While pursuing a new facility even contacted GWEDC. They couldn’t help us on the building we selected due to the fact it hadn’t been vacant for 3 years (only 1 1/2).

I was also approached at a local club meeting about assisting another “Young Professional Org” (NOT YPW). They met me at the my office to discuss the benefits they could bring to my business. Found out quickly I was to pay them to sit in my office and come up with ideas, ideas which were not applicable to my business in any way, shape or form. “My Space” was the big thing.

Sorry to be so negative, and truly wish it were different. But that is my experience.

As for encouraging interns to come here and work for the big companies – how does that help job-hunting people who are already here? How does that help the small business owner? That seems to be more in the interest of the big companies by helping to keep wages down by maintaining a surplus of workers.

“Or offered your services in any way?”
I have and been turned down…

I was a member of both the YPW AND the Chamber and found absolutely ZERO value to the membership.

Example: I tried for 3 years in a row to provide services at the Chamber Expo Venture and was turned down every time because the naming sponsor didn’t want competition. Of course, the naming sponsor is a multi-million dollar company and I am not. As for YPW, I dont care about mixing with interns, im interested in mixing with heads of Spirit, Koch and Cessna. Where are these mixers?

As for some of the other things that YP and meverhart said, I never bashed the volunteer things, but what benefit does it provide to me as a business owner? Nothing. I Volunteer somewhere around 20 hours EVERY WEEK between Scouts, AYSO and Church, I dont need to volunteer any more.

The political debate back in ‘07 was organized and co-sponsored by the chamber as well, again, very little benefit to the average young entrepreneur.

My point in all of this is not to tear down YPW but to state simply, YPW DOES NOT help or represent ALL young people. They do not help young business owners, they do not help make introductions and they dont have programs to help business to business commerce.

The entire organization is designed to help and work around people who work for big company, not the young business owners. You yourself meverhart said you do these events for Cessna, Koch, etc… , again what good is YPW to young business owners? Please tell me because if im missing something, than let me know. So far, i dont see the benefit in spending $150?? I can still attend the 1 or 2 events a year that are worthwhile.

Along with, oh, another 1/2 page of pictures on the diversity leadership program.

We suck.

If you joined the Chamber expecting people to come crashing through your door, throwing money at you because you’re now a member, your money was wasted and your membership foolhardy.

Anyone who can’t see the benefit of having access to thousands of local Wichita business owners and professionals through community events, business mixers, and social mingles probably doesn’t have a full grasp of what it takes to run a business.

Best of luck to you.

The comments in this article really show just how little of an impact we’ve had in certain areas, although I would say these comments are in the far minority of opinions.

RE: Outside Consultant – First, because she has helped several similarly sized communities who had NO YP voice into areas who now have significant YP influence and voice.

Second, and perhaps most significant, it sometimes takes an outside view of things to understand what is and is not working.

Perhaps you are similarly discouraged by the “Minnesota Guys” who have come in and completely reinvigorated our downtown area. They certainly haven’t helped anything, have they?

RE: The bar crowd – YP does have a once per month mingle at a local bar. We try and do these events at new locations as they open up to help attract attention to them.

Similarly, once per year we have a New Years Eve party to ring in the New Year.

You know what else we do?

1) Meet with interns each summer coming into town, hoping to encourage them to come to Wichita to work.

WHO asks us to do this? Local corporations like Boeing, Spirit, Cessna, and Koch.

2) Host Lunch and Learns or dinner events with local, established, and successful Wichitans to expose our young members to their stories of success.

WHO has hosted these events? Mike Miller, inventor of the Knork, the KSN weather team, Koch upper management, among others over the last 4 years.

3) Support and encourage diversity in Wichita by establishing the Team Mosaic who regularly meets to discuss the difficult topics such as race, religion, and ethnicity; tearing down barriers where we can and encouraging a culture of understanding.

We’ve worked with the Hispanic Chamber and with the Urban Professionals ot expand these events whih also occur once per month.

4) We just completed an entire Saturday VOLUNTEER community enhancement project where members of YPW went out and completed many small and medium improvement projects on a specific neighboorhood in Wichita.

We are expanding this line of involvement into its own committee in order to expand upon this facet of our new group.

5) We organized a political debate and review for the 2007 local elections in which YP and Non-YP members alike were encouraged to meet with and talk to local politicians running for office.

The list goes on and on…but PLEASE, feel free to bash our attempts to help young people in the Wichita community. I’m quite certain whatever we are doing in our volunteer capacities PALES in comparison to what you’re doing for the city.

Regardless, now YP… I am a young professional with multiple businesses here in town and what does YPW offer me? NOTHING. What does the Chamber offer me? NOTHING. I have talked to so many “one year” members of both the YP and Chamber that its ridiculous. Sure, YPW has expanded into some volunteer work, but still doesn’t do anything for anyone who owns companies, wants to own or wants to do anything other than single minded parties or a volunteer effort here or there.

Where are the business mixers? Where are the introductions to powerful influential Wichitans? Where are the business connections? Where are people to put people into contact with other people? NOWHERE. I can not go to the Chamber or the YPW and ask for a contact at Spirit or Cessna even though it have a Value Added service to offer. So whats the point?

The only thing on the YPW calendar for July is 2 events that involve drinking. Granted, one i could take my family to which is a Wingnuts game, but i wouldn’t just because of the people they would be around.

Again, Whats the point of YPW?