Craig R. Jablonski
Craig is a driven founder, executive, and investor committed to creating value for high-growth companies across diverse industries.
In 2010, Craig and Co-founder, Ben, launched Career Now Brands (“CNB”). Serving as CEO for more than a dozen years, Craig led CNB from a bootstrapped startup to a network of hundreds of enterprise clients, millions of users, and a workforce of nearly 200 employees.
In 2021, Craig and Ben forged a partnership with a middle-market private equity firm, setting the stage for future innovation and expansion. Recently, Craig has assumed the role of Chairman and continues to support leadership and strategic initiatives within CNB.
Craig oversees the M1 portfolio and resides with his wife and three children in Birmingham MI, and Naples FL. He Graduated cum laude from Western Michigan University, Marketing and Economics.
Benjamin G. Onnie
Ben is a visionary entrepreneur known for his relentless drive to challenge norms and achieve successful outcomes. As President and Co-founder of Career Now Brands, he champions a customer-centric ethos, drawing on nearly two decades of recruitment expertise with enterprise fleets and CDL schools.
Ben’s journey began in trucking, igniting his fervor for innovation within a conventional sector. His industry experience laid the groundwork for creative and impactful solutions, which became Career Now Brands. CNB has grown into a tech-driven leader of recruitment marketing solutions serving the trucking, education, and mass labor sectors.
Ben is an entrepreneur’s entrepreneur – a true problem solver dedicated to customer success. He’s a cigar aficionado residing in Birmingham MI with his wife and children. Ben is a graduate of Western Michigan University with a degree in Supply Chain Management.
M1 LABS
WHY THE NAME?
The term “M1” is a nod to our hometown of Detroit. Every year the Motor City hosts “The Woodward Dream Cruise”, a celebrated event for car enthusiasts nationwide. Woodward Avenue, also known as M1, was the first surveyed road in Michigan and serves as the main artery connecting Detroit’s neighborhoods.
“Labs” references our commitment to exploration and discovery. It signifies our interest in incubating ideas and supporting the founders and funds with whom we partner. We endorse innovative companies with high-growth potential that seek to push boundaries and shape the future of industries.
“If I had asked people what they wanted, they would have said faster horses.”
Henry Ford
“Success is not final, failure is not fatal: It is the courage to continue that counts.”
Winston Churchill