Topsail Young Professionals

Transcript

WEBVTT

00:00:02.053 --> 00:00:12.583
Welcome to Topsail Insider, where you can hear all about the businesses and events in the beautiful coastal towns in the greater Topsail area of North Carolina.

00:00:16.213 --> 00:00:19.173
Coming up, we're interviewing Alexis Siebert.

00:00:19.173 --> 00:00:24.250
She moved here and found it hard to meet people and network with other young professionals.

00:00:24.250 --> 00:00:31.806
So she and a friend partnered with the Greater Topsail Area Chamber of Commerce and started the Topsail Young Professionals.

00:00:31.995 --> 00:00:34.276
Join us today to discuss the new group.

00:00:34.276 --> 00:00:38.176
Making waves in Topsail, today on Topsail Insider.

00:00:39.874 --> 00:00:50.334
It's time to indulge and experience the finest coastal hospitality on Topsail Island with Salt Water Resort and Suites in Surf City, North Carolina.

00:00:50.624 --> 00:01:06.634
Designed to exceed your expectations, guests can enjoy elegant suites featuring premium luxurious bedding, fully equipped kitchens with dishwashers, 75 inch flat screens, ensuite washers and dryers, and gorgeous ocean views.

00:01:07.349 --> 00:01:17.909
With the grand opening of their newest location, you can now relax in their Saltwater Pool and Modern Clubhouse, perfect for unwinding, socializing, and private events.

00:01:18.858 --> 00:01:21.498
Book your next beach getaway today at saltwatertopsail.

00:01:23.159 --> 00:01:28.308
com or call 910 886 4818.

00:01:28.888 --> 00:01:34.049
Saltwater Resort and Suites, redefining luxury on Topsail Island.

00:01:39.545 --> 00:01:40.385
Hello Insiders.

00:01:40.405 --> 00:01:46.665
My name is Christa and I am co hosting today with Miss La Rhea Burke, one of Topsail Insider's brand new hosts.

00:01:46.924 --> 00:01:50.734
You can learn more about La Rhea and our new host by visiting TopsailInsider.

00:01:50.814 --> 00:01:52.944
com La Rhea owns Picnic Haven.

00:01:53.015 --> 00:01:59.379
She's a personal trainer, a kickboxing instructor, author, and a woman's bodybuilding champion.

00:01:59.390 --> 00:02:02.540
She also founded a thriving t shirt brand called Loves Active.

00:02:02.609 --> 00:02:05.000
I am thrilled to pass the mic to you, La Rhea.

00:02:05.019 --> 00:02:07.329
Welcome to being a host on Topsail

00:02:07.329 --> 00:02:22.014
Ah, thank you so much, to say that I'm honored to be here is an understatement, not only because I get to unlock a new passion, but also because I get to connect with such amazing friends here in this little, not so little island of ours in surrounding areas.

00:02:22.615 --> 00:02:26.025
So today we have Alexis Siebert joining us.

00:02:26.094 --> 00:02:29.074
She is a co founder of Topsail Young Professionals.

00:02:29.104 --> 00:02:31.014
Welcome, Alexis, and thanks for joining us.

00:02:31.189 --> 00:02:31.590
you.

00:02:32.044 --> 00:02:37.235
So I just want to kick things off with what is the mission behind Topsail Young Professionals?

00:02:37.235 --> 00:02:38.724
Can you tell us a little bit more about that?

00:02:38.780 --> 00:02:52.150
Yeah, topsail Young Professionals is a group of dynamic individuals, that are all about networking, leadership, and impact, in and around the Topsail area, and is started by the Topsail Chamber of Commerce.

00:02:52.849 --> 00:02:56.400
So when speaking on the phone, I found your story so relatable.

00:02:56.860 --> 00:03:09.460
Many of us have moved here from somewhere else and have either found it hard to meet people, or have had to look for people to connect with, not only because we want this, but often we need it.

00:03:09.860 --> 00:03:25.699
Alexis, you have quite a story behind you and what led you to what you are doing today as a young professional of your own and being a co founder of the Topsail Young Professional Group and founder of Topsail Yoga Collective.

00:03:26.039 --> 00:03:26.240
But

00:03:26.455 --> 00:03:30.314
it's like your web has broadened to a new way to collect us all.

00:03:30.375 --> 00:03:33.685
Can you start with just telling us more about yourself?

00:03:33.704 --> 00:03:34.115
yourself?

00:03:34.164 --> 00:03:39.104
I grew up in Winston Salem, North Carolina, and most of my family lives there still.

00:03:39.435 --> 00:03:42.194
It's a very tight knit community, I would say.

00:03:42.504 --> 00:03:45.664
I was very involved in the downtown area.

00:03:45.764 --> 00:03:48.754
My family is very involved in the arts in that area.

00:03:48.764 --> 00:03:49.104
area.

00:03:49.104 --> 00:03:54.784
And it was like, walking down the street, you would see 15 people you knew and just say hi every day.

00:03:55.405 --> 00:04:09.474
moving here was a little difficult when you know no one, and I was so used to asking a friend, for help or referrals in Winston Salem on, hey, where's the coolest place to go?

00:04:09.504 --> 00:04:11.594
Or does somebody want to grab a drink with me?

00:04:11.594 --> 00:04:14.485
I'll be at this place for a few hours today.

00:04:15.055 --> 00:04:16.814
And I just didn't have that here yet.

