Tell us about living in Detroit. What neighborhood do you live in and what things make it unique and exciting?

From the very beginning, living in Detroit has been an exciting adventure. When we started our apartment search, we didn’t know what neighborhood we wanted to live in. We both love old homes so the thought of living in West Village or the Boston Edison neighborhood was appealing. Our love for the water also drew us to look for apartments within proximity to the Riverwalk and the Dequindre Cut. However, after some lengthy discussions we decided that downtown was where we wanted to be. Although we’ve both lived in large cities in the United States, France, and Austria, never before had we have an opportunity to live in what you could describe as the urban core. Our apartment is located across from Cadillac Square in Downtown Detroit. If you’re not familiar with the area, this is directly adjacent to Campus Martius which is often described as “the gathering place of Detroit.”

Although we continue to frequent neighborhoods outside of Downtown- for all sorts of adventures- it is fun to know that there’s always something happening within a short 10 min walk from our front door. During these past few months we’ve been enjoying all the activities that Campus Martius offers including: The beach bar (during the summer), basketball courts, Thanksgiving Day Parade, Christmas tree lighting ceremony, ice rink, the “D – drop” (New Year’s Eve) and live entertainment. We’re also able to walk to dozens of restaurants, bars, and performance venues. A few of my favorite places are the Drive Table Tennis Social Club (645 Griswold), Saint Andrew’s Hall (for musical performances), and the Grand Trunk Pub. I get excited seeing all the new retail, restaurants, and services being added – which makes it especially fun and easy to find and explore new things. Everyday is a fun adventure living in Downtown Detroit.

What have you learned from Challenge Detroit so far?

Introduction to Design Thinking

Design Thinking is an exciting solution-oriented problem solving methodology that we use in Challenge Detroit- and it’s awesome! Prior to Challenge Detroit, I had never used it or even heard of it. It focuses on empathizing and understanding the needs of our end user, rapid ideation, creation of a product or service, followed by testing and further ideation. I love talking ideas – so naturally it’s fun to complete rapid ideation because I get an opportunity to quickly share ideas – as realistic or far-fetched as I would like- while listening and building on each other’s contribution.

Increased Awareness of Racism & Inequality

Challenge Detroit has provided me with a great snapshot of Detroit, then and now. I’ve read a few books about Detroit before I got here and they were helpful, but it wasn’t until I lived here and experienced Challenge that I could begin to understand the complexity of Detroit’s challenges, triumphs, and successes. One such way that I have grown is in understanding the history of race and inequality in the United States and in the city of Detroit. I’ve enjoyed the opportunity to talk about race and inequality with academic scholars, leaders, and fellows within my cohort. The lessons that I continue to learn will stay with me for life. A special thank you to fellows within my cohort for sharing their stories – which have helped me to grow significantly!

Tell us about your host company and your role in the organization.

Mosher Dolan is a building firm based in Royal Oak, MI. Although they primarily focus on high-end residential construction, they also serve as the construction advisors for the Goldfish Swim School franchise. My role at Mosher Dolan is an assistant advising role in the construction of Goldfish Swim Schools across the United States. My time is spent reviewing plans; creating and reviewing submittal documents; researching products; and reviewing and preparing bid documents. My time at Mosher Dolan has been a fun adventure since many of the projects and tasks that I am working on are new to me. Although I have experience working on old houses, having a job in the building industry is also a first for me. I enjoy the challenge of learning and I work as hard as I can to learn as much as I can about as many things as I can. The job requires a strong attention to detail – so I do my best to bring my best self to work every day.

We asked Doyle Mosher of Mosher Dolan to tell us a bit more about what Dave is working on and the value is brings to the organization. Here’s what Doyle had to say.

“David is the Project Coordinator for multiple Goldfish Swim Schools, a large Mosher Dolan account. His entrepreneurial skills and “tackle anything” attitude has made him a valuable addition towards growing this sector. David’s duties are wide including; scoping, bidding, value engineering, reports and submissions.”

What kind of impact do you hope to have with your host company and within the city?

It’s important to me that I make a positive impact on others every day. Some days the impact I make is more apparent than others, but I remain committed and intentionally positive no matter the situation. Many people say they want to have an impact and our world is better off for it.The route I take to be impactful is often times found in small positive actions rooted in servant leadership. In my experience, these small positive actions can be the most powerful first step in impacting others and in creating lasting positive change. Each of us experiences challenges at work and in life and we each handle these challenges in our own way. It’s important to me that we meet people where they’re at- without judgement- and with compassion. Often times a lack of resources and support can make overcoming obstacles that much more difficult. Being able to empathize with others, helps me understand where and how I can provide support to them- so they can work to overcome their challenges. Never forget the impact that even small actions can have on others!

What gets you most excited about Detroit?
The small business startup eco system!

Check out Dave’s video to learn even more about his time in Detroit so far!