A Northwood University student from India is one of four finalists who will compete for a community microgrant that’s up for grabs at the Oct. 24 Midland Doxa Dinner.
“The Midland Doxa Dinner, presented by Doxa Development, costs just $5 for attendees to fuel up on soup, salad, and bread while hearing short pitches from a group of our neighbors who could use seed money to grow an existing business idea,” explained Patrick McElgunn, director of the NU Idea Center in downtown Midland. “Attendees then vote for their favorite pitch, and the winner gets to take home the pot of all the $5 dinner donations.”
With support from the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, Ruth Mott Foundation, and the United Way of Genesee County, Doxa began hosting soup dinners full-time in Flint in 2017 to provide community-funded microgrants for local entrepreneurs to turn their dreams into reality. The program was so successful that the Midland Area Community Foundation helped Doxa expand its programming to include a series of Doxa Dinners in Midland County. McElgunn has worked with Doxa Director Adrian Montague as Doxa has expanded into Midland.
“These dinners are a great way for people who have business ideas but aren’t prepared to take out a loan or have a large network to work with,” McElgunn noted. “Since its inception, the program has granted over $80,000 in start-up grants, and its impact is over $8 million — on paper. In reality, it’s estimated the grants have resulted in $12 million in economic impact.”
Doxa plans to hold 12 dinners in Midland over the next three years. The Oct. 24 event is the second dinner to be held in Midland. Doors open at 5:15 p.m. at Trinity Lutheran Church, located at 3701 Jefferson Ave. In addition to the Midland Area Community Foundation, other 2024 Midland Doxa Dinner sponsors and supporters include Huntington and the State Policy Network.
“Northwood is beyond thrilled to be in conversations with Doxa to host a future dinner on our campus, as we believe America’s Free Enterprise University is the perfect site for an event where community meets entrepreneurship,” McElgunn stated. “For this month’s dinner, Northwood is proud to have one of our students among the finalists who will present business pitches.”
That student — Amaan Tezabwala — will pitch expanding his family’s perfume brand, Al Amir, at the Oct. 24 Midland Doxa Dinner.
Tezabwala explained that Al Amir is rooted in the rich heritage of Arabian scents, which connote nobleness, sophistication, and refinement.
“It unites people across the globe through the universal language of scents,” he added. “Each fragrance in our collection is meticulously crafted to evoke emotions, memories, and a sense of belonging. Our mission is to bridge cultural boundaries and foster unity in a diverse world by creating scents that resonate with everyone, to make them feel at home no matter where they are in the world.”
Other pitch finalists for the Oct. 24 Midland Doxa Dinner include:
- Kelly Carlin, Off the Wheaten Path
- Erik Swenson, Flying Trout Catering
- Kristie Mulder, Firm Foundations Physical Therapy
“It will be great to hear from such a different array of business ideas,” McElgunn noted. “There certainly isn’t a lack of variety in this group!”
For planning purposes, Midland Doxa Dinner attendees are asked to RSVP online before the Oct. 24 dinner. For more information, email or visit www.doxadev.org.
