In our time at ProsperUS this summer, Prath and I have been involved in a variety of projects, all of which, to some extent, impact the Detorit community. The most central project of our summer has been our Storytelling project. Each week, we reach out to and meet with a handful of entrepreneurs who have used ProsperUS’s services to interview and photograph them. We have been meeting with, interviewing, learning from, and photographing hand-picked entrepreneurs who have used ProsperUS loans, technical assistance, and/or have completed the earn and learn, 5-month, entrepreneur training class. The goals of the project include promoting ProsperUS’s services—specifically loans and technical assistance—and to give online support the entrepreneurs’ highlighted business. From Walter, an entrepreneur who created an all-natural formula to help aid in reducing symptoms of autism, to Jennifer, a small-business self-starter who created a “lemon butta pie” company based on her grandmother’s recipe, our interviews have varied in topic, length (10 minutes to an hour plus), and depth. Overall, I have truly enjoyed getting to know why entrepreneurs have started their own businesses: either out of need, situation, passion, or for most just their “entrepreneurial nature.”
In terms of the impact of this project and what I’m doing for the city of Detroit, I think that the answer is relatively intangible and almost impossible to quantify. I’ll never know the measurable difference I made through this project, but I can attempt to postulate positive results. First, ProsperUS’s Facebook and website presence will grow and reach more people, hopefully, to contact more potential entrepreneurs who have an idea and want to grow it, but need help. Second, it will help the entrepreneurs spotlighted on their online presence and outreach overall. Third, I believe that not only will it help highlight the entrepreneur’s business, but in our conversation with them, they must practice their pitching, interview, and conversational skills for future interviews on their company. Fourth, and lastly, I think visitors of the Facebook page and ProsperUS website will be able to feel as though they’re hearing from the entrepreneurs, due to the direct quotations as well as the photo pairing. I think this will inspire a slew of random, online visitors to start thinking about potentially opening their own business, take action on the dream they’ve had for years, and hopefully reach out to ProsperUS for help in getting a few steps closer to fulfilling goals and enriching their community.
In terms of the impact of this project and what I’m doing for the city of Detroit, I think that the answer is relatively intangible and almost impossible to quantify. I’ll never know the measurable difference I made through this project, but I can attempt to postulate positive results. First, ProsperUS’s Facebook and website presence will grow and reach more people, hopefully, to contact more potential entrepreneurs who have an idea and want to grow it, but need help. Second, it will help the entrepreneurs spotlighted on their online presence and outreach overall. Third, I believe that not only will it help highlight the entrepreneur’s business, but in our conversation with them, they must practice their pitching, interview, and conversational skills for future interviews on their company. Fourth, and lastly, I think visitors of the Facebook page and ProsperUS website will be able to feel as though they’re hearing from the entrepreneurs, due to the direct quotations as well as the photo pairing. I think this will inspire a slew of random, online visitors to start thinking about potentially opening their own business, take action on the dream they’ve had for years, and hopefully reach out to ProsperUS for help in getting a few steps closer to fulfilling goals and enriching their community.
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