SMART PAGES - Detroit Black Pages

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DETROIT
B U S I N E S S
-
P O L I T I C S
-
C O M M U N I T Y
SMART
PAGES
OCT/NOV. 2015
“Building Business to Business and Business to Community Relationships”
www.detroitsmartpages.com
OCT/NOV 2015 | PAGE 2
2
On the
Road Recovery
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I’m very particular.
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Bricker Tunis Furs
as my furrier.
~ Kimmie Horne
International Recording Artist
and Celebrity Spokesmodel
F E AT U R E D A R T I C L E O F T H E M O N T H
An Open Letter to African American Women,
“Enough SAID African American 490 Challenge.”
More than five years ago, 11,341
unopened, untested rape kits were
found in a Detroit Police Department
storage unit. Each kit represents a
soul-crushing brutal crime. Each kit
represents a case abandoned by investigators. Each kit represents a sexual
offender who escaped justice. Each kit
represents a victim without closure.
Enough SAID (Enough Sexual Assault in Detroit) was formed to
raise money for the scientific testing
of these evidence kits, as well as the
investigation and prosecution of these
forgotten crimes. Each rape kit costs
$490 to process. Economic constraints
in Detroit and Wayne County mean
we cannot bring these criminals to justice without the donations of individuals and philanthropic organizations.
The Enough SAID campaign is
an independent collaboration by the
Michigan Women’s Foundation, the
Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office and
the Detroit Crime Commission. The
goal of this collaboration is to raise private-sector funding to test these rape
kits, investigate the crimes and prosecute the resulting cases, thus securing
justice and closure for victims and
ensuring a safer community for everyone. The estimated cost is $10 million.
So far, funds have been raised to
process 10,000 of the 11,341 kits--meaning we still need half a million dollars to finish the tests. But the fight for
justice is far from over; the other major
expense of this effort will be investigating and prosecuting the assailants who
are identified. As a comparison, Cleveland had a backlog of 4,000 rape kits
and hired 35 investigators to address
the backlog. Detroit currently has 12
investigators. That’s not nearly enough. The goal of this collaboration is to raise private-sector
funding to test these rape kits, investigate the crimes
and prosecute the resulting cases, thus securing justice
and closure for victims and ensuring a safer community
for everyone. The estimated cost is $10 million.
The great majority of the victims of these unsolved crimes are
black women. Our mothers. Our sisters. Our daughters. Our neighbors.
Our aunts. Our cousins. Our friends.
DETROIT
B U S I N E S S
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Women who look and live like us.
Now is the time for black women
to use our voices and resources to show
sexual assault victims that they have
not been forgotten. Now is the time for
Detroiters (and those of us who care
about Detroiters) to demonstrate that
P O L I T I C S
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those who commit sexual assault must
be held accountable. While leaders in
cities such as Houston and Cleveland
have identified government resources to
address their rape kit backlogs, Detroit
SMART
PAGES
C O M M U N I T Y
“Building Business to Business and Business to Community Relationships”
Publisher/Senior Editor
Beverly Smith
Monthly Columnists
Nina Abubakari
Aundrea Bradford
Senior Writer
Willie Brake
Charlene Mitchell-Rodgers
Barbara Brazile
Business Consultant/Advisors Krystle Caffie
Thomas Hardiman, Sr.
Daimeon Cotton
Laura Sigmon
Jason Cole
Benjamin J. Cunningham
Sheila Hawkins
DeShawn Holmes
Samirian Hill
Ellis Liddell
Simone Lightfoot
Charlene Mitchell-Rogers
David Rambeau
Brenda Reeves
Gary Smith
Ginger Tansil
Jeffrey Taylor
is not in a financial position to fund this
critical effort. The cavalry isn’t coming. As June Jordan famously said, “We
are the ones we’ve been waiting for.”
That’s why we are writing you today.
We are black women volunteers
who have created the “Enough SAID
African American 490 Challenge.”
Through this challenge, we will leverage the power of black women in our
community to raise money for and
awareness about this issue. On Tuesday,
October 6, 2015, a press conference
was held at the Detroit Association of
Women’s Clubs, where over 100 Black
women stood in support this cause.
The campaign aims at individual black women and at African American organizations to:
Identify black women leaders who will
raise or donate $490 each (the cost to
process one rape kit). Participants in
this challenge will be acknowledged
in media outreach efforts and at special
events. You can donate online today at:
https://www.crowdrise.com/africanamerican490challenge/fundraiser/kimtrent1. go to website: www.aa490challenge.org and click donate.
Sincerely, Kim Trent
Enough SAID African American 490
Challenge Campaign Committee
For more information, Contact me
at: [email protected] or call:
313-657-4759
SERVING
METROPOLITAN
DETROIT
Ann Arbor | Flint | Grand Rapids | Lansing
Muskegon | Pontiac | Saginaw
Contributing Writers
Charles Biggs
Carmen Carter
Stacy Goldberg
Angeline Lawrence
Darrell Washington
Khadija Wallace
Photography
Gordon Alexander
Beverly Smith
Delivery Service
New Hope Eagle
Logistics
Layout Artists
Darrell Washington
Dywan A. Smith “Flyerman”
OFFICE PHONE: 313.268.3523
www.detroitsmartpages.com |SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER
277 Gratiot Ave. Ste. 503 | 2014
Detroit,| PAGE
MI 48226
4 | [email protected]
PUBLISHER’S MESSAGE
Living with Vitiligo!
For those of you that have not heard
of Vitiligo, it is a condition that causes
the skin to lose color or pigmentation.
Many of you may associate it with Michael Jackson and often refer to it as the
Michael Jackson disease. Vitiligo (vituh-lie-go) develops when cells called
melanocytes (mehlan-o-sites)
die.
These cells give our
skin and hair its color. Patches of lighter
skin appear. Some
people develop a
few patches while
BEVERLY SMITH others lose much
more skin color.
Vitiligo usually affects the skin,
but it can develop anywhere we have
pigment. Patches of hair can turn white.
Some people lose color inside their
mouths. Even an eye can lose some of
its color. People of all races and ethnicities get vitiligo. Vitiligo is not contagious and it is not life-threatening.
But, vitiligo can be life-altering. Some
people develop low self-esteem. They
may no longer want to hang out with
friends or develop serious depression.
Most people have vitiligo for life, so it’s
important to develop coping strategies.
Recently, I was diagnosed with
having Vitiligo! At age 67, who would
have thought? I will be chronicling my
journey with Vitiligo to educate myself
and others on this condition in an effort
to help others understand the disease.
away. I said, “I don’t know!” So, I gave
my daughter the grapefruit story. Then I
started to get a little concerned, but still
thought it would eventually go away.
A few weeks later, I went on a
little vacation to visit my girlfriend in
Houston and noticed light spots on my
thumb and forefinger on my right hand.
People of all races and ethnicities get vitiligo.
Vitiligo is not contagious and it is not life-threatening. But, vitiligo can be life-altering.
First, I had no idea what was happening when I looked in the mirror one
morning in May while brushing my
teeth and noticed my lips were lighter.
I didn’t pay it too much attention, put
on lipstick and went on my way. After a few days, my lips were still lighter so I thought it was maybe the acid
from eating grapefruit which I love in
the summer time. Then one evening I
was babysitting my grandchildren, and
my daughter returned home, turned on
the light and said, “Ma, What’s wrong
with your lips? I actually had forgotten about it and just thought it would go
Then I realized that it may be vitiligo.
As more and more spots appeared on
my right hand and on my left hand, I
did research on the disease and knew it
couldn’t be anything else. I shared my
thoughts with another girlfriend and she
immediately shared with me that a mutual friend of ours also had it and she had
joined a support group here in the city. I
then called a trusted friend of mine, Dr.
Reginald Eady of Sanai Grace Hospital to give me a dermatologist referral.
I’m being treated by Dr. Karen Heidelberg at Heidelberg Dermatology P. C.
located at 20400 Livernois in Detroit.
A biopsy was taken and confirmed my
self diagnosis. I am having photo light
treatment twice a week, taking Ginkgo
Biloba tablets once daily and using a topical ointment in hopes of slowing down
and bringing some of the color back.
I also joined the support group
hosted by Lee Thomas of FOX 2 TV and
Henry Ford Hospital Dermatologists.
The Southeast Michigan Vitiligo Support
Group meets on the second Thursday of
the following months: January, March,
May, July, September and November.
The meetings are held at the New Center One Building at 3031 W. Grand
Blvd in the 7th Floor Conference Room.
My first encounter with the support group was at their annual picnic
this summer. I was surprised to see
every demographic of people “Living with Vitiligo.” Children, teenagers, young adults, my age and older, Black, White, Asian and others.
If you know of anyone who
has Vitiligo and not part of a support
group, please share the information
or have them call me at 313-2683523. Until next time, I am Beverly
Smith and I’m Living With Vitiligo!
E-mail: [email protected]
Phone: 313.268.3523
I N S P I R AT I O N A L C O R N E R
What We Really Need
W
e sometimes think of our
lives as a selfie photograph
that we can edit to highlight particular areas and enhance how
we want to look, or appear to others. However, if we
would take time to
look at the big picture, instead of our
selfies, we will see
that life is strictly
black and white,
with no gray areas. Gray areas are arBARBARA BRAZILE
eas where we could
erase a few chapters from our lives
that we did not like, or add a few accomplished goals to make us feel better, just to create the fairy-tale ending
for ourselves. Reality is; since we did
not write our story, we cannot edit it.
Having goals are important to
us. We are admonished to set short
and long term goals for ourselves
as a means to bring us closer to success. Sometimes, we are not sure of
what we need to accomplish our goals. We just believe that if we take the right
are too high to climb, and rivers that
are too wide to swim. We will cross
valleys so low, and bridges too steep. We cannot live in this world without
needing a strong, yet gentle hand to
lift us out of the valleys, help us climb
the mountains, and carry us across the
rivers to a safe place. In other words,
we must first learn how to roll with
the punches and challenges in life
called unforeseen circumstances, detours, and roadblocks, that we someReality is, since we
times forget are all part of the plan. did not write our story,
The Divine plan repeats itself
in
principles,
so that we may learn
we cannot edit it.
and know what we truly need in our
or setting goals, because everything lives. For example, since the creation
we do is all part of the Divine plan. has been in existence, we depend on,
Moreover, we need to under- and need the repetition of the sun to
stand there is absolutely nothing we rise everyday in order for us to have
can do to change, or impede the Di- life. The purpose of this repetition
vine plan that our Heavenly Father is to give us confidence and faith in
intricately, and personally designed the existence of our Heavenly Fafor us. Though we may feel like we ther, and to know there is a Divine
are the pilots of our destiny or the plan already in operation. When you
captains of our ship...we are not. have confidence, you have peace.
The complexity of life is overThrough our journeys, we will
come face to face with mountains that whelming at times. There are times
steps, that everything will work out as
we planned. What we have forgotten
is; there is already a Divine plan in operation and has been long before we
existed. Therefore, our goals were already planned for us. If we achieved
a goal we thought we planned, it is
because it was already purposed in
the Divine plan. Nevertheless, there
is nothing wrong with having a plan
when we take two steps forward,
and like gravity, we are pulled three
steps backwards. It seems unfair, but
life is not unfair. Life is a period of
time where lessons are taught and
learned. It is a collection of moments
and seconds that are designed for us
to recognize that we have a savior
who has already done everything for
us, and all he ask is that we acknowledge what he has done...this is fair. To understand the Divine plan,
one must have Divine understanding. Likewise, a natural mind cannot comprehend spiritual needs. All things
came out of spirit, and all will return
to spirit, this is the plan that we need
to be conscious of in order to weather the storms we all must encounter
in our life time. Understanding the
Divine plan of our Heavenly Father
is what gives us peace within…and
His peace is what we really need. CONTACT INFO:
Barbara Brazile
President, Brazille Enterprises
E-mail: [email protected]
Phone: 248.766.2726
S P O R T S TA L K
The Lions
The thought of starting the 2015-16
NFL season without the Ndamukong Suh
is still quite disturbing. I actually still have
headaches just thinking about it. Like it
or not, the season has started and were
already set back 2-games. The Detroit
Lions took their first L of the season on
the road against the
San Diego Chargers. Matthew Stafford who ended
up with 246 yards,
2TD’s, 2 int took a
big hit from a unblocked
Melvin
DESHAWN HOLMES Ingram on a manageable 3rd and 4
situation. (A hit which resulted in x-rays
of his chest and ribs after the game) Ingram that resulted in one of 2 of the interceptions, the other by Patrick Robinson. The Lions loss game 1, 28-33.
“I feel good, ready to go,” Stafford said, via the Detroit Free Press.
“I’m not here to talk about last week. Week 2 our boys took to Minnesota for Adrian Peterson and the
Vikings that ended in a 33-28 loss.
Matthew Stafford only threw for 30more yards than he did against the
Chargers and only had 1 interception.
Calvin Johnson who we haven’t
scene much after only being targeted
for times in week 1 against the Chargers brought in 10 catches for 83 yards
and a touchdown in Sunday’s loss to
Minnesota averaging just over 10 yards
per reception thus far this season, more
than four yards below his career low
The Facts:
The offensive line looks week
Secondary looks suspect
Stafford got beat up
It was also reported after the game
that Stafford underwent X-rays on his
chest and ribs, per Jennifer Hammond
of FOX 2 Sports Detroit. Stafford waled
away completing over 60 percent of his
passes for 286 yards and two touchdowns
Easy Money
Another 34 million in the bank for
Floyd “Money” Mayweather as he ended
his career in style against former champion 30-4 Andre Berto who became another
offering to Mayweathers’ unbeaten feast
of a record that stands at a flawless 49-0. “I’ve accomplished
everything, there’s nothing
else to accomplish,” Mayweather said, according to
the Guardian’s Bryan Armen Gr ham. “Money don’t
make me, I make money.”
