it uncomfortable. But genuinely understanding a problem is 75 percent of the solution. To help you take stock of the situation, you must ask yourself the following questions
Why did your last business fail? Was it the product or the people, or a combination of both?
Why did you lose your last sale?
Why did your customer choose that competitor?
Why did you lose your job?
What are you building?
What resources are you going to tap to do it?
What is so different this time, as you are preparing for this new venture that will make it successful?
What is the market opportunity?
How are you going to succeed this time around?
How are you going to build it?
How are you going to sell it through?
The odds are most definitely against you. But the reward, the sense of accomplishment and payout if and when you do succeed is well worth it. It’s the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. You want it. Period.
For business owners, investing outside of their business can be challenging. Let’s face it, a successful business owner has much more understanding and control of their business than a diversified investment and insurance portfolio. However, while it is true we know what we know, it is also true that we don’t know what we don’t know. And, it is not knowing that can bring risk, lack of choices and lack of control.
Einstein and I agree on many things. One thing we agree on is that, “Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler.” So, let me try to simplify: When it comes to selling your business, you as a business owner can’t predict the future as well as you think when it comes to when you are going to sell your business, who you are going to sell your business to and for how much. Moreover, without a mathematically and scientifically based financial model you won’t have any certainty that you and your spouse will have enough money to live as well as you want, for as long as you want.
As John Brown, succession planning attorney, states in his book Exit Planning: The Definitive Guide, “The most common mistake owners make in thinking about their future exits is that they assume that when they are ready to go, their business will be ready for them to go as well.”
One of the answers is to diversify. Aesop reminds us that diversifying means not putting all of your eggs in one basket. You know this because you are doing it in your business. Does your business rely on one product or service? Do you only have one or two clients? Of course not. All successful businesses diversify their product offerings as well as do their best at having a diverse customer base. So just apply this type of Simple Scientific Strategic Thinking to your investment and insurance portfolio.
In investment parlance we often use the term “asset allocation.” Asset allocation is a systematic approach to diversification that may help you determine the most efficient mix of assets (business, business real estate, intellectual property, stocks, bonds, commodities, currency, collectibles, cash, annuity, permanent insurance, etc.) based on your risk tolerance for losses and time horizon for staying invested before you start withdrawing and spending down your assets.
Each asset class has a different level of liquidity, income potential, volatility, risk and possible return (LIVRR). At any given time, one asset category may be increasing in value, while another may be decreasing in value. Diversification is a method to help manage investment risk. Asset allocation and diversification do not guarantee a profit or protect against loss. So if the value of one asset class or security drops, the other asset classes or securities may (or may not) help cushion the blow.
Dividing your investments in this way may help you ride out market fluctuations and protect your portfolio from a major loss in any one asset class. Of course, it is also important to understand the risk versus return tradeoff. Generally, the greater the potential return of an investment, the greater the risk. Moreover, the more risk the less liquidity because most investors don’t want to sell an asset when it is down.
When you are considering how to diversify your portfolio, ask yourself what you want to accomplish and when. Are you planning to expand your product offering? Are you planning to merge or acquire a new company? Are you planning to borrow more money? Are you planning to buy new equipment? Personally, are you planning to buy a second home? Do you aspire to pay for your children’s or grandchildren’s college education? When retirement rolls around, would you like to travel or have an expensive hobby? These factors should all be considered when outlining an asset allocation strategy.
Whichever asset allocation scenario you decide on, it’s important to remember that there is no one strategy that fits every type of investor. Your specific situation calls for a specific approach with which you are comfortable and one that could help you pursue your investment goals. Consider creating a “Dream Team” comprised of investment advisors, a retirement coach, transaction attorney, estate planning attorney, CFO and accountant as a start. Most importantly, allow them to have open, honest, professional dialogue with you.
While your business is your most important financial investment it shouldn’t be the only element of your financial future. Use the same tools, techniques and strategies to build a Simple Scientific Strategic Plan outside of your business. So, when that day comes for you to retire, you have a diversified asset allocation that provides you with options, opportunity and time.
Entrepreneurs invest a great deal of sweat equity and personal resources into nurturing and growing their business, so it’s only natural to want what’s best for the next generation of their company – as well as their own future.
