iLabs

2026 ��-Dearborn Business Idea Pitch Competition

kporembi — Thu, 24 Jul 2025 13:47:10 +0000

2026 ��-Dearborn Business Idea Pitch Competition kporembi Thu, 07/24/2025 - 09:47

Please join us for one of campus' most inspiring and exciting events as ��-Dearborn students share their innovative ideas in 5 minute pitches for the chance to win thousands of dollars!

2026-03-25T16:30:00-0400 to2026-03-25T19:30:00-0400

Fairlane Center South

FCS

19000 Hubbard Drive
Dearborn, MI 48126
United States

https://goo.gl/maps/jtbdZ1KeSAmAnQm6A

Michigan Room

United States

On Campus

iLabs, Office of Engagement and Impact

Kari Kowalski

313-593-4209

kporembi@umich.edu

Local community members

Prospective students

Staff

Undergraduate students

Help Wanted: Business professor advises how to navigate the latest economic challenges

stuxbury — Mon, 15 Nov 2021 23:55:56 +0000

Help Wanted: Business professor advises how to navigate the latest economic challenges stuxbury Mon, 11/15/2021 - 18:55

“Out of stock" messages on websites have risen 250 percent compared to pre-pandemic levels. Almost half of small business owners say they are finding it harder to find employees with the right skill sets to fill their positions. Heading into the holiday season, the optimism felt earlier this year isn’t as shiny and bright.

College of Business faculty member Patrick Keyes, who teaches ��-Dearborn’s Small Business Management course and has owned a business, understands struggles associated with ownership and wants people to know that there are ways through them.

“Our local economy is still being impacted by pandemic-related challenges. The U.S. economy as a whole is out of equilibrium. The country is working to correct it, but we’ll continue to feel these swings — having too much or too little — with each correction until the right balance is found,” he says. “Things like Small Business Saturday (which is Nov. 27) and help getting access to capital are good, but those don’t really address the larger issues.”

Talking with Keyes recently, he shared a few tips on how to navigate challenges and find success within the ever-present change.

Find partnerships in the community.

At one time, businesses did not talk to their competition. That’s no longer the case — Keyes says people need to put aside old thinking and find ways to work with other businesses in your area, even if they offer similar products and services.

Here’s why: You want to learn what’s working for them and what’s not. It’s also important to see what they offer and learn how you can help each other.

For example, if a customer calls your restaurant to inquire about a large lunch order, but your hours start at 4 p.m., refer the caller to a restaurant that’s open. Or if your schedule doesn’t work for a potential client’s fast-track project, connect them with another person whose services may be a fit. That creates a solution for the customer from a trusted source, and may give a financial boost to a small business in the community, and pave the way for that owner to reciprocate the referral.

“It is always better to have half of something than all of nothing,” Keyes says. “This is an uncertain time for a lot of people. Remember that you aren’t alone in this. Other businesses are feeling it too.”

He says partnerships can lead to more than customer referrals. There’s also cross-promotional marketing, shared costs for events, larger talent pool reach and more perspective when it comes to idea generation. “We need to be working together. Business partnerships are critical for local economies.”

When it comes to relationship building, focus your attention online.

Keyes says before people patronize or work for a business, they often are already familiar with it. “People typically don’t buy big-ticket items or hand a $300,000 contract to just anyone. Those go to people who are trusted.” He says it’s all about long-term relationships. Those take time, but the good news is that anyone can cultivate them.

This typically begins online by hearing about someone’s positive experience or seeing a business’ social media posts. “Without a relationship, you are just another store or service,” Keyes says. Active social media channels and thought-out social strategies are a must for relationship cultivation. (��-Dearborn students are often looking for opportunities like these for internships. Contact the Internship and Career Management Center if interested.)

Also important? Maintaining an updated “storefront” presence where people can browse and purchase, and an employment area for people to see available positions and apply. For small businesses that don’t have the resources to create a comprehensive website at the moment, Keyes says there are alternatives like an Etsy Shop or Amazon Storefront for retail and DoorDash Storefront or Grubhub for restaurants. For general services that don’t have direct up-front ordering, like construction work or consulting, post to local Facebook Marketplace sites or create an Upwork.com profile. If owners are looking for talent, sites like Flexjobs or Indeed can help.

