PR/Marketing

Downtown Ann Arbor’s re:group sees steady growth

Ann Arbor's re:group deals with a lot of new economy business model like brand development and social media, but it depends on an old school business model to grow its own business.The downtown-based firm focuses on growing its client base and existing business relationships. That led to landing a number of new clients (the latest is Health Plus of Michigan), pumping up its revenue 10 percent over last year as well as adding two people to its staff of 20 (and an intern)."It's been a big year for us for business development," says Carey Jernigan, vice president of business development for re:group. "There are a lot of people out there looking for new resources. There is a lot of proposal activity out there." Jernigan expects that growth to continue for the near term, and hopes to hire a few more within the next year. The key to that growth for the 7-year-old marketing firm is continue to focus on the basics of taking care of clients and welcoming more into the fold.Source: Carey Jernigan, vice president of business development for re:groupWriter: Jon Zemke

ICON Creative Technologies grows staff in Ann Arbor

There is a reason ICON Creative Technologies Group is moving into a bigger space, mainly to accommodate the new hiring its doing right now.The Ann Arbor-based firm super sized from its old downtown digs to the former second home for the Ann Arbor Art Center just outside of downtown. That nearly tripling of space is allowing the company to continue to hire. It recently brought two more people to its payroll and plans to hire more soon."The more business we bring in the more we will hire," says Jennifer Peak, a spokeswoman for ICON Creative Technologies Group.  The 14-year-old Internet firm now employs 27 people around the world, including with people in as far away as Germany and as close as Northern Michigan. It's Ann Arbor contingent measures out to 20 people. It hopes to hit 60 people within the next five years.ICON Creative Technologies Group is an interactive marketing agency focusing on Internet marketing. Its 60-some clients include firms in the bio-tech, automotive and service industries.Source: Jennifer Peak, a spokeswoman for ICON Creative Technologies GroupWriter: Jon Zemke

Forbes names University of Michigan one of America’s Best Colleges

Innosynth plans to turn Ann Arbor base into 15 jobs

Dante Bishop has some big plans for his start-up - Innosynth Technologies.The one-year-old firm employs three people now in Ann Arbor SPARK's downtown business incubator. But he expects employment to shoot up dramatically within the next year, as he plans to hire up to 15 people."I see our growth as being tremendous in terms of potential," Bishop says.Innosynth (a combo of the words innovative and synthesis) Tech specializes in creating social networking software as a service for internal communities. Think businesses, non-profits and other large organizations. It does everything from content management to running blogs and other forms of social media outlets.Bishop is confident in this idea because he used to work in a similar unit for his old employer. He sees a large market opening up for companies looking to find ways to more efficiently facilitate communication with their employees.Source: Dante Bishop, president of Innosynth TechnologiesWriter: Jon Zemke

MASTERMIND: Peter Sickman-Garner

"Connecting the dots" for Zingerman's community of businesses by day, depicting the earthly adventures of Satan and Jesus by night, marketing manager and comic book artist Pete Sickman-Garner could be the new Wallace Stevens — only funnier.

Ann Arbor’s MyBandStock.com opens local music to local investors

Many music entrepreneurs try to go the Berry Gordy route of making it in the biz: Start an independent label, sign acts, tour, sell records, repeat. The dozen or so people behind Ann Arbor's MyBandStock.com look at things from a slightly different view point.MyBandStock.com's motto is to give music back to the people who are passionate about it: the artists and their fans. It does that by letting customers buy stock in the bands they like through their website. Think of it as viral grassroots funding."This is a business but it's not all about making money," says Taylor Hulyk, director of public relations for MyBandStock.com. "This is us out there to help spread the music. MyBandStock.com wants to put the focus back on the music. We want to give the power of the music back to the people who love it."Right now there are 11 active young people (and a few more behind-the-scenes investors) getting the website and its accompanying web-based community off the ground. The founders are all Michigan-based people who went to the likes of University of Michigan, University of Michigan-Dearborn and Michigan State University.They all work from their own virtual office (i.e. laptop) where they continue to labor away on their passion – music. Right now that's all about their local music scene, but they have big plans on growing that."We hope to expand regionally in the next year and nationally after that," Hulyk says. "It's going to be a slow process."Source: Taylor Hulyk, director of public relations for MyBandStock.comWriter: Jon Zemke

Ann Arbor’s Published Daily boot straps for growth

The seven people behind Published Daily aren't just trying to make noise with their fledgling start-up. They're trying to make relevant noise.Published Daily offers a customizable service to create online magazines, newsletters, and marketing service that costs about $1 a day. This will help their customers relay relevant information in a timely manner in a world filled with too much information. The idea is to help professionals generate more referral business. "Every other service we’ve seen is focused on just content, or just newsletter templates, and the users are forced to spend more time and money in order to get their desired result," says Gibran Nicholas, chairman of Published Daily.The seven member staff (there is also one intern) all have an equal share in the company. This self-funding allowed the company to get off the ground and move forward without things like angel investors or venture capital. The firm hopes to take in $500,000-$1 million in revenue this year.Source: Gibran Nicholas, chairman of Published DailyWriter: Jon Zemke

Saline’s DesignHub wins two awards, adds 1 new employee

DesignHub isn't trying to set the world on fire with rocketing growth. In fact the Saline-based firm is happy staying at about the same size it is today."We've always planned to stay relatively small," says Chris Kochmanski, a partner with DesignHub. "The three partners are between 45-55 years old so we're not trying to conquer the world or anything."That doesn't mean the creative service and marketing firm isn't growing. It added another employee last year, so its head count hits five employees and one independent contractor. It might add another person in the near future, but Kochmanski sees the company barely breaking into the double-digit employee ranks, despite its growing track record.DesignHub is celebrating its 10th year. The firm gets most of its work through website development, the rest comes from things like creating brochures. Source: Chris Kochmanski, partner with DesignHubWriter: Jon Zemke

MEDC looks for firms to spearhead tourism, biz marketing campaigns

The Michigan Economic Development Corp spends most of its time helping local businesses, but now it's looking for help from local businesses.The MEDC is searching for an advertising agency or two to run the state's tourism and business development activities. And it will give preference to companies that have a significant business presence in Michigan.Those interested can bid on one or both campaigns, but must submit different proposals if applying for both. Tourism applicants must prepare media budgets of $20 million, $30 million and $40 million. Business development budgets must be $5 million, $7.5 million and $10 million.Proposals are due at 5 p.m. March 30 at the MEDC's offices in Lansing. For information, click here or send an email to contracts&grants@michigan.orgSource: Bridget Beckman, spokeswoman for the Michigan Economic Development CorpWriter: Jon Zemke