Shaping Michigan’s Future Through Talent & Workforce Development
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About the Show
In the upcoming episodes, we'll feature conversations from the Mackinac Policy Conference, which centers around the theme "Bridging the Future Together." This theme invites dialogue on inspiring collaboration across divides and addresses key issues for Michigan’s future, including business growth, education, infrastructure, innovation, and equity. We’re continuing our conversations with conference attendees and hope you enjoy these bonus episodes.
On part 3 of this series, we’ll be focusing on how companies across the state are shaping Michigan’s future.
Guests:
- Tricia Keith - President and CEO-Elect of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan
- Kerry Ebersole Singh - EVP Chief Talent and Engagement Officer of Michigan Economic Development Corporation
- Brian Calley - President of the Small Business Association of Michigan
- Matt Pepper - President and CEO of Michigan Humane
- David Merritt - Give Merit Board Chair; Kuhu Saha - Executive Director of Give Merit
Transcript
Chuck Gaidica:
Hi everyone. Chuck Gaidica here for a Healthier Michigan podcast. In the upcoming episodes, we'll feature conversations from the Mackinac Policy Conference, which centers around the theme, Bridging the Future Together. This theme invites dialogue on inspiring collaboration across divides and addresses key issues for Michigan's future, including business growth, education, infrastructure, innovation, and equity. We're continuing our conversations with conference attendees and hope you enjoy these bonus episodes.
Hi everyone. Chuck Gaidica here for a Healthier Michigan podcast. In the upcoming episodes, we'll feature conversations from the Mackinac Policy Conference, which centers around the theme, Bridging the Future Together. This theme invites dialogue on inspiring collaboration across divides and addresses key issues for Michigan's future, including business growth, education, infrastructure, innovation, and equity. We're continuing our conversations with conference attendees and hope you enjoy these bonus episodes.
On this episode, we'll be focusing on how companies across the state are shaping Michigan's future. We'll be talking with Blue Cross, Blue Shield of Michigan's President and CEO-Elect, Tricia Keith. EVP Chief Talent and Engagement Officer of Michigan Economic Development Corporation, Kerry Ebersole Singh. Michigan Humane President and CEO, Matt Pepper. President of the Small Business Association of Michigan, Brian Calley. And Give Merit Board Chair David Merritt and executive director Kuhu Saha.
First up is President and CEO-Elect of Blue Cross, Blue Shield of Michigan, Tricia Keith.
So good to see you again.
Tricia Keith:
It's great to be here. Thanks so much.
Chuck Gaidica:
And congratulations.
Tricia Keith:
Thank you.
Chuck Gaidica:
And I just have to say this personally, man, am I glad I've been nice to you when I get to see you.
Tricia Keith:
See, all good things come around, right? Isn't that how that happens? Exactly.
Chuck Gaidica:
Are you excited about this new role of leading Blue Cross, Blue Shield of Michigan into the future?
Tricia Keith:
I am honored and excited and I thank the board for that. I thank Dan for his incredible leadership and creating a lot of the opportunity that I've had over this time. But I'm really looking forward to building on the foundation that we have and serving our members.
Chuck Gaidica:
And this idea, we're talking a lot about building Michigan's future, shaping it, right?
Tricia Keith:
That's right.
Chuck Gaidica:
And we've been talking to a lot of leaders in and out of healthcare about what's going on, attracting strong talent. So for you, this is a different perspective. You are the strong talent that's been given this new opportunity of leadership. And so from where you've come is important because you've been in multiple different roles at Blue Cross, Blue Shield of Michigan for a long time.
Tricia Keith:
I have. 18 years I've been fortunate to work for this company. And a lot of people say the mark of a great leader is to bring people up behind you. And it's one of the great things that I really appreciate about Dan and his leadership.
And when you think about our executive team and all of the employees there, our diverse representation that we have across the company and Dan's belief in giving people a lot of opportunity, I think is, I'm just an example of that. And so I'm really appreciative of the opportunity to move through the company and see it from different lenses and be able to prove myself.
Chuck Gaidica:
And where do you see the future in terms of being hopeful about what's going on? Because there's so much that swirls in and out of business.
Tricia Keith:
Well, I think we have to start with optimistic leadership, and I think that that's really important. Certainly healthcare has its share of challenges coming forward. But I think the one thing is, if you think about the theme of this conference, Building Bridges, the way I always talk about that is I always talk about great things happen when self-interest align.
And self-interest isn't necessarily a bad thing if you use it for the power of good. And if you really listen to what somebody else is trying to accomplish and really seek to understand it, generally you can understand that they don't have to lose for you to win, and vice versa.
And so I think about in healthcare, everybody is committed to affordability. Everybody is committed to better outcomes. And so how can we work together to create those things?
Chuck Gaidica:
Could you just run the country? I mean, it's just this idea that you don't have to lose. And maybe we don't even agree, we can agree to disagree and we can still be civil about it.
Tricia Keith:
That's right. That's exactly right.
Chuck Gaidica:
So going farther back than the 18 years, you grew up on a farm.
Tricia Keith:
I did.
Chuck Gaidica:
Where was that, Scottsville?
Tricia Keith:
I did, Scottville, Michigan.
Chuck Gaidica:
Scottville. So what did you learn in that tender time of life that translates forward? Does it?
Tricia Keith:
I have a lot of life lessons from the farm.
Chuck Gaidica:
Do you?
Tricia Keith:
A lot of life lessons. I would tell you that one of the earliest jobs I had on the farm was taking care of the calf barn. And you might think, "Well, what does taking care of the calf barn have to do with being the future CEO of Blue Cross?" And what that really did is teach you to show up.
And these were calves hours old until they were a year. And I took care of them before school, after school. And one of my other sayings is the world is run by those who show up. And it teaches you how to deliver when things or animals or people are counting on you. And so that was a great life lesson.
Chuck Gaidica:
Anything else now from a leadership perspective? What did you learn then?
Tricia Keith:
Well, I think a lot of people have asked. The messages and the notes of encouragement that I've gotten from employees and other leaders through this time has been great. I think one of the things that I've really enjoyed as part of this announcement is the messages not only from women, but also from men who are saying, "It's so nice that I can talk to my daughter and she can see this." And what's happening in the message about women in leadership. And so that's been really exciting.
And one of the questions I get is, "Did you ever think this was going to happen?" And the story I like to tell is when I was young, I didn't know this existed. I actually never had health insurance until I was 22 years old and got my first job. I didn't come into this with healthcare in growing up. And so it's one of the reasons why the values that we have as a company around access, around affordability, is so personal to me because I had the experience of not having it.
Chuck Gaidica:
Well, I'll tell you what, as a dad, a girl dad and a boy dad, that's a really encouraging thing to think about. And now having grandchildren and granddaughters, that you can do this and you are a role model for that.
Tricia Keith:
We can't dream it if we don't see it.
Chuck Gaidica:
Yeah. Well, it's so great to see you.
Tricia Keith:
It's great to see you.
Chuck Gaidica:
And I know I'll see more of you. It's always a pleasure, it's not that often. But congratulations again and we look forward to your leadership at Blue Cross.
Tricia Keith:
Thank you. I look forward to what's to come.
Chuck Gaidica:
Tricia Keith, who's the CEO-elect of Blue Cross, Blue Shield of Michigan. Next up is EVP Chief Talent and Engagement officer of Michigan Economic Development, Corporation Kerry Ebersole Singh. Good to see you.
Kerry Ebersole Singh:
It's great to see you both. It's such a gorgeous day here on the island.
Chuck Gaidica:
Isn't it nice?
Kerry Ebersole Singh:
It's gorgeous.
Chuck Gaidica:
So a conference like this means what? You've got to be busy.
Kerry Ebersole Singh:
Yes, sir. Do I look tired? Are you trying to say something?
Chuck Gaidica:
Well actually know you look like you've been busy. But this is the place of meetings, right?
Kerry Ebersole Singh:
It is. It's such a great place because you have a convergence of philanthropy, government, local government, state government, federal government, business community, and beyond. So it's such a great time to be in one location together, but it's also hard to get through the hallway in a timely manner as well. But it's good to catch up with folks up here.
Chuck Gaidica:
So for MEDC, I've heard this from others, including hospital systems, hospitals themselves, top priority talent attraction.
Kerry Ebersole Singh:
Yes.
Chuck Gaidica:
And what does that mean for you when you look out at the world?
Kerry Ebersole Singh:
Yes, yes. It's so much. Well, first and foremost, we'd like to talk about our beautiful state. And this isn't just about the incredible careers and jobs that you can have in the State of Michigan, but the lifestyle amenities that come with that. And whether you love to go on lakes or trails or have amazing cities like Detroit, Grand Rapids, and beyond, we're just super, super fortunate to articulate that Michigan's not flyover territory. This is the place to be at an affordable price point, and you can still travel the world as you want.
So for us at MEDC, we launched our talent action team about two years ago now. And for me, what that has meant in building that strategy is really doing some deep work with employers to understand their occupational needs. And I know there's been a lot of talk over the last year about the population challenges that we have in the State of Michigan. That we're not growing as fast as other states, and that of course hits our labor pool.
And we have to be thoughtful in not only designing the supports for folks to return to the workforce, or get the proper training that they need for those in-demand occupations, but also articulating to graduates to say, "There's no other place to be than the State of Michigan." And understanding the opportunities with the employers and the high-tech careers that we do here.
Chuck Gaidica:
Because you've got to have challenges if you're looking for nurses, doctors, whatever the particular context is. If every state is fishing in the same deep end of the pool, people are going to make choices where they make choices for themselves.
Kerry Ebersole Singh:
Yes. Yeah. There's very few ways to actually increase the labor pool. And one of those is really doing some deep tissue work in underserved communities. And we pay a lot of attention to how do we increase those STEAM skills from that pre-K to fifth grade? Because that is a key time to really develop those science and math skills for, again, wherever they want to take their journey. But we got to do that deep tissue work early.
And then we also, one of our priorities at MEDC is deepening internship work and learn opportunities starting in high school. So we want to talk about micro internships. If you have 12 weeks in a summer, can you do, we do four different employer stops through micro internships, so they get a flavor. Again, this leads into a college experience where you can do a deep dive internship as well.
And that helps employers not only in the current labor market to get things done, but it also allows them to build a relationship with the future employee or prospective employee. And then we do a whole set of things. I got to tell you, I can't talk about talent without, and I feel Chuck, you barely, you asked me one question and I'm just talking all at so.
Chuck Gaidica:
No, it's all right.
Kerry Ebersole Singh:
I'll let you get a word in here. But I just want to say our higher ed system, we are so fortunate with our higher ed system. University of Michigan, Michigan State University, Wayne State University. I was talking with Kettering University's president. I can go on and on. Our community colleges.
Chuck Gaidica:
We have a son that went through Kettering. Yeah.
