Young & Entrepreneurial: A Q&A with Switchback
By: Jon Zemke, 9/1/2010
Offering a Word for the web solution for the
pains of website maintenance are Mike Monan and Stephen Colson, the founders of Switchback, an internet business based on Drupal technology. This week they dish with Concentrate's Jon Zemke on downtown workspaces and the wilds of entrepreneurship.
Ann Arbor By Way Of Boston
By: Michelle Martinez, 8/25/2010
Trailing spouses. It's not uncommon to find them in Ann Arbor. When Mark Shalinsky's wife landed a position at U-M, this top tier academic couple left Boston for the Mitten. But rather than beat the pavement looking for employment, Shalinsky brought his job with him.
A Festival All Our Own
By: Constance Crump, 8/18/2010
Communities like Austin (music), Sundance (film), Aspen (comedy), and now Grand Rapids (ArtPrize) have discovered the economic opportunities that come with developing an internationally recognized festival. Though Ann Arbor doesn't lack for cultural events, it has yet to find one that inspires half as much interest as U-M football. Concentrate's Constance Crump looks into why, and what might be next.
Know Y: Michigan, The Nation's Ex
By: Kate Rose, 8/11/2010
For the last year or so writer and Googler Kate Rose has waxed poetic about living the Gen-Y experience in Ann Arbor. Each month she's offered up thoughts on how our region can slow the migration of ambitious and innovative young professionals elsewhere. Now Kate has become part of that migration, and using the film High Fidelity as her inspiration, she takes a bittersweet last look at the place she used to call home.
Pure Entrepreneurship: A Q&A with Catherine Juon and Linda Girard
By: Jon Zemke, 8/11/2010
How do you get to the top of Google's first page? Catherine Juon and Linda Girard have a few ideas. It's why they started the successful website optimization firm Pure Visibility. Jon Zemke sits down with these Ann Arbor entrepreneurs to talk about sharing leadership, running a company in downtown A2, and teaching school kids more about business (among other topics).
Concentrate Speaker Series Event: Young & Sticking Around
By: Concentrate Staff, 8/10/2010
One of Michigan's mantras is that we need to do a better job of attracting and retaining young professionals. And Ann Arbor is not immune to the challenge. For our next Speaker Series Event Concentrate has invited a group of ambitious young professionals to discuss why they've decided to live and set up shop here. Think of it as a beer-fueled brainstorming session on Ann Arbor's future. Sign up now for tomorrow's event!
Ann Arbor's International Welcome Mat
By: Constance Crump, 8/4/2010
With nearly 20% of Ann Arbor's population speaking a foreign first language, the city's diversity is clearly rooted in immigration, international students, and global business development. So, how do we engage these strangers in a strange land? Enter SPARK's Cultural Ambassador program, an effort by local business leaders to attract and retain foreign-born talent.
Law School Goes Global
By: Michelle Martinez, 7/28/2010
Trade agreements, copyright, multinational corporations - it was inevitable that U.S. law schools would start to orient themselves toward the global market. With multiple campuses in Michigan (the newest is here in Ann Arbor), Cooley has not only become the largest law school in North America, it also boasts one of the biggest foreign-born student populations.
Electrified: A Q&A with the Founders of Current Motors
By: Jon Zemke, 7/28/2010
John Harding and Erik Kauppi turned their tech co-op prototype into a microloan investment and now Current Motor Company is poised to achieve electric scooter world dominance. Okay, we're probably getting ahead of ourselves on that
last part, but the duo's transition from Ford engineers into innovative entrepreneurs is a good indication that southeast Michigan has begun its economic evolution.
Real Time Farms
By: Michelle Martinez, 7/21/2010
Once upon a time Karl and Cara Rosaen were living the digital dream, working for Google in its Mountain View wonderland. Then the start-up bug bit and the couple moved to A2 to launch Real Time Farms - which just might become the IMDB of locally grown food.
Wheeling And Dealing: Bike-Based Businesses Hit the Road
By: Leia Menlove, 7/14/2010
Freddy Mercury once sang: "I want to ride my bicycle. I want to ride it where I like." With that in mind, Ann Arbor's bike-based entrepreneurs are pedaling and peddling their services around town. But they're not just cycling for profit, they see their efforts as a greener, healthier, intrinsically local way of doing business.