00:04:16.814 --> 00:04:22.285
And it was very hard it seemed like a lot of people were feeling that way as well.

00:04:22.285 --> 00:04:25.904
I was part of the, very large downtown group of Winston Salem.

00:04:25.904 --> 00:04:30.824
It's a little bit bigger than, it's like the fifth largest city in North Carolina.

00:04:31.264 --> 00:04:33.454
And downtown Winston Salem.

00:04:34.389 --> 00:04:38.949
fell into disrepair after the 80s and the tobacco industry left.

00:04:39.100 --> 00:04:45.360
And so a lot of the artists, musicians, and movers and shakers decided to revitalize the downtown.

00:04:45.790 --> 00:04:47.589
My family felt it was very much needed.

00:04:47.889 --> 00:04:51.009
important to be part of that, being in the arts industry.

00:04:51.420 --> 00:04:59.350
So it was really nice, working with only small businesses, from my youth up until now and really helping that downtown revitalize itself.

00:04:59.480 --> 00:05:04.459
One of my favorite things is people always would text me like, hey, you know everybody.

00:05:04.629 --> 00:05:07.209
Do you know where, do you know somebody who could do this for me?

00:05:07.529 --> 00:05:12.050
just oh, I know a guy or I know a gal in Winston Salem was just my go to thing.

00:05:12.389 --> 00:05:13.860
And I didn't, I was missing that here.

00:05:13.964 --> 00:05:31.081
Yeah, it's interesting because when you think of Winston Salem, I think of a city like with lots of people And so for you to be able to say that you had connections to many different businesses People in the local area and you felt that love is a large statement to say in itself.

00:05:31.391 --> 00:05:32.100
I'm just curious.

00:05:32.151 --> 00:05:37.841
What would you say is the number one way you went about finding those connections or getting to know people in the area?

00:05:37.935 --> 00:05:42.966
so I have two older siblings that are twins, and they're quite a bit older than me, actually.

00:05:42.966 --> 00:05:50.755
They're eight years older than me, and my older brother was very involved in the music scene in the area, in the like, indie music scene.

00:05:51.576 --> 00:05:58.446
And, my sister Gretchen is an artist and very involved with North Carolina artists and non profits for artists.

00:05:59.346 --> 00:06:05.096
And I just decided to move to the downtown area and make friends.

00:06:05.454 --> 00:06:11.264
worked at a lot of bars and restaurants where I familiarized myself with a lot of locals.

00:06:11.915 --> 00:06:16.975
And it was very much a neighborhood feel even though it's a large downtown.

00:06:17.324 --> 00:06:22.785
my father teaches at a, at University of North Carolina School of the Arts.

00:06:23.245 --> 00:06:25.214
And so he was very involved.

00:06:25.540 --> 00:06:32.740
in the art scene there and my stepmother founded an arts based elementary school and a lot of my friend's kids went there.

00:06:32.740 --> 00:06:38.220
So it was very easy for me to just have my hands in a lot of different pots.

00:06:38.959 --> 00:06:40.930
And just get to know people.

00:06:41.240 --> 00:06:47.170
I like to say, and so do my parents, I've never met a stranger, I try to be helpful and nice and that's just where it led me.

00:06:47.589 --> 00:06:53.800
and I'm also, I was also very involved in the music scene in Winston Salem and so I just knew people from that.

00:06:54.240 --> 00:06:59.759
So you're mentioning art a lot here and just knowing you and seeing you and just hearing about you.

00:06:59.759 --> 00:07:02.430
I definitely get the sense that there's more behind that.

00:07:02.810 --> 00:07:07.740
How, tell me more about your parents and art and what exactly did they do?

00:07:07.875 --> 00:07:17.334
Yes, so my mom, Alicia, my dad, Glenn, and my stepmom, Mary, and my younger sister, Veronica, are all professional opera singers.

00:07:17.555 --> 00:07:22.814
they are all, classically trained and making a living being classically trained opera singers.

00:07:23.425 --> 00:07:38.144
And my grandfather, Jim, was a very big singer and he was in, a lot of musicals when he was younger in the 20s and 30s, and then my other grandfather, Glenn, also was on Broadway in the 40s.

00:07:38.415 --> 00:07:48.182
And so I had a very deep connection to the arts and I'm probably was singing before I was talking kind of thing.

00:07:48.182 --> 00:07:50.172
My brother is a musician as well.

00:07:50.201 --> 00:07:53.161
And my older sister Gretchen is a sculptor.

00:07:53.451 --> 00:07:55.091
Actually, that's what she's trained in.

00:07:55.091 --> 00:07:57.081
And she is a wonderful artist.

00:07:57.401 --> 00:08:07.132
She is involved with the Piedmont Craftsman International non profit, which brings craftsmen and artisans of North Carolina together and highlight their work.

00:08:07.295 --> 00:08:10.365
You come from a really great family background.

00:08:10.365 --> 00:08:10.485
Yes.

00:08:11.175 --> 00:08:13.644
It doesn't surprise me that you're doing what you're doing now.

00:08:13.954 --> 00:08:15.555
And they're probably very proud of you.

00:08:15.694 --> 00:08:17.064
I Would hope so.

00:08:17.064 --> 00:08:37.003
Yeah, they are my you know, my family is just we're kind people we're willing to help anybody and they really instilled that in all of us and the arts is a Very big way to show that you know my parents were alive in the 70s and 80s right when the AIDS pandemic was happening, and being in the arts they saw a huge impact in that.

