Our Neighbors in Business is a celebration of people and ideas that are helping to shape our local community. Through thoughtful conversations with entrepreneurs, owners, and innovators, Ann Arbor’s 107one and Ann Arbor SPARK are shining a light on the journeys behind some remarkable businesses that are calling this region home. Hosted by Scott Vertical, each segment explores where these neighbors started, what drives them forward, and how SPARK helped turn possibility into progress. Scroll down to listen to the podcast episodes and meet the voices that are building, growing, and reimagining business in our backyard.

June 19, 2026 ~ In this edition of Our Neighbors in Business, sponsored by Ann Arbor SPARK, Andrew Weiss, founder and CEO of Homestream, discusses how his company is helping real estate investors make faster, more informed property investment decisions. Drawing on his own experience as a real estate investor, Weiss explains how Homestream streamlines the traditionally time-consuming due diligence process by instantly analyzing properties using data from multiple public and private sources and delivering a comprehensive investment report and proprietary scoring system. He also shares how Ann Arbor SPARK’s Entrepreneur Boot Camp and Entrepreneur in Residence programs provided valuable guidance, mentorship, and customer validation as he developed the platform. In addition, Weiss highlights Homestream’s efforts to support real estate professionals through a new brokerage pilot program and reflects on how SPARK’s internship initiatives helped accelerate the company’s growth.

June 12, 2026 ~ Now that Small Business Month has passed, Our Neighbors in Business, sponsored by Ann Arbor SPARK, features Lindsay Bryan-Podvin, founder of Mind Money Balance, and she shares how she is helping people better understand the emotional side of money. A social worker and Michigan’s first financial therapist, Podvin discusses how emotions, life experiences, and personal history influence financial decision-making, often far more than budgeting tools or financial knowledge alone. She highlights the Mind Money Balance Method, a framework designed to help individuals build healthier relationships with money through financial wellbeing education and support. Podvin also reflects on how Ann Arbor SPARK’s Entrepreneur Boot Camp and Entrepreneur in Residence programs helped her refine her business model, validate her ideas through customer discovery, and transform her successful in-person workshops into a scalable learning platform that can reach more people.

May 22, 2026 ~ In recognition of Small Business Month, this edition of Our Neighbors in Business, sponsored by Ann Arbor SPARK, features Mindo Chocolate Makers CEO Emily Meza Wilson, who shares the inspiring story behind the internationally connected small business. Wilson discusses how the award-winning chocolate company sources cacao directly from farmers in Ecuador’s biodiverse cloud forest region while producing its handcrafted chocolate in southeast Michigan. She highlights Mindo Chocolate’s commitment to sustainability, ethical sourcing, and pure ingredients, as well as plans to expand into a new downtown Ann Arbor factory experience that will bring customers even closer to the chocolate-making process.

May 15, 2026 ~ As part of Small Business Month, this edition of Our Neighbors in Business, sponsored by Ann Arbor SPARK, features Vector Business Consulting CEO Duane Pittman, who discusses how his company helps entrepreneurs navigate the world of government contracting. Drawing from decades of hands-on experience through Vector Electric, Pittman explains how Vector Business Consulting guides small businesses through every stage of the contracting process — from identifying opportunities and understanding federal purchasing systems to developing marketing strategies and scaling operations. Through personalized “clarity sessions” and a structured six-step program, Pittman helps business owners unlock new pathways for growth by connecting their products and services with one of the world’s largest buyers: the federal government.

May 8, 2026 ~ May is Small Business Month, and this version of Our Neighbors in Business, sponsored by Ann Arbor SPARK, features Director of Research for SizeUp SPARK Melissa Sheldon who highlights a powerful suite of tools designed to support small business growth across the region. Sheldon explains how SizeUp SPARK provides accessible, data‑driven resources—from startup guidance to advanced benchmarking—to help entrepreneurs make informed decisions at every stage of their journey.

