The Jeremiah Project
The Jeremiah Project is a micro-grant based collaboration between FlintSOUP and First Presbyterian Church of Flint.
This initiative is focused on welcoming, assisting, funding, and walking alongside small businesses trying to get started in Flint.
Why? Because the Scripture tells us to “seek the welfare of the city” into which we have been sent (Jeremiah 29). Learn more of our vision by watching the video.
Flint SOUP
Flint SOUP is a monthly dinner funding micro-grants for creative startups in Flint, Michigan. Flint SOUP as an opportunity to expand community engagement by having our diners participate
Click the image to play a video about Flint SOUP
FAQs
-
The Jeremiah Project is a micro-grant based collaboration between FlintSOUP and First Presbyterian Church of Flint.
As a church, we seek to provide financial assistance, access to resources, and business mentorships for small-business startups in downtown Flint.
We do this by partnering with FlintSOUP events where entrepreneurs pitch business ideas to the community and winning ideas are given startup funds.
Our congregation is hosting FlintSOUP events, providing additional funds to the winning entrepreneur, sponsoring access to a creative maker space at FactoryTwo, and eventually, providing mentoring by church members who have experience in business and marketing and HR fields.
-
For now, you can get involved by attending FlintSOUP events at First Pres, and by contacting Jack McCarthy and Dale Hostetler to let them know you’re interested in getting more involved. The Jeremiah Project Steering Committee would love to have your input.
-
Each FlintSOUP event costs $5 to attend.
You can expect to sit alongside a diverse, eclectic community from the Flint area for a couple hours to listen to a few presentations. (“pitches”) from local entrepreneurs. These pitches may be for products to bring to market, or for small business ideas.
You’ll enjoy soup (hence the name: FlintSOUP!) and bread with your new neighbors and friends.
After all the pitches are heard, those in attendance will vote and the winning pitch will receive the proceeds raised by admission prices.
-
We believe that our church congregation is uniquely positioned to help small business startups navigate the frustrating process of launching a new business. Many of our church members are small-business owners, Human Resources executives, financial planners, and marketing experts whose expertise could dramatically assist new business startups.
But we’re also doing this because we have been called to “seek the welfare of the city” into which God has called us. We think that when small businesses succeed in Flint, the people of Flint succeed. As a church, we want to be a part of what God is doing in the area of economic justice.
Upcoming Events
Flint SOUP at First Presbyterian Church of Flint
Tuesday September 19th, 2023
Doors Open: 5:15p
Estimated end time: 8:15p
More Information About Flint SOUP at FPCF September 19th, 2023
Come listen to 4 presenters, connect with neighbors, meet local entrepreneurs, and enjoy a meal of soup, salad, and bread.
RSVP: Tuesday, September 19th - Flint SOUP Community Micro-Grant Event Event
$5 to attend. All funds collected during the night go toward the micro-grant that will be awarded at the end of the event that received the most votes!
Meet Your Flint Soup Presenters
for September 19th, 2023:
Matt and Jenn Foss
Owners, Project Forty
Matt and Jen Foss are the founders of Project Forty, an organization that offers wilderness adventures and provides unforgettable experiences and mentorship for teens and young adults.
One of the many opportunities they offer are forty-day experiences for at-risk youth struggling for direction and challenged by decisions that will affect their adult life. Project Forty helps young people connect positively with leaders, mentors and other caring adults.
After winning a Flint SOUP community funded micro-grant in 2020, Matt and Jen were able to invest in training another guide to work with Project Forty, which doubled their working capacity!Together they led wilderness trips and raised up a new generation of young leaders interested in partnering with their vision!
Since pitching at our online Flint SOUP event, Matt and Jen have poured into youth, adults, children, and parents to help them reconnect with the outdoors and build solid relationships that outlast their initial adventure!
This year, Project Forty had an incredible opportunity to create a summer session program and work with at-risk students at Flint Southwestern Academy.
Matt presented some pretty heavy challenges throughout the summer and the students got to learn indoor rock climbing and overcome a high ropes course. More importantly, the students became aware of and celebrated their own natural characteristics like personal integrity, and patience with one another!
We are excited to have Matt and Jen join us again and update the Flint SOUP community on all the other amazing things they have done since we last took the SOUP stage!
Website: projectforty.org
Jeannine Johnson
Owner, Thrive Acai Co.
Jeannine Johnson, a creative entrepreneur, is the owner of Thrive Acai Co. She successfully launched a food truck venture specializing in a variety of Acai bowls, fresh fruit juice, and smoothies.
She pitched Thrive Acai Co. at our Flint SOUP Online Community Micro-Grant event in 2021 and has been hard at work serving her customers a truly unique smoothie bowl experience! You might not think that blueberries, honey, french vanilla granola, bananas and peanut butter would taste good together, but you would be mistaken. They are delicious!