“You have to know when
to hang it up. It’s my time
to hang it up. ... Nothing
else for me to prove in the
sport of boxing.
A perfect display of defense to
say the least as Mayweather danced
around the ring for the first 36 minutes
of the fight which was held in Los Vegas. In the 12th round, Money landed
perhaps the biggest punch of the night
considering the atmosphere. Hopefully
these last 2 weeks has given the Lions a
wake-up call as they take on the Denver
Broncos, Seattle Seahawks and the Arizona Cardinals for the next three games.
This could get ugly not only for the Lions but defensive coordinator Teryl Austin if we can’t win 2 games immediately.
Even though the Lions are off to
a 0-3 start as a result of our 2015 debut
on national TV on Sunday Night Football, with a lost to the Denver Broncos
of 24-12, they are still optimistic. 3rd in
the NFC Northern Division. They have a
reason to be because that record reflects
the same record in 1995 when the Lions still went on to play in the playoffs.
with a uppercut that sent Berto’s head
back and a slight knee buckle. We
could have seen a knockout at that moment if it there had been enough time. Although Mayweather got hit
two more times than he did four
months ago against Manny Pacquiao, Berto struggled to land more
than 20 percent of his punches, as
ESPN Stats and Info noted: The judges scored the fight 120-108, 118-110
and 117-111 in Mayweather’s favor.
After 49 career professional fights,
Floyd Mayweather Jr. is hanging it up. “I’ve accomplished everything,
there’s nothing else to accomplish,” May-
weather said, according to the Guardian’s Bryan Armen Graham. “Money
don’t make me, I make money.” “You
have to know when to hang it up. It’s
my time to hang it up. ... Nothing else
for me to prove in the sport of boxing.
Berto’s may have not been a top
contender for Mayweather, but with 48
wins, no loses; who is? What’s next?
Manny Paquiao again or try to beat
Marciano’s record of 49-0.? Maybe, if
it’s a couple hundred million involved.
CONTACT INFO:
Deshawn Holmes at
[email protected]
Doing business without advertising is like “winking”
at someone in the dark; You know what you are doing,
but no one else does”.
- Walter Seward
Call Smart Marketing Consulting
313-268-3523
SMART MONEY MANAGEMENT
Let’s Talk Life Insurance
S
eptember, 2015 marked the 12th
anniversary of Life Insurance
Awareness Month (LIAM), an
effort to raise awareness among consumers about the
need for life insurance. To make sure
Americans are reminded of the need
to include life insurance in their financial
plans, the nonprofit
SAMIRIAN HILL
LIFE
Foundation
is joined in this educational initiative by more than
100 of the nation’s leading insurance companies and industry groups.
First Thing First
Too many Americans do not have
adequate life insurance protection. According to the industry research group
LIMRA, 95 million adult Americans
have no life insurance whatsoever.
Here’s the bottom line: A majority of
families either have no life insurance or
not enough, leaving them one accident
or terminal illness away from a financial catastrophe for their loved ones.
More than 4 out of every
10 people do not own a life insurance policy in any amount.
What is Life Insurance?
Life insurance is an agreement
(contract) between you (the insured)
and the life insurance company (insurer). Under the terms of a life insurance policy, the insurer promises
to pay a certain sum to the person of
choice (your beneficiary) upon an untimely death, in exchange for premium payments. Proper life insurance
coverage should provide you with a
peace of mind, since those you care
about should be financially protected.
Why Buy Life Insurance?
Life insurance can do some pretty amazing things for people. One of
the most common reasons for buying
life insurance is to replace the loss
of income that would occur in the
event of your death. You can call it,
income replacement insurance or income protection. When you die and
your paychecks stop, your family
may be left with limited resources.
Proceeds from a life insurance policy make cash available to support
your family almost immediately.
It also can buy loved ones time
to grieve. It can pay off debts and
loans, providing surviving family
members with the chance to move on
with a clean slate. It can keep families in their homes and pre-fund
a child’s college education. It can
keep a family business in the family.
How much life insurance do you
need?
Your life insurance needs will
depend on a number of factors, including whether you’re married, the size of
your family, the nature of your financial obligations, your career stage, and
your goals. For example, when you’re
young, you may not have a great need
for life insurance. However, as you take
More than 4 out
of every 10 people
do not own a life
insurance policy
in any amount.
on more responsibilities and your family grows, your need for life insurance
increases. Since your needs will change
over time, you’ll need to continually
re-evaluate your need for coverage.
How much life insurance can you
afford?
Many factors determine the cost
of coverage. The type of policy that
you choose, the amount of coverage,
your age, and your health all play a
part. The amount of coverage you can
afford is tied to your current and expected future financial situation, as well.
What are the types of life insurance
policies?
The two basic types of life insurance are term life and permanent life.
Term policies provide life insurance
protection for a specific period of time,
usually 1 to 30 years. If you die during
the coverage period, your beneficiary receives the policy death benefit.
If you live to the end of the term, the
policy simply terminates, unless it automatically renews for a new period.
Permanent insurance policies
provide protection for your entire life,
provided you pay the premium to keep
the policy in force. Permanent life insurance can build cash value inside of
the policy. It is a bit more involved
and can be broken down into additional categories beyond the scope of this
article. Consult a licensed insurance
representative for a more in depth ex-
planation. There is a place for both
types of insurance based on your needs.
Who receives the proceeds after
death?
You must name a primary beneficiary to receive the proceeds of your
insurance policy. You may name a
contingent beneficiary to receive the
proceeds in the event that the primary and insured dies at the same time.
Your beneficiary may be a person, corporation, or other legal entity. You may
name multiple beneficiaries and specify
what percentage of the net death benefit
each is to receive. Generally, you can
change your beneficiary at any time.
Where can you buy life insurance?
The most common place to receive life insurance is through your
employer as part of a benefit package.
Keep in mind that “life insurance at
work” is likely to not be portable in
the event of a separation from your
employer. For this reason, additional life insurance “outside of work” is
worth a consideration. (Author’s note:
the best time to consider purchasing
life insurance is when you are young
and healthy, even if you are single).
Any policy that you buy is only
as good as the company that issues it.
Ratings services, such as A. M. Best,
Moody’s, and Standard & Poor’s, evaluate an insurer’s financial strength. The
company offering you coverage should
provide you with this information.
Life insurance has evolved
and the rates are comparable lower
than previous years. A financial professional or licensed life insurance
agent can be invaluable in helping
you select the right insurance plan.
CONTACT INFO:
Samirian Hill, The Money Wise Teacher
President and Founder of BudgetWise
Financial Solutions, LLC,
E-mail: [email protected].
Phone: 248-905-1625
www.budgetwisefinancial.com
C
CO
OLLEE’’SS C
CO
ORRN
NEERR
National Programs...Local Profits
I recently accepted a position with
a local company with a international reach. Lead by a visionary leader
serving diverse interest like; government, business, organizations and politics. They offer
unique
solutions
like;
innovation,
strategy, resources
and management. Detroit is the
perfect place and
it’s a perfect time in
our
history to start a
JASON COLE
business and ride the
wave of prosperity that Detroit and the
rest of the nation is experiencing now.
The great recession that the nation
went through was also Detroit’s great
depression which Blacks are still going through. As time passes more and
more of my people are getting jobs,
cars, houses and starting businesses. Back to the company that recently brought me on. The company offered
a sales position but I countered with a
solutions provider role. I suggested that
I get the client’s that they have money
to help them pay for existing contracts
where funding happened to dry up.
I am blessed enough to know
that the following organizations exists which can help businesses get
dollars in the door:
•Nonprofits - Council of Foundations
and Association of Fundraising Professionals
•Politicians - National Association of
Business Political Action Committees
•Government - Community Bankers
Association and National Venture and
Seed Capital Association •Entrepreneurs - FICO and PAYDEX
Score development and rebuilding. •National Association for Credit Management
All of these organizations are there
to guide you and help with grants, loans
and other resources. They are all a good
starting point for future success. These
entities exist to support projects and
provide funding to get things done.
The other most notable aspect of
my new job is that I’m finally in the
room with smart and engaging people
in areas that I know nothing about. We
start with the premise of what ACTS/
BILLS are passed in Congress or by
the President like the Affordable Care
Act aka Obamacare, creating 40 million new customers and how can we
can provide an innovative solution that
will benefit us and our potential clients and provide value to the end user.
There are several ACTS/BILLS
that were passed in the United States
Congress for the benefit of families,
organizations and businesses: Troubled Asset Relief Fund (TARP), Home
Affordable Modification Program
(HAMP), Home Affordable Refinance Program (HARP), the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act
(ARRA), the Jumpstart Our Business
Startups Act (JOBS), the Affordable
Care Act/Obamacare (ACA), Farm
Bill, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, (SNAP), the Internodal Surface Transportation Efficiency
Act (ISTEA), the Clean Water Act,
(CWA), the Low Income Housing
Tax Credit Act, (LIHTC), the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) and the
MILE Act, which is Michigan’s counterpart to title III of the JOBS ACT.
I implore you to do your research on all of these ACTS,
pay attention and Get MONEY!
ing Homes) a unique resiliency. This
resiliency was evident during the real
estate downturn of 2008, when seniors
housing and skilled nursing facilities
ing at $3,600 per month and skilled
nursing homes ranging from $5,000 to
over $8,000 per month, the need is as
great if not greater than the demand for
affordable, sustainable senior housing.
There is less risk involved if an
investor acquires stabilized properties rather than venture into ground
I host meetings every First Friday
on Real Estate Investing www.
reiaofdetroit.com, every Second
Thursday on Engineering www.
namcenational.org, and every
Third Wednesday on Construction
www.michmca.org.
S M A R T R E A L E S TAT E I N V E S T M E N T S
Investing in Senior Housing
I
nvesting in senior housing carries
its own set of risks, as with any other real estate investment. Knowing
what to buy is one thing, knowing
how to buy is everything. The aging
population in the United States is expected to create numerous investment
opportunities. As individuals age, their
needs may change. Basic activities
adults once performed with ease,
now require assistance as they age.
There are significant risks associated with senior
housing,
includGARY L. SMITH
ing market risks,
impacting demand, litigation risks,
and costs of being responsive to ever
changing government regulations. The
successes in these sectors are dependent in part, upon the ability to evaluate local conditions, identify appropriate opportunities and find qualified
tenants and acquire and maintain qualified managers to operate the facility.
Senior housing is not a real estate business per se; it is providing
care and attention to the needs of seniors, especially as you go up the
services continuum. Yet the growing demand for housing among seniors is at a fever pitch, with waiting
lists for affordable properties already
stacked three to five years long.
While most senior housing developments are targeted at the high-
While most senior housing developments
are targeted at the high-end, tremendous
opportunities exists for affordable senior
housing.
end, tremendous opportunities exists
for affordable senior housing. Senior
housing valuations are complex since
they take in account the value of
the business enterprise, the tangible
and intangible enterprise value and
the value of the real estate (the market value of the land and building).
In general, the less service intensive the property type, the greater the
share value that is attributed to real
estate. Many factors influence the real
estate component of value for a seniors
housing property. At the core is a property’s location (yes, the old adage of
“location, location, location” still applies) and the simple value of the land
upon which the property is situated.
Compared to other commercial
real estate the combined component
of real estate, hospitality and the needs
driven services gives senior housing
and skilled nursing facilities (Nurs-
outperformed other commercial real
estate property types in terms of investment returns and the rent growth.
Seniors housing and nursing
homes were the only real estate property types that did not experience
declining rents during the economic
depression. Here’s what I know for
sure. The health care industry is a $2.5
Trillion industry and growing. As it
relates to investing in seniors housing; all an investor has to do is focus
locally on the needs of the community, align themselves with a reputable provider of services and maintain
the quality of care you would want
someone to extent to your love ones.
The average age of seniors housing residents is 80 years old. Someone
is going to have to build, develop or reposition properties that are safe, clean
and affordable for our seniors. With an
average cost for Assisted Living hous-
With an average cost for
Assisted Living housing
at $3,600 per month and
skilled nursing homes
ranging from $5,000 to
over $8,000 per month,
the need is as great if not
greater than the demand
for affordable, sustainable senior housing.
up development. Having said that,
always protect the downside. Never
put your family’s or children’s financial future at risk. Never, ever do a
deal whereas if you lose, you lose everything an end up living in your car!
CONTACT INFO:
Gary L. Smith
[email protected]
248.415.2600 main
248.415.2663 direct
R E A L E S TAT E A N D Y O U
When it comes to purchasing----Is Cash still King?
S
andra, good credit is the same as
money in the bank.” That’s what
my Uncle Curtis use to always
tell me when I entered into his real estate brokerage decades ago. That was a
true statement then and it’s a true statement now. But why
do so many of us take
credit and its importance so lightly.
Whenever
prospects
inquire
about how to buy real
estate, most come in
SANDRA DIXON with a hope and a
prayer that their credit
will be sufficient for a loan approval.
Others contend they don’t know what’s
in their credit profile, but yet never
bat an eye when it comes back riddled
with collections and delinquencies.
According to the Federal Reserve Economic Research & Data
Statistics released June 2015.
Revolving and non-revolving
consumer credit both increased at a
seasonally adjusted annual rate of 7
percent during the second quarter.
In June, consumer credit increased
at an annual rate of 7-1/4 percent.
