Our roundup of the latest news from metro Detroit and Michigan businesses as well as announcements from government agencies. To share a business or nonprofit story, please send us a message.
BasBlue in Detroit Selects 10 Local Entrepreneurs for Zero-to-One Fellowship
BasBlue, a Detroit-based nonprofit creating pathways and opening doors for women and non-binary individuals in Detroit, announced the 10 small business owners and entrepreneurs who have been selected to participate in the upcoming Zero-to-One Entrepreneurial Fellowship.
In Michigan — where women own 43 percent of businesses — women of color start businesses at the same rate as their white counterparts, yet the early survival rate and average profitability are significantly less. The Zero-to-One Fellowship aims to level the playing field by supporting women and non-binary entrepreneurs in building, launching, and scaling new businesses.
Selected participants undergo a six-month program consisting of business workshops, coaching, mentorship, networking opportunities, and financial support to help fellows create a clear roadmap to success.
“The Zero-to-One Entrepreneurial Fellowship aims to meet the increasing demand for assistance among women and non-binary entrepreneurs who are looking to launch their businesses,” says Nancy Tellem, co-founder of BasBlue. “Providing crucial support is essential, especially considering the challenges many small businesses face in their initial year. After the success of our first Zero-to-One cohort, we’ve gained significant community interest. Thanks to our generous partners and benefactors, we’re excited to announce the program’s expansion, doubling the number of fellows from last year.”
Fellows for the upcoming Zero-to-One Fellowship include:
- Samantha Barash, The Practice Collective
- Angela Chi, Chi Fan Le
- Sarah Dalley, Bonding Over Books
- Ambirr Momon, All Things Amb
- Yvonne “Heaven” Montero, HIM
- Nikoji Smith, The Classy Lady
- I’Sha Schultz-Spradlin, Black Moon Bathhouse and Apothecary
- Renee Sorgi, The Real Renee
- Jena Brooker, JB’s Ice Pops
- Marquita Richardson, Sweet Paws Creamery
Subject matter expert curriculum covers topics like business development, effective storytelling and pitching, marketing and brand awareness, as well as leadership, team building, and talent management. Each fellow is awarded an annual BasBlue membership, a grant from The BasBlue Foundation, and receives one-to-one mentorship by a member of the BasBlue community for the duration of the program.
For more information, visit here.
GetBigReward$ Returns Nearly $3.35M to Community Choice CU Members in 2023
In one year, members of the Redford Township-based Community Choice Credit Union earned $3,347,100 in cash rewards through its GetBigReward$ program.
Revamped in 2023, GetBigReward$ provides cash rewards to members for doing daily business like receiving direct deposits and using their Community Choice Mastercard or debit cards or using loan products.
Since its original launch in 2013, GetBigReward$ has paid out approximately $28 million to members through fee reimbursements, savings credits, and loan interest rebates. GetBigReward$ was updated in 2023 to simplify the ways members earn rewards, by requiring just three qualifiers.
This change provides equal access for members regardless of their account size. According to the credit union, all members have the opportunity to earn up to $144 annually ($12 monthly) in share credits plus additional opportunities in loan rebates.
Of the nearly $3.35 million in rewards credits in 2023, more than $2.8 million came from monthly credits and nearly $527,000 came from interest rebates.
For more information, visit communitychoice.com.
Zekelman Holocaust Center in Farmington Hills Unveils Results of $31M Renovation
The Zekelman Holocaust Center at 28123 Orchard Lake Road in Farmington Hills will unveil the results of the $31 million renovation of its core exhibit Jan. 28, the day after International Holocaust Remembrance Day.
The center began its renovation in May 2023, and has undergone a “comprehensive transformation,” displaying a commitment to preserving the legacy of Holocaust victims and survivors. The new exhibit, a collaboration with the Ralph Appelbaum Associates (RAA) design firm, brings a fresh perspective by centering the voices of those who experienced the Holocaust and highlighting survivors who made Michigan their home after World War II.
The new exhibit forgoes a traditional teaching approach in favor of Holocaust victim and survivor voices, making use of archival footage, images, and artifacts, as well as interactive video of survivor testimony to place the voices of those impacted by the Holocaust as its focus.
