Entrepreneurship : Innovation & Job News

A Madison Heights-based start-up believes it has a new way to harness large amounts of new capital for the non-profit world.

TerraYebo's MyInchofTheEarth.com is a micro-funding site for nonprofits that enables users to claim any virtual inch of the earth or ocean, share why that place is important, and choose a nonprofit that either supports the preservation of that place or a nonprofit that does good in the world. The idea is to let people's life experiences at different institutions (such as their alma mater) or places (a national park) prompt them to give small amounts to non-profits that fund them.

"Our philosophy is a little bit of money from a lot of people can change the direction of the world," says Dan Glisky, president of TerraYebo. "It allows a user to own their own experience and it inspires people to give. When organizers send mail it doesn't really inspire people to give."

Organizations that have already signed up for MyInchofTheEarth.com as a fundraising platform include The National Park Foundation, CURE International, VH1 Save the Music, Veterans of Foreign War Foundation and The Pink Fund.

"We're solving a major issue for a lot of non-profits in how they get funded," Glisky says. He adds that TerraYebo's platform is "going to allow non-profits to get sustainable funding."

The 3-year-old company has recently doubled its staff to four people, including adding Glisky to its executive team. Previously he served as the CEO and co-founder of Digital 10 Media, a digital-out-of-home media company. Glisky will oversee the national rollout of MyInchofTheEarth.com, which is currently going through a soft launch.

Source: Dan Glisky, president of TerraYebo
Writer: Jon Zemke

Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

Axis CrossMedia knows that once it grows comfortable in its space, it will soon become uncomfortable whether it likes it or not.

The Troy-based creative agency has continued to grow in recent years by working to stay ahead of the technology curve.

"Constant reinvention. Constant keeping up with market demand and being able to assimilate with new technologies," says Lee Kirchner, principal & creative director of Axis CrossMedia. "There isn't a lot we don't do in house."

The 14-year-old company started out by providing creative services for print media. That evolved into web development and then mobile. It also keeps its creative chops sharp. Today the only thing the company doesn't do is print production.

Axis CrossMedia recently hired an art director/designer, a move that expanded its staff to 10 people.

Source: Lee Kirchner, principal & creative director of Axis CrossMedia
Writer: Jon Zemke

Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

Business owners and entrepreneurs who need assistance are encouraged to attend seminars offered by the Oakland County Business Center. Unless otherwise noted, all programs take place at the Oakland County Executive Office Building Conference Center, 2100 Pontiac Lake Road, west of Telegraph in Waterford. For pre-registration and location map, visit www.AdvantageOakland.com/expand or call 248-858-0783. 

Walk-In Start-Up Thursdays Free Business Counseling
July 11, 18 and 25: 9:30 a.m. to noon and 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. 
Entrepreneurs who want to start a business but do not know where to begin can receive confidential, one-on-one advice from an experienced business counselor in a supportive atmosphere with no appointment necessary. Counselors will provide direct answers to start-up questions, suggest next steps and provide guidance on business planning tools. Sessions will be available on a first come, first served basis.
Fee: No charge, no appointment necessary.

Business Research - Feasibility to Expansion
July 10, 9 a.m. to noon
Thinking of starting a business and want to research your business idea? Do you want to identify market trends and opportunities to grow your sales? Are you looking for new customers or to diversify your market base? Business Research shows you ways to find your ideal customers, your competitors, perform competitive analysis and more. Presented by Oakland County Market Research and an Oakland County Public Library business reference librarian.
Fee: This workshop is free, but pre-registration is required.

CEED Microloan Orientation
July 17, 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.
Many small businesses face obstacles when trying to obtain a business loan. The recognition of the serious need for working capital for existing businesses, start-up or expansion, equipment purchases, and job creation is not the priority it once was. If you have a need for alternative financing consider the microloan program. Discover the requirements and process necessary to apply and obtain a microloan.
Fee: This workshop is free, but pre-registration is required.