00:08:37.062 --> 00:08:49.916
My stepmom had quite a few friends pass away from it, so I think them noticing how important community is was really instilled early on, and they're both from big families and they know what that means,

00:08:49.937 --> 00:08:52.748
Now you mentioned that you have an acting background as well.

00:08:52.998 --> 00:08:55.057
Yeah, I I'm very into musical theater.

00:08:55.094 --> 00:08:57.913
I like to say I'm a jack of all trades, master of none.

00:08:57.913 --> 00:09:06.224
but I, just the love and the dreams of what my grandfather Glenn did in the 40s, It led me wanting to do Broadway.

00:09:06.224 --> 00:09:10.614
So starting from the time I was a little kid, I was in 30 musicals.

00:09:10.653 --> 00:09:12.413
I've been in so many different shows.

00:09:12.943 --> 00:09:20.772
I was always in a play, or a musical, or in theater, or in chorus, or in some sort of

00:09:20.772 --> 00:09:21.152
acting,

00:09:21.280 --> 00:09:21.498
idea.

00:09:21.498 --> 00:09:30.292
In a family full of artists and singers and opera singers and musicals, what was your typical, meals and dinner?

00:09:30.292 --> 00:09:31.032
Were you guys singing?

00:09:31.211 --> 00:09:31.892
I know this is

00:09:32.246 --> 00:09:39.206
we were singing it actually freaked my husband out the first time he came over to our house No, I've you know, I didn't play sports.

00:09:39.206 --> 00:09:53.591
I did musicals with my mom after school In Lewisville, North Carolina, they have a town square It's a suburb of Winston Salem great town square and they just really did two to four musicals or plays a year in the town square outside.

00:09:53.971 --> 00:09:58.701
So I got these amazing Broadway esque productions done as a kid.

00:09:58.701 --> 00:10:01.140
So I was doing them from the time I was nine.

00:10:01.791 --> 00:10:04.681
And this community is still so strong.

00:10:04.681 --> 00:10:08.301
In fact, I'm still best friends with a girl I met there when I was nine.

00:10:08.546 --> 00:10:08.884
Wow.

00:10:09.150 --> 00:10:10.921
30 years of friendship nearly.

00:10:10.961 --> 00:10:14.750
And we are still friends with a lot of those people in the community.

00:10:14.750 --> 00:10:17.110
I have, connected with those people.

00:10:17.192 --> 00:10:17.937
connected with

00:10:18.120 --> 00:10:20.370
entire, my entire life.

00:10:20.410 --> 00:10:31.941
In fact, today I posted about the Topsail Young Professional group on my Facebook page and my kindergarten teacher commented on it and she did musicals with me.

00:10:32.030 --> 00:10:43.047
So like to have my life, be witnessed in her eyes and just to know like that community is still there is so strong, It's so nice and it just made me remember all the things about her that I loved

00:10:43.096 --> 00:11:01.447
definitely brings it to like full circle and back into perspective because I can think of being that kindergartner You don't we don't think of the connections we're making at that time and what that might mean to us in the future So it's really nice to hear you share that story about meeting and connecting back with her and still having that relationship It's it's really cool

00:11:01.496 --> 00:11:04.346
You know what, actually, now that I think about it, she wasn't my kindergarten teacher.

00:11:04.346 --> 00:11:05.866
She was my preschool teacher.

00:11:06.206 --> 00:11:07.797
Actually, she was my preschool.

00:11:07.986 --> 00:11:09.167
So a little year before, but

00:11:09.216 --> 00:11:10.596
Still see the fact that you know that.

00:11:10.657 --> 00:11:10.807
Yeah.

00:11:11.047 --> 00:11:12.996
I don't know if I remember my preschool teacher,

00:11:13.042 --> 00:11:19.062
it was crazy because she ended up doing the community theater with us and she was like, Oh my gosh, I haven't seen you.

00:11:19.652 --> 00:11:22.221
And she just stuck with our family and was a good friend.

00:11:22.552 --> 00:11:22.892
Yeah.

00:11:22.966 --> 00:11:23.746
That's so good.

00:11:23.777 --> 00:11:28.586
I can just picture you guys waking and I don't know, what's just my thoughts when I think of this.

00:11:28.586 --> 00:11:33.116
I'm like, they're just singing along, having sing alongs, having musicals, all these wonderful things.

00:11:33.139 --> 00:11:36.331
Or does someone say something like, Oh my gosh, look out the window, there's a rainbow.

00:11:36.332 --> 00:11:39.464
Somewhere

00:11:39.510 --> 00:11:39.988
Literally.

00:11:39.988 --> 00:11:40.464
Literally.

00:11:40.464 --> 00:11:42.371
I will use a

00:11:42.654 --> 00:11:43.326
use a

00:11:43.375 --> 00:11:43.852
example.

00:11:43.852 --> 00:11:49.259
my office mate yesterday was like, oh, other office mate, your phone is blowing up, you're so popular.

00:11:49.259 --> 00:11:50.360
And I'm like, popular.

00:11:51.100 --> 00:11:51.899
I'm gonna be

00:11:51.948 --> 00:11:52.597
you know?

00:11:52.597 --> 00:11:53.897
And you're like, yeah,

00:11:54.220 --> 00:11:55.480
you sound so good.

