I am a member of the CSYP. I work as a financial advisor helping to manage over $250 in retirement accounts. I am a very active member of the arts community (theStickHorses.com). I am active in my church (www.PulpitRock.com). I occasionally get to rub elbows with some of the city’s most successful men at the El Paso Club. I’m involved in the county GOP. I’ve been to Chamber events, I’ve been extremely active in the HBA, and I’ve attended charity events. I’m “out there” as much as anybody.

I can say unequivocally: careers are limited in Colorado Springs. I’ve shaken more hands and kissed more babies than 99% of anyone else that I know and when I was looking to change careers in the middle of 2006 I found my choices very limited despite extensive experience. I was looking to get out of the financial field and into something more creative — like marketing and advertising (note I didn’t say sales — that was on purpose). But the majority of marketing firms are either (1). Mom-and-pop shops or (2). Door-to-door sales that call themselves “marketing”. I had spear-headed several marketing campaigns for myself, including one that garnered TV and radio interviews for its creativity (http://www.hunterwillis.com/Press_release_Financial_Planning_for_Food.pdf) and wrote scores of sales letters. Despite all of this, I couldn’t even get a phone interview — all the shops were full. I moved to another financial firm and after 18 months I increased our market penetration by 1,000% and increased revenue per client by an average of 20%. I’d love to get a promotion but there is no where for me to go – I’m already at the highest level I can achieve. The job situation became very clear: If you want to start your own business, Colorado Springs is a great place to be. If you want to move up the corporate ladder, you can’t even start in Colorado Springs.

As for CSYP being on the same level as the Chamber… my answer: absolutely! The old model of networking is: what’s in it for me? It is the same as the Boomer mantra: Gimme, gimme, gimme! The entire world is changing and Boomers like you don’t see it. Or you see it and choose to ignore it — like your retirement accounts.

Late Gen X’ers (1970 and later) and Gen Y’ers are more about building mutual trust than any generation before. Relationships are the driving force behind our decisions. Though personal gain is always a factor, it is not like our parents where personal gain trumped dignity, integrity, and common sense. Look at the rise of Facebook and MySpace — zero content platforms that make millions based solely on relationships.

I’m a proud member of the CYSP and I have many people from that group that I call my friends. And I’ve even done business with several of those members. The difference is that I built the trust first. The immediate gratification that the Boomers have become so accustomed to is changing — too bad you’re too old to see that.

i expected drink specials and a meat market atmosphere, after all there’s a martini in the ‘logo.’

it didn’t seem any different than just going to a bar.