Coulter uses Eminem in European business pitch for Oakland County
When Dave Coulter described Oakland County’s location to a group of businessmen in Sweden, he referenced Eminem.
Coulter, who is traveling this week to Stockholm and Munich, Germany, to promote the county and network, said he asked for a show of hands from those who know the Detroit rapper. It’s likely that everyone there raised a hand, he said.
“It’s amazing how well-known Eminem is around the world,” said Oakland County Executive Coulter.
“I said, ‘And you remember that movie ‘8 Mile?’ Well, we are. It’s our southern border, it’s Detroit’s northern border.”
Coulter said, “their eyes lit up.”
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While Coulter didn’t go to Europe to talk about metro Detroit’s music and movie references, the Motor City’s cultural reach helped him explain a bit about a county with a name that people from other parts of the world sometimes confuse with a California city.
The outcome of the trip as of Tuesday included a joint statement on cooperation aimed at “promoting innovation and sustainable growth in mobility and advanced manufacturing industries” with Business Sweden, a public-private partnership that promotes Sweden and its companies around the world.
While Sweden may not immediately come to mind for many when they think of economic development, Coulter noted that 13 Swedish companies already operate in the county, and a trip to Stockholm and a “Mobility in Michigan” event at the U.S. Embassy in Sweden. offered an opportunity to connect with even more.
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A total of 35 companies were represented, many of which are fast-growing startups. And for many companies in Sweden, the US is seen as the ultimate target market, he said.
Building those relationships could lead to more investment in the county, which could mean more jobs, which is a win for the county, Coulter said, noting during a media briefing over Zoom on Tuesday that he is confident in the roughly $20,000 price tag for his teams of five for the trip will be compensated by the winnings.
Coulter noted that Sweden and Michigan also have a lot in common, from a similar population size of more than 10 million each, to a place with coastlines and natural beauty.
“But more relevant today is our shared reputation as a hub for advanced manufacturing, which is big business in Oakland County,” Coulter said in a statement.
Coulter noted during her media briefing that Swedish-American chambers of commerce plans to hold an event in Oakland County next November. The group’s website lists its 2023 summit in Detroit (Florida and Arizona were the most recent locations), and calls the summit a “key event to support and facilitate economic expansion and business between the United States and Sweden. Not only is the United States Sweden’s largest trading partner outside of (European Union), Swedish companies also create over 350,000 jobs in the US. In addition, Sweden is one of the largest investors per capita in the US.”
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The current weeklong trip, which ends Saturday, includes meetings, networking and a presentation by Coulter and Oakland County Economic Development Director Ingrid Tighe at a “Smart Mobility Forum” through SEMICON Europe 2022, which is connected to the massive Electronica trade show. SEMICON “focuses on the development of semiconductor supply chains and works to strengthen ties with the automotive industry,” according to a press release.
Contact Eric D. Lawrence: [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter: @_ericdlawrence. Become a subscriber.