Contest launched to find best Michigan-made product

Pete Purol is the designerand manufacturer of All AmericanTorch. He had an ideato turn bottles into personaltiki torches and created abusiness in his Sterling Heightshome.

In Grand Rapids, 31-year-oldJonathan Ramer wanted to makeAderondeck chairs. He calls hiscompany Mad Chairs, and they'reare shaped like a mitten.Ramer likes to say,"Sitten' on the mitten." 

What do these two inventorshave in common? They bothfound the trajectory to successat the same intersection byentering "Buy Michigan NowUp and Coming Entrepreneur"contest.

Now, in its fourthconsecutive year, Buy MichiganNow is still looking forthe next great made-in-Michiganproduct.

Clickhere to enter and readthe full contest rules

What's the benefit ofwinning? Ramer, last year'swinner, said it completelykicked his start-up into highgear. He's been selling chairsall around the country andis making money doing it.

Purol won the contest twoyears ago and said theexposure had the same effecton his business. He's sendinghis torch kits to partsof the world he's nevereven heard of.


About the Author:

Paula Tutman is an Emmy award-winning journalist who came to Local 4 in 1992. She's married and the stepmother of three beautiful and brilliant daughters. Her personal philosophy in life, love and community is, "Do as much as you can possibly do, not as little as you can possibly get away with".