Sign Up For Concentrate Speaker Series Event: Why Public Art Matters
By: Concentrate Staff, 7/14/2010
Whether it incites community discussion, helps establish a sense of place, or fuels economic development, Marc Folk believes that public art matters. As executive director of the Arts Commission of Greater Toledo, he oversees the oldest Percent For The Arts program east of the Mississippi. Marc is our featured guest at tomorrow's Speaker Series event at the Michigan Theater. Sign up now!
MASTERMIND: Michael Daugherty
By: Tanya Muzumdar, 6/30/2010
From Elvis to Jackie-O to Superman to Diego Rivera, Michael Daugherty has composed an impressive musical career out of popular culture and classical orchestration. In fact, last year he was the third-most performed living American composer. Concentrate caught up with Ann Arbor's musical tour de force to discuss his life, work, and inspirations.
Happy Independence Day!
By: Concentrate Staff, 6/30/2010
The editorial staff of Concentrate would like to wish you a happy and safe fourth of July. We'll be spending the week barbecuing, avoiding the throngs of teenagers attending the latest Twilight film, and sampling Michigan's finest microbrews. Some time in a hammock may also be involved. We'll see you again on July 14th with a brand new issue!
The Young & Entrepreneurial: David Merritt
By: Jon Zemke, 6/23/2010
Optimism, entrepreneurship, and community service. If someone could bottle David Merritt's drive they'd make a whole lotta money. From co-captain of U-M's basketball team to a budding captain of industry, Merritt has made Ann Arbor his home and inspiration his business. Jon Zemke chats with the can-do founder of IMU clothing company to find out what makes him tick.
Ann Arbor's Video Game Librarian
By: Richard Retyi, 6/16/2010
Library Of Alexandria meet the Library Of Galaxia. U-M is now home to a growing archive of video games, treating them as an important chronicle of our cultural, technological and artistic identity. From Pong to Pac Man to Grand Theft Auto, over 2000 games are available for study, recreation or nostalgia. Who knew history could be so fun?
Concentrate Is Hiring
By: Issue Media Group, 6/16/2010
Concentrate is looking for a publisher. If you've got a background in sales and client
relations and are seeking a part time position, then give us a holler.
Sign up for Concentrate's Speaker Series: Home Here, Business There
By: Concentrate Staff, 6/10/2010
Success in business means venturing outside Michigan, even U.S., borders. More and more companies here are learning to do business there. At our next Speaker Series event Ted Dacko, former president and CEO of Healthmedia, will talk about going global but staying local. It's TOMORROW. Join us by signing up!
Zingerman's Seeds Entrepreneurship
By: Julianne Mattera, 6/9/2010
It's no surprise that Zingerman's breeds a love of food in its staff, but entrepreneurship? Julianne Mattera talks to a trio of former employees who have taken what they've learned from Ann Arbor's beloved deli and turned it into successful businesses across the country.
MASTERMIND: Jason Frenzel
By: Constance Crump, 6/9/2010
Ann Arbor is known for its parks... and we're not just talking baseball diamonds and soccer fields. The city has lots and lots of natural spaces to maintain. Enter Jason Frenzel, who is part of the Natural Area Preservation Unit. Combating incursions by non-native plants, rallying local volunteers, and coordinating controlled burns, he's the city's go-to guy for green spaces.
Know Y: Three Things European Cities Do Better
By: Kate Rose, 5/26/2010
Good doesn't mean we can't be better. Kate Rose returns from her European vacation with a trio of suggestions for Michigan's cities. From public art to historic preservation to urban development, she sees an opportunity to learn from our friends across the pond.
Concentrate Takes A Holiday
By: Concentrate Staff, 5/26/2010
We're taking a break next week. Partly for business and partly for pleasure. It's Memorial Day weekend, so if you're like us you'll be honoring those who've served our country while manning the backyard barbecue. We're also indulging in some site upkeep, tweaking our content and changing some features. Look for a spruced up version of Concentrate when we return on Wednesday, June 9th.
Mastermind: Mark Maynard
By: Tanya Muzumdar, 5/19/2010
What Mark Maynard does from 9-5 is important but not nearly as interesting as what he does the other 16 hours a day (beside sleep). From The Shadow Art Fair to a popular blog to planning a bike-powered film fest to a local talk show that features a puppet stand-in, Maynard personifies Ypsilanti's do-it-yourself creativity. You might even call him the ultimate marionette about town.
