Merit’s FATE Program Workshop #2 With Menlo Innovations

December 3, 2012 Posted by David Merritt Leave a Comment


Who wants to be an entrepreneur? *Hands go up all across the room*

When kicking off our second FATE workshop this past Saturday, Menlo Innovations Founder, Rich Sheridan, asked this question of our 22 ninth grade JRLA FATE students, as well as their UM student mentors. He went on to ask what being an entrepreneur meant, and gave perspective on the idea that came to him at the age of 20, which set him on the path of entrepreneurship. Rich finished his talk by expressing his love and passion for his work – how much he enjoys coming into the office and watching that idea he had come to life every single day.

Rich’s inspiring words catapulted a jam-packed day of business idea generation, persona mapping, Jet’s pizza, prototyping, design assessment, and presenting. FATE students utilized their creative minds to think of a
temperature-controlled coat, a watch that schedules your day, the baby-come-back ball, a watch/armband with a vibrating alarm, and a self-operating washer/dryer. They thought of the travelers, businesspeople, teenagers, and elderly who would benefit from their products. And they created prototypes of their products that were assessed by Menlo staffers, perfected, and finally presented to their peers. Along the way they enjoyed pizza and a flying robot show.

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Click here to receive your exclusive invite, as we gather the troops, and prepare for launch!

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November 30, 1999

Countdown to Merit’s Indiegogo Campaign

November 26, 2012 Posted by David Merritt Leave a Comment


What an awesome countdown! Here’s a recap of all our Merit product sneak peeks that are currently available through our Indiegogo Campaign. Thru December 21st (time be ticking), you’ll be able to grab Merit product, help us manufacture the line, and raise money for underserved youth to go to college.







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Merit’s FATE Program Begins With Jalen Rose Leadership Academy & UM Challenge Program

November 19, 2012 Posted by David Merritt Leave a Comment

Last week, we went written journal style to give you a feel for what went on during the first official program day of FATE. This week, we’re back with the visuals in video form! Tell us how you feel after watching.

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You Can Purchase Merit 7 Days From Now! The Time Has Come!

November 19, 2012 Posted by David Merritt Leave a Comment


“Patience is power. Patience is not an absence of action; rather it is “timing.” It waits on the right time to act, for the right principles and in the right way.” ― Fulton J. Sheen

You’ve waited patiently, and for good reason. As a proud father (lol), I’m happy to announce that Merit is finally launching its debut collection through IndieGoGo! The cut-n-sew collection was designed by the amazing menswear designer, Detroit native, and NBC’s Fashion Star runner-up, Nzimiro Oputa! From Cyber Monday, November 26th, at 12 AM, thru December 21st, you’ll be able to grab Merit product, help us manufacture the line, and raise money for underserved youth to go to college. Look at all the difference you’ll be making by contributing and learn all the IndieGoGo specifics below:

I’m excited man. Are you? Tell the world you’re excited then!

The success of this campaign depends a great deal on how well we can spread the word. Even if you’re unable to support by snatching a Merit product perk, you have friends and family. You have Email, FB, Twitter, & Instagram. Tell your networks about what we’re doing. I’ll send another email update when the campaign begins on Cyber Monday. Until then, follow our social networks as we count down the days to launch – stupid fresh sneak peeks of the collection will be exposed:

Follow Us On Instagram | Become a Facebook Fan | Follow Us On Twitter

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Merit’s 4-Year FATE Program Kicks Off

November 19, 2012 Posted by David Merritt Leave a Comment


I’ve been trying to describe this feeling. But I can’t. The words at my disposal just don’t seem to be constructive enough to quite define the adrenaline that currently flows through my body. But I will try.

We’ve officially started the FATE program. FATE (facilitated by Merit’s nonprofit arm, Give Merit) provides sufficient resources and opportunities for underserved youth to embrace education and become world-class citizens. Our goal is to ultimately expose students from an at-risk community to an institution of higher education consistently. While they’re here, we motivate them through interactive and engaging workshops put on by our Community Partners at various community, university, and corporate entities.

The program currently convenes one Saturday a month, and November 3rd served as the launching pad. So if you would, just walk with me and our 22 students from the Jalen Rose Leadership Academy. Step by step. As we pace together, I pray you’ll be able to feel my heartbeat. If you get weary, please don’t quit. Just hold my hand ’til the end.

