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No Degree? No Problem, Says This Entrepreneur and Author

February 11, 2015

Ed Basler is a veteran entrepreneur who understands that without a degree, some human-resource managers might pass him over in favor of a more educated competitor. And he thinks that is a mistake for all parties.

“After four weeks of business school I, the son of a businessman, had realized that the professor had no real-life experience running a business and that I wouldn’t learn the practical principles necessary to succeed,” Basler said. “But I stuck with business school for two years until I dropped out, and I haven’t had any regrets 40 years later. Hands-on experience trumps a degree all the time.”

Basler is a longtime entrepreneur and CEO of E.J. Basler Co. in Illinois, which provides precision-machined parts and solutions to companies worldwide. He is a motivational speaker and president of Fresh Eyes Coaching, a firm that helps small businesses identify profit opportunities and obstacles. He is the author of “The Meat & Potatoes Guide to Business Survival: A Handbook for Non-MBA’s & College Dropouts.”

Business owners and hiring managers should see past the college degrees of potential employees, or lack thereof, and focus on the content of an applicant’s skills and character, says Basler, who offers, in his own words, the following tips for hiring.

• Do not accept any bad attitudes. A bad attitude spreads like the flu, and if you don’t stop it, it’ll make your whole team sick. Good attitudes will spread too, so look to hire people with a positive nature. Is the prospective hire full of complaints about previous employers? Don’t be surprised if you become the next target of such whining. No one is indispensable. I have interviewed people who were clearly bright and skilled. Yet, afterward, I felt like telling them not to let the door hit them on the way out. I’ve never regretted my decision to insist on good attitudes.

• Hire friends very cautiously. They can become your best employees. Often, however, they are your worst, and they’re hard to fire. Hire family members even more cautiously. Let them know the ground rules and expectations up front. And treat them like the rest of your employees. I hear horror stories all the time from business people who are suffering because of family involvement. But it can also work very well – it has worked out well for me.

• Hire not only for skills but also for potential. Leaders can be made if trained and motivated properly. I’ve seen many a young person with no previous experience or knowledge of my business learn a trade or skill and prosper and excel. Many times, it’s even an advantage to start from the beginning with someone who does not have the baggage of bad habits or practices from a previous employer.

• Put people in the right positions. Test them for their personality and skill sets. There are many tests – one good one is the Meyers Briggs and the DISC profile. It’s hard, sometimes, to understand where people fit, which is why we try to use testing to learn about their particular skills.

“A college degree is a generic qualification and is by no means the ultimate criteria by which you should hire talent,” Basler says.

Board Games in an ‘Electronic Free Space’ are a Winning Combo for This Couple

Karen Dybis

February 10, 2015

It’s the perfect business story – Christopher Erwin and his wife and business partner Angela Space saw a huge hole within the Metro Detroit marketplace to open a different kind of family-play space.

The idea for 3&UP Board Game Lounge in Plymouth, Mich., began with a trip to a cafe with an extensive collection of games in Toronto, Canada, Erwin said. After that visit, Erwin and Space considered the idea of opening a similar business with a new twist: A focus on communication and social interaction.

The couple created 3&UP as an “electronic free space” dedicated to connecting people face-to-face with board games as the “medium for social interaction,” Erwin said.

The husband-and-wife team opened 3&UP this past July in downtown Plymouth, and it has been a whirlwind of long hours ever since. But the fun has been worth it. They also have two kids, so having a place to hang out together meant something to them.

Erwin formerly worked for Penske in its rental truck division and other areas. Most recently, Erwin served as District Rental Manager for more than three, where he covered business development, marketing and staff management success for Detroit and Toledo markets, which encompassed 67 locations, 850 vehicles and $55 million in assets.

These days, he’s working full time at 3&UP, and it’s been a pretty fun “Pay Day” since then.

“When a family or friends visits 3&UP Board Game Lounge, they are fully engaged with each other. Children’s eyes light up with excitement as their parents spend time with them and only them,” Erwin said.

Its collection of more than 1,000 board games ensures there is truly something for everyone. 3&UP Board Game Lounge also hosts private events, offers programs and events such as themed gaming nights, D&D groups, chess lessons for adults and children, field trip packages and preschool play groups. During open gaming hours, individuals pay a $5 admission fee for 90 minutes of play (additional time is available along with memberships and day passes).

They also have two party rooms that can be rented for birthday parties, girls’ night out, gamer nights or any special function where privacy is requested. Many couples also enjoy hanging out on date night to spend some quiet time together, Erwin added.

“It was becoming more and more difficult to go out to dinner without having their cell phones on the table, to go to a party without updating social media and to spend time with their children without a request for a tablet, video game console or television program,” Erwin said.

“From the observation that electronics were interfering with their ability to look at each other, speak uninterrupted, share time together, laugh and learn without distraction the concept for 3&UP Board Game Lounge was born.”

Retailers Roundup: Valentine’s Day is a Sweet Time to Offer Deals, Specials

Karen Dybis

February 9, 2015

Holidays are always opportunities to find new customers, remind long-standing patrons that you’re around and up your marketing game.

And when that holiday is the Valentine’s Day, it’s an even better chance to woo people with deals, specials and the like. It helps that Feb. 14 falls on a Saturday this year, encouraging people to prepare weekend plans with romance and gift-giving in mind.

According to the National Retail Federation’s Valentine’s Day Consumer Spending Survey conducted by Prosper Insights and Analytics, the average American celebrating Valentine’s Day will spend $142.31 on candy, flowers, apparel and more, up from $133.91 last year. Total spending is expected to reach $18.9 billion, a survey high, the Washington-based industry group said.

Here are some ideas of how local retailers and businesses are prepping for Cupid’s visit:

• Every business person wants to look great in the office – and with spring right around the corner, getting a fresh is an ideal Valentine’s Day gift. For a man who wants to dress to impress, the textile experts at the Twillory have a full line of dress shirts that are sharp and well priced. You can give any suit a new look for about $75. Plus, ordering online is fast and easy. And those old shirts that have seen better days? Twillory has a charity called Re:Purpose. Every purchase arrives with a pre-paid mailer bag for the buyer to send any old dress shirts they no longer way to Career Gear, a non-profit group that provides dress clothing to men looking for a second chance and to work their way out of poverty.

• Accents Cosmetic Surgery and Medical Spa in Sterling Heights is offering the “Pamper Package,” which includes a Signature Facial, Skin care analysis, make-up application and Obagi Skin Care for $200 (its normal value is $400. Dr. Mark Berkowitz said gift cards for treatments like these are ideal for the professional looking to freshen their look or to improve their health. Accents also is offering special packages, like anyone who purchase a package of medical facials will receive a complementary skin care anaylsis using its Emage system and $200 of skin care products.

• The Shirt Box in Farmington Hills is selling many of its hand-made boutonnieres to both men and women in time for the Valentine’s Day holiday, said co-owner Rod Brown. He noted that some female executives will purchase them to give as gifts to their male co-workers or business partners. Men are starting to wear boutonnieres again as a way to step up their look and add a unique accessory to their lapel. Plus, when you shop on Feb. 14, you can try some strawberries, Champagne and sweets such as the brownies by Elwin and Company of Berkley. It’s the shop’s way of saying “thanks” for the business, Brown said.

• Want to try something new to mix up your routine? Neighboring establishments in Royal Oak, including Belgian beer mainstays Bastone Brewery and Monk Beer Abbey and wine-focused Vinotecca, are all set to host special menus for that very romantic day Saturday. When it comes to dessert, Executive Chef Robert Young’s hazelnut infused fresh strawberry and Nutella stuffed strawberry dessert Belgian waffle topped with mint and with vanilla crème fraiche will keep any Valentine’s cooing.

City Pride: 313DLove Event Aims to Share Detroit’s Good News with the World

Karen Dybis

February 6, 2015

Few Michigan cities have changed as much as Detroit has in the past five years — the amount of new energy and businesses is impressive. But not everyone knows about it, and Terry Bean is doing his best to change that.

That is why an event like Bean’s 313DLove is needed. It feels like the March 13 event (get it? 313?) always arrives at the right time – it comes just as we’re all feeling like making a change and shouting some positive words from the rooftop.

According to its organizers, including the energetic and motivating Bean, 313Dlove is “a movement aimed toward bringing worldwide positive attention and focus to Detroit and its community.”

“We like to tell people If TEDx is all about ‘Ideas worth spreading,’ #313DLove is all about ‘actions worth emulating,’” Bean said.

Since the first #313Dlove hashtag was tweeted in 2012, 313Dlove has been an outlet for people to share their stories and love for the City of Detroit year-round online and during a once a year event every March 13, said Bean, founder of cool community-based organizations such as Motor City Connect.

