Unless you've been living in a cave you've probably heard the many green-minded arguments for why you should make your home more energy efficient. But what you might not realize is that there are compelling reasons beyond reducing the size of your carbon footprint. How about comfort? Better living has inspired one Ferndale resident to become an envangelist for Michigan's BetterBuildings program.
Laser cutters, 3D printers and CNC routers at gym membership prices. TechShop Detroit is a playground for do-it-yourself entrepreneurs, a workshop and makerspace that democratizes industrial fabrication.
Vectorform is Metro Detroit's stealth company, a Royal Oak-based tech firm that does its work on the down low. That work includes phones apps, games, and technological innovations that have a global reach. It has satellite offices in New York, Seattle, Germany and India. But shhhh, that's just between you and us, okay?
When most people think about the fashion industry they think New York, Milan, Paris and, inevitably, women. Montee Holland is changing that mindset with his successful men's fashion line and a company that calls Metro Detroit home.
Still unsure of the economic opportunities that accompany Metro Detroit's Arab-American melting pot? Well how does a $5.5-billion contract sound? For the rebuilding and development of Iraq it's only the tip of the iceberg, and our region is uniquely poised to be a part of that reconstruction. But economic gain is only one part of the equation. With reconstruction comes stability, and with stability comes peace. Think of it as building a better Michigan by building a better world.
Quick, what's a product that's made in Dearborn, sold all across the U.S. and born from Michigan entrepreneurial spirit? Oh, and it has nothing to do with the auto industry. The answer is: scarves. But not only scarves. Dearborn's Brightly Twisted is a fast growing fashion company that's got plans as bold as its colors.
Apply Groupon-like marketing strategies to fine art and, voila, you get the highly successful 1xRun. The brainchild of 323 East Gallery and Ohm Creative Group owners Dan Armand and Jesse Cory, this Royal Oak-based company is bringing art (much of it local) to the masses (much of it international).
It's where the academic rubber meets the real world road. U-M's "Semester In The D" program places 25 students in Motown for a semester to learn how Detroit defines Michigan's past and its future.
Maybe it's the vast expanse of Michigan's beachfront property. Or maybe it was just winters of wishful thinking. Either way, fashion designer Magdalena Trever decided to launch a swimwear line in the Mitten. Now, her eye-catching knit bikinis are getting gobs of attention.
Margaret Mead once said, "Never underestimate the power of a few committed people to change the world." It could be the rallying cry for the Wayne Ripple Effect, a group of local residents determined to revitalize their city's downtown.
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