Metromode Media

Building Another International Bridge... to Israel's Entrepreneurs

2012-02-23T00:00:00Z

Thousands of miles separate, but Israel and Michigan operate in a parallel universe. What happens when you cross Michigan's established manufacturing base and high-tech mindset over to Israel's 3,000-plus tech start-ups? The Michigan Israel Business Bridge yields an array of academic and entrepreneurial matches.

Travel Channel tours Detroit kitchens and grills

2012-02-23T00:00:00Z

Camera or no camera, the food rush is on in Detroit. In this episode of "Bizarre Foods America", the Travel Channel guzzles up soul food, BBQs pig head and other meaty picnic dishes with the Detroit Mower Gang, guzzles more soul food, and shares a Ramadan feast with a Dearborn family. See the highlights here.

Two Metro Detroit chefs are semifinalists for James Beard Foundation Best Chef award

2012-02-23T00:00:00Z

Looking for that post-Valentine's dinner date? Ring ahead for a table at Birmingham's Forest Grill or Bacco Ristorante in Southfield. Chefs David Gilbert (Forest Grill) and Luciano Del Signore (Bacco) are contenders for a James Beard Foundation award for Best Chef in the Great Lakes region. More on this story here.

PAT Engineering sees Michigan as construction hotbed

2012-02-23T00:00:00Z

To say PAT Engineering is bullish on Michigan is a bit of an understatement. The construction engineering firm sees its Rochester Hills office as the hub for many of its parent company's offices from around the world, mainly because of the work that is expected to come from the Great Lakes State. "Michigan by 2022 is expected to be a very big construction marketplace," says Rick Weaver, vice president of PAT Engineering. "The forecast for Michigan is outstanding." PAT Engineering is one of several companies that form the PAT Group of International EPIC Construction Companies, which is based in Doha, Qatar. PAT Group opened PAT Engineering in Rochester Hills in 2009 as its U.S. office. It has since become the manager of its companies in Germany and Iraq and plans to add 2-6 more companies in other countries in the next year. Weaver says PAT Group laid the foundation for growth in its first 18 months. It now employs about 100 people in Rochester Hills and expects to significantly add to that location's staffing over the next year. The management staff is projected to double in the next year and hiring for positions in the rest of the firm is expected to continue at a consistent pace for the remainder of 2012. "We estimate we will be 20 times larger than we were this year," Weaver says. Source: Rick Weaver, vice president of PAT Engineering Writer: Jon Zemke Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

Mobile Comply bridges mobile apps and education

2012-02-23T00:00:00Z

Elaina Farnsworth originally intended to create a mobile-app start-up when she founded Mobile Comply two years ago. A little more than a year into the endeavor, she pivoted the Clarkston-based firm so it bridges the gap between mobile apps and education. "Instead of doing software, we do education now," says Elaina Farnsworth, CEO of Mobile Comply. Farnsworth has always noticed the disconnect between the techies who create the latest and greatest technology and its users. She noticed the gulf between the two only grew with the introduction of mobile apps. That's when she decided to shift her start-up's focus toward bridging that gap, focusing on what she calls mutual education for both the techies and the consumers who love their work. "We will become more of a mutual education firm," Farnsworth says. "We want to be the top provider of mutual education in the mobile space." Today Mobile Comply's primary product is software that gives businesses the power to convert a traditional website to a mobile site, begin a mobile marketing campaign to reach customers, and then integrate it with social media. Mobile Comply also helps firms create mobile websites, giving them the tools to create their own databases for mobile marketing. However, it makes most of its revenue from the educational aspect of helping businesses and techies better connect to create the best product and understand the field. To make that happen, Farnsworth hired five people in the last six months, all of whom are experts in the education space. Mobile Comply's staff now stands at 13 overall, with five in Metro Detroit. The rest work virtually from across the U.S. Source: Elaina Farnsworth, CEO of Mobile Comply Writer: Jon Zemke Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

