Open Thread: Where's The Future?
I've had some very interesting conversations the past few weeks with some national associates, and I thought I'd share with the group my reflections, and get yours.
It really seems like the rest of the country thinks that we in SE MI are toast, for a variety of reasons. Lack of governmental co-operation, bad business climate, being hitched to one industry, not facing the fact manufacturing has altered forever... you name it, there is a reason why "we left and are never, ever coming back."
Even scarier is some are dismissing the "brain drain." They say, "oh, kids do that, and they come back." Well, they're not coming back; and 9 of 10 of the most talented people I know will be gone or are gone to jobs across the country; and not all of them are young, that's for sure. Most went to school here, or in the case of some in their 40's and 50's have spent their career here, but simply could not find work in their fields, as all the work had been related to the Detroit 3. In fact, when they left, they've found jobs that make 10-25% more than they did here.
So how do we turn this around? The reality is that entrepreneurs are pretty resourceful folk, and any turnaround is going to happen from them, I believe. There are those of us who ARE finding success. How to make that happen? How to foster an entrepreneurial culture? How can those who aren't entrepreneurs help?
I have some ideas, however, the idea is groupthink, so I'll reserve my comments for now.
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Information is the key. Southeast Michigan equals Detroit in the eyes of the nation. Detroit gets little positive press and seems to fuel the negative media with endless bad automotive and political news. The 21st Century Job Growth Fund, No Worker Left Behind, and and business diversification that has already occurred gets little press.
Most disappointing is the lack of credit Michigan gets for it's ingenuity. For example, 3 of America's largest pizza chains are based here and all three got where they are by having a unique business proposition that was different from the rest of the marketplace. Two-for-one pricing with an outstanding proprietary sauce, flavored crust, and guaranteed fast delivery were ideas from Michiganders that separated them from a crowded marketplace. Other industries have received the benefit of Michigan ingenuity.
Unfortunately the message is not getting out. If only the mayor had invited his squeeze to share a slice of Hungry Howie's when he told her her body was wowwie. Or what if the Pistons had donned t-shirts with "after round 3 game 6 we can enjoy the world's best summertime" when they were ejected from the playoffs.
Enough of "if onlies". Michiganders must think of ways use the new technology of blogging or some other grass roots communication to get people talking about and looking at Michigan for what it has today and how it is positioned for the future.
Rick, you hit my point in you last paragraph. Forget the press. Social media is what will get the word out. Blog, Tweet, Post, Link to all of you sites and profiles. If we increase the positive hits on the net about the region, we can overpower the bad "press". SEO Baby!!!
Jeremiah, there is an entrepreneur in all of us. The question is "how to foster an entrepreneurial culture and attitude in everyone"? The Creative and Knowledge Capital is available. We just haven't harnessed it effectively. How do we make the region more appealling? How do we make this THE LOCATION that is desireable to live and work in? How do we stop the "Brain Drain" and reverse the tide? This is the direction that the conversation must go. Thank you for starting this discussion.
Jeremiah,
We are not toast.
Sounds like you have queried many who have left about why they left. No doubt those who have left have a jaded view of Michigan. You may have a biased sample there. Have you spent as much time asking those who chose to remain why they do so?
By querying leavers instead of stayers, you have engaged in a logical fallacy called "confirming the antecedent." Ask the people who left because they think we are toast why they left, they'll tell you it's because they think we are toast.
Yes, let's have a conversation about what Michigan has on the ball. But to frame it in the context of those who think we are toast is a losing proposition.
Starting with social media is fine. But blogging and social media are ways of simplying talking to ourselves. It's clear we need to convince ourselves first. After that is done, how do we take the dialogue from a conversation inside Metro Detroit to a higher level in the broader media?
Jeff
I have, Jeff... and usually their reason is family.
I also don't believe Social Media is talking to just ourselves - I know how many reporters use social media tools and they rely on them heavily; but that's a discussion for another day. Mainstream media is almost always the last to catch the train.
What, Jeff, would you add to the positive side of the equation?
I'd add access to water as a starter. We can sustain a lot more growth and investment than alot of areas.
Also, we're the biggest trade corridor with Canada, which I think is under-leveraged as a positive.
Jeremiah Very good topic and a very important one as well. Thank you for bringing this up.
1. Leavers Vs Stayers : A gen Y (or anyone for that matter) will leave to a place where it is more advantageous/productive/beneficial. Family is only 1 reason but mostly it is the insecure situation in Michigan while some where else you get to earn more + you think you have more secured job.
Its also easier for people to adapt easy better life as opposed to working and fighting hard to turn around or create a better life. How can we change the perspective and give a sense of security for people ? Increase perceivable quality?
2. Michigan seems to and will suffer an identity that is very closely tied with Automotive. If automotive do well Michigan seems to be a cool place to hang out. So 1 MI needs to emphasize on diversification of different industry.
