A blog by TechTown President and CEO Leslie Smith

I realized the other day, while playing with my six-year old daughter, that life is not nearly as complicated as we “adults” make it. It’s actually quite simple if we let a few basic principles guide our way. Creativity, trust, clarity, honesty and joy: if we would add them to our daily work, they’d make us happier and more efficient. Wouldn’t that be grand?

Be creative

Believe it, and it can be true. While playing with my daughter, I learned that a plastic spoon really can repair the broken leg of your stuffed pet Yorkshire Terrier. Yes, indeed. He was hurt falling from the top bunk, and the plastic spoon, serving as the healing tool, brought him back to wellness.

How does this lesson apply to a startup? Is there a way to solve that nagging product gap or office challenge creatively? Have you looked at it from every angle; have you removed your cynical filter?

Trust one another

All of the friends in my daughter’s circle were welcome to participate in the day’s activities, no matter their shape or size. With or without ears, combed hair or none, dressed in clothes or fur, they were all invited to play and contribute—even the quiet ones. “You’ve been really quiet today, spotted elephant. What do you think of the book we’ve chosen?”

Inherently, people are good. They want what is best for their colleagues and friends; they want to be trusted. Are you taking care of your spotted elephants?

Communicate clearly and honestly

Most amazing to me during our playtime was the candor. No, my daughter wasn’t mean, but she didn’t lie to cover up her real feelings. If she didn’t like something one of her friends (real or imaginary) did, she told them. If she disagreed with them, they knew. If she had an idea, she told them. When she was filled with appreciation for an act of kindness, she hugged them. And at the end, they were still friends.

This is something I rarely see adults do. I hereby commit to do it more.

Have fun

The entire time we were together, we had fun. We laughed, celebrated successes, cheered each other on. It wasn’t forced; it was authentic.

I can’t figure out if we adults learn how to be “more serious” or forget how to have fun. I’m not sure it matters, so long as we realize that by being too serious, we’re not having fun and act to change it.

This week, my daughter taught me to love what I’m doing while I’m doing it. Couldn’t we all do that more in our daily work?

A blog by TechTown President and CEO Leslie Smith

In his inaugural address in 1961, John F. Kennedy asked Americans to “ask not what your country can do for you — ask what you can do for your country.” Coming out of several weeks of meetings in Washington, D.C., I feel compelled to ask the same question of myself and the TechTown team.

How can we best serve our country? First, we must serve our city. By accelerating small business creation and innovation in Detroit, TechTown commits to assist Detroiters in the pursuit of economic independence, which will lead to economic vibrancy in our city. Since the 19^th century, Detroit has been the heart of innovation for our country; a strong Detroit means a strong pulse for the American economy.

And how does TechTown best serve its city? By focusing on its core themes of diversity, place-making, technology and international engagement.

Diversity means we serve all Detroiters by providing access to small business support that addresses their unique needs. The TechTown portfolio is a blend of women, veterans, African Americans, immigrants, baby boomers and Gen Y-ers. Some are serial entrepreneurs; others are taking this journey for the very first time. Our programs are designed to meet them where they are and get them where they’re going.

Through place-making, we help Detroiters create communities. By supporting small businesses that augment a sense of community and create residential density, TechTown helps create a sense of place that Detroiters are proud to call home.

TechTown’s intent is to shine a bright light on Detroit’s ingenuity. To ensure future economic security, we must continue to solve problems with the power of innovative thinking. And with a global economy, what happens in Detroit will be felt around the world. We understand the power and influence of the global economy and work regularly to engage with it.

Rather than look to government and ask, what have you done for me lately, why not ask yourself, what have you done for it?

In her second blog installment, TechTown President and CEO Leslie Smith retraces her steps to Washington, D.C., where she was invited to attend a White House roundtable discussion on job creation in Detroit.

Directions, please

“Excuse me, sir, I need directions to the White House. Can you help me?” said the young, fair-haired girl from the steps of her home near Gratiot and Outer Drive. “You see, I’d like to do whatever I can to create positive change in the world around me, and I have some great ideas for the folks in D.C., if I could just find my way.”

“Well, young lady,” said the older gentleman, ”I have a few suggestions for you. First, work hard in school to earn good grades. Second, be an engaged citizen. Participate in the world around you. Become someone people count on and respect.

