Entrepreneur Like Me Podcast
The ELM podcast is a platform dedicated to showcasing the journeys of entrepreneurs. We dive deep into what it means to be an entrepreneur, the obstacles faced along the way, and the grit and grind required to succeed. Each episode aims to inspire and educate our listeners about the diverse experiences within the entrepreneurial community.
Entrepreneur Like Me Podcast
ELM w/ Jimmy Greene - Saginaw Spirit
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Episode 12 of the Entrepreneur Like Me Podcast features Jimmy Greene, the VP of Marketing & Community Relations for the Saginaw Spirit, your 2024 Memorial Cup Champions! 🏆
In this episode, Jimmy shares his wealth of experience in both entrepreneurship and community relations. He dives deep into how fostering strong community ties is essential for driving transformation and growth, not just in sports, but in every sector. From his insights on the Spirit’s recent championship journey to his broader perspective on what it takes to build a thriving, inclusive community, Jimmy’s wisdom is a must-hear for anyone looking to make an impact. Tune in to hear his powerful vision for a future where everyone has the opportunity to succeed!
Sponsored by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) – Make it in Michigan with the support of a robust partner network designed to help entrepreneurs succeed. Learn more at michiganbusiness.org.
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Don't forget to leave us a review and share this episode with your friends. Stay tuned for our next episode where we continue to explore the journeys of extraordinary individuals in the world of business and innovation. Until next time, keep exploring, learning, and making an impact!
All right. Now we are back with another episode of the Entrepreneur Like Me podcast, of course, with your host, courtney Garrett, and I have an amazing gentleman with me today, and you heard that right, gentlemen, that means I've had all ladies on this podcast for the last three months, and this is the first gentleman that I've got on my podcast today. And this is the first gentleman that I've got on my podcast today, and it is the Jimmy Green, the vice president of marketing and community affairs with the Saginaw Spirit.
Speaker 2Jimmy, introduce yourself please, oh my God, the first. That is so funny. Yes, I had no idea and, by the way, for your listeners, this is purely coincidental. So I came in here. I think the gentleman part she is talking about is the fact that I can say I'm sorry. So if you're a gentleman, you have to learn to say you're sorry. So I actually came in to have this great talk with Courtney, and it's obviously going to turn into something a little bit more than that, which is fantastic to me. So I am the vice president for community affairs and marketing for the Saginaw Spirit going into my second year. Prior to that, I had my own lobbying firm, jimmy Green Associates, and then, prior to that, for almost 20 years, I was the CEO and president for Associated Builders and Contractors, and before that I had my own company again. So I've had three different companies I've had that literally transitioned me into something else.
Speaker 1Oh, yes, yeah.
Speaker 2So entrepreneurialism which I love your show, by the way. But entrepreneurialism doesn't necessarily mean that you always work for yourself. Sometimes it means you work for other people after you've worked for yourself. To me, it also enhances your value when you go into another organization, for whatever reason.
Speaker 1Yes, yes, and I love that, jimmy, and I'm so glad that we're able to have this conversation and learn more about one another. I've known Jimmy for a very long time. Jimmy knows my family. He's, he's mentored my mom when she was little. She works with my, he works with my grandmother. It just, it's just amazing how we can sit here, let's have a chat, let's talk about entrepreneurship and the representation of what that looks like for our region. So join us in leveling the playing field of the entrepreneurship with Entrepreneur Like Me podcast, where diversity always meets innovation and every idea has the power to become a game changer.
Speaker 2And that's powerful and it's so true too. You know, I think you know, when you look at entrepreneurialism as a collective whole, I mean it really doesn't have a color or a gender to it. It really doesn't. It's about product and service, it's about affordability. There's so many variances that go into that, the intangibles. I think people tend to find a way not to do something by using labels, so they might color it or gender it or whatever the case may be, but the idea and I want to emphasize the word idea is colorless. Yes, it is, you know, because I mean you're putting whether that's consulting or some tangible product out in the marketplace. People will tell you that value just simply by purchasing that value.
Speaker 1And.
Speaker 2I think you almost have to, from an entrepreneurial standpoint, recognize that it is just the greatest experience in the world, and I would encourage anybody who has any kind of talent and, believe me, you have a talent. I think too many times it's diminished because you work for somebody. But how many times your listeners have had that idea of something? Then they go back to work and then they get mad at themselves and they go dang it. I thought about that, or I had that idea, because the humility I think that's where it starts with entrepreneurialism is this humility that you're not the smartest person in the world and you're not the only person with a great idea.