Kerry Ebersole Singh:
Yeah. It's amazing program. They have a huge number of C-suite officials that come out of the Kettering program, Mary Barra being one of them when it was GMI. But we have a deep-rooted assets. And I think when you think about healthcare, you have to think about not only recruiting those primary care physicians that we need around the state, but you also need to think about those pharmacy techs.
Chuck Gaidica:
Sure.
Kerry Ebersole Singh:
It could be, again, they may start at a pharmacy tech level, but they could be cultivated into additional opportunities, whether that's full pharmacy school or whether that's going into other healthcare occupations.
Chuck Gaidica:
So rightfully so there's a lot of focus on universities, STEM and STEAM training and all that. Is there as much focus on trades?
Kerry Ebersole Singh:
Yes, absolutely. I mean, it's Michigan's bread and butter. We like to say we do innovate, we create in those research universities, but we know how to make them as well. And we're so fortunate for the trade schools, the CTE programs, and high school.
Our construction and building trades work that we know how to build things, and we do it on budget and on time. I frequently talk to some of those building trades alongside with employers or developers, and they can say, "Yes, we were under budget and we made it on time." And that's a phenomenal story to tell.
Chuck Gaidica:
Well, it's phenomenal because that grit that you're talking about is in our DNA as people from Michigan. And there's an old joke, and I forget how long ago I heard it. You're at a party and you walk up to somebody, "What did you do? What do you do?" "I used to be a heart surgeon. I gave it up to be a plumber so I could make real money."
And to some extent, we're living in a world now where trades you can do well. And we shouldn't overlook the notion of working with your hands, whatever that means.
Kerry Ebersole Singh:
Right. Electricians, welders, well into the six figures. Plumbers, pipe fitters. It's a different time in so many ways, and it's such a valuable. Again, choose your own path. We want you to pursue your dreams, whatever that may look like. And that's part of our work where, yes, at MEDC we're incredibly employer focused, but at the same time, this is about opportunity for our residents and the future of our state.
Chuck Gaidica:
Then there's the high-tech, I mean the real high-tech stuff, EVs and batteries and semiconductors. And so there's a focus there too for our state, right?
Kerry Ebersole Singh:
Yes, sir. And again, I say it's not rocket science in terms of aligning with federal opportunities. To position the state so we can leverage as much federal dollars into our state, overall helps our communities and beyond. And that really allows us to leverage those higher ed institutions we are discussing.
But there are, chips are in everything. I have three cell phones. They all operate on chips. You can talk about as well as cars. Some say it's a computer on wheels, others will say it's chips on wheels for a vehicle. So this is really positioning Michigan's future economy when we talk about some of those tech and innovative industries.
Chuck Gaidica:
Well, it's funny, I was talking with a guy, I won't mention where he works, but he shared with me, I can't confirm it. He's an engineer for a company that worked on the new E-Ray, Corvette, right? That's a hybrid, really. It's not all electric. He said there's more code in that car now than there is in a 747. Can you believe it? With worldwide engineers, but it's still based in Michigan.
Kerry Ebersole Singh:
Yes.
Chuck Gaidica:
The development of that.
Kerry Ebersole Singh:
Absolutely.
Chuck Gaidica:
It's just mind-blowing to think about.
Kerry Ebersole Singh:
It is mind-blowing. And that's the thing, when you think about the design. I mean, we talk about STEAM because that art piece and the design of things are so critical, whether it's software design, whether it's what that vehicle interior looks like.
Chuck Gaidica:
Yeah.
Kerry Ebersole Singh:
It is also a really critical component. And I often, we talk about lifelong learning. If you can code coming out of high school, you can get a really great job.
Chuck Gaidica:
Yeah.
Kerry Ebersole Singh:
Now maybe you start there and you want to grow that into a full software engineer position or computer science engineer. So there's lots of opportunities, and we just want to communicate to folks that pick your own adventure.
This administration, the Gilchrist administration did a phenomenal job working with the legislature to remove tuition barriers to training or scholarship opportunities. And we want to just really lean in, since those barriers have been removed, to really go beyond career exploration into immersive opportunities.
Chuck Gaidica:
So you've got to have walking down the hall here, as you mentioned, right, lots of handshaking and hello-ing, but you've also got to have so many inputs of trying to figure out how to prioritize moving forward in the future. How do you do that? How do you concentrate on what's coming for the future? And what are those things? What are you looking at?
Kerry Ebersole Singh:
Well, I got to tell you, this is where we press employers pretty hard to say, "Listen, you got to tell us what your needs are this year and then five years out." Yes, we can model that from labor statistics, but knowing directly from the employer, who are you hiring? Because I can design anything in terms of curriculum or recruitment strategies to meet those needs. But you have to be direct on that.
They also have to share where their technology is heading for them. But then you also have the higher ed system as well, where all those startups in the future technologies that the large OEMs may be purchasing later, all start in our research universities. And that's the federal investment that comes in that are really looking at the next wave of where AI technology is going to take us and what those impacts are. So it's a lot.
Chuck Gaidica:
You're most proud of what in the program? Looking at everything that we've talked about and more.
Kerry Ebersole Singh:
Two, I got to take two.
Chuck Gaidica:
Okay.
Kerry Ebersole Singh:
Okay.
Chuck Gaidica:
Go ahead.
Kerry Ebersole Singh:
Thank you, Chuck.
Chuck Gaidica:
We've got hours.
Kerry Ebersole Singh:
One is our team at MEDC, the talent team. We're small but mighty, and they are phenomenal. And they work very closely with our employer partners and higher ed partners and the K12 partners as well. So I'm incredibly grateful. I'm very proud of them.
And then the second, of course, is the Michigander Scholars Program, which is a scholarship program. It's really a take at a attention strategy. A $10,000 scholarship for graduating folks with software engineer. We have a few different chemical engineer, processing engineer, software developer, all can qualify for that $10,000 scholarship. We also do a $5,000 scholarship for internships as well.
And we have been doing some launches at, we were at Kettering University a few weeks ago, and they had a class of 26 scholarships that are staying in the state. They're not going home to New York. They're staying here, going to work for a number of our auto partners as an example. We also have one, we just launched the same program for the semiconductor industry as well.
So seeing the kids' faces during that ceremony, you can't make that up in terms of just the meaning of that and knowing that that's the future. And they're so thrilled to have that support from our state.
Chuck Gaidica:
Well, we're glad you're at the helm. Sounds like a lot to do, but it sounds like we're on the right track. So thanks for dropping by.
Kerry Ebersole Singh:
Yeah, thank you so much.
Chuck Gaidica:
Kerry Ebersole Singh, who is Executive Vice President, Chief Talent Solutions officer for the MEDC. Take good care. And now President and CEO of Michigan Humane, Matt Pepper. It is great to see you.
Matt Pepper:
Great to see you as well. I keep waiting to see the pictures of those dogs.
Chuck Gaidica:
Did you notice how healthy I am? Because my dogs kiss me on the lip. So I am convinced that's why I never get sick.
Matt Pepper:
That's right. And they get you out for walks, they get you connected with people. That's what dogs do.
Chuck Gaidica:
Yeah. So we've been talking a lot today about shaping Michigan's future and this idea of particular talent. Because you're in a very particular business, if you will. But you're looking toward the future of how to encourage talent and workforce development within Michigan Humane creating a more humane Michigan.
Matt Pepper:
Yep.
Chuck Gaidica:
What do you see as that goal and how to get there?
Matt Pepper:
Yeah. Well, for us it's the recognition that regardless of your socioeconomic status, 70% of Americans have pets. From those who are experiencing homelessness to those with all the money in the world, 70% of Americans have pets, yet we don't have the infrastructure to care for them.
So we also recognize that being a veterinarian, being a vet tech, working with animals is something that most children, one of the top three things they want to do. But at some point, that opportunity gets lost. So we are focusing on letting people, particularly Detroit youth see themselves in veterinary medicine and then providing them pathways to do that.
And that's through either working with some of the high schools, some of the elementary schools, getting them some exposure to that, and then offering them the opportunity to follow that through. We have to be able to be here to support people's passion and people are passionate about their pets.
Chuck Gaidica:
And when you see that encouragement to the young people, what is it that, do you see the light bulbs? The light going off in their eyes when they're more exposed to veterinary medicine and care?
Matt Pepper:
Yeah. Well, not only exposed to it, but seeing themselves in it. Look, the reality is Detroit is a very diverse community, and veterinary medicine is not a very diverse profession. So we have committed two things. Number one, creating career pathways. And that's again, from our work we're doing with elementary schools and exposing them to veterinary medicine, to the high schools where they're getting work experience. To summer jobs programs, which is pre-vet first and second year vet students. All the way to surgical externships from all over the country.
And not only do you have to have the pathway, but you have to see yourself in it. So we've committed to turning Detroit, Metro Detroit into a diverse hub for veterinary medicine because it's one thing to have a pathway, it's another thing to see yourself in it. So as an example, our summer jobs program this year is 15 pre-vet first and second year vet students from six different universities all over the country. We had 101 applicants and 10 of the 15 are represented by minority candidates, and we want them to stay right here serving this community.
Chuck Gaidica:
How do you encourage that?
Matt Pepper:
We seek it out.
Chuck Gaidica:
Okay.
Matt Pepper:
We seek out the opportunity. We are very open with what our vision is, which is we are prioritizing minority candidates in veterinary medicine. In hopes that they stay in this community, serving this community. That kids can see themselves in this work. And I hope one of them takes my job one day, and I think we're well on our way to that.
Chuck Gaidica:
So I don't want to make any assumptions. Is MSU and their veterinarian school, is that a big player here or no?
Matt Pepper:
So they are. Obviously just because of our proximity to Michigan State, a majority of our externship programs, summer jobs programs are from Michigan State, but we have them as far away as Louisiana. We've had California, we have Ross University in St. Kitts. So all over the country, people come to get exposure to this work. And then once they see what we're able to offer and the passion that this community has, we want them to stay.
Chuck Gaidica:
When you talk about 70% of Americans having pets, is that more than one pet? Does that 70% seem a little larger? Or that literally means that's an average of one pet per household?
Matt Pepper:
No. So actually it's funny you mentioned that. If you have a cat, you have the average of 2.1 cats.
Chuck Gaidica:
Come on.
Matt Pepper:
These aren't parts of cats, but these are cats. And if you have dogs, you have an average of 1.6 dogs.
Chuck Gaidica:
Wow.
Matt Pepper:
In this new generation, if you're in your 20s right now coming into the workforce, you are the highest percentage pet owning generation ever. And so almost everyone has a pet.
And frankly, when we talk about developing talent, it's also we talking about attracting and retaining talent. If you're in your 20s, you are making life decisions on who you work with, where you live, based on your pet. There was a Realtor.com study that said almost less, just under half of people in their 20s were buying a house based on the dog they have or the dog they might have. Not school districts, not children, but the environment it provides their dog.
