My 1st Gig: From Red Pens to Real Impact with MEDC’s Michelle Grinnell
“You get to know a lot about a lot.” That’s how Michelle Grinnell sums up a career spent translating complex ideas into stories people understand—and care about.
In this episode of My 1st Gig, host Ryan Gajewski and co-host Allie Walker sit down with Michelle, who at the time of recording served as Senior Vice President of Market Growth & Business Attraction at the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC). Since then, Michelle has been promoted to the role of Chief Communications & Attraction Officer, overseeing business attraction and market growth in her expanded capacity at the organization.
Her path has wound through public service and communications—press secretary on Capitol Hill, communications for Governor Granholm, Travel Michigan and the Michigan Film Office, and senior communications leadership at MEDC—before stepping into her current business attraction role.
Below, a few of our favorite moments and lessons from Michelle’s first gig—and how it shaped everything that came after.
The First Gig: Basement Clips and Big Expectations
Michelle’s first real job started as a student at the University of Michigan in News and Information Services—the team responsible for getting U-M’s research and accomplishments into the world.
What she did: filed press clips (yes, the paper kind), drafted early press releases, and learned how to make sentences tighter without losing meaning.
What made it matter: colleagues treated her like a true teammate, not just “the intern.” She had responsibilities, her work got published, and—most importantly—she had a mentor who demanded excellence.
“We did contests for who could take a sentence and get it to the least amount of words and keep the meaning.”
That mentor (Janet) insisted on edits in red pen and tough-love feedback. The result? Michelle built the thick skin and editorial discipline she still relies on.
Paid. Present. At the Table.
Michelle is unequivocal about internships:
Pay them. You get what you pay for.
Include them. Invite interns to staff meetings and give them a seat at the table.
Let them run the play. From “soup to nuts,” ownership builds confidence and capability—especially for introverts stretched by phone calls and source wrangling.
“Give people the opportunity to do all of the work. If you’ve got a great intern, they will soar.”
Respect the Craft: Working with Journalists
Journalism is in Michelle’s DNA—her dad was a longtime reporter and editor at the Ludington Daily News—and it shaped how she partners with the press.
Local or national, the fundamentals are the same. Everyone is on deadline; everyone is trying to inform their audience.
Local matters. Serving constituents means saying yes to local outlets just as readily as national TV.
Relationships win. Be responsive, respect the process, and tell the truth clearly.
“It may feel sexier to talk to a national outlet, but at the end of the day they’re doing the same job as your hometown paper.”
Hill Heat: Learning Under Pressure
Michelle’s D.C. chapter included serving as press secretary for Congressman Bart Stupak during the white-hot debates over health-care reform. The phones lit up after every appearance; schedules were built around surges in calls.
Balance the spotlight. One minute it’s national TV; five minutes later it’s a call from a small paper in northern Michigan—both deserve full attention.
Find your threshold for “busy.” After days like those, very little rattles her.
The Translator’s Superpower
From nanotechnology papers to copper mining in the U.P., Asian carp, data centers and even pandemic planning, Michelle’s career has been a masterclass in translation:
Not the subject-matter expert— the interpreter.
Explain the “why it matters” in clear, efficient language.
Keep refining until the point is unmistakable.
“Writing is getting it out of your head, then making it tighter, more efficient, and getting your point across.”
What Got You Here… Can Still Help You Get There
Michelle’s move from communications leadership to business attraction didn’t abandon storytelling—it elevated it.
Soft skills scale. Reliability, meeting deadlines, doing the work well, and being a good colleague create trust that opens new doors.
Use your voice—and align when a decision’s made. Healthy challenge in the room; unified commitment outside it.
Longevity builds credibility. Years at MEDC have given her the context and confidence to steer complex initiatives.
Mentor Gratitude
Michelle’s first-gig mentor stayed in her life for years. That kind of advocate—someone who cares enough to be candid—can change a career.
“Having a person who is clearly fond of you and wants you to succeed—but isn’t afraid to lay it on the line—was incredibly impactful.”
Quick Hits: Michelle’s Takeaways for Rising Communicators
Edit hard. Shorter is usually stronger.
Be responsive. Deadline empathy builds lasting relationships.
Say yes to the full play. Pitch, write, place, and measure.
Treat interns like pros. Responsibility accelerates growth.
Stay curious. Learn “an inch deep and a mile wide”—then connect the dots.
Honor local news. It’s the community’s front door to information.
Do the work. Competence and consistency are the best calling cards.
Thanks to Michelle for taking us from basement clip files to statewide business attraction—proof that great storytelling travels.
Listen to the episode: My 1st Gig with Michelle Grinnell — available wherever you get your podcasts.