Speaker 2There's somebody when these vast hundreds of millions of people out there, if you think that it's you, it's not. Somebody else might be first to the forefront. And I think that entrepreneurialism, to me, is the first display that you ever have of a word too few people use, and it's called confidence, courage, it's courage.
Speaker 1Trust me.
Speaker 2Stepping out without a net, thinking that somebody values you or what you offer or what you serve. I mean, that's courage, that's not arrogance, that's not, you know, and I think some people view it that way. It's not. It's courage. Yes, it is this idea that, man, I'm going to pull the rug from under me and this thing that I've really got to get out there, I've got to do. That's a different kind of courage.
Speaker 1Yes, it is, yes, it is, and it takes a lot to start that movement. It takes a lot to get out there and put your feet in the water, and that's kind of a lot of what we talk about on the podcast is what made you step your toe in that water of entrepreneurship and how did you get across and continue that journey. So, yeah, that's a good point for me.
Speaker 2My first step out was because I kept hitting roadblocks with people who were intimidated by my ideas. I mean, there's a point where you don't mind working for somebody, but you want to bring a value too right.
Speaker 2So when that value continues to be ignored or diminished or rejected, I mean you wind up being a shell of yourself, and I think, to me, entrepreneurialism is finding yourself. Yes, it is, and so many people. And again, I think the world is perfectly populated with people who need to work for somebody, but unfortunately, there are a lot with people who need to work for somebody, but unfortunately there are a lot of people who need to do so because they lack a courage or confidence in themselves to go out and just say you know what I'm going to do this. But I tell you what, when you go out to entrepreneurialism, you find the best self you've ever been.
Speaker 2And it gives you a different perspective, even if it fails been. And it gives you a different perspective even if it fails and there is no. I use the word fail subjectively because I don't think there's really a failure point to it, because you get this sense of who you really are. I mean, there's nothing like writing the front of a check. I just had a meeting yesterday with the new CEO for the Second Chamber of Commerce, eugene Seals, who I absolutely love. He's been a little brother to me and we were talking a little bit about that. And I'm not talking out of turn when I share this with you, because I'm sure he will. It's different when you work for somebody and all of a sudden you know you are truly an entrepreneur and he worked in a small business. Now he's, you know, the CEO of the chamber, but now you, it's your budget. Like you're not part of the budget, you're creating the budget.
Speaker 1Yes, like you're not part of the budget, you're creating the budget. Yes, it is.
Speaker 2You have those tough, hard decisions to make. You learn that by being an entrepreneur. I mean, why are we printing in color when we should be using black and white? Yeah, I mean, do we need that much toilet paper? Entrepreneurialism is something else. It teaches you these fine little things that you take for granted when you work for other people. Yeah, like you just want the thickest toilet paper when you're the guy signing. Oh, you better get that one, that one ply to go to Sam's Absolutely.
Speaker 1I love that so much oh my goodness. It is definitely true, and you really learn the power of budgeting when you are an entrepreneur.
Speaker 2you know you stick by that budget and you make sure I love what you're doing for women and that, when you said that that I was the first guy, so I am, I am truly and I say this I mean with the utmost pride, and you can prove it too is I'm a huge feminist. I think, when you look at how many women that I've nurtured, mentored, helped start their own business or even lifted up within corporate ranks.
Building Sustainable Relationships in Entrepreneurship
Speaker 2I think my track record will demonstrate that Part of that comes from my own background, having a sister who was so dependent on a number of things and ultimately wound up leading to her own murder because she never really had something substantial.
Speaker 2And I will tell you that my sister's murder put me on a path to be a feminist. And I work with the Shelter House, underground Railroad, I work with that and a lot of that is empowering women. That, you know, be the man you think you need. And when I say that, because that and that's not sexist, because so many women are trapped into this, he brings home the bacon. He, he, he, he. Well, you know, when you're an entrepreneurial woman, you learn self-sustainability, you learn how to pay the bills, you learn how to do for yourself.
Speaker 1Yes, you do, and so guess what?
Speaker 2It ain't necessarily a job that pulls the rug from under you. If he pulls the rug from under you, guess what? You have a substance. You have a courage. You have something sustainable that says you know what. Have something sustainable that says you know what. This may hurt personally, but professionally.
Speaker 1I'll be okay.
Speaker 2Yeah, and that's what entrepreneurialism is. It's that sense that I'll be okay.