Writing a Business Plan
July 17, 9 a.m. to noon
Designed for individuals who want to increase their chances for successful self-employment, the course covers business planning in detail. Specifics of marketing and finance, legal and regulatory issues, operations, and information based planning and management are key components of the workshop. The first steps for creating a business plan draft will be included along with a demonstration of the MI-SBTDC online business plan tool.
Fee: $40 per person

Legal & Financial Basics for Small Business
July 30, 9 a.m. to noon
This workshop provides new and existing Michigan entrepreneurs an understanding of the key legal and financial considerations when starting and operating a business in Michigan. The program addresses how to select the best legal entity for your business, how to protect your business interests when dealing with customers, suppliers or independent contractors and important information and guidelines for establishing short- and long-term succession plans.
Fee: This workshop is free, but pre-registration is required.
 
August 2013
 7: Marketing Your Business
 8: Business Research - Feasibility to Expansion
 8: Team SBA Financing Roundtables
14: CEED Microloan Orientation
14: Starting a Business
15: Financial Management Basics
21: Writing a Business Plan
22: Health Care Reform and Small Business

September 2013
11: Business Research - Feasibility to Expansion
11: CEED Microloan Orientation
18: WBE Certification Orientation
25: Health Care Reform and Small Business 
25: Quickbooks® Essentials, Parts 1 and 2
26: Writing a Business Plan

Biznet Internet Solutions is pleased to announce their new custom mobile application platform dedicated to healthcare professionals - DocApps.
 
Looking to help healthcare professionals gain footing and a technological edge on their competitors, Biznet created the DocApps platform. The application for smartphones allows professionals in the healthcare industry such as dentists, chiropractors, optometrists, veterinarians and more the opportunity to create a truly customizable Android and iOS compatible mobile application that can help improve existing customer relationships while also gaining exposure to potential clients.
 
“We are very excited to offer a fully customizable mobile application for healthcare industry professionals that allow them the ability to proactively engage service and interact with their patients and clients.” Kevin Krason, CEO of Biznet Internet Solutions said. “With smartphone and tablet ownership and usage increasing exponentially right now, we found that healthcare professionals were truly lacking a custom mobile application for their own use, and this is why we created DocApps.”
 
The application’s features offer one-click calling, mobile appointment requests, news, and more.  Doctors can also push urgent messages to users as desired.  “The application improves doctor-patient communication and relationships while increasing awareness and automating processes, resulting in better care and lower costs,” said Kevin.  The application will be most attractive to healthcare professionals looking to improve upon their existing marketing strategies and techniques, as well as giving them the opportunity to be leaders in the mobile marketing healthcare industry.
 
About Biznet Internet Solutions
Based in Southfield, Mich., Biznet Internet Solutions is an ROI-focused, full service web and mobile solutions company. Core offerings include creation of business and mobile websites and applications, advertising agency support and Internet marketing, including search and social media marketing.  For more information, visit http://www.biznetis.net.
                              
About DocApps
A truly unique mobile app for healthcare professionals, DocApps is a customizable mobile app platform for healthcare professionals. Based on the rising usage of mobile technology, the DocApps platform creates a mobile application that is both Android and iOS friendly, and is intended to be both friendly and easy to use for both the health care professional and their patients and customers. For more information, visit docapps.mobi.

Business owners and entrepreneurs who need assistance are encouraged to attend seminars offered by the Oakland County Business Center. Unless otherwise noted, all programs take place at the Oakland County Executive Office Building Conference Center, 2100 Pontiac Lake Road, west of Telegraph in Waterford. For pre-registration and location map, visit www.AdvantageOakland.com/expand or call 248-858-0783.
 
