Founders : Construction

“Brandon and I started cutting lawns together in high school,” Durrant says. “We turned a tiny lawncare company into a multi-million-dollar business.” What gives the Wixom-based startup an edge is its participation in the 500 Startups accelerator program in Silicon Valley.

Questions with Skye Durrant discusses his aspirations to make LawnGuru the Uber of landscaping and snowplowing

There is a glut of startup accelerators out there, but the guys behind the property management startup Castle got into the most prestigious one around, Y Combinator. The Detroit-based startup's team tells how it shot the moon and got in.

Questions with Castle explains how it got into Y Combinator

"We're in great shape for future expansion," Rieth says. "We want to have a capacity of 150,000 barrels and this gives us that. We want to continue growing in Detroit because the city is an important part of what we’re about."

Questions with No place like home for Atwater Brewery

Oxford Companies has grown a lot in the last few years and is now positioned to become the firm in property management in Ann Arbor. The company's CEO Jeff Hauptman explains how it manages such rapid growth.

Questions with Jeff Hauptman on growing quickly and manging it properly

Amy Swift launched Building Hugger a few years ago with an idea or two of what to do with it. Several ideas later the Detroiter is figuring out what her business is all about and where it's going.

Questions with Amy Swift on evolving a company's business plan and focus

Slows restaurant in Detroit caught lightning in a bottle when it opened in 2005. It has slowly grown since then despite numerous offers to open around the world. Co-founder Brian Perrone explains why.

Questions with Brian Perrone on slowly growing the Slows footprint

Jim Renberg's firm, Brush Park Studio, is creating a successful business where too many people don't see value: preserving historic architecture in Detroit. Renberg explains why it works for him and his partner.

Questions with Jim Renberg on preserving Detroit's historic architecture

Bob Kraemer has seen the ups and downs of redeveloping downtown Detroit since he opened Kraemer Design Group in Harmonie Park in 1997. He also has an idea or two where development will be heading in the next few years.

Questions with Bob Kraemer on where downtown Detroit development is headed

Max Nussenbaum is the co-founder & CEO of Castle, a Detroit-based startup creating software for landlords.

Questions with Max Nussenbaum

Achille Bianchi is the founder of Homes Eyeware, a Detroit-based startup that creates sunglasses from wood reclaimed from blighted homes.

Questions with Achille Bianchi

Shena Penn is the founder of Pure Decontamination, a crime-scene clean-up business based in Detroit.

Questions with Shena Penn

Pedro Guillen is the CEO of Detroit Materials, a startup that is commercializing an allow that would create a stronger and lighter steel.

Questions with Pedro Guillen

Kyle Hoff is the co-founder & creator or The Floyd Leg, an innovative furniture leg that can attach to just about any flat surface. It is based in Detroit's North Corktown neighborhood.

Questions with Kyle Hoff

Greg McPartlin is the co-founder & managing partner of Parjana, a clean-tech startup based in downtown Detroit.

Questions with Greg McPartlin

Glenn Oliver is the CEO of H2bid, a Detroit-based startup that helps municipalities bid out water, sewer and infrastructure projects online.

Questions with Glenn Oliver