Goodbye 2017! Hello 2018!

2017 has been a heck of a year! We were named "Best lively group that'll help you with your Linkedin profile" by City Weekly for their Best of Utah 2017 List. We were named "Best Networking Group" by Salt Lake Magazine for their "Best of Beehive List". We volunteered in our community through partnerships with organizations like the United Way of Salt Lake. We raised money for local charities via hosting fun events like Salt Lake City Sing-Off. We officially became a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. We expanded our committees and gained a few new amazing board members. We collaborated with Downtown Alliance to continue to host our Monthly Mix & Mingles that attracted over 500 unique young professionals in 2017.  We started co-working out of Impact Hub . We rolled out our Local Legends feature in the newsletter so you could become better acclimated with leaders and influencers in our community. We sponsored Arts Meets Fashion 2017. We expanded our personal and professional development efforts via hosting events like "Rebound! Celebrating Failures on the Job" and "Side Hustle World Tour: From Idea to Income in 27 Days".

YPSLC Board Members do it all because we truly believe in YPSLC's mission "to provide opportunities for Salt Lake City's Young Professionals to connect, develop, and enhance the region through social, professional, and civic engagement".

We made changes to YPSLC in 2017 as a result of feedback you gave us in 2016. These changes ultimately resulted in YPSLC growing 100%, receiving accolades in the community, and you telling us you have enjoyed your experience in YPSLC. 

Similarly to 2016, we will use the feedback you provided on the 2017 YP Survey to continue to make changes to the organization. Somethings you can expect as a result of the feedback you provided include:

1. More frequent events in 2018.
2. Roll-out of a membership program that provides members with exclusive perks and experiences.
3. Increased visibility to the YPSLC Board of Directors.
4. Creation of smaller events that allow young professionals to connect with each other.
5. Greater insight into area happenings

We will close out the year finalizing plans for 2018. We cannot wait to share them with you! As always, feel free to reach out to me via email at nnwokoma@ypslc.com if you ever need anything!

We look forward to continuing to experience life in Utah with you!

Sincerely, 

Nchopia E. Nwokoma

YPSLC Founder & President 

Member Spotlight: Alex Walton

Each month YPSLC will turn the spotlight on a member who is making an impact in their professional field, YPSLC, and the community. These members exemplify the mission of YPSLC.  The YPSLC leadership nominates a new member to be spotlighted each month. If you are interested in nominating a member for the spotlight, please email admin@ypslc.com

Alex Walton

Alex Walton is an Ohio native. He originally moved to Utah for work in 2014. He returned back to Ohio in 2015 due to work. After returning to Ohio, Alex missed Utah so much he moved back!

A YPSLC founding executive team member -Alex is the Manager Business Intelligence at Children's Miracle Network. He is currently pursuing a masters degree in Data Analytics.

Alex also serves as YPSLC Historian. In this role - he uses his research, writing, and analytical skills to assist YPSLC in achieving our goals. 

In his spare time Alex enjoys exploring the town with his girlfriend, attending local sporting events, hanging out at Top Golf, and planning events for YPSLC. 

Alex Walton truly embodies what being a young professional is all about. He works hard, plays hard, and gives back to his community. 

Local Legend: Kristen Beck

Whether you are new to Salt Lake City or have been around the town for awhile, it feels good to be connected. We introduced the Local Legend series in our June 2017 newsletter. Our idea of a local legend is a person who has had great impact on Salt Lake City. This person is not only well connected around the town but also has the inside scoop and does their part to positively impact the community.

We are honored to name Kristen Beck as our December Local Legend. 

Kristen Beck wears many hats at the Downtown Alliance. She is Cultural Core Executive Director/Director of Urban Activation.

Kristin Beck works with various downtown stakeholders, artists and arts organizations to bring social activity and creativity to public spaces in the Central Business District. As the Director of Urban Activation, she generates support and interest in public art, performance and creative improvement projects. Her responsibilities include managing public realm assets, like street banners and kiosks; programming of music at the Market; oversight of the Art & Craft Market held 20 times every year at Pioneer Park in conjunction with the Farmers Market; development of the Old World Christmas Market at Gallivan Center; managing Garden Stroll and the holiday lighting program.