A bowl comes with a base of bananas or strawberries topped with pureed Acai fruit (native to the rainforests of South America) or Dragon Fruit. Added on top is the perfect combination of fresh ingredients like kiwi, pineapple, and crunchy granola.
Other delicious smoothie condiments and hand prepared syrups can be included to create an unforgettable dish that has people lined up to try a bite of their own! Let Jeannine create a signature dish for you, or build one to your own liking!
Jeannine and her Thrive Acai Co. food truck can be found at Communities First, Inc.'s Foodie Commons just outside of Downtown Flint, or along a side street next to Detroit’s Eastern Market. She has also been available at University of Michigan events, providing dishes for the staff and Athletic Departments.
Check out the thrivebowldetroit.com website to see where you can cross paths with her delicious Acai bowls, fruit juices and smoothies!
We’re excited to have Jeannine come and share her progress as a Flint SOUP Alumni, and hear about the affordable access to nutritious treats she has been providing to those in her neighborhood and abroad!
Lazar Assoofi
Owner, Tag Me
Lazar Assoofi is a man with a million ideas! He is a seasoned entrepreneur and business owner, and is passionate about sharing his knowledge and experience with others along their entrepreneurial journey.
Lazar pitched his idea for an innovative pizza app with other participants from all around Genesee County at the Freedom Center Church in 2017, when Flint SOUP partnered with ECO to host a county-wide “Shark Tank” event.
He went on to found a successful dropshipping business, Ecomm Karma—selling on eBay, Amazon.com, and Shopify. Lazar became a partner and consultant for the digital marketing company Nile Three, and created SportsRelics.com where athletic fans and the sports community can shop for and collect unique items commemorating their favorite teams and stadiums!
Lazar’s experience in starting and growing businesses has made him an expert in digital marketing, online retail, and business operations—both at home and globally! His current idea is to create a way to help under-served entrepreneurs and beginning business owners invest in strengthening their advertising, marketing, social media and other business operations at an affordable cost.
He knows that many of the most essential marketing tools for running a successful business are outside the price range of the average entrepreneur, so he’s combining online learning opportunities, one-on-one consultation, and business support services into an entrepreneurial venture called Tag Me In that connects business owners and entrepreneurs to experts at an accessible price!
We can’t wait to hear more about what Lazar is planning for the near future, and how all of us in the Flint SOUP community can help, support him!
Quintin Carouthers
Owner, Levels Fitness Studio
Quintin Carouthers is a certified group fitness instructor, personal trainer, and the owner of Levels Fitness Studio. He first took the Flint SOUP stage in 2013 where he presented an idea that supported "Fashion Against Violence" during our Vehicle City Fashion Week SOUP that year.
With personal experience in high school and college athletics, as well as a background in tap, jazz, and hip-hop, Quintin later launched his fitness studio. Levels Step Fitness combines dance and choreography to help reinforce healthy lifestyle habits through physical activity that does not leave his members tense, sore, or discouraged.
He runs a fifty-five minute high energy step cardio workout that provides a fun and expressive alternative to traditional exercise that improves heart health, brain health, and overall fitness!
Levels Step Fitness feels like dancing with friends to exciting music while receiving all the health benefits of exercise. Classes are available at all fitness levels and experience—from beginner to advanced—in a safe and inclusive space. He focuses on creating an affordable outlet for members to release from the overwhelming demands of life, in an environment suited to overcome physical and emotional health challenges.
The team spirit of Levels Step Fitness provides a rewarding experience and sense of accomplishment gained through social engagement and uniting with friends to step up and sweat away unhealthy stress and mental attitudes in under an hour!
Last year, Levels Step Fitness tripled its average group fitness attendance, and their videos have gone viral on social media with a combined 60 thousand followers and over 4 million views and likes on TikTok, YouTube and Instagram! They have partnered with Flint Community Schools, and were invited to perform at Creative Expressions Dance Studio's Annual Recital. They have performed at the Detroit Pistons practice facility, and are excited to certify Levels Instructors worldwide.
We look forward to hearing more from Quintin about his success and how the Flint SOUP community can help support him in his efforts to spread the word about the amazing opportunities to increase your health at Levels Step Fitness!
Regina Hatter
Owner, Snacky Brown LLC
Regina is the delightful owner and operator of Snacky Brown LLC! She first took the Flint SOUP stage in 2022, and had just begun her journey as a Cottage Law baker—establishing herself as an approved vendor in the outside pavilion at the Flint Farmers' Market on Saturdays.
Her delicious pound cakes and other baked goods were a huge hit throughout the summer and her customers begged for more! She secured a stall inside the Market and announced her grand opening this spring!
Life at the Market is a non-stop whirlwind, and Regina has taken owning a small business in Flint seriously. She is consistently developing new flavors and products that match the demand of her loyal customer base. Her mentors are impressed with the dedication she has in running her business by the numbers and projecting her future needs ahead of time.
