Has the prospect of launching your own business got you tongue-tied? Mike Teshuba, CTO of language learning software provider Mango Languages, gives talking points on building start-ups – and warns us about the non-starters.
Post 1: Why Aren't There More Companies Like Mango Languages in Detroit?
Posted By: Mike Teshuba
Posted: 5/19/2011
Detroit is a city with many great accomplishments and offers a lot to be proud of, from the automotive industry to Motown to the many sports teams at home that bring a lot of pride to our city every year.
It is commonly known that Detroit is not without its problems. One being the image that it has and how it affects attracting and retaining young talent. Another being that we are predominantly dominated by the automotive industry that has been struggling to regain its foothold in the American economy.
Being a native born Detroiter and a business owner for almost ten years, I have had the pleasure to meet a lot of great, creative, and innovative minds that live in our city. I have also had the pleasure to see a lot of people that care and are working to breathe new life back into Detroit.
Unfortunately one thing that stands out the most to me is that there is only a small number of businesses that I know of like ours around the Metro Detroit area. Our company is called Mango Languages. We are a young and vibrant self-study language-learning software company that is changing the face of the language learning industry. We are employing talented people who are mixing cutting edge research and software development technologies to build the best language learning products available.
There is a real opportunity here in Detroit for intelligent people to step up as leaders and to develop innovative businesses that are driving the new economy – businesses that have a culture that entices young talent to build their lives and careers here in Detroit. Maybe you are asking yourself right now, "Could I be one of these leaders?", "How would I do that?", or "How can I contribute and create a nice living for myself here in Detroit?", or, "This sounds like it might be my calling."
In conclusion, the movement to rebuild, revitalize, and rebrand Detroit has already begun. I believe that innovative businesses, businesses that are really making a difference to mold the direction of the world and businesses that have a culture that attracts and retains young energized talent will be an essential component of the revitalization of Detroit as a whole.
Stay tuned for my post tomorrow that talks about starting your own business!