Do You Have What it Takes to Be an Entrepreneur…..and Putting Champ?

About This Meeting

DEC Young Leaders met with Mark Douglas, President of Avis Ford Inc. on May 24, 2022. This meeting was held at the Detroit Golf Club.

The evening began with networking and YLs competing to become the DEC Young Leader 2022 Putting Champion.

Following the putting contest qualifying round, Mark shared with the group his upbringing in Detroit to joining (and eventually running) the family’s auto business.

Now, what does it take to be an entrepreneur? According to Mark, “a plan, vision, drive… and some luck.” He recommends “make relationships in the field you want to go into and use them,” especially when looking for access to capital.

Mark also served as the 113th President of the Detroit Golf Club in 2020 at the height of the pandemic. He shared how COVID challenged him to lead differently at the Club as well as at the dealership.

A Q & A session followed with YLs asking how to maintain a high customer experience, how to separate family and business decisions, and how to overcome the fear of failure.

The event concluded with additional networking and putting contest finals.

Congrats on being the 2022 YL Putting Champions! – Kyle Houston (Korn Ferry), Matt Zelman (Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan) and Genna Young (General Motors)!

Many thanks to Mark and Avis Ford Inc. for their generosity and for making this meeting possible!

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