Downtown Northville business scene gets stirred up

2012-02-23T00:00:00Z

A mix of several new businesses are calling downtown Northville home. In the last six months, says Lori Ward, executive director of the Northville Downtown Development Authority, at least six new businesses have opened. The most recent, Spinergy Fitness, a fitness and spinning studio, opened at 133 W. Main on Northville Square. In the same building is Limelight Emporium, a business space that brings the work of Michigan artists and entrepreneurs to local consumers. Its mission is to encourage consumers to make a conscious decision to buy Michigan-made. The Wealth Advantage Group has opened an office at 131 E. Cady. In September alone, three new businesses brought their business plans to downtown Northville. The Bricks of Northville restaurant opened at 133 W. Main, adding another destination for the square. Bricks features an outdoor eating area that can function nearly year round. Hearts of Inspiration, a gift boutique and provider of classes on table manners and social etiquette, opened on the square as well. And Bailey and Shamoun, an interior designer and boutique, relocated to 191 Cady Centre. Source: Lori Ward, executive director, Northville Downtown Development Authority Writer: Kim North Shine

Plutonium Paint offers high-end spray paint for graffiti, murals, DIYers

2012-02-23T00:00:00Z

Get ready for the slow paint movement. A Southfield-based start-up has developed a high-end spray paint that emphasizes quality and is aimed at contemporary creatives, such as graffiti artists, muralists, arts and crafts enthusiasts and do-it-yourselfers. Plutonium Paint has taken a modified automotive acrylic, designed a new spray can nozzle for it, and is marketing it toward artists demanding higher quality products for their work. The one-year-old company has 40 different colors to choose from and the potential to create many more. "The colors are much more vibrant and the paint is much heavier," says Barry Fleischer, president of Plutonium Paint. "You can feel it when you use it. It covers much better." Fleischer and his daughter, Meredith, purchased the paint from another company that couldn't make the idea work. They redesigned the spray nozzle to handle the heavier paint, so this nozzle fires vertically out of the bottle, instead of the normal horizontal shot with spray paint cans. The product is entirely made in America and is focused on keeping production in Michigan when possible. "This is the only high-end, quality paint made in America," Fleischer says. Plutonium Paint started to ship its initial products in December and is already in some True Value hardware stores in Michigan, among other local retail locations. The Fleischers hope to have their paints in 500 stores by the end of the year. The company has also grown from its original two co-founders to six employees and a handful of independent contractors today. More hires are expected to come as the product gains traction in the market. Source: Barry Fleischer, president of Plutonium Paint Writer: Jon Zemke Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

Birdhouse techies developing apps for autism

2012-02-23T00:00:00Z

Ben Chutz's new start-up, Birdhouse, is a little personal for him. The West Bloomfield-based company specializes in developing a mobile app and website that helps parents of autistic children better track and manage the developmental disorder. Chutz's girlfriend has a daughter with autism, which has led to Chutz having firsthand experience of helping to raise a child with the disorder and all of the trials and tribulations that come with it. That experience turned on the CFL over his head and prompted him, his girlfriend and one more close friend to start building Birdhouse last fall. "I figured there had to be a better way to monitor the variables that needed to be tracked for autism," says Ben Chutz, founder of Birdhouse. Chutz explains that autism at its base causes people to have an abnormal response to everyday stimuli. Parents and caregivers of autistic kids have to keep track of these interactions as they figure out the best way to help their children deal with the disorder. Birdhouse is developing software that makes tracking these interactions, aggregating that data and making sense of it easy. "It's important to track how the child is responding to different interventions," Chutz says, The trio is still working to develop the software, which Chutz expects will be done in the next two months. He plans to execute a soft launch of Birdhouse's software this summer and make it available to everyone by the end of this year. Chutz is tackling Birdhouse as his full-time job now. Before that he worked for the Jewish Federation of Metro Detroit. Previous to that he helped ReCellular, an Ann Arbor-based cell phone recycler, build its e-commerce platform. Source: Ben Chutz, founder of Birdhouse Writer: Jon Zemke Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

Modeling, simulation and visualization: The jobs wave of the future?

