A half-day summit at Newlab at Michigan Central, built so you leave with the pieces you need to reach your next milestone.
For one afternoon during Creative Energy Week, Black Tech Saturdays x Take Creative Control brings together the builders, creators, and owners of Detroit's next economy.
This isn't a conference about the future. It's a working session for the people who intend to own it.
The room where you ask the question
Every founder in this community has one — the app that only works on your laptop, the one-pager you keep rewriting, the numbers you haven't looked at since tax season. On Saturday, September 26, that question gets a room.
BTS x Take Creative Control runs 12–4 PM at Newlab, Michigan Central, hosted by Tati Amare. Panel conversations run on the main stage. Workshops go deep on a single skill. And running the whole afternoon, alongside both: the Circuit.
What's a circuit?
Picture a row of tables, each one staffed by someone who does the thing you need help with — a CPA, a lawyer, an app developer, a publicist. You walk up, sit down, and get five to ten minutes: a quick consult, a demo, a straight answer. Then you leave with one concrete next step and the table's open for the next person.
There's no sign-up and no line to beat at noon. Stations repeat all afternoon, so come back if the first answer opens a second question. Between sessions on the main stage, plan to hit two or three tables — pick the ones that match the question you walked in with.
Bring the actual thing you're working on: the app, the messy spreadsheet, the bio you're embarrassed by. Half-finished is the point — nobody at these tables needs the polished version.
On the stage
Kim Lewis (CurlMix) — turned down $400K on Shark Tank, built a $40M+ business, and had her customers place 20,000 orders in 60 days to save it in 2025. Driving in from Chicago.
Donyale Walton (Mobb Accessories) — cold-emailed her way into Oprah's fashion closet, launched with five pairs of hoops, now in Nordstrom Rack nationwide.
Karissma Yve (Gildform) — taught herself metal casting in her parents' basement, now runs Detroit's only full-service jewelry manufacturing facility. Forbes 30 Under 30.
Mario Moore — painter whose father guarded the Detroit Institute of Arts; his own work now hangs in its permanent collection.
And more!
Sound and food
Stardust on the DJ boards all day. Shell Shock'd Tacos, Heaulistic Juice Bar, Thirsty Lemon, and Plenti Pastas will be keeping the room fed.