As I mentioned in passing on Facebook, I was less than impressed with the Scale Up Milwaukee event earlier this week. I think the people in attendance were very much in their traditional roles and opportunity for true discussion on how to assist entrepreneurs in Milwaukee was missed.
Let me start by saying I get it. With my current venture, I am never going to have a staff of thousands. But when the government official at my table responded to my introduction with “well, this is J. He actually has a business,” it didn’t leave me feeling like Milwaukee supports entrepreneurs. Everything (everything!) these days is pointing to mom and pop shops. To local. To “I don’t want to work for the man. I want to follow my passion and never work a Friday afternoon.” How do we get all of the people with these sediments to grow their business in our fair city?
Monday’s presentation centered around how can the big wigs of your Harley-Davidsons and NMLs help smaller fish invent the next Google in our backyard. That’s all swell, but I believe they are missing the mark.
Just like the MMAC did with Young Professionals of Milwaukee (Er…I mean Fuel Milwaukee…Whatever.) They created a group for young folks. Young folks who could apply and participate on their committees if they worked for your Johnson Controls or USBanks. Since I worked at a nonprofit (with around 50 staff), I never felt like I was a valued member. I circled the periphery, asking for programs those of us that paid our own way could enjoy, but it never went anywhere. Enter NEWaukee. Ian and his team have blown up the scene! Since their inception, they have invited the huddled masses from all corners of our great city (albeit with a hipster bent, but hey, aren’t all young professionals hipsters?) to big events showcasing unique places and features of our town. Thusly, making it a place young’ens love and want to live in forever. Which, I do believe was YPM’s purpose in the first place. Oh, and I think a sponsorship from anyone beyond the Surg Group didn’t show up for at least the first year of their existence. Boom.
So should I expect all of the Important City Folk to get together and hold cocktail parties (for the love of Pete, this was a serious suggestion…have more cocktail parties for the little people to meet your friends…good God…) to make my business explode? Nah. I’m not counting on them. Instead, I’ll go to Local First Milwaukee for opportunities to network and learn from other “little people” in town like the directors of Lakefront Brewery, Outpost and Laacke & Joys and turn to resources on the Internet and outside of the area for training.
And as for J and his “actual business”? Well, I looked him up and he has 10 people on his staff (or at least 10 people who do consulting for his business.) Good for you, J, and your jerky congressman friend, but I don’t think you’re changing the face of Milwaukee at that much faster a pace than me. Last I heard slow and steady wins the race. I’ll win this race even without your support!
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Wow. Thanks for sharing. Having recently moved to a city – a state – that embraces small, local, crazy-idea entrepreneurship and it is considered the norm, I am beginning to see significant differences in what you described (and what my relatively narrow experience in MKE taught me) and what I see outside of MKE. My opinion, of course.
Totally agree with your assessment of FUEL. I was that small non-profit member paying her own way in, would show up at functions, and have no place to go because the Miller table, Harley table, and NML table were all full.
On to your other point, there is SO MUCH research out there right now about the millenial generation entering the workforce…and then leaving the traditional workforce for entrepreneurship, freelance, and “make it on your own” opportunities. It’s not a small trend and it’s not going to end, especially in an economy where traditional employment doesn’t always come with the stable benefits packages and salaries of yesteryear. (like my use of yesteryear?)
There aren’t as many benefits (tangible or otherwise) in working for the man as there once was. And we’re seeing that result in more and more workers instead working for themselves. We may not be working toward a payroll of a thousand employees, but then, I don’t think the Zuckerbergs of the world ever started their businesses with global offices or high rise headquarters in mind. You can’t start a successful business that way – you’ll be distracted and tempted to make bad decisions simply to fuel those numbers at the risk of losing your mission.
Bravo, great article Maggie. You hit on a point I have been thinking about for years, ever since leaving Milwaukee in 1999. Milwaukee officials have made strides in recent years to make Milwaukee a better place to live and work, but city officials still just don’t get it in respect to small local businesses. In my opinion they still think of their bread and butter with Harley, GE, USBank and Johnson and Johnson and god forbid they pack up shop and leave town, the entirety of Milwaukee would cease to exist. This thinking reeks of old fart!
Gen X, Y and Millenials do not play by these rules, nor should they. The younger generation needs to be encouraged to strike out and start small businesses. There are a number of studies out there that prove that when small local businesses are encouraged and incubated, they make the city as a whole stronger and more vibrant – cite Austin, TX and Baltimore, MD and Grand Rapids, MI.
It’s this short-term, narrow-focused thinking that keeps Milwaukee from leaping forward and becoming the next incubator. We have to support local and be proud of our small businesses.
When you do become the next Mr. Zuckerberg, you know the first person that is going to be pandering to you, right? Oh, yes, Mr. Politician, pandering to your every need and singing your praises about the company you built.
I am saddened to hear about your experience and as a fellow entrepreneur, I have been there and experienced that. I hope that one day my home town changes its thinking and sees the value in creating a culture that is about encouraging local residents to do what they love and are passionate about. This is the path to build and strengthen our communities for the next 50-100 years. Unfortunately, Milwaukee is still stuck in the 1960s mentality of big business.
Many thanks to all of you for commenting and helping me realize I’m not alone in my thinking. Chris-you point out Milwaukee has made strides in recent years. They absolutely have and I hope we see more and more as the Millennial generation tells them they have no choice but to get on board. We already have organizations like Fund Milwaukee and all of the incubators in the old Grand Ave. Mall. We’ll get there.
Sixteen year old Maggie is surprised to hear me say this, but I love this city! I want to see it succeed and be a part of it’s growth. One little person waving a flag has to do something, right??