DEAR(e)BORN

This page is your way to stay up-to-date on the progress and opportunities available with project .

So, what is the project?  In early November I decided that I had heard enough about the “jobs” problem across the state of Michigan.   I committed myself to do something about it.  I thought that, if  we could get just one business to come to Dearborn, that otherwise might not have been here without such efforts, then we can begin to rebuild our city and our state together.

This is my step toward trying to find a positive solution.  Though it’s small, I strongly believe in the power of individuals to affect their communities.  I look forward to working with Dearborn businesses, residents, consumers, elected officials, and anyone else who has an idea or a minute to give to the cause.

Where are we right now? 

————————————————————————————————————–

Phases Defined: Here’s a breakdown of the phases that I’ve identified.  These will probably change as we go, there are a lot of little steps and phases involved in each one, and I may be working on things from more than one phase at once, but here it is!

Research Businesses

• Solicit ideas from Dearborn residents and those who shop here for what kinds of businesses they would like to see
• Reach out to city committees to identify similar projects they may be pursuing or  have considered
• Create a “short list” of those ideas
• Compile research on the mission, target, type, opportunity potential, benefits, and more for these companies
• Send out a message asking business if they want to come to Dearborn and have been looking for the right opportunity or help (you never know!)

————————————————————————————————————–

Storefront Recon

• Identify available locations around Dearborn
• Link up those locations with the store research completed in Phase 1 as potential spaces
• Conduct basic opportunity analysis for those companies in those locations (availability to consumer, potential target, draw, marketability, etc)
• Reach out to location owners/brokers regarding intentions for space, potential roadblocks/opportunities for use

————————————————————————————————————–

Help From People Much Smarter Than Me

• Work with city officials or committees to identify requirements/roadblocks for businesses
• Help to narrow down focus of companies to approach
• Identify potential city incentives for incoming company
• Partnership of efforts as available
• Input from business owners (small and large) to make the package complete, attractive, and realistic in Phase 4 (though I will be seeking such input throughout)
• Take what I’ve learned/researched so far and bring it to the next level

————————————————————————————————————–

Request For Proposal (in reverse)

• This is where we will officially be reaching out to the company(ies) identified as the most potential to bring in
• Proposal will include research conducted, complete opportunity analysis, potential timeline, incentives, marketing ideas, etc.
• Responses and hopefully positive feedback from companies
• If no response or a bad one, we will continue with the other companies in our list

————————————————————————————————————–

Community Support

• Obviously the community support aspect of this project does not just enter in at Phase 5 - it is critical throughout the entire effort
• This phase specifically speaks to a showing by the community that it is worth a company’s time and effort to come to Dearborn
• If more than one company, even better!!
• Often, it requires a little more than research and incentives to convince a business to move or expand – this is the phase that will seal the deal
• Lots of tactics will be involved here and will depend on the type of support we think will be most effective

————————————————————————————————————–

We Have a Winner!

• This is when a company will say they are coming to Dearborn
• The lease is signed or the location bought
• The notice is put on the website
• Moving happens
• Ok, a lot really will go into this phase but the point is, the commitment will be made and we will have a “coming soon”

————————————————————————————————————–

Grand Opening

• Cut the ribbon, we have completed our task!
• Very large celebration and lots of champagne (haha at least that’s what they do in the movies!)

————————————————————————————————————–

To check out the blogs that have been made along the way in this project, they are linked below, listed by most recent at the top.  Or, click on the tag “DEAR(e)BORN” for more.

• Some Research to Keep Us Moving
• The Starting Lineup
• Now Presenting…DEAR(e)BORN
• Help Me Name My “Bringing Jobs to Dearborn” Project!
• Committed to Growing Jobs in…

Most importantly, thank you!  Thanks for your interest in this project, your support and ideas along the way.  I began this effort with good intentions, great ideas, and more experience in marketing a current company than in commercial real estate and getting a company to start/expand in a completely new location (the latter of which was none).  I couldn’t have taken even the first step without you.

Please check back often and provide as much feedback as your fingers can type on any and all aspects of  .  Together, we can make a difference!