Chuck Gaidica:
So that is so interesting you say that. So personal experiences, less than two years ago, we went from a condo back to a home for grandkids, seven of them now. But we have two dogs, and kitty corner from my house is a park, and I have a backyard that's huge. And so because of those things, grandchildren and dogs were the leading contenders of what's my why, right?
My wife looked at me at first and said, "We're not moving, just don't be dumb." I said, "Yeah, but we got so many kids for Thanksgiving, it's got to happen. But where can we go with the dogs?" Well, there's a park right here. So that's very interesting. I'm living what you were talking about.
Matt Pepper:
Well, and imagine if you're a business right now, trying to think how do I attract talent? Make yourself a animal-friendly business, incorporate pet insurance into your benefits. These are things that people are doing that are having a very real impact on attracting and retaining talents.
Encourage public spaces that are dog friendly in the areas where your employee base are going to live, and you will find that you will attract talent.
Chuck Gaidica:
So when you look at how that talent can impact Michigan Humane and all the issues that go along with that, how will that happen? I don't want to call it trickle down because that seems to demean people that are interested in anything that has to do with animals, but we need the help at the humane level.
Matt Pepper:
Oh, I will tell you, we are merely a spark. The fire that comes from that is in the community. If people have equitable access to pet ownership, then they're healthier. They're out walking more, they're more connected. If they're more connected, their neighborhoods are safer.
So we actually, we find ourselves as a incredible contributor to the health and safety of neighborhoods. And once that sort of starts to take hold, we can move on to the next neighborhood because the community will take care of itself. And we're just here to support every pet and every owner in the community.
Chuck Gaidica:
And what's funny about that is I tend to meet newer neighbors based on the names of their pets. I know that that's Rosie's dad. I don't know Rosie's dad's name. I know that that's Rosie. And so what you're saying, that connectivity is real stuff.
Matt Pepper:
Well think about, I look at our board of directors. Board of directors can be a little bit politicized sometimes, depending on topics. Not us. No matter what side of the line you fall on, no matter what your status is, you walk in and go, "Let me show you a picture of my dog." Everyone goes, "That's what we're working for. That's something I can get behind."
Chuck Gaidica:
Isn't that awesome?
Matt Pepper:
Yep.
Chuck Gaidica:
So how can companies and individuals get involved in this idea of Michigan Humane and helping support humane communities across Southeast and all of Michigan?
Matt Pepper:
Well first of all, get involved with us. We're happy to help. We want to guide people in developing practices that will help their business. Being an animal friendly business in an animal friendly community isn't just good for the pets. It's good for the people and it's good for business.
Look at some of the businesses. I mean, look at Strategic Staffing Solutions, one of our biggest supporters. I often joke that they're the second-largest animal shelter in the City of Detroit. But Cindy and her team have embraced it, and it's worked for them. It's become sort of their identity and it's helped them.
And so we want to help companies be successful because a more successful Detroit is a better community for the pets. We have this philosophy that a pet is only as healthy and safe is the family it lives with and the community it lives with. Which is why we have social workers on staff to help address other issues. Which is why we have all these safety net programs to make sure that people have access to resources to make themselves safer. Because when they're safer, they don't have to prioritize their pet over their own needs.
Chuck Gaidica:
Yeah. Good stuff. Well, Matt Pepper, good to see you again.
Matt Pepper:
Good to see you too. Thank you.
Chuck Gaidica:
Thanks for the inspiration. Matt Pepper is president and CEO of Michigan Humane. Next is President of the Small Business Association of Michigan, Brian Calley. It's great to see you again.
Brian Calley:
Pleasure to be back.
Chuck Gaidica:
You've got some beautiful sunshine, so we got you well lit even though there's no video here. So this is perfect.
Brian Calley:
Can't beat it. What a beautiful day. Even got time to run around the island this morning-
Chuck Gaidica:
Did you?
Brian Calley:
Before all everything started.
Chuck Gaidica:
Yeah. Well, good. Well, I'm glad you're back to join us with an update on lots of things happening. And lots of different focus on attracting new talent, maintaining the talent we already have, keeping people in the State of Michigan. But when you look at small business, the challenge, it would seem like for me, I'm thinking, "Well, a lot of small businesses are owner operated." But they still need employees, right?
Brian Calley:
That's right. We actually just completed our annual scorecard report, but it was the 20th year. It was a good opportunity to look back how far have we come over the course of the last 20 years? And what is very, very clear from that two decade review, is that small business, from an employment standpoint, especially private sector employment, has become much more important to our overall economic picture.
And then also in some areas, we're really excelling. So we got sole proprietors and those first stage businesses, one to 10 employees, those have proven to be quite resilient during times of recession. Lots of new business starts actually characterized time after recession. And over the last 20 years, it's just small businesses have become proportionately more important to our economy.
Chuck Gaidica:
Is part of that, that some of the people who have quote/unquote maybe left the broader workforce? They decided to go out and get a franchise or start on the idea that finally they thought, this is the time. Do you see that happen?
Brian Calley:
It is. Well, we have tens of thousands of members. We see just about everything. But as I often say at SPM, we're big enough to where our anecdotes start to pile up like a lot of them, and they mean something. We sometimes can see trends before they show up in the economic statistics. And one thing that is clear is that people during times of economic uncertainty turn to entrepreneurship.
So there are more businesses that get started in periods immediately following recessions. And that was definitely true with the short but sharp recession of 2020, we saw an explosion of entrepreneurship. Now we're starting to see the five-year survival rate increase of those newer businesses, which is really important because when you hit the second stage, that's when the growth and the employment potential really kicks into high gear.
The other thing that has changed is it is no longer an either/or. Do I keep my W-2 job or do I start a new business? In the past, it was always that, that was a big choice. And today, people are able to start businesses oftentimes with flexible W-2 jobs. Or they might have a profession that they can piece sell as an independent contractor and get their foot in the door of starting a business before they're fully reliant on the business.
I do suspect that there's more of that than ever. Where you have people that have a foot in both camps, W-2, regular W-2 employment, they're somebody's employee, but they also have a business. And then you put on top of that the gig economy, the way that people are kind of piecing together.
Chuck Gaidica:
The side hustle idea. Yeah.
Brian Calley:
Yeah. It is really growing more and more substantial all the time. And as we look at the business community itself, it's a different look of a business, but these are small businesses. And while they're not the same type of form that traditionally we're used to, they are becoming a bigger and bigger proportion of the total.
Chuck Gaidica:
So when it looks at the upside to that, some of the challenges may include the fact that I'm in the gig economy, but there's also a need for benefits. There's a need for the tools and whatnot. Where do I go for accounting? I mean all those things.
I've got a W-2 job, and I've got a side hustle or a gig economy job. It still poses questions about my future for retirement savings. What does SBAM offer to try to coalesce somebody like that in small business and offer services?
Brian Calley:
In the intense competition for employment, the small business owners have to figure out a way that they can present bigger than they are when it comes to their benefit packages. So when they're hiring, employees just expect that they're going to have the regular amenities that you would get at a bigger employer offered through a smaller employer.
So that's a big part of what we do. We try to package together, whether it's, of course, there's the Blue Cross plans and Blue Care Network health insurance plans. Those come with COBRA administration, which is something that a lot of small business owners, they don't have an HR pro on staff, that sort of thing. We do the billing and then enrollment changes, that sort of thing. So that the business owner can be focused on the business and essentially have a partner walking alongside.
So that when somebody, when they're trying to attract the best talent, they can do so with a lot of confidence. But it's always also 401k plan that has the ability to mold to whatever that business can do. So that offer letter isn't relying on somebody just wanting to be a part of the goodwill of small business, but to actually have the means to provide for their families.
Chuck Gaidica:
And sometimes the offers come with things that may not relate directly to the finances. For instance, in our family, a daughter-in-law who decided to take a break from teaching found that she would accept a job at a place that offered free childcare because there happens to be childcare on the property. Took a little less money per hour, but she's able to be in the same building with our grandson down the hall. And she said, "For me, if I did the math on childcare, that was a perk that was extraordinarily important." So that's being creative or innovative, right?
Brian Calley:
It is. And we see smaller businesses leaning into flexibility in so many different ways. A lot of times it has to do with child care or taking care of aging parents. Just different responsibilities that people have. And it's a changing a philosophy to where small business owners, maybe they can't offer the same wage or the benefit package isn't quite as robust as what you might find at a larger employer, but what they can offer is flexibility.
So that an employee can really fit their work into their life instead of having to figure out how to fit their life into their work. And it's a big competitive advantage. That's one of the reasons that we work so hard to defend against rigid regulations on just how employment has to look. Because flexibility these days is one of the most important tools in the toolbox for small business talent attraction.
Chuck Gaidica:
So then from an SBAM perspective, what else are you doing to increase the muscle strength of some of these small businesses? What programs are there? So they're going and they're doing all right. Maybe they're moving toward that five-year mark or beyond, what are you doing to encourage them to get them robust for the future?
Brian Calley:
There's a lot of things, but what I would like to highlight now is peer interactions. Business owners spending time with other business owners that are in similar stages. Or sometimes it's mentorship, somebody who's been there and done that and they're ready to pay it forward with other entrepreneurs.
I can't say that we did it really on purpose, or at least we didn't know how powerful it would be when we put business owners together. Different than a networking event, where everybody sends their salesperson and all-pronged and no cow. Nobody has fun in those things. But when we say, "Look, this is not about sales."
It's about business owners spending time with other business owners. And talking about their challenges and their triumphs and their worries and how they're addressing different problems. There's magic that happens there. So oftentimes, we'll put together programming. It's darn good programming, but that's just the excuse to get people together.
Chuck Gaidica:
Do you have the ability and the roadmap then to connect people that way, where it's not in some meetings with business cards?
Brian Calley:
That's right. We have both regionally around the state and statewide events, and you have to own the business to be a part of it. So it's for the business owner, not somebody who works in the business. And I mean business owners, obviously, small business owners work in the business, but if you're not an owner, this is not for you. And that's really the way that we screen so that we can make sure that these truly are peer-to-peer interactions.
Chuck Gaidica:
And that's got to have the power of authenticity with it. Plus someone can look some young guy in the eye or lady and say, "This is not my first rodeo. It'll be okay." I mean, how powerful could that be from a peer, mentor, coach, however they're viewed?
Brian Calley:
It's very, very powerful. It is in what it is. It's cool we see these different groups, these cohorts that form on their own outside of the programming. But I got, the spark happened. And so it might be people that have family businesses. Or they're going through transitions where it's going from one generation to the next and how do I get my dad to finally retire because we're ready to move forward? That sort of thing.
Chuck Gaidica:
Yeah.
Brian Calley:
You can't just have those conversations out just in the open. They're too sensitive, they're too personal. But when you're with some other business owners that are struggling through the same thing, it really does create a nice network of support.