“Next, be the first person in your family to make your way through a college degree. Then, work really hard. Be bold. Take risks. Set no limits, only goals. See where life takes you. Say what you mean and mean what you say. Follow through. Be faithful and creative. Learn from every decision, the good ones and the bad. Be grateful for everyone you meet along the way. They will all give you something.

“If you do these things, you’ll find your way to the White House.”

Security Gates

“Photo ID, please.”

“Here it is.”

“Mrs. Smith, what brings you here today?”

“Well, I’m here to talk about reimagining Detroit. To set the stage for an innovative, engaged, economically vibrant city, like the one my grandfather spoke of so many years ago. I’m here to ask for support from our government to pave the path for small company creation in Detroit. I’m here to suggest funding streams which make their way into the hands of entrepreneurs as and when they need them. I’m here to find ways for Detroit’s small businesses to get more government contracts and learn how we can better support returning veterans as they transition back into new realities at home. 

“I’m here because I set out to come here 40 years ago and finally found my way. I’m here to celebrate my voice and my freedom and my commitment to this glorious democracy in spite of its imperfection.” 

“Oh. Okay, that way, please. Just head up those stairs through the big, heavy doors. They’re waiting for you.”

A Round “Table”

“Hello. Here for the roundtable? Yes, come this way. You see, we’ve had more people than we expected today, so there’s no room for a roundtable. Instead, let’s sit in a large cluster and contemplate the future of Detroit and how each of us can play a role in its resurgence and restoration to greatness.

“Over the next five hours, we’ll find out there’s good news and bad. We’re on the upswing, but our work is not over. We have to keep churning out thriving small businesses to recover fully. We need public transit that works; we need banks lending money and small businesses winning more government and private contracts.

“We need to continue to find ways to engage our underserved fellow Americans and create programming to build confident, independent, economically empowered citizens. We need more innovation and less red tape, a better trained workforce and more opportunities where they can deploy their skills.

“What we need are qualified, passionate partners to move an agenda of diversity, empowerment and independence. That’s why you’re all here.

“What do you say, Mrs. Smith?” 

“As for me and the family at TechTown, you can count us in.” 

Oh, and thank you, Grandpa, for helping me find my way to the White House. I think things are going to work out just fine.

In her first blog as TechTown President and CEO, Leslie Smith writes from Washington, D.C., where she was invited to attend a Living Cities consortium on small business as an engine of economic growth.

Halftime

Here I sit in the Hotel Palomar overlooking the Georgetown district, thinking about being an American.  Thinking about being a Detroiter.  Thinking about serving small business creation in our great city.  Thinking about halftime.

It is said that small businesses play a pivotal role in a local economy, and increase personal income and wealth.  It is said that small businesses define the identity of a neighborhood by serving its uniqueness and developing its own sense of place.  And it is said that small businesses employ half of the private sector workforce and are the source of nearly all new job creation.

Since 2009, TechTown has been helping Detroiters create their own new personal economy by supporting hundreds of small businesses; by charting a course through the uneven terrain of entrepreneurship, awakening a lost innovative spirit and core grit that led us to greatness.

Why do the folks in D.C. care about this?  What value do we add to a national dialogue? Why do we have to fly 90 minutes to tell them what we know? Because they just got through the coin toss.  Their game has only just begun.

But friends, in Detroit, we are in our halftime huddle.  We’re in the locker room making adjustments.  We’ve seen what the other team is bringing, and we know how to defend it.  Our offense has studied the competition and is ready to lead us to victory.

You see, while everyone else has been focused on sexy pre-game glitz, we’ve been focused on playing the first half.  We’ve focused on building a victory—one play at a time, one company at a time.

Coffee shops and medical device companies, hair salons and disruptive catalyst technologies; movie production companies and homeland security defense sensors. A diverse team of women, young adults, immigrants, minorities and baby boomers.  They make up our team, and they will lead us to victory, creating new economic realities for themselves and their families, paying taxes in our city to provide essential public services, and attracting new talent to a vibrant, unique game.

We understand that it takes a team to turn around a city, a committed team of folks working hard to create opportunity for themselves where it otherwise may not exist. We understand what it takes to defy the odds, and we don’t feel bad about it.  We don’t want sympathy for it.  We’re here in D.C. because we hope the rest of the nation just may learn from it.

Let us help you make adjustments to your game.  We’ve learned so much along the way.