00:11:55.519 --> 00:11:55.845
good!

00:11:56.019 --> 00:11:58.690
But that's what it, that's my brain constantly.

00:11:58.690 --> 00:11:59.360
I am constantly.

00:11:59.534 --> 00:12:05.804
Constantly referring back to a musical quote, So that's how I got very much involved in the arts with that.

00:12:06.602 --> 00:12:12.144
a musical quote, you know.

00:12:12.304 --> 00:12:13.355
I literally do.

00:12:13.355 --> 00:12:15.182
And then it just stays in my head forever.

00:12:15.182 --> 00:12:15.948
before we move

00:12:16.057 --> 00:12:24.923
very much involved in the arts with that.

00:12:24.964 --> 00:12:25.423
Yeah.

00:12:25.634 --> 00:12:27.884
And there, we're trying to develop it up here,

00:12:28.333 --> 00:12:30.203
I'm in Snoods Ferry in here in Hampstead.

00:12:30.453 --> 00:12:32.953
Are you participating in any of those local theater groups?

00:12:33.178 --> 00:12:37.859
I am not in Wilmington just because I live in Hampstead and it's a little bit too far for me.

00:12:38.249 --> 00:12:48.908
I have been encouraged by a few people in town, who I know do theater with them, to come and audition, but right now my job just doesn't allow me to and the commute.

00:12:49.399 --> 00:12:51.249
I am a karaoke queen

00:12:51.509 --> 00:12:52.105
Okay, where's

00:12:52.269 --> 00:12:52.969
I am a

00:12:53.173 --> 00:12:53.943
where's your joint?

00:12:53.953 --> 00:12:55.453
Where do you go for your karaoke?

00:12:55.708 --> 00:13:02.908
Right now, one of my favorite places is to go to, Scallywags isn't open anymore, but when Scallywags was open, that was one of my good places.

00:13:02.908 --> 00:13:03.229
Crab

00:13:03.264 --> 00:13:03.864
Crab Pot.

00:13:03.869 --> 00:13:04.479
yeah.

00:13:04.749 --> 00:13:08.948
and it was fun when they did it at Buddy's Outside for a little bit this year, that was really fun.

00:13:09.369 --> 00:13:11.198
but I'm a big karaoke queen.

00:13:11.408 --> 00:13:13.229
I've won a Jet Ski, that's my claim to

00:13:13.240 --> 00:13:20.529
I have this like running joke with my friends I'm like, I just want to karaoke and I have this sense where I think it's like riding a roller coaster I just want to do it.

00:13:20.779 --> 00:13:21.200
I'm a little

00:13:21.205 --> 00:13:21.835
I'm afraid though.

00:13:21.945 --> 00:13:22.914
It is like riding a roller

00:13:23.120 --> 00:13:24.350
But I just want to do

00:13:24.490 --> 00:13:25.480
Yes, you should.

00:13:25.529 --> 00:13:35.659
It's really fun and worth it because people who go to karaoke's also just want to sing their hearts out so they, the best people, are usually the ones who don't sound the best, because they're so into it.

00:13:36.039 --> 00:13:41.700
They're like giving it their all and you're like, that was amazing how much performance was into it,

00:13:41.970 --> 00:13:45.850
so you can't drive to Wilmington just because of the distance for the theater.

00:13:45.850 --> 00:13:51.789
And I know that you were a part of a Young Professionals group in Wilmington before starting all of this.

00:13:51.799 --> 00:13:53.239
I'm involved with BNI.

00:13:53.239 --> 00:13:56.019
If you're familiar with those, it's Business Networking International.

00:13:56.458 --> 00:14:01.188
I'm also part of the Wilmington Chambers Young Professionals and the Port City Young Professionals.

00:14:01.658 --> 00:14:03.249
And, they are a bit of a drive.

00:14:03.249 --> 00:14:07.609
It takes me about 35 minutes, sometimes more depending on the time of day to get there.

00:14:07.948 --> 00:14:09.528
We all know Hampstead traffic.

00:14:09.969 --> 00:14:16.168
but it was just too difficult I had been living in the Topsail area for a little more than a year and

00:14:16.349 --> 00:14:16.936
to connect

00:14:16.969 --> 00:14:21.599
wanted to connect with more of the people I lived around and not people I had to travel to.

00:14:21.678 --> 00:14:27.678
So you were going to Wilmington for this Young Professionals Group, but what made you decide to start doing it here?

00:14:28.403 --> 00:14:37.024
My job, I am the Exteriors and One of their passions is being involved in the community.

00:14:37.793 --> 00:14:40.384
They wanted to know more of the Topsail area.

00:14:41.134 --> 00:14:42.254
That's why they hired me.

00:14:42.254 --> 00:14:55.325
I knew people, I was connected with people, and when I mentioned to my, owner, Stephanie, that it was, a little hard for me to drive sometimes, she mentioned, the Topsail Chamber's really amazing.

00:14:55.335 --> 00:14:56.044
Do they have one?

00:14:56.044 --> 00:14:57.825
And that sparked the inspiration.

00:14:57.855 --> 00:15:00.475
No, but Let me ask him about that.

00:15:00.485 --> 00:15:01.985
I'm not afraid of a challenge.

00:15:02.404 --> 00:15:07.195
I'm not afraid of trying new things and I really wanted some friends.

