Detroit’s small business owners see summer boost through entrepreneurs project

Detroit’s small business owners see summer boost through entrepreneurs project

Working through a pandemic has been stressful enough for Detroit’s small-business community.  Finding enough time, energy and talent to expand their companies through innovative programs, social media or new strategy has been doubly difficult. But a group of business owners got fresh insights into how to grow thanks to some uniquely talented University of Michigan student consultants. 
These students in the Detroit Neighborhood Entrepreneurs Project, their advisors and community participants recently met on Zoom to outline the work seven student teams did for Detroit small businesses such as Ivy Kitchen + Cocktails, recapping problems Detroit business owners asked students to address …

First person: Learning from Detroit businesses and fellow students

First person: Learning from Detroit businesses and fellow students

This article was written by Michael Willard, BBA Ross School of Business/BA LSA ’23
This summer, I am one of 31 interns working in the University of Michigan Detroit Neighborhood Entrepreneurs Project +Impact Studio for Local Business.
The interns come from the Ross School of Business, Ford School of Public Policy, Stamps School of Art & Design, and School of Information. The program began last year, with interns focused on creating tools for ecosystem-level problems in Detroit small businesses.
This year, we are working directly with small-business owners to solve the unique issues that affect multiple companies. To maximize our impact, each team is focusing on one …

Detroit’s small business owners see summer boost through entrepreneurs project

Applying academic skills to real-world business challenges

Small businesses in Detroit, as across the country, have had to make major adjustments to survive the COVID-19 pandemic economic downturn. A cadre of students from U-M have been able to work with many of these businesses through an internship program coordinated by the Detroit Neighborhood Entrepreneurs Project (DNEP) at the Ford School of Public Policy and +Impact Studio for Local Business (ISLB) at the Ross School of Business. 
I have been fortunate to be a part of one of the multidisciplinary teams, collaborating with students from Ford and Ross as well as the Stamps School of Art & Design, the …

Stamps students join Detroit Neighborhood Entrepreneurs Project

Stamps students join Detroit Neighborhood Entrepreneurs Project

Students from the University of Michigan’s Penny Stamps School of Art and Design spent a part of their summer in the city of Detroit, gaining valuable experience as interns in the Detroit Neighborhood Entrepreneurs Project (DNEP) + Impact Studio for Local Business internship program.
From May 4 to June 24, they joined forces with the Ford School, Ross School of Business, and the School of Information. Stamps Career Development contributed part of the internship costs, ensuring that students were compensated for their work with undercapitalized small businesses.
They formed interdisciplinary teams to provide free services and resources to Detroit small businesses and entrepreneurs. Their goal was to assist with the …

Detroit small businesses can better access free U-M resources through new CFLP website

Detroit small businesses can better access free U-M resources through new CFLP website

The University of Michigan’s Center on Finance, Law, and Policy (CFLP) is pleased to announce the launch of a new website specifically for the Detroit Neighborhood Entrepreneurs Project (DNEP). The new site showcases the full breadth of programming DNEP offers year-round and aggregates a number of free digital resources for entrepreneurs. It better describes how small businesses and students can get involved in semester-long consulting courses, an internship program, free 1:1 accounting services, and free 1:1 technology training and support. 
“The Detroit Neighborhood Entrepreneurs Project is the CFLP’s largest educational program,” CFLP assistant director Christie Baer said. “As our collaborations across …

Baer considers long-term challenges for downtown businesses

Baer considers long-term challenges for downtown businesses

According to Christie Baer, assistant executive director for the University of Michigan’s Center on Finance, Law and Policy, downtown businesses face a big decision as the pandemic continues.
“Businesses that thought that they just had to weather a short storm are suddenly realizing that it’s going to be like this for a long time,” she said. “It just becomes not as worth it to pay a higher cost of being downtown.”

DNEP cited as U-M is rated #8 in the country for "Best Undergrad Programs for Entrepreneurs"

DNEP cited as U-M is rated #8 in the country for “Best Undergrad Programs for Entrepreneurs”

The Detroit Neighborhood Entrepreneurs Project (DNEP), which brings together small businesses with University of Michigan students, faculty and staff to solve business owners’ legal, financial, marketing, operational, and design challenges, was cited among other U-M programs in a Princeton Review-Entrepreneur magazine ranking of the “Top 50 Best Undergrad Programs for Entrepreneurs in 2022.” U-M ranked #8, and #2 in the Midwest, noting, “U-M’s entrepreneurship offerings include interdisciplinary courses, programs, student organizations, and events that incorporate partnerships with startups and innovative ventures. This approach pushes students to apply their learning outcomes to current real-world problems.” 
DNEP, a program of the Ford School’s Center on Finance, Law & Policy, …