Michigan Business Network

The Home of Business in Michigan. Get on-demand access to audio programs, articles and resources presented by savvy business leaders and industry experts.

Michigan Business Network is a business podcast hosted by Unknown Host, with 500 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80.

Unknown Host hosts Michigan Business Network, a business show with 500 episodes published.

Our AI reads these to draft pitches. Use them as grounding for a pitch that cites a real guest and a specific topic.

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  Michigan Business Network

  Michigan Business Beat | Erica Armstrong, Root Functional Medicine | Funding & Healthcare Innovation

  Oct 4, 20267 min

  Originally uploaded September 22nd, reloaded October 4th. Jeffrey Mosher welcomes Erica Armstrong, MD, FMCP-M, Founder & CEO, Functional Medicine , Grand Rapids, MI. Erica, welcome back to the Michigan Business Network, remind the Michigan business community about your business? Root Functional Medicine recently closed a Series A funding round. What does that investment allow the company to do next, and why is Grand Rapids the right place to build that next stage of the business? You’re bringing together physicians, dietitians, lab testing and your rootOS technology platform. What problem are you solving for employers and their employees that traditional healthcare approaches may not address as effectively? RootOS is described as the world’s first functional medicine operating system. From a business perspective, how does the technology help you deliver your model at scale and measure outcomes for customers? With the new downtown headquarters and a team of 16 employees, what does Root’s expansion mean for the company’s future in West Michigan, and what would you like the local business community to understand about where you’re headed? You were a practicing family physician before becoming a founder. What did you see in traditional healthcare that made you believe a fundamentally different model needed to exist? Healthcare benefits are already one of the largest expenses for employers. What evidence are you seeing that addressing root causes can actually change healthcare costs, not just improve employee engagement? There are a lot of digital health and employee wellness companies competing for employers’ attention. What makes Root different? You’ve gone from treating individual patients to selling healthcare to employers. What have you learned about what CEOs and CFOs actually want from healthcare benefits? Developer of world’s first functional medicine operating system selects downtown Grand Rapids for new headquarters The Right Place, Inc. announces that Root Functional Medicine plans to expand its presence in the region with a new headquarters at 120 Ionia Avenue SW in downtown Grand Rapids. Starting September 1, the company will lease 3,920 square feet on the second floor for its 16 employees. Founded in 2022 by local family physician Dr. Erica Armstrong, the company recently closed a Series A funding round led by HealthXVentures, a Wisconsin-based digital healthcare-focused venture capital firm. Root combines advanced lab testing, board-certified physicians and dietitians, and its proprietary software platform, RootOS—the world’s first functional medicine operating system—to deliver measurable outcomes for individuals and employer populations. » Visit MBN website: www.michiganbusinessnetwork.com/ » Subscribe to MBN’s YouTube: www.youtube.com/@MichiganbusinessnetworkMBN » Like MBN: www.facebook.com/mibiznetwork » Follow MBN: X.com/MIBizNetwork/ » MBN Instagram: www.instagram.com/mibiznetwork/

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  Michigan Business Network

  Leadership Lowdown | Parick Regan - Great Leadership Lives for Generations

  Sep 29, 202642 min

  Vic Verchereau welcomes Parick Regan, who is Executive VP at Plas-Labs. His Mother would say "we are giving you roots and wings". This powerful gift of great parenting gave Patrick Regan and his brother Mike a 60 year old business with a solid culture and lessons on how to treat people. Plas-Labs has a global distribution network of over 110 distributors who have a proven record of good service, applications expertise, and knowledge of the product line. Many are scientists and engineers with strong technical backgrounds and “hands-on” experience. Although the company's reach and success is something to be proud of, Patrick and Mike are focused on the lessons learned from their amazing parents. Listen in on this edition of the Leadership Lowdown when Host Vic Verchereau pulls up a chair to the dinner table to hear all about the Regan family journey! » Visit MBN website: www.michiganbusinessnetwork.com/ » Subscribe to MBN’s YouTube: www.youtube.com/@MichiganbusinessnetworkMBN » Like MBN: www.facebook.com/mibiznetwork » Follow MBN: X.com/MIBizNetwork/ » MBN Instagram: www.instagram.com/mibiznetwork/

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  Michigan Business Network

  Michigan Business Beat | Pete Martin & Alisyn Malek, PitchMI - Funding Michigan Startups

