Student Voice: Deborah Abodunrin on DNEP’s Summer Internship Program

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Getting my Hands Dirty: Impact Edition (Inside my 3 Months of Summer with DNEP)

Detroit Neighborhood Entrepreneurs Project. If you asked me before the summer of 2024, I would have never heard of DNEP. Little did I know that later on, this single acronym would carry memorable outcomes, valued experiences, and pride in its mission. I joined DNEP with a curiosity to dive deeper into the intersection between Business + Impact. As a result, I left with my first comprehensive hands-on consulting experience, strong professional and personal connections with my peers from various schools, and invaluable skills gained from our work with local clients. 

DNEP has a well-earned reputation among many entrepreneurs in Metro Detroit. Its core mission is clear: connecting Detroit small businesses with the University of Michigan, in faculty-supervised student teams, to tackle business’ legal, financial, marketing, operational, design, and technology challenges. As a paid DNEP intern, my peers and I were exposed to the dynamics of how a real-time small business operates, explorations of Detroit and its gems, and new professional knowledge applicable to my future career. From attending enlightening Lunch and Learns sessions with professionals who paved their way, to countless hours in the Ross Impact Studio brainstorming and experimenting, my summer with DNEP was rewarding and everything to rave about.

Most internship programs are limited to working within one team all summer. However, with DNEP, it was a privilege to work with three unique and interdisciplinary teams, each focused on the crafting, refining, and implementation of customer retention strategies (that is, creating recurring revenue by driving repeat customers). Some of the showcased clients I worked with included Halie & Co, a new jewelry store specializing in permanent pieces; Four Taste, a customized cookie and cake business known for its delectability; and Welcome Home Yoga Studio & Wellness, a service-based yoga studio focused on recovery and wellness. Each project definitely brought its own distinct challenges, but the beauty of it allowed us to research and develop tailored strategies that fit the specific needs and characteristics of each business. 

Reflecting on my summer, working closely with Jocie, the owner of Four Taste, was a standout. Jocie was a vibrant client who had successfully navigated challenges during COVID-19. She knew where her current sales were coming from, and her target was to create an approach that worked with her customer trends to gain a more consistent cash flow. With coaching from Ross faculty Chris Mueller, we held a series of detailed meetings–often held in some of Detroit’s best coffee shops.  We gathered qualitative and quantitative data on customer behavior, motives, and habits. Our analysis process looked as such:

1. Creating tailored customer segments to provide Jocie with a clearer, more defined view of her target audience. 
2. Through an extensive but fulfilling troubleshooting process, problem-solving and implementing recommendations that capitalized on our newly learned knowledge.
3. Developing an automated tool that identified criteria for each of her customer segments, a service review system, email automation templates synchronized and specific to each customer segment, and a well-researched proposal of software to best integrate with Jocie’s data.

The collaboration with Four Taste was rewarding for all of us: It was refreshing to see my peers spark with curiosity and ideas, while Jocie eagerly anticipated each update. 

I’ve always been passionate about service-driven impact, but this experience gave me a newfound appreciation for how a diverse team’s synergies and hands-on focused effort can have a tangible impact on a business’s livelihood and day-to-day operations. Every time I clocked into the Impact Studio, I recognized that my work was more than just a passion project or a job  – it was my perfect way of giving back. The best way to create an impact in your community doesn’t have to be limited to donations, shopping locally, or spreading awareness. For me, it’s about passion, curiosity, and inquisitive nature. Immersing myself in the daily rhythms of these businesses was truly the most rewarding and impactful way for me. 

Deborah Abodunrin is a junior at the Ross School of Business.