Kristen has been involved in many of the downtown events young professionals enjoy! We were lucky to be able to ask Kristen a few questions about her work and living in SLC.

Briefly describe your role at Downtown Alliance

Downtown SLC Presents is one of two 501c3 entities sit beneath the umbrella of DTA. I am the Director of Urban Activation for Downtown SLC Presents, which oversees arts and entertainment. Recently, Downtown SLC Presents was selected as the managing entity of the Cultural Core and I am the Managing Director. With help from DTA staff and an Artistic Director, I am charged with executing the Cultural Core Action Plan which provides recommendations for how the Cultural Core will be developed and managed.

How did you land such an amazing gig?

My role with DTA today comes from a true evolution of the various roles and responsibilities I’ve had since I came on with the organization in 2008. The roles I’ve had in the organization have absolutely nothing to do with the education I received from the University of Utah and Salt Lake Community College. But it is certainly a reflection of my past experience, work ethic and the passion I’ve developed along the way.

I started out part time with DTA as event support and was hired full time in 2009. As Program Manager I worked on Farmers Market, programmed Music at the Market, managed the street banner and Main Street kiosk programs and supported EVE and Live Green events. Eventually I was asked to manage the Art & Craft Market that runs adjacent to the Farmers Market. As my role developed into Director of Urban Activation for Downtown SLC Presents, we added Garden Stroll in 2014 and I’ve operated that for the last three seasons.

In 2016 Downtown SLC Presents responded to an RFP to manage Cultural Core which was created through a city and county inter-local agreement funded by a sales tax assessment that is collected in the downtown core to support and promote our arts assets downtown. We were awarded the bid spring of 2017. Together, with the Artistic Director, Tyler Bloomquist, we’ll work to amplify the already world-class arts offerings in downtown Salt Lake City. It’s a very exciting time for our city and the arts community.

What do you wish more people knew about Salt Lake City?

Salt Lake City’s citizens are creative and authentic. There are a wide range of cultural offerings from opera and ballet to street, contemporary and fine art. I may be biased but, in my opinion, downtown is where you can encounter the true artistic identity of this city and state. Additionally, if it suits you, it’s certainly not difficult to couple your experience here with a nice meal and an adult beverage. There’s no shortage of possibilities.

You have friends visiting from another state and need to plan a night out on the town for them. What would your night look like?
When I consider going out with my friends, whether they live here or elsewhere, I typically default to a nice dinner and live music. I’m a sucker for sushi so I’d choose Takashi and, though it isn’t in downtown proper, The State Room is by far one of the best music venues in Salt Lake.

What do you think people find most surprising about Utah?

As a state, Utah is full of surprises, from the urban center in Salt Lake to the majestic Wasatch and ski resorts, the west desert and southern Utah, first time visitors usually come away from Utah in awe. I think above all people come away surprised that the outdoors and recreational offerings are so accessible. Grand Staircase-Escalante and the surrounding areas are breathtaking. It’s a short drive to some of the most beautiful scenery and recreation in Utah. Inclusive of Zion, Kolob Canyon, Bryce Canyon and Capitol Reef, the entire area leaves little to be desired. Do not miss driving highway 12 but pull over, often, and take in the truly majestic views.

What would you tell someone if they told you they were moving here?

Depending how you lean, Utah and Salt Lake City have political challenges but our capital city is rich with cultural offerings and vibrancy. The surrounding neighborhoods are quiet and affordable. It takes 30-40 minutes to get to any ski resort or hiking trail. I’m not certain there are many city’s that can claim the same attributes.

What advice would you give to a young professional looking to get more involved in the community?

There are many options for getting involved in this community. Honestly, Downtown Alliance and the Salt Lake Chamber are great places to start. Know your district and who your city council person is. Get involved in local politics and events. Find a particular community oriented project that inspires passion and volunteer. There is no better way to get to know the pulse of this city than to work a community event.

Name your favorite local legend:

My favorite local legend is Jason Mathis.
 