Some ideas on what we can do:
1. Organize / Host national & International level events that will attract people/business growth.
2. Diversify and emphasize the opportunities in MI other than automotive field as well.
3. (Local) Media mus emphasize more of good things happening than more bad things. Reason. People who are staying here in MI must feel good about where they are in the first place before we can think how bring in other talents and people from outside the state back.
4. Agree with Jeremiah - need to bring into light all the geographical & transportation advantage that MI has .
5. State Government can offer incentives for bringing in investment. (I know they are trying in this direction)
I think one of the things we could do is more stuff like this, which would not only benefit folks but help change that perception equation:
http://thestartconference.com/
And I don't think we should wait for some other group to do it; we need to do it ourselves. I'm specifically thinking of things like Startup Weekend - it's valuable, don't get me wrong; but I don't think we need to always follow others. We should have events in the region regardless; be leaders instead of followers.
How about if we start a list of all the great things we do have, and should talk up, and further improve in Michigan. Here are my top 20, I'd love to hear yours:
We can also start a list of the top 20 things we really want to improve in Michigan and figure out how we can make the improvements. Here is my start:
Elizabeth has a great idea.
I would add:
21. Diversity. There are people from all over the world who have come to Metro Detroit to live, work and prosper.
22. Advertising. A great advertising industry presence, and all the creative types who work in that industry.
23. Generosity. A strong spirit of volunteering and charitable giving.
It only takes 1% of the square root of a population to change the energy in that area. Let's say for numbers sake that we have 5 million people in the Metro area. I don't claim to be a math major, but the number we seek is about 23. 23 people gathering with the intent to make a positive impact and actually change the energy here, can do it. How cool is that?
Every week the members of MCC gather somewhere in the metro area. Our meetings average about 22 people. What if we took a moment at each meeting and really focussed our collective energy on uplifting the energy in this area. I will make sure we implement this tomorrow simultaneously in both Royal Oak and Ann Arbor.
We at MCC are comitted to making a difference in our community. This is just one thing we can do.
I love Elizabeth's list. It's a great start and I am very interested in seeing it grow.
Thanks for the interesting post Jeremiah and to each of you who have responded thusfar.
Terry
Maybe one way is to take each of the good things in Michigan on the list and come up with ideas on how Michigan university graduates or immigrants from Arizona, can build a new 21st century business in Michigan to enhance the good things.
To piggy back on Jeremiah's idea: what if we pick water: water is a great thing that Michigan has. , how about getting a forum together where successful entrepreneurs whose business product or service is related to Michigan water, may come together for a day or two to speak about their business and encourage those who want to start a business in this area, to do so.
Maybe an outcome might be
Maybe I am naive, but we as a group could offer mentoring and guidance to get people with great ideas that take advantage of Michigan good things and make them better.
Sort of like Google summer of code but we can call it "MCC four seasons of growing Michigan entrepreneurs."
I've really been looking at my own thinking about this lately. A couple of things that have been "pinging" around in my head (makes it hurt after awhile!):
Terry & Charlie, maybe we could do one of the Business Attraction Series meetings on this - and bring in somebody with CLOUT here in Michigan to both talk about practical things we as an entrepreneurial/small business community can do, and let us know about other things that are happening to move Michigan forward - again, with a small business focus. I feel like we are in our own MCC "bubble", doing what we do to make things work. I know there are other "bubbles" out there - I'd like to know what they're doing, and see if and how we can support each other - to get not just Terry's 1%, but maybe 2% - or 5% - or more. Knowledge is power!
I keep thinking that we (small business owners in the area) are one part of the equation, but it's going to take "big mucky-mucks" (how's that for a technical term?!) to tip us over the top. Politicians? Others? I know the groundswell is going to come from the bottom up. But I keep feeling that there must be more. That we need to get the playing field stacked in our favor (to mix my metaphors). I have no idea what to do with this thought, and I'm willing to be enrolled in another point of view, but I wanted to at least get it out there for all of us to chew on.
I was listening to BBC on NPR tonight and heard a great story about how Urban Farming Takes Root in Detroit; and it reminded me that the Blight Busters were going to plant an urban garden in place of the house we had demolished; it made me feel a little more connected to that great Saturday event, and wanted to share and add one more good thing about Michigan - Pioneering in Urban Gardening
Read the story here: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7495717.stm
We should organize a planting event soon...maybe combined with a movie at the Redford...
It's nice to know that they hear good things about Michigan and Detroit in the UK too.
Thanks for sharing Elizabeth. We try to watch the BBC news on public television at least once or twice a week as it opens our eyes to the way non-Americans think. The National on channel 9 also gives good insight into what is going on in our country. These two foreign press outlets are able to cover the news without the political party bias on the US news services.