If you weren’t there, you missed out (Matt Newman has the recap).
Thursday night was buzzing. It was the NxMW event featuring a TechStars vs.YCombinator panel, with Jeff Epstein (of Zferral/Ambassador, TechStars alum) and Zach Steindler (of Olark, YCombinator Alum). The afterparty was at Sava’s in Ann Arbor.
I have to admit that I got an outsider’s perspective on what was going on because I didn’t even arrive to the event until 9:45, after the panel had finished and the party well underway.
Later that night, though, I came home, went to bed, and stared at the ceiling.
I couldn’t sleep. Ugh.
You know that feeling, right? It was one of those long nights when you’ve worked and played all day but you lie awake and you’re not sure why.
“Maybe it was the music or all of the pretty girls,” I thought as I got up to get another snack.
All the Pretty Girls
This afternoon, though, I realized why I had a difficult time going to sleep. I realized it was neither the loud music nor the pretty girls…okay, maybe the girls had something to do with it.
You want to know what it was?
It was us…it was Detroit.
And I realized that I was home.
All About Perspective
As you may know, I just moved back into the Metro area from Lansing. As excited as I was to be moving back into the Metro area again, I have to confess that my dream of moving to Florida almost became a reality. I was ready to pack my bags, leave the family, and live on the beach. After all, I’m a 20-something bachelor free to do what I want, so why not go live on the beach?
I don’t know what I wanted to find there. More pretty girls I guess.
No. Instead I decided to stay, because a few months ago a group of guys from Detroit with a passion for Michigan and a passion for people saw a nobody-blogger like me, reached out, and have been bending over backwards ever since to help me win and succeed at what I love.
That realization, that sense of community and of home, and seeing all of us- all of the Detroit startup community- last night together in a room was exhilirating. Even when I arrived late there was a massive line out the door!
Who We Are
We are especially unique as the Detroit startup community because each of us in the community are so different. I am a blogger, not a developer of any sort. And last night I met other bloggers, photographers, entrepreneurs, app developers, students, and employees. We were young, old, black, white, Catholic, atheist and everything in between.
We are all so different and yet we all belonged. Nobody was really out of place.
I also realized that we’re real people who care about each others ventures. Heck- we’re from Michigan after all. We have the reputation of being one of the states with the kindest and friendliest citizens.
Lastly, last night I experienced a community that not only tolerates newcomers, but rather, bends over backwards to help anybody succeed at making Michigan the best place to live all the while making each of our dreams become a reality.
That’s bigger than me and my blog. That’s bigger than you and your business. That’s something I want to be a part of.
Spread the Message
If that’s who we are, then we’re winning. It’s the most exciting thing since the news broke that twitter is moving into town.
Because no matter who you are, what your dreams are, what you want to succeed at, we in Detroit have a message for you:
Come to Detroit where you have a startup community that is eager to help you.
Come to Detroit where you will find financial, business, and personal success blossoming.
Come to Detroit where you will find home.
That’s the place I want. That’s the community I want to be a part of. That’s the place I want to call home.
Give me Detroit.
About Ryan Eggenberger
Ryan Eggenberger is a Michigan-based blogger and connector. Ryan enjoys helping aspiring entrepreneurs create concrete plans of action to achieve their business goals. You can follow Ryan on Twitter @ryaneggenberger.
