Our roundup of the latest news from metro Detroit and Michigan businesses as well as announcements from government agencies, including updates about the COVID-19 pandemic. To share a business or nonprofit story, please send us a message.
Detroit’s Top Google Employment Searches in 2021
Amid the “Great Resignation,” Google has released data on job trends from searches between January 2021 to January 2022. Results showed what people are searching for when seeking a new job or how to acquire the skills for a new job.
The top five in metro Detroit stood out from other major markets as the only region to search “How to become a mortgage broker” and “How to become a home stager,” reinforcing current of Motown becoming at mortgage capital.
Top 5 Michigan searches were:
- How to become a notary
- How to become a secret shopper
- How to become a teacher
- How to become a home stager
- How to become a mortgage broker
Most-searched “how to become” jobs in U.S. were:
- Real estate agent
- Flight attendant
- Notary
- Therapist
- Pilot
- Firefighter
- Personal trainer
- Psychiatrist
- Physical therapist
- Electrician
TechTown Detroit to Host Conference for Black-owned Business Owners
In recognition of Black History Month, TechTown Detroit will host a free, one-day virtual conference from 10 a.m.-2:30 p.m. on Feb. 22 to prepare Black-owned businesses in metro Detroit for success through the global pandemic and beyond.
Individuals who run Black-owned businesses, who are part of the business service ecosystem, or simply curious how to support Black-owned businesses in metro Detroit are encouraged to participate. The event is in partnership with Build Institute, Great Lakes Women’s Business Council, Invest Detroit, Minerva Education and Development Foundation, Michigan Small Business Development Center, and ProsperUS Detroit.
The inaugural Preparing Black-Owned Businesses for Success conference will include breakout sessions, panel discussions with business service providers, small group networking and a keynote address by Maggie Anderson, author of “Our Black Year.” Anderson will share lessons learned from the economic empowerment project of marginalized Black businesses in the 21st century. Breakout sessions throughout the day will range from the importance of maintaining personal relationships while building a business to the history of Black-owned businesses in Detroit and understanding political power and its role in local politics.
“TechTown understands the importance of ensuring the success of Black businesses in Detroit, so we teamed up with our partners for Black History Month to provide an extraordinary amount of business support,” says Lawrence Jackson, entrepreneurial education director at TechTown Detroit. “We are working together to provide the resources, funds and visibility for businesses owned by Black women and men to build wealth and reduce poverty levels in the city.”
As part of the conference, TechTown has also partnered with Minerva Education and Development Foundation, an organization that provides scholarships and funds to Detroit youth and families, to launch a TikTok video challenge. The video challenge is open now through Feb. 15 for 11th and 12th grade high school students who are Detroit residents. Students must creatively address topics including why they support Black-owned businesses or what Black-owned businesses mean to their community for a chance to win up to $2,000.
“The goal of the video challenge is to raise awareness among our youth of the importance of supporting Black-owned businesses in their community,” Jackson says. “It is crucial to the economic growth of Black-owned businesses to use our buying power to keep jobs and services in the community.”
Registration for the conference can be found here. Additional information about the TikTok video challenge can be found here.
Data Driven Detroit Transitions to a Worker-owned Cooperative
Data Driven Detroit (D3), a Detroit-based social enterprise and community data hub, has transitioned from its traditional ownership model to a worker-owned cooperative.
At a time when employers are having a difficult time hiring and retaining employees due to the COVID-19 pandemic this ownership design is ushering in a new era of stability within the D3 organization, including:
- Collectively make decisions about D3 where all owners have an equal vote.
- Reinforces the strength of D3’s culture, which is, and always has been, a culture of equality.
- Ensures D3’s neutrality, while having stronger oversight, giving D3 the ability to focus on their greatest contribution to the community: providing accessible and unbiased information.
- Strengthen the structure of its team to better support local communities in their data needs for years to come.
In addition to helping attract and retain employees, worker-owned cooperatives have the potential to reduce the overall racial equity gap and wealth gap.
Five D3 employees currently make up the ownership team, however, all employees at the organization will have the opportunity to be an owner. The worker-ownership curriculum takes approximately 12 months to complete, and can begin six months after being hired.
“Collaboration is at the root of everything we do, from working with community members and learning what information their neighborhoods need, to equipping nonprofits with vital data to enhance their impact,” saya Noah Urban, co-executive director of Data Driven Detroit. “This move is critical to ensuring our mission of promoting equal access to information in our region and providing equal opportunity to our team.”
Eliminating information asymmetry is at the core of D3’s mission as they work to ensure everyone has access to unbiased data, regardless of demographics and economic standing. To achieve this goal, most of the data shared and delivered by D3 is free and is available as a public resource. The organization regularly partners with anyone who is seeking information, including, but not limited to, foundations, nonprofit organizations, universities, government agencies, businesses, journalists, and individuals.
For more information, visit here.
Detroit ACE, ArtOps Continue Free Professional Development for Artists, Creatives
The City of Detroit Office of Arts, Culture, and Entrepreneurship (Detroit ACE) continues its free, monthly entrepreneurship workshops at 6 p.m. on Feb. 15.
ACE joined ArtOps last year to host the year-long, business, and financial management workshop series for the city’s creative workforce to help artists improve their chances for success. The training is free, thanks to the generous support of the Kresge Foundation.
Sessions are conducted on the third Tuesday of each month from 6-7 p.m., and feature experts in everything from marketing and brand management to networking and determining pricing for performance and products.
In the next session, attendees will learn about the “Art of Finance” with attorney Michael Hall and financial consultant Leslie Thomas. The first session on this topic is available here.
Links to register for upcoming sessions as well as recordings of previous sessions are available at www.detroitmi.gov/ace. The remaining sessions are:
Feb. 15: The Art of Finance, Session 2
March 15: Management Q&A
April 19: How to Social Butterfly
May 17: Protecting your Brand Q&A
June 21: Group Projects: Navigating Art Collectives
July 19: Brand Wellness