Yes, we like to purchase on credit; but, for some folk -pay back ….in
the words of J.G. Washington can
be “a real mother for ya- yeah” We
fall in love with a gorgeous piece of
property only to find out there is no
romancing without financing. It’s important to start your property search
with the details of a pre-qualification
Review your credit t history for
errors and fraud and be certain the
person they are identifying in the report is you. If you have unpaid delinquencies, collections or high balances, make plans to pay them off or pay
them down. Bear in mind that even
if you are only seeking to lease, rent
or buy on Land Contract, your credit
If you’re looking to acquire property in the next
6-12 months, get pre-qualified. If you need to buy
now or within the next 6 months get pre-approved.
or a pre-approval as the first step. If
you’re looking to acquire property in
the next 6-12 months get pre-qualified. If you need to buy now or within
the next 6 months get pre-approved.
Be up front with yourself about
your past credit experiences and
know where you stand. Being proactive about buying your first property
or your next property will start with
identifying the strength and weakness
on your credit profile, and be willing to put forth effort to make necessary changes. Take the time to check
out your credit report for yourself.
profile will strongly impact whether or
not you acquire that piece of property
Sit down with an experienced
Realtor, Lender or both and find out
how painless it can be to discover if
you can pursue your love of homeownership now or put out a few fires
on your credit profile before your feelings are bruised with a credit denial.
You can obtain a free credit report every twelve months from each
of the three nationwide credit bureaus. They are Equifax, Experian,
and TransUnion. These bureaus are all
publicly-traded, for-profit companies
who are not owned by the government. However, the government does
have legislation, the Fair Credit Reporting Act, regarding how these and
other credit bureaus should operate.
These credit bureaus have relationships with many banks, credit card
issuers, and other businesses that you
may have an account with. Because
of these relationships, your account
history will appear on one or all three
of your credit reports with these bureaus. You have a right to view your
credit report and you can order a free
one each year through AnnualCreditReport.com or call: (877) 322-8228.
Truth is--- Cash is King---but
Credit gets you in.
“The best person to “face” the
problem is also the best person to
“fix” the problem – that is you!!! –
Resource: The Credit Repair Book:
The Credit Repair Company’s Secret
Weapon.” • Cornelius J., The Credit Repair Book: The Credit Repair Company’s
CONTACT INFO:
Sandra Dixon
Associate Broker
Quality Service Real Company
[email protected]
Phone: 313-259-5559
SMART BUSINESS PRACTICES
What is Economic Gardening and How Can Small Businesses Use It?
If you use the definition of economic development provided by the Edward Lowe Foundation, you’ll find that
economic gardening sounds like innovative thinking used
to start new entrepreneurial pursuits.
That’s only one
definition.
There
are others, like what
local or regional
governments may
do to stimulate
LAURA SIGMON
business development through tax incentives or reduced
rents for property procurement. There
are still others, like various Farmer’s
Market models. I find economic gardening very fascinating as it is a community stabilizer if applied appropriately.
Most economic gardening concepts require a 3 tier approach for strategic alignment and balance. The tiers
vary depending on the model implemented. Take into account the current
project underway in the City of Detroit,
referred to as “Motor City Match.” A
quick review of the objectives allows
one to see that the city has an initiative to
remove blight and stimulate neighborhoods in commercially zoned sectors
by providing abandoned or underdeveloped commercial corridors to budding
and innovative entrepreneurs. In this illustration the tiers represented are local
government, entrepreneurs and community. Without the TOTAL buy-in of
all three partners success is unrealistic.
If you’re a hopeful applicant
awaiting your opportunity to participate in the Motor City Match, I wish
you the best of luck. For those of you
not willing or unable to wait for an
acceptance or consideration notification, I have a suggestion; start your
own economic gardening program.
Say for instance, you own a building
somewhere in Detroit and perhaps the
community neighborhood that once
supported you has transitioned so
much that your former customer base
has moved away. So what can you
do to bring customers back to you?
Remember there are no cookie cutter processes for every type of
business; networking is still a powerful and useful tool that we all can use.
Here are a few examples:
1. Clothing store owners should
consider hosting a jewelry company,
natural products manufacturers like
body soaps, lotions and hair vendors, a
travel agent, maybe even a health consultant. Be very creative but be strategic! First, only host those that have an
active outreach. Seek those that have
exposure to farmer’s markets, vendor
fairs, and trunk shows. So in essence,
you are providing a pop-up opportunity. Test it out and check the outcome.
2. If you own a professional services company and business is idle or
painfully reduced, seek a strategic partner. An accounting or tax preparation
company; especially one with a brickand-mortar presence that’s not seasonal may need to do something to reduce
the seasonality of their core business
model. Engage a community organization that may address lending, funding,
home ownership, financial planning or
similar. Each of them will have clients
that need their taxes done, financials
reviewed, translated or even prepared.
3. For those of you without a brickand-mortar, seek out an owner who
does! Pitch your position as a mutual-
ly beneficial arrangement. Explain how
robust your outreach is, how your consumers are a natural fit for the owners
interest. Don’t seek dormant facilities
that appear unkempt. Don’t overlook salons. Some only have 4 to 5 days of active operations. Ask about their slower
or idle day(s) and offer something that
may boost their activity, like a Pamper
Me Party tailored to a special audience.
For a deeper dive into economic
gardening; research the Edward Lowe
Foundation, ecosystems, urban and rural planning. We have a specialist in
the Metro Detroit area; Donald Snider of Metro Business Connect, LLC.
So my definition of economic
gardening is creating a strategic alliance that fosters anchored support
with community and business relevance. Do what is necessary to keep
your operation active and profitable.
CONTACT INFO:
Laura Sigmon
CEO Best Practices
Consulting Services
[email protected]
www.yourpracticescoach.com
Phone: 810-280-4310
SMART BUSINESS NEWS
Chase, Kellogg launch $6.5 million Entrepreneurs of Color Fund
T
Minority-owned businesses in Detroit get access to capital, technical services
he Detroit
Development
Fund, J.P. Morgan Chase
& Co. and the W.K. Kellogg
Foundation announced a $6.5 million
lending program for Detroit businesses owned by minority entrepreneurs or
businesses that primarily hire minorities.
The Entrepreneurs of Color Fund
aims to boost economic opportunity
for minority-owned businesses in Detroit by providing them with greater access to capital and business assistance.
Through the DDF, a Michigan 501(c) 3 community development financial institution, the fund
will provide financing for general
contractors, small retailers, neighborhood service businesses and others.
The fund will target businesses
that traditionally have lower credit quality, lack access to capital and staffing
and primarily serve Detroit’s neighborhoods. The money for the fund will
come from a $3.5 million grant provid-
ed by the J.P. Morgan Chase Foundation as part of its $100 million commitment to Detroit’s economic recovery
and from $3 million in program-related
investments by the Kellogg Foundation.
The Kellogg Foundation initiated
the fund. “Small businesses have historically been at the heart of economic
growth in Detroit, and they have the potential to reduce unemployment and expand opportunity for Detroiters,” said a
release from Chase announcing the fund.
“There are approximately 32,000
minority-owned small businesses in Detroit, according to the U.S. Census. This
ranks Detroit as the fourth-largest U.S.
city for the number of minority-owned
businesses. Yet, despite their importance
to the economy, recent research by Michael S. Barr, professor of law at the University of Michigan, says minority-owned businesses rely significantly
more on investments of personal or family wealth than on outside debt or equity.”
Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan
agreed. “For Detroit’s comeback to
be a true success there must be opportunity for the Detroiters who have
stayed,” said Duggan in the news re-
The fund will also provide shortand long-term loans. Loan sizes
will vary but generally will be
$50,000 to $150,000.
lease. “This new program fits perfectly
with what our administration is doing,
through Motor City Match and other efforts, to make sure Detroit residents who want to start a business in
their city have access to the capital and
support they need to be successful.”
Said Ray Waters, president of
the Detroit Development Fund, “The
Entrepreneurs of Color Fund is very
exciting for us and the Detroit small
businesses it will support.” In addi-
tion to receiving capital, loan recipients will get technical assistance such
as networking, marketing, business
plan development and cash-flow management. Eligible small businesses
must be majority-owned by people
of color or have more than half their
workforce made up of people of color.
The
Detroit
Development
Fund, established in 1996, manages $23 million in loan capital. The
fund has closed more than $36 million in loans to businesses in Detroit,
which helped to retain about 1,200
jobs and created about 1,800 new jobs.
The Detroit Development Fund
also will work with Max M. & Marjorie S. Fisher Foundation’s Detroit
entrepreneurship programs. Small-business owners can learn more about eligibility by contacting the Detroit Development Fund at (313) 784-9547
or [email protected].
“Rehabbed and Ready” Program Brings Much-Needed Pricing Stability
to Detroit Neighborhoods
bidder, with minimum bids set at a per-
Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan and
representatives from Quicken Loans,
The Home Depot and members of the
community announced the “Rehabbed
and Ready” Program – a public-private campaign to renovate homes, increase occupancy and bring pricing
stability to Detroit’s neighborhoods.
Through the sale of the renovated homes, which will be conducted on
the Detroit Land Bank’s auction website
(BuildingDetroit.org), the program will
provide the necessary recent home sale
comparisons appraisers need to conduct
proper home valuations that are essential to a healthy, thriving housing market. “The Rehabbed and Ready program will make home ownership in Detroit accessible to more people by giving them the opportunity to purchase a
Land Bank home that’s move-in ready,”
said Mayor Mike Duggan. “But more
than renovating 65 homes, this initiative will provide opportunity to thousands of homeowners in the surrounding neighborhood, as it will allow more
accurate appraised values which will
generate home financing in the area.” Through Rehabbed and Ready,
the Detroit Land Bank will provide vacant homes in need of repair. Quicken
Loans will provide a $5 million grant/
funding, as well as offer financing for
the properties to qualified buyers, while
The Home Depot, with help of local
contractors, is renovating the homes. The $5 million grant/funding from
Quicken Loans will be used, in part, to
finance the renovations made to each of
the homes. Part of the funding will be
used as a backstop to replenish the renovation fund in the event a home sells
for less than the construction costs. In
addition, funds have been allocated to
eliminate blight in the neighborhoods
near the Rehabbed and Ready homes. “The neighborhoods of Detroit
are already starting to turn around. Blighted homes are being removed at
a record pace. Other homes are being
renovated and we have even seen residential new construction in neighborhoods get underway for the first time in
decades,” said Dan Gilbert, Chairman
and Founder of Quicken Loans. “The
Rehabbed and Ready program adds
another critical component to neighborhood revival as it addresses the
critical issue of rebuilding the market
so appraisal values can be rationalized to allow financing to come back
to the housing eco-system in Detroit.”
“Our goal of using these rehabilitated homes is to not only increase home
centage of the homes’ rehabilitation investment. •Each home will be auctioned at www.
buildingdetroit.org, to owner-occupants.
Investors cannot purchase these homes.
•Open houses will be held the weekend
before the homes are auctioned.
About Quicken Loans:
Detroit-based Quicken Loans Inc.
is
the
nation’s second largest retail home
The first Open House was held Saturday,
mortgage
lender. The company moved
August 29th at 18652 Monica Street and
its headquarters to downtown Detroit in
18509 Prairie Street in Detroit.
2010, and now more than 10,000 of its
ownership in the city, but to also provide 13,000 members work in the city’s urban
home sales comps to help existing resi- core. Quicken Loans generates loan prodents increase the value of their homes,” duction from web centers located in Desaid, Aaron Emerson, Vice President, troit, Cleveland and Scottsdale, Arizona.
Communications at Quicken Loans. The company also operates a centralized
The Rehabbed and Ready program loan processing facility in Detroit, as
began in four west side Detroit neighbor- well as its San Diego-based One Reverse
hoods: Bagley, Crary/St. Mary’s, College Mortgage unit. Quicken Loans ranked
Park, and Evergreen/Outer Drive. The “Highest in Customer Satisfaction for
areas were selected because the neigh- Primary Mortgage Origination” in the
borhoods featured well-maintained United States by J.D. Power for the past
homes, but needed a helping hand to in- five consecutive years, 2010 – 2014, and
crease home price stability in the area. highest in customer satisfaction among
Rehabbed & Ready is the latest all mortgage servicers in 2014 and 2015.
For more information about Quicktool in the successful blight elimination
efforts that the City of Detroit has un- en Loans, please visit QuickenLoans.com,
dertaken to revitalize the neighborhoods. on Twitter at @QLnews, and on Facebook at Facebook.com/QuickenLoans.
Rehabbed and Ready at a Glance:
•Homes will be auctioned to the highest Resource: Quicken Loans
KEYS TO EMPLOYMENT
Goldman Sach’s 10K Initiative: New Jobs, New Opportunities
G
oldman Sachs, the iconic investment banking firm,
launched its 10,000 Small
Business Initiative two years ago in
Detroit to help small business owners
grow and create jobs. The firm’s $20
million investment
in
Detroit is a part of
Goldman Sach’s
$500 million investment in major
cities and rural
areas
throughout the nation.
AUNDREA
Since the DeBRADFORD
troit launch, more
than 100 local business owners have
benefited from the initiative. Among
them include: Carla Walker-Miller
of Walker-Miller Energy Services
and Markeith Weldon of Weldon Enterprise Global IT Services. Walker-Miller and Weldon were in the
program’s inaugural class. Currently,
the fifth cohort of owners is in session. Topics covered in the classes
include skills negotiation, marketing and employee management. In
addition, Goldman Sachs representatives personally advise the participants, provide networking opportunities and help participants establish
plans for sustained business growth.
