Innovation & Job News

Vision Computer Solutions practically doubled its staff over the last year, prompting the IT firm to move to a bigger office in downtown Northville.

The 18-year-old firm has expanded its staff to 11 employees after bringing four more people onboard in the last 12 months. Two of those hires happened this month with the addition of a marketing professional and systems engineer. They are now in the company's 3,000-square-foot office, which is three times the size of its old headquarters.

"We knew we were going to have to find a bigger spot," says Peter Marsack, vice president of consulting for Vision Computer Solutions. "The need hit us quicker than expected."

Vision Computer Solutions specializes in providing IT services for small-to-medium-size businesses, primarily in Metro Detroit. It has enjoyed 25 percent revenue growth over each of the last four years, a streak Marsack calls both "very good" and "consistent and predictable."

"We really have found our vertical in small businesses under 100 employees in southeast Michigan," Marsack says. "We have really branded ourselves as the small business technology experts."

Source: Peter Marsack, vice president of consulting for Vision Computer Solutions
Writer: Jon Zemke

Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

American Hydrostatics has moved to a bigger facility in Sterling Heights, allowing the automotive supplier to continue expanding its staff at an aggressive clip.

The 30-year-old business has hired seven people in the last year with most of the hires coming in the control engineering, electrical engineering and skilled trades areas. Its staff now sits at 20 people and the company expects to double its employee base this year thanks to its new home, which is three times as big as its previous home.

"We couldn't find a space as big as ours in Troy for the price we're paying in Sterling Heights," says Sri Bramadesam, principal of American Hydrostatics.

American Hydrostatics, a minority-owned firm, provides industrial automation, maintenance, repair and operations (MRO) distribution services, controls engineering, field service, maintenance, and engineering services. It recently landed a $1 million investment from Delta Asset Advisors.

American Hydrostatics plans to work with local community colleges and technical institutes to find the 20-25 hires it expects to make this year. Bramadesam sees this expansion as an opportunity to replenish the local manufacturing talent pool that was significantly drained in the most recent economic downturn that bankrupted a lot of automotive suppliers like his.

"We navigated through it," Bramadesam says. "We emerged much stronger."

Source: Sri Bramadesam, principal of American Hydrostatics
Writer: Jon Zemke

Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

L’esprit Academy, a cosmetology school, is opening a second education center in downtown Royal Oak, a move that helped the company double its workforce over the last year.

The 9-year-old business now employs 20 people after hiring 10 over the last year. It also has about half a dozen open positions now, mostly for administrative areas. It currently has six people working in downtown Royal Oak and expects to double that staff there by the end of the year.

The Livonia-based business choose downtown Royal Oak because of its location in Oakland County and because its urban setting is a nice contrast to its suburban-style headquarters. Plus, downtown Royal Oak is attractive because it has lots of energy, is a trendsetter and is home to a large concentration of creatives.

"It seemed like a natural fit on an aesthetic level," says Stacy Wells, CEO of L’esprit Academy.

L'espirit Academy has enjoyed high growth in recent years because of the staying power of the industry (hair stylist jobs can't be outsourced to India) and the flexibility it provides to its workforce (working moms can do this part-time on their schedule). Wells also points out cosmetology can be a more cost-effective career compared to getting a professional degree at a traditional university.

"People are getting four-year degrees and $150,000 in debt and still don't have a job," Wells says. "We find a lot of people who have either done a year or two of college or have graduated and can't find a job."

Source: Stacy Wells, CEO of L’esprit Academy
Writer: Jon Zemke

Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

A couple of buzzwords are driving growth for RazorThreat: "insider threat."

The downtown Pontiac-based IT security firm has found the biggest need from its customers comes from combating and preventing insider threats. RazorThreat defines insider threats as credentialed employees that have gone rogue or malware that have invaded a company's network and are propagating unnoticed inside it.

"It's really now about the insider threat, whether it comes from a nation state or a rogue employee," says Greg Guidice, president & CEO of RazorThreat. "It's about protecting your high-value assets."

Guidice declines to specifically say how much the company has grown or how many hires it has made. He did say that it has grown its revenue significantly in 2012 and expects to do so again this year. The company has made a couple of new hires, expanding its staff to six employees and three interns.

He adds that there isn't a trend of specific sectors of business that is driving the demand to combat insider threats. Rather, it's businesses and organizations from across the digital spectrum.

"It's really across the board," Guidice says. "It's from the federal government to small-and medium-size businesses. Everyone has intellectual capital."

Source: Greg Guidice, president & CEO of RazorThreat
Writer: Jon Zemke

Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

Doeren Mayhew is one of Metro Detroit's recognized growing firms because it's expanding outside of the Great Lakes State.

The Troy-based CPA agency, founded in 1932, had become one of the largest CPA firms with its workforce centered in one location until it began expanding its footprint in recent years. It has now begun expanding into other markets, merging with Houston-based MFR, P.C. last year. It also opened an office in Florida.

"That has been a major growth strategy for us," says Taryne Spirovski, director of marketing for Doeren Mayhew. "Our clients are not standing still in Michigan. We need to grow with them."