Marketing Your Business
June 5, 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
The course presents practical applications of marketing concepts designed to help small businesses grow. It covers basic marketing tools including market analysis and research, target marketing, assessing competitors, and key marketing implementation tools. A strategic, well planned approach to marketing is demonstrated with several examples of effective hands-on marketing techniques.
Fee: $40 per person
 
Financial Management
June 6, 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
As an introductory seminar, the course covers the basics of financial management, including how to start an accounting system and how to apply the information from key financial statements to help you manage your business. Accounting language including debits and credits, preparation of the balance sheet and profit & loss statement are explained. Cash flow analysis and breakeven are also covered with specific small business examples.
Fee: $40 per person

Business Research - Feasibility to Expansion
June 6, 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Thinking of starting a business and want to research your business idea? Do you want to identify market trends and opportunities to grow your sales? Are you looking for new customers or to diversify your market base? Business Research shows you ways to find your ideal customers, your competitors, perform competitive analysis and more. Presented by Oakland County Market Research and an Oakland County Public Library business reference librarian.
Fee: This workshop is free, but pre-registration is required.
 
Venture Plan | 10 Week Series
June 11 to August 20, 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
No class July 2
Your application must be submitted and approved prior to registration.
Venture Plan is an intensive 10-week program that helps evaluate business opportunities and develop an action plan for owning or growing a business. This program offers essential business information to help develop entrepreneurial skills and build your business on a strong foundation or help to prepare for expansion. The program utilizes text and online training materials from a nationally recognized program proven through use with thousands of businesses.
Fee: $140 per participant. Thanks to sponsor support, the cost is reduced from $700.
 
CEED Microloan Orientation
June 12, 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
Many small businesses face obstacles when trying to obtain a business loan. The recognition of the serious need for working capital for existing businesses, start-up or expansion, equipment purchases, and job creation is not the priority it once was. If you have a need for alternative financing consider the Microloan Program. Discover the requirements and process necessary to apply and obtain a microloan.
Fee: This workshop is free, but pre-registration is required.
 
Facebook for Business (Beginner)
June 12, 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Introduction to Social Media Marketing and using Facebook for Business. Millions of people are using Facebook and social media for fun, but it is also a powerful business tool that can connect you with your customers, potential customers and the world. Before you jump in and start using social media, learn how to get these results with an introduction to social media marketing and Facebook for business.
Fee: $40 per person

Starting a Business
June 13, 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
An introductory session delivered in a workshop format, the course helps aspiring entrepreneurs assess their abilities to lead and manage a company, as well as evaluate market and sales potential for their products. The basics of business ownership are introduced, along with resources available to help launch new ventures in Michigan.
Fee: $30 per person.
 
Quickbooks Essentials (Parts 1 and 2)
June 13, 9:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and June 13, 12:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
This introduction to small business financial management provides an overview of accurate record keeping and report interpretation and utilization.
Part 1 will cover basic accounting terminology, new company file setup, customizing forms and letters, and working with bank accounts.
Part 2 will cover invoicing customers, receiving payments & making deposits, entering & paying vendor bills, and more.
Cost: Attend both sessions for $75 per person or attend one session for $40 per person.
 
Facebook for Business (Intermediate)
June 19, 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Create your Facebook Strategy. In this Intermediate session of Facebook for Business you will establish your social media objectives and goals for Facebook. You will learn core strategies and tactics businesses are using to get customers talking on Facebook, how to use social media management tools for Facebook, how to schedule posts in advance, and more. Prerequisite: Facebook for Business (Beginner)
Fee: $40 per person
 
Health Care Reform and Small Business
June 20, 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Learn about health care reform legislation and how it will affect all business owners. The workshop will cover tax penalties, small business credits, small business wellness program grants (small and large wellness program grants), full time employee status compliance and all health care reform changes that will be implemented next year. We will also cover the health care exchanges, how to talk to your employees, the individual mandate, and what this all means for you as a business or as an individual. Who should attend - any business owner (large or small) or human resources director.
Fee: This workshop is free, but pre-registration is required.