Click Here to Learn More About The Downtown Alliance

Click Here to Learn More About The Salt Lake City Chamber

Previous Local Legends

June 2017: Chris Holifield - I Am Salt Lake Podcast

July 2017: Lindsey Kneuven - Head of Impact @ Pluralsight

August 2017: Natalie Workman - Founder of Utah Fashion Week/Owner Natalie Wynn Designs

September 2017: McQuiston Stoddard - Fashion Designer @ McQuiston Marie

October 2017: Lindsay LaPaugh - Owner Salt Lake Elevated Gym/The Wellness Gypsy 

November 2017: Terry Marasco - Leader Utah Clean Air Alliance/Owner Virtual Sommelier

Member Spotlight: Sonia G.

Each month YPSLC will turn the spotlight on a member who is making an impact in their professional field, YPSLC, and the community. These members exemplify the mission of YPSLC.  The YPSLC leadership nominates a new member to be spotlighted each month. If you are interested in nominating a member for the spotlight, please email admin@ypslc.com

Sonia G.

Sonia is a Salt Lake City native. She is employed as a Senior Docketing Specialist with one of the top ranked Intellectual Property Law Firms in the region. She also currently attends Salt Lake Community College with plans to transfer to the School of Business at the University of Utah.

For fun, she enjoys spending time with family, hiking, walking around town, watching movies and trying out new restaurants. She joined YPSLC roughly 2 years ago because she wanted to expand her network by meeting new people, give back to the community, and develop meaningful relationships. Her favorite YPSLC events have involved helping and giving back to the community.

Each day, Sonia takes steps that will lead her to her ultimate goal of running her own business and living in the center of our wonderful city. YPSLC will support Sonia on every step of her journey the same way she has supported YPSLC.

Local Legend: Terry Marasco

Whether you are new to Salt Lake City or have been around the town for awhile, it feels good to be connected. We introduced the Local Legend series in our June 2017 newsletter. Our idea of a local legend is a person who has had great impact on Salt Lake City. This person is not only well connected around the town but also has the inside scoop and does their part to positively impact the community.

We are honored to name Terry Marasco as our November Local Legend. 

Terry Marasco is a serial entrepreneur, innovator, and community activist. He is the leader of Utah Clear Air Alliance and is on the board of Utah Moms for Clean Air. In the early days of internet commercial development, Terry was a senior customer contact consultant assisting banks and startups on getting online. He was noted for "Best Internet Customer Service" 1999 by Boston Globe (Pat Seybold) and mention by the New York Times. He has owned a motel, restaurant, a project management consultancy, his own wine brand, and 3 retail wines stores branded as T Marasco Selections. He has recently launched Virtual Sommelier (VS) - a personalized beverage (wine, beer, and spirits) and cheese shopper for Utah. Terry also contributes commentary for the Salt Lake Tribune. We asked Terry a few questions about his life, experiences, and thoughts on a few topics we thought area young professionals would find interesting. 

1. What were you like in High school? Overweight kid with loads of confidence to be the first on the dance floor

2. How did you end up becoming an entrepreneur? Did you know in college what you are doing today is what you would be doing? My college years earned me 3 degrees in education, However when I was an intern with a large city superintendent, I realized bureaucratic life was not for me. Business pursuits ensued - hospitality. wine, realestate, internet customer service consultant during the early years of the internet and now 2 startups spressyrself.com and virtualsommelier.biz. In 1999 I was awarded best Internet Customer Service for eToys by the Boston Globe.

3. Who has had the biggest influence on your career path? When I was young I got a job with a family who owned retail stores, one was wine and spirits. They taught me the business and I applied their knowledge throughout my life.

4. What’s the biggest risk you’ve ever taken?  Bought a resort in rural NV and built a restaurant. Turned out to be very successful.

5. What are your current goals? 3 startups, the third in addition to above is a granola recipe I developed. Need to find a baker!!

6. What are you most proud of? I am not afraid to wash floors and clean toilets even as a CEO. I am 73 but can work with folks at any age. I am a community activist who has success at addressing air and water quality problems.

7. What do you see as the greatest strength of the Salt Lake Community?  Youthful ebullience! 

8. What do you see as the Salt Lake Community’s greatest needs? I think the use of cells in public builds walls between persona interaction possibilities in public. Seeing couples in restaurants working on their cells rather than personal face-to-face communication gives my Italian nature pause

9. How can young professionals get more involved in the community? Tackle problems directly. Sign petitions, go to rallies, VOTE, volunteer to assit the most vulnerable. I volunteer at the Metro jail mentoring inmates  to get their GEDs.