The vision, Bean notes, of #313Dlove is a Detroit whose self-worth is high, unemployment is low and education is second to none. I’d like to add a few more of my own creation: Where every small business is encouraged, where every person is seen as valuable to the overall mission of success and where people stop focusing on the small stuff and get going with the big stuff.

The day has is comprised of three events: A march, an event and an online outpouring of love for the city using the hashtag #313DLove.

The march, sponsored by United Way for Southeastern Michigan, is the newest part of the annual event. It will start at Detroit’s Charles H. Wright Museum at 10 a.m. There will be music. There will be reveling. Rumor is that the Slow Roll (that amazing bicycle event started by Jason Hall) will be on board as well.

Then at 1 p.m., some of Detroit’s most innovative and passionate minds will take the stage at the Wright Museum to share their best wishes and inspiration. More on those speakers in a moment – but it is a must-see event.

The most important moment of the day takes place at 3:13 p.m. and everyone in the world is invited to participate. The organizers of 313Dlove are asking all supporters of Detroit to log on to Twitter and share what they love about Detroit using the hashtag #313Dlove, in hopes of the hashtag trending globally once again, bringing worldwide attention to the positivity in Detroit, and ultimately changing the perception of Detroit around the world, Bean said.

The afternoon event is one of my favorites. Bean won’t be alone on that stage, preaching the good news about Detroit. Scheduled speakers include Master of Ceremonies David Farbman, Satori Shakoor of The Secret Society of Twisted Storytellers, filmmaker of “The Great Detroit” Anthony Brogdon and Dr. Partha Nandi of the “Ask Dr. Nandi” show.

There also will be 12-year old Robby Eimers and his 9-year old sister, Emma, of The Eimers Foundation, an organization aiming to help, and hopefully end, homelessness.

Robby was inspired to start the Eimers Foundation after a ride to Detroit with his grandma and her friend to drop off some blankets and coats at a warming center in Detroit. Saddened by seeing how many people were homeless, standing in the cold, he told his grandma he had to help. So he did. Robby went home and took his own money and bought hats, gloves and socks to take back to the center and continued to do so, once a month. Before long he was going there every other week and then every single week. Now, four years later, they serve over 200 people every week.

Inspiring, yes? That is one reason Allyson Jones, Early Literacy Manager for the United Way for Southeastern Michigan, also will be there. I can’t wait to hear her story and every other story I see, hear and read that day. Because they’re all inspiring. And they keep me believing in Detroit and its people.

“Detroit is where I grew up. Very early in my life I became aware of differences between the suburban middle class and the urban poor. I learned about resourcefulness and caring for others. I learned to never lose hope, and to strive for success no matter what the odds,” Jones said. “I learned all of that in Detroit, which is why I reside and plan to continue my career here. Why invest in another city when this is the one that’s invested in me?”

CBS Radio has Personality and Then Some in its Clever Offices

Karen Dybis

February 5, 2015

An office space should accomplish the basics – give you the tools and area you need to do your job. But it should also serve to inspire, invigorate and intrigue you and your guests.

CBS Radio in Southfield does the job. This space looks like an ordinary single-story building from the outside; in fact, you’d be hard pressed to know that it houses radio stations including WWJ News Radio 950 AM, WOMC 104.3 Detroit’s Greatest Hits, 97.1 The Ticket sports radio, 99.5 WYCD Detroit’s Best Country as well as 98.7 AMP radio.

So how do you put all of those stations together in a collective area? How do you give each station its own personality within that sizable office? It is an impressive sight, a recent tour revealed. There are so many ideas here for how to personalize your space and give your employees the kind of environment they need to thrive.

First, there are the great conference-room names that really ground you as to where you are. For example, who wouldn’t want to have a meeting in the Eminem room? Everyone would want to cheer for your ideas inside the Gordie Howe room. And people of many generations would feel creative and well spoken in the Sonny Eliot room, where pictures of the weatherman grace the walls. Plus, the office’s portrait of famed Detroit Tigers sportcaster Ernie Harwell makes you feel right at home and ready for the Boys of Summer.

Every station has its own broadcast room and working area with decorations. There is 97.1, which has big leather recliners and a foosball table. The hip kids over at 98.7, which plays pop-music hits, has sleek white couches with neon green walls and hot pink rugs.

WOMC has a chill vibe with its game table, where the chairs are on rollers for quick movement to and fro. There also are classic video games in its play space. WYCD takes its country vibe seriously with its denim couches and wall of hit records as well as some great guitars on the wall.

Everything is very high tech and it is clear that the staff is there to work. The professionalism is obvious from the entryway with the station’s top-notch ratings on the wall to the awards in the clear case. And there are windows everywhere, which makes the space bright and cheery. It’s a great way to ground the stations and their talent in Metro Detroit and keep them feeling energetic.

Have a great office? Share your photos with Corp! magazine’s Digital Editor Karen Dybis. Email her at kdybis at corpmagazine dot com.

Authentic, Motivating Women Inspire Businesses, Communities

Richard Blanchard

February 5, 2015

Motivating. Inspiring. Authentic. These are the words that repeatedly surface when describing and learning from the state’s leading women in businesses and public service.

Women have made great strides in the workforce, but there is more to be done and Michigan women are making their mark. To celebrate these achievements, the Michigan Business and Professional Association presented the 19th annual “Women and Leadership in the Workplace” Conference and Awards Luncheon Feb. 3 at The Henry in Dearborn.

The program is a joint venture of the Michigan Business and Professional Association and a distinguished advisory committee of leading businesswomen and community leaders. This year’s theme was “Own your Path” and featured Rhonda Walker from WDIV Channel 4 as the Award’s mistress of ceremonies. Featured speakers at the event included Margery Krevsky from Productions Plus – The Talent Shop; Juliette Okotie-Eboh from MGM Grand Detroit; Vivian Pickard from General Motors Foundation; Teresa Lucido from Comcast Spotlight; Christina Lovio-George from lovio George; Linda Forte from Comerica Bank; and Amanda Richie from Plymouth Technologies. More than 700 women attended the event.

The event honored 10 exceptional women leaders from throughout southeastern Michigan.

This year’s honorees represent extraordinary professionals who have accomplished much in their careers. The women honored at this event are raising the bar in Michigan as we know it. Please join us in honoring them.

Distinguished Leadership Award
Annette Aronson
Garden Fresh Gourmet
Born and raised in Ferndale, Annette Aronson learned early on that strength and courage are imperatives to success in life. She met her husband Jack while playing on a women’s league basketball team. He was her coach and soon after, they got married. Through the lean years, Aronson was always by Jack’s side, working interminable hours at their legendary Clubhouse BBQ restaurant. The two barely made ends meet. In 1997 when her husband got the crazy idea to make and sell fresh salsa, Aronson’s commitment to her life partner was unwavering. Working 12 and 16-hour days, she was the spark that made the impossible possible: shipping fresh, all-natural salsa to the four corners of the continent, establishing a beloved national brand in the process. Today, Aronson is CEO of Garden Fresh Gourmet, makers of North America’s top selling fresh salsa. She and Jack remain committed to Ferndale, and their selfless support of numerous causes is legendary. Their thriving company is a pillar of the community, supporting more than 425 employees and their families. Aronson loves making a difference in the lives of those around her and beyond.

Shooting Star Award
Jessica Daniel
FoodLab Detroit
Humility, chutzpah and compassion are just a few of the traits that Jessica Daniel says are important qualities of business leaders. Daniel is the Greater Detroit area – ‎director and chief enabler at FoodLab Detroit and says community outreach is at the heart of what she does. “Because FoodLab is a non-profit with a broad and ambitious mission, “community outreach” isn’t part of what we do, it IS what we do and why we exist. We are a growing community in service of a food system that is better for people and better for the planet than the one we have now. That’s a tall order, and a long, long, long-term mission, so engaging a diverse group of good food businesses, and allies and partners is central to continuing the good work over the long term. Taking inspiration from women leaders that have come before her, Daniel has observed that “many female community leaders I work with are often down in the weeds thinking through the details of how to get things done and spending a lot of time implementing and testing and building relationships… whereas I see many more male leaders in roles as ‘visionary’ or ‘spokesman’ or ‘big picture thought leader.’ Often this also translates to who’s able to corral more significant financial resources and other support for a project, program or organization. I think this has to do with cultural expectations for women to be more humble, as well as higher levels of scrutiny—both by women who are hard on themselves, and by external parties.” Her hope is that more strong women articulate their visions for a better organization, community, or world and have the courage, confidence, and support to request the resources they need to make these visions realities.