She has already spied out additional opportunities for commercial kitchen space in anticipation of the upcoming Holiday Season, and has begun taking Autumn pre-orders for her famous sweet potato pie!
We are excited to have Regina share as a 2023 Flint SOUP Alumni, and learn what is coming out of the oven next!
In the meantime, visit her at the Flint Farmers’ Market and indulge in a little “Snacks-ident” over at Snacky Brown!
Previous Flint Soup Presenters
(July 17, 2023)
LaShawndra Johnson
Owner, Babies Real Eats
LaShawndra Johnson is a Flint entrepreneur and new business owner! She’s a licensed cosmetologist and runs her own salon and a resourceful mother who recognized a need in her community that inspired her to create Babies Real Eats!
She started creating recipes for pureed natural baby food in her kitchen when her children began eating solid foods. She values modeling healthy eating habits so she’s taken her natural mothering skills and created a product for other parents to introduce fresh and healthy fruits and vegetables into their baby’s diets.
LaShawndra wants to provide a local solution for reversing childhood obesity and unhealthy eating habits at an early age. So, why not start at the beginning—when a child first tastes food?
Babies Real Eats is a convenient, healthy line of fresh-made pureed baby food that can be purchased frozen or refrigerated through a subscription or individually.
She purchases her raw materials through local markets and distributors and combines them in just the right amounts to produce tasty and enjoyable meals that bring toothless giggles to the mouths of all her customers' little ones!
When starting her entrepreneurial journey, LaShawndra’s extended family in Saginaw, MI suggested visiting the SVRC Marketplace in Downtown Saginaw and she made connections that led to an introduction to MSU Product Center. She received counsel from program directors with the Michigan Good Food Fund and began looking for resources in Flint.
She attended an entrepreneurial talk led by Flint SOUP and they connected her to the Director of Flint Food Works, located in the Flint Farmers' Market, who is helping her with the process of renting a commercial kitchen space to make Babies Real Eats available inside grocery stores, daycares, and even larger stores like Kroger and Walmart!
Cole McClure
Owner, McClure Creative Group
The McClure Creative Group (MCG) is a family owned entrepreneurial venture started by three siblings, Grant, Kayce, and Cole McClure. Their vision is to bring their own natural talents together in one place and provide their community a creative hub for businesses, nonprofits, and artists in Flint, MI!
They’d like MCG to help business owners and others improve communication with their customers/audiences and help those customers scale the reach of their products, ideas, or services.
They are a truly unique collaboration of talent and business experience! Grant studied at Specs Howard School of Media Arts and runs Stacks Creative as a video producer and editor. Kayce has a Bachelors of Science in Mass Communication from Rochester University and owns Peoplestory—offering services in brand design, photography, and video production. Cole was an adjunct professor in Rochester University’s Department of Ministry and Theology, and he’s currently the Lead Pastor at Valley Church in Burton, MI.
The three of them deeply desire to have a positive impact on their communities, and share their knowledge with others. Grant, Kayce, and Cole would love for MCG to be recognized as a valuable resource in their community, beginning with affordable brand development, and video/post production services.
Starting in July 2023 Grant and Kayce will become full-time employees and focus their attention on providing creative tools and resources to business, nonprofits, and artists in Flint and throughout southeast Michigan. Cole will begin working part-time as the business administrator and continuing to facilitate ongoing relationships with their creative partners.
They want to see McClure Creative Group take on a physical location in the near future and close the gap in creative resources needed in the community. They believe everyone has creative dreams and ambitions that need an outlet into the community!
At MCG professionals and creative entrepreneurs alike will find an affordable and accessible space to engineer digital products and bring new ideas to life!
Aliz Mendoza
Owner, I Love Pig
Aliz is the owner and operator of I Love Pig, a woman-owned family business serving one of the favorite cuisines from her home country of Venezuela, “Arepas”, as well as Cuban sandwiches. If you’d like to know what “Arepas” are, you’re going to have to visit her at the Flint Farmers' Market and buy one. We don’t want to ruin the experience of enjoying your first one. They are delicious!
From the first moment Aliz stepped into the Flint Farmers’ Market, she was thrilled with the energy and excitement of each vendor doing business and contributing to the vibrant fabric of the community. She immediately sought to discover how she could get her own spot and begin a new journey into entrepreneurship!
I Love Pig started small last summer. Aliz had no formal training and wasn’t certified or licensed to serve food to the public. But that didn’t stop her! Managers at the Farmers’ Market gave her some training in commercial kitchen basics, and helped her secure a temporary food license. She passed all of her safe food handling exams and opened for business in the outside pavilion at the Market.
Her arepas became an instant summer favorite! Although she had to close down due to the cold months, a spot opened in the spring and she hosted her grand opening at a permanent stall inside at the end of April!
There is much work to be done, but Aliz is already looking to the future and saving up to purchase a food truck for days when the Market is closed!