PS my career counselor in high school suggested I skip college and go to trade school. Did not listen - 3 degrees

To learn more about Virtual Sommelier visit virtualsommelier.biz.  To learn more about the Utah Clean Air Alliance visit utahcleanairalliance.org. Also keep an eye open for Salt Lake Tribune posts written by Terry.

Member Spotlight: Hilary Rainey

Each month YPSLC will turn the spotlight on a member who is making an impact in their professional field, YPSLC, and the community. These members exemplify the mission of YPSLC.  The YPSLC leadership nominates a new member to be spotlighted each month. If you are interested in nominating a member for the spotlight, please email admin@ypslc.com

Hilary Rainey

Hilary is originally from Michigan but moved here from New York City a little over   year and a half ago.  She works at the United Way of Salt Lake as a Partnership Director and oversees health and child literacy initiatives regionally. She serves on the Board at her alma mater in Chicago and is a member of the Young Leaders Giving Circle with the United Way of Salt Lake.

Hilary has been involved in the fitness industry in one way or another for the past 8 years and has been a spin instructor for most of that time. After recovering from a major surgery she decided to get back on the bike and started teaching at Rideologie in Sugar House. She is grateful for her flexible work schedule at UWSL and Rideologie’s amazing owner Ali Babcock and team of instructors who make for a welcoming and flexible side hustle! Show up and ride with Hilary or any of the other amazing instructors! Your first class is free at Rideologie.com! 
 

Local Legend: Lindsay LaPaugh

Whether you are new to Salt Lake City or been around the town for awhile, it feels good to be connected. We introduced the Local Legend series in our June 2017 newsletter. Our idea of a local legend is a person who has had great impact on Salt Lake City. This person is not only well connected around the town but also has the inside scoop and does their part to positively impact the community.

We are honored to name Lindsay LaPaugh as our October Local Legend. Lindsay is known around the town as The Wellness Gypsy. She is a holistic health coach who is passionate about living a life that feeds ones soul. She is also co-owner of Salt Lake Elevated. Salt Lake Elevated is a gym with the mission to service the diverse Salt Lake population by providing education in comprehensive health, with a holistic approach. Salt Lake Elevated prides themselves  in giving back to the community and creating opportunities for all individuals to participate in creating a harmonious community while improving their health.

We asked Lindsay a few questions to gain insight into her Salt Lake City experience. 

1. How long have you lived in Salt Lake City? 6 years

2. Describe how what you do makes Salt Lake City great (self-promotion encouraged): I have the honor of working very closely with my clients. As a holistic nutritionist at The Wellness Gypsy and co-owner of Salt Lake Elevated fitness studio I get to help people with their workouts, and I go into their homes to teach them how to cook easy and tasty recipes.

The work I do in both business is personal, and intimate. Through a Wellness Gypsy holistic nutrition program they get connected to their true, authentic self and learn to let go of what society expects them to be or do. My philosophy as a holistic nutritionist is 80% Clean Eating, 20% Sh*t happens, so I help people understand that you can live a healthy lifestyle and have your cake(or pizza) and eat it too! Fitness gives them the confidence, holistic nutrition gives them their glow and overtime, when a client does the work, this has a ripple effect on their whole life and they become better friends, moms, dads, lovers, employees and productive members of our community. 

3. Describe your experience getting a business started in Salt Lake City: When I started my first business, Wellness Gypsy, I had so much support. I knew a variety of small business owners and everyone was willing to meet and offer advice or even just listen when I need to talk things out. Salt Lake City is passionate and loves supporting small businesses and I felt that right away. I’ve always collaborated with other businesses and it’s felt like we were all in this together versus against each other. 