Writing a Business Plan
June 20, 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Designed for individuals who want to increase their chances for successful self-employment, the course, covers business planning in detail. Specifics of marketing and finance, legal and regulatory issues, operations, and information based planning and management are key components of the workshop. The first steps for creating a business plan draft will be included along with a demonstration of the MI-SBTDC online business plan tool.
Fee: $40 per person
 
Facebook for Business (Advanced)
June 26, 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Create and Launch your Facebook Campaign. In this Advanced session of Facebook for Business you will establish objectives and goals for a Facebook campaign, and create and Launch a Facebook campaign. Explore ways to take Facebook beyond social media marketing, learn how to run effective Facebook promotions and/or sweepstakes that meets Facebook’s rules and guidelines, and much more!
Prerequisites: Facebook for Business (Beginner) and Facebook for Business (Intermediate)
Fee: $40 per person
 
Future Workshops
 
July 2013
10:   Business Research - Feasibility to Expansion
17:   CEED Microloan Orientation
17:   Writing a Business Plan
30:   Legal & Financial Basics for Small Business
 
August 2013
  7:    Marketing Your Business
  8:    Business Research - Feasibility to Expansion
  8:    Team SBA Financing Roundtables
14:   CEED Microloan Orientation
14:   Starting a Business
21:   Writing a Business Plan

The challenge for Wellco these days isn't convincing companies to adopt a health-and-wellness program. It's making the ones that exist work. That makes the Royal Oak-based business more a fixer of these programs instead of an establisher of them.

"The three biggest pitfalls include a lack of employees participating, a lack of leadership support and a lack of return on investment," says Scott Foster, president of Wellco.  "Wellco achieves all three of them."

The 17-year-old business sells software and programs it has developed that allows companies to document and track the health of their employees. That has allowed it to grow to 16 employees and the occasional intern. It has hired two people over the last year and plans to add another five employees over the next 12 months.

Driving this growth is acceptance and employment of health-and-wellness programs to help lower the overall bottom line by trimming health-care costs and improving productivity. The institutions of things like Obamacare have helped make them more popular in recent years.

Wellco has watched its revenue jump by 30 percent over the last year. Foster says a majority of that business is from companies that are looking to maximize near-dormant health-and-wellness program to help improve their overall profit margins.

"We're finding a tremendous need from employers to provide dependable results," Foster says.

Source: Scott Foster, president of Wellco
Writer: Jon Zemke

Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

Metro Detroit made quite the impression on Lawrence James when he worked in the region more than a few years ago. The United Kingdom expatriate referenced that experience when he convinced his current company, The Frameworks, to set up shop in Metro Detroit.

"I found Michigan to be a really great place," says James, senior partner with The Frameworks. "The people are amazing. The economy goes up and down but there is a solid infrastructure in place."

Of course there were some good business reasons for making the decision, too. James' partner wanted to set up the global branding firm's North American headquarters in either Chicago, San Francisco or New York City. James made the argument about why expanding in Metro Detroit made better business sense.

"There are great people here. That's talent," James says. "The cost of entry is affordable and the people here are warm and welcoming."

That decision was made in 2010 and the London-based firm set up shop in Troy. It now employs a dozen full-time employees, three part-timers and an intern after making six hires over the last year.

That staff now services some big client names, such as IBM, Bloomberg and Toshiba Americas. IBM has expanded its business with The Frameworks, which now works with the multi-national corporation's safety and technology groups.

Source: Lawrence James, senior partner with The Frameworks
Writer: Jon Zemke

Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

Rob Battaglia wasn't inspired to start his own company because he lost his job in the recession or to realize a lifelong dream of owning a business. He started We Teach 24 years ago because he worked for a computer company and saw them giving away the training, which he considered the real business opportunity.

"I decided to start my own company," Battaglia says. "That has grown to training and training support and sales. It then grew into a Dell partnership and now we're an HP partner."

The Holly-based business started out as a computer training company in 1989. It has moved into IT support, desktop support and software sales to small- and medium-sized customers on top of its normal training services.

We Teach has been Battaglia's full-time gig for more than two decades. It not only provides him with a job but steady work for four independent contractors. Battaglia prefers to keep his business small and nimble by employing contractors, which gives both them and his business flexibility to do the work the best way they can see fit.