2012-02-23T00:00:00Z

An effort to promote companies that work in computer modeling, simulation and visualization (MSV) is underway as Automation Alley brings together MSV-related businesses and encourages educational institutions to prepare students for the field. About 20 local companies were part of a meeting in January to discuss the MSV initiative. Companies such as Rave Computer attended the meeting and president and CEO, Rick Darter, says the company has already seen the stronghold Michigan, with its background in manufacturing, has in the field. "Until four years ago 95 percent of Rave's business was always outside of Michigan. Then we made the company's goal to grow our Michigan customer base," Darter says in a statement. "Based on our efforts, we easily found over 100 companies right here in Michigan with strong investment in MSV-related activities across all industries, but they were all sliced -- in other words, nobody was talking to each other." Automation Alley, which describes itself as the state's largest technology business association, is partnering with Ann Arbor-based National Center for Manufacturing Sciences to bring those businesses together and promote and advance the field through education and the creation of a skilled workforce. "Our primary role is to bring a lot of the industrial players to the table," NCMS President Rick Jarman says in a statement released by Automation Alley. "We have software companies, we have hardware companies and the NCMS' role is to bring these companies together to form a shared infrastructure, a PIC." The 20 companies that attended the formation meeting have pledged to volunteer their time to support the mission. "Southeast Michigan is primed to become a leading Center of Excellence for modeling, simulation and visualization in the country," Automation Alley executive Ken Rogers says in the statement. "We are collaborating with local organizations that have a vested interest in MSV to discuss needs and opportunities in this area. Because of their support, we can now draw from our collective expertise and resources to move this initiative forward, creating training programs, connecting talent with jobs, and providing manufacturers with the resources they need. As we build momentum, this initiative will naturally draw additional talent, business and resources to our region." Source: Kelly Kozlowski, business accelerator client coordinator and communications officer, Automation Alley Writer: Kim North Shine

FilterD

2012-02-23T00:00:00Z

The Scarab Club, a storied Midtown Detroit institution, hosts an exhibition by local female artists called 'Women Image Color.' The show is curated by Marilyn Zimmerman and opens Feb. 17. Get all the details in FilterD.

Fuller picture for a Dearborn ArtSpace taking shape

2012-02-23T00:00:00Z

A residential and work community for artists is moving forward with a decision by the East Dearborn Downtown Development Authority to sign a contract with Artspace. Artspace is a national nonprofit that helps facilitate artists' communities. The EDDDA contract begins the next phase of the project: predevelopment services, the first of three phases which will take about two years to complete. The first phase is to identify the location and size of the Artspace. The EDDDA presented Artspace 24 potential project location sites throughout Dearborn and the two organizations have now narrowed them down to 10, says Melissa Kania, executive assistant of the EDDDA. Beyond that the funding, fundraising and architectural plans and other pre-construction plans must be made - all of it about three years away, Kania says. ArtSpace is a Minneapolis nonprofit that assists communities in setting up spaces where artists and aspiring artists can live, work, sell and learn. It works with the city in going through the steps to see it through to fruition. About $350,0000 of the $750,000 needed for pre-development serves has been raised. The project has received two grants; $150,000 from the Ford Foundation and another $150,000 from the Kresge Foundation. The community interest is there, according to a series of surveys and studies that have been completed, and the funding through donations, grants and possibly loans is being lined up with several grant applications that have recently been submitted, including to the National Endowment for the Arts. The project is being watched by other communities as it is the first of its kind in Michigan. "Coupled with Dearborn’s intention to replenish and rejuvenate its downtowns through bringing housing and the arts and economic development objectives together and to bring affordable live/work space for artists," Kania says, "we’re confident we can achieve the necessary funding to complete this project," Kania says. Source: Melissa Kania, executive assistant, East Dearborn Downtown Development Authority Writer: Kim North Shine

Tech firm Maestro adds two jobs, looks to double revenue

2012-02-16T00:00:00Z

In each of its first four years, Maestro has doubled its revenue. This has propelled the Bloomfield Hills-based tech firm to grow its staff to eight employees, a dozen independent contractors and the occasional summer intern. It has hired two people in the last four months. Maestro provides comprehensive tech solutions for the procurement of print, paper, postage and logistics. It works to deliver state of the art technology and business intelligence for printing companies around the world. "We have global reach with local presence in North America," says Tom Donnellon, COO of Maestro. "A majority of our business has been from word of mouth." Maestro has funded its growth through its own revenues, keeping the company largely debt free. Donnellon expects to double the firm's revenue again in 2012 by adding two new clients each month. This should allow the firm to hire a few more people this year. Source: Tom Donnellon, COO of Maestro Writer: Jon Zemke Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