4. Describe Salt Lake's healthy living/fitness scene:  When I first started has a holistic health coach four years ago most people didn't know what that meant. They would look at me confused and expected me to sell them essential oils. In the last 1-2 years I’ve noticed a shift. People are understanding it isn’t just about working out. It’s not just about a number on the scale. Its about being passionate about your life, loving the job that you have, being involved in heathy relationships(romantic and friendships), and learning how to handle stress that everyone has to deal with in their life. At Salt Lake Elevated we help our members understand how important self-care is and how important it is to truly love and accept your body where it is, in this moment. If you’re working out everyday but you talk horribly to yourself and spend a lot of time thinking negative thoughts about your body, you’ve got to work on your mindset, not just your cardio. 

5. What is your favorite thing about Salt Lake City? Hands down, all the people I’ve met here.  I’ve had clients that are now like family and I continue to meet people who inspire and motivate me to do more in the community. 

6. What do you wish more people knew about Salt Lake City? We have fun here!  If you get bored in SLC it’s your own fault. There are so many different events every weekend and the Mountains are only a quick drive away! 

7. What is your favorite part of town to hang around in? You’ll find me hanging in Sugar House or Downtown!

8. What would you tell someone if they told you they were moving here? Hell yes!  Hit me up and I’ll show you some of my favorite restaurants!

9. What are your reccommendations for making new friends in our area?  Find some local groups on meetup.com, or networking groups like YPSLC, put yourself out there and you’ll find your people. There are a lot of Transplants to SLC, we know what it’s like moving to a new city not knowing anyone and we love to help introduce the city to someone new!

10.  Name your top 3 favorite local influencers on Instagram: @slcweekly, @spicyyogi, @local_enthusiast_slc

To connect with Lindsey, follow her on instagram @wellnessgypsy or catch her hosting the Fitness Happy Hour event on Thursday, October 11 @ 7:15 PM.

Why Everyone Needs a Side Hustle

Why Everyone Needs a Side Hustle

A recent survey revealed that 44 million American adults claim they have a side gig. Are you one of them? If you not, what are you waiting for? Millennials are currently making a median of $200 a month via the side hustle. If you aren’t familiar with the side hustle. It is simply a secondary source of income. Common side hustles include travel blogger, photographer, network or social media marketing, ESL teacher, fitness instructor, and IT related work.

You may have a dream job with a dream boss, dream salary, and amazingly wonderful co-workers – but you still need a side hustle. In addition to the extra cash flow having a side gig that you are passionate about can improve your quality of life. Beyond being able to fund your avocado toast habit, here is why we think everyone should have a side hustle.

Side Hustles Allow You to Pursue Your Passion - Have you heard the saying “choose a job you love and you will never have to work a day in your life”? Most of us have jobs that we are less than excited to go to on Monday mornings. Having a side hustle that is in alignment with your passion will give you an outlet to do what you love. Read this article to get help on identifying what you are passionate about

Side Hustles Can Be Fulfilling – Everyone has strengths and everyone has weaknesses. Your strengths may be hard for you to identify because it comes naturally to you. You excel at your strengths and might get frustrated at those who can’t do those things that come naturally to you. Let’s go ahead and call your strengths your gifts. Having a side hustle can be fulfilling because it will allow you to use your gifts and have a tremendous impact on those around you. We don’t know about you but we at YPSLC enjoy using our gifts and having an impact on others. It makes our heart warm.

Side Hustles Can Provide You With Flexibility – You may not start side hustling with the goal of quitting your day job but having a side hustle provides you with the flexibility that comes with options. Get a new boss you hate? Have a co-worker that is driving you crazy in the workplace? Company implement a no work from home policy? Luckily you have been spending time building a side hustle that doesn’t feel like a job because you are passionate about it. Now your side hustle provides you with a significant income and you know even if you quit your job you can make your income back via your side hustle. Having a side hustle is essentially career insurance.

Side Hustles Provide You With Extra Income – Even if it is only $100 extra dollars a month. It is $100 extra dollars you didn’t have before. You can donate it, splurge on something nice for yourself, pay down debt, or go on vacation.

Side Hustles Can Help You Develop New Skills That Carry Over to Your Day Job – You are the boss of you via your side hustle. You are also Chief Executive Officer, Chief Marketing Officer, Chief Operating Officer, office manager and everything in between. Wearing these hats will teach you new skills that will translate over to your day job and can help you excel in your career.

