Detroit’s Jobless Economy: Startups Take Root
In Detroit, a city with rampant unemployment, big crowds in the middle of the day may mean someone is giving out freebies.
But on a recent workday, over 450 people packed an auditorium downtown. They weren’t looking for a hand out, sympathy or even a job application. They were looking to start their own business.
These would-be entrepreneurs flocked to an auditorium on Wayne State University’s campus with ideas big and small.
Attendees also took part in a variety of workshops including ones on how to raise money, how to save on shipping costs and how to run a service or lifestyle businesses. Each attendee got a chance to meet one-on-one with a business counselor and the opportunity to sign up for more free classes.
Some proposals focused on technical businesses — a former Ford manufacturing expert wants to start a consulting firm advising companies on how to make their manufacturing processes more efficient, while a former software engineer had started a company that makes Web-based system that hosts emergency contact and other medical information for children.
Photo by LeoSynapse.
Jaclyn Wells on August 28th, 2009 1:26 pm
That event sounds like something every city in michigan should be doing right now. There are so many people out of work here in the state of michigan that it’s beyond ridiculous, and people need ways of getting back on their feet, ways that are not going to cost them an arm and a leg to participate in given the fact they don’t have a job.
Rich A. on August 29th, 2009 4:00 pm
I’ve often wondered which is better if you’re unemployed: spend six months looking for a job, or spend six months starting your own business. I hope more and more people choose to take control of their destinies by starting their own business.
I agree with Jaclyn, every city in Michigan ought to do this. I live in Grand Rapids, MI. I hope the people in this story help Detroit, and the entire state, become a land of opportunity!
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