May 5, 2026 ~ In this episode of Our Neighbors in Business, sponsored by Ann Arbor SPARK, the focus turns to brand strategy and the evolving digital landscape. Ylondia Portis, founder of BrandHrt Evolution, discusses how growing businesses can build meaningful brand equity and stand out in increasingly crowded markets

April 24, 2026 ~ In this segment of Our Neighbors in Business, sponsored by Ann Arbor SPARK, founder and CEO of OrbAid William Crane explores how artificial intelligence is transforming sustainability and the future of work. Crane joins the program to discuss how his company helps organizations navigate the often-complex path toward environmental and operational goals.

April 17, 2026 ~ This edition of Our Neighbors in Business, sponsored by Ann Arbor SPARK, explores a new frontier in mobility—what happens inside the vehicle. CEO and founder of Motion Sync Daniel Schulman joins the show to discuss how emerging technology is tackling motion sickness, a challenge that could shape the future of transportation.

April 10, 2026 ~ In this installment of Our Neighbors in Business, sponsored by Ann Arbor SPARK, the conversation turns to mobility and the everyday ways communities are rethinking how people get around. Business Services Program Manager and Get Downtown Director for TheRide Lilliane Webb joins the discussion to highlight practical, sustainable transportation options across the Ann Arbor area.

April 3, 2026 ~ Reuben Sarkar, president and CEO of the American Center for Mobility, takes listeners inside one of the automotive industry’s most advanced proving grounds, located at Willow Run. Sarkar explains how ACM brings testing, technology, and real‑world validation together to help move autonomous, electric, and connected vehicles from concept to road‑ready. The conversation also highlights Ann Arbor SPARK’s role in supporting mobility innovation by helping create an environment where organizations like ACM can grow, collaborate, and attract the talent and partners needed to move the industry forward.

March 27, 2026 ~ Andrea Taylor, founder and CEO of Livsee, offers an inside look at how her startup is transforming the apartment‑search experience for a new generation of renters as part of the EMU Digital Summer Clinic on Our Neighbors in Business, sponsored by Ann Arbor SPARK. Taylor explains how Livsee leverages AI‑powered chat technology to better connect property owners with Gen Z renters—delivering personalized, real‑time guidance that helps users navigate an increasingly competitive housing market

March 20, 2026 ~ As part of the EMU Digital Summer Clinic on Our Neighbors in Business, partnered with Ann Arbor SPARK, founder & CEO at lacuum.ai Amer Abughaida shares how his startup is tackling environmental challenges with cutting‑edge robotics. Focused on developing autonomous systems that can remove algae, debris, and invasive materials from waterways, lacuum.ai combines advanced engineering with real‑world testing to create scalable solutions for cleaner lakes and waterways.

March 13, 2026 ~ In this week’s EMU Digital Summer Clinic on Our Neighbors in Business, sponsored by Ann Arbor SPARK, founder & CEO gig-l.net Siera Lambert shares how her startup is reimagining the gig economy by connecting small businesses with local freelance talent. Drawing from her own experience as a small business owner, Lambert explains how gig-l.net platform helps bridge the gap between entrepreneurs in need of flexible support and individuals seeking meaningful, skill‑based work on their own schedules.

March 6, 2026 ~ For the first EMU Digital Summer Clinic of 2026 on Our Neighbors in Business, partnered with Ann Arbor SPARK, Al Houry of roadsr.com takes listeners inside the development of a cutting‑edge mobility technology platform designed to make driving safer and smarter. Houry explains how roadsr.com combines cloud and edge computing to deliver real‑time insights for both individual drivers and fleet managers—enhancing visibility, improving decision‑making, and addressing safety challenges in complex driving conditions.

Ann Arbor SPARK is the region’s nonprofit economic development organization, helping businesses launch, grow, and thrive across Ann Arbor and Southeast Michigan. By supporting entrepreneurs, attracting innovative companies, and strengthening key industries like mobility and technology, SPARK helps create jobs and drive long‑term economic growth. Working in partnership with the community, SPARK turns ideas into impact for people and businesses throughout the region.

Learn more at AnnArborUSA.org.