Sometimes it's nothing more than moral support. Like this idea of somebody just understands what I'm going through. In that sense, I suppose it's somewhat therapeutic, but it's often small business owners are problem solvers. And so to see them go into that problem-solving mode or share, "Here's how I dealt with that problem. Or here's how I've heard about this. We're going to try this." That's where the power is.
Chuck Gaidica:
So I know you've got something coming up in June, a small business summit. What is that about?
Brian Calley:
This is our biggest event each year where we have our annual meeting, the transition of our leadership, the board, new members on the board, and new chair of the board installed. But it's also a summit where we pick issues that are on the minds of our members, or just always have our finger on the pulse of that, and try to build programming around it.
So we do smaller express learning sessions throughout the day, and then a big stage for programming. And then we recognize our legislators of the year. We try to make it the sort of day where somebody owns a business can come away feeling enriched. In this case, really the theme is about failing forward. A lot of what small business owners understand is that success is not a straight line. You go forward, you take steps back, you learn from that, you rebuild, you redeploy, and that's really what this is about.
And the last couple of years, there's been a lot of success, but there's been a lot of failures too. How do you turn your failures into stepping stones to the next opportunity? That's what we're talking about this year, really excited about it. Something I think is going to really touch the hearts of people that own businesses.
Chuck Gaidica:
That's great to think about. I remember somebody along the way, a mentor, we were talking about the stock market, right? He said, "It can go up and down as long as the inclination is up." I mean, you're going to have those ups and downs in life personally and professionally. So that's really a good way to look at it, falling forward. Well, we're glad you were with us. Thanks for giving us updates on what you're up to and all the great programs from SBAM.
Brian Calley:
My pleasure.
Chuck Gaidica:
Nice to see you. Brian Calley, President of the Small Business Association of Michigan. And finally, Give Merit Board Chair, David Merritt and Executive Director, Kuhu Saha. It's good to see both of you.
Kuhu Saha:
Very good to see you.
David Merritt:
Thanks for having us.
Chuck Gaidica:
Enjoying your stay?
David Merritt:
We are.
Kuhu Saha:
We are.
Chuck Gaidica:
Yeah. And so for you with Give Merit, so many different points of light coming through there, right? This idea of the FATE Program. And we're hearing about things at this conference about bridges. And you're creating bridges to Detroit youth, aren't you?
Kuhu Saha:
Yeah. We have been doing this work since 2012, and we have a partnership with the Jalen Rose Leadership Academy. We bring in cohorts of around 25 ninth graders every single year, and they are with us through their hopeful college graduation. So that's looking at 10 years of time, 14 to 24.
In high school, it's after school programming. We're sort of using, I would say we're doing workforce readiness program, but through the lens of entrepreneurship. We're teaching about business, design thinking, problem solving, while also pairing that with mentorship and leadership development. And allowing them to dream and think about what they want to do in their future and how they want to be contributors to their community.
Chuck Gaidica:
And Give Merit, there are other off ramps here too, for the kids, right? There's the idea of being encouraged, which is a big part of this, but you're walking alongside them. You're putting your arm proverbially or actually around somebody and saying, "Come on, let's go."
David Merritt:
Yeah. Well, for us it's how do we create platforms for young people to create their own future? So there's exposure, as Kuhu just mentioned, how do we get them to aspire and provide them the landscape to do that? Then also to believe in themselves, believe in their abilities. That they can contribute to not only themselves, but also their families and their communities. And then surrounding those young people with family.
And we say we're unified and we're here for a lifetime. That's one of our core values as an organization. So not just our staff, but for our students to know that we're not going anywhere. And so that trust is built, those relationships are built, and then it's an investment on both sides. We're investing in them, but they're also investing in us, and we're gaining just as much learning from working with them as they are from working with us.
Chuck Gaidica:
So you start seeing young people in ninth grade?
Kuhu Saha:
Mm-hmm.
Chuck Gaidica:
How quickly have you personally seen the light bulbs start to go off of them catching the idea of what you're up to and how you're helping them in life? How fast?
Kuhu Saha:
I think there are light bulbs every day.
Chuck Gaidica:
Are there? Yeah.
Kuhu Saha:
Every week, every year. I think that's the fulfilling part of this work, is that you are with them for so long. I mean, we watched them grow up, right?
Chuck Gaidica:
Yeah.
Kuhu Saha:
High school graduation comes along and I'm crying like I'm their mom, and I'm not. But I have seen such growth in that time. But I think what's wonderful. FATE is Family, Dave was talking about that, extends beyond the students. We have family type relationships with their families as well, that we're kind of walking together to see them through.
David Merritt:
And our young people get it at different points. That's the message for them. Some light bulbs come on immediately. Others, it may be six years down the road where it finally clicks for them and they finally have that confidence, or they see themselves in a different light. So it's just like having kids, you sew those seeds and some of them mature at different rates. But they still receive the same type of love and that same type of environment that fosters that ability for those seeds to grow.
Chuck Gaidica:
But isn't that the case for all of us? I mean, you think when you're young, this is the track I want to be on, and then a different light goes on and you're like, "Oh, I'm inspired by this."
But what I find interesting about what you do is this encouragement that some people dream, they forgot how to dream big dream, and they need that encouragement. Don't just take a corner of a piece of paper with your dream, take the whole sheet. But dream big dreams. And that encouragement that can come from you and your team is so critical, right?
David Merritt:
Yeah.
Kuhu Saha:
They forgot how to dream, but also there maybe isn't a community around them that's supporting that ability to dream. So I think that's what we really pride ourselves on, is that we create a safe environment for the dreaming to take place. We create environment where you can build confidence and then we stick with them.
So post high school, they're with us for four to six more years. As they're finishing a post-secondary program. As they are finding jobs. And allowing those dreams change and the same way the light bulbs hit at different times.
David Merritt:
And to fail.
Kuhu Saha:
And to fail. Absolutely.
Chuck Gaidica:
Yeah.
David Merritt:
That's fine.
Kuhu Saha:
That's fine.
Chuck Gaidica:
And again, we all relate to that, right? As we were growing up, that's not something that's so different in life. But to have a net and to have people around you to support you, not all of us had that either. So I know that there are different phases along the way from ninth grade. There's a capstone project, where does that hit? Is that when they graduate high school?
Kuhu Saha:
There's actually a capstone project every single year in high school.
Chuck Gaidica:
Oh, there is?
Kuhu Saha:
Yeah. And so David and I, in addition to our nonprofit program, we have a for-profit fashion brand that really uses product design and style to drive social impact.
Chuck Gaidica:
I see.
Kuhu Saha:
And so that serves as the backdrop to the curriculum of the program, and that's what the capstone projects are based off of. So in ninth grade, they are creating marketing and advertising campaigns for that brand merit.
In 10th grade, they're designing product collections. In 11th grade, they're planning a citywide charitable event. And then we say as they've honed these skills over those three years, they are interning for a local company in their 12th grade year.
Chuck Gaidica:
Wow. So there's a bit of a co-op idea here too, right?
Kuhu Saha:
There's a little bit.
Chuck Gaidica:
So now they're getting a different kind of input.
Kuhu Saha:
Mm-hmm.
David Merritt:
And then if they maintain the standards that we've set for them in school and out of school, they get through the FATE Program and are accepted to any post-secondary program, we offer currently up to $8,000 in college scholarship for each student that qualifies.
Chuck Gaidica:
That's awesome. And what are some of the success stories? Can you reflect on some of the alums? What stories can you tell us about what you've seen?
Kuhu Saha:
Absolutely. I have two I can tell real quick. Most recently, we have a young lady who graduated from Albion College here in Michigan, and she started college in the pandemic in 2020. It was a rough first year, as we all know, was rough for all of us in many ways. She had a particularly rough year and came home midway through the semester.
So to see that, to see her walk across the stage in 2024, in four years, and get her diploma is outstanding. So I think that's one that is fresh for me. And we were able to attend the commencement ceremony.
And then the other one is our very first class, we have a young man who came to us in ninth grade and told us that he wanted to direct horror films. It was his dream. Strange dream to me, but it was great that he had that dream. He similarly graduated college in the pandemic in 2020 and decided, "I'm not going to let anything stop me." And moved to LA.
And started working for the talent agency, started making connections. He's currently working in booking and contracts in Atlanta for one of the big theater houses, but he's in the industry. He's doing the thing. It's amazing.
Chuck Gaidica:
So do you feel like proud parents with these young people? Is that really, you started off kind of talking that way, and how tears come to your eyes? Do you look at these kids and think, "Yeah, I help there."
David Merritt:
I mean, yes. I just think it's that relationship, whether it's a parent or not, just for them to know that we are constantly here and available for that support. And as Kuhu just mentioned, our success stories are happening every day.
Our students are facing life challenges that they're already persisting. They persist every single day that they continue and they don't quit, coming from where they come from and the family situations and the environments that they've been challenged with. And so we try to also give the message to our students, it's not necessarily just graduating college, it's not necessarily having this four-year plan, and you stick to that plan, and that's the only way we deem success. We deem you a success right now.
And so I think that perspective encourages them. We have students that may have went to school and they're now back at home, but they're mentoring in our program. They're now mentoring students that were in the same seats that they sat in. So they may not be where they want to be, but they're still contributing back to someone else's life and success.
Chuck Gaidica:
And I know there's some exciting news about a Merit Park, right? What is that?
Kuhu Saha:
Yeah. We, for the last seven years have been working on this project. So it really came out of the fact that we wanted to do more in many ways. And that we were in a neighborhood that in many ways, folks had forgotten about in the City of Detroit and had been neglected like many of the neighborhoods in the city of Detroit.
And so we said, "How could we scale our work?" How could we take the work that we've done, what we've learned about youth development, and turn it into something that could impact the city at large, this neighborhood specifically? And so that's where Merit Park was born.
Chuck Gaidica:
And what will it be?
David Merritt:
We are deeming it a holistic life skills and fitness training center. It includes some outdoor free play areas, which has an obstacle course. Instead of doing a 40 yard dash, in a nod to Detroit, we're doing a 31.3 yard dash. So these are just activities that are without coaches or leagues. How do we just get kids to be active and want to play? And so both of those activities come time, so they'll be able to race their friends and their family.
We have a splash pad. It contains a miniature turf field where we can even expose young people to lacrosse and soccer. A shipping container area that's going to be activated with food, beverage, and retail. We also have, one of the containers will be a dedicated teaching kitchen. So being able to bring in chefs and interact with young people and families. And how can we even make healthier meals at home?
And then a gymnasium, which we consider to be a miniature arena. And so it's going to be packed with some incredible technology. And so sport and play and health and wellness is the key, and I think the main driver. But for us, it's that draw for us to then do what we do best, and that's program.
And so those workforce development opportunities are going to be available. You can imagine us having the best high school basketball game on a Friday night, but through our training programs, young people have been able to shadow professionals in broadcasting, audio-video engineering, social media marketing, sponsorship.
