TechTown News

Randal rolls out red carpet for U.S. snowbirds

Mon, 01 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Detroit migration equals smart economic move

Want to be a rock star entrepreneur?

Sun, 21 Feb 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Apply to SmartStart by March 12.

SBA seeks Detroit small biz owners for second round of e200 initiative

Fri, 19 Feb 2010 00:00:00 -0500

The U.S. Small Business Administration’s Michigan District Office is seeking small business owners for its second round of the Emerging 200 Initiative (e200), an in-depth training program for senior executives.

Last year, 16 Detroit-based small businesses successfully completed the program. Roger Pappas, president of Vulcanmasters Welding Company, was one of the executives who graduated from e200. “As a result of the business skills training acquired through e200 in the areas of marketing, accounting, finance and networking, we’ve obtained several new accounts and expanded our existing accounts,” Pappas said. “Since graduation in November 2009, we have increased our bottom line by 14 percent over the same time period and expect to see additional increases in sales in the future.”

Participation in e200 is free to qualifying businesses. Criteria for participation include having been in business for a minimum of three years, gross annual revenues of at least $400,000, and a location in Detroit's inner city. Participation is limited to 16 businesses.

The six-month training includes approximately 100 hours of classroom time per participant. It focuses on topics such as finance, market development, organization management, strategic planning and growth strategies. CEOs also have an opportunity to connect with their peers, city leaders and the financial community.

“We’re pleased, along with our partners, to offer the second round of Emerging 200 and its MBA-style program to Detroit,” said Richard Temkin, SBA Michigan District Director. “Graduates of the program have increased their revenue, created jobs and helped drive local economic growth in their communities. We hope eligible small businesses will take full advantage of this tremendous opportunity for Detroit-based businesses.”

Organizations co-sponsoring e200 include:

• Detroit Economic Growth Corporation
• Detroit Regional Chamber
• Mayor’s Office of Targeted Business Development
• Michigan Economic Development Corp.
• Michigan Minority Business Development Council
• Michigan Small Business & Technology Development Center
• TechTown

If you are interested in exploring this opportunity, please contact Constance Logan at (313) 226-6075, ext. 279 or constance.logan@sba.gov.

Stout Systems celebrates banner year

Fri, 19 Feb 2010 00:00:00 -0500

What a year 2010 is already shaping up to be for Stout Systems, a TechTown-based software consulting and staffing company.

John W. Stout, company founder and president, said the company is thriving based on momentum started in 2009, a year which opened the door to many new “highest ever” goal achievements, including the highest ever number of customer requests (more than 160) for its consulting and staffing services. Stout also racked up records in increased sales activity with existing and new customers, and welcomed its largest number of staff ever (38), doubling its business development and internal administrative staff to a total of eight people.

“I attribute this success in part to our branding,” said Stout. “We correctly brand ourselves as a technology consulting company fueled by the most powerful technology available: human intelligence. That means we base our solutions on solving the real problems of software development and staffing, which are always people-based, and not strictly on company devotion to any single methodology, technology or vendor.”

The company increased its menu of consulting services by adding business intelligence services. Stout also expanded the reach of its staff with the addition of technical management and customer facing roles. Another key step, said Stout, was the company's entrance into the rapidly growing mobile application market, including its first product offering: an iPhone entertainment application called iSoBusy, created in partnership with an international branding firm.

One other key to the company’s long-term success: “We are very careful in our tracking and use of metrics to record and analyze our sales, marketing, performance and quality,” Stout said. “When new people join our administrative team, they are usually quite surprised at the level of our record-keeping and analysis.”

Stout founded Stout Systems in 1993 and has national clients in such diverse industries as aerospace, manufacturing, education, marketing and entertainment.

Making the Motor City a Maker City

Wed, 24 Feb 2010 00:00:00 -0500

National innovation fair comes to The Henry Ford this summer

TechTown is proud to help promote a new collaboration that is sure to help drive Detroit forward. Through a partnership with Make magazine, The Henry Ford in Dearborn will bring "makers" from across the nation this summer for a two-day event designed to celebrate and spur creativity in people in the areas of science and technology, engineering, food, and arts and culture.

The event, known nationally as Maker Faire, takes place July 31-Aug.1, 2010. Thousands of makers are expected to descend on Detroit.

“At its core, Maker Faire Detroit is about the possibility of what ordinary individuals can do,” Henry Ford President Patricia Mooradian said in a news release earlier this year. "It’s about people being resourceful and innovative.''

About Maker Faire: Maker Faire’s mission is to inspire, inform, connect and entertain thousands of Makers and aspiring Makers of all ages and backgrounds through the public gathering of tech enthusiasts, crafters, educators, tinkers, hobbyists, science clubs, students, authors and commercial exhibitors. Started in San Mateo, Calif. in 2006, Maker Faire will hold its 5th annual festival there on May 22 and 23. As Maker Faire continues to grow in popularity and relevance, it will expand to Detroit and New York City later this year. See www.makerfaire.com for details.

