I just completed a very in-depth, twenty-five second Wikipedia search of “Metro Detroit,” and this is what I discovered: 1) “It is one of the nation’s largest metropolitan economies, with seventeen Fortune 500 companies;” 2) CSA stands for Combined Statistical Area; 3) At 5.3 million people, Metro Detroit’s CSA ranks 12th in the country. Now, I know you’re thinking Metro Detroit IS NOT Detroit. Just keep reading.

For as much as people have associated Detroit with this one way ticket out of town for the past number of decades, there are a few facts worth noting: 1) A lot of people live in this area; 2) A lot of people work in this area; 3) A lot of people who live and work in this area are from this area.

This area I’m talking about encompasses most of southeastern Michigan and includes a really diverse population. Obviously, we are the Motor City, so we’ll kick it off with a huge chunk of blue-collar workers. Float up to management, and there’s a plethora of white-collar workers. Drive into towns that have seen better days, and you’ll see a poor population. Keep driving another five to ten miles and you’ll run into million dollar homes. The largest Arab American population in the country is in the same city home to one of the largest automotive manufacturers in the world. One of the best public universities on the planet is in the heart of a small town full of intellects, hippies and activists. You can slingshot a rock from someone sailing in the lake to a freighter navigating the Detroit River. Then, the captain could fire a potato gun and hit a country where Bud Light is expensive and people use the metric system. I could go on and on, but you probably get the point.

Take all of that, pull out the individuals who give a sh*t, and you’re left with a very interesting group of people. This is the city of Detroit.

The actual city of Detroit is not exactly a small geographical area. At almost three times the size of Boston with a population that has shrunk my entire life, the issues are inevitable. Trying to fix a broken school system and provide the basic necessities to those who need it most is an ongoing struggle. Public officials certainly have their job cut out for them. But change starts somewhere, and, in Detroit, it starts where Woodward meets Jefferson.

It would be difficult to acknowledge all the people that have made a positive impact over the years, and, frankly, I haven’t even heard of most of them. I’ve always read that Roger Penske has been active in bringing events downtown. Large organizations such as General Motors and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan have relocated thousands of employees to the city. One would hope this has helped sustain local businesses catering to daytime traffic flow, but something changed six years ago.

For better or worse, a man by the name of Dan Gilbert went all in.

Well maybe not all in. According to Forbes, the man’s worth $5.2 billion.

I’m a firm believer that it really does take one person with tremendous resources to create unbelievable change. These resources can be money, influence or simply passion. When this happens, it’s not always positive, but, without it happening, taking a leap isn’t even possible.

Gilbert made a leap when he decided to relocate all of his established companies (scattered throughout the suburbs of Metro Detroit) right into the heart of the city. This had a fascinating effect that reverberated throughout the area. First, he started to actually buy buildings in the city (which no one was doing), spent millions of dollars in renovations (which probably didn’t add up financially), and kept all of his offices close to each other (which created a pocket full of people walking around). Second, the vacant buildings he left in the suburbs of Detroit caused a flurry of activity. Some landlords gave the keys back, new investors came into town and took advantage, companies moved to backfill the vacancy while vacating other buildings in the process, etc. As a commercial real estate broker, it was an ideal time to witness this game of dominoes and musical chairs.

Since then, Gilbert has spent a reported $2.2 billion buying and renovating over eighty buildings in Detroit. While a significant number of his tenants are companies related to his portfolio, the byproduct of his investment is not something you can actually buy. People want to live in Detroit (I know I’m planning on it). Employees are walking around on the street, a light rail system is being built to promote a more connected environment and multi-family housing is actually being built. I’ve been looking at lofts for a while, and, whether renting or buying is the preferred choice, options are not cheap. Which is great! Whether it’s catering to commercial or residential, the demand is finally here to support development and renovations from investors other than Gilbert.

I recently met with an investor who shared with me his primary reason for selecting a company: people. The people who you surround yourself with are everything, and it’s the main reason why Detroit’s resurgence will be sustainable well into the future. People care.

Now, people care for different reasons. Detroiters have been in this community for a long time and care because this is their home. It’s where they go to church. It’s where they attend school and where they work. It’s where they dealt with adversity, and, in some cases, it’s why they left…and came back.

Then, there are those who want to make an impact and be a part of something very unique. Picture a canvas full of old imagery and visions from a previous artist. People are finding spots in that work of art and creating new images. I know people who have opened restaurants, started recycling programs, raised money for charity, created incubator space, and opened up a small office. While these achievements may seem insignificant for most large cities, it matters in Detroit. Every little piece matters.

Last year I left my job to start working for myself. Most people thought I was out of my mind for leaving, and, also, people said I was crazy for my desire to have an office in Detroit. And yet, here I am, sitting in my office, which is the size of a PODS storage container. But the carpet and paint are in good shape. I work in a building that was built in 1925, and I park in a garage that was once a 4,000-seat theater, a nightclub and a concert venue. I can see the People Mover, fans walking to Comerica Park and someone on the street thinking what can be done with the vacant space next door.

Guess what, Dan? I’m all in, too.