Side Hustles Can Help You Meet New People – You will undoubtedly meet new people as you work on your side hustle. Meeting new people can open new doors and put you in touch with experiences you never dreamed of.

To quote a Quartz Media article, “The side hustle offers something worth much more than money: A hedge against feeling stuck and dull and cheated by life”. Simply put, if you don’t have a side hustle you need one.  

Interested in figuring out what you can do to begin side hustling? Join us at 6:00pm on October 24 at Impact Hub Salt Lake to learn how you can go from an idea of a side hustle to action in 27 days. We will have cupcakes and the guy who literally wrote the book on side hustling will share his stories and give tips.

If you are interested in starting a side business but are not sure what you can or should do, The Side Hustle School World Tour will be a great place to bounce ideas off of each other.

Psychology of Clothing Color

We've all been told to "dress for success" or to "dress for the job you want." However, the clothes you wear to work may influence people more than you thought. We aren't talking about a Hawaiian T- shirt vs. a suite, but solely the colors you wear. Studies show that people correlate different colors with different emotions, and descriptive words. We aren't saying there is a "wrong" color to wear, but simply that different colors can effect how people perceive you. Especially within your work place.

Perhaps you have a new client in which you hope to score a big sale with, or maybe you're going to be presenting in-front of a large group. No matter what your career presents you with, what you wear could benefit you by subconsciously influencing others.

The psychology of color within your workplace goes deeper than just the clothes you wear. It can apply to the color of your office, and even differs depending on the type of socio-economic class you work with, cultures you work with, and even the climate you work in. However in this post we will simply cover the basics. 

Class Preferences

Take in to consideration who your target market/client is when dressing, and what effect you want to have on them.

1. Blue collar populations tend to prefer warm/bright primary and secondary colors.
2. White collar populations prefer more complex colors like shades/ tints of the primary and secondary colors. 

Tip: When business is more serious, darker colors are usually worn. Dark grey, dark blue, dark green, dark red, and black etc.

 

Color Guide

• Blue Based Colors: These colors tend to be more attractive to women. Create a calm and cool feeling.

• Yellow Based Colors: More attractive to men. Stimulates energy, and attention.

• Light Colors: Help you appear more approachable and friendly. 

• Red: Red can give positive and negative impressions. If you want to be noticed or stand out, this is definitely the color to choose. Say you are presenting in front of a large group and want all eyes on you, red would be a great option. Red shows that you are assertive, but also can potentially be seen as threatening to some people. 
  Blue Green: Translates to you having high self esteem and confidence, this applies mostly to women who wear these colors.
  Green: Shows that you are dependable. 
  Dark Blue/Dark Grey: These colors state professional authority. If you recently received a promotion, and want others to take you seriously, dark colors can help.

WORDS ASSOCIATED WITH EACH COLOR

• White: Efficiency, simplicity, innocence, purity, perfection.

• Red: Energy, war, danger, strength, power, determination as we ll as passion, desire, and love.
  Black- Denotes strength and authority; it is considered to be a very formal, elegant, and prestigious color. If excessively worn it can cause you to appear unfriendly.

• Yellow: Joy, happiness, intellect, and energy. However, too much yellow can be found disturbing. Studies show babies even cry more in yellow rooms. Be sure to not overdress with too much yellow.

• Green: Trust, loyalty, wisdom, confidence, intelligence, faith, truth. Dark Green is often associated with money.

• Orange: Enthusiasm, fascination, happiness, creativity, determination, attraction, success.
  encouragement, and stimulation. Great accent color. Reflects the happiness of yellow, and the energy of red.

• Blue: Calmness, serenity, focus, wisdom, loyalty.

• Brown: Reliability, stability, friendship, natural. Although some cultures perceive brown as a color of mourning. 

In conclusion, although colors have an interesting effect on the mind, and can help create a feeling, emotion or attitude that you are aiming for, what is key is confidence. Ultimately, what you wear needs to be something you feel confident and comfortable in. Find what works for you, and see if the psychology of color can actually help you within your career.