Shooting Star Award
Lindsey Evert
Detroit Symphony Orchestra
Being a leader can sometimes be a challenge, but it is something that Lindsey Evert from the Detroit Symphony Orchestra takes in stride. “Women face struggles to be heard and honestly to support one another. I see too often a woman tear another woman down based on something personal and it can be so toxic. It’s crucial to seek out mentors and positive role models. It’s also imperative to build other women up,” she said. Evert says communication is also the key to presenting ideas and leading an organization to success “bringing people into the conversation is a huge part of any successful project. I really enjoy engaging local partners and businesses that can bring things to the table that I lack, or that our institution lacks. We really focus on doing that with our committees and volunteer groups as well.” Evert believes that it takes, “Patience, empathy and a thick skin,” to be a good leader. “Understanding where people come from and how their situation or life experiences can add value to a team has been incredibly valuable to me. It is also important to have patience not only with people but with situations. There have hardly ever been any new projects that are fully supported by everyone right away. Good things really do sometimes take time.” Her success and inspiration can be attributed to her parents. Evert said, “My parents have always inspired me and now I notice how much they have influenced my career. My Dad ran a very successful business for 30 years and my mom is an extremely creative person. I’m lucky to be a mixture of both of them and I think that really translates into my work. Also, the city and people of Detroit inspire me every day to build something that has an impact on the future.”

Distinguished Leadership Award
Linglong He
Quicken Loans
Serving as chief information officer of Quicken Loans Inc., Linglong He oversees more than 1,100 team members. With more than 20 years of experience within technology, She is responsible for the overall vision and leadership for technology initiatives across the organization. He takes her inspiration from others, “I always want to make the best effort in my role, and I love to help others when there is a need. Early in my career, I enjoyed helping my teammates to solve specific technical challenges, but as I continued to grow, I learned that strong leadership influences the team. The people around you are much more impactful, beyond just fixing the code. If you are always willing to help and you are the best you can be each day, you make yourself the obvious choice. As CIO, I focus on both my team members’ personal development and in ensuring they feel fulfilled in their careers and daily work.” Since joining the company in 1996, Linglong has faced many successes and some challenges, “In a growing company, staying connected with your team members and sustaining our culture is one of the biggest challenges a leader can face. To achieve this, we have created an atmosphere where participation and innovation are not only welcomed, but encouraged and expected,” she said. Volunteering is important to He as well as the company she works for. “Quicken Loans believes in doing well by doing good. In the past year, we spent more than 75,000 volunteer hours and gave back $10 million in helping the community. Our IT team, through its “IT Gives Back” program, spent 9,000 hours volunteering in the community. This is something we’re very proud of and something that leadership encourages,” she said. She has a strong passion for developing leaders and is actively involved with the Michigan Council of Women in Technology and the We Build Character organizations.

Distinguished Leadership Award
Beth Morrison
HAVEN
HAVEN’s Beth Morrison inspiration for success comes from the many survivors of domestic and sexual violence who she has been honored to work with over the years. Hearing their stories and witnessing injustice fuels her passion to keep moving forward. She also credits the people she works with, “I get to spend my days with an amazing team of people, employees and volunteers, who are just as passionate and dedicated as I am to the goal of making our world equal and safe for all. Social justice around violence against women and girls is what pushed me into this movement and sadly there is still so much work to be done that I continue to feel the same push to keep going.” Serving the organization as president and CEO, she believes one of the most important traits of a leader is the quality of authenticity. “Being authentic is probably the most valued trait for me. Sure you have to be competent, motivating, have vision, be a strong communicator, have ethical values, and so on but if you don’t start from a place of being authentic, who will want to be led by you and work with you? The lack of authenticity is where so many leaders fail,” she said. Even though there are a lot of successful women working in metro Detroit and throughout the country, Morrison believes there is still more advancement for women to go, “women are still paid less than their male counterparts, and many women leaders are still faced with being the primary caregiver of their children or later in life their parents. We need to continue to work toward pay equality and creating other resources for women so they can succeed in both business and within their personal life as well.”

Distinguished Leadership Award
Kelly Rossman-McKinney
Truscott Rossman
One thing can be said for Kelly Rossman-McKinney, no matter what anyone says to her, she moves forward toward success in everything she does. “The best motivation I ever received has been from those who said I couldn’t or wouldn’t: I wouldn’t get that contract, they’ll only hire a man; I couldn’t make that happen because … I didn’t have the right credentials, access, contacts, etc. Every one of those negative, cautionary comments—the “you need to stay in your place” may have been well-intended but they only served as a motivator. I have always been compelled to prove folks like that wrong,” she said. Serving as CEO and principal of Truscott Rossman, a full-service public relations agency representing local, statewide and nationwide clients, Rossman-McKinney says, “I have an absolute passion (some might say obsession!) for my work and I can’t wait to tackle the next big challenge. Making sure I do that in a way that makes my kids proud is an added incentive.” Honesty, integrity, candor, passion, courage are the traits that she finds essential for good leadership. “When you try to work harder and smarter than anyone else in the room, respect comes despite your gender. If anything, my experience is that being a woman is an advantage, not a disadvantage,” she said. Besides providing the best quality work and services to their clients, Rossman-McKinney also encourages her employees to go above and beyond in the community as well, “I encourage every one of our team members to get engaged in outside activities, on their own or as a team. We take on a variety of pro bono clients and unleash our team on them. It’s especially heartening to see our interns recognize that good business is doing more than just the “business” but expanding above and beyond the office.”

Shooting Star Award
Veronika Scott
The Empowerment Plan
Veronika Scott, CEO and founder of The Empowerment Plan, started the non-profit organization when she was a 20-year-old design student in Detroit. She was told over and over that it would fail because the homeless people she wanted to work with would be worthless. “Every day I enjoy proving all those people wrong. Everyone I hire is powerful, driven and I am lucky to be a part of their lives,” said Scott. The Empowerment Plan is a humanitarian organization based in the city of Detroit. The plan centers on construction of a coat that transforms into a sleeping bag at night, and a bag when not in use. The coat is made by a team of mostly homeless single parents who have been paid to learn and to produce the coats for those living on the streets. The Empowerment Plan aims to help build a better life for those that have become trapped in the cycle of homelessness. They give homeless individuals jobs while in the shelter so that they can earn money, find a place to live, and gain back their independence for themselves and for their families. For all of her accomplishments, Scott has received many accolades. She is the youngest recipient of the John F Kennedy New Frontier Award from the JFK Library Foundation and Harvard University. She has received an IDEA Gold Award from the Industrial Design Society of America and has an honorary PhD from Johnson State College. Scott has been named one of CNN’s Ten Visionary Women in the World and is the winner of the 2014 DVF People’s Voice Award. The Empowerment Plan story has been told across the world and shared at events such as the World Summit on Innovation and Entrepreneurship and the Forbes 400 Philanthropy Summit with Oprah, Melinda Gates and Warren Buffett.

Distinguished Leadership Award
Ruth Spencer
WDIV Channel 4
Ruth Spencer, anchor and consumer reporter for WDIV Channel 4 has a reputation for being an advocate for the community she serves. Spencer has been with the station for 24 years. She is best known for her role as WDIV’s “Ruth to the Rescue,” the station’s Emmy award winning consumer investigator. Along with Ruth’s Rescue Squad she helps viewers resolve their consumer complaints about a business, product or service. A California native, Spencer earned her BA with high honors in Broadcast Journalism from San Francisco State University. According to the WDIV website Spencer says that she “has a feeling for spiritual things and believes we’re here to discover our talents, then use them to serve God, by serving others with love.” Spencer is a true believer in that and in serving others. She supports several charities including Penrickton Center for Blind Children; American Heart Association; Grace Centers of Hope; Salvation Army; Stratford Music Festival; University of Michigan; Academy of the Sacred Heart; and Berklee College of Music.

Distinguished Leadership Award
Kathleen Straus
Michigan State Board of Education
Michigan State Board of Education Member Kathleen Straus has committed the majority of her life to the furthering of public education and community services in Michigan. According to the Michigan Department of Education website, Straus has a strong interest in curriculum, assessment, and raising achievement for all students across the state. A frequent visitor to schools and classrooms, Straus often spends time with parents, educators and others discussing educational policy and reform efforts to keep in touch with what’s going on in the field. Until her retirement in 1991, she was president of the Center for Creative Studies, a nationally recognized arts education institution in Detroit. Prior to that, she was director of government relations for the Michigan Association of School Boards, and served as staff director of the Education Committee of the Michigan Senate. An active community leader, Straus currently is a member of the Board of Trustees of the Michigan Roundtable for Diversity and Inclusion and on the Advisory Board of the American Jewish Committee. She is also a past president of the League of Women Voters of Detroit. She was inducted into the Michigan Women’s Hall of Fame in October, 2000. In these capacities she has fought discrimination and worked to build bridges between races, religious and ethnic groups, and to promote social justice and education.