Aliz’s vision is to have I Love Pig stand out as an expression to women that their gifts and talents are an invaluable contribution to the community. Aliz says, “We can be daughters, wives, mothers, and businesswomen!” and “You can be what is in your heart to be and no goal is unattainable when you enjoy what you do!”
Dr. Aisha Harris, MD
Owner, Harris Family Health
Dr. Aisha Harris, MD is a primary care family medicine doctor passionate about affordable, comprehensive services for children and adults who experience barriers to healthcare.
She opened Harris Family Health in January of 2023 after graduating from Georgetown University School of Medicine and completing her Family Medicine residency at the University of Illinois at Chicago.
She returned home to Flint, where she was born and raised, to continue practicing medicine and start offering a personalized, convenient approach to primary care that improves health outcomes for the residents of the community that taught her so much about life and reaching for her dreams!
Harris Family Health is the first direct primary care clinic in Flint with a unique membership based model. Patients are able to receive faster and convenient access to health services, with comprehensive, personalized care at an affordable rate!
A Flint entrepreneur at heart—Dr. Harris has also started the health outreach platform BLK FAM DOC to share health information that includes a podcast called Black Family Doctor (available on Spotify and Apple). She also created the Flint Health Hub that shares up-to-date local health resources and a weekly e-newsletter covering local health related news and highlights!
Dr. Harris spent years providing evidence-based care in a health system with too many broken parts. She is determined to create a trusted environment where everyone has access to affordable health care that improves their quality of life.
She believes access to quality health care is more than just important—it’s necessary—and excellent primary care services can be available and affordable to all people in Flint, Genesee County and beyond!
Jerry Weston
Jerry Weston Jr. is a man of many talents! He’s played professional arena football and semi-pro! He’s managed an auto body shop and is especially skilled at custom painting. He reconditions football helmets for youth leagues, high schools, semi pro and professional teams!
On top of it all, he runs his own Flint-based business, Jays Mobile Collision and Restorations! It’s a mobile business, which gives him a greater edge and credibility over larger auto body shops and competition that need to ship parts out for repair or restoration.
Jerry has an even greater vision for his business that extends beyond repairs and restorations. His mission is to offer training to youth and young adults.
He feels that the right skills and training, can help young people handle their own car repair and become a valuable asset in cutting household expenses in their communities, or even create their own businesses fixing and reselling reliable transportation!
He’s securing funding to rent a shop and purchase new equipment like a dent puller, paint guns and sanders. Each of these new tools could lead to entry-level job skills for a teen or young adult!
With the support of his friends and family, and advice from the entrepreneurial community in Flint, Jerry is well on his way to creating a business that not only provides for his family, but serves as a launching point for other young business owners to break into the skilled trades industry!
Previous Flint Soup Presenters
(May 25, 2023)
Ashely Smith
Owner, Dough & Co
Ashley Smith is the owner and operator of Dough & Co., a mobile food business based in Burton, MI. She specializes in edible cookie dough and oversized baked cookies! Ashley has over 25 years of baking experience and was a Wilton Cake Decorating Instructor at Hobby Lobby and JoAnn Fabrics. She also owned her own wedding cake decorating business called "For Goodness Cakes"!
Ashley launched Dough & Co. in October of last year—serving up extravagant new experiences with edible cookie dough creations! She is a dedicated wife and mother who hopes to inspire other women to pursue their entrepreneurial dreams. Ashley has partnered with her community to provide donations and help fundraise for Carriage Town Ministries, local police stations, town halls and churches.
She's looking to raise capital for a food trailer that will give her increased mobility and opportunities to serve more customers throughout Michigan. Until then, Dough & Co. offers delivery and can be found at numerous events this season around the state!
This summer you can find Ashley and Dough & Co. at the Michigan Balloon Festival, the South Haven Blueberry Festival, and in Royal Oak for their Food Truck & Summer Concert Series.
David & Alisa Brackney
Organizers, Trauma REBOOT
David and Alisa Brackney are an amazing husband-and-wife team who head up Trauma REBOOT and are helping the residents of Genesee County overcome the trials, tragedies, and traumas of their past!
Birthed out of the groundbreaking, nationwide efforts of REBOOT Recovery to decrease instances of suicide in Military Veterans and First Responders, Trauma REBOOT is a community that empowers individuals from all walks of life to overcome past pain, find renewed purpose and strength, and embrace a brighter future!
David is a faculty member and Chair for the Department of Science and Mathematics at Rochester University as well as their Professor of Physical Science. Alisa is the Family Support Specialist for Clara's Hope where she uses her skill and education in trauma-informed counseling to help adoptive and foster families connect to local support and resources!
David and Alisa have worked through their own healing journeys, and are passionate about sharing their knowledge as a way to help others do the same!
