As we enter into another month of summer, many individuals are filling their free time with vacations, days on the lake, and gaining different types of work experience. For us ‘Summer Fellows’ here at 100K Ideas, our summer days have consisted of projects, new ideas, and different experiences that will benefit our futures both personally and professionally.
We have learned, developed, and practiced skills, such as communication, leadership, and teamwork, all of which will benefit our future endeavors. These skills were also applied to two main projects we completed here. As part of our individual project, we were each able to carry our own entrepreneurial idea through the 100K process and learn what it takes to bring a concept to life. Additionally, we collaborated to create a 100K merch item, where we used the “think, make, market” process to create a product that will assist other entrepreneurs to further their idea development. *More on this idea below!
These past few weeks, we were also exposed to the many features of creativity and vision that lie in the city of Flint. Flint is filled with small businesses, innovative minds, and places to make a dream a reality. Kady Yellow, director of placemaking here in Flint, gave us a mural tour around the city, showing us the many different types of art that fill the walls surrounding us. She explained that artists all over the country travel to Flint to participate in the Public Art Project that lives here. Flint is truly a city of culture, diversity, and originality.
Through our fellowship, we were also given a chance to give back and help out the Flint community by collaborating with “The Porch Project”. This organization, led by Megan Heyza, focuses on beautifying and providing external home improvements for Flint residents. As 100K fellows, we were given the opportunity to paint Flint residents’ porches and improve the longevity of residents’ homes. This experience not only beautified Flint homes, but also showed us the unique power that porches have in creating a gateway to strong networks within the neighborhood, and furthermore, the Flint community.
During our summer at 100K, we also met with various professionals who educated us on their careers that lied in many different segments of the business industry. They provided advice to each of us on ways to better ourselves as individuals and further our careers. One incredible piece of advice came from Bernadette Johnson, who taught us about the “2% rule”. This rule highlights the idea that all people have ambitions, but only 2% have the courage to take risks and fail in order to make their goals a reality.
We also learned from Isha Siddiqui, who taught us about the impact of art and how it can be used to tell a story. This goes in tandem with what we learned from Kady Yellow, who taught us about the cultural significance of murals in Flint. Looking back on our fellowship, it is truly amazing how much we have learned over the last eight weeks.
We are soon nearing the end of our fellowship, but before we go, we want to leave something meaningful behind. Most of us fellows came from cities outside of Flint, and to enter into a city that is filled with creative and impactful entrepreneurs has been so meaningful. From having little entrepreneurial experience during the first few weeks, we have now been given the knowledge to help us slowly begin to think about developing our own ideas. This is how our group has come to create The Entrepreneur Journal. This journal will help inspire and assist other local entrepreneurs in planning their idea and furthering the development of their product or service. Whether your idea is just getting started or is currently in development, The Entrepreneur Journal will be a product that helps make your journey easier, more organized, and more creative. The journals will soon make their way to the “Shoppes on Saginaw”, so stay tuned for updates on the 100K Ideas social, and please come stop by and support!
