Hello West Michigan
Hello West Michigan is a Grand Rapids-based nonprofit talent attraction organization serving West Michigan, funded by annual membership dues from 70+ employer companies. It connects job seekers and relocating professionals with regional employers through a job board, candidate database, and programs including Intern Connect, ReThink West Michigan, and Rapid Roots.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2010
- HeadquartersGrand Rapids, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Hello West Michigan does
Hello West Michigan is a Grand Rapids, Michigan-based nonprofit organization founded in 2007 by the Chief Information Officers Council convened out of The Right Place, Inc., and formally launched in January 2010 as the first organization of its kind in the United States. It operates a membership-based talent attraction and retention platform serving West Michigan employers, with 70+ member companies including large regional employers such as Meijer, SpartanNash, Corewell Health (formerly Spectrum Health), Steelcase, Haworth, GVSU, and DISHER. The organization's stated mission is to address regional talent shortages by recruiting professionals and college interns to the region and integrating them into the community.
The core service portfolio consists of a Job Board (featured jobs from member companies), a Candidate Database / Resume Portal for member recruiter access, and a Company Membership Program that delivers custom employer profiles, unlimited job postings, co-branded marketing materials, and talent database access. Adjacent programs include Intern Connect (summer engagement for college interns, 3,100 participants to date), ReThink West Michigan (an annual networking event around Thanksgiving for boomerang talent), Rapid Roots (a cohort onboarding program for relocating executives launched March 2022), and a 24-page Relocation Guide. The underlying technology is a standard web platform (portal.hellowestmichigan.com, jobs.hellowestmichigan.com) with no proprietary AI or ML components disclosed.
The business model is subscription-based membership dues billed annually, with tier pricing based on each member company's West Michigan employee count; pricing is not publicly disclosed and is quote-based. Services to job seekers are free. A paid "Support and Enhance Package" add-on is available for non-members to promote single job postings. The organization is governed by a Board of Directors drawn from major regional employers and economic development stakeholders, and also accepts individual donations via PayPal. It has received multiple International Economic Development Council (IEDC) awards (2019 Best in Show and Gold Excellence; 2021 Silver and Bronze) and operates with a small team of 1–10 employees.
Hello West Michigan firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Hello West Michigan
- Legal name
- Hello West Michigan
- Website
- https://hellowestmichigan.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2010
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Hello West Michigan is a Grand Rapids-based nonprofit talent attraction organization serving West Michigan, funded by annual membership dues from 70+ employer companies. It connects job seekers and relocating professionals with regional employers through a job board, candidate database, and programs including Intern Connect, ReThink West Michigan, and Rapid Roots.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Hello West Michigan industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Talent Attraction Services
- NAICS
- Employment Placement Agencies (561311), Employment Services (5613)
- SIC
- Services-Employment Agencies (7361), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Enterprise & Workplace Communities (BPAMABAJ)
Keywords
Where Hello West Michigan is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Grand Rapids
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Hello West Michigan business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Membership Dues: Annual membership dues from employer companies, with pricing based on employee count in West Michigan. Services include job postings, talent database access, co-branded marketing materials, and event discounts.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Company Membership |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels9 records
Hello West Michigan product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Hello West Michigan is a nonprofit membership-based talent attraction and retention organization that connects employer companies in West Michigan with job seekers, interns, and relocating professionals. Its core deliverables are a job board of featured member-company openings, a candidate resume database, employer membership packages (with custom profiles, unlimited job postings, talent database access, co-branded marketing, and outbound support), and signature programs including Intern Connect, ReThink West Michigan, and Rapid Roots.
Product overview
Hello West Michigan is a membership-based talent attraction and retention organization operating as a unified service platform. The core offerings consist of a Job Board with Featured Jobs from member companies, a Candidate Database/Resume Portal for talent matching, and a Company Membership Program providing recruitment tools including job postings, talent database access, and co-branded marketing. Supporting products include Intern Connect (summer internship engagement program), ReThink West Michigan (annual networking event for boomerang talent), Rapid Roots (executive relocation onboarding), and a 24-page Relocation Guide. The Support and Enhance Package is available as a paid add-on for enhanced job postings.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Job Board (Featured Jobs) A web-based job board listing open positions from Hello West Michigan member companies, allowing job seekers to search and apply for featured jobs in the West Michigan region.
- Candidate Database / Resume Portal A resume upload and candidate database system that allows job seekers to share their resumes with member company recruiters for talent matching.
- Company Membership Program An annual membership-based talent recruitment service providing member companies with custom company profiles, exclusive talent database access, unlimited job postings, co-branded marketing materials, early/discounted event access, and outbound marketing support for West Michigan talent attraction.
- Support and Enhance Package
Quantifiable outcome
- 50%+ of job seekers get hired in West Michigan
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Hello West Michigan
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Hello West Michigan technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Hello West Michigan partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- MICHautocorePartnership to strengthen Michigan's global competitiveness in automotive, mobility, and technology industries. Hello West Michigan received a $125,000 grant through this partnership to fully realize the Say Hello Initiative vision for attracting high-tech workers to West Michigan.
