MARQUETTE -- "Made in the U.P., it's a famous plug seen on Yooper baby tees sold at the U.P. owned and operated, Yooper Tourist Trap, but that badge of honor could be worn by many nationally sold, locally made products.

From Iverson Snowshoes, made in Shingleton and distributed by L.L. Bean; to Jilberts Dairy in Marquette, milking the Midwestern markets; to Argonics polyurethane, made in Sawyer and sold all over the world, the U.P. seems to be bursting at the seams with entrepreneurs.  Northern Initiatives has helped many of them grow.  They say U.P. businesses are successful because they are different.

"I think that their uniqueness and their ability to not simply be part of the auto industry or some of the industries that have struggled is what the recipe for success has been," said Northern Initiatives President, Dennis West.

In fact, Northern Initiatives says most of the U.P. has faired better than most of Lower Michigan because our economy is more diverse.

"As you have an economy that isn't based solely on timber or solely on mining or solely on any particular industry, you do see an economy that's far more resilient," West said.

Family ties are also a key ingredient for many U.P. businesses, like Marble Arms in Gladstone.

"It's not that unusual to see a long-term family of businesses where the next generation makes adjustments and suddenly something takes off and grows in ways that wouldn't have been imagined," West said.

Of course there are plenty of other locally made crafts and products from Boss Snow Plow in Iron Mountain to Pioneer Surgical in Marquette, and fortunately for U.P. residents, Northern Initiatives says areas with more home-grown products also create more entrepreneurs.