Three Lyons Creative is in the middle of its small business evolution. The media production firm is in that dynamic stage where it’s no longer just a small group of friends trying to make a job for themselves, but not quite to the point where it's an established small business in the community.
"We're in the in-between stage where we are going from startup to a legitimate business," says Tony Eggert, co-founder of
Three Lyons Creative.
Two years ago, Eggert, his brother Daniel, and his cousin Mike Williams, launched the company in Hamtramck. They quit their day jobs so they could work to support Detroit brands and businesses through video, web, audio, and graphic artwork creation. The first year was all about getting on their feet. Last year was about something more than that.
"We have grown substantially over the last year," Eggert says. "We have worked with a lot of clients in and around the city."
Three Lyons Creative added four people to its team this year, including a CFO out of Chicago, rounding it out to seven people. Its workload has grown exponentially with
Mercy Education Project, which offers support for low-income women and girls in education, and the
Sugar Law Center, a legal aid nonprofit based in Midtown. Three Lyons Creative is also working on its own projects with a focus on improving the quality of life in the city.
"We designed a zine that's all about the state of the parks in the city," Eggert says. "It should launch this spring."
Three Lyons Creative moved to a Bee Hive co-working space inside the
St Peter Episcopal Church in Corktown last May. The space is a little bit smaller than its previous home, but it puts the firm at the center of its client base.
"We have really been lucky to work with some fabulous local businesses and organizations that are inline with us ethically," Eggert says.
Source: Tony Eggert, co-founder of Three Lyons Creative
Writer: Jon Zemke
Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.