So it eventually becomes this element where young people are trained. They're putting their skills out into the real world, they're being paid, and hopefully that's going to better prepare them for school and their careers.
Chuck Gaidica:
Awesome stuff. So how do people get in touch with you if they want to support what's going on with Give Merit?
Kuhu Saha:
So if you want to learn more about the park, we've got a website MeritPark.com. It's M-E-R-I-T Park.com. And then our organization website is GiveMerit.org.
Chuck Gaidica:
Beautiful. Good to see both of you.
Kuhu Saha:
Good to see you.
Chuck Gaidica:
Thanks for the inspiration for our day today as well.
David Merritt:
Thank you so much for having us.
Kuhu Saha:
Thank you.
David Merritt:
David Merit, who's the Board Chair, and Kuhu Saha, who's the Executive Director of Give Merit.
Thanks for listening to a Healthier Michigan podcast, brought to you by Blue Cross, Blue Shield of Michigan. If you like our show and you want to know more, check us out at AHealthierMichigan.org/podcast. Or you can leave us a review or rating on Apple Podcast or Spotify. To get new episodes on your smartphone or tablet, be sure to subscribe to us on Apple Podcast, Spotify, or your favorite podcast app.
Tricia Keith:
It's great to be here. Thanks so much.
Chuck Gaidica:
And congratulations.
Tricia Keith:
Thank you.
Chuck Gaidica:
And I just have to say this personally, man, am I glad I've been nice to you when I get to see you.
Tricia Keith:
See, all good things come around, right? Isn't that how that happens? Exactly.
Chuck Gaidica:
Are you excited about this new role of leading Blue Cross, Blue Shield of Michigan into the future?
Tricia Keith:
I am honored and excited and I thank the board for that. I thank Dan for his incredible leadership and creating a lot of the opportunity that I've had over this time. But I'm really looking forward to building on the foundation that we have and serving our members.
Chuck Gaidica:
And this idea, we're talking a lot about building Michigan's future, shaping it, right?
Tricia Keith:
That's right.
Chuck Gaidica:
And we've been talking to a lot of leaders in and out of healthcare about what's going on, attracting strong talent. So for you, this is a different perspective. You are the strong talent that's been given this new opportunity of leadership. And so from where you've come is important because you've been in multiple different roles at Blue Cross, Blue Shield of Michigan for a long time.
Tricia Keith:
I have. 18 years I've been fortunate to work for this company. And a lot of people say the mark of a great leader is to bring people up behind you. And it's one of the great things that I really appreciate about Dan and his leadership.
And when you think about our executive team and all of the employees there, our diverse representation that we have across the company and Dan's belief in giving people a lot of opportunity, I think is, I'm just an example of that. And so I'm really appreciative of the opportunity to move through the company and see it from different lenses and be able to prove myself.
Chuck Gaidica:
And where do you see the future in terms of being hopeful about what's going on? Because there's so much that swirls in and out of business.
Tricia Keith:
Well, I think we have to start with optimistic leadership, and I think that that's really important. Certainly healthcare has its share of challenges coming forward. But I think the one thing is, if you think about the theme of this conference, Building Bridges, the way I always talk about that is I always talk about great things happen when self-interest align.
And self-interest isn't necessarily a bad thing if you use it for the power of good. And if you really listen to what somebody else is trying to accomplish and really seek to understand it, generally you can understand that they don't have to lose for you to win, and vice versa.
And so I think about in healthcare, everybody is committed to affordability. Everybody is committed to better outcomes. And so how can we work together to create those things?
Chuck Gaidica:
Could you just run the country? I mean, it's just this idea that you don't have to lose. And maybe we don't even agree, we can agree to disagree and we can still be civil about it.
Tricia Keith:
That's right. That's exactly right.
Chuck Gaidica:
So going farther back than the 18 years, you grew up on a farm.
Tricia Keith:
I did.
Chuck Gaidica:
Where was that, Scottsville?
Tricia Keith:
I did, Scottville, Michigan.
Chuck Gaidica:
Scottville. So what did you learn in that tender time of life that translates forward? Does it?
Tricia Keith:
I have a lot of life lessons from the farm.
Chuck Gaidica:
Do you?
Tricia Keith:
A lot of life lessons. I would tell you that one of the earliest jobs I had on the farm was taking care of the calf barn. And you might think, "Well, what does taking care of the calf barn have to do with being the future CEO of Blue Cross?" And what that really did is teach you to show up.
And these were calves hours old until they were a year. And I took care of them before school, after school. And one of my other sayings is the world is run by those who show up. And it teaches you how to deliver when things or animals or people are counting on you. And so that was a great life lesson.
Chuck Gaidica:
Anything else now from a leadership perspective? What did you learn then?
Tricia Keith:
Well, I think a lot of people have asked. The messages and the notes of encouragement that I've gotten from employees and other leaders through this time has been great. I think one of the things that I've really enjoyed as part of this announcement is the messages not only from women, but also from men who are saying, "It's so nice that I can talk to my daughter and she can see this." And what's happening in the message about women in leadership. And so that's been really exciting.
And one of the questions I get is, "Did you ever think this was going to happen?" And the story I like to tell is when I was young, I didn't know this existed. I actually never had health insurance until I was 22 years old and got my first job. I didn't come into this with healthcare in growing up. And so it's one of the reasons why the values that we have as a company around access, around affordability, is so personal to me because I had the experience of not having it.
Chuck Gaidica:
Well, I'll tell you what, as a dad, a girl dad and a boy dad, that's a really encouraging thing to think about. And now having grandchildren and granddaughters, that you can do this and you are a role model for that.
Tricia Keith:
We can't dream it if we don't see it.
Chuck Gaidica:
Yeah. Well, it's so great to see you.
Tricia Keith:
It's great to see you.
Chuck Gaidica:
And I know I'll see more of you. It's always a pleasure, it's not that often. But congratulations again and we look forward to your leadership at Blue Cross.
Tricia Keith:
Thank you. I look forward to what's to come.
Chuck Gaidica:
Tricia Keith, who's the CEO-elect of Blue Cross, Blue Shield of Michigan. Next up is EVP Chief Talent and Engagement officer of Michigan Economic Development, Corporation Kerry Ebersole Singh. Good to see you.
Kerry Ebersole Singh:
It's great to see you both. It's such a gorgeous day here on the island.
Chuck Gaidica:
Isn't it nice?
Kerry Ebersole Singh:
It's gorgeous.
Chuck Gaidica:
So a conference like this means what? You've got to be busy.
Kerry Ebersole Singh:
Yes, sir. Do I look tired? Are you trying to say something?
Chuck Gaidica:
Well actually know you look like you've been busy. But this is the place of meetings, right?
Kerry Ebersole Singh:
It is. It's such a great place because you have a convergence of philanthropy, government, local government, state government, federal government, business community, and beyond. So it's such a great time to be in one location together, but it's also hard to get through the hallway in a timely manner as well. But it's good to catch up with folks up here.
Chuck Gaidica:
So for MEDC, I've heard this from others, including hospital systems, hospitals themselves, top priority talent attraction.
Kerry Ebersole Singh:
Yes.
Chuck Gaidica:
And what does that mean for you when you look out at the world?
Kerry Ebersole Singh:
Yes, yes. It's so much. Well, first and foremost, we'd like to talk about our beautiful state. And this isn't just about the incredible careers and jobs that you can have in the State of Michigan, but the lifestyle amenities that come with that. And whether you love to go on lakes or trails or have amazing cities like Detroit, Grand Rapids, and beyond, we're just super, super fortunate to articulate that Michigan's not flyover territory. This is the place to be at an affordable price point, and you can still travel the world as you want.
So for us at MEDC, we launched our talent action team about two years ago now. And for me, what that has meant in building that strategy is really doing some deep work with employers to understand their occupational needs. And I know there's been a lot of talk over the last year about the population challenges that we have in the State of Michigan. That we're not growing as fast as other states, and that of course hits our labor pool.
And we have to be thoughtful in not only designing the supports for folks to return to the workforce, or get the proper training that they need for those in-demand occupations, but also articulating to graduates to say, "There's no other place to be than the State of Michigan." And understanding the opportunities with the employers and the high-tech careers that we do here.
Chuck Gaidica:
Because you've got to have challenges if you're looking for nurses, doctors, whatever the particular context is. If every state is fishing in the same deep end of the pool, people are going to make choices where they make choices for themselves.
Kerry Ebersole Singh:
Yes. Yeah. There's very few ways to actually increase the labor pool. And one of those is really doing some deep tissue work in underserved communities. And we pay a lot of attention to how do we increase those STEAM skills from that pre-K to fifth grade? Because that is a key time to really develop those science and math skills for, again, wherever they want to take their journey. But we got to do that deep tissue work early.
And then we also, one of our priorities at MEDC is deepening internship work and learn opportunities starting in high school. So we want to talk about micro internships. If you have 12 weeks in a summer, can you do, we do four different employer stops through micro internships, so they get a flavor. Again, this leads into a college experience where you can do a deep dive internship as well.
And that helps employers not only in the current labor market to get things done, but it also allows them to build a relationship with the future employee or prospective employee. And then we do a whole set of things. I got to tell you, I can't talk about talent without, and I feel Chuck, you barely, you asked me one question and I'm just talking all at so.
Chuck Gaidica:
No, it's all right.
Kerry Ebersole Singh:
I'll let you get a word in here. But I just want to say our higher ed system, we are so fortunate with our higher ed system. University of Michigan, Michigan State University, Wayne State University. I was talking with Kettering University's president. I can go on and on. Our community colleges.
Chuck Gaidica:
We have a son that went through Kettering. Yeah.
Kerry Ebersole Singh:
Yeah. It's amazing program. They have a huge number of C-suite officials that come out of the Kettering program, Mary Barra being one of them when it was GMI. But we have a deep-rooted assets. And I think when you think about healthcare, you have to think about not only recruiting those primary care physicians that we need around the state, but you also need to think about those pharmacy techs.
Chuck Gaidica:
Sure.
Kerry Ebersole Singh:
It could be, again, they may start at a pharmacy tech level, but they could be cultivated into additional opportunities, whether that's full pharmacy school or whether that's going into other healthcare occupations.
Chuck Gaidica:
So rightfully so there's a lot of focus on universities, STEM and STEAM training and all that. Is there as much focus on trades?
Kerry Ebersole Singh:
Yes, absolutely. I mean, it's Michigan's bread and butter. We like to say we do innovate, we create in those research universities, but we know how to make them as well. And we're so fortunate for the trade schools, the CTE programs, and high school.
Our construction and building trades work that we know how to build things, and we do it on budget and on time. I frequently talk to some of those building trades alongside with employers or developers, and they can say, "Yes, we were under budget and we made it on time." And that's a phenomenal story to tell.