No matter what you do, Keyes says look for ways to expand your web presence and budget for it. “There are third-party sites that are good to use, but if you can bring people to one place — like your website — to interact with you, that’s even better. If you have a well-managed online presence, it builds credibility and trust.”

Trust also plays a major role in hiring and employee retention. In general, loyalty isn’t the same as it once was on either side of the employer/employee relationship, Keyes says. Today employees are ultimately looking for the highest wage available and flexible remote work, but employers can’t always offer those. Even when owners have financial and location constraints, transparent and trusted workplaces make up a lot of ground.

Market and sell what you do have.

Billions of dollars in supplies are sitting in backed up U.S. ports. It’s wreaking havoc on many of the country’s industries and economists say the effect of this will likely be felt into mid-2022. Keyes understands the frustration of overcoming challenging situations...just to find more obstacles.

However, small businesses have entrepreneurial thinking on their side, he says. The strategy and creativity that led to business development will help get them through this challenging chapter.

One Dearborn business, I Say It with Cafe, expanded its coffee-themed gift item selection when some of the farm-sourced Puerto Rican coffee beans, a staple product, was temporarily out of stock. Hookah Love, another locally owned business, created a mobile party service that travels to businesses or homes so people can more easily gather in ways that are comfortable for them. Having a mobile service also reduces overhead costs that go with a brick-and-mortar location.

“Don’t be too focused on the hurdles or trying to go back to the way things were prior to the pandemic. If you do that, you will miss opportunities. I promise there are opportunities out there, but to get them you probably need to change how you do things. What that looks like depends on your business and its goals,” says Keyes, who says COB faculty can assist business owners with change management and new business strategies. “But what’s the same for all of us is knowing that our lives have forever changed. What worked for you three or four years ago doesn’t always work for you today. It’s the same for your customer. Embracing change is the best way forward.”

Article by Sarah Tuxbury. Want assistance with your business? Reach out to the College of Business iLabs Center for Innovation Research or email Professor Keyes directly.

Off

Mon, 11/15/2021 - 23:42

Lecturer Patrick Keyes, who teaches ��-Dearborn’s Small Business Management course and is an entrepreneur, understands struggles associated with business ownership and has a few ideas on how to work through them.

A graphic that features Lecturer Patrick Keyes and his business expertise.

News

Taking care of business

stuxbury — Mon, 23 Aug 2021 17:37:14 +0000

Taking care of business stuxbury Mon, 08/23/2021 - 13:37

Ida González says coffee speaks to her soul — it’s a gift and an experience. When her family moved to the Midwest from Puerto Rico, she couldn’t find the smooth, sweet coffee flavor that she grew up with. So the attorney and mother of two young boys decided to start a small business to bring the coffee she loves to Dearborn and beyond.

González had the passion, coffee connections and the expertise to start I Say It With Cafe. But she lacked a comprehensive business plan and digital marketing experience.

And that’s where ��-Dearborn stepped in. González worked with College of Business (COB) Lecturer Patrick Keyes and his BPS 441: Small Business Management course, a capstone class in the Small Business Management major. The students helped create a social media plan, identified I Say It With Cafe’s audience and potential market reach, gave ideas for expanding its online presence and more.

Photo of Lecturer Patrick Keyes

“The students presented their information to me right before COVID started and I was able to put it in play at the right moment. When there was a rise in online business, I was ready,” said Gonzalez, who has a partnership with a local coffee roaster and conducts direct trade from a coffee farm in Puerto Rico. Her business features specialty organic coffees from Caribbean and Latin America countries, as well as coffee gifts. “I learned how to strategically manage my social channels, got a better understanding of my audience and what they want, and gathered marketing data. It was a great experience and I’ve used about 70% of what the students shared with me.”

��-Dearborn has a longstanding relationship with downtown Dearborn business organizations like the Downtown Dearborn Authority and the Dearborn Chamber of Commerce, which is how González first got connected with campus.

“I started at farmer’s markets, but wanted to continue to grow. However, I had limited resources when starting out like most small businesses. That’s why it is so important to look for support and talent in the networks that are out there,” said González, who also mentioned that her nine-year-old son created her logo. ”I know I love coffee because it brings people together. Have something to celebrate? Let’s go get coffee. Are you sad? Sit down and let’s talk over coffee. But I wasn’t exactly sure how to market that. The students helped me identify my target audience so I could focus on providing something unique for them.”

