SAAB
SAAB AUTO SHOW
move your mind' SALES EVENT

"People who test drive a Saab usually buy a Saab"

SCHEDULED
I MAINTENANCE

I

4 Year/50,000 MILES

Bumper to
Bumper Warranty

DEMO SALE 2010 Saab 9-3 Sports Sedan

OPEN
SATURDAY

Starting at

many companies are filled with
meatloaves. They should use this
story to question the status quo and
shed light on longstanding tradi-
tions that have no real function or
benefit."
Interestingly, jazz music plays a
role in Disciplined Dreaming.
Linkner played the piano at age
8, then switched and became an
accomplished jazz guitarist. He used
to sneak into Detroit area nightclubs
at 13 and jam with the musicians,
"until the owner would spot me and
kick me out," he mused.
He was allowed to play with the
Wayne State University Jazz Band
while he attended Southfield-
Lathrup High School, and later
performed professionally five nights
a week at clubs, concert halls and
cruise ships. He also spent a year at
age 17 at the famed Berklee College
of Music in Boston. He graduated
from Florida University with an
advertising degree and majors in
finance and music. He has given les-
sons, composed music and studied
with some of the best musicians in
the world.
"Jazz has been an outstand-
ing training ground for me as an
entrepreneur and business leader:'
Linkner writes in the book. "The
skills I learned playing jazz translate
perfectly into the business world:
improvising, dealing with adversity,
working through uncertainty, blend-
ing collaboration with individual
performance, and, most importantly,
creating value through original
thought and imagination."

String Of Successes
After college graduation, Linkner
stayed in Florida to open the Gator
Computer System during the grow-
ing computer craze 20 years ago.
He sold the company and moved
back to Detroit, opening Innovative
Computer Solutions, followed by
Global Link New Media, with such
giants as Ford Motor Company and
Kmart as his customers. Selling
his companies proved to be highly
lucrative.
Linkner then became best known
for founding ePrize, in 1999, starting
in Farmington Hills, then moving to
Pleasant Ridge in 2005. It's the larg-
est interactive promotion agency in
the world, with 350 employees — at
an average age of 28 — producing
more than 5,000 industry-leading

interactive promotions across 36
countries, for 74 of the top 100
brand companies, including Coca-
Cola, AT&T, Proctor & Gamble,
Disney, Adidas, Microsoft, Citibank,
Dell and The Gap.
Since ePrize is a private company,
Linkner declines to provide financial
figures, but says 2010 was the firm's
best year. He and ePrize have won
several industry awards and acco-
lades.
"Our office here in Pleasant Ridge
was an old brewery and we convert-
ed it into a casual workplace similar
to Silicon Valley [Calif.] companies
or even the New York loft style
Linkner described. "The people sit
in the open — no bullpens — and
they just get creative all day long,
coming up with new ideas, technol-
ogy and artwork."
The 275 employees at the
50,000-square-foot location go about
their jobs at decorative workstations
in an eerie silence.

Nationwide Offices
"We have several smaller offices
around the country with a lesser
number of people doing digital mar-
keting and calling on customers:'
he said. "An example of a promo-
tion for Coke might be putting code
numbers under the bottle caps for
customers to save and win prizes. A
Disney Co. contest prize might be a
trip to Disney World."
Getting restless again, the "serial
entrepreneur" stepped down recently
as ePrize CEO, turning the reigns
over to Matt Wise of Chicago.
Linkner then became CEO and
managing partner of Detroit Venture
Partners, a new venture capital firm
based in downtown Detroit, focused
on rebuilding the city through
entrepreneurship. He remains ePrize
chairman. He is divorced and has
two children.
Former Michigan Gov. Jennifer
Granholm calls Linkner "a tremen-
dous business leader who has estab-
lished successful companies as well
as a culture that nurtures employees
to help them maximize their poten-
tial."
Whatever the job, Linkner insists
creativity and thought are para-
mount. He said: "We must shatter
the old image, stop following the
old business rules and replace them
with breakthrough innovation in
this new era of creativity." 1

$19,988
wow

JANUARY 29th
10am- 3pm

what a good deal!!

0% FINANCING UP TO 72 MONTHS ON SELECTED VEHICLES

2010 Saab 9-3
Convertible BUY NOW

2010 Saab 9-5
Buy
Aero AWD

s 27,9 8 8

s32.64 0

MSRP $49,140

MSRP $43,055

No gimmicks. No headache. No hassles.
Everyone qualifies for this price.

No gimmicks. No headache.
No hassles.
Everyone qualifies for this price.

(Z-2,1

••

!1.1.1,11

PRE-OWNED SPECIALS • WE SERVICE ALL MAKES & MODELS
OVER 400 VEHICLES AVAILABLE
Choose from pre owned domestic, imports, trucks & SUV's.

-

SAAB CERTIFIED PRE-OWNEED HEADQUARTERS
Over 100 Available 9-3, 9-3 Aero, 9-5 & 9-7
6 year/100,000 mile warranty

'Add tax. doc fee, plate & title. All rebates to dealer. —0% financing in lieu of rebates,
with approved Tier 1 credit thru Ally AUTO. Expires 1/31/11.

-Exclusive Valet Service-
Experience Your New Vehicle
At Your Home or Office!

MINISTMTErninin

•• ■ •• ■ ..

SATELLiTE

NAA RADIO

umr.s.m.
SAAB of TROY

Iscaliummirmal.

1819 Maplelawn
Between Crooks & Coolidge
In The Troy Motor Mall

19077 Hall Rd.
Macomb, MI 48044
M-59 & Romeo Plank Rd.
<
_ —

saaboftroy.com

Saabonakeside.com

SAAB of LAKESIDE

2011 Mercedes-Benz C300 4Matic

$369mo* I3e 3 aM seonth

ui

4 9•82404

Pim/4
etisydexiii

onroQ St•Sylvania, OH
www.vindevers.com

*33 mo. lease, 10,000 mi/yr. allowed with 250 over limit. $3989 total due at signing plus tax & fees. On approved credit. 1591740

Keep your company top of mind with our readers.

ADVERTISE WITH US! CALL 248.351.5107

Visit theJEWISHNEWS.com

January 27 2011

iN

25