Speaker 1Yes, you will. You know, yeah, yeah, and you just keep going. And you sell more, whatever you go, you find, you find another way to get it out there, don't you?
Speaker 2You got that right.
Speaker 1Jimmy, you always talk about this one word that always stuck with me, and that's the word transformative. Oh yeah, and it stuck with me like glue and it's more of making that lasting impact that's going to continue years over years. Now, talk about what the things that you do out in this community that are transformative versus transactional.
Speaker 2You know what transformative is? It's all relational, no question about it. You know transformative is. It's all relational, no question about it. I can take no for an answer. And I think that's one of the things. Talking about entrepreneurialism, take no for an answer. Not everybody views your value. Not everybody wants your value. Not everybody wants. I always say this too. If you think that right now, somebody sitting behind their desk waiting for you to knock on their door or send you a text message, you got a sad thing coming, so when?
Speaker 2you start talking about transformative, I always try to put myself in a situation where I'm learning and listening, and here's something about me that I don't think a lot of people get is I never tell unless I'm asked. I don't ever do that because I don't know. I have no idea what Courtney's journey was from seven to now. I don't know what that journey. I don't know what your journey is in a day. I don't know what creates your values, your experiences. I have no idea.
Speaker 2So what I do is I sit back and I can't unlearn what I've learned over these many years being in the community. So when you ask me, I will share with you. I won't tell you. I will share with you some of the roadblocks. Maybe help you with a new GPS system to your journey not mine, but yours and so the transformation you get from me is an enhanced value, that I have something to offer other people, and you do that by serving in communities. That's one of the things, too, in entrepreneurialism that people miss. Don't be so embedded in what you do that you miss what other people need.
Speaker 1Don't do that, and it's easy to do that, because when you're an entrepreneur.
Speaker 2You're down, you know you're 24-7. Get out and see what people need. You do that through community service and not only that. You know who sits on boards and community services, really important people. Be around really important people, because entrepreneurialism, for the most part, sometimes it's timing. You know, not everybody wants what you have today. But fortunes change, situations change, employment situations. There's so many things that change and if you're in proximity, guess what that's when you strike Absolutely and you're in a room with people. So when I look at transformation in particular, it starts with being open-minded. I've learned so much, so much from people by walking in a room ignorant.
Speaker 1And I mean that sincerely.
Speaker 2So, when you look at transformation, never sacrifice the transaction for relationships. That's one of the reasons why you and I have this friendship. So one of the things I always do. You know we were talking about the Memorial Cup, so we had to make certain cuts, we had to make certain hard decisions that we had to do and you know that's transactional but at the same time I made it abundantly clear that that wasn't going to be the end of our relationship, because even in entrepreneurialism, sometimes you got to make tough cuts and if you're working with people that are friends or family and that budget gets tight, sometimes you got to let some people go and that hurts, but double back around because things aren't always going to be that way.
Speaker 2So when we had the Memorial Cup and at some point we had to sacrifice, we had to make a tough decision in regards to CMURC, and so you make that call and you sit back because you're not doing it for you, you're doing it for the betterment of whatever that project you're working on. But, that being said, I doubled right back. Courtney, when can we get together, courtney? I'm sorry, courtney. How can we fix that? Because the relationship matters most.
Speaker 2And that humility, that just that sheer humility, that you don't have everything together and you share that with some people. That re bridges that relationship that you don't let fray. Yeah, so when you start talking about relations, that's the real core of because I know a lot of people who do business with people who charge more than their competitors yeah, yeah, the relationship matters Absolutely. Like I'm never going to buy a car from anybody but Garber. Yeah, of course. Now he owns every damn brand. I got to worry about it.
Speaker 1You know what I mean, but no, it is you know, because that's loyalty yeah.
Speaker 2And I tell you what? Because people understand too. You may have to up your prices to stay sustainable, agreed, but people will follow you yeah, will follow you if the relationship's intact and they know you're doing it not to gouge them, but you're doing it to stay relevant to stay profitable, because you can't cut yourself to profitability. That's just impossible. So entrepreneurialism first starts with relationships. Those relationships are the first ingredient to sustainability.
Speaker 1Yes, yeah, absolutely, and that's a huge piece of what we do here at CMURC is continue to create relationships, continue to connect people to other people that may have not been able to rub elbows in the same room. It's all about that creating that inclusive ecosystem where this door is always open. If you're able, walk in. If not, we'll figure out a way to get you here.