In some cases, this requires a business owner to obtain a certain amount of capital in order to take the next step forward. While there are many strategies to achieve this goal, a mezzanine leveraged recapitalization might make the most sense.
What exactly is a leveraged recapitalization? At its core, it’s when a company partners with a private equity mezzanine investor, who in return provides financing that can be used at the business owner’s discretion; including funding a transition of ownership or generating liquidity for personal reasons.
As collateral, these debt obligations are often dependent upon the future cash flow of the business. Therefore, ideal candidates for a leveraged recapitalization will have a steady history of predictable cash flow with low levels of existing debt on their balance sheets.
To help better illustrate the concept, let’s consider a few examples of when a mezzanine leveraged recapitalization could be the smart choice.
An entrepreneur owns a profitable company, but much of his net worth is tied up in the business and illiquid. After years of hard work, he decides it’s time to take some chips off the table and diversify his personal portfolio risk.
However, he is still very much involved in running the company and isn’t ready to sell his business or relinquish an equity stake, which might mean ceding some control. In this situation, a leveraged recapitalization allows the business owner to diversify away some personal risk, while continuing to control and run his business.
In addition to providing some liquidity of ownership in the business, a recapitalization also releases the owner from carrying personal guarantees on the company’s debt – making this a potentially attractive strategy.
Another example would be a business where the owner may no longer be the day-to-day operator. If the owner wants to sell the business to the operator, perhaps a senior employee or family member, that purchaser may not have the means to fund the transaction. In this situation, a leveraged recapitalization would allow the business to borrow the money in order for the operator to take control and pay out the owner.
A leveraged recapitalization may seem like an obvious solution, so why do some business owners shy away from this strategy?
In some cases, there are business owners who are simply averse to debt and would prefer to just sell an equity stake in exchange for the capital. In other instances, businesses might not meet the specific eligibility requirements.
While these requirements may differ at each organization, an analysis of a company to determine whether or not to partner for a leveraged recapitalization is typically a first step, one that involves focusing on everything from strength of management, historic cash flow, total debt ratios and minimum revenue requirements.
One of the most important factors to be considered is whether or not a company has a sound corporate structure in place. With new debt comes new covenant compliance and financial reporting, so it’s crucial to have a strong CFO who understands how to operate within a private equity structure.
A leveraged recapitalization can be a smart solution for business owners who meet the requirements. As with any business decision, it is important for those considering a recapitalization to conduct due diligence and have a thorough understanding of the process and the private equity fund involved before entering into agreement transaction.
With the right partner in place, this strategy can provide entrepreneurs with the necessary resources needed to set themselves and their company up for financial longevity.
Remember the facsimile machine you once “had to have” in order to run your small business? It was, the argument went, the defacto means of communicating with clients and just about anyone who was serious about commerce.
There’s a pretty good chance that today’s typical startup has ditched the fax.
Two key points to take away from this example. One is that staying current on the latest technological trends is not just about what’s fashionable, but what drives innovation in your own firm, be it small or growing by leaps.
With that in mind, here’s the second nugget:
A smartphone app (available for either Apple’s iOS or Google’s Android platform) has become a viable alternative to using a flatbed scanner in preparation for e-mailing multi-page documents.
By “viable” we mean the capability of doing the job quicker and with all the functionality of a typical USB connected scanner.
One “app of choice” is TurboScan (published by Piksoft, Inc.), with both free and paid versions available (typically under $5 for the latter).
The real “productivity” boost comes from handling multi-page documents.
With a traditional scanner, each page may take a minute or so to scan before you can remove the page, set up the next one and proceed. With TurboScan, it’s done as quickly as you would take a picture.
Click. Click. Click. Done. It’s that simple. Once done with the document, laid out on a flat surface with your smartphone taking a picture of each page, you have the option of e-mailing the PDF to yourself or directly to your intended recipient.
A user can then send the document to themselves, which can then be renamed on the desktop, but the app also gives you the option of renaming the document.
You call the shots. And the entire process is highly intuitive.
It’s something to think about next time you have a 20-page document that needs your signatures or notations on each page.