Chuck Gaidica:
Well, it's phenomenal because that grit that you're talking about is in our DNA as people from Michigan. And there's an old joke, and I forget how long ago I heard it. You're at a party and you walk up to somebody, "What did you do? What do you do?" "I used to be a heart surgeon. I gave it up to be a plumber so I could make real money."
And to some extent, we're living in a world now where trades you can do well. And we shouldn't overlook the notion of working with your hands, whatever that means.
Kerry Ebersole Singh:
Right. Electricians, welders, well into the six figures. Plumbers, pipe fitters. It's a different time in so many ways, and it's such a valuable. Again, choose your own path. We want you to pursue your dreams, whatever that may look like. And that's part of our work where, yes, at MEDC we're incredibly employer focused, but at the same time, this is about opportunity for our residents and the future of our state.
Chuck Gaidica:
Then there's the high-tech, I mean the real high-tech stuff, EVs and batteries and semiconductors. And so there's a focus there too for our state, right?
Kerry Ebersole Singh:
Yes, sir. And again, I say it's not rocket science in terms of aligning with federal opportunities. To position the state so we can leverage as much federal dollars into our state, overall helps our communities and beyond. And that really allows us to leverage those higher ed institutions we are discussing.
But there are, chips are in everything. I have three cell phones. They all operate on chips. You can talk about as well as cars. Some say it's a computer on wheels, others will say it's chips on wheels for a vehicle. So this is really positioning Michigan's future economy when we talk about some of those tech and innovative industries.
Chuck Gaidica:
Well, it's funny, I was talking with a guy, I won't mention where he works, but he shared with me, I can't confirm it. He's an engineer for a company that worked on the new E-Ray, Corvette, right? That's a hybrid, really. It's not all electric. He said there's more code in that car now than there is in a 747. Can you believe it? With worldwide engineers, but it's still based in Michigan.
Kerry Ebersole Singh:
Yes.
Chuck Gaidica:
The development of that.
Kerry Ebersole Singh:
Absolutely.
Chuck Gaidica:
It's just mind-blowing to think about.
Kerry Ebersole Singh:
It is mind-blowing. And that's the thing, when you think about the design. I mean, we talk about STEAM because that art piece and the design of things are so critical, whether it's software design, whether it's what that vehicle interior looks like.
Chuck Gaidica:
Yeah.
Kerry Ebersole Singh:
It is also a really critical component. And I often, we talk about lifelong learning. If you can code coming out of high school, you can get a really great job.
Chuck Gaidica:
Yeah.
Kerry Ebersole Singh:
Now maybe you start there and you want to grow that into a full software engineer position or computer science engineer. So there's lots of opportunities, and we just want to communicate to folks that pick your own adventure.
This administration, the Gilchrist administration did a phenomenal job working with the legislature to remove tuition barriers to training or scholarship opportunities. And we want to just really lean in, since those barriers have been removed, to really go beyond career exploration into immersive opportunities.
Chuck Gaidica:
So you've got to have walking down the hall here, as you mentioned, right, lots of handshaking and hello-ing, but you've also got to have so many inputs of trying to figure out how to prioritize moving forward in the future. How do you do that? How do you concentrate on what's coming for the future? And what are those things? What are you looking at?
Kerry Ebersole Singh:
Well, I got to tell you, this is where we press employers pretty hard to say, "Listen, you got to tell us what your needs are this year and then five years out." Yes, we can model that from labor statistics, but knowing directly from the employer, who are you hiring? Because I can design anything in terms of curriculum or recruitment strategies to meet those needs. But you have to be direct on that.
They also have to share where their technology is heading for them. But then you also have the higher ed system as well, where all those startups in the future technologies that the large OEMs may be purchasing later, all start in our research universities. And that's the federal investment that comes in that are really looking at the next wave of where AI technology is going to take us and what those impacts are. So it's a lot.
Chuck Gaidica:
You're most proud of what in the program? Looking at everything that we've talked about and more.
Kerry Ebersole Singh:
Two, I got to take two.
Chuck Gaidica:
Okay.
Kerry Ebersole Singh:
Okay.
Chuck Gaidica:
Go ahead.
Kerry Ebersole Singh:
Thank you, Chuck.
Chuck Gaidica:
We've got hours.
Kerry Ebersole Singh:
One is our team at MEDC, the talent team. We're small but mighty, and they are phenomenal. And they work very closely with our employer partners and higher ed partners and the K12 partners as well. So I'm incredibly grateful. I'm very proud of them.
And then the second, of course, is the Michigander Scholars Program, which is a scholarship program. It's really a take at a attention strategy. A $10,000 scholarship for graduating folks with software engineer. We have a few different chemical engineer, processing engineer, software developer, all can qualify for that $10,000 scholarship. We also do a $5,000 scholarship for internships as well.
And we have been doing some launches at, we were at Kettering University a few weeks ago, and they had a class of 26 scholarships that are staying in the state. They're not going home to New York. They're staying here, going to work for a number of our auto partners as an example. We also have one, we just launched the same program for the semiconductor industry as well.
So seeing the kids' faces during that ceremony, you can't make that up in terms of just the meaning of that and knowing that that's the future. And they're so thrilled to have that support from our state.
Chuck Gaidica:
Well, we're glad you're at the helm. Sounds like a lot to do, but it sounds like we're on the right track. So thanks for dropping by.
Kerry Ebersole Singh:
Yeah, thank you so much.
Chuck Gaidica:
Kerry Ebersole Singh, who is Executive Vice President, Chief Talent Solutions officer for the MEDC. Take good care. And now President and CEO of Michigan Humane, Matt Pepper. It is great to see you.
Matt Pepper:
Great to see you as well. I keep waiting to see the pictures of those dogs.
Chuck Gaidica:
Did you notice how healthy I am? Because my dogs kiss me on the lip. So I am convinced that's why I never get sick.
Matt Pepper:
That's right. And they get you out for walks, they get you connected with people. That's what dogs do.
Chuck Gaidica:
Yeah. So we've been talking a lot today about shaping Michigan's future and this idea of particular talent. Because you're in a very particular business, if you will. But you're looking toward the future of how to encourage talent and workforce development within Michigan Humane creating a more humane Michigan.
Matt Pepper:
Yep.
Chuck Gaidica:
What do you see as that goal and how to get there?
Matt Pepper:
Yeah. Well, for us it's the recognition that regardless of your socioeconomic status, 70% of Americans have pets. From those who are experiencing homelessness to those with all the money in the world, 70% of Americans have pets, yet we don't have the infrastructure to care for them.
So we also recognize that being a veterinarian, being a vet tech, working with animals is something that most children, one of the top three things they want to do. But at some point, that opportunity gets lost. So we are focusing on letting people, particularly Detroit youth see themselves in veterinary medicine and then providing them pathways to do that.
And that's through either working with some of the high schools, some of the elementary schools, getting them some exposure to that, and then offering them the opportunity to follow that through. We have to be able to be here to support people's passion and people are passionate about their pets.
Chuck Gaidica:
And when you see that encouragement to the young people, what is it that, do you see the light bulbs? The light going off in their eyes when they're more exposed to veterinary medicine and care?
Matt Pepper:
Yeah. Well, not only exposed to it, but seeing themselves in it. Look, the reality is Detroit is a very diverse community, and veterinary medicine is not a very diverse profession. So we have committed two things. Number one, creating career pathways. And that's again, from our work we're doing with elementary schools and exposing them to veterinary medicine, to the high schools where they're getting work experience. To summer jobs programs, which is pre-vet first and second year vet students. All the way to surgical externships from all over the country.
And not only do you have to have the pathway, but you have to see yourself in it. So we've committed to turning Detroit, Metro Detroit into a diverse hub for veterinary medicine because it's one thing to have a pathway, it's another thing to see yourself in it. So as an example, our summer jobs program this year is 15 pre-vet first and second year vet students from six different universities all over the country. We had 101 applicants and 10 of the 15 are represented by minority candidates, and we want them to stay right here serving this community.
Chuck Gaidica:
How do you encourage that?
Matt Pepper:
We seek it out.
Chuck Gaidica:
Okay.
Matt Pepper:
We seek out the opportunity. We are very open with what our vision is, which is we are prioritizing minority candidates in veterinary medicine. In hopes that they stay in this community, serving this community. That kids can see themselves in this work. And I hope one of them takes my job one day, and I think we're well on our way to that.
Chuck Gaidica:
So I don't want to make any assumptions. Is MSU and their veterinarian school, is that a big player here or no?
Matt Pepper:
So they are. Obviously just because of our proximity to Michigan State, a majority of our externship programs, summer jobs programs are from Michigan State, but we have them as far away as Louisiana. We've had California, we have Ross University in St. Kitts. So all over the country, people come to get exposure to this work. And then once they see what we're able to offer and the passion that this community has, we want them to stay.
Chuck Gaidica:
When you talk about 70% of Americans having pets, is that more than one pet? Does that 70% seem a little larger? Or that literally means that's an average of one pet per household?
Matt Pepper:
No. So actually it's funny you mentioned that. If you have a cat, you have the average of 2.1 cats.
Chuck Gaidica:
Come on.
Matt Pepper:
These aren't parts of cats, but these are cats. And if you have dogs, you have an average of 1.6 dogs.
Chuck Gaidica:
Wow.
Matt Pepper:
In this new generation, if you're in your 20s right now coming into the workforce, you are the highest percentage pet owning generation ever. And so almost everyone has a pet.
And frankly, when we talk about developing talent, it's also we talking about attracting and retaining talent. If you're in your 20s, you are making life decisions on who you work with, where you live, based on your pet. There was a Realtor.com study that said almost less, just under half of people in their 20s were buying a house based on the dog they have or the dog they might have. Not school districts, not children, but the environment it provides their dog.
Chuck Gaidica:
So that is so interesting you say that. So personal experiences, less than two years ago, we went from a condo back to a home for grandkids, seven of them now. But we have two dogs, and kitty corner from my house is a park, and I have a backyard that's huge. And so because of those things, grandchildren and dogs were the leading contenders of what's my why, right?
My wife looked at me at first and said, "We're not moving, just don't be dumb." I said, "Yeah, but we got so many kids for Thanksgiving, it's got to happen. But where can we go with the dogs?" Well, there's a park right here. So that's very interesting. I'm living what you were talking about.
Matt Pepper:
Well, and imagine if you're a business right now, trying to think how do I attract talent? Make yourself a animal-friendly business, incorporate pet insurance into your benefits. These are things that people are doing that are having a very real impact on attracting and retaining talents.
Encourage public spaces that are dog friendly in the areas where your employee base are going to live, and you will find that you will attract talent.
Chuck Gaidica:
So when you look at how that talent can impact Michigan Humane and all the issues that go along with that, how will that happen? I don't want to call it trickle down because that seems to demean people that are interested in anything that has to do with animals, but we need the help at the humane level.
