Doxa Development

09/15/2026

Well guys… I WON. 😭

Sharp Hand Ally was awarded the $1,000 microgrant at the Doxa Dinner last night, and I'm honestly still trying to process it.

I don't even really know what to say other than thank you.

Seriously. Thank you.

More than half of that room was filled with my family, friends, customers and people who came specifically to support me and Sharp Hand Ally. I looked out into the crowd before I spoke and saw so many people I love sitting there.

And then you guys voted for me.

I had an entire speech prepared. I practiced it. I had my notes. I knew exactly what I wanted to say.

Then they handed me the microphone and approximately 2 seconds later every single word I prepared left my brain. 🤣

So I just talked.

I talked about Sharp Hand Ally. I talked about how much this business has grown. I talked about my customers and how badly I want to be able to bring my entire workshop directly to them.

And somehow it was enough.

But this morning I remembered something that absolutely broke me.

Four years ago, when I was developing my original business plan for Sharp Hand Ally, I wrote down my 5 year goal.

It was to become mobile.

That's what I wanted this business to become someday.

At that point I had no idea if any of this was actually going to work. I didn't know what Sharp Hand Ally would look like four years later. I didn't know how I was going to get there.

I just knew where I wanted to go.

And now I'm sitting here crying because…

I'm doing it.

I'm actually doing the thing I wrote down four years ago.

And I'm not late.

I'm right on time. 😭

I don't know why that realization is hitting me as hard as it is. Maybe because sometimes when you're in the middle of building something, you're so focused on the next thing that needs to be done that you don't stop long enough to realize how far you've actually come.

I've spent four years sharpening knives. Standing at markets. Hauling equipment around. Working long days. Taking chances. Making mistakes. Figuring things out as I go. Saying yes to opportunities even when they scared me. And just continuing to build this business one little piece at a time.

And somewhere along the way, that five year goal stopped being something written on a piece of paper.

It became the next step.

I cannot thank everyone who showed up for me last night enough. And I can't thank everyone who has supported Sharp Hand Ally over these last four years enough.

You guys are helping me build something that four-years-ago me could only picture in her head.

And I really wish she could see this.

Because we're doing it. 😭🖤

It's time to shop for a trailer.

Sharp Hand Ally is going mobile.

Right on time. 🔪✂️🖤

09/14/2026

TONIGHT:

Midland County Doxa Dinner is happening TONIGHT at Trinity Lutheran Church!

Come listen to 5 Midland Area Farmers Market presenters, connect with neighbors, meet local entrepreneurs, and enjoy a meal of soup, salad, and bread!

$5 (cash) for soup, salad, bread, a vote, and live music!

Every dollar collected on Monday evening goes directly toward the micro-grant, which is awarded to the presenter with the most community votes at the end of the dinner!

RSVP: https://forms.gle/sRnU6SeFNzNMETeHA

A few things:
-$5 (cash) at the door
-Doors open at 5:30pm
-Event starts at 6:00pm
-Come hungry!

Presenters:
Whole Sheband Farms
Sharp Hand Ally Sharpening Services, LLC
Eli's Gluten-Free Sweet Treats
Hearthside Teas and Goods
Willrose Cakery

Thanks to our stellar Doxa team and volunteers for helping us make these events possible. You all are the best!

We extend our gratitude to the Midland Area Community Foundation, John Templeton Foundation, Rising Tide Foundation, The Beth and Ravenel Curry Foundation, and the State Policy Network for their generous program support.

We'd also like to express our appreciation to Trinity Lutheran Church, Huntington National Bank, and Financial Plus Credit Union for their support.

09/11/2026

Midland County Doxa Dinner Presenter #5

Vote for Gina Willman, Owner of Willrose Cakery on Monday, September 14th at Trinity Lutheran Church!

Come listen to 5 presenters, connect with neighbors, meet local entrepreneurs, and enjoy a simple meal! Doors open at 5:30pm, event starts at 6pm!

$5 (cash) for soup, salad, bread, a vote, and live music!

Midland Doxa Dinner Guest RSVP:
https://forms.gle/sRnU6SeFNzNMETeHA

Overview:

Gina Willman— Willrose Cakery

What started as a side hustle for Gina Willman has grown into her full-time job. Through Willrose Cakery, her home-based cottage law bakery in Midland, Gina has spent the last several years building a loyal following for her handcrafted cakes, macarons, breads, and other baked goods made in small batches with an emphasis on quality, customization, and presentation.

Whether she's creating a first birthday cake, a graduation cake, something special for a wedding, or a box of someone's favorite macarons, Gina wants every order to feel like it was made specifically for the person receiving it.