Trauma REBOOT is founded around a conversation-based curriculum and 12 weekly meetups where every participant plays a part in helping one another! Trauma REBOOT is offered free of charge and focuses on reaching out to the community to help others overcome trauma and find hope for the future!
Chrystal Harris
Owner, Sound Mind Health Services
The Davison High School Environmental Science Club, led by DHS teachers Ryan Kelsey and Pam Ruggerio, gather every Wednesday after school to bring creative solutions to environmental issues present both locally and abroad!
Over the last year the amazing student members of the club completed 15 environmental stewardship activities that included: schoolwide recycling of paper, plastic, and aluminum—hosting an Earth Day scavenger hunt—establishing a native species plant garden—hosting a tree planting drive, and adopting a polar bear through donations to the World Wildlife Federation!
Their efforts throughout 2022 and 2023 earned Davison High School "Emerald Status" as a designated Michigan Green School through the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE). They are going to pursue "Evergreen Status" during the next school year!
Club spokesperson, Sydney Panduren, is a Junior at Davison High School and plays for the varsity tennis team. She is an active member of the National Honor Society, helping her community in every way possible!
Last year, Sydney and the club took advantage of a few nice sunny days to meet outside on the school grounds, and a new creative idea formed! Why not design and build a permanent structure for outside learning opportunities!
Permission has been granted to raise money and design a pergola-style pavilion on school grounds. The Environmental Science Club, Fine Arts and Design class, and other Davison High School students will work together to incorporate green architecture, urban agriculture, renewable solar energy, and extended space to continue cultivating native plant species!
Prezetta McCall
Owner, WhatBox Creative Co.
Prezetta McCall is a certified brand strategist and a freelance UX/UI designer and consultant. She spent time as a User Experience Fellow with General Assembly, and is the owner of WhatBox Creative Co.
Her passion for helping clients communicate and interact with their customers in the most effective ways makes her an indispensable asset to those looking to bridge the gap between business strategy and design!
At WhatBox Creative Co., Prezetta offers a fresh perspective on managing and maintaining a company's brand. She believes that even the most outstanding brand in the world will eventually fail if it's not seen, heard, or understood.
Often we take for granted the work that goes into building a company's reputation and brand. Prezetta uses her unique gifts in design and web development to bring together all the colors, logos, and visible elements that distinguish her client's business in their customer's minds.
Her work requires a creative—strategic mind, and Prezetta is more than up for the task! At the end of the day she takes joy in knowing she has helped her customers achieve their goals and move another step closer to their dreams for the future!
Jeff Hammond is an audio engineer with over 23 years of experience in automotive engineering. After graduating from Davison Community Schools and then Kettering University, he worked in automotive until he started feeling a need to serve his community in a new way.
After losing his job during COVID, Jeff found a new calling in helping churches improve their online audio experiences. Leveraging over 20 years of involvement in a studio environment, (as an underground DJ in Detroit during the 90's, and having once owned his own DJ collective and record label) Jeff is now instrumental in helping churches move from post-production online services, to full live streaming!
He helped his local church recover quickly from COVID and has been helping churches both online and in-person. He feels that removing the distractions of poor audio increases the online presence of any individual or organization looking to increase their following.
Jeff has been using his unique blend of technical expertise and passion to serve others and make a significant impact in his community and the online world!
Heidi Arvin
Creator, Self-Powering Smart
Motorcycle
Heidi Arvin is an accomplished mechanical engineer with an unsinkable passion for innovation and sustainability! As a child, she developed a love for problem solving and taking things apart. By the time she was a teenager, she had all the skills of an expert mechanic.
As an adult, she pursued a Bachelor's degree in Physics and a Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering—graduating at the top of her class. She's a Laboratory Technician in the Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering Department at Kettering University.
Heidi is creating a self-powering smart motorcycle that requires minimal maintenance and can be recharged through solar, or while being ridden. She plans to develop this technology right in Flint, where all the necessary resources, infrastructure, and skilled individuals reside to make this dream a reality!
Heidi is determined to create something new that benefits the world! She'd like to take this technology to the developing world and provide affordable, low-maintenance transportation to those who need it most!
Previous Flint SOUP Events at FPCF
Previous Flint Soup Presenters: March 30, 2023:
Rahshemeer Neal
Owner, 810 Smoke LLC
Rahshemeer is a Flint native and is passionate about people and the memories formed around a great meal! 810 Smoke LLC has been in operation since 2020 and he works tirelessly to bring his barbecue to the streets of his hometown. Whether he's catering an event, running a pop-up, or teaching his 180 Smoke Jr. classes, Rahshemeer brings excellence with him wherever he goes!
On top of that, he is a firefighter/paramedic as well as an instructor in basic and advanced emergency medical certifications. His other company equips practitioners and others in CPR, Advanced Cardiac Life Support, First-Aid and other training around emergency medicine.