Ann Arbor's Second Story
By: Terry Parris Jr., 5/19/2010
To the casual visitor, downtown Ann Arbor is ground zero for restaurants, bars and artsy boutiques. But that's only part of the story. Climb the stairs to the floors above the bistros and gift shops and you'll find a community of new economy creatives. Concentrate's Terry Parris Jr. visits the people you might not meet every day.
Ann Arbor's Backlot
By: Leia Menlove, 5/12/2010
Welcome to Hollywood on the Huron! With Michigan's ambitious film incentive package bringing movie sets to Ann Arbor, both U-M and the city have had to develop strategies for accommodating (and capitalizing) on their presence.
Could Film Be Michigan's Gold Rush? A Q&A with Harvey Ovshinsky
By: Jon Zemke, 5/12/2010
"It's in our DNA to do amazing things," says Harvey Ovshinsky. Metromode's Jon
Zemke sits down with the veteran video producer and screenwriter to talk
about Michigan's Film Incentives and their potential impact on the
state's investment opportunities, job growth, and brain drain.
Sign up for Model D's May Speaker Event: Higher Ed's Role in City Building
By: Model D, 5/12/2010
"Creative Class" researcher and professor Kevin Stolarick will speak at
Model D's Speaker Series on May 12 at the Book Cadillac in Detroit. The topic will
be how higher education institutions play a role in transforming cities.
It is free to attend, but you must register in advance.
Ann Arbor Companies, Global Markets
By: Terry Parris Jr., 5/5/2010
It's less about world conquest and more about smart business. Ann Arbor firms are reaching out into the global marketplace and finding great success. Some even call the Mitten home but do little to no business here.
The Land Of Small Giants
By: Dennis Archambault, 5/5/2010
Sometimes bigger isn't better. In Ann Arbor the "small giant"
movement is catching on. Their philosophy? Profit is good but the bottom line
should not be the be-all, end-all of your company's existence.
NIGHT & DAY: It's a busy week!
By: Richard Retyi, 5/5/2010
Richard Retyi says, forget Mother's Day, there are monster robots and famous authors to meet. FilterD's guest editor grabs you by the shoulders and points you toward the best of the best in this week's events.
MASTERMIND: Peter Allen
By: Constance Crump, 4/28/2010
Whether you agree or disagree with him, developer and U-M prof Peter Allen has had his fingers in many of A2's pies. Concentrate's Constance Crump calls shotgun in his drive through the city and gets a candid view of downtown development.
Know Y: Part II of Young and Entrepreneurial
By: Kate Rose, 4/28/2010
Kate Rose returns with the second half of her investigation into what makes young entrepreneurs tick. Thrill to the other-worldly philosophies of Ghostly International's Sam Valenti! Gasp at the cutting edge tribulations of Henrietta Fahrenheit! Shudder in anticipation over what Davy Rothbart has found with FOUND! Is it passion, opportunity or cold calculated economics that spurs these local risk-takers on? Discover the truth by clicking
NIGHT & DAY: A New Voice For FilterD
By: Richard Retyi, 4/28/2010
To paraphrase Mr. Jagger: Please allow him to introduce himself... Richard Retyi takes over FilterD duties for the next six weeks, pointing you, our fearless readers, toward the half dozen best event bets for the week. What tops his list? Click and find out...
From Meat To Muscle: Sparrow Gym Is Prime
By: Leia Menlove, 4/21/2010
Butcher and body builder Josh Johnson demonstrates the kind of quirky entrepreneurship that inspires people to say, "Only in Ann Arbor." Wedged between Kerrytown's beloved meat counter and Sweetwaters Cafe is his Sparrow Gym, a private work out space that attracts a distinctly eclectic Treetown clientele.
The Next Generation Of Music Is Here In Ann Arbor
By: Richard Retyi, 4/14/2010
Meet the architects of the first youth-run recording studio in the world (if rumors of that teen punk studio in Russia are untrue). Concentrate's Richard Retyi gets the skinny on the Neutral Zone's latest and greatest innovation: The Orpheum.