When you hire a worker, should you hire him or her as an employee or an independent contractor?
This choice is not simply a matter of title. The Internal Revenue Service and other regulators have created a legal framework specifying the differences between the two types of worker. Employers must understand the legal differences, as well as the benefits and drawbacks, before making a choice.
Employees vs. Independent Contractors: the Law Over the past 40 years, Congress has passed several laws outlining the distinctions between employees and independent contractors with regards to their compensation, benefits and relationships to their employers. Section 530 of the Revenue Act of 1978 laid the initial groundwork for the regulations we follow today.
The IRS requires a reasonable basis for treating the workers as independent contractors, consistency in the way such workers were treated, and proper tax reporting using Form 1099 for those categorized as contractors. Subsequent legislation, such as the Small Business Job Protection Act of 1996, further clarified the language in Section 530.
Many employers use the following rule of thumb to distinguish between a contractor and an employee: if an employer has the right to control both the means by which the worker performs the services as well as the end product, the worker is considered an employee. But this guideline is very broad. In 1987, the IRS released a 20-factor list, based on prior cases and rulings, to help employers resolve some of the gray areas. Some of the factors on the list include training, set hours of work, payment by the hour, week or month, furnishing tools or materials, doing work on the employer’s premises, and payment of business expenses.
For example, if you require a worker to go through a training class before commencing work or to use particular tools or materials you provide, your worker would qualify as an employee. Similarly, if you request the worker be on site at the company headquarters from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day, the worker is an employee, not an independent contractor.
The overarching theme regarding the factors on the IRS’ list is that an employer has the right to control how an employee produces the work. When hiring an independent contractor, the employer gives up this control. The 20-factor list has helped many employers create a baseline to evaluate the role of their hires in order to avoid misclassification.
In 1996, the IRS took the list a step further by identifying three broad categories of evidence to be used in discriminating between an employee and an independent contractor. The three categories are behavioral control, financial control and relationship of the parties.
Employers can only minimally regulate contractors’ behavior. Contractors have the freedom to subcontract the work they receive, complete the work in the way they feel is most efficient, and set their own hours and work location.
Financial control means that a contractor’s payment standard is based on a “per task” or “piece work” pay. The amount of time and energy contractors expend on the work they produce is up to the contractors, not their employers. In contrast, employees are typically paid an hourly wage or a salary, which their employers monitor and control, along with the number of hours they work. Employees also may receive additional benefits, such as health coverage or retirement plans, which independent contractors do not receive.
The third category, relationship of the parties, refers to the increasingly common practice of employers requiring employees to sign non-compete clauses or non-disclosure agreements. Generally, independent contractors are not required to sign such legal contracts. Contractors can work with multiple clients if they so choose – even competing companies. You don’t have the right to control other relationships an independent contractor may have.
Pros and Cons of Contractors and Employees An independent contractor may be a good fit if you don’t have the resources or manpower to pay, monitor or effectively use an employee regularly. You may simply need someone to complete projects on an occasional basis. For example, you may need someone to design a website for your company and occasionally help troubleshoot issues with the site. Once the site is up and running, the designer would not be needed day to day.
In contrast, if you need to maintain close supervision and have a worker available on a regular schedule, hiring an employee would be the right decision. If you need a receptionist, it is impractical to let that person decide when and where the work will be done. Nor would the arrangement pass muster with the IRS.
There are also administrative matters to consider. Employers are responsible for withholding the appropriate tax from their employees’ paychecks. Independent contractors are responsible for paying the tax themselves.
Generally, employers are responsible for providing a Form 1099 to contractors to report their income on Schedule C of their personal income tax returns, for annual income above $600. However, the legal burden for keeping accurate records falls on the contractor.
Employers should also consider the cost of benefits. Implementation of the Affordable Care Act will have an impact. The ACA requires employers with more than 50 full-time employees to provide health insurance. Hiring contractors, if they’re legitimate, is one way to avoid that threshold.
In addition, many employers provide employees access to 401(k) plans or profit-sharing plans. These benefits are generally not extended to independent contractors.