Jim Bacon
Owner, Bacon Boys BBQ
After an unexpected health crisis ended his career in the trucking industry, Jim fired up his BBQ and started providing meals for friends and family. He quickly branched out to car shows and other events, and his catering services began to gain traction. In 2022 he acquired his LLC and started saving money to upgrade his equipment.
Jim is excited to remodel his trailer, expand his current setup, and take his grill on the road. He's looking forward to this summer and bringing back his best recipes and award winning ribs!
Ryan
Owner/Operator, Twizted Jerky Co
When he started his business in 2019 with only 4 flavors, he didn't expect that the business would expand to 15 flavors in four years, include 3 "Hottest Beef Jerky On The Planet Challenges", and have products in numerous local markets in his area!
He is the official food vendor at the The Machine Shop Concert Lounge and has secured approval for a food truck location where he can showcase not only his increasingly famous jerky flavors, but his skill in smoked pulled pork tacos, Flint Town Filly Cheesesteak, and Burnt Ends Mac N' Cheese!
His current goal is to purchase a food truck and open up to the public at food festivals and events in the Flint area. He employs a small team, but they get the job done! With help from local food lovers and the Flint entrepreneurial community, Ryan would love to see Twizted Jerky become a household name!
Chrystal Harris
Owner, Sound Mind Health Services
After experiencing her own journey with anxiety, she became certified in psychiatric health and launched her own business to help people with similar challenges reclaim a new lease on life!
Chrystal started Sound Mind Health Services LLC in October 2022 as a faith-based, telehealth practice that combines conventional treatment, and compassionate care to help people around the world manage their mental health.
She practices her skill under the oversight of a licensed physician and has a growing list of clients all across the state of Michigan. She is pursuing licensure that will allow her business to branch into other areas of the United States and around the world, including Haiti and Nigeria.
Previous Presenters: November 15, 2022
Jonathan Southwell
Jonathan Southwell is an upbeat and determined entrepreneur who has found his niche in the ecommerce community. Like all entrepreneurs, he has tried his hand at bringing a few business ideas to life. With each new lesson, he grew to discover his passion for all things vintage!
Jonathan seeks out unique and forgotten treasures of the past, and sells them within his online customer base who rely on buyers and sellers across the United States to rediscover the nostalgic items of their younger years.
Jonathan is quickly turning his part-time hobby into a revenue generating business that will help him afford better transportation, acquire more inventory, and invest in larger storage spaces.
Jonathan finds community in unexpected places—invites others to join his entrepreneurial journey, and demonstrates friendship that awakens their own dreams along the way!
Leondais Smith
Community Enhancement Services, LLC
Leondais Smith is the owner and operator of Community Enhancement Services. He acquired his LLC in March of this year and is in the startup phase of his business!
Leondais is a hard working business owner who focuses on small-scale demolition and debris removal in the Flint and Genesee County area—but he is also a man of many talents. He can often be found providing interior/exterior painting services, handyman jobs, and light construction as well.
Leondais' joy and passion is in providing tangible solutions to the neighborhood blight that overwhelms forgotten corridors within his city. He would like to be a community champion in cleaning up curbside dump sites and discarded trash that piles up along street shoulders.
He is using his startup business to become an available resource to his community and provide affordable services, not only in beautifying his customers' residences, but in restoring dignity to the properties and streets surrounding their homes!
Stay tuned for more presenters!
Previous Presenters: October 18, 2022
Gina Franklin
Gina Franklin is an amazing food entrepreneur who runs DRF Catering, LLC. She is known for her delicious soul food menu and delightfully sweet spirit. She became a Flint SOUP Alumni after pitching in April of 2019 and has been providing soup catering at our community funded-micro grants dinners ever since!
During covid, she pursued formal culinary school training and landed an externship at Meadow Brook Hall in Rochester, MI! We are so excited to hear updates and her vision for the future of DRF Catering!
Aujanee Young
Aujanee Young is the brilliant and resourceful creator of Lodestar, LLC., a business that leverages the connectedness of small towns to offer learning opportunities to communities affected by air and soil pollution.
Lodestar engages community members of all ages. Aujanee first pitched on the Flint SOUPstage in October of 2020 after launching a summer pilot in Flint that provided hands-on, place-based, educational opportunities for youth and community members interested in environmental science.
Aujanee has spent the past two years hard at work turning Lodestar and its programs into a model that can be adopted for other cities making a difference in addressing the effects of industrial pollution!
Andrew Williams
Andrew is the owner of Associated Cleaning Services, LLC and an entrepreneur at heart. When he pitched at Flint SOUP in October of 2020 he was in the early stages of building up his commercial/residential cleaning company and gaining experience in the industry.
He was working three separate jobs while also running Associated Cleaning Services, LLC and was looking to hire his first employee. Through his hard work and dedication, Andrew's business has not only grown, but he has also been able to take up leadership positions in his community!
