March 29, 2024

What's Thriving Michigan?

March 25, 2016

Nathan Havey’s Thrive Consulting Group has been engaged by the Michigan Association of Chamber Professionals to create Thriving Michigan.The goal is for Michigan to reach what Havey calls “the tipping point” for this concept: when about 15 percent of companies self-identify as conscious capitalism businesses by January 2019.

“We are implementing conscious capitalism in Michigan through Thriving Michigan,” Havey said.

So far, six chambers of commerce are signed on to participate in the effort, including Up North chambers in Traverse City, Petoskey and Alpena, along with the more urban chambers in Ann Arbor-Ypsilanti, Birmingham- Bloomfield and Monroe County.

“It’s a three-year program to implement this, if chambers can own this concept and be in a place where businesses can learn about this and then can benefit,” Havey said.

Locally, participating companies in the Thrive Michigan program will undergo a one-year training session with one quarter devoted to each of the theory’s four pillars: higher purpose, stakeholder orientation, conscious leadership and conscious culture.

Ashley Whitney, president of insurance firm Harbor Brenn Agencies in Petoskey, said she first heard Havey speak about conscious capitalism during a lecture hosted by the Petoskey Regional Chamber of Commerce.

“I drank the Kool-Aid. Everything he said spoke to me,” Whitney said.

The insurance agency had long supported community efforts through philanthropy, donating money to this group or having employees volunteer for that effort. Conscious capitalism takes it to a whole new level, Whitney said.

“This gave us a direction to go. This gave us direction to do better,” she said.

And Whitney isn’t the only local business leader to sign up for the program. Kevin Schlueter at auto parts manufacturer Kalkaska Screw Products said he, too, wants to implement conscious capitalism at his business that produces 3 million parts for vehicle airbags, seat belts, fuel and brake systems each month.

“I was an easy sell. I believe we are here in business to do things that are perhaps more important than the almighty dollar,” Schlueter said. “This will improve our culture and truly help me as a leader. It will make a difference for us.”

The chamber in Traverse City will be the first to make this program available to its member businesses in June, Havey said, with Petoskey to follow in October. The other participating chambers’ launch dates are yet to be determined.

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