I’m nonetheless shocked.
I acquired a call at somewhere around 9:30 Monday early morning from a buddy. I failed to give it a 2nd thought simply because we discuss all of the time on the other hand, it was a bit uncommon considering that we typically chat later on in the day. And this simply call was reasonably early.
“Did you listen to?”
“No.”
“Mike Finney died. Just Google the Miami Herald …”
And I did.
I was stunned and speechless upon listening to the information. I paused, gathered myself and asked once again about the information, in disbelief.
Mike and I have been not lifelong buddies. He grew up in Flint and I was born and raised in Detroit. But our paths crossed undertaking in the course of our grownup several years performing what we the two liked undertaking: supporting the company neighborhood in Detroit, across Michigan and beyond.
I 1st met Mike by mutual pals. We quickly produced a bond on the golf study course, became golfing buddies and would participate in the sport wherever and almost everywhere throughout metro Detroit.
At the time, he was president of Ann Arbor Spark, the place he was billed with main that community’s financial improvement arm concentrated on tech-dependent and other entrepreneurial-connected organizations.
He would invite me to his Ann Arbor office environment and share with me his vision and views on what necessary to be completed. He invited me to occasions and, pretty frankly, to just trade ideas.
Via immediate ascension, Mike later turned CEO of the Michigan Financial Growth Corp., the place he led the state’s economic enhancement endeavours for retaining and attracting new organizations.
Useless to say, Mike was fearless, and only set, he was fantastic. And he normally appeared out for other folks and experienced an affinity for small companies.
To wit, Mike known as me about about a business opportunity. I experienced just launched my enterprise and was on the lookout to entice new small business for the duration of the economic recession of 2008.
I picked up the cellphone and on the other line was Mike’s voice. He explained he experienced a enterprise opportunity for my corporation, and went on to describe that he was requested to work with Detroit-based CEO’s in collaboration with SBA’s Detroit business, as aspect of an government leadership, MBA-model method, if you will.
The strategy was easy: Get the job done with compact small business entrepreneurs as element of an powerful monthslong application all through which they would develop method-centered growth options.
But for the reason that of his growing tasks, he couldn’t do it and he advisable me for this effort and hard work.
It started out out as “e-200” and has because progressed into the Emerging Leaders Plan, which is nonetheless in existence.
Bottom line, Mike’s advice became my firm’s to start with consumer. And without the need of Mike’s guidance and self esteem, I would not be in business enterprise 14 years later.
He and his wife Gina moved to Florida in 2017 to develop his horizons although continuing to concentration on economic advancement possibilities in South Florida. We periodically stored in contact and lately exchanged textual content messages. I expressed how very pleased I was of all he was executing. And he replied in-variety.
When Mike moved to Florida, his coronary heart often remained close to his beloved Flint and the condition of Michigan. In actuality, he attended the the latest School Football Playoff recreation in between Michigan and Ga, which was performed in Miami.
Rest effectively, my pal, relaxation effectively.
And thank you!
Mark S. Lee is founder, president and CEO of The Lee Team. He can be heard “In the Meeting Area” at 11 a.m. Sundays on 910 AM. He also hosts the “Small Chat with Mark S. Lee” podcasts at leegroupinnovation.com.