That strategy has allowed Doeren Mayhew to achieve a ranking of 67th among the top 100 accounting, tax and business consulting firms in the United States by Accounting Today. The rankings are based on annual revenue size. Doeren Mayhew continued to grow thanks to its mergers, which increased the firm's annual revenue by 14 percent.

That has also allowed the company to expand its workforce. The recent mergers have brought 50 new people to the company's payroll. It now employs 250 people, including 200 in Troy.

Source: Taryne Spirovski, director of marketing for Doeren Mayhew
Writer: Jon Zemke

Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

Step one for Eric van der Meulen after his layoff from corporate America a few years ago: create his own job by starting Q'vive. Done. Step two: how best to grow beyond a one-man operation. That's one of those good problems he is still trying to figure out.

"I have been thinking about how to multiply myself," van der Meulen says. "At some point I will be bringing someone on."

The mechanical engineer launched his Wixom-based consulting business four years ago and has turned it into his full-time job and then some. The firm specializes in everything from consulting and training companies to new product development.

Q'vive has recently taken on teaching work at Schoolcraft College’s Continuing Education and Professional Development department. The company is offering, through Schoolcraft College, two new shorter courses to prepare students for the exams to get certification in Project Management Profession and Certified Associate in Project Management.

"This is a real exciting development," van der Meulen says. He adds that he expects to add his first employee later this year to deal with the increasing workload.

Source: Eric van der Meulen, president & owner of Q'vive
Writer: Jon Zemke

Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

There is no silver-bullet strategy to GraphiColor Exhibits' growth. The Livonia-based company has watched its business improve thanks to a broad range of factors.

New trends of digital media become more affordable for clients, check. Better search-engine optimization work for its online brand, check. More social media to keep its name out there, check.

"It's never any one thing," says Anita Mitzel, president of GraphiColor Exhibits. "It's always a series of things."

The 29-year-old company specializes in creating trade show displays and organizing corporate events. It has enjoyed steady growth that has allowed it to expand its staff to seven employees and the occasional intern. It currently has one open position for a sales and marketing professional which will help the firm handle its larger client base.

"We have more sales inquiries than ever before," Mitzel says. "We are redesigning our website to become more effective with it."

Source: Anita Mitzel, president of GraphiColor Exhibits
Writer: Jon Zemke

Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

Promoshop is expanding its presence in Metro Detroit and Windsor with new hires on both sides of the Detroit River.

The Los Angeles-based company specializes in merchandising and marketing services for small and large businesses. It opened its office in Royal Oak five years ago and has grown it to five people after making three hires over the last year. It is also looking for an intern. Its Windsor office also stands at five people.

"We're in pretty strong growth phases, not only in this area but across the country," says Jennifer Lindsey Cooper, account manager for Promoshop.

Promoshop has some well-known local name brands on its client list, including the likes of Chrysler and Faygo. Lindsey Cooper expects that sort of local representation to continue to expand in 2013 as customers look to leverage the firm's expertise and other assets.

"We're also a minority-owned company," Lindsey Cooper says. "There has been a lot of strong growth in that area, too."

Source: Jennifer Lindsey Cooper, account manager for Promoshop
Writer: Jon Zemke

Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

Bischer Technologies is one of those relatively new companies that hit the ground running from its onset and hasn't looked back since.

The Clinton Township-based IT business has doubled its revenue each year since its founding five years ago. That has allowed it to grow from three employees to a staff of 10 people today. It's also looking at adding an intern this summer.

Bischer Technologies provides network management and systems technology integration services in the IT sector. Its business has always come from customer referrals but the company is looking to take a more proactive approach in 2013, recently hiring a business development professional.

"I want to drive and bring on additional clients that are not referral-based," says Doug Verkeyn, director of business development for Bischer Technologies.

Verkeyn expects this more aggressive growth strategy will let the firm expand faster than it has in its first few years. He also expects the firm's customer base to remain diverse. Bischer Technologies currently services a broad range of small-to-medium-sized businesses, from food manufacturers to tech firms.

Source: Doug Verkeyn, director of business development for Bischer Technologies
Writer: Jon Zemke

Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

Allison & Taylor is one of those intriguing companies to watch if you want some clues about what direction the economy is heading.

The Rochester-based firm checks the references for corporations and individuals. For instance, Allison & Taylor will check the past work references of people looking to land a new job. Since the recession hit a few years ago, it has been handling work for the newly unemployed.

Today it's a combination of that workset and people who are employed and looking to climb the next rung of the career ladder. Those people are often the types who have been employed at the same job during the recession and looking to make the next step up, or to pay their bills took a job for which they were overqualified.

"Many of these people are looking for jobs that are more in their skill set," says Jeff Shane, executive vice president of Allison & Taylor.

Another growing part of the company is its cease-and-desist letter service. If Allison & Taylor finds that a former employer is giving a subpar reference, its attorney will send a letter asking that person to stop making the recommendation or face legal action.