“Memorializing the 6 million is the foundation of all of our activities,” says Eli Mayerfeld, CEO of the Holocaust Center. “The greatest differentiating factor between the original and the new exhibit is the centering of the voices of those who experienced the Holocaust.
“Throughout the exhibit, visitors will hear the personal stories of those who survived the Holocaust and rebuilt their lives in Michigan after the war. By localizing the history from the perspective of those who lived it, rather than those who perpetrated it, we are showing that the Holocaust did not happen so long ago or so far away.”
The decision to undertake this extensive renovation stems from the center’s recognition of the urgency to ensure the stories and experiences of Holocaust survivors remain accessible to future generations. As the population of survivors diminishes, center says it’s acutely aware of the need to adapt its exhibits to meet the evolving needs of present and future visitors.
Visitors familiar with the former iteration of the core exhibit will encounter new spaces shaped by the philosophy and mission of the redesign.
“The area that used to be the Abyss is now called People and Possessions,” says Mark Mulder, director of curatorial affairs at the Holocaust Center. “It features artifacts that represent the several types of loss people experienced at the hands of the Nazis. For example, there are wedding rings found by U.S. soldiers in Dachau.
“We use the objects, along with archival footage from before and after the Holocaust, to help our visitors understand that people lost their material items, but they also lost their partners, families, and communities.”
For more information, visit holocaustcenter.org.
Brighton’s Lake Trust Foundation Accepting Applications for Five Scholarships
The Lake Trust Foundation in Brighton is accepting applications for two opportunities — the New Beginnings Scholarship and Michigan Impact Scholarship.
“At Lake Trust, we know education is a critical component to fostering financial wellbeing for individuals and communities,” says Amanda Huszti-Vickers, executive director of the Lake Trust Foundation. “For the past decade, Lake Trust’s scholarship program has supported numerous Michiganders in their educational and professional journey. In 2024, we will award another five life-changing scholarships that provide the opportunity for individuals to pursue their passions, support positive change in their communities and drive success in their local economy.”
To be considered for a New Beginnings Scholarship, applicants must be pursuing a career technical education program or trade school, or be enrolled and majoring in a technical field at a Michigan college or university within the 2024 calendar year. Scholarships worth up to $7,500 will be awarded to four applicants and can be used to pay for tuition costs, trade equipment, professional dues, and certifications.
The Michigan Impact Scholarship, created in partnership with Cleary University, was established to provide a tuition-free educational opportunity to Michigan residents. In 2024, The Lake Trust Foundation will award one full-tuition scholarship to a student beginning their undergraduate or postgraduate degree at Cleary University — online or at any campus location — in Fall 2024. Applicants enrolling in programs that help meet the state’s high-demand careers through 2030 will be given special consideration.
Applications for the New Beginnings and Michigan Impact scholarships are open now through March 10. Visit here to apply.
Michigan’s Individual Income Tax Filing Season Officially Begins Jan. 29
The Michigan Department of Treasury announced Jan. 29 will be the official start date of the 2024 tax season when the agency will begin processing individual income tax returns.
Individuals can file their state income tax return online, with a tax professional, or by mailing in paper forms and documentation. All state of Michigan income tax returns and payment of any taxes owed must be received by April 15, 2024.
For the convenience of taxpayers, the state’s individual income tax deadline is the same date set by the Internal Revenue Service.
All employers are required to mail previous year income record forms — W-2s and 1099s — to their employees by Jan. 31. End-of-the-year pay stubs should not be used when filing a state income tax return because they are typically not an accurate reflection of all income received.
Taxpayers who rush to file without all the necessary paperwork will need to file an amended return later. State income tax returns filed without the required paperwork will be placed on hold for future processing and review.
For more information, visit here.
Treetops Resort’s Masterpiece Course in Gaylord Makes Golf Week List
The Robert Trent Jones Sr.-designed Masterpiece golf course at Treetops Resort in Gaylord has been included on Golf Week magazine’s Top 200 Resort Golf Course to Play in the United States list.