Distinguished Leadership Award
Kym Worthy
Wayne County Prosecutor
Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy began her legal career at the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office, according the Wayne County website. In 1989, she became the first African-American selected as a Special Assignment Prosecutor specializing in high profile murder cases. She left Wayne County in 1994, serving in numerous court appointments and roles. In 2004, Worthy came full circle in her career and returned to the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office, this time as the Wayne County Prosecutor, the first African American and the first female to hold the position. Worthy has been a persistent advocate for witnesses who risk their lives to come to court and testify. Due to her tireless advocacy the Wayne County Commission awarded funds solely to be used to protect witnesses for the first time in 2007 and this important allotment continues still today. Worthy has used her prosecutorial experience to greatly enhance the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office. She created the first Elder Abuse Unit. This unit handles all cases involving elderly and vulnerable adults, and focuses on the needs of senior citizens when they are victims of crime. Worthy received her undergraduate degree in economics and political science from the University of Michigan, and her law degree from the University of Notre Dame School of Law. Recognizing that “service is the rent we pay for living,” Worthy is active in The United Way, The Lead Poisoning Task Force of Michigan, the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority and many others. She created the Alexandra Simone Fund for the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit of Henry Ford Hospital in memory of her deceased daughter. The fund provides services to the parents of prematurely born infants. An advocate for all children, she frequently speaks out about the need for fostering and adoption of children.

Overcome the Five Innovation Killers That Lurk Within Businesses

Ronnie Blair

February 5, 2015

The work of innovative thinkers is why the world has smartphones, laptop computers, toaster ovens and numerous other gadgets and creative approaches to problem solving. Yet groundbreaking ideas aren’t always welcome in the corporate world or within other institutions.

Instead, those who suggest a different approach often find their ideas shot down by co-workers or blocked by an organizational system that is unwelcoming to change, says international speaker and innovation consultant Dr. Neal Thornberry.

That doesn’t mean innovation can’t happen, though.

“The innovator needs to know how to operate in these less than friendly cultures without waiting for some miraculous transformation in corporate policy,” says Thornberry, author of the book “Innovation Judo: Disarming Roadblocks and Blockheads on the Way to Creativity.”

He says there are five innovation “killers” within organizations that people with inspired ideas can expect to confront.

People. Sometime it’s an individual, sometimes it’s a group. Regardless, people often resist innovation, and many times for illogical reasons. “The more rigid people reject innovation simply because they are uncomfortable with the new or don’t want to spend the energy to try something different,” Thornberry says. They may be quick to point out flaws in your ideas.

One way to counteract that, Thornberry says, is to be your own worst critic. Discover those flaws first and highlight them yourself. Then you can address how you plan to mitigate them, thus stealing the critics’ thunder, he says.

Politics. You can usually get around one or two individuals who try to block your idea, but it’s more challenging when the organization is rife with politics. “I hate working in highly politicized organizations,” Thornberry says. “They make work a lot harder and make you spend considerable time on non-value-adding activities.” In fact, Thornberry devotes an entire chapter in his book to “Right Mindedness” so that innovators practicing his seven secret judo skills are not seen as innovating for personal gain or exploitation, but as enablers of company success.

Organizational design. An out-of-whack organizational design usually is not generated on purpose or with malice, Thornberry says. Instead it develops over time, with one well-intentioned move after another leading to unintended consequences. Often the result is a proliferation of controls, along with structures and processes that create barriers to innovation.

When an idea is blocked by layers of decision-making, one solution is to use leverage, Thornberry says. Enlist the aid of a customer who would benefit from the innovation, he says, because paying customers have huge leverage.

Company values. Here the innovator has both a challenge and an opportunity. Many companies articulate their values, but don’t always live by them. “The upside for innovators is that values can be used as leverage for innovation even if they aren’t true,” Thornberry says. For example, if the company declares, “The customer is No. 1,” then it becomes difficult to ignore an innovation that is positioned as being for the customer.

Corporate culture. The corporate culture essentially is how the people, politics, organizational design and values interact. “The greatest challenge to any innovator, and to embedding and sustaining innovation over the long term, is culture,” Thornberry says. To make it even more challenging, often organizations have micro-cultures within the culture. That means, he says, you will need to adapt the use of innovation judo principles depending on which micro-culture you are dealing with at any given moment.

“Innovators throughout history have faced both roadblocks and blockheads on their path to creativity,” Thornberry says. “And so will you.”
But with a little courage and some counterbalancing skills, he says, these challenges can be overcome.

About Neal Thornberry: Neal Thornberry, Ph.D., is the founder and CEO of IMSTRAT LLC a consulting firm that specializes in helping private and public sector organizations develop innovation strategies. A respected thought leader in innovation, Thornberry is a highly sought-after international speaker and consultant. He also serves as the faculty director for innovation initiatives at the Center for Executive Education at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, Calif. He can be reached at www.NealThornberry.com.

Get to Know Detroit’s Hard-Working Ambassadors at Build Institute and Detroit Experience Factory

Karen Dybis

February 4, 2015

Business owners understand big transitions – everything from executive changes to name changes to rebranding.

Right now, one of Detroit’s most successful entrepreneur programs is making big changes. D:hive has evolved into two organizations: Detroit Experience Factory (DXF) and the Build Institute.

The Build Institute, which is now located at 2701 Bagley, is a program under the Downtown Detroit Partnership. Its 2015 mission is to “advance minority ownership and community entrepreneurship in the city of Detroit and beyond,” according to April Jones-Boyle, the longtime architect of D:hive and Build’s programs, events and workshops.

Some background: Build Institute is a network of grassroots programs that assist people in turning their project or business ideas into reality by providing the necessary tools, education and support to get started. To date, Build program have graduated almost 400 aspiring and experienced entrepreneurs from both its eight-week small business and project planning class and its social entrepreneurship class, with many starting successful businesses in the city.

Many of Detroit’s most recognizable newcomers have started their hard climb toward business ownership via Build programs. They include: Sister Pie (which is holding a Dance-a-thon this weekend to complete its funding on a new building in the Villages area of Detroit), Good Cakes and Bakes on Livernois in the Avenue of Fashion, Fresh Cut farm, Beau Bien Fine Foods and Detroit Vegan Soul.

Build offers networking events, mentorship opportunities, connections to resources, and a nurturing community that allows ideas to develop and flourish over time, Jones-Boyle said. Some of its other offerings include:

• Classes and public forums on small business for current and aspiring entrepreneurs.
• Business networking opportunities and variety of alumni support resources.
• Build Bazaar, a rotating pop-up marketplace that supports Detroit entrepreneurs.

Detroit Experience Factory has set up shop at 123 Monroe Street. Its story is tied directly to the uber-energetic and enthusiastic Jeanette Pierce, a lifelong Detroiter and advocate for the city. After moving downtown in 2003, Pierce wanted to find a way to help others see the vibrant, beautiful Detroit she knew and loved. In 2006 she and a friend founded Inside Detroit, a nonprofit with a mission to give an insider’s perspective of the city to anyone and everyone who was curious about what was really happening in Detroit.

A few years after Inside Detroit opened, the Hudson Webber Foundation started a new project called D:hive, with a mission to encourage talent attraction and retention in the city. In 2012, Inside Detroit and D:hive joined forces for a 3-year period. Pierce and her crew of tour guides continued to lead tours with D:hive, and in 2013 they have helped over 10,000 people experience Detroit. In February 2014, almost exactly 8 years after Inside Detroit was started, D:hive Tours became the Detroit Experience Factory.

DXF offers:
• Public and private tours, special-event coordination and Detroit orientation experiences.
• A welcome center for visitors and guests, helpful Detroit ambassadors, maps and more.
• Live and work resources for new or existing residents and developing professionals.

Want to learn more? Attend one of these events.

Feb. 12: Build Open House. Join Detroit Entrepreneur Week for a Build Institute Open House + Happy Hour from 5:30 to 8 p.m. at Build HQ (2701 Bagley Avenue). Check out the new space in Southwest Detroit and learn more about the programs in store for 2015. Build will also feature a Mentor Matchmaking between professionals and entrepreneurs. Light refreshments will be served.

Feb. 14: Build Bazaar. Build Institute will hold its Valentine’s Day Build Bazaar with more than 10 diverse Detroit-area vendors. The romantic event aimed at helping people buy a locally sourced holiday gift will be held from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Café Con Leche Nord (2990 W. Grand).

Feb. 16: Open City. Open City is a forum for Detroit’s aspiring and established small business owners to learn, network and exchange information in a fun and lively atmosphere. Panels meet monthly at Cliff Bell’s, where speakers discuss topics specific to doing business in Detroit, followed by casual networking. Events take place on the third Monday of every month, 6-8pm, from October to April, and are FREE and open to all. No RSVP required.