Sources Cited

Kemmis, J. S. (2009). Color Psychology Will Empower Your Life. Retrieved September, 2017, from http://www.empower-yourself-with-color-psychology.com/

Color Psychology: The Psychological Effects of Colors. (2012, December 24). Retrieved September, 2017, from http://www.arttherapyblog.com/online/color-psychology

 

Member Spotlight: Kwamane Harris

Each month YPSLC will turn the spotlight on a member who is making an impact in their professional field, YPSLC, and the community. These members exemplify the mission of YPSLC.  The YPSLC leadership nominates a new member to be spotlighted each month. If you are interested in nominating a member for the spotlight, please contact Trey Ennis at tennis@ypslc.com.

Kwamane Harris

Kwamane moved to Utah in June 2016 and has quickly connected himself to the downtown community. Kwamane serves as the Co-Chair of the Social & Volunteer Events committee where he makes sure YPSLC plans great events. He is employed as an Out of School Time Specialist for a youth advocacy non-profit in Salt Lake City. In his spare time, Kwamane enjoys being active in the community and making a difference in the lives of others.

Kwamane consistenly goes above and beyond for YPSLC. From offering office space for the YPSLC Social & Volunteer Events committee to hold monthly meetings to creating Mix & Mingle games for our monthly social. 

YPSLC thanks Kwamane for all his support in making SLC a great place to live, work, and play.

Local Legend: McQuiston Stoddard Fashion Designer

Whether you are new to Salt Lake City or been around the town for awhile, it feels good to be connected. We introduced the Local Legend series in our June 2017 newsletter. Our idea of a local legend is a person who has had great impact on Salt Lake City. This person is not only well connected around the town but also has the inside scoop and does their part to positively impact the community.

Utah is becoming known for growing fashion talent. If you are watching Project Runway, you know 2 designers on the hit show currently call Utah home. In a nod to Utah's booming fashion industry, we are honored to name McQuiston Stoddard as our September 2017 local legend. McQuiston Stoddard is head designer of fashion label McQuiston Marie (IBNH). She has most recently shown her work at Slug Magazine's 28th Anniversary Show Party. Only 24 years old, McQuiston is the true definition of a young professional. We asked her a few questions to get insight into her experience as a Salt Lake resident. 

1. How long have you lived in Salt Lake City? I lived in Salt lake until I was 17 then moved to Italy to study fashion and design then to New York for school now I'm back in Utah.
2. Describe how what you do makes Salt Lake City great (self-promotion encouraged): I create true European couture fashion right here in Utah. Prior to doing this, Utah had not been exposed to couture fashion.
3. What has your experience been like as an entrepreneur in our area? It has been tough being an entreprenuer. I had a goal of having my new busines up and running by Saturday, September 16. I decided to go ahead and start my new business after being firerd from a previous position. It's been the scariest, hardest move nerve raking axiety driven thing ive ever done. I took all of the money I had made from my last two week paycheck and threw it into starting my own business. 
4. How would you describe the people of Salt Lake City?  I would describe the people of Salt Lake as quirky to a fault. I don't mean this in an insulting way, but you have two different worlds fighting for one space. Thats the only way i can describe it. You have overly fashionable, overly conservative and then populations trying to prove both. Its turing into more of a social hub as people are realizing this isnt a "hickville" town.
5. What do you wish more people knew about Salt Lake City?The people that need to know about it, know about it. Sundance, etc salt lake is definitely known.
6. What are your favorite places to shop in Salt Lake City? My studio! I typically only shop at local thrift stores or if it is for a cause.  I rarely buy clothes unless it is local. White Elephant Exchange Boutique is one of my favorite shops!I dont buy clothes anymore, unless its local. I realized this after looking at the kyle cosmetics and how many people support one persons lifestyle, yet we turn our noses at our own community. So i wanted to start supporting our local businesses. 
7. What would you tell someone if they told you they were moving to Salt Lake City. Get snow tires and dont buy uggs! 
8. What advice would you give to a young professional considering starting their own business? Do it! Just Do it! Nike man! Take the chance, When you have something you want to do and dont care what anyone else says, you have the power. It only takes you starting to do it. 
9. Name your favorite local legend: Davis Hong!

You can catch McQuiston showcasing her work at the 2017 Art Meets Fashion Runway Show on September 16 at 7:30 PM. YPSLC members can purchase tickets at the discounted rate of $35. Click here to purchase your ticket.