Matt Pepper:
Oh, I will tell you, we are merely a spark. The fire that comes from that is in the community. If people have equitable access to pet ownership, then they're healthier. They're out walking more, they're more connected. If they're more connected, their neighborhoods are safer.
So we actually, we find ourselves as a incredible contributor to the health and safety of neighborhoods. And once that sort of starts to take hold, we can move on to the next neighborhood because the community will take care of itself. And we're just here to support every pet and every owner in the community.
Chuck Gaidica:
And what's funny about that is I tend to meet newer neighbors based on the names of their pets. I know that that's Rosie's dad. I don't know Rosie's dad's name. I know that that's Rosie. And so what you're saying, that connectivity is real stuff.
Matt Pepper:
Well think about, I look at our board of directors. Board of directors can be a little bit politicized sometimes, depending on topics. Not us. No matter what side of the line you fall on, no matter what your status is, you walk in and go, "Let me show you a picture of my dog." Everyone goes, "That's what we're working for. That's something I can get behind."
Chuck Gaidica:
Isn't that awesome?
Matt Pepper:
Yep.
Chuck Gaidica:
So how can companies and individuals get involved in this idea of Michigan Humane and helping support humane communities across Southeast and all of Michigan?
Matt Pepper:
Well first of all, get involved with us. We're happy to help. We want to guide people in developing practices that will help their business. Being an animal friendly business in an animal friendly community isn't just good for the pets. It's good for the people and it's good for business.
Look at some of the businesses. I mean, look at Strategic Staffing Solutions, one of our biggest supporters. I often joke that they're the second-largest animal shelter in the City of Detroit. But Cindy and her team have embraced it, and it's worked for them. It's become sort of their identity and it's helped them.
And so we want to help companies be successful because a more successful Detroit is a better community for the pets. We have this philosophy that a pet is only as healthy and safe is the family it lives with and the community it lives with. Which is why we have social workers on staff to help address other issues. Which is why we have all these safety net programs to make sure that people have access to resources to make themselves safer. Because when they're safer, they don't have to prioritize their pet over their own needs.
Chuck Gaidica:
Yeah. Good stuff. Well, Matt Pepper, good to see you again.
Matt Pepper:
Good to see you too. Thank you.
Chuck Gaidica:
Thanks for the inspiration. Matt Pepper is president and CEO of Michigan Humane. Next is President of the Small Business Association of Michigan, Brian Calley. It's great to see you again.
Brian Calley:
Pleasure to be back.
Chuck Gaidica:
You've got some beautiful sunshine, so we got you well lit even though there's no video here. So this is perfect.
Brian Calley:
Can't beat it. What a beautiful day. Even got time to run around the island this morning-
Chuck Gaidica:
Did you?
Brian Calley:
Before all everything started.
Chuck Gaidica:
Yeah. Well, good. Well, I'm glad you're back to join us with an update on lots of things happening. And lots of different focus on attracting new talent, maintaining the talent we already have, keeping people in the State of Michigan. But when you look at small business, the challenge, it would seem like for me, I'm thinking, "Well, a lot of small businesses are owner operated." But they still need employees, right?
Brian Calley:
That's right. We actually just completed our annual scorecard report, but it was the 20th year. It was a good opportunity to look back how far have we come over the course of the last 20 years? And what is very, very clear from that two decade review, is that small business, from an employment standpoint, especially private sector employment, has become much more important to our overall economic picture.
And then also in some areas, we're really excelling. So we got sole proprietors and those first stage businesses, one to 10 employees, those have proven to be quite resilient during times of recession. Lots of new business starts actually characterized time after recession. And over the last 20 years, it's just small businesses have become proportionately more important to our economy.
Chuck Gaidica:
Is part of that, that some of the people who have quote/unquote maybe left the broader workforce? They decided to go out and get a franchise or start on the idea that finally they thought, this is the time. Do you see that happen?
Brian Calley:
It is. Well, we have tens of thousands of members. We see just about everything. But as I often say at SPM, we're big enough to where our anecdotes start to pile up like a lot of them, and they mean something. We sometimes can see trends before they show up in the economic statistics. And one thing that is clear is that people during times of economic uncertainty turn to entrepreneurship.
So there are more businesses that get started in periods immediately following recessions. And that was definitely true with the short but sharp recession of 2020, we saw an explosion of entrepreneurship. Now we're starting to see the five-year survival rate increase of those newer businesses, which is really important because when you hit the second stage, that's when the growth and the employment potential really kicks into high gear.
The other thing that has changed is it is no longer an either/or. Do I keep my W-2 job or do I start a new business? In the past, it was always that, that was a big choice. And today, people are able to start businesses oftentimes with flexible W-2 jobs. Or they might have a profession that they can piece sell as an independent contractor and get their foot in the door of starting a business before they're fully reliant on the business.
I do suspect that there's more of that than ever. Where you have people that have a foot in both camps, W-2, regular W-2 employment, they're somebody's employee, but they also have a business. And then you put on top of that the gig economy, the way that people are kind of piecing together.
Chuck Gaidica:
The side hustle idea. Yeah.
Brian Calley:
Yeah. It is really growing more and more substantial all the time. And as we look at the business community itself, it's a different look of a business, but these are small businesses. And while they're not the same type of form that traditionally we're used to, they are becoming a bigger and bigger proportion of the total.
Chuck Gaidica:
So when it looks at the upside to that, some of the challenges may include the fact that I'm in the gig economy, but there's also a need for benefits. There's a need for the tools and whatnot. Where do I go for accounting? I mean all those things.
I've got a W-2 job, and I've got a side hustle or a gig economy job. It still poses questions about my future for retirement savings. What does SBAM offer to try to coalesce somebody like that in small business and offer services?
Brian Calley:
In the intense competition for employment, the small business owners have to figure out a way that they can present bigger than they are when it comes to their benefit packages. So when they're hiring, employees just expect that they're going to have the regular amenities that you would get at a bigger employer offered through a smaller employer.
So that's a big part of what we do. We try to package together, whether it's, of course, there's the Blue Cross plans and Blue Care Network health insurance plans. Those come with COBRA administration, which is something that a lot of small business owners, they don't have an HR pro on staff, that sort of thing. We do the billing and then enrollment changes, that sort of thing. So that the business owner can be focused on the business and essentially have a partner walking alongside.
So that when somebody, when they're trying to attract the best talent, they can do so with a lot of confidence. But it's always also 401k plan that has the ability to mold to whatever that business can do. So that offer letter isn't relying on somebody just wanting to be a part of the goodwill of small business, but to actually have the means to provide for their families.
Chuck Gaidica:
And sometimes the offers come with things that may not relate directly to the finances. For instance, in our family, a daughter-in-law who decided to take a break from teaching found that she would accept a job at a place that offered free childcare because there happens to be childcare on the property. Took a little less money per hour, but she's able to be in the same building with our grandson down the hall. And she said, "For me, if I did the math on childcare, that was a perk that was extraordinarily important." So that's being creative or innovative, right?
Brian Calley:
It is. And we see smaller businesses leaning into flexibility in so many different ways. A lot of times it has to do with child care or taking care of aging parents. Just different responsibilities that people have. And it's a changing a philosophy to where small business owners, maybe they can't offer the same wage or the benefit package isn't quite as robust as what you might find at a larger employer, but what they can offer is flexibility.
So that an employee can really fit their work into their life instead of having to figure out how to fit their life into their work. And it's a big competitive advantage. That's one of the reasons that we work so hard to defend against rigid regulations on just how employment has to look. Because flexibility these days is one of the most important tools in the toolbox for small business talent attraction.
Chuck Gaidica:
So then from an SBAM perspective, what else are you doing to increase the muscle strength of some of these small businesses? What programs are there? So they're going and they're doing all right. Maybe they're moving toward that five-year mark or beyond, what are you doing to encourage them to get them robust for the future?
Brian Calley:
There's a lot of things, but what I would like to highlight now is peer interactions. Business owners spending time with other business owners that are in similar stages. Or sometimes it's mentorship, somebody who's been there and done that and they're ready to pay it forward with other entrepreneurs.
I can't say that we did it really on purpose, or at least we didn't know how powerful it would be when we put business owners together. Different than a networking event, where everybody sends their salesperson and all-pronged and no cow. Nobody has fun in those things. But when we say, "Look, this is not about sales."
It's about business owners spending time with other business owners. And talking about their challenges and their triumphs and their worries and how they're addressing different problems. There's magic that happens there. So oftentimes, we'll put together programming. It's darn good programming, but that's just the excuse to get people together.
Chuck Gaidica:
Do you have the ability and the roadmap then to connect people that way, where it's not in some meetings with business cards?
Brian Calley:
That's right. We have both regionally around the state and statewide events, and you have to own the business to be a part of it. So it's for the business owner, not somebody who works in the business. And I mean business owners, obviously, small business owners work in the business, but if you're not an owner, this is not for you. And that's really the way that we screen so that we can make sure that these truly are peer-to-peer interactions.
Chuck Gaidica:
And that's got to have the power of authenticity with it. Plus someone can look some young guy in the eye or lady and say, "This is not my first rodeo. It'll be okay." I mean, how powerful could that be from a peer, mentor, coach, however they're viewed?
Brian Calley:
It's very, very powerful. It is in what it is. It's cool we see these different groups, these cohorts that form on their own outside of the programming. But I got, the spark happened. And so it might be people that have family businesses. Or they're going through transitions where it's going from one generation to the next and how do I get my dad to finally retire because we're ready to move forward? That sort of thing.
Chuck Gaidica:
Yeah.
Brian Calley:
You can't just have those conversations out just in the open. They're too sensitive, they're too personal. But when you're with some other business owners that are struggling through the same thing, it really does create a nice network of support.
Sometimes it's nothing more than moral support. Like this idea of somebody just understands what I'm going through. In that sense, I suppose it's somewhat therapeutic, but it's often small business owners are problem solvers. And so to see them go into that problem-solving mode or share, "Here's how I dealt with that problem. Or here's how I've heard about this. We're going to try this." That's where the power is.
Chuck Gaidica:
So I know you've got something coming up in June, a small business summit. What is that about?
Brian Calley:
This is our biggest event each year where we have our annual meeting, the transition of our leadership, the board, new members on the board, and new chair of the board installed. But it's also a summit where we pick issues that are on the minds of our members, or just always have our finger on the pulse of that, and try to build programming around it.
So we do smaller express learning sessions throughout the day, and then a big stage for programming. And then we recognize our legislators of the year. We try to make it the sort of day where somebody owns a business can come away feeling enriched. In this case, really the theme is about failing forward. A lot of what small business owners understand is that success is not a straight line. You go forward, you take steps back, you learn from that, you rebuild, you redeploy, and that's really what this is about.
And the last couple of years, there's been a lot of success, but there's been a lot of failures too. How do you turn your failures into stepping stones to the next opportunity? That's what we're talking about this year, really excited about it. Something I think is going to really touch the hearts of people that own businesses.
