For More Than Profit: A Philosophy Placing People First
At the heart of everything we do is the For More Than Profit philosophy. It’s about doing business in a way that puts people first, seamlessly bridging the gap between nonprofits and for-profits. This philosophy reshapes the traditional business model often focuses on the money first.
In the For More Than Profit model we place people—our community, our workers and society—at the forefront. Wealth generation follows naturally when people are prioritized, or in another way, Numbers and Money Follow; They Do Not Lead. This is one of our guiding principles, our ISMs.
Our ISMs: The Guiding Principles
Our ISMs articulate what it means to be For More Than Profit. These help us leave a lasting mark, create impactful change and work towards a better world
Always raising our level of awareness.
Obsessed with finding a better way.
You’ll see it when you believe it.
The inches we need are everywhere around us.
Launch and learn.
Ignore the noise.
Every client. Every time.
Responding with a sense of urgency is the ante to play.
It’s not about who is right; it’s about what is right.
We are the “they.”
We’ll figure it out.
Innovation is rewarded. Execution is worshipped.
Numbers and money follow; they do not lead.
Simplicity is genius.
We eat our own dog food.
Do the right thing.
The ISMs create unity and shared purpose among our team members and broader Family of Companies. They provide a common language and framework, transcending individual differences and departmental boundaries, allowing us to work together with clarity, focus and unity.
Our Detroit Story: A Testament to Our Values
One of the best examples of our ISMs in action is our decision to move our Family of Companies to downtown Detroit. When the Family of Companies was in the suburbs, team members were scattered across multiple buildings, hindering collaboration. We had a choice: build a new campus in the suburbs or move to an urban environment with ample office space.
To attract and retain the best talent, we needed a vibrant urban core with entertainment, shopping, and housing. Recent college grads prefer urban environments with nightlife and vibrancy. So, we chose downtown Detroit, a city with immense potential just waiting for investment.
At the time, Detroit was seen as a city past its prime. Beautiful art-deco skyscrapers were vacant, the population was shrinking and investment was leaving. Some questioned the move, but most were supportive.
This wasn’t an altruistic decision; it was mutually beneficial. We believed that our Family of Companies would thrive in a vibrant downtown and we believed in our ability to help Detroit become that thriving downtown.
Guided by our ISMs, we focused on our vision and held to the ISM that you’ll see it when you believe it. We invested billions in office space, revived historic buildings and brought in local and national retailers. We went all-in on Detroit.
The Results: A Thriving Detroit
Nearly 15 years later, the transformation is astounding. Detroit is a destination city, recognized as one of the top metropolitan areas in the country. The accolades speak for themselves:
Best startup ecosystem in the world (Startup Genome)
The best public square (USA Today)
Best places to go in 2024 (Conde Nast Travel)
The best riverfront in the United States (USA Today)
One of the world’s greatest places (Time)
The best art museum in America (USA Today)
Largest NFL Draft attendance (NFL)
Detroit’s revival is a testament to what happens when you work For More Than Profit. We are proud to be part of this transformation. As Detroiters ourselves, we believed that to do the right thing, we had to be part of this city’s revival.
Beyond Downtown: Committing to All of Detroit
Our commitment to Detroit extends beyond downtown. The city spans 138 square miles, larger than Atlanta or Philadelphia. Since moving here, we’ve invested billions in various initiatives, from helping 1,500 Detroiters become homeowners to a $375 million donation to Henry Ford Health to build a state-of-the-art hospital. We also listened to our neighbors.
Through the Blight Removal Taskforce, we learned that back-taxes were a major issue for Detroit residents. Our team members dove deep to find solutions. The Gilbert Family Foundation teamed up with public and private organizations to develop solutions, donating $15 million to Detroit’s Strategic Neighborhood Fund and $1.8 million to The Greening of Detroit, supporting workforce training and environmental stewardship.
The Pursuit of Purpose
Being For More Than Profit means being obsessed with finding a better way. We focus on what people need, letting numbers and money follow. We pursue purpose over profit, chase great ideas and remember that the best things in life cannot be measured on a spreadsheet.
Our ROCK Family of Companies supports over 1,000 businesses in Detroit. Some are investments of Detroit Venture Partners; others are tenants of Bedrock or vendors of Rock Events. We do this because it’s the right thing to do. When Detroit thrives, we thrive.
Innovation and Execution: The Keys to Success
For More Than Profit also means embracing bold innovations and executing on them. Sometimes we fail, but we learn from it and try again. We call this launch and learn. Big bets yield big rewards; small bets yield small rewards.
Our success is rooted in this philosophy. From simplifying the mortgage process with Rocket Mortgage to building for the future, everything we do places people first. This commitment to working For More Than Profit has made our Family of Companies successful.
By putting people first, we ensure that money and numbers will follow. Our focus on people and purpose over profit is what drives our success and shapes our future.