Over the past several years, Willrose Cakery has grown largely through word of mouth. Customers recommend Gina to their friends and families, while regulars at local farmers markets, such as the Midland Area Farmers Market (Michigan), return week after week for her baked goods, especially her macarons. That support helped what began as a side hustle grow into Gina's full-time job.

And full-time really does mean full-time! Gina spends anywhere from eight to fourteen hours a day grocery shopping, prepping, baking, packaging, marketing, handling administrative work, and preparing for custom orders and markets. She currently does all of that from a limited space in her home, with nearly everything the business earns going right back into ingredients, equipment, bakeware, and savings for future growth.

Gina isn't building Willrose alone. Her husband works overtime and comes home to help package macarons or load the car for market days. Her best friend volunteers her time to help with market prep, and a growing group of loyal customers continues to support the business and send new customers her way.

Gina's long-term dream is to move Willrose Cakery from her home into a brick-and-mortar location, but she wants to get there carefully. Rather than growing too quickly and taking on unnecessary overhead, she's focused on building a strong business one step at a time.

If selected for a Midland County Doxa Dinner Micro-Grant, Gina plans to set the funding aside to support that continued growth and help move Willrose Cakery closer to eventually having a space of its own.

What started as a side hustle has become Gina's full-time livelihood, built through long days, a lot of care, and customers who keep coming back and bringing their friends with them. Now, she's working toward the day when Willrose Cakery can have a place of its own in the community that helped it grow.

Supported by: Midland Area Community Foundation, John Templeton Foundation, Rising Tide Foundation, and The Beth and Ravenel Curry Foundation

Sponsored by: Huntington National Bank and Financial Plus Credit Union

📸: TRU Heart Photo LLC and Willrose Cakery

09/11/2026

Midland County Doxa Dinner Presenter #4

Vote for Abigail Stark, Owner of Hearthside Teas and Goods on Monday, September 14th at Trinity Lutheran Church!

Come listen to 5 presenters, connect with neighbors, meet local entrepreneurs, and enjoy a simple meal! Doors open at 5:30pm, event starts at 6pm!

$5 (cash) for soup, salad, bread, a vote, and live music!

Midland Doxa Dinner Guest RSVP:
https://forms.gle/sRnU6SeFNzNMETeHA

Overview:

Abigail Stark—Hearthside Teas and Goods

After nearly two decades participating in Revolutionary War reenactments and years researching and presenting the history of the Boston Tea Party, Abigail Stark turned her love of history and tea into Hearthside Teas and Goods. Her philosophy is to make good tea and make good memories.

Abigail has been blending premium loose-leaf teas for nearly a decade, with a special niche in historical teas, including teas connected to the Boston Tea Party. Each blend is something she takes seriously; testing recipes, learning about ingredients, and refusing to sell anything she wouldn't happily drink herself.

What started with friends looking for a good cup of tea has grown to include customers throughout Midland, Michigan, and the Midwest. Abigail has traveled to tea festivals, farmers markets like the Midland Area Farmers Market (Michigan), and other events to share her products, build relationships, and deepen her knowledge.

Abigail believes there is room in Midland for a stronger local tea culture. While the community has great coffee shops and cafés, locally produced loose-leaf tea can be harder to find. Abigail has heard residents miss having a space centered around tea, and her long-term dream is to create a brick-and-mortar location where friends can gather over a cup, make new memories, and share old ones.

Right now, one of Abigail’s biggest barriers is access to space and equipment. A professional commercial kitchen would allow Hearthside to increase production, pursue wholesale opportunities, and reach more customers. She also hopes to continue her education in herbal health as she expands beyond flavor-focused blends.

If selected for a Midland County Doxa Dinner Micro-Grant, Abigail would invest the funding toward expanding her herbal education or access a professional kitchen space needed to take Hearthside Teas and Goods into its next stage.

After years spent learning, experimenting, traveling, and sharing her passion with others, Abigail hopes Hearthside can become something Midland can call its own: a local tea company built around good tea, good conversation, and the memories made when people take the time to sit down together.

Supported by: Midland Area Community Foundation, John Templeton Foundation, Rising Tide Foundation, and The Beth and Ravenel Curry Foundation

Sponsored by: Huntington National Bank and Financial Plus Credit Union

📸: TRU Heart Photo LLC

09/10/2026

Midland County Doxa Dinner Presenter #3

Vote for Elijah Montbriand, Owner of Eli's Gluten-Free Sweet Treats on Monday, September 14th at Trinity Lutheran Church!

Come listen to 5 presenters, connect with neighbors, meet local entrepreneurs, and enjoy a simple meal! Doors open at 5:30pm, event starts at 6pm!