To strengthen partnerships and continue to find ways to support local businesses, Downtown Dearborn developed a Business Assistance Team. College of Business Lecturer Tim Davis, who is the Assistant Dean for Student Engagement and Success, has served as a university point person in meetings.

“The College of Business sees experiential learning as a foundation to understanding the nuances of business and how each company has to prepare and react based on their specific goals and customers. That is why we love to have students connect with professionals in every subject and around a variety of problems,” Davis said.

College of Business Small Business Management and Marketing dual major Alex Davalos said she took Keyes’ BPS 441 class and worked as an intern for I Say It With Cafe. She said during that time I Say It with Cafe’s revenue increased by 10% in a four-month period based on social media strategy changes and marketing efforts. But how to increase sales numbers wasn’t the most valuable lesson that Davalos learned.

“I saw the amount of work and dedication Ida put into her business. She was constantly thinking about what is next, constantly networking, constantly anticipating what her customers will want. She has the fire needed to get a start up off the ground,” Davalos said. “I eventually want to own my own business, and I saw all of the behind-the-scenes work needed to get one up and running.”

In addition to finding ways students could get plugged in with downtown business leaders, Davis seeks ways to connect entrepreneurs with university assistance. One of the projects — in addition to the class-based connections — was a COB iLabs Center for Innovative Research survey that looked at how local businesses pivoted their offerings and services to weather the pandemic and what effect that had on their outlook.

“A community research project like this gives businesses an outlet to share their experiences, helps us keep our students aware of what’s happening in the local community, and provides data to the city — it’s a win-win-win,” said iLabs Project Manager Kari Kowalski when speaking about the survey project.

But much of the business assistance — like what González received — starts in the classroom. Keyes said College of Business faculty members always have their radar up for experiential learning opportunities.

“Our focus was twofold with this particular initiative: to provide the students experiential learning applying the concepts learned in the entrepreneurship and project management classes, as well as work with Downtown Dearborn to provide local businesses with support as they adjust their business model to successfully function in the world of COVID,” he said.

Even in the virtual environment, Keyes’ classes continue to evaluate start-up businesses and provide pointers, including a presentation to a new local business, Hookah Love, last week. Keyes says giving support to businesses when they need it leads to relationships down the road that will benefit students. “We create internship and job pipelines when business owners see the value that our students bring and the strength of our programs. We aren’t only here to give lessons — we guide students in applying what they learn too.”

González agrees. Entering her third year of business, she’s expanded her offerings to a variety of corporate gifts and virtual experiences like a Coffee Masterclass. She’s hired five ��-Dearborn interns through campus’ talent pipelines like the Internship and Career Management Center and the Career Services offices and looks forward to what the future holds. Now as a more established business owner, she’s interested in speaking with classes and helping students where she can. For example, she’s written letters of recommendation for a few of the students.

“Thanks to the great experience I had with the college, I was able to implement new ideas to keep my business growing,” she said. “The students I’ve met are driven. They helped me meet my goals. I want to help them meet theirs.”

Article by Sarah Tuxbury. If you are a business interested in partnering with a College of Business opportunity, please reach out to umd-ilabs@umich.edu.

Entrepreneurship

Student Success

Volunteer or Community Service

College of Business

iLabs

Management Studies

Off

Mon, 08/23/2021 - 17:35

To strengthen community partnerships and help students gain experience, College of Business initiatives continue to support local businesses throughout COVID changes and help entrepreneurs succeed.

Business owner Ida Gonzalez, center, started a coffee company. She's pictured with her two children.

News

eCities annual study recognizes 206 communities in Michigan

stuxbury — Wed, 21 Oct 2020 21:10:34 +0000

eCities annual study recognizes 206 communities in Michigan stuxbury Wed, 10/21/2020 - 17:10

Graphic for eCities

If you are looking for entrepreneurial growth and innovation in Michigan, eCities, the annual research project conducted by iLabs, ��-Dearborn’s Center for Innovation Research, has a list of 206 communities for you to check out.

The communities, located throughout all corners of the state, are recognized with four and five stars for their efforts that influence entrepreneurship, economic development and job growth.

