IT in the D, Episode 10: Hatch Detroit, Michipreneur, Beacon Hill Staffing – Full Episode

Could not possibly have asked for a better group to have in-studio with us last night.

Hatch Detroit and their four finalists. Michipreneur. Bamboo Detroit. Beacon Hill Staffing.

Great show, awesome conversations, and very cool to hear about some things going on around the city…

In our opening segment, we kick things off with Vittoria Katanski of Hatch Detroit, Amanda Lewan of Michipreneur and Bamboo Detroit, and Steven Urenda of Beacon Hill Staffing.

file-20130819192904Hatch Detroit is running a contest for entrepreneurs in the area, with the winner getting $50,000 to open up a storefront in Detroit. The final four contestants join us in-studio during our second and third segments, because the public gets to vote on who that winner will be. But to start off, Vittoria tells us a little bit about the background of the contest, how people got involved, the process of narrowing down the entries and how they got down to this final four.

Michipreneur is a great online resource for entrepreneurs and business types here in the southeast Michigan area, and Bamboo Detroit is a new coworking space open downtown where you can grab a desk and other office amenities.

In our second segment, we keep Vittoria Katanski of Hatch Detroit and Amanda Lewan of Michipreneur with us, and we bring in the first pair of finalists for the Hatch Detroit $50,000 grand prize – Batch Brewing Company and HenriettaHaus Coffee Roasters.

In our third segment, we still have with Vittoria Katanski of Hatch Detroit and Amanda Lewan with us, and we bring in the other pair of finalists for the Hatch Detroit $50,000 grand prize.  Corktown Cinema and Spielhaus Toys.

In our final segment, we wrapped up a bit with Vittoria Katanski of Hatch Detroit talking about the voting process to see which of the four finalists will walk away with the $50,000 prize, chatted with Amanda Lewan about both Michipreneur and Bamboo Detroit, and finally managed to sneak Steve Urenda from Beacon Hill Staffing back into the conversation.

hatchlogoAbout Hatch Detroit: http://www.HatchDetroit.com

Founded in 2011 by Ted Balowski and Nick Gorga-two passionate lovers of Detroit- Hatch Detroit was created to give others the opportunity to have a role in the redevelopment of Detroit. The Contest was built on an idea called “Crowd Entrepreneurship” where average citizens have a role in voting for the type of retail they want in their community, and determining the winner of the Hatch Contest. Since 2011, two winners have been announced, and several semi-finalists are in the process of opening.

Now in its third year, Hatch Detroit has expanded its retail role into six neighborhoods in Detroit as part of the Detroit Lion’s Living for the City Initiative. Hatch Detroit will be partnering with local Community Development Corporations (CDC’s) to determine an area of focus that works within the community’s masterplan for its retail strip. Examples include improvements in signage, interior lighting, window displays, and outdoor beautification projects all geared to improving retail.

1374332397_michipreneur-(2)About Michipreneur: http://www.michipreneur.com

Michigan innovation has a rich and interesting history in our great state. We’re here to help publish news and resources aimed to continue to foster Michigan innovation.

Michipreneur is an online publication built to empower entrepreneurs, encourage investment, strengthen small business, and foster talent retention in Michigan. We publish news, resources, events, funding information and more for Michigan startups and businesses.

bamboodetroitAbout Bamboo Detroit: http://www.bamboodetroit.com

We’re a members-only co-working space comprised of talented entrepreneurs growing their businesses right in the heart of Downtown Detroit. We offer affordable workspace and a community of others who share your values.

We provide the resources to grow fast and strong. We believe entrepreneurs can help rebuild Detroit and that co-working contributes to job creation. We provide a community of people who help businesses establish themselves in Detroit.

Tap into our exclusive community network to create a profile of your skills and needs.

steveAbout Beacon Hill Staffing: http://www.beaconhillstaffing.com/

Founded by industry leaders to set a new standard in search, career placement and flexible staffing, we deliver coordinated staffing solutions with unparalleled service, a commitment to project completion and success and a passion for innovation, creativity and continuous improvement.

Our niche brands provide direct hire, executive search, temporary staffing, contract consulting and temp/contract-to-hire solutions to emerging growth companies and the Fortune 500 across market sectors, career specialties/disciplines and industries.

Contact Steven Urenda on LinkedIn at http://www.linkedin.com/pub/steven-urenda/17/326/8b6 or via email at surenda AT beaconhillstaffing.com