Farmington Hills biz behind $1B 5-Hour Energy

2012-02-16T00:00:00Z

Put this in the "Betcha didn't know" column. Living Essentials, the company that makes the 5-Hour Energy drink (and has sued out of existence the 6-Hour and 8-Hour Energy copycats) is a billion-dollar company in our own backyard. That's right, billion -- with a "b". Excerpt: "The privately held Living Essentials doesn’t report revenue or profits, but a source with knowledge of its financials says the company grossed north of $600 million last year on that $1 billion at retail. The source says the company netted about $300 million. Checkout scan data from research firm SymphonyIRI say that 5-Hour has 90% of the energy-shotmarket. Its closest competitor, NVE Pharmaceuticals’ Stacker brand, has just over 3%. Yet Bhargava, 58, is so under the radar that he barely registers on Web searches. His paper trail is thin, consisting primarily of more than 90 lawsuits. This is his first press interview. “I’m killing it right now,” he says, adjusting a black zip-up cardigan from behind the table of a soulless conference room in a beige low-rise building in a suburban business park in Farmington Hills, Mich. “But you’ll Google me and find, like, some lawyer in Singapore.” Read the rest here.

Our Pop-Up Kitchen Scene

2012-02-16T00:00:00Z

They're like the Brigadoons of cuisine, restaurants that appear for one night then vanish into the ether, leaving their fans hungry for their next appearance (which is usually far less than 100 years). Pop-up kitchens are... well... popping up around Metro Detroit, giving budding restaurateurs their first taste of what it's like to run an eatery.

New and renovated homes sprouting in place of foreclosures in Pontiac

2012-02-16T00:00:00Z

About 100 abandoned and foreclosed houses in Pontiac are being demolished and replaced with new or renovated homes as part of a major revitalization program organizers say could become a model of local urban renewal. More than 100 homes have been demolished and nearly 20 renovated or rebuilt in the Unity Park district and throughout other parts of the city since May. The goal is to sell a record number of foreclosed homes and restore or replace them with homes featuring amenities that "defy the perception of abandoned homes." Prices range from $45,000 to $75,000 to eligible buyers. Every home is being made energy efficient and true to the style of the city's old neighborhoods. Home Renewal Systems, a Farmington Hills company that specializes in urban development and revitalization, is part of a broad collaboration on the project that's funded by the Department of Housing and Urban Development's Neighborhood Stabilization Program. Other players include governmental bodies such as the city of Pontiac, the Michigan State Housing Development Authority and the Oakland County Land Bank. Nonprofits such as the Community Housing Network and Oakland County Habitat for Humanity are also involved, as are the Michigan Association of Home Builders and the Michigan Association of Realtors. It was part of an Open House tour held recently and touted as an unprecedented showcase of homes in the city. A family relocating to Pontiac for one of the homes was part of the media event kicking off the tour. "The great part of the program is we specifically look for local companies…and engage local developers," says Shannon Morgan, senior vice president of Home Renewal Systems. Besides acquiring property and working as a developer or finding developers and facilitating the collaborative effort, Home Renewal Systems works to educate and prepare buyers to be lasting homeowners. The company is working on urban renewal projects in 15 other communities, Morgan says. "There have been blight removal efforts through the years, but never to this level." She says the extent of cooperation, the speed of the process and the interest from potential buyers has been astounding. "It really is a model for everyone to follow. You've got a lot of great agencies involved and it is showing which initiatives work and what are the best practices... "This is truly about a partnership that has worked unbelievably well," she says. Some homes, including a historic renovation property powered by a geothermal well, were pre-brought, Morgan says. "We were under a tremendous amount of pressure…We were told by many agencies that we would not be able to find buyers…Pontiac has shown it can be done." Source: Shannon Morgan, senior vice president, Home Renewal Systems Writer: Kim North Shine