Treetops’ Signature course is again on the list after several years of inclusion.
Masterpiece overlooks the Pigeon River Valley, featuring heavy forests and rolling hills. When Masterpiece opened in 1987, Golf Digest named it the No. 2 new resort course in the United States.
Considered by many to be the best Treetops golf course, the Jones Masterpiece is the only golf course located on the main resort property adjacent to the resort’s Golf Academy, premier lodging, and dining.
“We are very proud to be included in this always anticipated annual publication,” says Barry Owens, general manager of Treetops Resort. “Golf Week often sets the standard in our industry with their annual lists like Top 200 Resort Courses to Play in the United States. To be included in this list is a testament to the dedication of our staff to provide the very best conditions for our guests, from the tees to the greens, our greens staff mows and manicures daily ensuring an enjoyable round of golf.”
Grand Valley Becomes First U.S. Team to Win International Business Competition
A team of students from Grand Valley State University Allendale Township in west Michigan recently won the Schlesinger Global Family Enterprise Case Competition hosted by the University of Vermont, becoming the first group from the United States to win the event in its 11-year history.
The four-day international competition is open to teams of undergraduate and graduate students and requires participants to act as consultants and analyze family-owned businesses across a spectrum of backgrounds and history. Students submit their findings and recommendations in a 20-minute presentation to judges who grade their decision-making and strategic process.
In the final round, the Grand Valley team of Abby Hoffman, Alina Ladewig, Teddy Rounds, and Justin Quinn faced teams from the University of California, Berkeley; Bishop’s University (Sherbrooke, Quebec); Toronto Metropolitan University, Rotterdam University, and Universidad Panamericana, Guadalajara.
Under the guidance of Ana Gonzalez, the team’s student advisor and director of the Family Owned Business Institute in the Seidman College of Business, and Chandresh Baid, assistant professor of management, the Grand Valley team had eight months to review the competition’s opening case.
Once the students advanced past the opening round, they faced two more preliminary rounds, getting four hours to review and strategize each case before building their presentation for the panel of scholars and consultants as well as executives and employees of family businesses.
Detroit’s Benzinga Launches Bulls Say / Bears Say Dataset on Initial Data Offering Platform
Benzinga, a financial media and data provider in Detroit, has announced the launch of a new dataset, Bulls Say / Bears Say” on the Initial Data Offering (IDO) platform. The dataset offers users quick access to summarized analyst reports with both bullish and bearish perspectives on stocks, according to Benzinga.
“We’re excited to extend our partnership with Initial Data Offering, empowering users to gain deeper insights into analyst ratings through succinct summaries of their comprehensive analyst reports,” says Thomas Cotter, head of data products at Benzinga. “The Benzinga’s Bulls Say / Bears Say dataset is designed to streamline the decision-making process for investors and financial professionals.”
Benzinga says its dataset stands out in its ability to “distill bull/bear thesis debates into accessible summaries.” This is designed to not only saves time but also ensure that users have a balanced view of potential stock investments, encompassing both positive and negative insights, the company says.
It is hosted on the Initial Data Offering platform. For more information, visit here.
Entrepreneur Magazine Ranks Goldfish Swim School in Troy 74th on Franchise 500 List
Goldfish Swim School Franchising in Troy was named the top swimming lessons franchise business and No. 74 overall on Entrepreneur magazine’s Franchise 500. Goldfish Swim School has been ranked in the top 100 and as the top swimming lessons franchise since 2017.
Goldfish Swim School increased to more than 160 locations across North America and taught more than 10 million swim lessons in 2023.
“2023 was a big year for Goldfish Swim School,” says Chris McCuiston, co-founder and CEO of Goldfish Swim School. “This ranking reflects the hard work of our franchisees and franchise support team, not only last year but since we began franchising in 2009.
“At Goldfish Swim School, we believe in celebration, and while we’re all proud of this recognition, I’m focused on making 2024 an even better year for our brand as we continue to grow, both in size and brand equity.”
For more information on Goldfish Swim School and its franchising opportunities, visit here or call 248-801-1850.