He is currently developing a vision for providing employment opportunities to returning citizens and cultivating systems of support for those disconnected from community!
Jeron Dotson and Justin Bush
Jeron Dotson and Justin Bush are the creators of The Poke Bowl. They aspired to bring the fantastic flavors of Hawaiian open-face sushi to their neighborhoods and join the collaborative culture of food entrepreneurism forming in Flint!
They got to work after taking the Flint SOUPstage in August of 2017 and started building their business from the ground up. The brothers have put hundreds of hours into training, business planning, local pop-ups, and vendor relationships.
When covid delayed the buildout of their Genesee County Habitat for HumanityLive/Work building, they reached out to business owners and began selling poke bowls directly in local markets. Their endurance and determination to overcome every challenge and setback got them recognized as a 2021 SBDC Best Michigan Small Business via Michigan SBDC !
The Flint community has watched Jeron and Justin start with just an idea and supported them as they built the Poke Bowl into a local household name!
Austin Pariseau
Austin Pariseau is the Co-Founder of Gas Money, along with his friend and business partner Robert Walker. Gas Money is an online platform that connects homeowners with young adults in their area looking to earn a side income providing a variety of services ranging from: lawn mowing, landscaping, car washing, and snow removal—to moving construction debris or even household items.
Austin and Robert presented at Flint SOUP in November of 2021 and went on to be accepted to compete at Pitch For $K during a Chamber of Commerce Luncheon. Flint SOUP was honored to be their mentors throughout the process and they took 2nd place during the event!
They shared their ideas with the Kettering Entrepreneur Society and received amazing critical feedback that helped them make crucial decisions for the future of the business. Gas money has undergone some exciting upgrades since it was first launched and is quickly growing into a solution for the youth workforce of the future!
Previous Presenters: September 20, 2022
Twana Hatter
Twana Hatter is the owner and operator of Natural Effecxs Hair and Skincare. She is a licensed Cosmetologist, Pharmacy Technician and a Certified Natural Hair Culturist who attended Joseph Business School to study entrepreneurship.
She offers hand-crafted women’s hair and skin products like: restorative hair butter and oil, rehydrating body butter, and bath products. She just launched her new men's line at the Flint Farmers' Market called "KINGStunning Beard Grooming Collection".
Her customers brought an unmet need to her attention when they began requesting quality grooming products for men. Using her background in cosmetology and a little kitchen research and experimentation, she developed her grooming collection that immediately began to sell out at the Flint Farmers’ Market.
Twana is a passionate entrepreneur who understands the natural beauty of all skin types. She is always refining her knowledge and expertise so that she can provide the best products to restore hair and beards while naturally satisfying the skin’s desire for comfort and protection.
Grace Brackney and Kaity Honnen
Swim with Callie
Grace Brackney and Kaity Honnen are Genesee County residents passionate about swim safety and conquering the fear of water! They are both Red Cross certified lifeguards and experienced swim instructors.
They are working on a project to provide a resource to parents who don't know where to begin when it comes to teaching their little ones how to swim.
Swim With Callie will be a three book series titled "Callie the Cat Learns to Swim: and So Can You" about a cat who is afraid of water, but learns to swim with the help of her animal friends—complete with instructions, games, songs, and other interactive and educational content!
Grace and Kaity are first-time authors and publishers with unsinkable entrepreneurial spirit! Their goal is to provide an engaging way to help parents aid children with learning how to swim!
Mike and Melissa Crowe
Mike and Melissa Crowe are entrepreneurs passionate about the beauty of the great outdoors! They have taken their love of camping in Michigan and created Mitten Getaways Glamping Co.
Still in its early stages—Mitten Getaways will provide a new camping experience to Michigan residents and visitors looking to enjoy year-round outdoor activities. "Glamping" is a relatively new concept in outdoor adventure. It's like camping, but with luxuries, and without the work.
Mike and Melissa envision transforming 100+ acres of unimproved farmland into a retreat destination with secluded spaces for novel stays such as cabins, geodomes, teepees, tents, treehouses, and yurts! Each glamping site will be positioned out-of-sight from one another, with access to picturesque hiking, biking, community gardens, private lakes, and playgrounds—in harmony with natural wildlife and domestic farmyard creatures.
At Mitten Getaways Glamping Co. visitors can enjoy the ground beneath their feet throughout every season and find unexpected tranquility within arm’s reach of the comforts of home
Kurtis and Christine Koffkey
Kurtis and Christine Koffkey run a garden project located in Flushing, Michigan. It started as a place where people from their church and community could access affordable, healthy foods.
The garden offers education opportunities for prospective farmers and gardeners. This year, they piloted an internship program that hired someone to manage the garden while learning about the day-to-day operations of growing food, environmentally friendly gardening, interdisciplinary cooperation, and volunteer coordination. They plan to open up the internship again next year and take on even more individuals interested in sustainable agriculture!
