Opening Doors with Annette Compo

What could your next chapter look like? After raising four children, Cheryl Arafat built a new chapter as the owner of Home Clean Heroes of Oakland County. She joins Annette Compo to talk about choosing a franchise, building trust with clients, supporting first responders, and finding the courage to start something new. And yes—we get into whether you really need to clean before the cleaners come....

Are you really covered—or just paying a premium? Reagan Marinucci joins Annette Compo to talk about the career she didn’t see coming, building relationships, and the home-insurance questions worth asking before you need to make a claim. They discuss roof coverage, renewal reviews, and why a lower price doesn’t tell the whole story. Plus, Reagan shares the advice she’d give her younger self: be pat...

What keeps you going when the work you love gets difficult? Lori Regimbal of SugarBare & Bronzed joins Annette Compo for an honest conversation about finding her path in the beauty industry, building a client-based business, and the time she considered giving up. They also talk about making clients feel comfortable, the difference between sugaring and waxing, and why trust and consistency matt...

When work, family, and everyone else’s needs come first, where do you fit in? Annette Compo sits down with Carrie Schabel and Mary of Degree Wellness in West Bloomfield for a conversation about making time for yourself—and the life experiences that brought both women into the wellness business. They talk about career changes, finding a new chapter after raising children, and what a visit to the st...

What happens when fixing your car means you can’t afford groceries? For families in our own community, one unexpected expense can force an impossible choice. In this episode of Opening Doors, I sit down with Donny Lucaj, a Plante Moran partner and CARES board member, to talk about suburban hunger, the families caught in the financial gray area, and the everyday ways we can help. Donny shares how g...

In this episode of Opening Doors, I welcome Angela Roelofs from St. William Catholic School and Stephanie Donlic from Z-Painting to get to know the people behind their work in our community. Angela brings her experience in education and supporting students, while Stephanie represents a local business helping people care for and improve their spaces. Join us for a chance to meet both guests and con...

In this episode of Opening Doors , I sit down with Lindsey Rossow-Rood, Associate Vice President of Donor Services at the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan, for a conversation about giving back, supporting nonprofits, and connecting people who want to make a difference with the organizations doing important work in our communities. Lindsey shares how her career began in social work and h...

In this episode of Opening Doors , I sit down with my friend Zehra Kapasi , founder of Rose Best , to hear the incredible story behind one of Farmington’s newest small businesses. What started as a simple soap-making activity through a book club in 1997 became a lifelong passion. Zehra shares how a career in psychology unexpectedly led her into handcrafted skincare, why she spent years perfecting...

One of my favorite days of the year is almost here! In this episode, I sit down with Andrea Nolan and Mary Beth Miller from CARES to talk about the annual CARES Duck Race and why it has become such a special tradition for so many families in our community. Of course, there is the excitement of watching thousands of little yellow ducks race down the river, but this event is about so much more than...

In this episode of Opening Doors , I sit down with Ken Massey, a CARES founding member and former board member, and Gary Bulson, a current CARES board member and owner of Men on the Move. Ken shares how a conversation with former Farmington Hills Mayor Jerry Ellis and CARES Executive Director Todd Lippa led to the creation of CARES. What began as an effort to preserve a small food pantry has grown...

In this episode of Opening Doors, Annette Compo sits down with Jill Ulle, a CARES volunteer whose warmth, enthusiasm, and compassion help make the Campus of Hope feel welcoming to everyone who walks through the door. Jill shares how she first discovered CARES through a television segment and immediately felt inspired to volunteer. After signing up and attending orientation, she found the sense of...

In this episode of Opening Doors, Annette Compo sits down with longtime friend Channelle Kizy-White, founder and owner of Kizy Law Firm, for a conversation about family, law, motherhood, business ownership, and helping people through difficult life transitions. Channelle shares how she knew from a young age that she wanted to go into law, how her career evolved into family law, and why she believe...

In this episode of Opening Doors , Annette Compo sits down with longtime friend and attorney Norman E. “Gene” Richards, a partner in the Livonia office of Cummings, McClorey, Davis & Acho, PLC, where he focuses his practice on estate planning and elder law. Gene shares the unexpected path that led him from theology and mission work to law school, and how a chance connection helped guide him in...