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Merit Presents FATE to Jalen Rose Leadership Academy Students

November 19, 2012 Posted by David Merritt Leave a Comment

In late September, the Merit team (Kuhu and I lol) traveled to the Jalen Rose Leadership Academy to present our FATE program to the entire 9th grade class at the Jalen Rose Leadership Academy. The FATE program (facilitated by Merit’s nonprofit arm, Give Merit) provides sufficient resources and opportunities for underserved youth to embrace education and become world-class citizens. Our goal is to ultimately expose students from an at-risk community to an institution of higher education, and motivate them by partnering with different community, university, and corporate entities to facilitate engaging and interactive workshops one Saturday a month. We will be working with a select group of twenty ninth grade students from one high school in Detroit, and they will travel to Ann Arbor and U of M one Saturday a month for the duration of their high school career – a 4-year program.

Please take a look at a short recap from our presentation day! To date, we’ve already received student applications and will be announcing that special group of twenty students over the next few weeks!

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Weekly Inspiration Pt. 9

September 24, 2012 Posted by David Merritt Leave a Comment

Weekly Inspiration

This is going to be an amazing week. What’s your inspiration this week?

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Make Me :) Day 114

September 24, 2012 Posted by David Merritt Leave a Comment

Viveca Merritt
Viveca Merritt & David Merritt – Troy, MI
Every day. Someone. Smiles. Somewhere.

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9/11/2001: A Day We Cannot Forget

September 11, 2012 Posted by David Merritt Leave a Comment

I was in my French class, 2nd period, at West Bloomfield High School. I think we were going over a quiz that we had just received back. I wasn’t the best at French, so the teacher was probably going over a lot of my mistakes.

And in one moment, nothing else mattered for the rest of the school day and school week. The principal came over the loud speaker, saying something similar to, “There’s been a plane crash at the World Trade Center.” To be honest, I didn’t readily identify the World Trade Center so I didn’t really realize the extent of these happenings. The principal then said she would keep us updated on the situation, but soon, the lunch bell sounded and the halls and cafeteria filled up quickly.

They set up about 3 TV’s in the cafeteria, and as more and more information/pictures were broadcasted, a blanket of shock and sadness struck the cafeteria. I can remember the feeling that came over me because the next few hours were so powerful that I can recapture today how I exactly felt. I wanted to go home. I wanted to go home and hug my parents. I wanted to go home to find out if the people we knew in NY were okay. In a nutshell, that moment changed and opened my perspective.

It’s human nature to forget things. We move on. We adjust. We sometimes go on in life taking it for granted, thinking we will be here forever, thinking we’ll always be around loved ones, thinking we’ll always be able to see our friends. And it’s days like 9/11/01 which put life into perspective. These days create perfect pictures. The fact is, we won’t be here forever. So, it’s important that we don’t forget days like this, because it’s days like this that remind us not to forget. Not to forget to tell your Mom you love her when you get off the phone. Things like that. It’s a reminder to never say, “I’ll do it next time.”

Here’s a poem I wrote in the 10th grade after 9/11: My prayers go out to the families of the victims that died that tragic day.

I began the day in my normal way,
the exact way I started every day.
But when I woke up I didn’t know,
our Nation would suffer a vast low blow.
Unlike anything anyone has ever seen,
thousands dead before the clock hit 11:15.
Well planned, well executed, well trained.
How do you hijack 4 planes is insane.
We have been through tragedy before,
to the families hurting, we can’t ignore.
We must continue to pray for those inside,
without much warning, there was no where to hide.
We must pull together with great unity,
now, stories of rubble is all you see.
For we will never forget this sad day,
where few have survived, and thousands still lay.
Now it is time for us to pass the test,
and prove again, that America is still best.

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We’re Building A Publishing Team

September 5, 2012 Posted by David Merritt Leave a Comment

Dawgies! We are currently looking for interns to assist with all aspects of publishing our blog/outreach content. These tasks range from creating engagement campaigns and blog content, to video production and photo editing.

Ideal candidates are those creative types! The peeps that like to bring visions to life, have strong writing skills, and knowledge of html. For our video production interns, having experience with filmmaking surely helps and is greatly desired.

All interns are expected to work about 10-15 hours a week, however, that work will most likely not require you to come into the office. We don’t even really have an office yet dawgies! It’s coming though!

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