The Generational Divide Over Ann Arbor's Downtown - Redux
By: Jon Zemke, 4/14/2010
Nearly 100 people spoke before the vote on Ann Arbor's Moravian development, and many of them were young. The evening illustrated a generational divide in what people want out of their downtown. News Editor Jon Zemke considers what's next for our current class of young professionals, how this latest chapter in development will shape the city's future, and whether this politically energized group will have a voice at City Council's table.
Underground Eats
By: Amy Whitesall, 4/7/2010
Why go out for a great meal when you can create one yourself? Why eavesdrop on strangers at the next table when you can sit next to them and strike up a conversation? Underground breakfast salons, supper clubs, and soup making meet-ups are using locally produced foods to create great meals ...and a sense of community.
An Open Ceiling for Ann Arbor Non-Profits
By: Leia Menlove, 3/31/2010
Shoot the moon! There are over 900 non-profit organizations in Washtenaw County, and most are headed up by women. Concentrate talks to a quartet of young women about the personal and professional rewards of non-profit leadership.
MASTERMIND: Bart Bund
By: Constance Crump, 3/31/2010
Rep houses like The Purple Rose and Performance Network tend to get all the attention, but often it's the fringe companies that deliver the most interesting work. Enter Bart Bund and his Blackbird Theater troupe. For nearly a dozen years this little company-that-could has been producing offbeat and challenging work.
Incubating Creativity & Entrepreneurship: Sign up for Concentrate's April 20th Speaker Series Event
By: Concentrate, 3/31/2010
In our growing culture of disconnected artists and 1099 workers community can be hard to come by. James Marks and Mike Kessler decided to do something about it, creating unique work spaces for creatives and entrepreneurs. Learn the how, why and what's next for Ypsilanti's Spur Studios and Ann Arbor's Workentile Exchange at Concentrate's next Speaker Series Event. Sign up now!
Know Y: Young and Entrepreneurial (a.k.a Doin' Stuff)
By: Kate Rose, 3/24/2010
Throw a stone in the air in Ann Arbor and if you miss a student or professor you're bound to bruise an entrepreneur. Concentrate's Kate Rose decided to seek out a few of the city's young start-up types to better understand what drives them to succeed and how they turned obstacles into opportunities.
MASTERMIND: Rich Sheridan
By: Constance Crump, 3/17/2010
Rich Sheridan feels your pain. As the co-founder, president, and CEO of Menlo Innovations, he's turned a passion for computers and customers into a successful company that produces kinder, gentler, user-friendlier software.
NIGHT & DAY: 48 Years Of Independent Film
By: Jeff Meyers, 3/17/2010
After nearly half a century, the Ann Arbor Film Festival is undergoing a renaissance of sorts. Audiences and submissions are up as the festival solidifies its reputation as the home for truly independent cinema. Its opening night tops this week's FilterD recommendations, and Concentrate gets the fest's executive director to answer a few burning questions.
In Ann Arbor, Beer Begets More Beer
By: Julianne Mattera, 3/17/2010
Ann Arbor's brew family tree is more intimate than you might realize, producing an impressive array of lagers, porters, stouts, and sours. Concentrate traces the local lineage and samples what's best and where.
Pure Fantasy In Ypsilanti
By: Leia Menlove, 3/10/2010
More than just a place to buy Halloween costumes, Fantasy Attic offers an epic selection of dress-up options year round. It's also an indelible part of Ann Arbor's past, and now Ypsilanti's future. Learn what the coolest shop in Depot Town does the other eleven months of the year.
Bridging The Generational Divide Over Downtown
By: Tanya Muzumdar, 3/10/2010
New developments or older housing stock? Young professionals or older residents? Density or sprawl? Last Thursday, Concentrate's Speaker Series Event asked: Can't we all just get along? Here's a short summary for those who missed an intelligent and informative conversation about the future of Ann Arbor's downtown neighborhoods.
Ann Arbor's Beagle Brain Gain
By: Constance Crump, 3/3/2010
Ben Falk did what many U-M grads do after graduation - moved somewhere else. But a year and half ago he returned from NYC to open his computer repair business in Ann Arbor's downtown. It's hard not to see Beagle Brain's presence in Nickels Arcade as the perfect metaphor for how the city honors its past while embracing its future.