$5 (cash) for soup, salad, bread, a vote, and live music!

Midland Doxa Dinner Guest RSVP:
https://forms.gle/sRnU6SeFNzNMETeHA

Overview:

Elijah Montbriand—Eli's Gluten-Free Sweet Treats

For Elijah Montbriand, Eli’s Gluten-Free Sweet Treats started with a problem he knows personally. After being diagnosed with celiac disease, Elijah suddenly found that many of the foods and sweets he enjoyed were no longer options. Instead of settling for what was available, he started experimenting in the kitchen and making his own gluten-free foods. When his family loved what he was creating, he began wondering if there were other people looking for the same thing.

That experience led Elijah to launch Eli’s Gluten-Free Sweet Treats, a Midland-based business specializing in gluten-free cookies, donuts, and special-request treats. Less than a year into his business, Elijah has already taken the leap into selling at the Midland Area Farmers Market (Michigan), where he has been able to introduce more people to gluten-free desserts and learn firsthand what his customers are looking for.

Elijah sees an opportunity to build a business around a growing need. For people living with celiac disease or other dietary restrictions, finding gluten-free options can still be difficult, especially when looking for something that tastes just as good as its traditional counterpart. Elijah wants Eli’s Gluten-Free Sweet Treats to help fill that gap by creating food that is safe and enjoyable for people who need to eat gluten-free, but tastes good enough that everyone else wants to eat it too.

Elijah has bigger plans for Eli’s Gluten-Free Sweet Treats than his current farmers market setup. His long-term vision is to eventually open a storefront or restaurant where people can find a wider variety of gluten-free foods and know they have a place where they can eat without having to wonder what options will be available to them.

If selected by the community at the Midland County Doxa Dinner, Elijah would use the micro-grant to help take another step toward that goal.

What began as Elijah trying to make something good for himself after his celiac diagnosis is becoming an opportunity to make sure more people in his community have something good they can enjoy, too.

Supported by: Midland Area Community Foundation, John Templeton Foundation, Rising Tide Foundation, and The Beth and Ravenel Curry Foundation

Sponsored by: Huntington National Bank and Financial Plus Credit Union

📸: TRU Heart Photo LLC

09/10/2026

Midland County Doxa Dinner Presenter #2

Vote for Alexandra Craddock, Owner of Sharp Hand Ally Sharpening Services, LLC on Monday, September 14th at Trinity Lutheran Church!

Come listen to 5 presenters, connect with neighbors, meet local entrepreneurs, and enjoy a simple meal! Doors open at 5:30pm, event starts at 6pm!

$5 (cash) for soup, salad, bread, a vote, and live music!

Midland Doxa Dinner Guest RSVP:
https://forms.gle/sRnU6SeFNzNMETeHA

Overview:

Alexandra Craddock— Sharp Hand Ally Sharpening Services, LLC

Sharp Hand Ally started with a skill, limited resources, and a willingness to build something from the ground up. With a background in both the culinary and cosmetology industries, Alexandra understood how important sharp, well-maintained tools are to the people who depend on them every day. After becoming a stay-at-home mom, she began sharpening out of her garage and slowly turned that skill into Sharp Hand Ally Sharpening Services.

Today, Sharp Hand Ally has grown from Alexandra’s garage into a storefront, with customers ranging from home cooks and gardeners to chefs, restaurants, hairstylists, groomers, and other professionals. She offers sharpening services at farmers markets like the Midland Area Farmers Market (Michigan), works with commercial accounts and local drop-off partners, and even has customers mailing their tools to her from across the country.

Alexandra has taken an old-school trade and built a modern business around it. Instead of replacing knives, scissors, shears, clipper blades, garden tools, and other equipment when they become dull, she gives customers an accessible way to maintain what they already own. Along the way, she has also built a name for herself as a woman working in a traditionally male-dominated trade.

Sharp Hand Ally has been completely self-funded, with Alexandra reinvesting what the business earns back into equipment, supplies, inventory, travel, marketing, and continued growth. Nearly 5,000 people now follow her journey online, alongside a loyal customer base that continues to return, refer friends, and trust her with the tools they rely on.

If selected for a Midland County Doxa Dinner micro-grant, Alexandra would invest in equipment and inventory that increase her capacity, marketing to reach new customers, and the continued expansion of her mail-in and commercial sharpening services. Her long-term goal is to build a sustainable business that can eventually create opportunities for others to join her team.

What began in Alexandra’s garage has become a business serving customers across Michigan and beyond, built one customer (and one blade) at a time. Now she’s ready to see just how far she can sharpen the future of Sharp Hand Ally.