Chuck Gaidica:
That's great to think about. I remember somebody along the way, a mentor, we were talking about the stock market, right? He said, "It can go up and down as long as the inclination is up." I mean, you're going to have those ups and downs in life personally and professionally. So that's really a good way to look at it, falling forward. Well, we're glad you were with us. Thanks for giving us updates on what you're up to and all the great programs from SBAM.
Brian Calley:
My pleasure.
Chuck Gaidica:
Nice to see you. Brian Calley, President of the Small Business Association of Michigan. And finally, Give Merit Board Chair, David Merritt and Executive Director, Kuhu Saha. It's good to see both of you.
Kuhu Saha:
Very good to see you.
David Merritt:
Thanks for having us.
Chuck Gaidica:
Enjoying your stay?
David Merritt:
We are.
Kuhu Saha:
We are.
Chuck Gaidica:
Yeah. And so for you with Give Merit, so many different points of light coming through there, right? This idea of the FATE Program. And we're hearing about things at this conference about bridges. And you're creating bridges to Detroit youth, aren't you?
Kuhu Saha:
Yeah. We have been doing this work since 2012, and we have a partnership with the Jalen Rose Leadership Academy. We bring in cohorts of around 25 ninth graders every single year, and they are with us through their hopeful college graduation. So that's looking at 10 years of time, 14 to 24.
In high school, it's after school programming. We're sort of using, I would say we're doing workforce readiness program, but through the lens of entrepreneurship. We're teaching about business, design thinking, problem solving, while also pairing that with mentorship and leadership development. And allowing them to dream and think about what they want to do in their future and how they want to be contributors to their community.
Chuck Gaidica:
And Give Merit, there are other off ramps here too, for the kids, right? There's the idea of being encouraged, which is a big part of this, but you're walking alongside them. You're putting your arm proverbially or actually around somebody and saying, "Come on, let's go."
David Merritt:
Yeah. Well, for us it's how do we create platforms for young people to create their own future? So there's exposure, as Kuhu just mentioned, how do we get them to aspire and provide them the landscape to do that? Then also to believe in themselves, believe in their abilities. That they can contribute to not only themselves, but also their families and their communities. And then surrounding those young people with family.
And we say we're unified and we're here for a lifetime. That's one of our core values as an organization. So not just our staff, but for our students to know that we're not going anywhere. And so that trust is built, those relationships are built, and then it's an investment on both sides. We're investing in them, but they're also investing in us, and we're gaining just as much learning from working with them as they are from working with us.
Chuck Gaidica:
So you start seeing young people in ninth grade?
Kuhu Saha:
Mm-hmm.
Chuck Gaidica:
How quickly have you personally seen the light bulbs start to go off of them catching the idea of what you're up to and how you're helping them in life? How fast?
Kuhu Saha:
I think there are light bulbs every day.
Chuck Gaidica:
Are there? Yeah.
Kuhu Saha:
Every week, every year. I think that's the fulfilling part of this work, is that you are with them for so long. I mean, we watched them grow up, right?
Chuck Gaidica:
Yeah.
Kuhu Saha:
High school graduation comes along and I'm crying like I'm their mom, and I'm not. But I have seen such growth in that time. But I think what's wonderful. FATE is Family, Dave was talking about that, extends beyond the students. We have family type relationships with their families as well, that we're kind of walking together to see them through.
David Merritt:
And our young people get it at different points. That's the message for them. Some light bulbs come on immediately. Others, it may be six years down the road where it finally clicks for them and they finally have that confidence, or they see themselves in a different light. So it's just like having kids, you sew those seeds and some of them mature at different rates. But they still receive the same type of love and that same type of environment that fosters that ability for those seeds to grow.
Chuck Gaidica:
But isn't that the case for all of us? I mean, you think when you're young, this is the track I want to be on, and then a different light goes on and you're like, "Oh, I'm inspired by this."
But what I find interesting about what you do is this encouragement that some people dream, they forgot how to dream big dream, and they need that encouragement. Don't just take a corner of a piece of paper with your dream, take the whole sheet. But dream big dreams. And that encouragement that can come from you and your team is so critical, right?
David Merritt:
Yeah.
Kuhu Saha:
They forgot how to dream, but also there maybe isn't a community around them that's supporting that ability to dream. So I think that's what we really pride ourselves on, is that we create a safe environment for the dreaming to take place. We create environment where you can build confidence and then we stick with them.
So post high school, they're with us for four to six more years. As they're finishing a post-secondary program. As they are finding jobs. And allowing those dreams change and the same way the light bulbs hit at different times.
David Merritt:
And to fail.
Kuhu Saha:
And to fail. Absolutely.
Chuck Gaidica:
Yeah.
David Merritt:
That's fine.
Kuhu Saha:
That's fine.
Chuck Gaidica:
And again, we all relate to that, right? As we were growing up, that's not something that's so different in life. But to have a net and to have people around you to support you, not all of us had that either. So I know that there are different phases along the way from ninth grade. There's a capstone project, where does that hit? Is that when they graduate high school?
Kuhu Saha:
There's actually a capstone project every single year in high school.
Chuck Gaidica:
Oh, there is?
Kuhu Saha:
Yeah. And so David and I, in addition to our nonprofit program, we have a for-profit fashion brand that really uses product design and style to drive social impact.
Chuck Gaidica:
I see.
Kuhu Saha:
And so that serves as the backdrop to the curriculum of the program, and that's what the capstone projects are based off of. So in ninth grade, they are creating marketing and advertising campaigns for that brand merit.
In 10th grade, they're designing product collections. In 11th grade, they're planning a citywide charitable event. And then we say as they've honed these skills over those three years, they are interning for a local company in their 12th grade year.
Chuck Gaidica:
Wow. So there's a bit of a co-op idea here too, right?
Kuhu Saha:
There's a little bit.
Chuck Gaidica:
So now they're getting a different kind of input.
Kuhu Saha:
Mm-hmm.
David Merritt:
And then if they maintain the standards that we've set for them in school and out of school, they get through the FATE Program and are accepted to any post-secondary program, we offer currently up to $8,000 in college scholarship for each student that qualifies.
Chuck Gaidica:
That's awesome. And what are some of the success stories? Can you reflect on some of the alums? What stories can you tell us about what you've seen?
Kuhu Saha:
Absolutely. I have two I can tell real quick. Most recently, we have a young lady who graduated from Albion College here in Michigan, and she started college in the pandemic in 2020. It was a rough first year, as we all know, was rough for all of us in many ways. She had a particularly rough year and came home midway through the semester.
So to see that, to see her walk across the stage in 2024, in four years, and get her diploma is outstanding. So I think that's one that is fresh for me. And we were able to attend the commencement ceremony.
And then the other one is our very first class, we have a young man who came to us in ninth grade and told us that he wanted to direct horror films. It was his dream. Strange dream to me, but it was great that he had that dream. He similarly graduated college in the pandemic in 2020 and decided, "I'm not going to let anything stop me." And moved to LA.
And started working for the talent agency, started making connections. He's currently working in booking and contracts in Atlanta for one of the big theater houses, but he's in the industry. He's doing the thing. It's amazing.
Chuck Gaidica:
So do you feel like proud parents with these young people? Is that really, you started off kind of talking that way, and how tears come to your eyes? Do you look at these kids and think, "Yeah, I help there."
David Merritt:
I mean, yes. I just think it's that relationship, whether it's a parent or not, just for them to know that we are constantly here and available for that support. And as Kuhu just mentioned, our success stories are happening every day.
Our students are facing life challenges that they're already persisting. They persist every single day that they continue and they don't quit, coming from where they come from and the family situations and the environments that they've been challenged with. And so we try to also give the message to our students, it's not necessarily just graduating college, it's not necessarily having this four-year plan, and you stick to that plan, and that's the only way we deem success. We deem you a success right now.
And so I think that perspective encourages them. We have students that may have went to school and they're now back at home, but they're mentoring in our program. They're now mentoring students that were in the same seats that they sat in. So they may not be where they want to be, but they're still contributing back to someone else's life and success.
Chuck Gaidica:
And I know there's some exciting news about a Merit Park, right? What is that?
Kuhu Saha:
Yeah. We, for the last seven years have been working on this project. So it really came out of the fact that we wanted to do more in many ways. And that we were in a neighborhood that in many ways, folks had forgotten about in the City of Detroit and had been neglected like many of the neighborhoods in the city of Detroit.
And so we said, "How could we scale our work?" How could we take the work that we've done, what we've learned about youth development, and turn it into something that could impact the city at large, this neighborhood specifically? And so that's where Merit Park was born.
Chuck Gaidica:
And what will it be?
David Merritt:
We are deeming it a holistic life skills and fitness training center. It includes some outdoor free play areas, which has an obstacle course. Instead of doing a 40 yard dash, in a nod to Detroit, we're doing a 31.3 yard dash. So these are just activities that are without coaches or leagues. How do we just get kids to be active and want to play? And so both of those activities come time, so they'll be able to race their friends and their family.
We have a splash pad. It contains a miniature turf field where we can even expose young people to lacrosse and soccer. A shipping container area that's going to be activated with food, beverage, and retail. We also have, one of the containers will be a dedicated teaching kitchen. So being able to bring in chefs and interact with young people and families. And how can we even make healthier meals at home?
And then a gymnasium, which we consider to be a miniature arena. And so it's going to be packed with some incredible technology. And so sport and play and health and wellness is the key, and I think the main driver. But for us, it's that draw for us to then do what we do best, and that's program.
And so those workforce development opportunities are going to be available. You can imagine us having the best high school basketball game on a Friday night, but through our training programs, young people have been able to shadow professionals in broadcasting, audio-video engineering, social media marketing, sponsorship.
So it eventually becomes this element where young people are trained. They're putting their skills out into the real world, they're being paid, and hopefully that's going to better prepare them for school and their careers.
Chuck Gaidica:
Awesome stuff. So how do people get in touch with you if they want to support what's going on with Give Merit?
Kuhu Saha:
So if you want to learn more about the park, we've got a website MeritPark.com. It's M-E-R-I-T Park.com. And then our organization website is GiveMerit.org.
Chuck Gaidica:
Beautiful. Good to see both of you.
Kuhu Saha:
Good to see you.
Chuck Gaidica:
Thanks for the inspiration for our day today as well.
David Merritt:
Thank you so much for having us.
Kuhu Saha:
Thank you.
David Merritt:
David Merit, who's the Board Chair, and Kuhu Saha, who's the Executive Director of Give Merit.
Thanks for listening to a Healthier Michigan podcast, brought to you by Blue Cross, Blue Shield of Michigan. If you like our show and you want to know more, check us out at AHealthierMichigan.org/podcast. Or you can leave us a review or rating on Apple Podcast or Spotify. To get new episodes on your smartphone or tablet, be sure to subscribe to us on Apple Podcast, Spotify, or your favorite podcast app.
