MI Best: An MLive Podcast

At Home with Eastbrook Homes: Brooke Cummings, My Casual Mom

Today we talk to 'My Casual Mom', Brooke Cummings all about her building a new home journey with Eastbrook Homes. Though building felt like it would be overwhelming, they learned that for their life, remodeling and trying to buy an existing home were both too big undertakings. Eastbrook Homes made building a new home so easy, quick and customized that it was a no brainer.

MI Best Podcast: the MRA highlights Bo Brines

Today we talk to Bo Brines of Little Forks Outfitters owner and MRA board chair. He walks us through how a 'hometown Midland boy' with a passion for music came to start a store specializing in fishing (fly fishing, 'hard core trout' fishing, and more) and general outdoor needs.

MI Best Podcast: Consumers Energy’s business energy solutions

Today we talk to Nate Carver, Consumers Energy's Director of Project Management for Commercial and Industrial Businesses and Jill Diliberti from the Genesee County Intermediate School District. Since 2009 Consumers Energy Energy Efficiency programs has been helping businesses save billions of dollars - because they know that using less energy or changing the time of use means that they can use more cost- and energy-efficient energy sources. These programs have helped businesses around the state, including factories, health care providers, farms, retailers, school districts and more, saving them up to 25% on projects. Find out more at www.consumersenergy.com/charlesatwork

MI Best Stories: 2022 Great Lakes Bay Dow Invitational

Today we talk with Wendy Traschen, Tournament Director for the Great Lakes Bay Dow Invitational - we dive into how one event drives major impact on the 4 counties in the great lakes bay area; over 12 million dollars of economic impact in 2021 alone. The invitational runs July 10-16 this year, and is unique as a team-play event. This year features 72 teams; 144 players.

MI Best Stories: the MRA highlights Cadillac Visitors Bureau

Today we talk to Kathy Morin from the Cadillac CVB. The Cadillac CVB is a recipient of the Michigan Retailers Association's Buy Nearby Grant, and are excited to start using those funds to increase awareness and attendance to their Thursday night Upbeat Cadillac summer concert series, Cadillac After Hours Market, and the ongoing downtown Social District.

MI Best Podcast: Energy Efficiency with Consumers Energy’s Brian Lewis

Today we talk to Consumers Energy's Executive Director Customer Operations, Brian Lewis, about how Consumers Energy can help Michiganders to use less energy to do the same amount of work, and how this can even lower energy costs while also helping to safeguard some of Michigan's unique natural resources.

MI Best Podcast: the MRA highlights Alpena High School’s The Campus Closet

Today we talk to Melissa and her student team at Alpena High School's The Campus Closet - a store within the school that has built up from a 'dreary closet' selling basic school supplies, to a fully functional retail establishment within a school. The students who manage and work at The Campus Closet are given the chance to take learnings from the Career and Technical program's marketing and business classes, and apply them in real time. They're learning about inventory management, customer service, employee-manager relations, training and so much more.

At Home with Eastbrook Homes: Joe Sambaer

On today’s episode of At Home with Eastbrook Homes, we talk with Joe Sambaer, VP and Senior Mortgage Banker at Dart Bank. We talk through the differences between the purchase market for existing homes versus new construction homes, how we got to this point in the real estate market and what are mortgage rates doing right now.

MI Best Stories: Das Gift Haus

In this episode with the Michigan Retailers Association, we explore Das Gift Haus. How it came to be, what COVID was like for them and what can we expect this year? 

MI Best Stories: Hush Intimate Apparel in Brighton

Today we head to Brighton, Mi to talk to Lisa Nelson, founder and owner of Hush Intimate Apparel - we walk through the good and sometimes daunting task of starting and owning a business, how she moved from the corporate world to entrepreneurship, and how that move opened up endless possibilities for her.