"I can find best in class," Battaglia says. "I want to find the best trainers I can find. I am very picky about who I put in a classroom."

Source: Rob Battaglia, owner of We Teach
Writer: Jon Zemke

Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

Genisys Credit Union is riding high on some sizable growth numbers. The Auburn Hills-based financial institution has watched its membership, loan growth and employee base jump in the last year.

Membership for the credit union is up 7 percent, reaching a total of 138,000 members in Metro Detroit. That has allowed the credit union to hire about a dozen people, rounding out its staff to nearly 350 people. Its loan growth is also up several percentage points and is on track to be up between 10 and 11 percent in 2013.

"That's one of our best years ever," says Jackie Buchanan, president & CEO of Genisys Credit Union.

Genisys Credit Union got its start in 1936 as the credit union for workers of General Motors Truck & Coach and Burroughs Corp. It merged with three other credit unions five years ago to create Genisys Credit Union.

Since then the company has focused on growing its membership (credit unions are member-owned) by focusing on customer service. It doesn't try to push certain products on its members, instead focusing on finding ways to save them money in financial transactions. It has also been building out its technology to make banking easier for its membership.

"We have some really good technology," Buchanan says. "We have a really robust online platform and our mobile banking platform. We're adding to that all the time."

Source: Jackie Buchanan, president & CEO of Genisys Credit Union
Writer: Jon Zemke

Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

The challenge for Wellco these days isn't convincing companies to adopt a health-and-wellness program. It's making the ones that exist work. That makes the Royal Oak-based business more a fixer of these programs instead of an establisher of them.

"The three biggest pitfalls include a lack of employees participating, a lack of leadership support and a lack of return on investment," says Scott Foster, president of Wellco.  "Wellco achieves all three of them."

The 17-year-old business sells software and programs it has developed that allows companies to document and track the health of their employees. That has allowed it to grow to 16 employees and the occasional intern. It has hired two people over the last year and plans to add another five employees over the next 12 months.

Driving this growth is acceptance and employment of health-and-wellness programs to help lower the overall bottom line by trimming health-care costs and improving productivity. The institutions of things like Obamacare have helped make them more popular in recent years.

Wellco has watched its revenue jump by 30 percent over the last year. Foster says a majority of that business is from companies that are looking to maximize near-dormant health-and-wellness program to help improve their overall profit margins.

"We're finding a tremendous need from employers to provide dependable results," Foster says.

Source: Scott Foster, president of Wellco
Writer: Jon Zemke

Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

A couple of buzzwords are driving growth for RazorThreat: "insider threat."

The downtown Pontiac-based IT security firm has found the biggest need from its customers comes from combating and preventing insider threats. RazorThreat defines insider threats as credentialed employees that have gone rogue or malware that have invaded a company's network and are propagating unnoticed inside it.

"It's really now about the insider threat, whether it comes from a nation state or a rogue employee," says Greg Guidice, president & CEO of RazorThreat. "It's about protecting your high-value assets."

Guidice declines to specifically say how much the company has grown or how many hires it has made. He did say that it has grown its revenue significantly in 2012 and expects to do so again this year. The company has made a couple of new hires, expanding its staff to six employees and three interns.

He adds that there isn't a trend of specific sectors of business that is driving the demand to combat insider threats. Rather, it's businesses and organizations from across the digital spectrum.

"It's really across the board," Guidice says. "It's from the federal government to small-and medium-size businesses. Everyone has intellectual capital."

Source: Greg Guidice, president & CEO of RazorThreat
Writer: Jon Zemke

Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

Budding entrepreneurs whose business will be headquartered in Oakland County are invited to attend the new, free Walk-In Business Counseling Service beginning May 9 in the Oakland County One Stop Shop Business Center.
 
During Walk-In Start-Up Thursdays, entrepreneurs who want to start a business but do not know where to begin can receive confidential, one-on-one advice from an experienced business counselor in a supportive atmosphere with no appointment necessary. Counselors will provide direct answers to start-up questions, suggest next steps and provide guidance on business planning tools.
 