Walker-Miller, who graduated
among the top of her class, attributes
the program to helping her land a
contract with the city of Detroit to replace street lights with LED lighting,
which saves money – her company’s
core objective. Walker-Miller Energy offers companies and individuals
cost saving energy ideas and implements them so that they keep more
money than they spend on energy
services. After gaining more than a
decade of work experience in the energy services industry, Walker-Miller launched her business in 2000 but
admits that it wasn’t until she joined
the Goldman Sachs program that her
company reached a point of sustainable growth. Now 15 additional employees have been hired and the company has finally become profitable.
One such employee is an Indian
transplant who came to this country to
marry his bride. Shakil Khondoker of
Bangladesh, India, needed a job after
relocating to Detroit, but only found
work at a downtown parking lot.
While parking cars, he used the op-
portunity to get to know some of the
professionals who parked their cars
in his lot. Once he discovered which
companies were hiring, he decided to
apply. “I knew I could do this job,”
he says. “So, I sent in my resume.”
After a series of interviews he landed
a position as an energy advisor with
Walker-Miller. In this role, he grows
revenues by advising potential clients
of their energy needs. Khondoker says
that through Walker-Miller, “people
really see that money is saved in the
long run,” although initial investments might be involved in creating an energy efficient environment.
Khondoker enjoys his new position because he has a lot of freedom
and flexibility to work. “I know the
core values, and I apply them to my
work. It’s not the typical organizational
structure….and this drives me more to
give my best,” he reports. Perhaps this
is due to Walker-Miller’s commitment
to those she employs. “We hire for
character and train for skill,” she says.
Thanks to Walker-Miller’s participation in the Goldman Sachs
program, her company is providing
greater job opportunities
and
helping residents
and organizations
become more energy
efficient.
Like Walker-Miller, Weldon,
CARLA
CEO of Weldon
WALKER-MILLER
Global Enterprise
IT, a staffing company, attributes the
Goldman Sachs program with helping
grow his business, which primarily
helps organizations fill engineering
and technological positions. The Detroit native has doubled his company’s
revenues and hired nearly 20 people
since graduating as valedictorian from
the first cohort. Weldon says he is “excited for the opportunity to be a part of
the
program.”
Weldon Global
IT is changing
from a “manufacturing to a technologically driven entity,” and Weldon
admits that filling
MARKEITH
positions
withWELDON
in this field can
be challenging at times. However,
he looks forward to the day when
Shakil Khondoker
STEM programs increase the talent
pool and finding and hiring talent
will become easier. Bronson Nichols,
newly hired thanks to Weldon’s enrollment in the Goldman Sachs program, is helping the company do just.
For the past year, he has worked
as an IT recruiter for the company. In
this role, he hires candidates that best
match positions the company’s clients seek to fill. What he enjoys most
about his job is the opportunity to give
people who may be “down on their
luck…a glimmer of hope by putting
them in the mix of others who have
similar skill sets.” A native Detroiter,
Nichols says he has noticed “an influx
of opportunity”among the Fortune 500
companies for which Weldon supplies
staff, and this “means that the economy
is definitely coming back to the area.”
As the Goldman Sachs Small
Business Initiative continues, that sentiment is likely to become the norm.
For more information about the program, visit www.10ksbdetroit.com.
Aundrea Bradford’s work has appeared
in EBONY, The Atlanta Tribune and
Black Enterprise magazines. She writes
and edits articles and manuscripts for
individuals and businesses. Contact her at
[email protected].
SMART BUSINESS PROFILE
The Barber, The Business Manager and The Bible
Darnell Jones is living his entrepreneurial dream as a result of
his desire and aspiration to be self
employed and his own boss, the advice and expertise of his friend and
business manager, RaSheem Barnett
and their faith in divine intervention.
Darnell was born and raised in
Pontiac and graduated from Avondale
High School. After leaving the military,
he wanted to do something that he liked
to do and had total control. Darnell attended Barber School in Texas and returned to Pontiac to complete his credits in a Michigan Barber School. He
started barbering in 1996 and worked
at Willie’s Barber & Beauty in Pontiac.
Darnell and RaSheem Barnett
attend Embassy Covenant Church
International in Troy, where Bishop
Hugh D. Smith is the Senior Pastor. RaSheem is Pastor of the Destiny Care
Ministry, where he assist members
with emergency financial needs and
educate members on how to create and
follow a budget for their household
to assist them in reducing the chances in falling into debt and hard times.
Rasheem graduated from GMI
Engineering & Business Management (currently Kettering University)
in Flint with a BSEE (Electrical Engineering) and a Minor in Business
Management. He also has a MS in
Electrical & Computer Engineering
from Oakland University in Rochester.
Darnell recalls, “One of the Pastors at my church (RaSheem Barnett),
who has become a good friend of mine,
approached me in November of 2014
about the opportunity to open my own
shop which has always been a lifelong
dream of mine. He has a company
called ‘The Kingdom Network’. He is
following his calling in helping people fulfill their destiny and purpose. He is helping other entrepreneurs who
are good at a skill or trade but may not
have all the business background to
start and run a business themselves.”
As faith would have it, the
two partnered and “Kingdom Cuts”
opened for business in February of
2015. “The journey has been nothing but a blessing! Opening my
own barbershop was a pure blessing from the Lord.” said Darnell.
Kingdom Cuts is a state of the art,
upscale men’s Barber Shop located at
3045 E. Walton Blvd, Auburn Hills, Mi
48326. Beautifully decorated in tones of
gray and black, sandy brown and gray
Darnell: My clients come back
to me for a couple of reasons: Superb
customer service, Excellent quality cuts and a Friendly atmosphere.
Smart Pages: Any famous or
noteworthy clients?
Darnell: All of my clients are
famous and noteworthy! At least
that’s how I treat them. When they
are in my chair, the focus is on them,
and I give them the best service
they have ever experienced. This
is what keeps bringing them back.
Smart Pages: What are some of the
conversations that go on in the shop
that you can mention? Darnell: We talk about everyDarnell Jones servicing a young client
RaSheem Barnett and Darnell Jones
thing in the barbershop. The barbershop has always been a place where
marbled walls and deep cushiony leath- ence needed to start and/or run a busier sofas for total comfort and relaxation. ness. This is where I fill in the gap via you can have intelligent conversamy company, The Kingdom Network. tions about any and everything. I
Detroit Smart Pages talked with
often use it as a platform for minSmart Pages: Why did you partner
Darnell and RaSheem about their
istry and tell others how good God
with Darnell? What was special
journey in Business and Faith.
has been to me and let people know
about him or his business?
how He can do the same for them.
Smart Pages: Tell us about the
RaSheem: I asked God to guide
Smart Pages: What are some of
‘Kingdom Network’ and your
me in this new venture of helping othyour challenges in this business
partnership with Darnell.
ers fulfill their destiny. He told me to
RaSheem: The Kingdom Net- talk to Darnell about the opportunity and has the business always been
work is currently partnered with a Li- to open his own shop. He said that profitable and if not, what did you
censed Residential Builder to start a was something he always dreamed do differently to change that?
Darnell: Some of the challenges
construction company called “Square about. I believe my God given purare
obtaining
more barbers. The ideOne Renovation”. In fact, Square One pose is to help others realize their desal
goal
is
fill
all
6 chairs with full time
Renovation is the company that built tiny and walk in their purpose from
barbers. The
other
challenge is making
the barbershop. The Kingdom Net- a financial standpoint. That was my
work also owns a Web Development/ confirmation/ answer to my prayer. sure people understand that we service
all people, with all hair types, and not
Graphic Design/Printing Company Smart Pages: What advice would
just African Americans. We are skilled
(Emagine Reality), a Lean Process you give aspiring entrepreneurs?
in all types of cuts and styles, using
Improvement Consulting Firm (JMB
RaSheem: The greatest advice I clippers, shears, and razors. We have
Process Solutions), and a Product could give is to follow your God given
Company creating Bluetooth products calling. Many times people run after positive cash flow every month; how(Blue Wirez). All of these companies the money and veer from the journey ever, considering we just opened in
are at various stages. I am also current- God placed them on. This makes the February, we are still working to pay off
ly working on a Mortgage company process much more difficult. Follow the initial investment to open the shop. (Top Tier Lending), as well as a Staff- God’s plan and keep faithful. The Lord Smart Pages: What advice would
ing Agency (Kingdom Recruiting). always provides wherever He guides. you give other entrepreneurs?
My role is to run the backend of the
Darnell: Don’t chase the money. company, while the partners run the Smart Pages: What makes KingFollow your God given calling and the
day to day where they are the experts. dom Cuts different from traditional money will come. The journey is not
Barber Shops?
always sweet, but if you stay faithful,
Smart Pages: What are the areas
Darnell: What is different about
you help entrepreneurs and how did my shop is what keeps my customers you will soon walk in your destiny
and fulfill your purpose on this earth.
you get inspired to help others in
coming back. First, when you walk
business?
in, you can enjoy the inviting atmo- Kingdom Cuts is open Monday
RaSheem: I help entrepreneurs sphere. It is a relaxed environment. through Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to
in any area they are lacking experi- Then, when you sit in the chair, you 7:00 p.m. Call 248-721-9536 and visit
their website at www.kingdom-cuts.
ence, whether it is in marketing, prod- get the utmost highest service, where com. Don’t forget to like them on
uct design, finances, networking, etc... the service is all about you (the cli- Facebook.
my purpose is to help others to walk in ent). It’s not all about the money, but
their destiny and I’m inspired to fulfill more about being a servant unto others. the destiny God called me to walk in. Smart Pages: What is the reason
Many people have a skill or are good at your
clients continue
to come
back50% discount on registration fee.
Mention
this ad and
receive
a trade, but they are lacking the experi- to you?
“Get to Know Your Furrier” A Message from Arthur
Bricker, Owner of Bricker Tunis Furs
“I am so excited about this season’s wide
variety of fur fashions that meet the growing
consumer demand for practical fur garments at
affordable prices. As a second generation furrier,
I have watched trends come and go,
but one thing that never changes is our
customer’s desire for quality and style.
I want to personally thank every
customer who has shopped with
us, and I invite you and to visit
our newly remodeled showroom.
I will personally guarantee
that it will be one of the best
shopping experiences you have
ever had!”
Look for our column in each upcoming issue of
Detroit Smart Pages. We recognize the value of reaching out to the thousands of current and past customers
who have shopped with us over the years. These are
exciting times, and we hope to see you in our store
soon. We have a unique variety of furs, shearlings,
accessories and exotic leathers for women and men.
No other furrier in Michigan has the beautiful European
collection that you will find at Bricker Tunis Furs.
We also have a high-end consignment boutique
where you can purchase a nearly new fur at a very
affordable price. I want to personally thank every
customer who has shopped with us, and I invite you
and to visit our newly remodeled showroom. I will
personally guarantee that it will be one of the best
shopping experiences you have ever had!”
As Bricker Tunis Furs celebrates its 100th
Anniversary, we are partnering with numerous
organizations, charities and churches to educate
consumers about fur products. We will teach
customers how to recognize quality and stress
the importance of cleaning and storing furs
properly in order to retain value.
Celebrating a Century of Fine Fashion, Memories and Success
Since 1916 Bricker Tunis Furs
has earned its place among the nation’s most well-respected furriers.
Founded by the current owner’s father, Jacob Bricker, the original location was on Farmer Street in Downtown Detroit. During those times,
Detroit was bustling with retailers,
and the big spenders were plentiful.
Wives of the auto barons and other
prominent businessmen didn’t think
twice about buying custom-made furs.
These high-profile fashion mavens would typically own several furs
ranging from luxurious mink, chinchilla and sable to fox and beaver. Even
the gentlemen back then would step out
in dress coats that were trimmed with
mink collars. “Those were the days”
says Arthur Bricker who personally
sold custom furs to many of the Motown recording artists and numerous
professional athletes over the years.
His staff is now counting down the
weeks until the store’s 100th Anniversary. He says the times have changed,
and so have the lifestyles of fur buyers. As a very astute businessman and
fashion savvy fur expert, his sense of
what buyers want today has allowed
him the privilege of retaining long-time
customers and attracting new ones. His
customers range from the very wealthy
to average working women and men.
Over the past 10 to 15 years, the
fur business has taken a big hit due to
the recession and the fact that many
younger women were not interested
in wearing furs. Many metro Detroit
calls cheap goods from China which
is misleading to customers who think
they are purchasing a quality product.
Bricker Tunis Furs has two showrooms inside its store, plus a factory on
premises for custom pieces, repairs and
remodeling of furs. The state-of-theart cold storage area allows customers
to bring in their furs at the end of the
In addition to the huge selection of new women’s and
men’s furs, shearlings, leathers and accessories, the
store also has a high-end Consignment Boutique
where customers can purchase nearly new pre-owned
furs at a fraction of the original prices.
furriers were forced to go out of business. “We have stayed in business
for nearly 100 years because we’ve
always provided the very best personalized customer service” says Bricker.
He has also stayed on top of the
trends, adding that today’s busy professional women who juggle work
and family want furs that are versatile
and affordable. Bricker makes annual trips to Europe to purchase the furs
he sells in his store. He frowns at the
fact that many furriers sell what he
season to have them cleaned and stored
until the cold weather returns. It is
clearly a one-stop shopping destination.
In addition to the huge selection
of new women’s and men’s furs, shearlings, leathers and accessories, the store
also has a high-end Consignment Boutique where customers can purchase
nearly new pre-owned furs at a fraction
of the original prices. “We only take
in the very best pre-owned furs. Many
of them are just like new, says Bricker.