B. Nektar Meadery spreads to 15 states, aims at Cali, bigger facilities

2012-02-16T00:00:00Z

B. Nektar Meadery's footprint is growing in more ways than one. The Ferndale-based microbrewer of honey wine is set to have its meads in 15 states by this spring, will take aim at the California market after that and is looking at moving to much bigger facilities within the next 12-18 months. The almost four-year-old craft brewer's team of nine employees and a handful of volunteers (up a few people from last year) is currently selling the company's wares in 11 states. It will enter Indiana and Virginia within the next month. Alabama and Georgia will come online a few weeks after that. The B. Nektar Meadery team is now speaking to a distributor in California to take on that market later this year. That would stretch the firm's mead-making capacity to its limit. "California is such a large market it would be the equivalent of six or seven new states," says Brad Dahlhofer, co-founder of B. Nektar Meadery. "It's huge." B. Nektar Meadery recently expanded its capacity from 15,000 gallons to 100,000 gallons with some new equipment at its Ferndale space on Jarvis Street. Dahlhofer says he and the company's other co-founders are working with Ferndale officials to find a 20,000-square-foot location that would accommodate its brewing, bottling and storage needs. The new facility would also have space for a tap room and a light kitchen. The tap room would not only serve meads but also beer and spirits brewed on site. Dahlhofer says the new facility could be in the fold within 12-18 months. Helping drive all of this is its growing variety of mead flavors. The company has been focusing on gateway products that are similar to other sugary, carbonated, alcoholic drinks. One of its most successful so far is its Zombie Killer, a carbonated mead with a low alcohol content. "They appeal to a wider audience," Dahlhofer says. "The Zombie Killer was the first one in there and it's moving really fast for us." Source: Brad Dahlhofer, co-founder of B. Nektar Meadery Writer: Jon Zemke Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

Chinese-owned auto supplier sets up shop in Troy, plans to hire 50

2012-02-16T00:00:00Z

The hunt for advanced auto engineers is on as Nexteer Inc. moves into Troy with a plan to hire 50. That's a lot of high salary positions. Excerpt: "The need for engineering talent to support growing contracts is leading Saginaw-based and Chinese-owned steering systems supplier Nexteer Inc. to set up shop in metro Detroit. Nexteer said last week it would open a 30,000-square-foot customer service center in Troy in April. As many as 50 additional engineers will be hired ahead of its opening, said Dennis Hoeg, vice president of engineering. " Read the rest here.

Great Neighborhood Bars In Metro Detroit

2012-02-16T00:00:00Z

There are lots of places to drink in Metro Detroit but few you'd call your neighbor. What is it that makes a neighborhood bar so special? Is it the location, the people, or how long they've been around? Metromode's Nicole Rupersburg ponders those very questions from the bar stools of her favorite neighborhood joints.

Energy efficiency for every Wyandotte homeowner, plus new jobs

2012-02-16T00:00:00Z

Every home in Wyandotte is eligible for free energy inspections as well as grants, discounts and low-interest loans to residents interested in making energy efficient changes to their homes. Just over $4 million in grant money from the U.S. Department of Energy and the state of MIchigan was awarded to Wyandotte's municipal services department to carry out its "Save a Watt" program in Wyandotte. Franklin Energy Services, a Wisconsin company with an office in Detroit, was hired by the city to carry out the program. Every single home, whether owned or rented, is eligible for free energy audits. The results of those audits determine what, if any, improvements are needed, and money and discounts are available to help pay for them. "We're shooting for at least 2,000 homes. That's a good chunk of the homes in the city," says Pam Tierney, who is the energy services program manager for Wyandotte Municipal Services. She calls the grant a jackpot for the city. "This is a chance for our residents to get a huge helping hand toward making their homes greener and more comfortable while saving money," she says. Besides saving the city and residents money the program is a job creator, Tierney says. "We have marketing consultants, quality control people, the five contractors that are doing work and their subcontractors," says Tierney, adding that local merchants are benefiting by selling needed supplies. Already 600 homes have received audits, she says. Once 1,000 residents participate, the city will be eligible for funding to install a solar panel project on Wyandotte’s Bacon Memorial District Library. The Better Buildings for Michigan program will pay for the library rooftop panels. “Whether you want to make your home more comfortable, your library more energy efficient or the planet greener---this is a great program to at last get it done!” Mayor Joseph R. Peterson says in a statement. “We’re hoping every resident in our city recognizes this great opportunity and signs up now.” Sign up by calling 1-855-674-9926. Source: Pam Tierney, energy services program manager for Wyandotte Municipal Services Writer: Kim North Shine