Hole In The Wall Nightlife
By: Richard Retyi, 2/24/2010
Joints. Dives. Holes in the wall. They're the kinds of bars that trade in cheap beer, cranky rules, at least one customer without a full set of teeth, and a jukebox filled with music you'd better not tell the bartender you don't get. Concentrate steers you toward the best places and nights for an authentic, no frills night of unpretentious bliss.
Pizza 2.0
By: Terry Parris Jr., 2/17/2010
It was only a matter of time before pizza went high-tech. From web tracking to on demand orders from your TiVo, Ann Arbor-based Domino's has created a brave new world of snarfing.
Cultivating Cooperation: The Michigan Political Leadership Program
By: Constance Crump, 2/17/2010
Can't we all just get along? True leaders understand the value of compromise. Unfortunately, term limits tend to encourage partisan opposition. Every year, the Michigan Political Leadership Program brings together 24 fellows of varying political stripes in order to foster a new generation of solutions-based leadership.
Turning One Into Deuce In Ann Arbor
By: Leia Menlove, 2/10/2010
Baby, it's cold outside. Need someone to share that blanket with?
Finding soulmates (or even just good company) can be challenging for A2's young professionals. In honor of Valentine's Day Concentrate points you toward the best places to discover your significant other.
MASTERMIND: John Rosevear
By: Constance Crump, 2/10/2010
Inventor, author, former Marine and Ann Arbor original, John Rosevear has the kind of biography that makes misfits proud. And now, after 45 years of development, his greatest invention --the Skyclock-- may finally earn him his due.
NIGHT & DAY: Who's Got the "Chops"
By: Jeff Meyers, 2/10/2010
This week's FilterD brings you cultural events to make out to or break up over. There's stuff to do for both singles and doubles, the lovesick and the lovelorn. Plus editor Jeff Meyers chats with U-M alum and documentary filmmaker Bruce Broder about his love letter to the process of making jazz, Chops. Click on the link and get some!
Zingerman's U
By: Nicole Rupersburg, 2/3/2010
A bakehouse, a creamery, a coffee roaster, a candy manufactory... As the Zingerman's food empire expands, they want to make you a more informed citizen. From mozzarella cheese-making to four-day baking intensives, the little deli that became a culinary kingdom offers its customers a long list of mouthwatering classes. It's Yum 101.
MASTERMIND: Todd and Janice Ortbring
By: Amy Whitesall, 2/3/2010
There are citizens and then there are members of your community that are like a force of nature. Meet the Ortbrings, Chelsea's über neighbors. Not only do they run a successful local advertising and marketing firm, they also bring new meaning to the phrase civic engagement.
Big Ideas For Georgetown's Mall
By: Constance Crump, 1/27/2010
All over Michigan it's the same story: Suburban-style shopping malls going under and boarding up. Could the failure of strip centers like Ann Arbor's Georgetown Mall be an opportunity for innovative ideas about mixed-use development and walkablilty? Concentrate talks to neighbors and developers about what could be.
NIGHT & DAY: Park City Comes To Ann Arbor
By: Jeff Meyers, 1/27/2010
We may not have the mountains, but we've definitely got the snow. For two days this week the Michigan Theater becomes a venue for the Sundance Film Festival. It's just one of the half dozen events we spotlight in FilterD.
Know Y: PSA For The D
By: Kate Rose, 1/20/2010
Some say Ann Arbor has it all. Kate Rose, Concentrate's generational correspondent, says it's time locals swam across the cultural moat and learned to take pride in what's great about Detroit.
MASTERMIND: Neel Hajra
By: Constance Crump, 1/20/2010
It took a bit of bouncing around but Ann Arbor native Neel Hajra finally found a home at NEW Center, where he's the CEO of the nonprofit that lends a hand to other nonprofits. Combining entrepreneurship, organizational guidance, and technological support, NEW has proven to be an invaluable asset for local boards and organizations.
Building A Startup City
By: Terry Parris Jr., 1/13/2010
Adversity is the mother of invention. Or so they say. And Michigan is proving them true. While the rest of the country has seen a decline in business formation, cities like Ann Arbor are experiencing a startup spike.
NIGHT & DAY: A Good Start
By: Jeff Meyers, 1/13/2010
Along with a recap of this week's six FilterD selections, editor Jeff Meyers opens the new year with some good news about local arts and culture organizations.