All Sewn Up: One Woman’s Drive for Perfection Leads Her to Custom Corsets

Karen Dybis

February 3, 2015

Robin Richardson began sewing as a teen, and it blossomed into a career as she became everything from a tailor for men’s clothing to a bridal seamstress.

Every time she gained a new skill, the Sterling Heights, Mich., resident looked for something new and more challenging. That is when she discovered corsets, that dramatic piece of apparel that requires both time and talent to create.

Richardson is now owner of Ivy’s Custom Corsetry, a business that makes high-end corsets for men and women. These hand-made objects blend beauty and style, allowing the wearer to add a custom shape to anything they are wearing.

“You don’t have to be a certain size to wear a corset. It could be for any occasion from a birthday party to a wedding to your own personal satisfaction,” Richardson said.

Every corset is made to fit that person’s measurements, detailed specifications and purpose. Many of her customers are brides, who add a corset to the top of their dress for flair and a unique look. She also has had clients wear her corsets to the Kentucky Derby, Presidential inaugurations and other high-end parties.

Corsets are made with three layers of fabric, steel busk and steel bones – both spiral and flat — two piece grommets and tubular corset lacing. Detailing sets each corset apart from one another and can range from lace trim, fan lacing and more. Richardson said she takes 12 to 15 different measurements of her clients to get the best fit.

“Designing is the fun part – I love working with a client to come up with something special and to find the right decorations,” Richardson said. “Most people want to have a hand in it and make it their own.”

Lately, Richardson said she has received calls for people interested in “waist training,” or wearing a corset or corset-like piece of equipment to whittle their waist to a smaller size. While some people use corsets for this purpose, Richardson said she does not make her corsets specifically to do this kind of training, made popular through celebrities including Kim Kardashian.

“Corsets are high fashion. Most (clothing) designers have one in their lines,” Richardson said. “I’ve had orders from across the globe – Canada, France, Italy and beyond.”

Motown Might: Snow Days Inspire Creative Metro Detroit Businesses

Karen Dybis

February 2, 2015

Snow days are fun when you’re in elementary school. The joy kinda fades when you’re an adult and you’ve got to find a way to get to work in a winter wonderland.

With more than 16 inches of the white stuff falling in Michigan from Sunday through Monday, the commute proved too much more many businesses, who chose to shut down rather than put their staff and customers at risk of using slippery roads.

A look at social media showed the various reactions to the Big Storm of 2015. The Detroit Symphony Orchestra promised a “delayed opening.” Busted, a bra shop in the Penobscot and Park Shelton buildings, told its patrons, “I’ll let you know when I get there” for her opening time. Many people decided to hit their laptop from their couch – the best line coming from a worker who quipped, “Woo-hoo! SNOW DAY TODAY! That means I get to look out my window at snow while I work today.”

But there were a few innovative souls who offered something unique for the snow day. Here are some examples:

–Snow-related deals. Pure Detroit offered its shoppers free shipping online throughout the day. And Avalon International Breads in Detroit pulled out all the stops to get people in its storefront. “We have just the treat to beat the Snowpocalypse! In addition to our “Snow Day Special” of a free 8oz hot beverage, we’re also offering a Buy 1 Get 1 on all baked goods.” And Happy Pizza told its followers to “tag The Official Happy’s Pizza with your snow day selfies and you could win a $10 gift card (which is dinner!).”
—Bluefin in Grosse Pointe reminded its patrons that they could use the “Wok to You” online ordering service to have sushi delivered to their homes. Now that would be an interesting working lunch option instead of Sunday’s Super Bowl leftovers.
—United Shore in Troy said many of its employees were thrilled with the company’s valet service Monday. A free service for United Shore team members and guests, individuals have the ability to park in front of the main entrance and head into work, avoiding the long, uncomfortable trudge across the slippery parking lot. When it’s time to leave the office – whether it’s the end of the day or lunchtime – one quick phone call will have a team member’s car waiting at the main entrance, all warmed up and cleared of snow and ice.

“At United Shore, we place a lot of our focus on things that can make a difference to our team members and maximize their enjoyment of working here,” said Mat Ishbia, president and CEO of United Shore. “We have a team dedicated to delivering outstanding team member services, and we’re constantly looking for new ways to add to the great culture we have here.”

But everyone truly kept their employees in their thoughts Monday. One of the most positive messages came from St. John Providence on Facebook. Its employees – who save lives every day – offered its support to workers who needed to come into work. “Snow days can be really fun….unless you’re a nurse or other healthcare worker who doesn’t have a choice about whether or not to brave the roads. Do you have any Facebook friends who provide bedside care to patients? Send them a quick post on their page to thank them for being so dedicated to the health of our community!”

Thumbs Up Detroit Conference Hopes to Help Rebuild the City, Business Growth

Karen Dybis

January 30, 2015

What if there was an event that pretty much focused on raising Detroit’s collective self-esteem? It would need an optimistic name, an enthusiastic group of organizers and a long-term commitment to the city’s future.

That is the basic formula behind the new Thumbs Up Detroit Conference and Exposition, a three-day event scheduled for March 12 to 14 at Cobo Arena. The event has two parts: a one-day business conference followed by a two-day exposition that brings students, artists, creatives and others together to show off the best the city has to offer.

What better way, organizers say, to highlight where Detroit is going than an event like this? Although the idea first popped up during the city’s darkest hours – think Kwame and municipal bankruptcy – it seems now to be prophetic.

“We want to change people’s perceptions about Detroit – that’s the basic idea. It’s about more than any one kind of movement or any one kind of industry. It’s really about the entire region’s entire economic recovery and the way Detroit as a whole can really impact the community,” said Jim Griffin, general partner of Thumbs Up Detroit Limited Partnership.

Griffin is a longtime event promoter who took a short detour to build things, like houses and the like. But now he’s back to help host this inaugural event whose aim is to “showcase the extraordinary people, places and ideas that make up the city of Detroit.”

The two keynote speakers for the Thumbs Up Detroit Conference are New York Times bestselling author, entrepreneur, venture capitalist Josh Linkner, and John Barfield, founder of the workforce management, consulting and staffing corporation Bartech Group, Inc. The conference portion of this event is presented by the South East Michigan Entrepreneur Association (SEMEA).

Griffin said he believes these two individuals are well suited to this event and its potential audience.

“They are two very different people. Josh represents the importance of reinventing yourself, and he knows that in today’s world if you’re not constantly reinventing yourself as a business person and entrepreneur you’re going to get left behind. Because the world is moving pretty fast night now. You need to make yourself better and not get caught in a rut.

“John Barfield started with nothing. He’s the story of the American dream. And he’s what someone might describe as ‘old school.’ There’s still a lot of old school in Detroit as well as the new,” Griffin added.”

Additional conference speakers include Detroit-area entrepreneurs and thought leaders Jay Wilber of Goodwill’s Green Works, Inc., Pashon Murray of Detroit Dirt, Ryan Landau of Chalkfly, Tifani Sadek of Sadek Bonahoom, PLC, Veronika Scott of The Empowerment plan, Brandon Marsh of Dale Carnegie Training, Rev. Faith Fowler of Cass Community Services and ZaLonya Allen, Ph.D., of SEMEA.

“We want to start with the smaller businesses that are just standing up. They can meet with one another, get ideas from other companies, learn, network, make friends, find mentors,” Griffin said. “We all want Detroit to be a better place and everybody is on the same page at this point in time. We have momentum, and we capitalize on that.

“The truth of it is we all need each other, no matter how you look at it. If you go to the tailor to buy clothes, he has to buy materials from the farmer to make those clothes. It’s a system of partnerships,” Griffin said. “We need to get past all of the nonsense and bridge any gaps between us so we can start to work together. We need to bring the economy back faster here (in Detroit and in Michigan) than any other state.”

The two-day expo will feature displays from area artists, businesses and retailers, a Chevrolet Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix car, live cooking demonstrations and samples from local restaurants, along with special offers on tickets for sporting and cultural events and attractions. Dozens of Metro Detroit artists are also participating in the Door of Opportunity Exhibit; applications are available through today for those looking to join. Artists will create original designs on physical doors, which will be linked together on display at the expo.

Griffin’s Thumbs Up Detroit Limited Partnership has a larger goal: Rebuilding the tax base that provides funding for city services. His hope is to create bipartisan support and cooperation from the whole community. And he understands that most important aspect of rebuilding that tax base is to attract more new residents and new businesses.

“We need those potential new-comers to see how much we believe in Detroit in order to get them to believe in Detroit,” Griffin said.

Griffin said he is already thinking about the next Thumbs Up Detroit event (which he wouldn’t mind see spread to other cities).

“This is our time because everyone wants to find out about Detroit,” Griffin said. “We need to let people know that we’re back. That Detroit is open for business. … You see it when you walk down the street. There are smiles on people’s faces. Everybody has a feeling that there’s something big happening. We need to take that feeling and capitalize on it.”

