Lakeshore Advantage supports eight business expansion projects resulting in 236 new and retained jobs in Q2 2024
In the second quarter of 2024, Lakeshore Advantage made significant strides in fostering entrepreneurship, retaining our region’s primary employers, and working to discover and address workforce needs across Allegan and Ottawa Counties.
Over the past three months, our initiatives have led to eight business expansion projects, accounting for 236 new and retained jobs and over $185 million in regional investment. We also hosted an insightful workforce conversation, provided hands-on support to 20 early-stage companies, and welcomed new team members. As we look to the second half of the year, Lakeshore Advantage remains committed to leveraging innovative solutions that make our lakeshore region a thriving business and talent hub.
Co-creator of iPhone’s first battery case to share insights on product development and entrepreneurial success at Holland’s inaugural tech event
HOLLAND, Mich. – Lakeshore Advantage is pleased to announce that Shawn Dougherty, co-creator of the first juice pack battery case for the iPhone, will deliver the keynote address at the upcoming SURGE Summit in Downtown Holland.
Dougherty, known for her innovative spirit and business acumen, will provide attendees with a candid and inspirational account of what it takes for product innovation to get started, gain momentum, and how enterprises can make smart assessments for future innovation and investments.
“I am thrilled to be back in my home state of Michigan, where my journey began, and to share the lessons I’ve learned along the way,” Dougherty shared. “The entrepreneurial spirit and innovative energy here are truly inspiring, and I look forward to connecting with the next generation of innovators at the SURGE Summit.”
Throughout her career, Dougherty has demonstrated a keen ability to identify market needs and develop groundbreaking solutions. Her most notable achievement includes co-founding mophie, the company behind the revolutionary juice pack battery case for iPhones. This innovation not only solved a common problem for smartphone users but also created an entirely new product category in the mobile accessories market.
Dougherty’s entrepreneurial journey extends beyond mophie. She has successfully launched and scaled multiple technology-driven companies, earning her reputation as a serial entrepreneur. Her expertise spans product development, marketing, and strategic business growth.
“We are thrilled to have Shawn Dougherty as our keynote speaker for the SURGE Summit,” said Jennifer Owens, president of Lakeshore Advantage. “Her experiences and insights will be invaluable to our West Michigan entrepreneurs and corporate innovators as they seek to solve unique challenges and drive growth.”
Dougherty’s keynote presentation will take place at Downtown Holland’s Warehouse 6, 136 E 6th St., starting at 1:00 p.m. on Tuesday, September 17.
I am a hands-on learner. I learn through seeing and doing. One of the most rewarding aspects of my role is to see first-hand community best practices and innovation inside our area employers. Our team works diligently to understand thousands of programs, tools, and resources to share with our primary employers. We are constantly learning and growing throughout the process.
Recently, I had the privilege of getting a sneak peek at two extraordinary nonprofits: the Outdoor Discovery Center (ODC) Network and Renew Therapeutic Riding Center. Both are poised to make a lasting positive impact on our community.
Lakeshore Advantage President, Jennifer Owens at Renew Therapeutic Riding Center
Reimagine Education is a new program developed by the ODC Network in collaboration with local schools and employers. It expands ODC’s successful nature-based preschool model to K-12 students. During my visit, I witnessed a group of wide-eyed pre-kindergarteners netting and tagging birds, contributing to national migratory pattern tracking. This age-appropriate lesson had children using tools, taking measurements, and identifying different types of birds. I was amazed by the level of engagement and eagerness to learn displayed by these 5-year-olds. Their teachers shared the same excitement in implementing these lessons and watching their students grow and develop.
This program was initially funded by a group of committed philanthropists and business leaders. The response from school districts throughout the region exceeded ODC’s expectations for this pilot program. Teachers are provided with lesson plans, tools, and everything they need for instant hands-on sessions in any outdoor setting. This partnership will lead to tremendous strides forward in our students’ development for years to come.
During a Lakeshore Non-Profit Alliance gathering, I had the opportunity to visit Renew Therapeutic Riding Center, a nationally accredited equine therapy center that uses horses to help children and adults with speech impairments, disabilities, and post-traumatic stress disorder to develop and grow. Renew welcomes more than 150 students and adults on its campus every day. The director shared a remarkable story of a four-year-old who came to Renew for speech therapy and was told by his doctor that he would need therapy for many years. Within one year of horse riding, which stimulates neurological and sensory functions, the child no longer required therapy. His parents were ecstatic, but their son will miss his horse buddies.
Renew and the ODC Network are just two of the many treasures that make our region so extraordinary. The children and adults positively impacted by these exceptional nonprofits will have a better chance of gainful employment and improved quality of life. These support programs and so many others will help ensure that current and future generations want to live and work in our vibrant community.
Jennifer Owens is the president of Lakeshore Advantage, the leading economic development organization for West Michigan’s Ottawa and Allegan counties.
I have always been an avid reader. My mom, a high school English teacher, always had her nose in a book, and I followed suit. When I was younger, I enjoyed murder mysteries and romance novels. As I grew up and entered the world of business, my reading shifted from pleasure to professional growth. My favorites are organizational leadership and psychology for business. My mother, who has always been a role model for me, got her second master’s degree in counseling at the age of 50, which further inspired my interest in these topics.
I was often my mother’s guinea pig as she tried out personality assessments and parenting techniques. Shockingly, my Myers Briggs assessment (ENTJ) has not changed since I was 14 years old.
Later, my kids received many lessons in play therapy from my mom. I learned that her techniques, like active listening and conflict resolution, could easily transition to the world of business. My favorite authors are those that mix organizational psychology and change management advice, like Brené Brown and Adam Grant.
As I got older, I wanted to understand what made pretty good leaders into great ones. The more I got to know these great leaders, the more they shared with me about their journey to success. I found that their path was often a bumpy one, with lots of failures and setbacks along the way.
This brings me to one of my favorite business/psychology books, “Grit” by Angela Duckworth. Duckworth’s long-term study shows that purpose, passion, and perseverance are often what separates good leaders from great ones. Those who can persevere through setbacks, failures, heartbreaks, and kicks in the butt, yet keep true to their passion and purpose, are more successful. However, those setbacks along the way are rarely shared publicly.
The new age of social media simplifies success stories in 30 seconds or less, usually taking out all the twists and turns. If we don’t share our authentic journeys, my fear is that we are raising a group of aspiring leaders who, instead of being deep in a book like me, are deep into social media where they only see the fairy tale stories of success.
I am more aware of the trials in a leader’s journey as I watch my role model mom develop even more grit over the past few weeks as she recovers from a massive car accident. She just keeps learning. Now at age 80, it is about how to move again with vertebrae, sternum, and rib fractures. She just keeps gaining more grit with a smile on her face and perseverance in her heart.
Here’s my challenge to those great leaders who have shared your failures and setbacks with me: share your true journey when asked, not just the fairy tale ending. Share your gritty journey with not only those you know and trust, but young people who aspire to follow in your footsteps. Your authenticity might help prepare them for the big bumps that can and will come on their road from good to great.
Jennifer Owens is the president of Lakeshore Advantage, the leading economic development organization for West Michigan’s Ottawa and Allegan counties.
I am more aware of the trials in a leader’s journey as I watch my role model mom develop even more grit over the past few weeks as she recovers from a massive car accident. She just keeps learning. Now at age 80, it is about how to move again with vertebrae, sternum, and rib fractures. She just keeps gaining more grit with a smile on her face and perseverance in her heart.