Lawrence Jackson | Place-Based

25 minutes

Areas of Specialty: Finance + Accounting | Financial Projections | Business Plans | Start-up Support + Brick and Mortar

Lawrence has been an advisor and business advocate to profit and nonprofit businesses for over 20 years. His strength is the development and implementation of solid action plans by analyzing the financial profiles of the enterprise. His customer service orientation is the basis for his knowledge and expertise in: Banking Products; Analysis and Problem Solving; and seminars and workshops

Micah Loucks | Place-Based

25 minutes

Areas of Specialty: Start-up Support + Brick and Mortar | Food Manufacturing | Food Product Development

Micah became passionate about small business after being tasked with creating a culinary training and catering social enterprise. After creating a sustainable business and moving to Detroit, he has provided technical and strategic consulting to hundreds of local food businesses throughout SE Michigan. Micah enjoys helping entrepreneurs develop products, understand their costs, and brand their company.

Christina Devlin | Place-Based

25 minutes

Areas of Specialty: Retail Operations | Visual Merchandising | Brick + Mortar

As part of the Retail Services team, Christina provides support to entrepreneurs and small business owners, helping them strengthen their business concepts, open brick and mortar locations, stabilize and grow. She has over 20 years experience in retail program management, operations, product development and non-profit leadership at Pewabic Pottery, The Detroit Institute of Arts, and Pure Detroit.

Mayté Penman | Place-Based

25 minutes

Areas of Specialty: Bilingual | Community Resources | Event Planning + Outreach

A native of Durango, Mexico, Mayté has lived in Michigan for over 25 years. Mayté brings a tremendous network to TechTown from over 20 years of service to Southwest Detroit communities through a mix of community and economic development. Her background allows for an understanding of the unique bicultural/bilingual circumstances of the SW community. Because of this, she is able to personally connect with entrepreneurs.

Heather Levine | Place-Based

25 minutes

Areas of Specialty: Start-up Support + Brick and Mortar (especially restaurants and retail) | Operational Support for Restaurants

As the owner of 2 local businesses, Heather enjoys helping neighborhood businesses work through their challenges, from obtaining a liquor license to hiring their first employee to implementing operational processes and procedures. Heather gained considerable experience through her 10+ years negotiating leases and other agreement for large commercial property owners.

Faris Alami | Place-Based

25 minutes

Areas of Specialty: Retail Operations | Entrepreneurship | International Business

Faris Alami works with TechTown Detroit on several initiatives including the Retail Boot Camp (RBC) and Detroit Technology Exchange (DTX).  Alami also is the founder and CEO of International Strategic Management. ISM is an international technology company working around the globe providing technology, leadership, entrepreneurship, and cultural programs.

Marlo Rencher | Technology

25 minutes

Areas of Specialty: Strategy | Funding Strategy | Pitch Practice | Customer Discovery

Marlo is an entrepreneur, anthropologist and educator with over 2 decades of experience in startup and small business development. She is the Diversity + Inclusion Entrepreneur-in-Residence, ensuring that tech programs are diverse, inclusive, and equitable. She has founded or co-founded 3 tech startups, and is also a co-founder of Detroit Regional Angels, an investment group developed for entrepreneurs by entrepreneurs.

David Webber | Technology

25 minutes

Areas of Specialty: Web/Mobile Apps | Growth | Strategy

David has a rich background in tech with a deep focus on software. Over the last 20 years, he has helped small businesses to Fortune 100 companies build and maintain critical software apps on various platforms. In 2008, he realized his dream of entrepreneurship + started a B2B consulting firm servicing small to medium-sized businesses in Web and iOS product development. In March of 2015, David became the 4th employee at StockX.

Matthew Rolling | Technology (Durfee)

25 minutes

Areas of Specialty: Finance + Accounting | Relationships | Fundraising | Strategy

Matthew is the Chair of Wayne State’s Accounting Department. Prior to joining Wayne State, Matthew served as CEO of BoostUp, a venture-backed savings app start-up that helped people reach their big purchase goals. Before joining BoostUp, Roling spent 5 years as director of business development at Rock Ventures. Matt has advised and invested in start-ups in the education, fintech and sports and entertainment spaces.

Fathi Abdelsalam | Technology

25 minutes

Areas of Specialty: Strategy | Intellectual Property | Fundraising | Hardware

Fathi is a tech entrepreneur based out of San Jose and Detroit. He is very passionate about developing solutions that have substantial social and economic impact and is a member of several entrepreneurial communities, including TechStars, Sprint Accelerator, Jumpstart Foundry, Startup Weekend, and Seamless IoT. He has also served as a mentor and entrepreneur-in-residence within several economic development orgs around the world

Matthew Roling | Technology (Lear)

25 minutes

Areas of Specialty: Finance + Accounting | Relationships | Fundraising | Strategy

Matthew is the Chair of Wayne State’s Accounting Department. Prior to joining Wayne State, Matthew served as CEO of BoostUp, a venture-backed savings app start-up that helped people reach their big purchase goals. Before joining BoostUp, Roling spent 5 years as director of business development at Rock Ventures. Matt has advised and invested in start-ups in the education, fintech and sports and entertainment spaces.

