entrepreneurship : Videos

Signal-Return is an old-fashioned letterpress studio, workshop and retail space located in the heart of Eastern Market with a focus on design, entrepreneurship, community, and education. Video by The Paddle.read on…

Kimo Frederiksen owns True Body Fitness in Corktown, an intimate fitness center that offers one-on-one personal training in a private atmosphere as well as group classes. He has also partnered with the Ruth Ellis Center in Highland Park to mentor one of their youths. In everything he does, Frederiksen is helping to change lives one little bit at a time. Video by DETROIT LIVES!read on…

Kiva Detroit co-founder Rishi Jaitly talks about his work with Kiva Detroit and the Knight Foundation at the Revitalization & Business Initiative's Detroit Shift conference, held at the University of Michigan's School of Business is association with Model D's IdeaLab. Video by RB Conference.read on…

Andy Didorosi is a "social entrepreneur" (not a self-proscribed title, but one he graciously accepts). As the founder of the Paper Street small business incubator in Ferndale and the Detroit Bus Company, a tech-savvy biofuel-powered "transit revolution," Didorosi sees the changes happening in Detroit from multiple perspectives -- slow, humble, and ultimately surprising. Video by DETROIT LIVES!read on…

Dave Mancini, owner of Supino Pizzeria (one of Detroit's most popular and most nationally-recognized eateries), remembers the days when he was first starting out in his little Eastern Market pizza parlor when Jerry Belanger, owner of the Park Bar, would come in and order a dozen pizzas ... just to give them away in his bar. By doing this, Belanger helped Mancini build his loyal customer base, and he has never forgotten that. "Competition is not a problem right now," he says, and he makes those same efforts to help others just getting their start. Video by DETROIT LIVES!read on…

Peggy and Tom Brennan might not know what the long-lasting implications of Green Garage will be for future generations, but they're excited at the prospects. Midtown's Green Garage is a green business incubator, office and workshop space, and community hub for people dedicated to a more sustainable way of living. They consider themselves the grandparents of a movement that they hope will reverberate for generations to come. Video by DETROIT LIVES!read on…

coG Studio is an architectural design firm that focuses on youth-oriented spaces where kids can live, learn and play. coG Director Chandra Moore-Banks makes sure kids aren't forgotten when it comes to placemaking. Video by DETROIT LIVES!read on…

Have a big idea? Take baby steps, says Steve Nawara of Beehive Recording Company. In this video, Steve shares how Beehive is holding a magnifying glass to Detroit's local music culture by offering free recording and downloads for emerging artists. Video by DETROIT LIVES! read on…

As a student at Wayne State University, Charlie Cavell discovered a problem he wanted to help solve. "There are a lot of people without jobs in this city. How do we fix that?" Thus was born the Pay it Forward Initiative. In this video, Charlie sits down with DETROIT LIVES! to share how his small startup project is making a big difference. read on…

"A bookstore? That's the most radical sh*t you can do in the 21st century, open a bookstore in certain areas." If so, then Yusef Bunchy Shakur, owner of the Urban Network, is pretty radical -- and innovative. Check out his conversation with DETROIT LIVES! about his work to build a stronger community in Detroit's Zone 8 neighborhood. read on…

How do you help the vulnerably-housed move toward financial security and independence? For Delphia Simmons of Thrive Detroit, the answer is micro-entrepreneurial opportunity. Video by DETROIT LIVES! read on…

How do you get kids excited about learning? Give them a sword. Bobby Smith of En Garde! Detroit explains how fencing fosters concentration and focus, skills needed for academic success. Video by DETROIT LIVES! read on…

For the residents of Southwest Detroit, Cafe Con Leche is more than a coffee shop. Owner Jordi Carbonell shares how his neighborhood business plays a vital role in bringing people together. Video by DETROIT LIVES! read on…