A complete list of speakers is available at thumbsupdetroit.com/conference. For more information about Thumbs Up Detroit tickets, exposition opportunities and sponsorships, please visit http://thumbsupdetroit.com.

Michigan Positivity Project Aims to Boost State, Local Morale

Karen Dybis

January 29, 2015

Marketing, branding, public relations – these things are essential to a business getting the attention it needs to grow. But what about a state?

Television host Suzanne Sena interviews comic Keegan Michael Key for the Michigan Positivity Project.

That is why Lisa Diggs and her latest project are making waves. Michigan Positivity (#MIpositivity for you taggers out there) is what she describes as the “long overdue offshoot of the Buy Michigan Now campaign.” It’s the kind of campaign that takes stuff we’re already doing – Tweeting, updating our Facebook status or posting heavily tinted photos on Instagram – and making it all about our Great Mitten State.

“We’re trying to use social media to get more people to share all of the great assets of this state and of Detroit, without every other story starting with a burnt-out building or unemployment statistic,” Diggs said, who described it as aiming “to bolster the image of Michigan and its cities on a local, national, and global level.”

So who is going to participate in this positivity challenge? Lots of people, it turns out. Diggs left the state to get a few ex-pats involved. Some very fun ex-pats, it turns out.

Guys — Suzanne Sena and “Days of Our Lives” actor Shawn Christian talk Michigan Positivity.

“Last September we went out to LA and got 10 celebs who were from Michigan to sit down and share what they love about the state and how it shaped them. We’re editing the videos and intend to begin releasing them soon,” Diggs said. “Eventually we’ll add more as well as entrepreneurs, athletes, activists, students. … We’ve barely launched and have our first success story. Days of Our Lives star Shawn Christian and his co-star Ari Zucker are now going to bring their Arrow-Heart Adventure Camps to Detroit as a result of getting involved with our project.”

This isn’t Diggs first go-around with creating positive Michigan buzz. After all, you’ve got to be pretty positive when your self-description is “Writer, speaker, consultant, & founder of Buy Michigan Now. Passionate advocate for the Great Lakes State & small businesses. Be a catalyst for positive change!”

She’s also the heart and energy behind much of the Buy Michigan Now project. Buy Michigan Now is a campaign whose aim is to boost Michigan’s economy by encouraging residents and friends of the state to buy more Michigan-made products and local services. That includes Michigan businesses buying from other Michigan businesses.

Michigan Positivity Project creator Lisa Diggs shares a laugh with Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer and Michigan native Chad Smith.

It also has an annual event for those who want to really get involved. Entering its sixth year in downtown Northville, the Buy Michigan Now Festival is a weekend celebration of the state’s annual Buy Michigan Week. This family-friendly event includes tasty treats, street vendors, live music, and children’s activities, all highlighting Michigan-based businesses and Michigan-made products. According to its very positive tagline, “Together we are revitalizing the economy, one product, one purchase, one person at a time.”

Check out the Facebook page and follow along. It’s something simple – sharing a post or Tweet with a hashtag attached. But it all builds upon itself, cultivating a culture of positivity for Michigan.

Survey Finds 68% of Workers Distracted by Internet on the Job

Press Release

January 29, 2015

Now in its second year, the annual Internet productivity survey of 5000 people in the U.S. reveals 55 percent of Americans prefer to communicate with their friends over the Internet and 68 percent say they have been distracted from completing work by checking emails, browsing the Web, and engaging with social media – an increase of 9 percent from one year ago.

Among respondents, 7 percent even said they took a smartphone or tablet into the toilet to stream a TV program they just had to see.

The independent benchmarking survey was released by website blocker and productivity application Stop Procrastinating, based in London and Berkeley, Calif.

The survey found that people were more likely to spend time communicating with friends on the Internet than a year ago, either through social media, such as Facebook, or via an instant messenger, such as What’s App. 55 percent of respondents said they contacted friends via social media or instant messengers as their primary way to communicate, an increase of 5 percent compared with a year ago.

However, American’s were more likely to use social media and the Internet to communicate with friends or set up social events at work than at home. 62 percent of those using social media and the Internet in this way said they regularly used it to communicate at work, admitting that they had become distracted from work by it. This again was an increase from last year of 4 percent

Of the 68 percent of people who said they had been distracted at work, 39 percent said it cost them an hour a day browsing the Internet at work to read an interesting article, book a holiday or a culture event, or visit amusing Internet video websites. This was an increase of 5 percent from last year. Some 7 percent of respondents admitted to taking a smart phone or tablet into the toilet to stream a TV program they couldn’t wait to watch, suggesting a worrying lack of impulse control.

More than 40 percent of parents in the survey were also were likely to be worried about their children’s use of the Internet than last year, claiming that they didn’t know for sure what there children were doing on the Internet. This was an increase in 8 percent from last year’s survey.

Other findings from the survey included 59 percent of respondents admitted that the reduction in productivity caused them dissatisfaction and unhappiness.

The survey also found that 55 percent of people thought that checking their emails and social media while trying to get work finished revealed a worrying lack of impulse control.
64 percent said they lost their chain of thought because they checked and responded to an email or social media alert while they were working on a report or longer piece of written work.

Will Little, who designed and created Stop Procrastinating, says: “As usage of the Internet increases so does its presence in every part of our lives at work and at home. We now no longer distinguish between when we should book a holiday, contact a friend or do some personal research. The Internet is there all the time and we use it for personal reasons at work more often than ever before,” he said.

“It seems that being able to communicate with friends quickly over social media is a positive development, but engaging on social forums to debate issues, as some people in our survey admitted, suggests that some people are becoming more distracted by the Internet at work than they should. While the immediate sense of gratification might be high, over time our survey shows this leads to a lack of satisfaction as productivity levels drop and people begin to achieve less,’ he said.

Source: Press release from www.stopprocrastinatingapp.com

How You Can Learn to Set Big Goals – by Playing Catch

Lee Colan

January 29, 2015

Walt Disney has a famous quotation: “If you can dream it, you can do it.” It sounds good, but do you really believe it? For years, frankly, I was on the fence.

Like many of us, I learned about goal-setting early in my career. However, it was only a few years ago that I experienced firsthand the true power of dreaming big. It came at the hands of someone quite small.

My daughter was 7 at the time. She loved to play catch, and I did also. The object we threw did not matter: a tennis ball, football, or any ball for that matter. It was the challenge of consecutive catches that mattered very much to her.

There was always the same goal, and only one goal, when we played catch: to break the existing records for consecutive catches.

I remember one day when my focused little daughter said, “Dad, let’s try for 100 in a row.” Since our best at that point was 50, I politely chuckled and said, “Sure, honey.” And guess what? After a few attempts, we did it.

So, the next day she said, “Dad let’s go for 300 in a row.” Well, my daughter was learning about thinking big, but I still had a lot to learn. I thought to myself, “Gee, we just hit 100. Why not try 125 or maybe 150 in a row? But 300?” Of course, out loud I responded with another uneasy chuckle and a “Sure, honey.”

You guessed it. It was only a few days later that we hit 300 catches in a row. I was really impressed and quite content. My daughter was neither impressed nor content, and she was also a lot smarter than me. She said, “Dad, let’s go for 500 now!”

And I thought to myself, “You have GOT to be kidding!” Sure enough, that very same day, we caught 500 throws in a row. You’d think I would be a believer by now, but when her sparkling eyes looked at me and said, “Dad, let’s go for 1,000 in a row!”

I am embarrassed to admit that my internal response was the same.

Less than 24 hours later we hit our record – 1,017 catches in a row!

Our record was over 10 times bigger that I had originally thought we could achieve. Thanks to my 7-year-old daughter, I have finally learned to set BIG goals.

You are only as big and successful as your goals.

So, ask yourself:
1. What is an important goal my team is working toward right now?
2. What is stopping me from increasing it?
Think BIG.

Career Crush: She Went from Designing Training Programs to Kentucky Derby Hats

Karen Dybis

January 27, 2015

Now here’s a career trajectory for you: Rachelle Willnus went from designing training programs for Ford Motor Co. to designing hats, fascinators and headbands perfect for the Kentucky Derby or other occasion.

Whoa – that’s a big shift. But it makes perfect sense to Willnus, who works out of her home in Farmington Hills, where her hat business has grown by leaps and bounds. She makes headwear for all reasons and seasons, including parties, fashion shows, charity events and weddings.

But it all makes sense to Willnus, who hand crafts all of her hats and related goods. She believes that good design – whether it is for an engineer training program or to look great during a special event

Willnus started her career with a Master’s Degree in Instructional Systems Design, specializing in engineering program development. She began working at Ford Motor Co. when she was 19, and she said she truly enjoying her time at the auto manufacturer. The only reason she left, Willnus said, is that she started a family and wanted to stay home with her daughters.