Nafis Azad | Waker

25 minutes

Data + Analytics | Tech + Product Development | Funding + Investment | Strategy + Business Development

Nafis Azad is a passionate tech entrepreneur and product strategist dedicated to using innovation and design to help build great companies. Nafis has led development and UX for numerous startups and mobile apps over the past 5+ years.

Margo Dalal | Detroit Community Wealth Fund

25 minutes

Social Impact | Strategy + Business Development | Worker-Ownership, Democratic Ownership, Shared Ownership

Margo Dalal is the co-founder and Executive Director of the Detroit Community Wealth Fund, a non-extractive loan fund that develops and finances worker-owned cooperatives. Raised in Virginia, Margo holds a BA from Hampshire College and an MSW from the U of M. Margo has experience in supporting and growing businesses and nonprofits, especially ones that prioritize worker ownership + youth.

Jonathan Schwartz | Jaffe Raitt Heuer & Weiss, P.C.

25 minutes

Legal | IP | Real Estate | Business

Jonathan represents clients in a variety of entertainment, intellectual property, business, employment, and real estate legal matters. Helping clients: form + grow tech-related businesses; register + protect intellectual property; launch TV shows (including a recently Emmy-nominated program); draft and enforce contracts; negotiate and close deals; structure, sell and acquire businesses, real estate + assets; defend reputations + collect debts; and solve legal problems.

Jeremy Bisdorf | Jaffe Raitt Heuer & Weiss, PC

25 minutes

Legal | IP + Patents | Licensing

Jeremy specializes in providing strategic legal advice and business consultation services to clients to maximize the value of their patents, trademarks, copyrights and other proprietary information. He services a number of clients in the medical device, software, e-commerce, health care, and franchising industries. Jeremy also counsels clients on contracts, national and international intellectual property protection, and business negotiations.

Becky Riess | Thumbprint Fulfillment

25 minutes

Wholesale | E-Commerce

After a 25+ year career in sales and marketing with Kimberly-Clark Corporation, I co-founded a company six years ago, Thumbprint Artifacts. We import handcrafted items from South Africa and distribute to the US market - both wholesale and e-commerce. Four years ago when we had distribution with 200+ retailers, my home could no longer hold the inventory. So, in 2018 we opened our own fulfillment center in Detroit to service Thumbprint Artifacts + the needs of other small businesses.

Lydia Michael | Blended Collective

25 minutes

Diversity + Inclusion | Art | Branding | Marketing + Advertising | Music | Public Relations | Strategy + Business Development

Lydia Michael is the President and Founder of Blended Collective, a multicultural marketing and brand consultancy. Her experience spans from the entertainment and music industry to international project work with Deloitte and L’Oréal. Lydia’s experience also includes cross-cultural trainings, workshops and webinars for automotive expatriates and other business professionals.

Jodie Kennedy | Standby Marketing

25 minutes

Art | Marketing + Advertising | Branding | Public Relations | Digital Design

Jodie first started consulting with small businesses as a Peace Corps in Nicaragua. She later joined corporate America and managed multi-faceted marketing strategy and implementation for large brands in the travel industry. Now, as the Principal of Standby Marketing, Jodie works with a variety of business types to create and refine their marketing approach.

Warren Galloway | East Jefferson

50 minutes

Areas of Specialty: Microlending | Banking Financing | Start-up Support + Brick and Mortar | Business Plans

Warren Galloway is a strong advocate of microlending, and has taken the lead in promoting it as an important resource for small businesses throughout Michigan. He is an author of four books and the founder of the National Microloan Conference—an annual conference for microlending industry professionals (lenders, entrepreneurs, bankers, and service providers).

Micah Loucks | Brightmoor

50 minutes

Areas of Specialty: Start-up Support + Brick and Mortar | Food Manufacturing | Food Product Development

Micah became passionate about small business after being tasked with creating a culinary training and catering social enterprise. After creating a sustainable business and moving to Detroit, he has provided technical and strategic consulting to hundreds of local food businesses throughout SE Michigan. Micah enjoys helping entrepreneurs develop products, understand their costs, and brand their company.

Lawrence Jackson | Osborn

50 minutes

Areas of Specialty: Finance + Accounting | Financial Projections | Business Plans | Start-up Support + Brick and Mortar

Lawrence has been an advisor and business advocate to profit and nonprofit businesses for over 20 years. His strength is the development and implementation of solid action plans by analyzing the financial profiles of the enterprise. His customer service orientation is the basis for his knowledge and expertise in: Banking Products; Analysis and Problem Solving; and seminars and workshops

Mayté Penman | Southwest Detroit

50 minutes

Areas of Specialty: Bilingual | Community Resources | Event Planning + Outreach

A native of Durango, Mexico, Mayté has lived in Michigan for over 25 years. Mayté brings a tremendous network to TechTown from over 20 years of service to Southwest Detroit communities through a mix of community and economic development. Her background allows for an understanding of the unique bicultural/bilingual circumstances of the SW community. Because of this, she is able to personally connect with entrepreneurs.