So is it better to hire independent contractors or employees? It depends. Independent contractors can be more cost-effective and relieve the employer of some administrative and managerial burdens. On the other hand, with an employee you retain control of the work schedule and how the work is to be completed. Some positions are more appropriately filled by one type of worker or the other. Some positions come down to the preferences of the parties involved.
Both employees and contractors can become long-term assets that will help your business thrive. But make sure you’re meeting the letter and spirit of the law if you decide to go the contractor route.
The crew of TV's This Old House, from left: Kevin O'Connor (host), Roger Cook (landscape contractor), Richard Trethewey (plumbing and heating expert), Tom Silva (general contractor), and Norm Abram (master carpenter).
For so many years, the story about Detroit and its neighborhoods has been on of decay and despair. But that has changed with neighborhoods organizing, lots of hard work and great projects like the one “This Old House” announced recently.
Pictured is the home in Russell Woods that the crew from “This Old House” will be renovating.
The whole television crew is in town for this beloved series, and senior producer John Tomlin said they’re working on a renovation project in Detroit’s Russell Woods neighborhood. They’re excited about the work, the family that bought the house and everything happening in Detroit.
“You drive around the neighborhoods and they have some of the most beautiful houses in America. You hate to see them empty and abandoned the way they’ve been,” Tomlin said, doing a round of media interviews shortly after This Old House announced its Detroit project on Tuesday.
“When you meet the people who want to put them together again, you want to be a part of it. That’s what got us interested in being here,” Tomlin said via telephone. “These are the kinds of positive stories that are worth telling.”
Expected work includes a new roof, kitchen and baths, plus new mechanicals to replace vandalized equipment in the basement. The team will look to preserve historic details such as leaded stained glass windows and archways as the homeowners blend their modern aesthetics with the home’s historic details.
Amy Nicole Swift, who owns Building Hugger, is an architectural designer with a passion for historic architecture and working with her hands.
To look at the windows, Tomlin said they met this morning with Amy Nicole Swift of the marvelous Building Hugger. “The house has some beautiful casement windows with some stained glass in them, and that’s her expertise. We asked her to come out, and she took a look at them to give us her read on it,” he added.
The house, which is a stunner even in its troubled state, is a mix of challenges and opportunities, Tomlin said.
“The main thing is these houses have been empty for a long time and that causes several problems for any structure – the outside wants to come in,” Tomlin explained. “That means everything from the elements to the criminal element. Yes, they took the furnace, they took the water heater. The good news is this particular house has a ceiling in the basement; that made it hard for thieves to rip out pipes.
“So we will deal with furnace, hot water heater, the pipes that are usable. The roof also was in disrepair; that probably happened before it was abandoned, so there is great deal of water damage,” Tomlin said. “But we have best experts in the world, Tommy Silva (a general contractor) out there accessing what needs to be done here and how we can bring that part of it back.
The crew of TV’s This Old House, from left: Kevin O’Connor (host), Roger Cook (landscape contractor), Richard Trethewey (plumbing and heating expert), Tom Silva (general contractor), and Norm Abram (master carpenter).
“There was a lot of damage in the bathrooms, so (heating expert) Richard Trethewey, our heating, A/C and plumbing expert has come through and accessed everything and tell us how to bring that back. We’re going to bring a mason out to help with some of the brickwork that needs doing,” Tomlin said.
Everything will take time to fix, and those 10 episodes will reflect that. The shows will likely air in 2017, and we’ll all be eager to see the results. But the most important thing to happen to date, Tomlin said, was the warm welcome the whole This Old House crew has received.
“What’s encouraging is the people in the neighborhood. As soon as they see a house is being renovated, they’re all very happy,” Tomlin said. “They’ve thanked us and thanked the homeowners. The neighborhoods are what it’s all about really.”
You can follow the project via Twitter at #TOHDetroit or on its website.
Building Hugger’s warehouse on Detroit’s East side is a cacophony of sounds: The quiet hum of paint strippers, the aggressive whine of a sander, the steady beat of hammers.
There, in the middle of the sawdust and chemicals, architect and building rehab expert Amy Nicole Swift finds herself perfectly at home.