But that need for a creative outlet burned in her. So Willnus used her manufacturing-design background to make a transition into hat design. Willnus believes that her chapeaus also require a strong knowledge of design, shape and form. Like the old design mantra says, form and function have to be part of the process.

“As with engineering design, hat designers must be able to assess fit of a product – such as a client’s face and head shape with hat size and function,” Willnus says. “Any woman can wear a hat or fascinator. It’s about finding the best design to compliment the shape of the face and head size of the wearer.”

Many people have noticed and worn Willnus’ creations. Derby Hats by Rachelle has been featured as a StyleLine Magazine Editors’ choice for headwear for three years in a row (2012, 2013 and 2014). Her bridal line, Marie Rachelle, also was featured in the now defunct magazine as a trendsetter for bridal headwear for those same three years.

Willnus’ design have been featured in many other publications, including The Detroit News, Modern Model magazine, The Metropolitan Detroit, Farmington Hills Life and The Metro You. Her Derby hats also have been on Fox 2 News in Detroit.

To see her designs, you need to check out her Facebook page for Derby Hats by Rachelle or go to the Detroit Opera House, where her designs are featured for sale. Her goal, Willnus says, is to someday have a storefront where women can check out what looks best, design their own hats and have fun with friends all at the same time.

“(Hats) are the perfect opportunity for your inner hat lover to shine and enjoy getting dressed up,” Willnus says.

Want Volunteer Participation? Let Your Employees Help the Causes They Love

Karen Dybis

January 26, 2015

For Vince Mattina, developing a rich understanding of his community began when he became a volunteer for local groups including the Rochester Rotary and the Paint Creek Center of the Arts in Michigan.

That experience of helping others and seeing the impact of those efforts are among the many reasons Mattina, Kent & Gibbons has a volunteer component of its culture. Giving back and connecting with what is happening beyond the walls of the MKG offices drives the CPA firm, Mattina explains.

The firm, which provides audit, accounting, tax and business-consulting services to a variety of industries, encourages its employees to donate their time, talent and resources to numerous Michigan organizations. The goal, Mattina said, is to develop a culture where business and human service mix equally.

“We’ve been fortunate enough to be based in communities that have supported us through the years,” Mattina said. “That is why I decided personally to work with non-profits and give back to the communities that have given so much to us.”

MKG, which has offices in Lapeer and Rochester, requires its employees to volunteer or provide community service to local groups outside of their business hours. The idea, Mattina said, is for them to find a nonprofit or organization that they feel an attachment to personally. So if you love music, you might volunteer for a local orchestra or music school.

“Everybody has an interest in something outside of work,” Mattina said. “That’s the nice thing about our group – everyone seems to find a group that touches on something they love, whether it is the arts, schools or the environment.”

Many times, MKG employees end up as treasurer or financial consultants of the groups they work with because of their education and experience as Certified Public Accountants. That’s a chance for them to help these groups find grants, apply for sponsorships or up their game when it comes to contributions, Mattina said.

“We try to do everything we can to help them be as successful an organization as we can, which in turn makes the community as a whole successful,” Mattina said.

As a group, MKG employees also volunteer for events around their communities, such as volunteer-led dinners for shelters, Meals on Wheels or 5K fund-raising runs. Those efforts are bolstered by employees who also run in those events and donations provided by co-workers, Mattina said.

MKG also offers its services on a pro bono or reduced-fee level for some community groups, providing another area of outreach for its employees and staff.

“Our efforts are always rewarded,” Mattina said. “You can see the joy on people’s faces. You can feel the joy you have when you’re helping someone out. … It helps us think outside of the box and tap into our resourceful and creative sides.”

Grab a Menu: Here are Metro Detroit’s Best Brunch Joints

Karen Dybis

January 23, 2015

So you have a morning meeting, and your stomach is growing. What can you do to mix productivity with something tasty to nosh? You’ve got to have a good list of brunch places in mind at all times.

Here are some of local favorites. There are many more out there, so drop Corp! a note and let us know where you go and why.

1. Sidestreet Diner, Grosse Pointe: This local mainstay features some of the tastiest potato plates around. It may be possible that the Deli Plate is a little slice of heaven on Earth: A pile of crunchy yet soft potatoes mixed in with onions, bacon and cheese. Scoop some sour cream on top with two eggs, and you’ve got a belly full of goodness.

2. Hudson Café, Detroit: What happens when you mix the sweet and the savory with a deft hand for creative recipes and plating? You get the Hudson Café. If you cannot make it downtown to this Woodward legend, try its little cousin on Mack Avenue in Grosse Pointe, The Jagged Fork. You’ll love every bite on both menus.

3. Zingerman’s, Ann Arbor: Bread. Order the bread in some way. Zingerman’s has a long-standing reputation for large quantities of delicious food. And the restaurant or any of its related businesses never disappoints.

4. Give Thanks Bakery, Rochester: There are people who live and die by the almond croissants at this downtown bakery. Everything here is fresh and made with about three heaping scoops of love. Maybe four.

5. Café Muse, Royal Oak: This is the place to meet people for breakfast or brunch when you need to eat well and have big discussions. The location is ideal for getting together because it is near just about everyone in Metro Detroit and you’ll all walk away satisfied.

6. Toast, Birmingham: This restaurant has won more awards than Julia Roberts. And there’s good reason for that. The menu is chock full of wonderful dishes that will have you coming back for another meal.

7. The Fly Trap, Ferndale: This place draws rave reviews from everyone who has enjoyed a bite there. There’s a reason why it also ended up on an episode of “Diners, Drive-ins and Dives” as one of Michigan’s best eateries.

8. Nanna’s, Wyandotte: You’ve got to love any place that serves breakfast all day. Talk about your finely crafted menus and spices. It’s delicious from start to finish.

9. The Breakfast Club, Farmington Hills: It may look like an average diner-style restaurant on the outside, but there is five-star breakfasts waiting for you on the inside. And there is enough powdered sugar to keep your energy high all day.

10. Rugby Grill, Birmingham: Meeting with someone you want to impress? Bring them to the Townsend Hotel for a meal at its casual restaurant. Finish your meal and the meeting is still going? Then stay for the high tea; it’s elegant and delicious.

Ricardo Marks 100 Years of Performance and Sustainability

Karen Dybis

January 22, 2015

There is something about the number “100” that resonates – maybe it is the round numbers or the solid feeling that it evokes. But when you hit that century mark, you know that something special has occurred.

That is why Ricardo is celebrating its centennial with a year’s worth of events. It is a fine accomplishment for any business, and few companies globally can match Ricardo’s track record of achievement in the development of innovations for improved energy efficiency, cleaner fuels, reduced noxious emissions and noise and leadership in creating new disruptive technologies.

As the company enters its centenary year, a range of events and celebrations is planned, culminating in the mid-2015 launch of the low carbon Vehicle Emissions Research Centre (VERC) at the Ricardo Shoreham Technical Centre in Southern England. This new $15 million facility will enable the development of next-generation of low carbon vehicles including advanced technology hybrid electric vehicles and their associated energy regeneration systems.

Ricardo has its Detroit Technical Campus at 40000 Ricardo Drive in Van Buren Township.

Founded as Engine Patents Ltd. on Feb. 8, 1915, and formally registered on Aug. 10 the same year, the company that is today known as Ricardo plc was the original creation of Harry (later Sir Harry) Ricardo. Its first major success was the design of an engine which transformed the performance of the first battle tank during World War I.

The design incorporated a range of new technologies to reduce smoke and improve performance and efficiency in the arduous environment of the western front. Used in a range of applications from railway shunting locomotives to generator sets as well as in tanks, the Ricardo engine was the most powerful and reliable automotive power unit available to the allies, and became the U.K.’s first mass manufactured engine. The proceeds of this early success endowed Harry Ricardo with the resources to create the technical center in Shoreham, which remains the U.K. and world headquarters of the company that he founded. Ricardo had revenue of $346 million (£229.7 million) in 2013.

Unlike many firms of that period, the Ricardo company was – as its original name of Engine Patents Ltd. implies – focused from the outset on the creation of new technologies and innovations, as opposed to engaging directly in the mass manufacture of engines or vehicles. Performance and sustainability have been the key watchwords over the 100 years, the company said.

The technologies that the company has developed and the engineering assistance it has provided has led to the creation of improved fuels and more fuel efficient, better performing products by its customers – products that range from two wheelers and passenger cars to the largest and most powerful of railway locomotive engines, marine propulsion systems, and off-highway and construction equipment.

The Ricardo centenary year will commence with a series of employee events at each of the company’s many international sites across the U.K., Europe, the United States and Asia. The first public aspect of the centenary festivities was the launch earlier this month of the Ricardo 100 website – www.ricardo100.com – which will be used to provide information throughout the year on the milestone.