Heather Levine | University District

50 minutes

Areas of Specialty: Start-up Support + Brick and Mortar (especially restaurants and retail) | Operational Support for Restaurants

As the owner of 2 local businesses, Heather enjoys helping neighborhood businesses work through their challenges, from obtaining a liquor license to hiring their first employee to implementing operational processes and procedures. Heather gained considerable experience through her 10+ years negotiating leases and other agreement for large commercial property owners.

Joanna Dueweke-Perez | TechTown (General)

50 minutes

Areas of Specialty: Start-up Support + Financing | Websites + General Marketing | Organizational Tools + Resources

Compelled by the urgency of a more equitable future, Joanna thrives on “making things work.” Programs, community organizing, a neighborhood business, events, websites, her family’s schedule - no matter what the project might be, she’s invested in the logistics of it all. Working in community development for several years, she utilizes her knowledge of Detroit to support entrepreneurs

Micah Loucks | Grandmont Rosedale

50 minutes

Areas of Specialty: Start-up Support + Brick and Mortar | Food Manufacturing | Food Product Development

Micah became passionate about small business after being tasked with creating a culinary training and catering social enterprise. After creating a sustainable business and moving to Detroit, he has provided technical and strategic consulting to hundreds of local food businesses throughout SE Michigan. Micah enjoys helping entrepreneurs develop products, understand their costs, and brand their company.

Lawrence Jackson | Mack Avenue

50 minutes

Areas of Specialty: Finance + Accounting | Financial Projections | Business Plans | Start-up Support + Brick and Mortar

Lawrence has been an advisor and business advocate to profit and nonprofit businesses for over 20 years. His strength is the development and implementation of solid action plans by analyzing the financial profiles of the enterprise. His customer service orientation is the basis for his knowledge and expertise in: Banking Products; Analysis and Problem Solving; and seminars and workshops

Jeff Ponders | TechTown (Tech)

50 minutes

Areas of Specialty: Product Launch | Marketing | Customer Discovery | Business Models

Jeff Ponders II is a modern-day Batman. By day, he leverages experience as an exec with agencies like Leo Burnett and Digitas to develop marketing & innovation strategies for ambitious brands. By night, he performs as a jazz saxophonist. In between, the serial tech entrepreneur coaches startups and helps orgs achieve peak performance as a keynote speaker. Jeff holds a degree in Entrepreneurship from the Wharton Scho

Fathi Abdelsalam | TechTown (Tech)

50 minutes

Areas of Specialty: Strategy | Intellectual Property | Fundraising | Hardware

Fathi is a tech entrepreneur based out of San Jose and Detroit. He is very passionate about developing solutions that have substantial social and economic impact and is a member of several entrepreneurial communities, including TechStars, Sprint Accelerator, Jumpstart Foundry, Startup Weekend, and Seamless IoT. He has also served as a mentor and entrepreneur-in-residence within several economic development orgs around the world

Matthew Roling | TechTown (Tech)

50 minutes

Areas of Specialty: Finance + Accounting | Relationships | Fundraising | Strategy

Matthew is the Chair of Wayne State’s Accounting Department. Prior to joining Wayne State, Matthew served as CEO of BoostUp, a venture-backed savings app start-up that helped people reach their big purchase goals. Before joining BoostUp, Roling spent 5 years as director of business development at Rock Ventures. Matt has advised and invested in start-ups in the education, fintech and sports and entertainment spaces.

David Webber | TechTown (Tech)

50 minutes

Areas of Specialty: Web/Mobile Apps | Growth | Strategy

David has a rich background in tech with a deep focus on software. Over the last 20 years, he has helped small businesses to Fortune 100 companies build and maintain critical software apps on various platforms. In 2008, he realized his dream of entrepreneurship + started a B2B consulting firm servicing small to medium-sized businesses in Web and iOS product development. In March of 2015, David became the 4th employee at StockX.

Jennifer Foster | Catalyst Media Factory

25 minutes

Marketing + Advertising | Public Relations | Real Estate | Retail

With more than 15 years of experience in the public relations and social media sectors, Jennifer L. Foster is the founder and president of Catalyst Media Factory (CMF). The company provides media relations (public relations) and social media support to small and growing businesses in Detroit and across the country. Named as one of Crain Detroit's 2018 Notable Women in Marketing, she holds multiple degrees from the University of Michigan.

Kaleena Eugene-Louis | Limited Brands

25 minutes

Retail | Sales | Customer Service | Retail Operations

Kaleena Eugene-Louis is a tenured retail management specialist who has built her expertise in successful corporations while in roles at retailers which include Macy’s, American Eagle, BCBG Max Azria, and Limited Brands. Helping to both generate and increase sales revenues through a strong Customer Service filter is the first fundamental foundation she recognizes as important to a successful business.

Racheal Allen | Operations School

25 minutes

Strategy + Business Development | Growth Strategy | Building Systems (Automation + Delegation)

Racheal Allen is a serial entrepreneur and a Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt certified Operations Consultant. She specializes in helping solopreneurs use systems and automation to grow their businesses. With over fifteen years of experience as an operational leader, she's on a mission to help Detroit area entrepreneurs learn how to operate their businesses.

PSN Orientation

1 hour 30 minutes