Dressed in her typical down vest, plaid shirt and string of pearls, Swift is a seemingly unlikely candidate to lead one of Detroit’s fastest growing building and renovation companies. On the surface, she almost intimidatingly smart and savvy: She has a bachelor’s in architecture from Lawrence Technological University, a Master’s degree in historic preservation from Columbia University and teaches design as well as architecture at area universities Mercy as an adjunct professor.
She’s also an award-winning entrepreneur, earning funds and accolades for her local work. Funding came in the form of a Motor City Match award, which she will use to build a retail store onto her factory. The accolades came via the prestigious fellowship with the Tory Birch Foundation, an honor Swift won as a result of a national vote. The New York-based foundation helps women entrepreneurs grow their businesses by providing access to capital, entrepreneurial education, mentoring and networking opportunities.
Yet Swift proudly defies any definition in her work at Building Hugger. She launched the company about four years ago with an idea to work as a design firm within a recovering city, offering consultation work and more to people interested in preserving, highlighting and honoring Detroit’s inspiring architecture.
Then, she bought her first Detroit home and realized there were much more hands-on issues facing Detroit’s burgeoning homeowner population. They needed practical help to revive these buildings. At the same time, someone needed to step up to ensure skills such as woodworking, high-end finish carpentry and window preservation were preserved.
To fix her own home, Swift contacted window preservation companies in the area, only to find they either were too busy to take on her “scrappy little house” or they wanted to charge her exorbitant prices to update her windows.
So the equally scrappy Swift took a historic window trades training through the Michigan Historic Preservation Network, saw a market need and decided to fill it. Multiple offices, many Kiva Detroit loans and job opportunities followed, confirmed what Swift already knew: Detroit needed Building Hugger just as much as she needed Detroit.
“As an architect, I was faced with the problem of promoting the reuse of these structures. But how could I hold property owners to that standard when they could not afford these services? So if we’re going to promote restoration, we have to address that,” Swift said.
“We also had to address other issues, like the fact that these are dying trades. It’s not just because the people who do them are dying off, but it’s because there wasn’t a market for them. So we had to envision what this trade is and adjust it to fit the market. And I think we’ve accomplished that.”
Summer typically is a time for students, teachers and mentors to slow down, take a break and recharge during the warmer months. But at the Downtown Boxing Gym Youth Program, summer also means cleaning up, thinking ahead and prepping for another big year.
Downtown Boxing Gym Youth Program proves its motto “Books over Boxing” on a daily basis. And local and national businesses and experts who volunteer their time have helped make the programs at this Detroit gem a success.
Recently, the Downtown Boxing Gym welcomed more than 100 volunteers today to clean and prepare the space for students and summer programming. They came from PwC, Quicken Loans, Detroit Diesel and Hard Rock Cafe Detroit.
Among them, PwC brought 60 volunteers. The company has worked with DBG in the past to teach financial literacy courses and this is just a continuation of a longstanding commitment – one that included a $10,000 grant this past winter to support ongoing programs.
The volunteers’ jobs were varied, taking time to help by doing everything from unpacking books for the library, clearing brush to make way for a soccer field, planting flowers and so much more (and so much faster than the non-profit’s small staff could feasibly do on their own!).
The first-ever DBG Volunteer Day was a perfect opportunity to see first-hand the progress made on-site and how it benefits those enrolled.
“We hope our volunteers feel a sense of accomplishment and pride following the activities of DBG Volunteer Day,” said Carolyn Geck, development director. “Their service to the kids and what we do at DBG is invaluable and it means the world to us.”
Since 2007, Downtown Boxing Gym Youth Program, now housed at 6445 E. Vernor Highway, has provided a safe haven for children ages 5 to 18. Much more than just boxing, Founder and Program Director Khali Sweeney developed a place for students to learn how to study through tutoring, a gym that teaches discipline through boxing and a community center that instills pride in all who participate through voluntary service.
Detroit, for all intents and purposes, is still a working-class town. And everyone here pretty much loves beer, whether they brew it themselves, enjoy the history of it or just have a ball drinking it. There are many brewers in the city as well as bars that have immense beer lists for your enjoyment. And there is something for every taste.