One of the most high profile employee initiatives of the centenary celebrations will be the Ricardo 100 Global Challenge, a round-the-world relay using some of Ricardo’s historic vehicle fleet as well as examples of the latest technology demonstrators developed by the company, and customer vehicles that the company’s engineers have helped to bring to market. The relay is planned to start from the Shoreham Technical Centre during the spring, heading east through Europe, Asia and the U.S., before returning to Shoreham in time for the launch of the VERC.

Recovery Program Takes on Addiction in the Workforce and is Winning

Minehaha Forman

January 22, 2015

guiding light facility — Guiding Light, located in Grand Rapids, is a fresh start for many of its clients.

When Stuart Ray joined Guiding Light Mission in 2009 as executive director, his first order of business was to listen.

Stuart Ray runs one of the nation’s most successful rescue and rehabilitation missions.

Guiding Light, an 83-year-old rescue and rehabilitation mission for men in Grand Rapids, Mich., always provided a safe place for those with substance abuse disorders seeking treatment. But it wasn’t until 2010 that the mission formalized its workforce development efforts, creating a new model that involves building relationships with the local business community.

When Ray asked his clients about their goals, there was an overwhelming message: they wanted to reengage in the workforce. But basic barriers prevented them from doing so. For many, it was as simple as access to work boots—steel toe boots are hard to come by in thrift stores—and transportation. Both issues Ray solved by providing them with the needed resources.

“All I was doing was running into the problems and addressing them,” he said. “Once we flipped the culture of the mission from woes and needs to the little engine that could, it gave people lots of hope.”

The reality is there are a lot of recovering Americans, according to Patrick Krill, director of the Legal Professionals Program at the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation. “It’s not like addiction is selective. It’s an equal opportunity disease. It’s not uncommon to have highly skilled professionals coming though these programs,” Krill said, noting that sometimes those in high paying, high-pressure professions can be highly susceptible to the disease.

Like other mental and physical diseases, drug and alcohol addiction places a massive burden on the U.S. economy, mostly due to lost productivity in the workforce.

In 2007, the economic cost of illicit drug use totaled more than $193 billion, according to a study by the U.S. Department of Justice’s National Drug Intelligence Center. And that’s not including alcoholism, which is more common and often more socially acceptable. In 2006, the U.S. economy suffered $223.5 billion in lost productivity and other consequences of alcohol addiction, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA’s) National Survey on Drug Use and Health.

Alcoholism is so widespread that more than half (53 percent) of adults in the United States have reported that one or more of their close relatives had a drinking problem, according to the SAMHSA.

In Grand Rapids, Guiding Light Mission is one organization making an effort to get the recovering population back into the workforce.

But when Ray first started pitching the idea of creating a sort of staffing agency with clients of the mission, it wasn’t the most popular idea in the business world.

“First off, they thought we were crazy—that this population would never work,” Ray said. “But we used a circle of confidence model:—one business uses us and they like it and tell their friends. Now we’ve got people calling us.”

Patrick Krill, who runs the Legal Professionals Program at the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation, calls addiction an “equal opportunity disease.”

What makes Guiding Light successful is its sterling reputation. Men accepted into the mission must be completely dedicated to recovery, as well as contributing to everyday operations. And clients are thoroughly screened before graduating from the program and applying for jobs through the mission’s Back to Work program.

By creating a culture of reciprocity, timeliness, and drug-free living, Ray says there is a sense of community among the Guiding Light boarders.

“I don’t find this population to be takers,” he said. “I say to myself, ‘This could be me.’ I know names, I know stories, we eat together, we pray together, they banter with me. To me that’s just good client relations.”

Since the Back to Work program started in 2010, it has become increasingly popular, with more than 200 men graduating since 2012 and one of the lowest rates of recidivism in the country.

One of the first companies to use Guiding Light for a staffing solution was Design Converting, a manufacturing company in Grand Rapids. Production manager Tom Linck said working with Guiding Light made his job easier.

“What we get from the mission are reliable people, sober people,” Linck said. “It’s a win-win situation. I didn’t have to pay a hiring agency to do background checks. They’ve already done the screenings. I get reliable people, held to a standard that many people don’t often live up to.”

It’s relationships like the one Linck has with staff at Guiding Light that keep the mission’s Back to Work program successful. But Ray and his staff try not to hold their clients’ hands through the process. Once the relationships are made and their value has been established with a company, it’s up to the clients to go out and get the job.

“We act more as the stimulation,” Ray said. “We don’t make the actual connection between client and employer. We try to create a reputation and process that people feel comfortable with.”

Brian Elve, director of recovery at Guiding Light, said over the past four years very few businesses have been dissatisfied with Guiding Light hires. For the most part, the feedback is, “Keep sending them,” Elve said. He says that they have built relationships with more than 50 businesses in the Grand Rapids area.

One of the things employers have to keep in mind is that people coming out of successful rehabilitation programs have already committed to a new path.

“Often, those in recovery exit rehab with a reignited sense of purpose,” Krill said. “They perform well at work because they are operating at their full potential.”

Still, a stigma on substance abuse disorders persists in the professional world. If it comes out in a background check that a potential hire is just exiting a recovery program, there is a looming specter of doubt.

But Krill says this is not a productive approach for either party. He says drug and alcohol addiction should be treated like any serious disease.

“With any chronic illness, it can recur,” he said. “Someone can leave chemotherapy and be fine or the cancer could come back. Addiction is a brain disease. It’s unfortunate that that
stigma lingers, as opposed to being addressed.” He also noted that the disease of addiction can manifest itself in many ways outside of drug and alcohol abuse, although those can be the most destructive.

Just like any issue in the workplace, open communication is crucial to having any success. Clearly communicated expectations between employer and employee are a must, Krill says. For instance, how often will an employee be expected to entertain and be around alcohol? Will they have to leave work early one day a week to make a meeting?

“If you go back to work and the employer and employee are working under different assumptions, that’s a recipe for disaster,” Krill said.

It helps when an employer is sensitive to the position of a recovering employee. That includes letting them know they are trusted, don’t have to overcompensate to prove themselves, and that they must prioritize their recovery. It all comes down to having a healthy workplace culture that promotes communication and sensitivity to employee needs.

While there are conflicting figures about which professions have the highest addiction rate, Krill says addiction in lawyers is roughly twice that of the general population—about 18-22 percent of those in the legal industry. But he says those numbers are dated—and experts suspect that number has grown in the 20 years since the last comprehensive study.

Guiding Light, located in Grand Rapids, is a fresh start for many of its clients.

To put those numbers in perspective, SAMHSA data collected between 2002 and 2004 showed that of everyone reported to be suffering from addiction disorders, 17.4 percent were in the food service industry, making it the profession most populated by people with substance abuse disorders.

But numbers can be tricky and it’s important to frequently evaluate them on a large scale, Krill said. That’s why the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation has partnered with the American Bar Association to administer a comprehensive survey to calculate the current addiction rate among legal professionals and piece together the reasons behind the numbers.

Krill said one of the reasons these figures can be inaccurate—and why the economy loses so much in productivity costs every year due to addiction—is that only a small percentage of addicts ever seek help. They keep it to themselves, something Krill chalks up to the stigma around the disease. “Part of the work we do here is tearing down those barriers and making it OK to say, ‘this is a problem.’”

Lawyers aren’t the only white-collar professionals facing a high rate of alcohol and substance abuse.

Robert Curry, founder of Turning Point For Leaders, a high profile intervention and rehab company, told TheFix.com in 2012 that the stereotype of white-collar drug use in popular culture is off the mark.

Forget whiskey and cocaine: many investment bankers are hooked on prescription pain killers, according to Curry. In fact, for those who have been in the financial industry for more than 20 years, such drug use is rampant and often unreported.

“A guy’s in his late 40s or early 50s and he gets knee surgery from a running injury, or he gets tennis elbow or he gets some teeth capped and his doctor gives him Oxycodone. Well, guess what? That feels pretty good and he keeps getting them,’” Curry said.

A 10-year study headed by a University of Southern California researcher chronicled the lives of 24 high-performing MBA graduates. The findings appeared in the Administrative Science Quarterly and detail the subjects’ increasingly destructive behavior related to alcohol and drug abuse over the decade.

That said, no profession is immune to dealing with addiction disorders within the field. How the business community approaches the disease can make a big financial impact, according to experts. To write off someone just because they have a history of substance abuse could be a big mistake.

“These are skilled people, sometimes ex-engineers fallen on hard times. They come with all different skill sets, not just manufacturing,” Linck said. “I interviewed one guy [from Guiding Light] who was way over-qualified for my jobs. They get people from all walks of life.”

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