With the stock market in freefall, financial institutions in ruins and longstanding beliefs about the economy turned inside out, October 2008 was one scary month for business owners.
"October 2008 seemed to change the world for business," says Jill Smethers, who with husband Bob owns Comic City, which has three locations in Novi, Canton and Pontiac.
And, as the economy crumbled and business-minded professionals everywhere panicked, the Smetherses were in classes.
Oakland County's Venture Forward classes, to be exact.
"When the world was spinning out of control we had Oakland County," says Jill. "They were the calming influence. What an amazing program that was."
Venture Forward, a 10-week series of training session offered by the
Oakland County Business Center, help existing entrepreneurs grow their businesses by developing sound business practices and action plans. The weekly sessions typically include guest speakers, individualized coaching and long-term mentoring from area professionals.
Jill Smethers credits Venture Forward with keeping her three stores afloat through troubled economic waters.
"That program actually helped us become a stronger business," says Smethers.
Not that Comic City had been weak by any means. Opening their first location in Canton in 1993, the couple expanded to a second location, in Pontiac, in 1997, and in 2002, they added a third, in Novi.
"We knew we always wanted to have our own business," says Smethers. "We thought we had something good. We thought it was something that needed to be expanded."
By the time they opened Comic City, Bob and Jill were both veterans of the retail sector -- he as a regional manager for KB Toys; she as a manager at The Children's Place.
When it came time to start their own business, they leaned on Bob's lifelong love of comic books for inspiration, even though Jill had never read one.
But there wasn't a comic book store in the Canton area, says Jill, so that type of store just seemed to fill a demand. It wasn't until after the store already opened that Jill remembers thinking, "Well, I guess I'd better read some these."
The Smetherses were certain to make their store open, friendly, bright and accessible to all ages and genders -- in other words, not like the dimly lit, cramped comic shops with the rude and condescending staffers that has been the stereotype.
"We made it friendly; we made it open. We wanted it personal," says Jill.
Comic City's bright colors and family-friendly sections allow kids and women to peruse the store without feeling out of place. That was important, since Jill had had some less-than-comfortable experiences at other comic shops.
"I've been in some stores around the country where I felt like I've needed to take a shower after I left," she says.
Today, Comic City's three locations remain strong despite the fact a large chunk of their clientele has been laid off, resulting in lower sales numbers from years past.
That's where the Venture Forward program helped most, says Jill. The program taught her to look at her business in a different way.
"You look at your business intelligently," she says. "We could see which departments were slumping and what continued to grow. We take the money from the departments that aren't (performing) and put it into the departments that are."
Despite the downturn, Jill Smethers sees the good that's come from it.
"We've become much more lean, but we've become much stronger," she says. "When you get slapped by nothing that's in your control, it makes you smarter."
And she applies that optimism for the future – both for her business and the state.
"I think we're going to come out of the doldrums in Michigan stronger."
Comic City has two locations in Oakland County: 43538 West Oaks Dr. in Novi, (248) 449-7114; 466 N. Telegraph Road in Pontiac, (248) 334-4139 and one in Wayne County: 42727 Ford in Canton, (734) 981-3561. Hours are 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday. For more information on Comic City, visit www.comiccity.com or e-mail info@comiccity.com.