  Sep 28, 20269 min

  Originally uploaded September 14th, reloaded September 28th. Jeffrey Mosher welcomes back Pete Martin, director of portfolio management at the MSU Research Foundation: Pete, let's start with the expanded funding. The potential semifinal prize has grown from $250,000 to as much as $375,000. Why was increasing that investment important, and what does it change for the founders competing? There's up to $1.5 million available across the four semifinals, but the founders are also receiving intensive coaching and connections. What do you hope these companies take away from PitchMI regardless of whether they ultimately win the money? Pete, the semifinals are spread across Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo, Marquette and Detroit and are organized around four different industry areas. Why is that statewide approach important to the future of Michigan's startup ecosystem? For Alisyn Malek, CEO and co-founder of Averra Systems: Alisyn, you’re one of five founders competing in PitchMI’s Advanced Manufacturing, Materials & Outdoors semifinal in Marquette. You’re tackling some pretty big, technical challenges in advanced manufacturing with Averra Systems. What could that additional funding help you do sooner or differently as you grow? You’ve gone through that preparation firsthand. What part of the experience has been most valuable as you get Averra Systems ready for the semifinal stage? What makes Michigan a place where you believe your company can grow, and what excites you about being part of that broader startup community? Thanks to an incredible new $500,000 co-investment across the four semifinals, each PitchMI semifinal winner can now receive up to $375,000, an increase from the originally announced $250,000. With even more on the line as founders take the stage across Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo, Marquette, and Detroit this fall, four co-investors are stepping up alongside the MSU Research Foundation and MEDC to support Michigan startups: Grand Rapids - Anchor Up Ventures Kalamazoo - Kalamazoo Forward Ventures Marquette - JM Longyear Detroit - ID Ventures This updates the early September information indicating: The MSU Research Foundation and MEDC have announced the Top 20 companies advancing in PitchMI, one of the nation’s largest founder-focused startup competitions. Hundreds applied from across Michigan, including companies from Ann Arbor, Detroit, Lansing, Kalamazoo, Marquette, and beyond, earning a spot on the semifinal stage. This fall, five companies will compete at each of four industry-specific semifinals: Defense & Aerospace — Grand Rapids, Sept. 15 AI & Software — Kalamazoo, Sept. 22 Advanced Manufacturing, Materials & Outdoors — Marquette, Sept. 24 Healthcare & Life Sciences — Detroit, Oct. 1 One winner from each event will receive $250,000 and advance to the statewide PitchMI Championship in spring 2027, where another $1 million will be awarded. And before they ever pitch, all 20 semifinalists also get two weeks of coaching and startup development, covering everything from hiring and branding to fundraising, financial planning and go-to-market strategy.

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  Michigan Business Network

  Michigan Business Beat | Steven Struck, Maner Costerisan - Growing in West Michigan

  Sep 25, 202610 min

  Jeffrey Mosher welcomes Steven Struck, CPA, principal, Maner Costerisan, Grand Rapids, MI. RE: Maner Costerisan’s growth, culture, and community commitment in West Michigan Q1: You’ve worked in Grand Rapids and West Michigan for many years, first with Baker Holtz and now as part of Maner Costerisan. From your perspective, what does this combination mean for clients in the region? A: For me, the most important thing is that clients can continue working with people who know them, know their businesses, and know this community, while gaining access to a broader range of expertise and resources. We already had strong relationships throughout West Michigan. Becoming part of Maner Costerisan gives us more capabilities to bring to those relationships as clients grow and their needs become more complex. Q2: When two established firms come together, what is most important in getting that transition right? A: It starts with recognizing that you’re bringing together people, relationships, and cultures — not simply two businesses. Baker Holtz had built a strong reputation and deep roots in West Michigan over many years. Maner Costerisan brings additional scale, resources, and areas of expertise. The opportunity is to build on the strengths of both. Q3: This year, Maner continued the former Baker Holtz charity golf outing, raising $11,000 for Family Outreach Center. Why was it important to carry that tradition forward? A: Baker Holtz hosted the outing for 12 years, and over that time it became something our clients, business partners, and longtime relationships looked forward to each year. Q4: Maner has earned several workplace honors in West Michigan this year, including being named a West Michigan Best and Brightest Company to Work For and ranking No. 5 on Crain’s Grand Rapids Business’ Best Places to Work in West Michigan list. At a time when attracting and retaining talent is challenging, how important is workplace culture to Maner’s ability to compete and grow? A: It’s critical because, in professional services, our people are the business. Clients want knowledgeable professionals who understand their organizations, anticipate challenges, and can help them make better decisions. To provide that level of service, we have to attract talented people and give them reasons to build their careers with Maner. Q5: You’ve spent much of your career working with businesses and organizations in this community. As you look ahead, what do you want Maner Costerisan to be known for in Grand Rapids and across West Michigan? A: We want to be known as a firm that really understands West Michigan — its businesses, organizations, and people — and as a partner they know they can turn to as their needs change and become more complex. » Visit MBN website: www.michiganbusinessnetwork.com/ » Watch MBN’s YouTube: www.youtube.com/@MichiganbusinessnetworkMBN » Like MBN: www.facebook.com/mibiznetwork » Follow MBN: X.com/MIBizNetwork/ » MBN Instagram: www.instagram.com/mibiznetwork/

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  Michigan Business Network

  MBN On The Road: BLAZE AI Summit 2026 - AI Search and the New Customer Journey

  Sep 24, 202620 min

  On Tuesday, July 14, 2026, MBN was on the road in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The presentation explains how AI is radically changing search and the customer journey, with consumers increasingly turning to tools such as ChatGPT, Copilot, Claude, and Perplexity for answers instead of relying solely on traditional search engines. While traditional SEO remains important, businesses now also need to focus on Generative Engine Optimization (GEO)—structuring their website and other online content so AI systems can understand, cite, and recommend their business. The speaker emphasizes that a company’s website has become a critical source of truth for AI, making clear service pages, accurate information, pricing examples, FAQs, customer reviews, and testimonials valuable both to AI systems and human customers. The central message is that businesses that are not visible and properly represented in AI-generated answers risk being overlooked by potential customers, while businesses that optimize their content can improve their chances of being discovered during this new AI-driven customer journey. » Visit MBN website: www.michiganbusinessnetwork.com/ » Subscribe to MBN’s YouTube: www.youtube.com/@MichiganbusinessnetworkMBN » Like MBN: www.facebook.com/mibiznetwork » Follow MBN: X.com/MIBizNetwork/ » MBN Instagram: www.instagram.com/mibiznetwork/

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