We find that our customers love the fact
that they can buy the fur of their dreams
at a price they can easily afford”.
Another unique and popular service at Bricker Tunis Furs is fur re-styling. Many customers stop wearing
their furs because the styles are outdated. The store’s highly trained fur tailoring specialists can turn an old fur coat
into one that mirrors today’s trends.
This is an area that Arthur Bricker says
is one of his biggest growth areas. “We
have a saying here at Bricker Tunis
Furs that everything old is new again”
For a personal appointment
call 248-855-9200 or visit www.
brickertunisfur.com
Bricker
Tunis Furs is located at 6335 Orchard
Lake Road in West Bloomfield, MI.
SMART BUSINESS NEWS
IdeaMarket Debuts Detroit Innovation Challenge
($250,000 Investment to Establish a New Company)
By Beverly Smith
On September 15, 2015, The
Detroit Innovation Challenge was
launched by IdeaMarket’s Co-Founder and CEO, VJ Anma, Chief Innovation Evangelist, Nima Adelkhani
and Strategic Advisor, Bill Thomason. IdeaMarket is a San Francisco-Silicon Valley based startup backed by Bill Gross (Idealab),
Steve Case (AOL), Peter Diamandis (XPrize), and other visionaries
to revolutionize the way early stage
companies are formed and funded.
The IdeaMarket Detroit Innovation Challenge posts challenges
and will select teams from around
the world to address each challenge.
Entrepreneurial teams apply with
their solutions to solve the challenge and the winning team receives
funding to form a new startup. IdeaMarket’s goal is to solve an existing problem in the city of Detroit.
IdeaMarket was created on
the premise that creative ideas can
come from the average person.
Its platform is to allow people to
come up with ideas coupled with
talent to solve a problem: “Bringing Together Talent, Money and
Ideas”. The challenges are focused
in six areas: •Safety •Education
•Healthcare •Micro-Financing •Micro-Manufacturing •Transportation
The IdeaMarket team visited
Detroit in the spring of this year and
met with community leaders, business
owners, academics, residents and others to get their feedback on what they
thought was Detroit’ biggest challenge. Transportation was selected
as the first Challenge. A call for entrepreneurs, engineers, designers and
other creative thinkers to create an
innovative solution that significantly
improves transportation in Detroit,
with a focus on public transportation.
The winning team with a creative solution will receive an investment of $250,000 to help establish a
new company in Detroit. The world
now considers Detroit as the City of
Opportunity. While there are huge
efforts to boost Detroit’s economy,
dependable transportation remains a
deciding factor in expediting the economic revitalization of Detroit. Workers need to be able to get to and from
work more efficiently and safely. Bus
riders often spend long wait and walk
ary 15, 2016 and winning team announced, February 15, 2016. The
company formation and funding begins March 1, 2016. To find out about
the requirements for IdeaMarket’s
Detroit Transportation Challenge,
please go to www.ideamarket.com.
VJ Anma, Nima Adelkhani, Bill Thomason, Beverly Smith at (the MID) Midtown Business
Center.
times commuting just across town.
Smart Pages talked with the
IdeaMarket team as they prepared for the Detroit launch.
Bill Thomason, a native Detroiter and strategic advisor of IdeaMarket, re-located to Detroit from
the San Francisco Bay area to launch
the Detroit Innovation Challenge.
Bill said, “Transportation is critical to Detroit’s workforce because
26% of workers can’t accept jobs
outside of the city because they
nation by simply using an app to call
a personal driver. Now UBER’s valuation is larger than General Motors.
IdeaMarket’s vision is to help create
thousands of companies in the next
20 years, creating millions jobs and
positively impacting a billion people
and resulting in 1 trillion dollars in
value added to the global economy.
Detroit Transportation Challenge will facilitate funding to one
winning team, consisting of the
following:
The winning team with a creative solution
will receive an investment of $250,000 to
help establish a new company in Detroit.
can’t get to work”. They do not
have access to a car (mostly due to
high insurance cost, and the general high cost of car ownership). All
of us remember the plight of James
Robertson, (the Walking Man) who
walked 21 miles to work each day.
Nima Adelkhani, Chief Innovation Evangelist said the challenge
is open to everyone and is an opportunity to bring new companies
and new jobs to the Detroit area.
“Solutions become easy once
you’ve framed the problem in the
right way to tap into the creative talents of the people in the community
to come up with the solutions,” said
VJ Anma, Co-Founder and CEO of
IdeaMarket. VJ referenced UBER,
which started as a simple solution to
transport people to and from a desti-
• Up to $100,000 in capital investment or convertible loan for solution/
product development pilot
• Up to $100,000 in hosting infrastructure provided by Google Cloud
for Startups
• Up to $50,000 in design services
and marketing services
• A trip to Silicon Valley to learn
about the local startup ecosystem, facilitated by IdeaMarket
• Technology and business support
from IdeaMarket’s partners and startup infrastructure
• Access to IdeaMarket’s 300+ mentors and subject matter experts associated with the Challenge
Application submission and
deadline is December 15, 2015. Finalist teams will be notified Janu-
While there are huge
efforts to boost Detroit’s
economy, dependable
transportation remains
a deciding factor in
expediting the economic
revitalization of Detroit.
About the IdeaMarket Team:
VJ Anma is a serial entrepreneur who has built and sold internet and mobile companies. He sold
Visual Search Engine Company,
YoMeta.com in 2009 and AppMe.
com in 2012. He is also the Advisor
to CEO of NetMatrix solutions in
San Francisco Bay Area, exploring
business and strategic opportunities.
Nima Adelkhani is the founder of PITME, Progress In Technology Middle East or Peace in the
Middle East, Technology in the
Tent - an interactive and entertaining educational platform for the
Arab entrepreneurial ecosystem. He
was also VP of Business Development at Keen Systems and was of
head Business Development at The
Funded.com and Founder Institute.
Bill Thomason is a native
Detroiter, social entrepreneur and
impact investor. He is Managing
Partner and Co-founder of E3 Innovation Fund in the San Francisco Bay Area. The E3 Innovation
Fund is a “dual objective” “double
bottom line” community development venture capital fund. Bill is the
Founder of the Wall Street Wizards
Youth Financial Literacy Program
and author of Make Money Work for
You - Instead of You Working for It,
Lessons from a Portfolio Manager.
COVER STORY
The D-Insurance Myth Exposed
Lets stand together to stop the madness of D-Insurance
By Marcus Murray
Since when have you seen benefit reductions result in a better situation
for Detroiters. D-Insurance is another
flawed attempt to justify disparity in
access to care. From the days of segregation and “colored-only” drinking
fountains it has been the experience of
people of color to usually receive subpar care when no logical reason exists
beyond color. Why does one patient
receive an aspirin and encouragement
to drink fluids and return home when
non-colored counterparts are provided comprehensive workups which include an EKG, extensive lab-work, and
any other test which could identify the
cause of the initial trip to the hospital.
We are seeing another attempt
to target Detroiters with an insurance
scheme, backed by big insurance companies, promoted by profiteers, specifically designed for those who live south
of 8 mile road. Paranoia some would
say? Well consider the following:
According to the State of Michigan’s own report of crash statistics
almost 50 percent of all catastrophic
motor vehicle injuries which occur
statewide happen in Wayne County. So would it be fair to assume the
limited benefit plan being promoted as
“Good“ for Detroit residents is probably the rotten apple offered to the innocent child? How could it be considered
“Good” if a Detroit resident would receive less medical coverage than an
individual who lives in Hazel Park?
The reality of this proposal is
as simple as Black and White. Just
imagine. Two cars are riding along
I-94 returning from a trip to the same
theme park in Ohio when an unforeseen storm causes a 10 car pile-up.
Both cars contain family members
who are severely injured. One car
is a white Chrysler 300 and the other is a Black Chevy Trail Blazer.
The White Chrysler is being driven by a loan officer of a local bank
accompanied by his wife and two children who live in Livonia on Merriman
Rd. The Black Chevy truck is being
driven by a US Postal worker accompanied by his wife and son who live on
Evergreen in Detroit. Both drivers sustain severe injuries which cause them to
claims experience, while once again
making Detroit a place where people could come and live without paying the enormous insurance rates
now being levied against Detroiters.
Currently, the brainchildren of
this cross-eyed scheme are refusing
to acknowledge the fact that discrimination and red-lining have been at
the heart of insurance disparity for
decades. Now they propose a solution that will marry two demented
cousins: “redlining” and “disparity in
care”. The offspring of this marriage
could be nothing more than the retarded concept of legalized segregation
DON’T BELIEVE THE HYPE.
SAY NO TO “D-INSURANCE”.
be rushed to a local ER for stabilization
and a 10 day non-ICU stay. The driver of the White Chrysler has a crushed
pelvis, and bilateral femur fractures,
while the driver of the Black Chevy
sustains nine broken ribs, bilateral
punctured lungs, ruptured spleen, a dislocated shoulder injury, broken collar
bone, and a broken wrist. Both of these
men, due to the severity of their injuries, would face cost of care that could
exceed 250,000 to 300,000 dollars.
Under current law each man
would be entitled to receive all services
necessary for his care and recovery.
However under the new scheme being
proposed by people who think they are
helping the citizens of Detroit, the man
driving the black Chevy truck would
be out of luck by the time he makes it
out of the emergency room where his
bill would have already gobbled up the
proposed $25,000 non-critical care cap.
The issue is Black and White. Is
the problem with high insurance rates
best solved by reducing benefits, or
could the rate issue be best solved by
spreading the risk over larger regions?
For the sake of simple math let’s imagine a pie chart where 25% of the people
are paying $750.00 and 75% are only
paying $250.00. By equally spreading the risk over the entire population
of the region the cost of insurance
becomes equal for all residents. This
would not adversely impact rates or
and reinforcement of the false belief
that certain groups are more entitled
to quality care than others. We must
not go backwards just because someone calls it forward. This is simply the
same old thing rearing its ugly head.
It’s time Detroit to “kill that Giant”.
Could it be possible that poor
lighting within the City of Detroit
has been one of the causes of the increased number of pedestrian versus motor vehicle accidents in recent
years? Could we also assume from
How could it be
considered “Good”
if a Detroit resident
would receive less
medical coverage
than an individual
who lives in Hazel
Park?
the sound of this great idea that the
proposed reduction of auto insurance
rates of Detroit residents is another bait and switch concept to further
divide the haves and the have-nots?
A wise woman with a third grade
education once said, “smell that fish before you cook it”. We have seen this before. Remember many things have been
called “Good for Detroit” like clinics,
liquor stores, night clubs, and casinos.
Don’t believe the hype. Say no to
“D-Insurance”. Let’s kill that Giant!
Drunk driving, distracted driving, and fatigued driving are all equally destructive regardless of your zip
code. The reality of this proposed
insurance plan will give rise to historic evils that have been kept at bay
in Michigan for years. On a daily basis at Ava Care & Case Management,
we work with families from every
geographic location primarily within
Southeastern Michigan, and I can assure you that accidents are indiscriminate North and South of 8 Mile Rd.
The aftermath experienced by
many of the clients we serve is devastating as they fight to regain normalcy and wholeness. The families we
serve are grateful to live in the State
of Michigan where current access to
care is mostly unfettered. We all remember the monster that rose out of
Frankenstein’s creation of the “perfect
bride”. Detroit cannot afford to become “the new lab of Frankenstein”.
All Michigan House Democrats
are saying No to D- Insurance. The
Senate’s plan to cut auto insurance
rates for Detroit drivers by severely
limiting coverage available for accident victims is a bad idea for Detroit drivers. Senate Bill 288 would
do away with the unlimited coverage offered in no-fault policies and
limit benefits for critical care to only
$250,000 for the policyholder, his or
her spouse or a relative of either living with them, and limit other personal
protection benefits to only $25,000.
Go to www.house.mi.gov and cIick the link to find your representative,
then call your local state representative today to let your voice be heard.
D-Insurance is NOT good for Detroit.
I look forward to sharing real-life stories of everyday people who are currently experiencing the wrath of an
insurance industry sector “gone wild”.
Marcus Murray: Registered
Nurse, Certified Case Manager, Certified Managed Care Nurse and Certified Disability Management Specialist.
www.firstcallava.com
“King of Treats” Buckner’s, A Dessert Cafe’ in the heart of Downtown Pontiac!
By LaDeanna Guy
With its entrance located within a city park, you walk in, and the
first thing you do is take a deep
breath to inhale and smell the aroma of freshly brewed coffee. You
then smile, because you know
you are in the right place once
you see the array of scrumptious
desserts made from scratch and
your sweet tooth starts to kick in.
“Buckner’s A Dessert Café’,
provides an extensive variety of
delectable, mouthwatering desserts to satisfy even the most severe sweet tooth; cakes, cheesecakes, cookies, pies and much,
much, more! Theodore Buckner
aka Buckner is the owner of Buckner’s A Dessert Café’ located in
the heart of downtown Pontiac.
Other menu items include tea,
ice cream and savory deli sandwiches. The signature sandwich
“Althea’s Favorite” named after
his wife, is the top seller. Buckner’s boast about a selection that,
“you must see to believe”. And get
this; it’s even a method on how to
order a sandwich at Buckner’s:
Step 1 - Select your meat
Step 2 - Select your bread
Step 3 - Select you cheeses
Step 4 –PAUSE-Take a little time
to choose your toppings from a
huge selection
Step 5 - Be Amazed, you have the
Althea and Theodore Buckner
opportunity to create your personal
deli sandwich masterpiece!
From day one, since the café
opened, it has been involved in the
community. This falls in line with
tions. The summer nights have
been filled with Jazz in the park.
