$$ How Not Knowing the Scene Turned into Green! $$

Doman Speaks About Being New to Town and Creating a Successful Business

Kerry Doman, Founder and CEO of After5 Detroit, came back to town and needed friends. After going away to school in Ohio and then moving to Chicago for a year, she didn’t know anyone when she returned home to her Detroit roots. Starting with her own personal need, little did she know that it would turn into the successful business it is today.

Five years ago, Doman got the idea to create a website for young adults to explore the area. It would highlight special events, destinations and other fun things in the area. Since she didn’t know anyone or the scene of Royal Oak and Birmingham, she assumed she wasn’t the only one that needed help mingling out in the town.  She decided that the idea was a business (never a hobby) and she dedicated her savings to make it grow.

“I had established a good chunk of money and I was left with the thought: Should I buy a house or start a business?” said Doman.

She had no idea where it would go but she made the risk, which turned out to be a good one! She started surrounding herself with knowledgeable and truthful people who offered their support to establish what we now know as After5 Detroit.

“Much of starting your own business after you have taken care of the legal stuff is feeling around in the dark,” explains Doman who has experienced obstacles along her journey. “Never be afraid to prepare for the worst.  The amount of effort and money a business takes should be multiplied by ten because there will always be unforeseen circumstances so that it never hurts to save and plan properly.”

Since the start of After5, it has since expanded to include Connect After 5 and After 5 Intern Program which are both targeted to attract and obtain young professionals in the Detroit area to showcase our city and talent. It has become part of the change in Detroit for revitalization so that we are becoming a community where we work, live and play.

Doman is a true example of a successful female entrepreneur who took an idea and showed risk which produced wonderful and growing results. She offered a couple of tips for future entrepreneurs:

  1. Surround yourself with incredible people. You will need to have different people meet different needs.
  2. Become involved in the community. This will make you become more passionate about what you do.

Come work, live and play at http://www.after5detroit.com/home.

 

 

 

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