Ferndale Review becomes Ferndale's first weekly newspaper

2012-02-16T00:00:00Z

Ferndale is getting its first weekly newspaper this spring, and it can thank its open-minded culture that has made it welcoming to everyone from small business owners to a large section of the region's gay and lesbian population. The Ferndale Review will begin printing editions (it's already online) in April, employing a staff of five people including established, professional journalists. The newspaper is opening in the inner-ring suburb because of its eclectic culture that values the arts and being truly business friendly. "It's a model city of creativity and diversity," says John Ulaj, publisher of the Ferndale Review. "It reminds me of Brooklyn. It appeals to me. I like cities that cater to the youth and creatives. It's an environment that breeds talent." Ulaj is a real-estate broker for his day job, but entered the newspaper publishing business three years ago when he took over what was then the Hamtramck Citizen. He revamped and rebranded the weekly newspaper as the Hamtramck Review, which now employs a staff of five people. He has doubled the paper's circulation since taking it over. "The notion that papers are dead is not true," Ulaj says. "It's a figment of people's imaginations." Ulaj says Hamtramck and Ferndale are similar communities. Both are urban suburbs with diverse populations of about 20,000 people apiece that value the arts and support small businesses. He says these sorts of communities are perfect for newspapers like his that focus on both hard news and entertainment. He would like to spread his style of newspapers to other southeast Oakland County communities, such as Pleasant Ridge and Royal Oak in the near future. Source: John Ulaj, publisher of the Hamtramck Review and Ferndale Review Writer: Jon Zemke Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

Michigan Defense Center opens in Sterling Heights

2012-02-16T00:00:00Z

The Michigan Defense Center (MDC), an agency of the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, opened in Sterling Heights this week and made official Macomb County's position as the state's top destination for defense dollars. The new center will operate at Velocity, a business incubator and central location for economic development efforts in homeland security, defense, advanced manufacturing and other industries. It also provides loans and guidance, work and meeting space and more to start-ups. It is a collaboration between Macomb County, Oakland University and Sterling Heights. The MDC's Sterling Heights office opens as the state releases a study that found that in the last decade, the U.S. Department of Defense awarded nearly $42 million to businesses in Michigan, 63 percent of that going to Macomb County businesses. MDC also has a Lansing office. “Macomb County is the heart of our defense industry so it makes sense that this is the new home of our state’s defense center,” Michael A. Finney, president and CEO, Michigan Economic Development Corp., says in a statement announcing the opening. “This is a sector that is ripe for economic gardening opportunities, and we will continue to work with our partners to grow Michigan businesses and new jobs.” The Michigan Defense Center is an agency of the MEDC, created as a public act to attract new defense and homeland security investment in Michigan and to provide supply chains for defense industry buyers as well as augment research and development resources in universities and federal laboratories, among other objectives. Source: Maria Zardis, manager special projects and outreach, Macomb County Department of Planning and Economic Development Writer: Kim North Shine

Harper Woods' Mack Avenue artist wins a Grammy

2012-02-16T00:00:00Z

Put another notch in Metro Detroit's music cred belt. The Grammy this time is for jazz. Which, as anyone will tell you, is what we has. Excerpt: "Mack Avenue Records bassist Christian McBride received his first GRAMMY Award as a leader at the 54th Annual GRAMMY Awards on Sunday in Los Angeles. McBride won in the “Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album” category for his big band debut, "The Good Feeling." Read the rest here.

Canton woman turns 4th of July fireworks into Chair-iot small biz

2012-02-16T00:00:00Z

A trip to a Fourth of July fireworks display in 2009 turned into a small business for Stephanie Saia. She was walking back to her car when she saw people towing coolers on wheels and carrying folding chairs. "I thought, 'Why isn't there something for people so they can pull their chairs?" Saia says. That's when the CFL over her head went off for Chair-iot, a folding chair carrying case with wheels built into the bottom so people can roll it along with them. The case can handle two folding chairs. It is about the size of a golfing bag with pockets for things like water bottles and magazines. Saia is taking pre-sales right now and has ordered 1,000 Chair-iots. "I'm hoping to sell the 1,000 units before they come in so I can order another 1,000 before the summer months," Saia says. Chair-iot is working with an advertising agency to make some sales in Michigan and develop an e-commerce platform. Saia hopes to have the Chair-iot in local corporate chain stores this year and begin making headway for national sales. "A goal of mine is to showcase my product on the Ellen Show," Saia says. Source: Stephanie Saia, founder of Chair-iot Writer: Jon Zemke Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

Metromode Speaker Event: Growing Companies

2012-02-16T00:00:00Z

Join Metromode and Model D Feb. 29 at the newly renovated M@dison Building, home to Detroit Venture Partners and a growing family of companies, for a conversation about getting from startup to second stage. Registration begins now.