Small Business Workshop 5/19 Video Overview

This particular event highlighted services from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) and featured a a “Fireside Chat” with Tony Stovall, Co-Owner, Hot Sam’s, which is celebrating its 100th year in business. Check it out!

Small Business Workshop 5/12 Video Recap

This workshop session featured outstanding speakers discussing “Re-emerging from the Abyss” and how they’ve navigated change on their journey to success. Attendees heard from Pamela Dover, Comcast Business, Tammy Hawkins, Comcast RISE tech makeover recipient, Tammy Hawkins, and William F. Pickard, Ph.D. ICYMI: To view in its entirety, please click on the following link:

2021 Small Business Workshop Kick Off Video

The Small Business Workshop Virtual Series kicked off on May 5 with an overview of the economy while looking ahead to the post COVID economic outlook. Discussions also centered around what small businesses need to be focused on now as we continue to “Re-emerge from the Abyss”. To view the opening session, please click on…

Neighborhood Investment for Sustainability

Northwest Detroit is a thriving part of the city and is a staple in the Motor City.  It’s home to beautiful homes, longstanding residents and many small businesses.  It’s also home to the famed “Avenue of Fashion”, Livernois. City resources and plans have been targeted, developed and implemented across many of the city’s neighborhoods, including…

Balancing the Playing Field

As companies talk about diversity, equity and inclusion, three recent incidents demonstrate there’s still a wide gap between words and actions. I recently received an email from a company expressing its commitment to diversity.  It highlighted the value and importance of recruiting people with diverse backgrounds, why it’s important to their organization and ultimately, its business.Upon…

What Will it Take?

It was recently noted that a major company headquartered in Detroit hired forty-two marketing summer interns, and boasted these hires in a group picture as shared on social media by one of its leaders.  While it’s great that these students will gain real-life experiences in their field of study and interest, there was a blatant…

Making Tough Businesses Choices During COVID-19

While the city and state are entering in Phase 5 of its reopening, it’s not a secret one of the unfortunate side-effects of COVID-19 is the negative impact on the economy – especially small businesses. According to published reports, 100,000 small business permanently closed in the eight weeks beginning in mid-March. Many businesses have been…

Small Business Workshop Virtual Series Announced

Small Business Workshop Becomes Free Online Series Sixth Annual Event Returns to Detroit as a Series June 17th A new study by economists at the University of Illinois, Harvard  Business School, Harvard  University and the University of Chicago projects that more than 100,000 small businesses have permanently closed since the coronavirus pandemic was declared in March, the Washington…

Navigating the Headwinds of Crisis

By Mark S. Lee and David Girodat The COVID-19 crisis has created both health and financial challenges for many families and businesses. Unlike past economic downturns, the tumult occurred abruptly, bringing hardship to many industries simultaneously. For example, recent reports indicate 100,000 small business have permanently closed since the pandemic hit in March while others…