00:15:07.410 --> 00:15:08.571
who did you

00:15:08.936 --> 00:15:12.221
with to get this up and off the

00:15:12.446 --> 00:15:15.706
so I love the Topsail Chamber of Commerce here.

00:15:15.755 --> 00:15:29.475
They are one of the best resources a business could have in this area and, And knowing that Wilmington had their own young professional group, I was interested to see, they're closer, maybe they'll have one for me to join.

00:15:29.875 --> 00:15:36.686
And I also had a few friends feeling the same frustrations who were maybe even living in like Sneeds Ferry.

00:15:37.285 --> 00:15:39.956
So it was more, why don't we just start one here?

00:15:40.485 --> 00:15:44.046
Why don't we connect with the businesses that matter in our area?

00:15:44.217 --> 00:15:47.467
Give us some details on how you went about doing that.

00:15:47.467 --> 00:15:48.697
what, how did it come together?

00:15:48.780 --> 00:16:03.331
Yeah, I brought the idea initially to Tammy Proctor of the Topsail Chamber., she is the executive director and she, invited me to her office and basically was like, we have all the tools, create it.

00:16:03.971 --> 00:16:05.421
I know I can trust you.

00:16:05.451 --> 00:16:06.480
I know your company.

00:16:06.480 --> 00:16:08.490
I know I've seen you around town.

00:16:08.510 --> 00:16:09.350
So go for it.

00:16:09.921 --> 00:16:10.905
And I.

00:16:10.994 --> 00:16:11.386
ahead.

00:16:11.589 --> 00:16:11.950
I,

00:16:12.005 --> 00:16:18.625
tapped into my friend group, that is pretty much the best way to make, your network grow.

00:16:18.676 --> 00:16:26.265
And I tapped into just friends who I knew were networking and were very, community driven.

00:16:26.576 --> 00:16:31.225
and the first place I looked, obviously was my Topsail yoga collective.

00:16:31.860 --> 00:16:36.471
which I started with Marissa Miller who is from Inlet Marketing Company.

00:16:36.831 --> 00:16:45.331
she's also new to the area and Jessica Nadeau who is with Northwestern Mutual and she lives in Sneeds Ferry.

00:16:45.701 --> 00:16:48.681
Again, also traveling so far to Wilmington.

00:16:49.331 --> 00:16:58.370
And then Jessica Sulzmoor who is a local realtor in the area who she knows everyone and knows the ins and outs and really introduced me to a lot of people.

00:16:59.046 --> 00:17:02.355
So it was the prime group of people to get it started.

00:17:02.450 --> 00:17:08.130
I wanted my friends to help me with this because we all had a similar goal.

00:17:08.140 --> 00:17:09.470
We all were like minded.

00:17:09.890 --> 00:17:13.000
We all knew what we wanted to accomplish.

00:17:13.480 --> 00:17:16.259
And they're just very easy to work with.

00:17:16.529 --> 00:17:17.940
We're all on the same page.

00:17:17.940 --> 00:17:19.240
We're all on the same level.

00:17:19.914 --> 00:17:24.825
Tammy is open to all of our ideas and it's been nothing but wonderful.

00:17:24.994 --> 00:17:33.575
I can't help but get this like picture of the Olympics and, the relay where they're running and they pass the baton to the next person, to the next person.

00:17:33.575 --> 00:17:37.484
And each person's role is extremely important, but it's a team and they work together.

00:17:37.805 --> 00:17:40.365
I feel like you got the baton and you ran with it.

00:17:40.775 --> 00:17:46.194
It was like Tammy gave it to you within the trust that you knew that you could run to the next person, pass the baton.

00:17:46.194 --> 00:17:48.625
And you guys brought this all together as a team.

00:17:48.724 --> 00:17:49.625
oh, yeah, definitely.

00:17:49.625 --> 00:17:51.894
Yeah, she was the coach.

00:17:51.974 --> 00:18:00.638
I was the first runner and then it was just taking it off from there, it really was.

00:18:00.674 --> 00:18:03.625
I just want to take a brief moment to talk about Patriot Roofing.

00:18:03.839 --> 00:18:04.403
Yeah, so

00:18:04.480 --> 00:18:04.849
yeah.

00:18:05.210 --> 00:18:11.970
So Patriot Roofing is a female owned and mostly operated roofing, siding, and exteriors company.

00:18:12.440 --> 00:18:14.329
Stephanie Bolton is the owner.

00:18:14.920 --> 00:18:19.720
She is, One of the best mentors I could have asked for in a boss.

00:18:19.990 --> 00:18:22.519
She's really involved, like I said, with the community.

00:18:22.519 --> 00:18:31.980
She really thinks professional women in building is important, women in construction is important, and she really wants to change the perspective of the building industry.

00:18:31.982 --> 00:18:32.364
industry.

00:18:32.680 --> 00:18:38.420
Yeah, it's actually one of my favorite things about this company is like, how much encouragement.

00:18:39.065 --> 00:18:47.545
is put towards, revitalizing and changing how things are done and noticing things can be done better and more inclusively.

00:18:54.730 --> 00:18:57.369
Alright, so this group, it's clearly taken off.

00:18:57.710 --> 00:18:59.400
when did you guys have your first meeting?

00:18:59.759 --> 00:19:01.190
How many people showed up?

00:19:01.269 --> 00:19:02.210
what was that like?