In this episode of Opening Doors, Annette Compo sits down with Lomas Brown Jr., former Detroit Lions offensive lineman, Super Bowl champion, and President and CEO of the Lomas Brown Jr. Foundation. Lomas shares how he first connected with CARES and why the work being done at the Campus of Hope matters to families facing rising food costs and everyday challenges. He also talks about the mission beh...

In this episode of Opening Doors, Annette Compo sits down with Keith Kampe, Home Lending Branch Manager at Flagstar Bank and a trusted lending partner for many of the clients served by the Compo & Medema Group. Keith shares his journey from playing college baseball at the University of Cincinnati to building a successful 17-year career in the mortgage industry. The conversation explores how le...

In this episode of Opening Doors, Annette Compo sits down with Dawn Wilcox, owner and operator of Michigan Maid Cleaning Advantage, a Livonia-based residential and commercial cleaning business serving the community since 2017. Dawn shares how her business has grown over time, what it takes to maintain standards as a team expands, and why trust is such a big part of walking into someone’s home or b...

Geno Grabinski on Printing, Community Service & Building Relationships Through Compton Press In this episode of Opening Doors, Annette Compo sits down with longtime friend Geno Grabinski of Compton Press, a Farmington Hills printing company offering digital and offset printing, creative design, mailing, fulfillment, finishing, and more. Geno shares how his career began in trophies and awards b...

In this episode of Opening Doors, Annette Compo sits down with Madison Carroll — the woman handling marketing and branding for Compo & Medema Group at Keller Williams Home, a singer with a song on streaming platforms, a newly engaged bride-to-be planning a Virginia farm wedding, and a brand-new homeowner who just closed on her first house. Madison opens up about how she found her way to Keller...

What does it really mean to leave a legacy — and how does CARES fit into that journey? In this Coffee with the President episode of Opening Doors, Annette Compo sits down with estate planning attorney Gene Richards, a partner at CMDA Law and member of the CARES Legacy Committee, to introduce the brand-new CARES Legacy Giving program. Together they walk through how the Legacy Committee was built, h...

When the arts become a place of fear, people stop creating. Rachael Rose is making sure that never happens. In this episode of Opening Doors, Annette Compo sits down with Rachael Rose — founder and Artistic Director of Thistle Rose Academy of Arts, a 501c3 nonprofit built on one core belief: no cost, no skill level, no background should ever be a barrier to the arts. Rachael shares her journey fro...

What if AI wasn't a buzzword to fear, but a tool that handed you back 10 to 15 hours of your week? In this episode of Opening Doors, Annette Compo sits down with Teko Harmon, founder of SoleIntel AI and a project manager turned certified AI consultant and coach, for a conversation that takes AI out of the tech bro corner and puts it in plain English. Teko shares why he built SoleIntel AI afte...

What happens when your business partner is also your son — and your best friend? In this deeply personal episode of Opening Doors, Annette Compo sits down with Trevor Medema, her son, fellow REALTOR®, and co-founder of the Compo & Medema Real Estate Group, for a conversation she admits brought her to tears. Trevor opens up about what it's really like working alongside the woman who raised...

In an industry where appointments have started to feel transactional, Theodora Adamopoulos is bringing the experience back. In this episode of Opening Doors, Annette Compo sits down with Theodora — owner of Teleia Salon in downtown Farmington — to talk about what it takes to build a salon where guests don't just get their hair done, they look forward to every minute of the visit. Theodora sha...

From Bosnia to Farmington: How Dragan Tasic Built a Business, a Brotherhood & a Community Legacy Forty years of friendship. Two decades of service. One community that feels it every day. In this episode of Opening Doors, Annette Compo sits down with Dragan Tasic — co-owner of Z Painting, current President of the Greater Area Farmington Chamber of Commerce, and one of the quiet forces behind CA...

Jazz, leadership, and the art of pouring into the next generation. In this episode of Opening Doors, Annette Compo sits down with Joe LaRussa — Mayor of Farmington and 32-year member of the Henry Ford Big Band. Joe shares what it was like to audition as a teenager and never leave, why the band made it their mission to uplift emerging artists like vocalist Olivia Van Goor, and how the Farmington Ci...