Play a game and drink: Cadieux Café
Besides having one of the finest beer lists around – complete with difficult-to-find Belgian brews – there is an endless amount of amusements at this Eastside mainstay. Try darts, listen to live music and try your hand at the great game of Featherbowling. Everyone is guaranteed to have a good time.
Sit together as a community: Batch Brewing Company
There is so much to love about this Corktown-area newcomer. There’s the community tables, where you can sit with strangers and walk away friends. There’s the fun names of all the brews. And there’s the Feel Good Tap, which contributes a portion of sales to local charities and partners. It’s one of the friendliest places in town.
If your friends live in the suburbs: Ye Olde Tap Room
Well, Grosse Pointe Park really isn’t the suburbs if you can walk into Detroit from the bar’s door. But everyone in your party will be impressed with the beer list at this longtime bar. The space is tight, but the people watching is amazing and the bartending is top notch. Be prepared to try something of everything from fruity blends to blondes to heartier stock.
You want to try everything: HopCat
If there was ever a bar where the bartenders have seen, heard and tried everything, it would be HopCat. At least, that’s true in terms of beer. Tell the staff your favorite flavors – orange? Coffee? Crème brule? – and they will have a recommendation from the dozens of taps there. Since opening, HopCat is always hopping so try to come late, off hours or during the day.
You love Detroit history: The Dakota Inn-Rathskeller
You cannot call yourself a Detroit lover or beer fan if you haven’t raised a glass at The Dakota. The German flair here is fierce, and the food is pretty amazing as well. Get a plate of sausages, some hard cheese and be prepared to say “Cheers!” throughout the night. And don’t forget to sing along to the music!
Free ice cream? An outdoor movie event? Chances to win tickets to local games and other entertainment? These goodies are more all come from Cornerstone Community Financial, which is showing its appreciation for its customers with a bevy of giveaways and activities.
Gotcha, right? Who knew a credit union could be so much fun? Cornerstone Community Financial is celebrating its 65th anniversary this year and connecting its success to that of its local communities, event organizers say.
“As we celebrate our 65th Anniversary, we are keeping the emphasis on what’s most important to CCF, which is the financial well-being of our members and the strength and prosperity of the communities we serve,” said Heidi Kassab, CCF president and CEO.
“We couldn’t sustain this longevity and continue our growth without the support and trust of so many loyal supporters,” Kassab said. “We just want to demonstrate our appreciation for all of them.”
On Friday, Cornerstone Community Financial is sponsoring its first of three free movie nights at The Village of Rochester Hills (104 N. Adams Rd., Rochester Hills). Participants can watch the “Minions” movie on a giant screen and enjoy free popcorn, goodies and giveaways. All movies take place at dusk in the Carson’s department store parking lot.
Cornerstone Community Financial defines itself as a progressive, full-service, state-chartered financial institution, which is owned and operated by its members. It is commemorating its six-and-a-half decades by giving back to the members and communities that have supported and contributed to its longevity and growth with special promotions, prizes, sponsorships and free community events.
One of its first anniversary events happened in early June – the community shred day was a huge success with CCF and its partners helping to shred 700 boxes of papers. The Salvation Army also was on site in Troy with a donation truck accepting clothing, furniture and other household items.
CCF’s history dates back to 1951 when a group of employees from the Chrysler Corporation’s parts division obtained permission to start a credit union for their employees. With Chrysler’s sponsorship, they sought federal approval to start Mo-Par Federal Credit Union. The first month total income of $1.18 was earned in the credit union’s first “office,” located at the desk of one of the founding members.
In 1961, CCF first changed its name to Motor Parts Federal Credit Union (MPFCU), to acknowledge its expanded membership base beyond just Chrysler employees. MPFCU officially became CCF in April 2004.
CCF employs nearly 70 team members and serving approximately 27,000 members with about $262 million in total assets. It offers rewards checking, online and mobile banking, auto lending, mortgages, savings accounts, retirement services, Visa credit cards and full business services.
CCF, headquartered in Auburn Hills, Mich., has six branch locations throughout southeast Michigan and the Toldeo, Ohio area (Auburn Hills, Troy (x2), Center Line, Royal Oak, Perrysburg, OH).