00:19:02.259 --> 00:19:10.210
Our first meeting was in September of this year at Hidden Chips Distillery, and it was our inaugural quote unquote ribbon cutting, we would like to say.

00:19:10.700 --> 00:19:13.799
And we had more than 75 people show up.

00:19:13.953 --> 00:19:14.696
show up.

00:19:14.750 --> 00:19:15.759
it was quite an event.

00:19:16.359 --> 00:19:28.339
shocking turnout and it was so supportive and people who we never knew came to it and they found us through the chamber, through word of mouth, through Facebook and Instagram.

00:19:28.349 --> 00:19:31.690
being young, quote unquote, young professionals,

00:19:31.704 --> 00:19:32.519
professionals, Which

00:19:32.614 --> 00:19:36.034
which I would like to say young professionals is not limited to age.

00:19:36.034 --> 00:19:37.703
It could be a young business as well.

00:19:37.704 --> 00:19:43.634
No, you

00:19:43.769 --> 00:19:44.209
young?

00:19:44.374 --> 00:19:45.653
It's young businesses.

00:19:45.663 --> 00:20:12.843
It's young businesses, so it could be young at heart, young in young in, how old your business is, but it's also very much operated by Millennials and we like social media and that is kind of who we were trying to reach out to because a lot of the members of the chamber, they are business owners and we want to show how this area has a boom of younger people moving to it and how hey, you can also start a business.

00:20:12.863 --> 00:20:15.353
You can also further your career here.

00:20:15.353 --> 00:20:18.215
You can make this place what you want it to be.

00:20:18.267 --> 00:20:26.086
so we get a lot of our word out through, social media and also through the Chamber and just networking and word of mouth.

00:20:26.291 --> 00:20:29.582
we do have a lot of young people moving here and starting their own businesses.

00:20:29.582 --> 00:20:37.491
I am glad that there is a group now that focuses on those younger, millennial, younger, thirties, even in their twenties.

00:20:37.892 --> 00:20:40.442
Someone started their business at 17, one at 18.

00:20:40.451 --> 00:20:48.971
Like I see you guys coming down out of high school with an entrepreneur mindset I really like that you have this group for the younger people.

00:20:48.997 --> 00:20:51.307
yeah, it, that's what spawned it.

00:20:51.317 --> 00:21:07.326
The noticing that there were so many younger people moving to the area, a lot of young families, a lot of people starting their families, a lot of military deciding to stay, Onslow County's median age is 23.

00:21:07.516 --> 00:21:07.961
23,

00:21:08.276 --> 00:21:11.586
Wilmington and Pender County and New Hanover, it's 38.

00:21:12.145 --> 00:21:13.405
So that's a huge difference.

00:21:13.816 --> 00:21:21.486
And I'm no spring chicken, but I want to help people, grow and keep within their community if they can.

00:21:21.846 --> 00:21:35.911
So if, like you're saying, if there's 17, 18 year olds who are in high school and they're like, I'm already making, six figures straight out of high school because this group helped me Foster this business, or I just graduated college and moved here.

00:21:35.941 --> 00:21:37.141
'cause I loved the beach.

00:21:37.201 --> 00:21:40.830
How can I start a business here and stay living at the beach?

00:21:41.010 --> 00:21:45.671
So how often do you meet, and what can we expect, so

00:21:45.740 --> 00:21:51.507
have a once a month meeting and we rotate between a few different formats.

00:21:51.507 --> 00:21:55.807
We do networking, that can be an after hours event or during the day.

00:21:55.807 --> 00:22:01.717
We do leadership, we recently did a Lunch and Learn where we have, speakers lead everyone.

00:22:01.836 --> 00:22:04.636
Then we also will be doing community based events.

00:22:04.757 --> 00:22:16.366
December 14th, we are going to be at the Flotilla, volunteering there, and we will have one of our Topsail professionals leadership being one of the judges.

00:22:16.797 --> 00:22:22.750
So we're doing those kind of things, but our events are all about networking, leadership, and impact.

00:22:22.809 --> 00:22:23.258
leading

00:22:23.540 --> 00:22:24.365
impacting your

00:22:24.369 --> 00:22:28.089
to your community, impacting your community, leading your community.

00:22:28.359 --> 00:22:32.490
Those are our core values, How can we, engage those people?

00:22:32.500 --> 00:22:43.049
So like I said, we had a networking event in September, we had a pumpkin carving event in October, and the proceeds from that went to Western North Carolina hurricane victims.

00:22:43.900 --> 00:22:48.980
we had our Lunch and Learn with Andy Schwebka from Hidden Ships Distillery last month.

00:22:49.509 --> 00:22:52.759
Then we had a Lunch and Learn with Richard Stroop from,

00:22:52.759 --> 00:22:53.000
Saltwater

00:22:53.298 --> 00:22:54.353
Resorts and Sweets.

00:22:54.803 --> 00:22:57.972
and then in January we'll have another networking event.

00:22:58.613 --> 00:23:03.363
And then maybe we'll have some other fun events like a mini golf tournament that we have coming up.

00:23:03.722 --> 00:23:07.673
So that would be considered one of our community events because we will be donating some money through that.

00:23:07.696 --> 00:23:08.307
that's great.

00:23:08.420 --> 00:23:14.008
of our community events because we will be donating some money through that.

00:23:14.298 --> 00:23:18.538
And I was going as a young professional to just get some information.

00:23:18.567 --> 00:23:21.387
And he did such a great speech.