“Each year, the eCities project aims to highlight the successes and continued commitment of cities and townships to grow business and support entrepreneurship within their communities,” said Kari Kowalski, iLabs project manager.

The eCities study analyzed publicly available data from 277 communities from 54 counties in Michigan. Researchers focused on the five-year changes in property values, community assets, and tax rates, which can demonstrate the growth, investments, and cost of doing business within the community. For example, over the five-year period of 2015-2019, these communities increased their capital assets by an average of 2.4 percent per year by investments such as library equipment, building, water, and sewage improvements, and street renovations, while property tax rates increased by less than 1 percent on average per year.

Although accounting for less than 20 percent of the State’s cities and townships, the 277 communities analyzed are home to 70 percent of Michigan’s population and 87 percent of the state’s commercial property.

Local communities who participate in the project receive benchmarking reports showing their performance at creating inviting business environments and encouraging entrepreneurial growth. The focus of the project is to learn and share community success stories to attract entrepreneurial development and create business growth. Understanding these success stories, or best practices, and utilizing these concepts across Michigan can positively impact the state’s economic future.

Off

Wed, 10/21/2020 - 21:09

Researchers focused on the five-year changes in property values, community assets, tax rates and cost of doing business within the community.

News

Campus research institute improves business practices and your resume

stuxbury — Tue, 08 Sep 2020 01:24:01 +0000

Campus research institute improves business practices and your resume stuxbury Mon, 09/07/2020 - 21:24

A College of Business student gives a virtual presentation during her iLabs experience.

Kristina Kelley wanted to meet people, add experience to her resume and understand how to conduct research. So when she first came to ��-Dearborn in 2019, the College of Business student applied to work at iLabs Center for Innovation Research.

“I didn’t know much about campus at that time and I was new to the Dearborn community. Becoming a student researcher has introduced me to great people and expanded my connections,” she says.

Through iLabs, Kelley says she’s worked with nonprofits, municipalities and businesses on projects that would help improve their processes and customer service. “I now know how to identify a problem and give solutions through collecting and analyzing data. That’s a valuable skill to have — at work, school or home.”

COB Assistant Dean for Student Engagement and Success Tim Davis and iLabs Project Manager Kari Kowalski say the iLabs research — which is a three-credit-hour independent study — is open to all students regardless of major or degree level.

Interested students can apply now for Winter 2021 client projects. After applying, students are interviewed and paired with projects that match with their interests. Each iLabs project team ranges from two to four people.

“No matter your academic interest, you can be successful in iLabs,” Kowalski says. “We don’t expect you to know everything — you are here to learn. What we are looking for is a can-do attitude and a willingness to learn; bring that and you will walk away with skills and experience that will benefit you.”

Marketing senior Brandon Harris says he connects with his iLabs mentors and student teammates remotely twice a week. During that time, he’s gained more than a resume line. He’s also grown his confidence.

“I’ve learned to clearly state my ideas and became more confident when expressing myself,” he says. “I’d never done research prior to this, but I knew it was key to presenting an informed solution to a business problem.”

Harris and Kelley have been working together on an iLabs project to examine if employer and student educational expectations match. They spoke with industry leaders in business and engineering, interviewed alumni and analyzed the data.

When the research duo found that the expectations didn’t match — Kelley says students think hard skills, like learning a specific program, is what employers want; employers say they can teach hard skills and would prefer developed soft skills like the ability to work well in a team — they created a presentation to virtually share with faculty. They will give the presentation later this month.

“We are going to present our findings and suggestions on how to bridge that gap,” says Kelley, who is a graduate student in finance. “The iLabs staff mentors you to make sure that you are ready to give your presentation — work with you from start to finish on a project to make sure it’s right and you are prepared for anything a client may ask.”

Davis, who’s led the center for more than a decade, says that’s the beauty of the iLabs experience: It prepares you for anything.

“It’s learning those soft skills employers are looking for and how to handle a multitude of professional situations,” Davis says. “We help students connect what they are learning in class to real world problems that need to be solved. The experience will help them in future — while also helping local businesses and agencies discover ways to improve their organizations.”

Check out the iLabs student researcher site for more information on the research experience.

Experiential Learning

Research

College of Business

iLabs

Off

Tue, 09/08/2020 - 01:22

iLabs consulting-style research experience is open to students across campus. Applications are now accepted for the Winter 2021 term.

News