Guest Blogger: Diallo Smith

Diallo Smith is the founder and owner of Drive Table Tennis Social Club in Detroit. As a Detroit native, Diallo dreamed of one day owning a business in his hometown. After his undergraduate education he moved to Houston, Texas to pursue a financial analyst career. Later he left the corporate arena for the non-profit sector and worked for various religious organizations as a financial administrator and minister, eventually moving back to Detroit in 2008 to start a new faith community called Awakenings Movement. 

Diallo always believed that business if done the right way can bring people together, move a city forward, and create employment while being profitable. After spending time researching the concept and testing the idea through different pop-up events Smith believed that it was time to open Drive Table Tennis Social Club.

Drive has become a local hotspot for ping-pong enthusiasts and people just looking for a fun time in the city. On any given night there may be tournaments for competitive players or local bands, DJs, and fine cuisine tasting events for a great evening in Detroit.


Start a Business or Influence a City?

Every inquisitive person who walks in the doors of Drive ask "Why ping-pong?"  My usual response is "Why not?" Then they go on to ask, "So you must be like a really good player right?" and I reply by saying "I'm so-so, but I love what the game can do for people!"  And after a few games or observing other people play, they see what I mean.  Laughter, grins, grunts, some trash talking, helpful hints, conversation; they see a business building community.

A few years ago when my family moved back to Detroit we had two big dreams: to launch a new church and to be social entrepreneurs.  As a finance major in college I always believed that business had the capacity to influence a city….for better or for worse.  Growing up in Detroit in the '80s I saw firsthand the negative effects that a lack of a growing economy and a robust business community can have on a city.  We've all seen the headlines on Detroit and its local economy, but where there are big problems there has to be big and creative solutions.

When we were thinking of what business venture to start, we had lots of ideas but we wanted to start something that created an atmosphere of fun and community, plus an additional spark of creativity and innovation.  We didn't want to start a business, we wanted to influence a city.  

When we hear the word entrepreneur, we often think of billionaire tycoons sitting in the lap of luxury.  But the word entrepreneur originally described someone who was a galvanizer of resources. I'm convinced that the best way to start a business is to not only think of the financial benefits, but to think of how your business will positively impact every person that interfaces with it.  To start a business is simply not enough.  We wanted to start a business that could impact lives. For us, that happened to be a chic, contemporary ping pong club that added an additional social fixture to the downtown community.

I have the pleasure of meeting people daily who say, "This is so cool. Detroit needs something like this," or "I'm so glad you guys opened this up." I also have the pleasure of watching a Muslim imam play a Jewish rabbi with smiles and laughter.  I see expert players sharing ideas and strategies with novice players, and departments coming to play for team-building events.  All of this because of a 2.7-gram, 40mm, gas-filled, celluloid, ricocheting round ball and a cool, swanky environment.  Sometimes the best ideas for influencing a city are the simplest.