03-19-12 | Blog Post

Online Tech Speaks at Crain’s Detroit Event on Michigan Business

Blog Posts

Online Tech CEO Yan Ness will speak Tuesday morning on a panel at Crain’s Detroit Business Second-Stage Workshop in partnership with the Small Business Association of Michigan (SBAM), intended to provide resources and programs to help Michigan business growth opportunities.

Speaking on Michigan’s economic gardening success stories, Yan will join other panelists at the workshop, including:

  • Bonnie Alfonso, President and CEO of Alfie Logo Gear for Work and Play
  • Robert D. Fowler, President and CEO of Small Business Association of Michigan (SBAM)
  • With a keynote by Mark Lange, Executive Director of the Edward Lowe Foundation.

Yan will speak about why Michigan is good for business and promoting local entrepreneurship, with a focus on the advantages of starting Internet/tech companies, including cost-efficiency with great IT infrastructures that support fiber connectivity in Michigan data centers.

Attendees will include 80-100 small business owners and local business developers. The event will be held tomorrow morning in Grand Rapids, Michigan, at the Amway Grand Hotel. Find more information at Crain’s Events, including directions, contact information, sponsorship opportunities and fees.

SBAM on Entrepreneurship:
The Small Business Association of Michigan is an outspoken champion of the new economic development strategy in Michigan. Economic Gardening is a principle pushed to the forefront by SBAM that focuses state resources on growing and sustaining local, Michigan based companies.

What’s the Theory of Economic Gardening in Michigan?
As SBAM’s perspective states, the economic gardening strategy is based on growing a local economy by investing in the people, companies and ideas in your community. The theory supports encouraging entrepreneurs to launch new companies or help them grow small existing businesses and networks to support the state economy and continue self-sustained growth.

For further reading, the Michigan Environmental Council has a great report discussing the theory of economic gardening.

Read more about Online Tech In the News for the latest headlines we’re making in Michigan and beyond. Or get more details on our Michigan data centers, including features, locations and compliance.

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