Welcome back to our "Meet Our Members" series! In June, we introduced you to Devon Roof owner/operator of Epic Blue Media and Belle Row Boutique. This week, we're excited to shine the spotlight on another incredible member of the Lean Rocket Lab community. Join us as we discover Michigan Tribe's entrepreneurial journey, learn about their inspiring projects, and more.
Introduction
Welcome, Lean Rocket Lab members! Today, we're thrilled to introduce you to Amanda Loveland and Alex Masten, the co-leaders of a remarkable organization: Michigan Tribe.
The Story Behind Michigan Tribe
Michigan Tribe was formed after a group of six Jackson based female friends started meeting monthly to discuss their business ventures. We would meet around a coffee table with wine and snacks and ask two simple questions, "what are you working on," and, "what can we do to help?" After a year of supporting each other through the ups, downs, opens, and closures of our businesses, we decided to invite other women to join us. Our first public meeting took place in February 2019 at Lean Rocket Lab, shortly after they opened. The attendees agreed that the meeting was valuable to their business journeys, and we continued to invite the public throughout the next year. When the ticket sales became significant enough, Alex (one of our co-leaders) suggested that we give the money away in the form of micro-grants to the women we served. That required us to file for 501c3 status, and five years later, we're giving away more than $100,000 to female entrepreneurs and women business owners throughout Jackson County.
Describe a pivotal experience that altered your career or business trajectory, how you discovered this opportunity, and the lessons you learned.
Amanda, our Founder, ran an online school for entrepreneurs. When she was closing that business down, a friend in town asked her to lead a business workshop, to which she declined but offered to just hang out and talk business with anyone who wanted to attend (which ended up being our first unofficial Michigan Tribe meeting). The mastermind process that we now use in Michigan Tribe events is the same process she used when running the online school for entrepreneurs, but the organization is built as a volunteer run nonprofit organization, which makes the experience far more fulfilling than the business she once led.
Describe your hope for the future of your business.
We hope to continue to support female entrepreneurs and women business owners in our community through resources, connections and funding. Our greatest hope is that Jackson, Michigan becomes a destination for female entrepreneurs to start and grow their business.
Let us know how the Lean Rocket Lab community can keep in touch with Michigan Tribe.
The best place to stay up to date is on our email list (sign up at michigantribe.com)...that is where we share upcoming event and grant information. You can also find us on Instagram and Facebook @michigantribe.
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