Buckner’s also hosts a community engagement series called, “Deli
& Discussion” where politicians,
Buckner’s future plans are to increase the
catering department of the café and open
up another location and eventually have a
blueprint to turn the café into a franchise.
Buckner’s other business, Community Executive Services, LLC.
It’s mission: “A Better Community is our Purpose.” Buckner’s
hosts fundraisers for local schools
and other community organiza-
business owners and residents
come together to talk about things
important in the Pontiac community and how to make it better.
When asked what was Buckner’s pivotal “aha” moment that
solidified his decision to move forward with an entrepreneurial career?
Buckner said “I was sitting in
a cupcake shop with my wife eating cupcakes and started thinking –
why there isn’t a café with a variety
of delicious baked goods”. After a
lengthy discussion with my wife,
and what I felt was a very solid idea
of what I wanted the café to be. The 3
guiding principles would consist of:
• Good Products
• Comfortable surroundings
• Convenient hours
I begin to research the market
in different areas to see where a
critical mass of attraction would be.
This led to a decision to open up in
downtown Pontiac. Working in the
family business, Sarah’s Cake Decorating & Candy Supply located in
Troy, MI helped me to understand
business ownership and what it
took to operate the café. However,
being a first-time restaurateur, the
road wasn’t easy. All things don’t
fall in place like you want it. It
took all of 2012 going through the
logistics from inspections to construction to Buckner’s A Dessert
Café finally opening on February
25, 2013 with the ribbon cutting
ceremony on September 25, 2013.”
Buckner continues to work
hard to attract and keep his customers satisfied. Sometimes 14 to
16 hours a day. At times on weekends closing at 4am to appeal to
the club scene in downtown Pontiac. The hard work seems to be
paying off as the customer base
continues to grow with positive
reviews on how delicious the desserts and tasteful the sandwiches
are. Buckner’s future plans are to
increase the catering department of
the café and open up another location and eventually have a blueprint
to turn the café into a franchise.
Buckner’s A Dessert Café’ is
located 19 N. Saginaw St. To find
out about upcoming events, please
visit and like the Facebook page
https://www.facebook.com/BucknersADessertCafe website: www.
bucknerscafe.com. You can also
call 248.454.0445 for catering services or to place an order ahead of
time. Buckner’s hours of operation
are obviously made for your convenience. They are open 11am –
10pm, Monday thru Thursday and
11am – 12am Friday thru Saturday.
Contact LaDeanna Guy,
Resolution, Tax Preparation, bookkeeping,
for personal and small business at 313-433-5312
[email protected]
COMMUNITY NEWS
Coming Soon! Grand Opening!
Banner is Now The New Mega Super Store, “Imperial Fresh Market”
By Beverly Smith
“Your World in A Store”
While new development is taking
place in downtown and midtown, the
community known as ‘Harmony Village” on the west side of Detroit is also
experiencing new and exciting business developments. Banner Market,
located at 14424 Schaefer at Lyndon
has been a staple in that community
for over 30 years. Banner is undergoing a huge expansion and renovation and is now one of Detroit’s largest Independent Mega Super Stores
located right in the neighborhood.
Banner, now known as Imperial
Market, is part of the “Imperial Fresh
Markets Brand” from which the Shina Family will be marketing all of
their stores. Imperial Market, the New
Mega Store, started its expansion and
renovation earlier this year with a 6.5
million dollar investment for major
improvements to meet the demands of
Banner, now known as
Imperial Market, is part
of the “Imperial Fresh
Markets Brand” from
which the Shina Family
will be marketing all of
their stores.
a growing community. Maher Shina
and his brother Basim, own and operate The New Imperial Mega Store.
They are truly dedicated to making
sure that they provide lasting jobs for
the residents in the area as well as
quality meats, fresh produce, canned
goods, dairy, household goods and all
of the necessary items people need to
feed and provide for their families.
The new 37,000 square feet “Imperial Market Mega Store” will rival
any national brand super store. The
New Imperial Market will house 2
Restaurants, a Pharmacy, Deli, Florist,
Bill Payment Center, Check Cashing,
Fax Services and a Western Union.
The Mega store has over 100 coolers
of refrigerated items, and a huge fresh
produce department with a large selection of fruits and vegetables arriving
daily. Shoppers will have a huge selection of major and national brands
including several products made in
Michigan and locally. The market
adopted its new slogan, “Your World
in a Store” because it has all the amenities for every age and demographic. It also has the “Detroit Free Little
Library” for children to take a book
and bring a book in all of its markets.
The market remained open
through the renovation and will be
announcing its grand opening very
soon. Maher said that without the financial help of the Detroit Economic Growth Corporation, Chase and
Invest Detroit, these improvements
would not have been possible. All of
these entities are providing financial
assistance to Detroit’s small businesses to help create more jobs and
economic stability in the city. Maher
recalls Mayor Duggan saying that he
remembers going to Banner as a boy
growing up in that neighborhood.
The Shina Family is known
for giving back to the neighborhood
and treating all their employees like
family. They are a very close family
and live their lives according to their
faith. The New Imperial Market has
over 45 employees including Theodore Brown who has been with the
market for over 12 years. Theodore
started as a bagger and is now head
of Shipping and Receiving. Imperial
The Imperial Fresh Markets
Brand includes:
Imperial Market Super Store
14424 Schaefer Hwy.
313-934-0325
Maher & Basim Shina, Owners
Imperial Market
1940 E. 8 Mile Rd.
313-366-0670
Mazin Shina, Manager
Krown/Imperial Market
Market accommodates the schedules
of college and high school students
for part time and full time positions.
The employees are very loyal
to the Shina Family and some have
been with them for 20 years or more.
I have personally shopped at the 8
Mile Dequindre Imperial Market located in the Belmont Shopping Center since its opening 26 years ago.
All of the markets partnered
with Community United for Progress (CUP), a non-profit organization headed by Shirley Burch to
renovate Dad Butler Park near the 8
Mile Imperial Market and continue
to support the organization as well
as neighboring schools and churches.
Ms. Burch serves as Imperial Market’s public relations representative and coordinates programs
to engage residents in community
projects supported by Imperial Markets. Ms. Burch has been part of the
Shina family for many years and
is very optimistic about future programs in the surrounding neighborhoods of the markets and reminds us
all that, “The Best is Yet to Come.”
The Shina Family came to the
United States in 1980 from Iraq and is
dedicated to moving Detroit forward
and providing their customers with
quality products, jobs and community
support throughout the city. The Shina
brothers own and operate several independent markets across Detroit and
outlying areas. Their presence in the
neighborhoods has been a great benefit to the residents whom they serve.
5800 Caniff
313-893-1414
Mike Shina, Owner
Apollo/Imperial Market
20250 W. 7 Mile Rd.
313-538-0000
Sam Shina, Manager
Imperial Market
25293 W. Telegraph
248-356-9200
Basim Shina, Owner
SEPT/OCT 2015 | PAGE 18
SMART BUSINESS NEWS
New Economy Initiative Awards Nearly $600,000 in Grants to
Detroit Neighborhood Organizations Providing Small Business Support
T
Grants bring NEI’s total investment in neighborhoods beyond Downtown and Midtown Detroit to nearly $12 million
he New Economy Initiative
(NEI), a special project of the
Community Foundation for
Southeast Michigan, recently awarded
nearly $600,000 in grants to six non-profit organizations across Detroit through
its Neighborhood Business Initiative.
The new initiative from NEI
was designed to grow and strengthen the network of support services
for entrepreneurs and small businesses in underserved neighborhoods
throughout Detroit. Through its research, NEI identified three focus areas where businesses need the most
support: business advocacy, capital readiness and the physical places for businesses and ideas to thrive.
Although the entire suite of NEI
grantees serve entrepreneurs from every corner of the city, this first round
of grants for the initiative is largely
concentrated in three Detroit neighborhoods where it found particularly
pronounced opportunities and needs
- Osborn, Grandmont Rosedale and
the North End. In addition, there are
some general, non-geographic focused
grantees as part of the announcement. NEI expects to make total grant
commitments of up to $3.5 million to
support the Neighborhood Business
Initiative over the next three years.
“NEI is continuing to focus on
building an economy in our region
where opportunity and success are
available for all,” said David O. Egner, NEI executive director. “By providing grant support to these existing
organizations and resources, we are
expanding their ability to reach and
serve more entrepreneurs and businesses from within the neighborhoods that often need it the most.”
NEIGHBORHOOD BUSINESS
INITIATIVE GRANTEES:
Osborn Neighborhood Alliance:
$84,405
Support to assist new and existing
businesses by connecting them to the
resources they need to grow and thrive
Grandmont Rosedale CDC: $110,000
Support for a comprehensive
business development and commercial revitalization effort on
the Grand River corridor in the
Grandmont Rosedale community
Central Detroit Christian CDC
(North End): $91,300
Support for a business empowerment and development program that
will provide business support, marketing assistance, and management
counseling for small businesses in
Detroit’s North End neighborhood
Accounting Aid Society: $100,400
Support for accounting and tax
assistance services to small business
owners in Detroit neighborhoods
Small Business Development Center
(SBDC): $90,244
Support for financial education
and capital readiness training for
small businesses and startups in underserved Detroit neighborhoods.
tion (Troy, Michigan), the McGregor
Fund (Detroit), the Charles Stewart
Mott Foundation (Flint, Michigan),
Surnda Foundation (New York) and
the Skillman Foundation (Detroit). The
Community Foundation for Southeast
Michigan, which initiated the collaborative, is serving as its administrative home. For more information,
please visit neweconomyinitiative.org.
Since 2009, NEI has awarded
over $97 million in grants, while exposing more than 156,000 individuals to entrepreneurial services, and
helping to create more than 1,570
new companies and 13,902 new jobs
in the Southeast Michigan economy.
In addition, more than $623 million
was leveraged into the entrepreneur-
FoodLab: $117,000
Support for improvement and
growth of resources for food entrepreneurs in Detroit neighborhoods
The Neighborhood Business Initiative grants contribute to the nearly $12 million that NEI has invested
over the last five years in economic
development focused in Detroit neighborhoods beyond the Downtown and
Midtown, through programs such as
ProsperUS, Build Institute, NEIdeas,
TechTown, SWOT City and more.
About The New Economy Initiative
The New Economy Initiative
(NEI) is a $140 million philanthropic
effort to help make thousands of ideas
the next economic engine by getting
entrepreneurs and small businesses
what they need and when they need
it in order to succeed and grow. This
unprecedented initiative is supported by the following national, regional
and local foundations: the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan
(Detroit), the William Davidson Foundation (Southfield), the Max M. and
Marjorie S. Fisher Foundation (Southfield, Michigan), the Ford Foundation (New York), the Hudson-Webber
Foundation (Detroit), the W.K. Kellogg
Foundation (Battle Creek, Michigan),
the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation (Miami), The Kresge Founda-
ial ecosystem through not only entrepreneurs themselves, but also through
the grantees and service providers.
The work of NEI has also helped
to bring out 815 patents and invention
disclosures in the region. In addition,
Accelerate Michigan, an international business competition developed
by NEI, has led to more than $5 million distributed in awards and, in
2014 alone, exposure for those businesses to 80 venture capitalists representing $750 billion in capital.
For more information, please contact
Carly Strachan at 313.460.8100 mobile
or email: [email protected];
or Megan Ewend at 989.392.9711 mobile
or email: [email protected]
ASK THE TECH GUY
A
ALL ABOUT TECHNOLOGY
s expected, smart technology
is fast becoming the standard
in just about every industry,
including retail commerce. By now
you’ve
probably
heard of chip cards,
and you may even
have one in your
wallet. Sometimes
known as EMV (Europay, MasterCard,
Visa) chip cards.
WILLIE BRAKE
They’re credit and
debit cards with a small electronic chip
embedded within for extra security.
Across the country, financial institutions are introducing customers
to the EMV chip cards that will be
widely used
by the end of
2015. Meanwhile, banks
and
credit
card
companies
are
pushing merchants to upgrade their
payment terminals so they can read
the chips on the cards and bring the
United States in line with credit card
security used in much of the rest of the
Everything you need to know about EMV cards
world. The new credit card improves
fraud protection for consumers and
changes the way payments are made.
According to industry estimates,
about half of the 12 million card readers at payment terminals in the United
According to industry
estimates, about half of the
12 million card readers at
payment terminals in the
United States will be
converted to support chip
cards by the end of 2015.
States will be converted to support chip
cards by the end of 2015. Meanwhile,
there are about 1.2 billion debit and
credit cards in circulation among the
335 million people who live in the United States. Eight major banks account for
half of the United States credit card volume and it has been estimated that nearly two-thirds of their cards will be reissued as chip cards by the end of the year.
If you are a merchant, to encourage
your compliance with the new standard,
all major credit card brands in the U.S.
will be instituting a shift in fraud liabil-
ity. The conversion process from older
magnetic stripe cards to chip cards has
sped up in recent months because of the
fast approaching deadline.This is very
important because by October of this
year, physical retailers who aren’t ready
to accept EMV cards may be liable for
financial losses as a result of card fraud.
As a merchant, employing EMV
is a great way to prevent fraudsters from
targeting your store. During a transaction, the chip card performs cryptographic processing by assigning a
unique code to each transaction to help
prevent data being fraudulently reused.
EMV technology has been in use across
Though the U.S. accounts
for only 24% of the world’s
credit card transactions, it’s
responsible for nearly 50%
of the world’s credit card
fraud.
Europe for years and will be the standard
payment application in the United States
for significantly enhanced security.