- The Right Place, Inc.coreLong-standing regional partnership. The Right Place convened the Chief Information Officers Council that led to Hello West Michigan's founding in 2007. Organizations collaborate on talent attraction and retention efforts, co-host events including ReThink West Michigan and Rapid Roots program.
- Michigan HouseminorPublic-private partnership serving as an 'experiential embassy' at SXSW promoting Michigan's career and lifestyle opportunities. Hello West Michigan participates to attract talent to the West Michigan region.
- Lakeshore AdvantageminorEconomic development organization serving the lakeshore area. Collaborates with Hello West Michigan on talent initiatives and intern programs.
- Muskegon Area FirstminorEconomic development organization. Co-hosts ReThink West Michigan events at multiple regional locations including Muskegon.
- Intern Connect Partner Companiescore70+ member companies that participate in the Intern Connect program, providing internship opportunities and summer engagement activities for college students in West Michigan.
Scale indicators10 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Hello West Michigan competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Greater Des Moines Partnership: Regional economic development and talent attraction organization serving the Des Moines metro through employer recruitment, content marketing, and member-driven programs. Direct analogue in mission and structure (membership-based, employer-funded, regional).
- The Right Place: Regional economic development organization for West Michigan that is Hello West Michigan's founding and strategic partner. Highly comparable mission (regional economic growth, talent attraction) and co-hosts core programs like ReThink West Michigan and Rapid Roots.
- Choose New Jersey: State-level nonprofit talent and business attraction organization that markets New Jersey to companies, talent, and visitors using a public-private partnership model. Highly comparable to Hello West Michigan's mission of using brand, content, and events to attract talent and employers to a specific geography.
- IndyHub: Indianapolis-based nonprofit that attracts and retains young professional talent through events, networking, and community-building programs. Comparable to Hello West Michigan's Intern Connect and ReThink programs in building a regional pipeline of relocating and incoming talent.
- Experience Columbus: Destination marketing and talent-attraction organization for the Columbus, Ohio region, combining employer networking, content marketing, and events to position the metro as a place to live and work. Direct analogue to Hello West Michigan's West Michigan regional talent-attraction model.
- Greater Cleveland Partnership: Regional chamber and economic development organization for Greater Cleveland that combines employer membership, talent attraction, and content marketing. Comparable to Hello West Michigan's employer-funded regional talent-attraction model.
- Lakeshore Advantage: Economic development organization serving Michigan's lakeshore region that collaborates with Hello West Michigan on talent initiatives and the Intern Connect program. Same regional scope and employer-funded model for a neighboring Michigan sub-region.
Emerging players
- MakeMyMove: Digital platform that connects remote workers and relocating professionals with incentive-bearing cities and regions across the U.S. Overlaps with Hello West Michigan's relocation, candidate-database, and Rapid Roots functions but operates across multiple regions rather than one.
Broad incumbents
- MassHire Department of Career Services: Statewide Massachusetts workforce development system that connects job seekers with employers through placement, training, and employer services. Broader incumbent in the same talent-matching category as Hello West Michigan, but operating at state scale with public funding rather than private membership dues.
Regional players
- Tampa Bay Economic Development Council: Regional economic development organization serving the Tampa Bay area with employer recruitment, talent initiatives, and relocation marketing. Comparable regional scope and employer-funded model but in a different U.S. geography.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Hello West Michigan social profiles
Digital presenceHello West Michigan financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Hello West Michigan leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Hello West Michigan funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Hello West Michigan M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Hello West Michigan
What does Hello West Michigan do?
Hello West Michigan is a nonprofit membership-based talent attraction and retention organization that connects employer companies in West Michigan with job seekers, interns, and relocating professionals. Its core deliverables are a job board of featured member-company openings, a candidate resume database, employer membership packages (with custom profiles, unlimited job postings, talent database access, co-branded marketing, and outbound support), and signature programs including Intern Connect, ReThink West Michigan, and Rapid Roots.
Is Hello West Michigan a public or private company?
Hello West Michigan is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Hello West Michigan founded?
Hello West Michigan was founded in 2010. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Hello West Michigan based?
Hello West Michigan is headquartered in Grand Rapids, United States, in the North America region.
How does Hello West Michigan make money?
One revenue line is on record: membership Dues.
Who are Hello West Michigan's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Greater Des Moines Partnership, The Right Place, Choose New Jersey, IndyHub, Experience Columbus, Greater Cleveland Partnership and Lakeshore Advantage. MakeMyMove is listed as an emerging player. MassHire Department of Career Services is listed as a broad incumbent. Tampa Bay Economic Development Council is listed as a regional player.
Does Hello West Michigan have an API?
No public API is recorded for Hello West Michigan.
What industry is Hello West Michigan in?
Hello West Michigan's product category is Talent Attraction Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAMABAJ, Enterprise & Workplace Communities. Its NAICS code is 561311 and its SIC code is 7361.