"The cease-and-desist letter service demand has been strong in the last two to three years," Shane says.

Source: Jeff Shane, executive vice president of Allison & Taylor
Writer: Jon Zemke

Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

Cirrus Group has found its niche providing back-end software for school districts and after-school programs and is growing across North America.

The Rochester Hills-based business' software is now being used in a majority of states in the U.S. and parts of Canada. The company has watched its revenue grow 70 percent over the last year, which has allowed it to hire two software programmers, expanding its staff to 10 people.

"We have plans to hire a couple more," says Michael Garrett, COO of Cirrus Group. "We're also doubling our space and moving into a suite."

Cirrus Group's principal product is software that handles operational, financial and customer management functions for child-care facilities, community centers and school districts. The platform manages enrollment, participant payments and communications, scheduling and government compliancy requirements including state and local subsidy payments and food care programs.

"We're one of the only software companies in our area that handles the subsidy payment of before- and after-school care," Garrett says.

Most of the 10-year-old company's growth has come from school districts and after-school programs outside of Michigan. Garrett expects that to continue as more and more school programs look to leverage the firm's flexible platform.

"The last three years have been our highest-growth years," Garrett says.

Source: Michael Garrett, COO of Cirrus Group
Writer: Jon Zemke

Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

Red Point Engineering made the move from Silicon Valley to Metro Detroit last year to take advantage of the region's talent pool and depth of resources in the automotive sector.

The nearly 10-year-old company specializes in advanced electric vehicle technologies and electric drivetrain development and integration. It choose to move to Auburn Hills because of the municipality's proximity to automotive suppliers and I-75.

"It (the city of Auburn Hills) has been very friendly and helpful to us so we can get started," says Monica Kedzierski, business development director of Red Point Engineering.

Kedzierski declined to publicly disclose the size of Red Point Engineering's workforce because of competition concerns, but did note that it has been growing since landing in Metro Detroit. It is constantly on the lookout for engineers in the software, electrical and powertrain fields.

"We're going to need to expand," Kedzierski says. "We will need a larger building to fulfill our customer requirements and scale the business."

Source: Monica Kedzierski, business development director of Red Point Engineering
Writer: Jon Zemke

Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

The Great Recession hit IPS Technology Services hard, winnowing its revenues to frightening levels in 2009. But that sort of challenge only set up the Troy-based IT firm for a comeback bigger than the company's leadership could ever imagine.

The 10-year-old firm tripled its revenues within two years. Then it quadrupled that number, putting it solidly into seven-figure territory. The company also hired eight people over the last year, expanding its business to 25 employees.

"We got a couple of huge contracts and some big clients we won over," says Pradip Sengupta, president & CEO of IPS Technology Services.

The company also expanded into staffing, sending new employees to other companies in the IT and engineering fields. It is also growing its work in the mobile sector and handling more clients in healthcare.

"We are poised for growth because mobile is one of the biggest things out there," Sengupta says.

Source: Pradip Sengupta, president & CEO of IPS Technology Services
Writer: Jon Zemke

Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

Lots of businesses bill themselves as servicing the small-to-medium-sized business sector, claiming it's their sweet spot. High Level Marketing is quickly growing a business from that claim in Farmington Hills.

The 6-year-old Internet marketing firm has watched its revenue spike 74 percent over the last year. It has also doubled its staff, hiring seven people. It now has a staff of 13 employees and is looking at adding interns. That growth has also prompted the company to expand its office space, doubling it to 3,000 square feet.

High Level Marketing specializes in website design and search engine optimization. Its bread and butter is helping local businesses that once relied on the likes of the Yellow Pages to draw in new business to instead create a professional Internet presence that is easily searchable.

"A lot of our clients find us through referrals," says Wesley Mathews, president of sales & CFO for High Level Marketing. "We don't do a lot of extra marketing."

Mathews expects High Level Marketing to keep growing at a rapid clip in 2013, bumping up its revenue at 50 percent or more. He also says his firm is continuing to expand its staff and is always looking for good sales professionals, website designers and programmers.

Source: Wesley Mathews, president of sales & CFO for High Level Marketing
Writer: Jon Zemke

Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

Basso Design Group is one of those companies that has consistently enjoyed success in its 10 years of business.

"We have had the good fortune of every year being the best year for us, but 2012 was a break-out year," says Dan Santonocito, managing partner & co-founder of Basso Design Group.

The Troy-based firm has traditionally done website design and Internet marketing work for some significant Michigan-based businesses. It expanded on that list over the last year, launching the redesigned websites for Genesee County and Flint. It has also done work for the Woodward Dream Cruise and Autorama.com.

All that new work nearly doubled the integrated marketing firm company's revenue. It also hired three people, including a website developer, designer and project manager. It now has a staff of 15 people and is looking to add a social media director.

Santonocito expects that sort of aggressive growth curve to continue this year. Basso Design Group plans to continue to recruit more well-known Michigan brand names to its client base to help grow its bottom line.

Source: Dan Santonocito, managing partner & co-founder of Basso Design Group
Writer: Jon Zemke

Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.