You may be thinking; why is
this change happening? Though the
U.S. accounts for only 24% of the
world’s credit card transactions, it’s
responsible for nearly 50% of the
world’s credit card fraud. EMV chip
cards are being rolled out to improve
payment security and make it harder for fraudsters to counterfeit cards.
By 2011, EMV technology had
brought some forms of card fraud in
Britain to their lowest level in two decades. In Canada, the introduction of
EMV reduced losses from debit card
fraud by over 72%. The introduction of
EMV in the United States is necessary
to combat fraudsters, reduce card fraud
losses, and provide a safer shopping
experience for American consumers.
CONTACT INFO:
Willie E. Brake
All About Technology, Inc.,
www.callwillie.com
Phone: 313.218.4888
SMART BUSINESS NEWS
EDI offers a 50,000 business credit guarantee for all those who complete while
establishing good personal credit and a solid financial blueprint.
Detroit Smart Pages asked Aaron
Sanders, Jr., Senior Director of Finance
at Key Financial Solutions about the
Entrepreneur Development Institute.
Smart Pages: Who should enroll
in the Entrepreneur Development
Institute?
Sanders:
The
course is designed
for anyone who has a
desire to finally move
forward with their
dream to open and operate a small business
Aaron Sanders
or improve the financing options of their current business,
have graduated high school or has
its equivalent GED and need money.
Smart Pages: Why should they
enroll?
Smart Pages: What is the class size
and how much interaction with the
students?
Sanders: The course in the past
was held in a classroom setting of
about 50 to 75 students, as time went
on we reviewed the success rate and
were dissatisfied. We integrated a
one on one meeting with all students
about their business at a convenient
Smart Pages: How long is the
time
for the student Monday-Friday
course and what are the topics
and Saturdays upon request to review
covered?
Sanders: The course is 12 weeks progress. Students are able to call and
and each student meets with the in- ask questions Monday through Friday
structor for an hour and 30 minutes from 10am-6pm and may do so free
where we work directly from the of cost for one year after graduation.
course syllabus by reviewing work Smart Pages: What is the graduagiven, work accomplished and cur- tion rate or course completion?
rent business status for funding. We
Sanders: 89% of our stugo over items such as lender compli- dents graduate and 100% of all stuance and how to get the lenders to say dents receive funding before or withyes, website and business plan build- in 6 months of course completion.
ing, marketing and business fundabil- From 2011 to current, 793 students
ity review, understanding debt and have received funding for their new
how to offer credit to your clients. or current business, Of that numSanders: Unlike most business
courses EDI focuses on real world
business challenges. The course will
answer these questions. Is my website
being properly marketed? How do I get
a business phone line without spending
money for a land line? What is my business paydex score and how do I get it to
work for me? Why can’t I get a loan?
ber, 436 have received loans of 35k
or more within the first 12 weeks.
Smart Pages: What is your advice
to business owners on how to successfully manage their business?
Sanders: All business owners
must take into account to be AWARE
and KNOWLEDGEABLE in the
area that most affects their business...
MONEY!! Knowing what to do to
make your business fundable for a
loan is vitally important. Do not let
challenged credit, lack of business
experience or personal fear take you
away from pursuing your small business dreams. So take advantage today
and get in the KNOW. KNOW your
current personal finances, KNOW
your personal and business credit and most of all KNOW the steps
to getting a small business loan. Call and enroll today! The Entrepreneur Development Institute, 248-5699120. 17515 W. 9 Mile Rd. Southfield,
MI. No Credit Check! Financing Available!
www.smallbizdevelopment.biz.
THE ART OF LIVING IN DETROIT
8 Laws of Health
Family, I was finally invited to
host a Sista Circle that expounds on the
8 Laws of Health! I’m so excited I just
have to share them
with you. They
are Trust in Divine Power, Proper
Nutrition,
Proper Use of Water,
Temperance, Rest,
Sunshine,
Fresh
GINGER TANSIL
Air, and Exercise.
I love talking
about acquiring and maintaining optimum health and feel it has everything to
do with lifestyle choices. So everyday
consistent application of these 8 Laws
of Health should govern the whole man;
man as a social being, man as a spiritual being, and man as a physical being.
If the whole man is attended to
only happiness and abundant health will
be the result. They should be followed
even if disease has taken a foothold on
the body. How do women think they can
look like a million bucks living from
the 2 dollar menu? Not that self-exaltation or self-dependence is right or
good. More trust on Divine Power is
the staple that can hold us all together.
The eating of flesh meats has
made a poor quality of blood. Your
systems are in a state of inflammation,
prepared to take in disease and precursor to attacks of disease and even
sudden death because you do not possess the strength of constitution to rally
and resist it. Don’t be fooled because
Mad Cow disease is no longer talked
about doesn’t mean it’s gone. Know
that when we feed on flesh, the juices
of what we eat pass into the circulation.
A feverish condition is created, because animals are diseased, and
by partaking of their flesh, we plant
the seeds of disease in our own tissue
and blood. I know I’m getting into
your business but don’t dig your own
grave with a spoon and fork! Sugar’s
not good for the stomach, it causes
fermentation and clouds the brain and
brings about peevishness (a quarrelsome argumentative) disposition. You
may want to eat whatever you want
and just use the drugs the doctors prescribe. Drugs paralyzes nature’s power.
Trust in Divine Power
The laws of nature are the laws
of God and I am happy to study their
requirements in regard to our own
bodies and conform to them. Being
positive, knowing that everything’s
coming together for your good!
Proper Nutrition
Stay as far away from meat as humanly possible. How can anyone desire
to live on the flesh of dead animals when
you have the privilege of consuming the
fruit, grains, vegetables, and nuts that
God has given us in such abundance?
Proper Use of Water
The beverage which God provides to quench the thirst of man
and animal. It’s great for the circulation. Drink at least 8 glasses a day. Bathe rather than shower.
Temperance
In order to reach the highest standard of moral and intellectual attainments, it is necessary to seek wisdom
and strength from God and to observe
strict temperance in all habits of life to
keep the body in a healthy condition,
in order that all parts of the living machinery act harmoniously, should be a
study of our life. We can’t glorify Him
with sickly bodies and dwarfed minds.
Indulge in intemperance. Eating and
drinking any ole thing waste your physical energies and weaken moral power.
Rest
Sleep is nature’s sweet restorer. In
cases of sickness, the very best remedy
is to fast for a meal or two to give your
overworked organs of digestion an opportunity to rest. Get rest at night to allow your body to do natural processes.
Sunshine
In your homes it’s especially
important to get plenty of sunlight.
Let there even be a current of air and
abundance of light in every room if
possible. No bedroom is fit to be occupied as a place to sleep unless it
can be thrown open daily to air and
sunshine. Sunshine is needed for certain vitamins and also for your mood.
Fresh Air
Physicians have failed us by not
telling us to use the provisions of nature and has instead offered us drugs.
Fresh air is needed for the cells in
your body to function properly and it
helps give you a good frame of mind
Exercise
Many suffer mental taxation,
physical deterioration of their powers and are inclined to shun responsibilities. More active labor is needed.
People become mentally feeble with-
I know I’m getting into
your business but don’t
dig your own grave with
a spoon and fork!
out exercise. Out of doors preferably.
I’ve discovered bike trails to be great
places to walk. Many run alongside
lakes, and beautiful sceneries! I rarely see brown folk such as myself on
them so I hope to see you out there.
CONTACT INFO:
Ginger Tansil
[email protected]
Phone: 313.909.2838
Rocket Fiber, New Internet Service Coming to Detroit!
What is Rocket fiber?
Rocket Fiber is a new Detroit-based Internet service provider.
They offer gigabit Internet speeds that
are up to 100 times faster than the average residential connection in the U.S. In addition to ultra-fast Internet, Rocket Fiber will be providing all of your
favorite shows with HDTV services.
Rocket Fiber services are up
to 100 times faster than average residential internet available today.
How is it 100 times faster?
The average residential Internet connection in the United States
is about 10 megabits per second
(Mbps). Rocket Fiber will provide
speeds up to 1,000 Mbps over a cutting-edge fiber optic infrastructure.
Many Internet service providers deliver service over older and slower copper phone or cable lines, while Rocket
Fiber will bring fiber-optic cables diwww.detroitsmartpages.com
rectly into your building. By bringing
fiber closer to you and powering it with
the latest networking gear, they are
able to deliver seriously fast internet.
How will faster Internet help me?
Gigabit Internet can improve how you
work and play on the internet in your
daily life. You’ll no longer have to
Rocket Fiber services
are up to 100 times
faster than average
residential internet
available today.
wait for frequent video buffering and
website downloads will be much snappier. From productivity at the office to
watching your favorite streaming service at home, Rocket Fiber will make
your old Internet feel like a dial-up.
How much does Rocket Fiber cost?
Residential Gigabit Internet for the
home is $70/month and HDTV service
pricing will be announced soon. For
pricing for businesses and property
managers, please contact us for a quote.
When can I get Rocket Fiber?
Rocket Fiber is hoping to bring services online by late 2015. They will be
building in areas of the highest demand
first, so joining the list early is critical
for a timely deployment to your area.
To sign up and for more information
about Rocket Fiber Internet Services,
visit their website at
www.rocketfiber.com or call: 844)
847-6253. Resource: rocketfiber.com.
FINANCIAL PLANNING
I
The Advantages of Having a Holistic Financial Advisor
recently had an employee from the
City of Detroit come in to do a rollover. He had 25 years of service
with what I consider one of the metropolitan area’s greatest employers.
His annuity had in
excess of $250,000
of which he had
contributed roughly
$40,000. There are
many
employers,
like the City of Detroit, that pay lower
salaries in the early
ELLIS LIDDELL
stages of employment,
but make up for it on the back end
with pensions, annuities, and other
deferred compensation plans. These
plans are intended to make sure that
your golden years are indeed golden.
As a financial advisor, I meet
with clients from all walks of life.
There are those who have more money than they’ll ever spend, and there
are those who have less than what
they need to meet their monthly obligations. Because we meet with such
a wide variety of clients, we’ve developed a systematic approach to the
initial consultation. Most people know
exactly what to do, but what they
lack is the discipline to get it done.
That’s where we rise to the occasion.
As holistic advisors, we don’t just
look at your investment options; we
look at your entire process for dealing
with your finances. If you’re in debt,
why? If you have lots of assets, how
did you obtain them? Is there a way
to improve upon your current process
At ELE Family of Companies,
our focus is on retirement
and investment planning.
to allow you to build assets at an even
greater pace? Or, if your situation is
filled with debt and despair, is there a
way to shift your current bills around to
allow room to not only breathe, but to
begin the process of building wealth?
My goal as your faith-based financial advisor is to achieve your goals
through a process designed uniquely for you, and one that considers all
of your assets and your liabilities.
We have helped to create a new
paradigm here in the metropolitan area
Best Practices Consulting Services, LLC
Where Your Business Is Our Business!
Do you have questions about
starting or expanding your existing
business operation?
Give us a call, we can help you
determine the following:
 Whether your concept is
feasibile for starting a business
 Is your business plan
executable?
 Do you need to extend your
sales force without increasing
your payroll?
Best Practices Consulting Services, LLC
Best Practices
Consulting Services, LLC
2727 2nd Avenue, Suite 157
Detroit, MI 48201
www.YourPracticesCoach.com
Phone: 810.280.4310
Fax:734.992.3336
E-mail:
[email protected]
by getting individuals not to focus on
debt, but to focus on wealth. It is truly
a difference in how you look at things.
It isn’t a matter of simply adopting a
winning attitude but a technique designed around new-century thinking.
We set our practice up based on one of
the most successful business models on
earth, that of a dentist, but we reversed
the model. I serve as the hygienist,
identifying the financial “cavity”,
and then allow one of my wonderful,
certified, highly skilled employees to
act as dentist to fill the financial need.
As retirement planners, we’ve
earned a reputation for taking the assets rolled over and investing them
in places that will help to subsidize
our retiree’s income, hopefully, for
the rest of their lives. This helps our
clients anticipate the ups and downs
of the market. We assist in preparing
them mentally for the various swings
in the Dow Jones, the S & P 500, as
well as changes in the fixed markets.
The benefit of having a holistic financial advisor centers around
your goals. This is one of those few
occasions that is all about you – what
you want, what you desire, and how
you can you best achieve your goals.
Many people think that in order to
build wealth, you’ve got to sacrifice
all aspects of life. Nothing could be
further from the truth. What I’ve found
is that the more I give, the more I get.
I give advice day in and day out. I’ve
watched my net worth grow by helping others, but I take greater pride in
helping others to grow their net worth.
Years ago, I was told that if you help
other people achieve their dreams;
you will indeed achieve your own.
Remember, Wealth is Our Legacy,
Pass It On . . .
Ellis Liddell is the President of various ELE entities in Southfield, MI. He
is also the author of “Wealth Management: Merging Faith with Finance”
and a member of the Million Dollar Roundtable. Mr. Liddell can be
reached at (248) 356-6555 or through
his website: www.elewealth.com. Securities offered through ELE Wealth
Advisors, Inc., member FINRA. Advisory services offered through ELE
Advisory Services, Inc. ELE Wealth
Advisors and ELE Advisory Services,
LLC are affiliated through common
ownership and control.
URBAN JOURNEYS
Short Marches - Urban Journeys
By David Rambeau
I
n a time
w h e n
t h e r e
seems to be
no end of
anniversaries of long
marches from
Detroit to Washington, D.C. and
elsewhere, I suggest we should
look at the efficacy of short marches within any specific urban setting; in this case, within Detroit.
