At this years Believe! in Our City, leaders from business, faith, education, government, and community came together to explore how real innovators are solving real problems—creating opportunity, strengthening neighborhoods, and driving human flourishing.

Grounded in principles of free enterprise, the event highlights how creativity, initiative, and collaboration can transform a city from the bottom up.

Do you believe in your city? In this opening talk, Doug DeVos challenges listeners to see belief as action. He reminds us that no one builds alone—that progress starts with relationships, fresh thinking, and the courage to take risks. Doug sets the tone for this year’s Believe! in Our City series, calling each of us to move from belief to behavior and help shape a stronger Grand Rapids together.

Do you believe in opportunity? In this talk, Ian Rowe shares how faith, family, education, and entrepreneurship create the foundation for the American Dream. Drawing from his work as a researcher and school leader, he shows how local action and personal agency can break cycles of disadvantage and open doors for the next generation.

Former Swiss Guard turned entrepreneur Andreas Widmer sits down with Doug DeVos for a powerful conversation about faith, work, and the true meaning of entrepreneurship. Widmer shares his unlikely path—from guarding Pope John Paul II to building companies, losing everything, and discovering how human dignity and creativity shape a thriving economy.

Together, Doug and Andreas explore why work matters, how culture transforms communities, and why enterprise solutions—rooted in personal agency and responsibility—offer real hope for people facing poverty or disconnection. It’s a timely reminder that the economy exists for people, not the other way around.

In this conversation, Ian Rowe and Anthony Bradley dig deeper into what drives opportunity in America today. They discuss how strong families, faith, education, and community courage form the foundation for upward mobility—and how cities like Grand Rapids can lead the way.

Their message is simple and bold: real change starts upstream, with honest conversations about what builds character and strengthens families. They challenge listeners to focus less on politics and more on principles that empower people to live self-determined, flourishing lives.

Aaron Renn explores what drives prosperity in cities like Grand Rapids and why the spirit of adventure still matters. He challenges the Midwest to reclaim the boldness that once defined American enterprise—the courage to dream bigger, take risks, and chase what’s possible.

Through stories of entrepreneurs from Indiana to Bulgaria, Renn reminds us that prosperity grows from ambition paired with action. Entrepreneurship, he says, isn’t only about profit—it’s about curiosity, courage, and building something that serves others.

In this conversation, John Tuttle and Aaron Renn unpack how to revive an adventurous spirit—at school, at home, and in city hall. They call out box-checking “scripts,” helicopter parenting, and red tape that smother risk, creativity, and ownership.

They offer a path forward: raise independent kids, reward contrarian thinking, clear barriers to build, and set bold civic ambitions rooted in local culture.

This panel shows how employers in West Michigan are building a shared talent ecosystem. They map clear paths from $15 to $30 an hour, bridge the benefits cliff, and remove barriers like transport, childcare, and housing.

You hear practical fixes: wage-replacement grants for upskilling, cross-company ladders, common soft and technical skills, and ROI targets that cut vacancies and first-year turnover. The call is simple. Celebrate movement. Invest in people. Align margin with mission.

Chef Chad Houser shares how Café Momentum turns a restaurant into a 12-month paid internship for justice-involved youth. Students earn diplomas by day, run a top-tier dining room at night, and learn work ethic, dignity, and discipline.

Results speak. Café Momentum ranks among Dallas’s best restaurants. The model now operates in Pittsburgh and Atlanta, with Denver next. Guests meet the students. Perceptions change. Community ties deepen. Opportunity grows.

In this conversation, Chad Houser, Trimell Hawkins and Johnny Brann share how restaurants shape people and cities. They announce two ventures in Grand Rapids: Trust and Concrete Rose. Both aim to deliver great food and real opportunity.

They talk resilience, people skills, and community service. Kitchens teach discipline. Dining rooms build relationships. Their goal is clear. Serve guests well. Train the next generation. Give back.

In this session, leaders from West Michigan share how they’re tackling financial inequality by launching the Financial Empowerment Center in Boston Square. The goal: replace predatory lending with access, education, and trust.

You hear from Dondrea Brown of Young Money Finances, Dallas Lenear of Project Green, and Julie Leonard, CEO of LMCU. Together, they’re building a nonprofit, banklike hub that helps unbanked and underbanked families gain financial stability through credit building, budgeting, and ownership.

Their work bridges institutions and neighborhoods—showing what happens when banks, nonprofits, and residents link arms to invest in people, not profit.

Mark Johnson, Co-Founder of Michigan Software Labs, shares how faith, curiosity, and action led him from coding an app for his wife to building one of Michigan’s leading software firms.

He reflects on what the mobile era taught him and what the AI era demands now—initiative, intention, and in-person connection. From the iPhone’s launch to the rise of AI “agents,” Johnson shows how new technology succeeds when paired with human values and relationships.

His message is clear: the future belongs to those who act with purpose, stay grounded in community, and keep learning.

AI Powered Future, a panel discussion with TalentFirst leadership and local employers, speakers explore how artificial intelligence is reshaping opportunity in West Michigan.

Kevin Stotts of TalentFirst, Dana Nelson of FutureFit AI, and Shana Washington from Trinity Health share how the My Career Compass platform connects people to meaningful careers, training, and community resources—all in one place.

This conversation shows how AI, when powered by collaboration and purpose, can create clear career pathways, strengthen local talent, and help every individual thrive.

Khalid Sweeney, founder of Downtown Boxing Gym (DBG), shares his journey from illiteracy and violence to education and leadership. He tells how one person’s question—“What do you want to do with your life?”—changed everything.

Today, DBG helps Detroit’s youth find hope and direction through tutoring, mentoring, and hands-on programs that build literacy, confidence, and community. It’s not a boxing gym—it’s a lifeline for kids who need someone to believe in them.

Vela, Everloom, and DBG, leaders share how they’re reshaping learning from the ground up.

Katie Powell of Vela spotlights how educators and parents across the country are creating new learning models outside traditional systems. Khalid Sweeney of DBG and Kate Robinson of Everloom share how discipline, accountability, and curiosity help young people find purpose, confidence, and voice.

Together, they show that lasting change in education starts locally—with people who see a need, take action, and believe in the potential of every child.

Leaders Daron Babcock, Justin Beane, Troy Evans, and Tara Osman discuss how communities grow when charity shifts to ownership and collaboration.

They share how investing in people—through youth entrepreneurship, local farming, and shared real estate—creates real prosperity that lasts. Their message: people aren’t problems to fix, but assets to invest in.

When we buy local, open our networks, and empower the next generation to lead, we build stronger, freer communities—together.