New (NU) Ideas with Patrick McElgunn
From Max Loves Midland by Max Loves Midland
March 11, 2026 · 49 min · Season 3 · Episode 3
About this episode
Kevin LaDuke interviews Patrick McElgunn about entrepreneurship and community investment in Midland.
On this episode of the Max Loves Midland Show, Kevin LaDuke sits down with Patrick McElgunn, director of the Alden B. Dow Center for Creativity and Enterprise at Northwood University, to talk about entrepreneurship, placemaking, family life, and why Midland continues to be a community worth investing in. Patrick reflects on growing up in Midland, leaving, and ultimately finding his way back to build a life with his wife Shannon and their three children. Along the way, he shares how his journey took him from coaching lacrosse and launching a basement equipment business to supporting entrepreneurs through the Small Business Development Center, co-owning Grove Tea Lounge, and now helping students and community members bring ideas to life through the Northwood Idea Center. The conversation also explores the impact of the MYPros Community Crowdfund, the importance of creating welcoming third spaces, and Patrick’s hope that future generations will see Midland not as a place to leave behind, but as a place to return to, invest in, and help shape for years to come.
People in this episode
Host: Kevin LaDuke
Guest: Patrick McElgunn
Topics covered
- entrepreneurship
- placemaking
- family life
- community investment
- personal journey
Keywords
- entrepreneurship
- Midland
- community
- placemaking
- family life
- Small Business Development Center
- Northwood University
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Alden B. Dow Center for Creativity and Enterprise, Northwood University, Small Business Development Center, Grove Tea Lounge, Northwood Idea Center, MYPros Community Crowdfund
Places: Midland
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