About The Henry Ford: The Henry Ford, in Dearborn, Michigan, is the world’s premiere history destination and a National Historic Landmark that celebrates American history and innovation. Its mission is to provide unique educational experiences based on authentic objects, stories and lives from America’s traditions of ingenuity, resourcefulness and innovation. Its purpose is to inspire people to learn from these traditions to help shape a better future. For more information visit www.thehenryford.org.

Hats off to Clean Emission Fluids

Wed, 24 Feb 2010 00:00:00 -0500

In its March edition, Fortune magazine gave readers a small taste of why Oliver Baer and Clean Emission Fluids (CEF) have become one of TechTown’s top buzz-worthy companies.

“We aren’t waiting on the auto industry to come save us,’’ Baer said of his company, which engineers and markets custom-designed biodiesel blending stations. “We’re going to save ourselves.’’

Around TechTown, Baer’s can-do attitude extends well beyond the aggressive growth goals he’s established for CEF. His faith and willingness to help grow TechTown are just as strong. Baer, if you haven’t heard, was the man behind the very generous and unique donation of beer for TechTown’s February First Friday.

When it appeared that budget constraints might limit TechTown’s ability to serve alcohol, Baer stepped right up, pledging to do whatever he could. The whatever, in this case, turned out be a creative partnership with Wolverine Beer, allowing free drinks to be distributed safely through one of his high-tech, stainless steel blending machines.

TechTown salutes Baer, CEF and Wolverine Beer for the donation, and, more important, for the commitment to help us turn a very important economic page in Detroit.

As Oliver says, “Together we can go places.” How right he is.

If you would like to sponsor TechTown's monthly First Friday networking event, please contact Nichole Christian, director of communications (nichole@techtownwsu.org), or Allison Lumb, marketing coordinator (allison@techtownwsu.org).

FastTrac grad picks up useful tips from SmartStart Logistics

Fri, 19 Feb 2010 00:00:00 -0500

When Geraldine Hooks began mapping out her idea in for a logistics company that would provide transportation services for dialysis patients in Detroit, the last thing on her mind was a business accelerator program.

“I thought I was ready for a startup,” Hooks said. “Then I took a FastTrac class, and that’s when I realized how much work I had to do.”

Hooks’ company is called Happy Hands Transportation; she intends to purchase a vehicle to begin a pick-up and drop-off delivery service first for dialysis patients. Once the company’s taken off, she plans to add service for senior citizens and businesses.

“People don’t have cars like they used to because of the down economy, and dialysis patients need a way to get to their treatment,” Hooks said.

Hooks didn’t believe she needed outside assistance in part because her husband and business partner Dennis Hooks had created a company in 2003. “We’d already been through the startup process, so we didn’t think we needed to plan a lot, but I’m finding out we weren’t really prepared, and that a lot of planning goes into making a company successful,” Hooks said. “Through FastTrac and SmartStart, I’m learning what I really need to get going.”

Before moving to Detroit from South Carolina, Hooks attended Tuskegee Institute University for three years, majoring in nursing. She began her career at Michigan Bell in November 1977 in various clerical positions. She graduated from Wayne State University in 1999 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management. Hooks was later promoted as an IT manager for SBC but in June 2007, AT&T outsourced her IT group to Amdocs, Inc, and in June 2009 her job with Amdocs was outsourced to Pune, India. She was able to retire but had always wanted to start a business. This seemed like the right time.

Hooks attended the FastTrac to the Future conference hosted by TechTown in summer 2009 and there signed up for a FastTrac NewVenture course. She heard about SmartStart during one of her FastTrac classes.

After attending a SmartStart information session at TechTown, it hit her: “It occurred to me that what they were saying about SmartStart applied to me,” Hooks said. “I saw what the program was offering to help me grow my company.”

Hooks joined SmartStart in late 2009 as a part of SmartStart Logistics, a track of the SmartStart business accelerator program dedicated specifically to logistics startups. “I think the one-on-one coaching in SmartStart will help me the most,” Hooks said. “My SmartStart support leader has a ton of information she’s able to provide. I’ve been calling hospitals to sign up as their dialysis vendor. I went online to register with one of them and thought I had to pay a $100 fee. My support leader told me I didn’t need to pay that fee. I investigated. She was right.”

Hooks also believes the SmartStart workshops will be useful. “We’re going to cover creating a business plan, process mapping, project management, setting milestones, market analysis, sales and sales channel strategies, perfecting my elevator pitch, financial basics for managers, competitive analysis and financing,” Hooks said. “These are all things I need help with. I’d already started on my business plan, but this will help me redefine it.”

Because of the guidance she’s receiving from these training programs, this entrepreneur seems happily on the track to delivering quality transportation services.

SmartStart Logistics is accepting applications until April 16; fill out a free program application here. Learn more about the program and the many opportunities for logistics entrepreneurs at the March 22 event titled, “Moving, Packing, Sorting, Stacking: Starting a Logistics and Supply Chain Management Company in Southeast Michigan.”

SmartStart accepts applications from entrepreneurs in many other industries. The next application deadline for non-logistics startups is March 12; fill out the free application here.