As the weather heats up and summer arrives, don’t make the mistake of letting your team and your business cool down. For many entrepreneurs, summer is the slowest time of the year. The kids are out of school, and many of your customers and clients are on vacation. If you’re not careful, you could be lulled into a sense of helplessness and find yourself coasting through an entire quarter.
The best way to create unstoppable momentum is to keep moving – no matter the season. Stay productive and focused now, and you’ll reap even bigger benefits throughout the year. Not sure how to do that? No problem. Here are a few ideas to jump-start your summer.
Evaluation The time for your kids to receive report cards may be over, but this is a great time for reflection, evaluation and giving yourself a grade. A great way to do this is by revisiting your yearly goals. Pull out that list and see how you’re doing in business and in life.
When teaching goal setting, the late Zig Ziglar always referred to the “Wheel of Life.” The wheel has spokes and sections that represent the areas of our lives – career, finances, spirituality, physical well-being, intellectual development, family and social interaction. In order to be successful as a whole, we must address and attempt to be well-rounded in each area.
Looking in from the outside If business is slow, and you’re not overwhelmed with a million things to do, take a road trip strictly for business. A couple of hours down the road in any direction will do. The purpose? To check out the competition.
Visit other small business owners to see what they’re doing right and what you’re doing better, pick up some ideas and get re-inspired. Or simply clear your head on a nice, long drive and let the creativity flow. Dream up new ideas, or revisit others that didn’t work out so well and figure out why.
Network and socialize Summer is a great time to network. There are picnics, barbecues and hometown festivals all over, so start attending community events and get to know people.
The groundwork is often laid for successful sales through the connections we make while in social settings. The more people you know, the more opportunities you’ll have, so make time for others. The benefits are well worth the effort!
Read, read, read The average millionaire reads at least one non-fiction book per month. When asked to list the keys to their success, most of them ranked hard work first, followed by education and self-improvement.
Leaders are readers, so become a bookworm if you’re not one already. I’m such a fan of reading that I require all new team members to read five essential books in their first 90 days on the job.
So stop looking at summer as an unavoidable downtime for your business. With a little ingenuity and outside-the-box thinking, you can turn the lazy days of summer into a springboard for success!
![Gabrialle and Bobby Christian enjoying a casual ride around United Shore’s campus on the company’s new “UBike” bicycle sharing program [note: they are married millennials both working at United Shore]](https://www.corpmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/U-2.jpg)
Teamwork is made all the more challenging when companies have employees spread across the world. At ThoughtWorks, every employee utilizes a company “online management tool” through which they can chat with other employees anywhere, according to their Best and Brightest survey. In some ways, this virtual office can help break down barriers that might be felt if staff worked out of the same office but on different floors. Virtual connections can flatten the org chart, creating a sense of team between workers in different departments.
Every business owner or manager has a story to tell.
365 Retail Markets
A.Z. Shmina
Angott Search Group
Aubree’s Pizzeria & Grill
Bay View Cash n Carry Flooring
Clarity Voice
Code Blue Corp.
CrossFire Group
Doberman Technologies LLC
Firebolt Group Inc.
Genisys Credit Union
Great Expression Dental Centers
Great Lakes Caring
Grout Doctor
Hayhoe Asphalt Paving
HMSA
HRPro/BenePro
Inmatech Inc.
Inteva Products
MMI Engineered Solutions
Mobile Defenders
Mopec
On Duty Gear LLC
Oxford Companies
Red Level Networks
Sachse Construction
Service Express Inc.
The Recovery Project
Trivalent Group Inc.
Wilshire Benefits
It is one of Michigan’s most iconic buildings: The Grand Hotel, the stunning century-old hotel that symbolizes summer, cool porches, hospitality and family fun.
The award recognizes outstanding entrepreneurs who demonstrate excellence and extraordinary success in such areas as innovation, financial performance, and personal commitment to their businesses and communities.
Musser is the third generation of his family to run the hotel, having started full time in 1986. He worked his way up through every department to gain a thorough understanding of all aspects of running the hotel, serving as kitchen assistant, bellman, bartender, bar manager, front desk clerk, front desk manager, reservations manager and vice president. He has been president since 1989.