00:23:21.387 --> 00:23:26.268
He talked about that leadership and what it takes to be a business owner and how to be a leader.

00:23:26.268 --> 00:23:28.048
It was an amazing speech.

00:23:28.067 --> 00:23:34.577
Yeah, I know I we met and immediately you walked in and we connected I just like I was like, oh, you're cute.

00:23:34.587 --> 00:23:35.307
Hello

00:23:35.387 --> 00:23:36.137
like your outfit.

00:23:36.137 --> 00:23:37.018
Oh, you like mine.

00:23:37.063 --> 00:23:37.332
now

00:23:37.438 --> 00:23:47.817
god, and then literally like 20 minutes later I think we got an email like oh, hey, by the way, and so that was very interesting Yeah, that's how we connected.

00:23:47.817 --> 00:23:49.542
So That's what I mean.

00:23:49.553 --> 00:23:51.722
I would not have known you until today.

00:23:52.042 --> 00:24:02.143
So it was really nice getting to know you and connecting with the community just from that because we offer that time to that networking, that fellowship, that connection before and after each event.

00:24:02.482 --> 00:24:07.222
My personal phrase is meet three people you didn't know at these events.

00:24:07.222 --> 00:24:09.762
Find three business cards you've never seen.

00:24:10.383 --> 00:24:11.663
Reach out to somebody.

00:24:12.178 --> 00:24:16.087
Or some group you've never heard of before and see what that takes you to.

00:24:16.268 --> 00:24:17.077
See what that leads you.

00:24:17.077 --> 00:24:17.338
Can

00:24:17.472 --> 00:24:20.262
Can you tell us about the remote workers?

00:24:20.272 --> 00:24:24.383
I work from home, obviously, but I get to meet people when you guys come in for the interview.

00:24:24.403 --> 00:24:25.423
My husband works from home.

00:24:25.423 --> 00:24:30.063
I know a lot of people, especially after COVID, have turned to remote working.

00:24:30.073 --> 00:24:34.522
So tell me about, what you guys did to support this group of people.

00:24:34.623 --> 00:24:54.869
That was, one thing we really noticed from the get go about the Topsail Young Professionals is that a lot of them were remote workers or hybrid remote workers and we, unlike Wilmington, there's no co working space here and sometimes you're just, you feel a little trapped in your house, and you just moved here and want to meet more people.

00:24:54.960 --> 00:24:58.619
So we fostered this remote working group out of that need.

00:24:59.119 --> 00:25:05.640
a lot of the, people I had met in town were at Saltmarsh Market while they were working.

00:25:05.710 --> 00:25:14.682
And Michelle Wilbanks already had a very, relaxed co working friend group that she, assembled like once a week via text.

00:25:14.682 --> 00:25:16.553
And we had just played off of that.

00:25:16.553 --> 00:25:17.823
She wanted to grow it.

00:25:17.827 --> 00:25:18.795
and asked if

00:25:18.958 --> 00:25:20.508
Asked if we could help her with that.

00:25:21.127 --> 00:25:25.448
So we partnered with Salt Marsh for a few of the first ones because they have such a wonderful space.

00:25:25.458 --> 00:25:42.528
They have all of the options of snacks, of drinks, of being right in the center and heart of Surf City at the moment, and they offered really strong Wi Fi, a snack board, and a lot of it is just people sitting there, hanging out with their computers, doing their work.

00:25:42.928 --> 00:25:44.428
Or it's Hey, I know.

00:25:44.853 --> 00:25:46.542
You are also in marketing.

00:25:46.563 --> 00:25:50.252
I really need somebody to help me market my real estate business.

00:25:50.873 --> 00:25:52.982
Or hey, I'm really sorry to bother you.

00:25:52.982 --> 00:25:59.347
You're a financial representative and I am a photographer and I have nothing planned.

00:25:59.678 --> 00:26:00.448
Help me please.

00:26:00.478 --> 00:26:02.157
Or I need a tax associate.

00:26:02.678 --> 00:26:14.337
And then, you see those friends at Salt Marsh grabbing a snack the next day, So for the remote workers, we're going to be changing venues once a month, we focused on Saltmarsh for the first two Starting it out, seeing how it's going.

00:26:14.508 --> 00:26:18.167
But we're going to be doing two events a month at one business.

00:26:18.178 --> 00:26:20.867
next month it will be at Surf City Brewing Company.

00:26:20.907 --> 00:26:29.597
They just joined the Chamber of Commerce and they will be having snacks, maybe a little bit of swag, things like that available.

00:26:30.117 --> 00:26:33.938
And it is maybe a new location to go to Meet new people.

00:26:34.288 --> 00:26:35.753
Our rotating, a month.

00:26:35.753 --> 00:26:36.628
We're thinking

00:26:36.932 --> 00:26:37.332
Correct.

00:26:37.332 --> 00:26:47.614
Our rotating, forum is once a month, but we're possibly thinking of having always a lunch and learn, always a remote, and then a networking or community.

00:26:47.695 --> 00:26:52.901
do not a the Chamber of

00:26:53.082 --> 00:26:57.939
do not need to necessarily be a of the Chamber of Commerce.

00:26:57.979 --> 00:27:06.093
We highly encourage you to look into being a member because they have so much to offer you as a small business and even an individual.

00:27:06.093 --> 00:27:08.363
there's no fees to join at the moment.