Speaker 2Oh you do you do great. I came here because of that. If you remember, when we were looking for spots, there were other places that were, and you know what's interesting Now that I think about it it's the first time I ever shared this with you because it's the first time I actually said it out loud but we had places we could have gone that cost us less when we were looking for a Saginaw presence. But that didn't matter because I knew you and I knew Aaron, and so I was like so what do you charge? And I didn't compete with you know, I didn't send that out on a competitive basis, I just knew I was being charged fairly because I have an opportunity to work with folks who I knew and that made all the difference in the world, also made a difference in the world, like when I forgot my key or something like that.
Speaker 1I could say hey, Courtney, I forgot, Can you let me in Relationships?
Speaker 2matter. Absolutely they do. You don't get stonewalled.
Speaker 1And you have to continue to foster those relationships going forward.
Speaker 2I love what you guys do though.
Speaker 1Seriously Thank you, thank you.
Speaker 2Absolutely. You are a bridge somewhere. Yeah, Because everybody has a GPS system and they know their own journey. But you don't get there without crossing bridges and to me, CMURC is a great bridge for people to cross to get to their destination.
Speaker 1Yeah, and our goal is to always open up and make sure that those resources are available Because, again, you know it could be intimidating to go into an IP attorney's office and say, hey, I need help, and what is that help? What does that even help even look like? And so we bring those people to you, we meet people where they are because, at the end of the day, you know, if you only know what you know, yeah, you're not an accident.
Speaker 2I say that you know you're not an accident, you're intentional, like that is your role, you know how many people accidentally have to fill in voids and like your intent is that and that's what people should understand. So you're not getting outside your lane. Your lane is that.
Speaker 1Yes, it is.
Speaker 2And I think that's such an important role in this community in the Great Lakes Bay Region period. Yeah, for people to be able to populate themselves in four huge markets that's impossible.
Speaker 1Yes, yes, four good, huge, nice, beautiful markets. I said that.
Speaker 2No, I love what you do. I think you're so necessary for the budding entrepreneur and the small business, even those people who are right now still trying to figure out how to grow, because the expense of owning something or building something, nobody builds anything anymore. So you already have a build right here. So for people to populate themselves and cut that expense and then focus on their core product, man, I mean, that's the height of entrepreneurialism, right there.
Speaker 1Of course, of course, and that's what we're again here for. The Great Lakes Bay Small Business Hub is specifically to bring all of those different pieces together. So the chambers, the EDOs, all of the entrepreneur support organizations, put them in a space where you can reach all of them at one time, versus going here, going there, going here, and then we just want to put them all together.
Speaker 2And you know what's funny about that too, is that whole working from home thing, and let me dispel that for your entrepreneurs. That doesn't work. When you're meeting people, nobody wants to come to your house.
Building Relationships and Supporting Entrepreneurs
Speaker 2I don't care what you know. You need to have a structure, an office facility. You need to be able to have that kind of recourse. Because, I'm telling you, first impressions matter. Yes, it does. And if I walk into your place and we're talking about something serious to me and the dog is barking and I hear the laundry going and your kids running up and down the stairs or something like that, I mean it might be convenient for you to work from home, but that's not the best environment not to be taken seriously. You can do that after maybe you've established yourself. But for the budding entrepreneur, they got to look at something like CMURC and say, okay, here's cement, here's a place I can park an address, get mail from, meet people meet people take them down to lunch or whatever the case is, and you got to do that.
Speaker 2Your first impressions really really matter. I can't stress that enough.
Speaker 1Yeah, yeah, get here, get some space, join us, rub some elbows. Get your black book together with your banker, your lawyer, your insurance agent. Get all of those pieces together because they're going to be right here. So tell me, jimmy, what's next for you as a community affairs VP with Saginaw Spirit? What's next for you? How can the community be involved? You, how can the community be involved? How can you, how can entrepreneurs understand what you know they can do to be involved with you? Know the, the, the, the champions of the Memorial.
Speaker 2Cup. That's funny. You should say that because we're doing the same thing now, like I just did to you. Yeah, like it, it's the opposite, it's what can we do for you? Yeah, how can we help you? So we built some small, some small, and one of the first things I did, when I sat with Dick Garber and Craig Gosling, I said we have an affordability problem. You know, yeah, it's great for Dow and Garber and Spence and all, but what about that small business? How can we change our demographics? And, quite frankly, that's really where our growth is.
Speaker 2So, we created these little flex packages. I mean, we have tickets as low as $105 for like six games, or $300.
