Source: Ross School of Business
Detroit was the destination where my parents and grandparents settled after emigrating from the Middle East. My grandfather opened the first Lebanese deli shop in Greektown in 1970, and I always loved hearing his stories. As a Detroit native, I have always had the desire to work and make a change throughout the city I have called home. Through the Detroit Neighborhood Entrepreneurs Project’s summer internship program, Impact Studio for Local Business, I am proud to say that I am now working with the small businesses that I used to drive past, helping entrepreneurs like my grandfather to make key changes to their businesses and support Detroit neighborhoods.
The diverse people of this resurging city have unique characteristics dating back to the city’s roots; pure grit, resilience, and tenacity. These traits have shaped my family and me into who we are today. Importantly, no one becomes successful alone. It has been incredibly rewarding to become part of the support network for a few Detroit small businesses and to unite my Detroit community with my Ann Arbor community.
My work at DNEP consists of helping a portfolio of businesses become more profitable by focusing their marketing efforts on generating repeat sales from existing clients and streamlining backend technologies. One of my favorite projects this summer was working with Jocelyn, the owner of a Detroit bakery specializing in customized pastries. Leveraging the interdisciplinary backgrounds of our team from business to public policy, we have crafted unique solutions that will give Jocelyn’s business a competitive edge and promote sustainable growth. So far, we have implemented a loyalty and referral program, optimized the search engine optimization for her Google business profile, and created pricing brackets on her website.