That is why Oliver Nasralah took his decision to create a new name and brand identify for his enterprise so seriously. His decision – and the steps he took to get there – is a great lesson to any business owner about what it means to define your marketing, your niche and your potential client base.
It was a process Nasralah took very seriously – he wanted to make sure it was the right decision. After all, a name change can be jarring for some who were previously familiar with the business as an on-going concern.
The Dearborn design group behind brands like Yogurtopia, Brome Burgers and Shakes and Brera Pizza and Salad Co. is unique from traditional branding agencies in that they offer architectural and interior design services, in addition to brand development and marketing, Nasralah said. This allows the firm to deliver an all-encompassing brand experience that is consistent across all platforms.
“We pride ourselves on having a culture built on giving and service at Express,” Bob Funk, CEO and chairman of the board of Express Employment Professionals, said in a statement. “With that in mind, we know how important it is to support the communities where we work, serve and live. The dedication and support that owner Janis Petrini and her office have shown for Kids’ Food Basket is a great example of that service.
“I’m honored to be a part of a company that believes so strongly in giving back to the communities where we live,” Petrini said. “Kids’ Food Basket holds a special place in the heart of our team at Express and we’re excited they were selected as one of the charities to receive this donation and that we can partner with them for Brand it Blue Day this year.”
A company’s choice of artwork for its offices should reflect not only the business but also its values and its commitment to the community. The new artwork at Mercedes-Benz Financial Services (MBFS) in Farmington Hills does all that and more.
He was joined by Cranbrook leaders including Christopher Scoates, Director of Cranbrook Academy of Art, as well as Leila Matta, MBFS Art Program Manager and curator of the full exhibition, for a conversation with employees about the inspiration and process behind creating the piece.
Hills regional headquarters. A community open house will be held on Nov. 2, during which MBFS, Cranbrook faculty and students and other members of the community will come together to celebrate the artists whose works are being exhibited this year. The event takes place in the fall since many students are gone over the summer when the work is installed.
For business owners, investing outside of their business can be challenging. Let’s face it, a successful business owner has much more understanding and control of their business than a diversified investment and insurance portfolio. However, while it is true we know what we know, it is also true that we don’t know what we don’t know. And, it is not knowing that can bring risk, lack of choices and lack of control.
Entrepreneurs invest a great deal of sweat equity and personal resources into nurturing and growing their business, so it’s only natural to want what’s best for the next generation of their company – as well as their own future.
Remember the facsimile machine you once “had to have” in order to run your small business? It was, the argument went, the defacto means of communicating with clients and just about anyone who was serious about commerce.
With a traditional scanner, each page may take a minute or so to scan before you can remove the page, set up the next one and proceed. With TurboScan, it’s done as quickly as you would take a picture.
When you hire a worker, should you hire him or her as an employee or an independent contractor?
Summer typically is a time for students, teachers and mentors to slow down, take a break and recharge during the warmer months. But at the Downtown Boxing Gym Youth Program, summer also means cleaning up, thinking ahead and prepping for another big year.
The volunteers’ jobs were varied, taking time to help by doing everything from unpacking books for the library, clearing brush to make way for a soccer field, planting flowers and so much more (and so much faster than the non-profit’s small staff could feasibly do on their own!).
Sit together as a community: 
You love Detroit history: 
Gotcha, right? Who knew a credit union could be so much fun? 
On Friday, Cornerstone Community Financial is sponsoring its first of three free movie nights at The Village of Rochester Hills (104 N. Adams Rd., Rochester Hills). Participants can watch the “Minions” movie on a giant screen and enjoy free popcorn, goodies and giveaways. All movies take place at dusk in the Carson’s department store parking lot.
CCF’s history dates back to 1951 when a group of employees from the Chrysler Corporation’s parts division obtained permission to start a credit union for their employees. With Chrysler’s sponsorship, they sought federal approval to start Mo-Par Federal Credit Union. The first month total income of $1.18 was earned in the credit union’s first “office,” located at the desk of one of the founding members.
CCF, headquartered in Auburn Hills, Mich., has six branch locations throughout southeast Michigan and the Toldeo, Ohio area (Auburn Hills, Troy (x2), Center Line, Royal Oak, Perrysburg, OH).