There is a small market stand just outside of the church driveway that highlights the fruits of their labor. Anyone from the community is welcome to help themselves or even donate their own garden produce! Kurtis, Christine, and the church family at Cornerstone are excited to have anyone join them in enjoying the blessing of stewarding the resources of their land.
Kurtis and Christine believe everyone has one thing in common—we all eat food that comes from the ground. Cornerstone Community Garden exists to bring people together and provide opportunities for diverse groups to work side-by-side keeping the soil and land healthy while watching their plants grow!
Sammy Bernal
Sammy Bernal and his partners are launching their first business—Digital Dental Hub, Inc. Each of them have years of experience in the dental industry and are bringing their skills together to use cutting edge technology to lower the cost of dental care.
Digital Dental Hub, Inc. is a small scale manufacturing operation specializing in 3D and resin printed dental hardware (crowns, caps, implants, aligners, etc). Digital mapping and 3D printing technology is quickly becoming the future of dental care. No more biting into purple goo or waiting weeks for processing.
Sammy and his partners have sacrificed time and sleep to build a business that will provide fast and affordable solutions for dentists serving customers in Genesee County and beyond. They have purchased equipment and are starting to build relationships with local dentists and professionals throughout the industry.
The guys at Digital Dental Hub, Inc. are disrupting the market, and making it easier than ever to receive reliable dental care.
Carmichaelle Joseph
Carmichaelle Joseph is the creator of Tropix Kitchen, a newly established pop-up kitchen based out of Flint, MI. Carmichaelle is originally from Haiti and wants to create greater opportunities for children and adults with special needs, and their families.
After working with individuals who experience disabilities and traumatic brain injuries, she recognized the lack of available activities and social opportunities offered to the people groups she holds closest to her heart.
Carmichaelle has been making magic in the kitchen since she was young and is passionate about putting her skills to use for a greater good. She has begun working with managers at the Flint Social Club (located at the Flint Farmers' Market), and would love to utilize her access to the Farmers' Market incubator kitchens to teach cooking classes, provide private catering, and continue hosting pop-ups in Flint that include social interaction and even employment to those with disabilities.
Her greatest desire is to connect with residents and learn new ways to pair the delicious traditions of Haitian/Creole cuisine with farm-fresh produce and food grown by Michigan gardeners!
She will have a tasty Joumou squash soup available to sample at the event! It's a liberty dish consumed every January 1st to celebrate the independence of Haiti!
Previous Presenters (August 2022)
Regina - Snacky Brown
Regina is a Flint native recently returning home from living in Chicago. She is the delightful owner and operator of Snacky Brown LLC and has been hard at work turning her love and passion for baking into a thriving business!
You might recognize her from one of the local summer pop-ups in Genesee County, or maybe you've sampled her goodies at the Flint Farmers' Market, where she is incrementally growing Snacky Brown into a household name!
This summer, she launched her new product "Ain't Bell's Poundcakes" in honor of her Grandmother, who's caring love and guidance helped shape Regina into the energetic woman of business we get to see smiling on the other side of the snack booth!
Luke and Anna March - Grace Fields Farm
What started as a small garden plot in their backyard, has grown into a revenue generating business with subscription box services and a regular spot at the Flint Farmers' Market!
Rain or shine, the market garden is always on their minds. Customers arrive early at their booth on market days to get the first pick of the day's harvest! Any produce that remains at the end of the day is donated to Carriage Town Ministries.
The March's mission is to do good for people, the economy, and the environment by producing local food through regenerative methods.
Antwan Johnson - Slice of Flint
Antwan Johnson is the owner and operator of Slice of Flint, a food trailer offering extra large portions of fire baked pizza. He has been in business for two years, and worked with the Flint & Genesee Group, Michigan SBDC, and Metro Community Development to bring his dream to life.
He had planned to start in a building, but COVID changed everything. If he couldn't start in a kitchen, he'd just have to make one himself! He began with a simple barrel grill and built the rest of his business from the ground up—literally!
Antwan embodies a lean mindset, and constructed his own custom trailer—piece by piece—equipped with a licensed kitchen and wood fire oven! Now he sells out every day, as customers line up for a taste of his NY style pizza with a Flint flair!
Joel Rydecki - Soul Cure Productions
Joel - or, if you know him by his stage name - Isaac Ryder, is a dynamic musician/singer/songwriter with an artistic range that combines soul, fusion, jazz, funk, latin, jam, and progressive rock!
His background in classical, jazz vocal, and guitar has earned him a devoted following. Joel would love to see more young people embrace the art of music and creative expression. He purchased his first guitar when he was 10 and began performing by the time he was 12!
He is keenly aware of the business side of music, and offers workshops discussing the music industry—providing youth opportunities to explore both the instruments and technology they can use to develop a professional career of their own!
Get in touch.
Fill out the contact form and let us know how you are interested in being a part of The Jeremiah Project.