Name: Erik Perkins

Years in Flint & Genesee: 14

Job: Business owner and developer

How he spends his time:

– Coaching entrepreneurs through EOS Worldwide 
– Spearheading the development of the Garden Building of Grand Blanc – the future home of Irene’s Kitchen & Biergarten
– Raising two children and many dogs with his wife, Sara

You moved from the East Coast to be closer to your wife’s family. Beyond the support system that offers, what are some of benefits to living in Grand Blanc?

There’s a huge difference in the cost of living. In other cities, people work just as hard, but all their money goes out the back door. Here, you have the benefit of a lower-cost market, so you have more disposable income. That’s great whether you’re just starting out in your career or are more established.

What’s there to do?

In terms of location, Grand Blanc is “Up Northish.” We can get to most places in about an hour (e.g., downtown Detroit, Ann Arbor, Detroit, Lansing) and have an awesome dinner in 15 minutes (e.g., Grand Blanc, Fenton, Flint, Clarkston).

And whether it’s winter or summer, there’s a tremendous amount of outdoor activities. I mean, people travel across the country for the opportunity to explore “Pure Michigan.” We can drive 30 minutes max and find the same benefits that people travel hours for.

What has your experience been with the local schools?

It’s been wonderful. There’s a very affordable private school system (Holy Family Catholic School for grades K-8), and there’s a significant public school system that has great resources. My son goes to Grand Blanc High School, and the quality of options that you have in both athletics and academics is just incredible for a public school system.

You know, when we first moved to Grand Blanc, we didn’t know anyone outside of our family. That changed once our kids started school, and we made a number of friends through that experience. It was the fastest way to meet great people and form lifelong relationships and bonds.