Speaker 2And with that comes a marketing piece, and it also becomes proximity too. So you're in. I think people need to come and see who those people are at our games. They're influencers, and so if you want to be in that proximity, have entertainment as well too. They can reach out and we bring them in as guests. One of the things we did with the Memorial Cup that I was really proud of we had 2,000 tickets we handed out to small businesses, nonprofits, for example, minority kids. We had such a changing demographic. That was the reason I stayed, because when Dick and Craig wanted me to stay, I said, well, if I stay, I'm going to pick up where I left off, and that's building a different demographic yeah, excuse me and providing venues for our small businesses.
Speaker 1Okay, I love that. So yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2So, yeah, it's more. How can we help you? Yeah, not. Hey, here's a ticket or a package. I'm working with a couple of small businesses right now and working on a marketing package for them so they have some accessibility and they have some marketing value inside the Dow Event Center. You'd be surprised how inexpensive that is yeah, of course.
Speaker 1Well, thank you for that. And entrepreneurs, if you're listening, he's asking what can they do to assist you? Yeah, I mean that. And what can they do to you? Know how can they help? And it's selfish.
Speaker 2Let me say that because part of entrepreneurialism is selfish, like what's in it for me, what's in it for you? Yeah, and the best relationships are reciprocal. I'm going to get something out of it, you're going to get something out of it. That's a relationship that stays intact.
Speaker 1Yeah, yeah, the ask is there, so all you have to do is communicate what you're looking for.
Speaker 2I'm easy to find.
Speaker 1I love that Awesome. So what would you say is a piece of advice or a mantra that was instrumental in your journey that you could maybe give out to these entrepreneurs that are saying I don't know yet, I'm not sure yet, what is that? What does that look like?
Speaker 2It's funny you should say that. Yet what is that? What does that look like? It's funny. You should say that because it was the best advice when I was talking to Eugene. The best advice I've ever ever given out is that every time I did something, even if I what people viewed as a fail, I became the better version of myself. I am today the best person I have ever been, and I thought that a year ago, or two years ago or five years ago, I think every experience you have, especially when it comes to entrepreneurialism. During and after that experience and maybe there's no after, maybe just during you become the best version of yourself. Because now you've received and my grandfather used to always say this, saying about how do you help a hungry person, well, how do you help a hungry person is to have two sandwiches one to feed him and one to feed you.
Speaker 2You're not doing anybody any good having one sandwich because you got to make a tough decision. Do you not feed the hungry person or do you just eat it for yourself? And so I think entrepreneurialism is that character.
Speaker 2It's a chance for you to earn two sandwiches, and now what do you do with them? That's that community piece I was talking about. You don't need to feed yourself with two. You need one to sustain yourself, but you also need to feed a community as well too, and that's what I meant about the best version of yourself. You find character, because everybody thinks, if I want a million dollars, I'm going to do all this and do all that. Will you really? Will you really? Will you really?
Entrepreneurial Inspiration and Support
Speaker 2Because I think that, you know, with wealth and with entrepreneurialism, with profitability, those things we use in a free enterprise world comes character testing.
Speaker 1What are you doing with it?
Speaker 2Yes, and that's what I mean. I love that you become the best version of yourself, or maybe even the worst version of yourself that you haven't yet recognized.
Speaker 1Oh, I'm just saying that might be a word. Hello, you might listen. All right, you might catch it. So I want to say well, when you talk about your ask, all I ask is we are looking to continue what we started during that memorial cup phase. That shop sensational.
Speaker 2We're bringing it back for 2025 and extremely excited about having an awesome block party for small businesses right here in this region and I will tell you this right here, right now, on record, because we do not have a Memorial Cup next year. I will be your biggest supporter.
Speaker 1Let's do it. Hello, let's continue this. You guys heard it. You heard it right here.
Speaker 2I will be her biggest supporter. Let's do it. I will be her biggest supporter.
Speaker 1Let's do it and we're going to continue to move this needle for these entrepreneurs and breaking down barriers that we have seen going in the past. So always join the movement and be that inspiration, because no matter who you are or what you do, you can be an entrepreneur like me, like Jimmy or like anybody else in the Great Lakes Bay region.
Speaker 2God bless what you do.
Speaker 1Thank you, jimmy, I really appreciate you.
Speaker 2And I love you more.
Speaker 1Oh, yes, yes, yes, yes. Thank you for joining and I'll talk to you all soon. Bye-bye.