A long march to D.C. will require a round-trip journey of about
1,300 miles and a cost approaching
$1,000. Obviously, most people will
either not be interested in making such
a long trip or will be unable to afford
it. However, virtually everybody
will be able to do and afford the short
marches outlined below. And, in my
estimation, they will be of singularly greater benefit to our community. The following is a list of short
marches that I highly recommend to
develop and protect our community. These marches will each be about 2
to 4 miles round-trip and will cost
only the time and an amount of
money one would usually expend
for the purpose of the trip, that is,
they will not involve added expense,
but they may take you out of your
habitual comfort zones. In that regard they will require some effort.
The Urban Journeys List of Short
March
1. To School - register for a course
or courses, or a workshop or seminar particularly in the field of your
expertise. Doing that will improve
your work performance and increase
your market value whether you are
employed, have a business of your
own or engage in volunteer activities.
2. Voter Registration- Either do it if
you’re not registered or check to make
sure you’re still on the election rolls.
3. Voting - in the presidential primary and general elections in 2016. The
next president will probably be in office for eight years, so do your duty
by voting or be prepared to suffer the
consequences of defeat of your candidate. Voting is for your benefit and
the benefit of your community. It is
not for the candidate; it’s for you.
4. Join a Food Co-Op - You may
currently shop in a super-market. It’s
time to change or expand the direction of your food dollars to include
a Food Co-Op. If not that, try a
farmers market like Eastern Market
downtown. Supporting local farmers
with locally grown food is especially
important. The industrialization of
the agribusiness has been a disaster.
5. Use a local bank or credit union. The national or chain banks and financial institutions were the primary
instigators of the Great Recession that
started in 2008 and in the black community and is still going on. Since
their bailout by the U.S. government,
banks have continued, if not increased,
13. Get a Dental check-up. Brush
and floss daily, and visit your dentist
at least once a year.
14. Participate in a local demonstration. Choose one where everyone is a leader, a potential
speaker, and watch out if anyone tries to take up a collection.
15. Get a financial affairs check-up.
All your income, all your expenses,
all of your receipts. All of your annual business.
16. Pay your overdue bills. Bring
all of your accounts up to date, and
save and invest as much
as
you
can
in
businesses located in your community.
Voting is for your benefit and the
benefit of your community. It is not
for the candidate; it’s for you.
their notorious financial practices.
6. Utilize your Public Library. It
is probably the most effective public
institution in your community. And
take your family.
7. Attend Parent Teachers Meetings. Go for you and your children. Don’t leave the education
of your children or grandchildren
to strangers or incompetents. You
should know the grades of your
children at least one month before they receive their report cards.
17. Visit your sick or shut-in. You
will eventually be in this condition.
Doing this will
make you think more about
taking care of your health.
18. Call a long-time friend. You’ve
forgotten somebody. Take some time
to do the right thing.
19. Study the Concept East Institutes on FB.com, either at home or
at the computer lab in your neighborhood library or your Smartphone.
20. On Saturdays at 6 a.m. watch For
My People on Ch. 50. This is the Show.
Your goal should be 20 short
marches per month for 10 months
- 200 short marches per year.
If we can get 5,000 people to participate, that will mean we have developed 1,000,000 short marches
in a relatively short period of time
with significantly less investment
of time and energy, and significantly greater community benefits.
Contact info:
David Rambeau is the producer/
host of the television program, For
My People, which airs on Saturday
mornings on Ch. 50. He is also
the publisher/editor of a litany of
facebook.com websites collectively
titled Concept East Institute. He is a
member of the Saturday Irregulars
which meet weekly from 1 p.m. - 3 p.m.
at E. Jefferson & E. Grand Blvd. across
from Belle Isle. Teams win.
[email protected]
8. Attend to a Community Meeting. If you want your community to
improve, you’ve got to make it happen. If you wait on the city, you’ll
probably wait for another 20 years.
9. Plant a Garden. We had good
weather this year. You could have
harvested three crops. If you didn’t,
now is the time to prepare for the
next growing season.
10. Walk or bike ride. You know your
need the exercise which is great for
your mind, your body and your spirit.
11. Bus ride - instead of car. A change
is as good as a rest, and you need
both, either by yourself or in a group.
12. Get a health check-up from your
doctor or at a community health
fair. Buy a scale for your home and
weigh yourself once a week. It’s a
good health investment.
1435 Randolph St. 313-962-4180 DSMNOW.com
African American Themed TV Shows Gain Ground,
Donald Trump Spreads Insults and Homosexual
Lifestyles are Out of the Closet and Into the Scripts
T
crease in the open display
of homosexuality on television shows. Fox’s 2nd
season premiere of the highly-rated
show Empire raised a few eyebrows
with a kissing scene between two men,
a sensual dancing scene between two
women, and numerous innuendos regarding gays and lesbians. The show’s
Producer Lee Daniels is openly gay.
BEST TV MOMENTS - THE POPE IN
AMERICA, AND THE 2015 EMMY
AWARDS
WORST LIVE TV COVERAGE THE REPUBLIC DEBATES
Charlene Mitchell-Rodgers
he new fall television season
is in full force, and there is no
shortage of controversial content. Perhaps it is the recent U.S. Supreme Court’s decision legalizing gay
marriage that has contributed to an in-
Pope Francis’ visit to the United States was exciting, and not only
for Catholics. The Pontiff spread a
positive message which resonated
across racial lines.
He stressed the importance of helping
the poor, providing
food and shelter for
the homeless and
maintaining strong
POPE FRANCIS
families
values.
A big highlight of the live televised
coverage was Detroit’s own Aretha
Franklin who took the stage to sing
Amazing Grace which drew cheers
from the huge Philadelphia crowd
and a polite applause from The Pope.
The Emmy Awards are usually
very unpredictable, with viewer favorites not always selected by the Academy’s judges. A big highlight this year
The first GOP Debate hosted on
The Fox network looked amateurish
and disorganized. The huge line-up of
Presidential candidates appeared eager
to spread their messages, but egomaniac Donald Trump tried to run the show.
He was rude to the other candidates
and totally disrespectful of the format.
I blame host Bret Baier for allowing
Trump to interrupt frequently, and
also to not answer direct questions.
This dog and pony show included
Trump insulting co-host Megyn Kelly which resulted in a two week long
feud between the two. Trump vows he
will no longer give interviews to Fox
News. This is hilarious, since the ultra-conservative, right-wing leaning
Fox Network used to be his favorite.
MOST CONTROVERSIAL TV APPEARANCE - FASHION QUEEN
“MISS LAWRENCE” ON EMPIRE
REGINA KING & VIOLA DAVIS
was the winner for Best Actress in a
Drama. Viola Davis won the coveted
Emmy statue for her role in ABC’s
How to Get Away With Murder. She made history as the first
African American woman to win
an Emmy in this category. Another African American actress, Regina
King won best supporting actress for
her role in ABC’s American Crime.
In addition to the much talked
about homosexual scenes in the premier episode of Fox
TV’s Empire, one
particular scene has
raised the eyebrows
of even the most
liberal media critics. Miss Lawrence,
MISS LAWRENCE
Bravo TV’s Transgender talk show host made a cameo
appearance on the show where she
mentioned the name of gospel singer
The gay theme continued over at
ABC. The premier of the highly-rated
show, How to Get Away with Murdershocked many viewers when the
main character, the brilliant and charismatic Atty.Annalise Keating (Played
by Emmy Award Winning Actress
Viola Davis) reveals that she was
involved in a lesbian relationship before marrying her now deceased hus-
band who was murdered last season.
The season opener shows her getting
back together with her female lover and the two passionately kiss on
screen. My point is just to call attention to what TV fans of both shows
are gossiping about. Some are cheering and others are offended. Future
ratings will likely indicate whether viewers will continue to watch.
Donnie McClurkin. Many feel it was a
rude, underhanded way of outing him
as being gay. McClurkin has publicly
said on numerous occasions that he is
not a practicing homosexual regardless
of his past. This kind of blatant disrespect could bring down a show that is
now soaring in the ratings. Insults are
not good. Perhaps producer Lee Daniels should be more careful in scripting.
among the various anchors. Maybe it’s
just that they have so much talent, they
have to rotate several of their anchors.
For a while, I thought Glenda Lewis
and Andy Choi were the 4pm anchors
on The Now Detroit, but I looked up
one day and there was Steven Clark.
On another day JoAnne Purtan was
at the helm, and then I saw Heather
Catallo. With a total of 7 live late afternoon and evening newscasts, many of
the anchors are getting more air time.
There is no question that WXYZ
TV (ABC) Channel 7 has always held
its own as a very dominant force in
local news in Detroit. Ratings fluctuate with the other two news stations, WDIV Ch.4 and WJBK Fox 2
also showing respectable numbers.
BIG COMPETITION BETWEEN
AFRICAN AMERICAN FAMILY TV
SHOWS
The
networks have finally realized by
examining the
statistics, that African Americans watch
more hours of television per week than
their white counterparts, with sitcoms
being very popular among this demographic. A few years ago, there was a
distinct lack of shows featuring predominately black casts. Today there
are many, on networks and on cable.
NBC has renewed “The Carmichael
Show” starring popular comedian
David Alan Grier and veteran actress
Loretta Divine, a modern day sitcom
that seems to have few boundaries
when it comes to language and subject matter. Like popular shows from
the past topics range from hot-button
issues like race relations, pre-marital
cohabitation, and religion. It’s been
compared to the decades of old “All
in The Family”. Critics give it decent
reviews, but it is competing for half of
the time slot when “Blackish” airs on
another network. Time to set the DVR.
Since WXYZ purchased Channel 20 and added a 4pm and a 10pm
newscast, viewers are seeing what
seems like a game of musical chairs
DEPARTURES FROM DETROIT TV
The very talented and likeable
reporter Andy Choi has left WXYZ
but will still be seen
locally on The Now
Detroit and several
other ABC affiliates that carry The
Now format. Investigative reportANDY CHOI
er Ross Jones has
also left WXYZ and will be working
for the Scripps Washington Bureau.
He will do investigative reports for
the company’s 33 stations nationwide, including WXYZ which is
part of the Scripps family of stations.
Big Congratulations to Andrea
Isom former WJBK Fox 2 TV News
Reporter on her new Investigative National TV Show, Crime Watch Daily,
America’s only syndicated daily crime
program for in-depth investigations and
real-life mysteries. Check www.crimewatchdaily.com for local listings..
Contact Charlene at:
[email protected]
S M A R T E AT S
October is
National Apple
Month!
Did you know Michigan is the
Nation’s third largest producers of apples! There are 9.2 million apple trees
covering 36,500 acres on 850 family-run farms right here in Michigan.
There are more than 7,500 different varieties of apples grown
worldwide and in the United States,
100 apple varieties are grown commercially. Apple flavors range from
super-sweet to tart, a variety of colors, and a multitude of uses, there
certainly is an apple for everyone!
To help you celebrate National Apple Month, I thought it would
be fun to share five must-try apple varieties and a few of the attributes that make them unique.
Fuji: This crisp, juicy, and bi-colored apple consistently has the highest brix and one of the higher sugar
levels. The super-sweet flavor of Fuji
is reminiscent of freshly pressed apple juice. Fuji apples tend to be larger in size than most and are fantastic
for snacking, salads, and baking.
Granny Smith: This apple
sits at the other end of the sweet-tart
spectrum. Granny Smith is crisp and
tart, with a lemon-like flavor that is
bound to make your mouth water.
It’s the famously green apple that
people are fond of for fresh eating
snacking apple when it’s in season.
Gala: This bi-colored apple variety has a mellow sweet flavor with hints
of vanilla. It tends to be smaller in size
than most apples, which means it’s the
perfect snacking apple. Add slices of
Gala to a green salad or enjoy the apple
with peanut butter or cheese; you really can’t go wrong with this great apple.
Piñata! apples certainly offer a
surprise for your taste buds. Although
they make their appearance in stores
in November or December, it is still
one to be on the lookout for. Piñata
is a new variety with heirloom parentage. It’s a combination of Gold-
No matter what variety you choose, you can always feel great
about eating apples. They are naturally free of fat, cholesterol,
and sodium, low in calories, and a good source of dietary fiber.
and all types of baking and cooking.
Honeycrisp: This apple likely
needs no introduction as it has quickly become the most sought-after Fall
apple. Just like its name implies, Honeycrisp apples are crisp (they fracture like no other apple) and have a
honey-like sweetness. This is a great
en Delicious, Cox’s Orange Pippin,
and Duchess of Oldenburg. This apple trio combines to create a crisp
and juicy apple with balanced sweet
and tart flavors and a tropical twist.
No matter what variety you
choose, you can always feel great about
eating apples. They are naturally free
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of fat, cholesterol, and sodium, low in
calories, and a good source of dietary fiber. Apples are also a great baking fruit.
What apple varieties are your
“must try’s” each year? Have you
tried any of the 5 varieties listed
above?
Share
your thoughts on
apples via www.
JoyfulTreatsCatering.com, and
become inspired
with our edible
food creations.
Khadija B. Wallace is Founder &
CEO of Joyful Treats Catering.
For more food celebrations and
fun fact tips or recipes, sign up for
newsletter at: www.joyfultreatscatering.com.
COMMUNITY NEWS
ELE MORTGAGE
SERVICES, LLC
MORTGAGE SERVICES INCLUDE:
• Mortgage Professionals dedicated to providing a personalized client experience.
• Mortgage and Home Equity Products at competitive rates.
• Comprehensive analysis to meet your financial needs.
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1 Mile
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22,171
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NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2014 | PAGE 28

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