00:27:08.472 --> 00:27:14.462
all you have to do is sign up for an event on their website and you're automatically added to our mailing list.

00:27:14.462 --> 00:27:19.833
once you're on the mailing list, you get all the information about what events are coming up.

00:27:20.182 --> 00:27:21.492
You can email us.

00:27:21.837 --> 00:27:23.167
with questions.

00:27:23.508 --> 00:27:30.877
You can also join our Facebook and our Instagram groups and connect with other members through there.

00:27:31.357 --> 00:27:36.080
and you'll see events through the Topsail Chamber's website, newsletter, and Facebook.

00:27:36.080 --> 00:27:42.817
there's multiple ways to find it, but there's no need at the moment to have an official membership, MUSIC TRANSITION

00:27:48.883 --> 00:27:51.012
So Alexis, you're off to a great start already.

00:27:51.343 --> 00:28:03.472
the meetings, the Lunch and Learns, they are just, such a wealth of information and I speak just from myself because I attended one, so I can say this, but, the one I went to where, Andy from Hidden Shipspoke.

00:28:04.032 --> 00:28:04.782
Amazing.

00:28:04.883 --> 00:28:08.982
The fact that you guys are going to like local businesses.

00:28:09.242 --> 00:28:14.192
This one was at Coastal Blends, which is a locally owned business here in Holly Ridge.

00:28:14.192 --> 00:28:18.097
It's a veteran owned business and when I went in those doors, it was packed.

00:28:18.221 --> 00:28:18.930
it was

00:28:19.238 --> 00:28:20.587
There was nowhere to park.

00:28:20.837 --> 00:28:24.198
There was nowhere to, you just had to situate yourself.

00:28:24.498 --> 00:28:29.298
And I just can't help but think about the impact that was for them.

00:28:29.317 --> 00:28:35.117
I'm sure their sales went up, and I can only imagine how much they appreciated for you guys to have that there.

00:28:35.688 --> 00:28:44.428
That's one of our biggest goals is highlighting smaller businesses in the area and helping them increase their sales, their revenue.

00:28:45.048 --> 00:28:48.768
I just want to say, in fact, at Coastal Blends, you jumped behind the counter.

00:28:49.057 --> 00:28:50.377
have you ever worked there before?

00:28:50.377 --> 00:28:52.147
Just like you're a lady of all trades.

00:28:52.198 --> 00:28:57.117
and I didn't, I was like, she must have worked as a barista, but it was so cool to see.

00:28:57.147 --> 00:29:06.298
You just noticed these people were getting swamped with business and they were shocked at how busy it was and you just offered to help, which was so sweet.

00:29:06.298 --> 00:29:07.198
I just wanna say that.

00:29:07.657 --> 00:29:15.817
But that's what our goal was, to help these people boost awareness, their network, and show, wow, this place is amazing.

00:29:15.827 --> 00:29:18.367
So that is one of our goals for that, yeah.

00:29:18.472 --> 00:29:30.667
And I just will say this too, and I know that, Christa has, I've spoken with Tami and I've talked with Tami briefly from the chamber and she's got nothing but wonderful things to say about you you're making such a positive impact.

00:29:30.748 --> 00:29:38.157
Just hearing your story, hearing about how you grew up, where you've come from, what you've done, and then to have you doing it here.

00:29:38.667 --> 00:29:44.587
It just, it doesn't surprise me, but I couldn't think of a better person to do these things.

00:29:44.998 --> 00:29:46.337
So we're grateful for you.

00:29:46.347 --> 00:29:49.490
Starting this and your, your heart behind that.

00:29:49.580 --> 00:29:50.770
We really appreciate that.

00:29:50.891 --> 00:29:51.080
you.

00:29:51.131 --> 00:29:52.191
That means a lot to me.

00:29:52.451 --> 00:29:52.840
Thank you.

00:29:53.020 --> 00:29:55.421
So what would you like to accomplish with this group?

00:29:55.431 --> 00:29:57.310
let's just think next three to five years.

00:29:57.310 --> 00:29:59.901
what would you like to see accomplished?

00:29:59.901 --> 00:30:00.490
In

00:30:00.580 --> 00:30:07.287
the next, three to five years, I would say I would love to see this community grow exponentially.

00:30:07.426 --> 00:30:09.021
there's so much opportunity.

00:30:09.021 --> 00:30:14.041
I would love to see us fostering any non profits in the community.

00:30:14.041 --> 00:30:20.172
I would love to see us even potentially starting a grant program to help small businesses grow.

00:30:20.172 --> 00:30:24.342
That is a dream of mine, is how can we help underprivileged or smaller businesses grow.

00:30:24.451 --> 00:30:26.991
take off and what resources can we give them.

00:30:27.138 --> 00:30:34.078
So being that go to resource for your business and your next step is what my goals are.

00:30:34.088 --> 00:30:41.541
And being able to give back to the community, give back to the area, give back to even the ground we exist on is really important here.

00:30:41.912 --> 00:30:54.096
so just fostering that connection and Hoping that the Topsail area can thrive and flourish in the next three to five years would be my dream and Potentially let that little bird fly on its own

00:30:54.461 --> 00:31:01.872
That sounds amazing just to think about that and the possibilities, to make those connections with people and give those, resources.

00:31:02.261 --> 00:31:07.624

Topsail Young Professionals

Listen On

Recent Episodes