Supported by: Midland Area Community Foundation, John Templeton Foundation, Rising Tide Foundation, and The Beth and Ravenel Curry Foundation

Sponsored by: Huntington National Bank and Financial Plus Credit Union

📸: TRU Heart Photo LLC

09/10/2026

Midland County Doxa Dinner Presenter #1

Vote for Michael Crane, Owner of Whole Shebang Farms on Monday, September 14th at Trinity Lutheran Church!

Come listen to 5 presenters, connect with neighbors, meet local entrepreneurs, and enjoy a simple meal! Doors open at 5:30pm, event starts at 6pm!

$5 (cash) for soup, salad, bread, a vote, and live music!

Midland Doxa Dinner Guest RSVP:
https://forms.gle/sRnU6SeFNzNMETeHA

Overview:

When Michael Crane decided to start Whole Shebang Farms, he brought plenty of experience tackling complicated projects but no farming experience. After the pandemic, retiring from a career in arts management, and becoming an empty nester, Michael was looking to build a next chapter that combined income, giving back, learning, physical work, and purpose. His answer was the farm.

And so began Whole Shebang Farms, a small farm near Sanford growing food for the Midland Area Farmers Market (Michigan) while also growing produce to give back to the community. Michael’s first year came with a steep learning curve and plenty of weeds, but it also resulted in donations of potatoes and watermelons to local food organizations. This year, Whole Shebang Farms has already donated 250 pounds of potatoes to the Midland County Food Assistance Network.

Michael is also rethinking what a trip to the farmers market can look like. Whole Shebang Farms is leaning into produce that is unusual, interesting, and sometimes just a little weird: sunchokes, orange corn, giant cucumbers, native berries, fresh garlic, herbal teas, and whatever else might make someone walking through the market stop and ask, “What is that?” His hope is to turn those moments of curiosity into conversations, relationships, and a community of people who return each week to see what the farm has grown.

Building the farm hasn't been easy. Michael’s first attempt at converting a hayfield resulted in what he describes as an “unimaginable quantity of weeds,” along with plenty of lessons about soil, weather, equipment, wildlife, and farming. But after not making it to market his first year, Whole Shebang Farms officially made its Midland Area Farmers Market debut this August. Michael has personally invested financially in this new venture, and the adventure has become a family project, with his dad joining in as the farm’s resident “Tractor King.”

Next season, Michael plans to attend the farmers market for the full season, expand into more unusual produce and products, and increase the farm’s garlic production from a 340-plant test plot to as many as 4,000 plants.

If selected for a Midland County Doxa Dinner micro-grant, Michael plans to split the funding between growing that community and growing food for others. The grant would support marketing efforts, including a website, business cards, email marketing, social media, and improved farmers market signage.

What started as Michael’s search for a new chapter has grown into something his family is building alongside him and something he hopes will give back to the community for years to come.

As Whole Shebang Farms grows, Michael hopes to create a place at the farmers market where people come back week after week, discover something new, and feel a little more connected to where their food (and their neighbors) come from.

Supported by: Midland Area Community Foundation, John Templeton Foundation, Rising Tide Foundation, and The Beth and Ravenel Curry Foundation

Sponsored by: Huntington National Bank and Financial Plus Credit Union

📸: TRU Heart Photo LLC

06/19/2026

06/15/2026

HIGHLIGHT:

Congratulations to Momentum Men's Lifestyle Studio for receiving the Bay Area Chamber of Commerce Brick Award for the renovations and improvements made at their business establishment!

This investment not only enhances their space for clients, but also contributes to the continued revitalization and vibrancy of the Bay City business community.

We're proud to celebrate Momentum Men's Lifestyle Studio for this well-deserved recognition and for contributing to the continued growth and momentum happening throughout the Bay Area!

I was honored to receive a Bay Area Chamber of Commerce Brick Award for the renovations and improvements made at Momentum Men’s Lifestyle Studio.

There were days when I wondered if all the hard work, long hours, painting, construction dust, decisions, and stress would be worth it. Last Friday was a reminder that it absolutely was.

Thank you to everyone who has supported Momentum, trusted me with your business, shared a post, left a review, referred a friend, or simply cheered me on. I appreciate every one of you.

I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve built here in downtown Bay City, and I’m just getting started. 💚

06/05/2026

Yesterday we had the opportunity to attend our first Flint Soup SEED session and we truly enjoyed every moment.
We’re incredibly grateful for the chance to share the story behind Midnight Snackery and connect with others on a similar journey. The feedback and advice we received were invaluable as we continue growing and refining our brand.
Big thank you to Doxa Development for creating such a powerful space for entrepreneurs