“Our One Stop Shop Business Center was designed to assist entrepreneurs who needed guidance getting their business to the next step,” Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson said. “Now we’re expanding our services to include those entrepreneurs who are just beginning and have questions about getting their business off the ground.”
 
The first walk-in counseling day is set for May 9 from 9:30 a.m. to noon and again from 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Sessions will be available on a first come, first served basis; no appointment is necessary. Initial counseling sessions are limited to 15 minutes.
 
“We usually operate on an appointment-only basis but many entrepreneurs walk into our One Stop Shop with questions on how to get started with their business idea,” said Greg Doyle, One Stop Shop Business Center supervisor. “By designating special walk-in days, we hope to reach more entrepreneurs and help them understand their next steps as well as present the resources we can make available to them. Our aim is to get them started quickly in a way that makes the most sense to their unique situation.”
 
All sessions will be held at the Oakland County Executive Office Building, One Stop Shop Business Center, 2100 Pontiac Lake Road, Building 41W, in Waterford. The center is located on the first floor.
 
For more information, contact the One Stop Shop Business Center at 248-858-0783 or visit AdvantageOakland.com/expand.

Red Point Engineering made the move from Silicon Valley to Metro Detroit last year to take advantage of the region's talent pool and depth of resources in the automotive sector.

The nearly 10-year-old company specializes in advanced electric vehicle technologies and electric drivetrain development and integration. It choose to move to Auburn Hills because of the municipality's proximity to automotive suppliers and I-75.

"It (the city of Auburn Hills) has been very friendly and helpful to us so we can get started," says Monica Kedzierski, business development director of Red Point Engineering.

Kedzierski declined to publicly disclose the size of Red Point Engineering's workforce because of competition concerns, but did note that it has been growing since landing in Metro Detroit. It is constantly on the lookout for engineers in the software, electrical and powertrain fields.

"We're going to need to expand," Kedzierski says. "We will need a larger building to fulfill our customer requirements and scale the business."

Source: Monica Kedzierski, business development director of Red Point Engineering
Writer: Jon Zemke

Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

Allison & Taylor is one of those intriguing companies to watch if you want some clues about what direction the economy is heading.

The Rochester-based firm checks the references for corporations and individuals. For instance, Allison & Taylor will check the past work references of people looking to land a new job. Since the recession hit a few years ago, it has been handling work for the newly unemployed.

Today it's a combination of that workset and people who are employed and looking to climb the next rung of the career ladder. Those people are often the types who have been employed at the same job during the recession and looking to make the next step up, or to pay their bills took a job for which they were overqualified.

"Many of these people are looking for jobs that are more in their skill set," says Jeff Shane, executive vice president of Allison & Taylor.

Another growing part of the company is its cease-and-desist letter service. If Allison & Taylor finds that a former employer is giving a subpar reference, its attorney will send a letter asking that person to stop making the recommendation or face legal action.

"The cease-and-desist letter service demand has been strong in the last two to three years," Shane says.

Source: Jeff Shane, executive vice president of Allison & Taylor
Writer: Jon Zemke

Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

Promoshop is expanding its presence in Metro Detroit and Windsor with new hires on both sides of the Detroit River.

The Los Angeles-based company specializes in merchandising and marketing services for small and large businesses. It opened its office in Royal Oak five years ago and has grown it to five people after making three hires over the last year. It is also looking for an intern. Its Windsor office also stands at five people.

"We're in pretty strong growth phases, not only in this area but across the country," says Jennifer Lindsey Cooper, account manager for Promoshop.

Promoshop has some well-known local name brands on its client list, including the likes of Chrysler and Faygo. Lindsey Cooper expects that sort of local representation to continue to expand in 2013 as customers look to leverage the firm's expertise and other assets.

"We're also a minority-owned company," Lindsey Cooper says. "There has been a lot of strong growth in that area, too."

Source: Jennifer Lindsey Cooper, account manager for Promoshop
Writer: Jon Zemke

Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.