Thank you for your interest in Imlay City

The SEED Group hosts "Entrepreneur Meet Ups".  The Meet Ups offer a relaxed networking atmosphere where established businesses and entrepreneurs can meet, share ideas and resources and expand their networks. Our Meet Ups offer a venue for current and future business people to meet and share ideas.  The purpose of the events is to provide a positive and supportive environment for professionals and entrepreneurs to share ideas and to create or strengthen existing networks for collaboration.  This is the start of bringing your ideas to life!

Our next Meet Up will be Tuesday, April 24 at 5:30pm at Countryside Banquet Center located at 596 South Cedar Street.  The topic for the evening will be "How to Network- Making the Best of Networking Events".

Thank you to the Spicer Group for their sponsorship of this event!

Please call Kim Marrone, director of the Imlay City Downtown Development Authority and chair person of the SEED Group, for more information, 724-2135.

SEED stands for Small business, Entrepreneurs and Economic Development and the SEED Group is a team of volunteers that represent a variety of businesses and organizations in Imlay City.  The Imlay City SEED Group is dedicated to bringing entrepreneurs into Imlay City while strengthening the businesses already established in the region.

In the fall of 2010, the Imlay City DDA, Imlay City Area Chamber of Commerce and the City of Imlay City began working with Michigan State University Land Policy Institute entered the Creating Entrepreneurial Communities program.  The group has gone through extensive training and attended seminars to gain the knowledge and resources to bring, maintain and grow business in Imlay City. 

The team now consists of 6 members:

Kim Marrone, Imlay City DDA

Wayne O'Neal, City of Imlay City

Dana Dunlop, Imlay City Area Chamber of Commerce

Paul LaFontaine, Imlay City Ford

Walt Bargen, Lapeer County Bank & Trust

Kristen Vali-Hax, Ruth Hughes Memorial Library

We encourage you to use the resources and programs listed on this website.  If you have any questions regarding Imlay City, its resources, available property, programs or community events, do not hesitate to contact Kim Marrone at the Imlay City DDA, 810-724-2135 or kmarrone@imlaycity.org.  

How you can get involved in the SEED Group:

*Volunteer your time

*Participate in an up and coming mentoring program

* Share your ideas and suggestions to your networks and promote Imlay City within them

*Attend Town Hall meetings and the monthly SEED networking meetings (due to start in September 2011)

The SEED team has been meeting monthly as a core group and has met quarterly with 7 other communities in Michigan in the Michigan State University Creating Entrepreneurial Communities program.  It is invigorating to gather and share ideas with communities around the State!

Since November of 2010, when the last Town Hall meeting was held, the SEED Group has been busy!

* Goals of the group established

*2010 Census results studied

*Community Economic Assessment completed

*Core team expanded

*Gaps in the CEC Hallmarks recognized

*Programs created to offer training and networking opportunities

*Working to establish relationships with local school district to retain the youth in the community and inspiring them to be entrepreneurial

*Identify available resources to business owners and entrepreneurs and make them available on our website

*Establish training programs for current business owners to participate in

The Hallmarks established by the CEC include; Social Networks, Resources, Culture and Policy.  The Team discovered Imlay City has a wealth of networks and resources, a very diverse culture and a strong local government.  The team identified areas of growth in the 4 Hallmarks and will work to fill the gaps.

The Team is working on developing the DDA, Chamber and City websites so that the webpages become a resource for businesses and entrepreneurs.  We are constantly updating the sites so that the information presented is useful to future and current business owners.  If you feel we are missing information on our websites that would be useful to a business, please contact Dana at the Imlay City Area Chamber of Commerce, 810-724-1361 or at executivedirector@imlaycitymich.com.

The Ruth Hughes Library has also updated their website to include a detailed list of resources and downloads that can aid new and established businesses.  Please visit the website at www.ruthhughes.org.

Those entrepreneurs interested in starting a business are encouraged to contact the DDA.  The SEED Group can work with landlords to offer discounted rents.  Thanks to a generous donor, office furniture is available and the SEED Group would be happy to consult with a entrepreneur  and offer resources.

 

The SEED Group has hosted their first entrepreneurial "meet up" where current and future business owners can meet one another, network, share ideas and get inspired.  We had over 30 people attend and all said they will attend our next meet up on November 8th at 5:30 p.m.  More details to follow soon.   Also look for a concentrated effort to bring agricultural businesses to Imlay City along with a branding and imaging campaign.