Equal and Opposite Attractions For a career launch pad, you could do a whole lot worse than Kansas City, young professionals say. Taking that to the next level to attract and retain young workers will require a little TLC with workplace dyamics, education and public policy. (Seated, left to right) Brooke Beason, Meers Advertising Jordan Bell-Masterson, Kauffman Foundation Meagan Flynn-Mesmer, Smart Mouth Productions Mike McKeen, ePartment Communities (Standing, left to right) Drew Gilmore, Keller Williams Realty Bonyen Lee-Gilmore, KCTV-5 Justin Smith, Shook, Hardy & Bacon Blake Fulton, MAG Trucks Kyle Claypool, Global Prairie Brad Carlson, MAG Trucks For eons, it seems, civic leaders Well, we did. Earlier this month, peril, risk seeing them erode. A once- have talked about ways to ensure that Ingram’s engaged a dozen highly success- thriving Kansas City school district comes young talent in Kansas City would stay ful young professionals and entrepreneurs to mind as but one cautionary tale. here. The phrase “Brain Drain” was to do that very thing: Talk about what kicked around a lot back in the ’80s. The drew them here, what keeps them here, The Good topic would inspire forums where deep and what’s needed to maintain those thoughts would be thunk, and procla- bonds. What followed, over the course of In a lot of ways, the things worthy of mations would issue forth about how to more than three hours of wide-ranging celebration here are connected to broad keep the hooks in ’em, instead of seeing discussion, was a collective sense that: opportunities to succeed—in business, in them off to Chicago, Dallas, or—heaven • This metropolitan area is way family and personal life, in philanthropy. forfend—the coasts. cooler than people here have ever “The entrepreneurial community Rarely were those deep thinkers born acknowledged—at least to people from here is damn near exploding,” said within two or three decades of the young- other cities. Blake Miller, whose company, Think Big sters in mind, and many a forum concluded • We need to improve on that base- Partners, has worked with roughly 400 without anyone giving them a seat at the line, as well as a number of extraordinary startups and entrepreneurial ventures in table and asking them what they wanted. amenities we enjoy here—or, at our own just the six years since its own formation. Ingrams.com March 2014 Ingram’s 35 YOUNG PROFESSIONALS Kyle Claypool, director of digital media for Global Prairie, cited what he called “incredible energy in the entrepreneurial community,” as well as the benefits of being the first metro area to access Google Fiber’s ultra-high-speed Internet connections. Brad Carlson and Blake Fulton, co- founders and owners of MAG Trucks, also chimed in on the general lack of barriers to entrepreneurial success—even in a sector that doesn’t fit neatly with the trendier start-up ventures. While Carlson noted that the Midwest, by definition, was a natural 1 2 trucking center, “we’re redneck entrepre- neurs,” Fulton said. “You talk life sciences, 3 4 we talk engines.” Drew Gilmore, a residential real estate professional, acknowledged two key reg- ional strengths: A family-friendly environ- ment for those raising children, and a real estate market that, compared with coastal areas, has boasted significantly more price stability, even throughout the housing crash that began in 2007. Meagan Flynn-Mesmer, an actor and producer for Smart Mouth Productions, cited a vibrant—yet underdeveloped—cre- ative community, especially in the video 1. Entrepreneurs come in different shades, said Blake Fulton, a self-described Redneck arts. Popular television shows like “Lost,” Entrepreneur. | 2. Kyle Claypool believes Kansas City’s entrepreneurial community boasts she said, had drawn on special-effects “an incredible energy.” | 3. Mike McKeen noted that long-term plans for a streetcar system segments created in Kansas City, demon- could connect Downtown and the Northland. | 4. Meagan Flynn-Mesmer pointed out the skills of video production companies, saying the ones here did first-class work. strating that top-flight talent is already in place here. What’s needed, she said, is Public transportation—such as it is— going to build a system that can eventually a nurturing of that talent, and tax credits came in for frequent criticism, both for the serve the broader region. for movie production—as well as city staff failings of a bus system seemingly designed Mike McKeen, a principal with the dedicated to film opportunities—were two for a 9-to-5 Downtown commuter who is fledgling realty firm ePartment Commun- good places to start. more mental image than reality, and for ities, applied a perspective shaped by the execution of a plan to start a street- career experience in or near cities like The Bad car system with a 2.2-mile line that runs San Diego, Denver and Salt Lake City, as from one end of greater Downtown to the well as strategic planning experience in KCTV anchor/reporter Bonyen Lee, other. The general feeling was that, while the Northland. He noted that, if the line who’s married to Drew Gilmore, was right the system is nearly a non-negotiable item is allowed to progress, plans call for it up front with her assessment of what’s for young professionals, the first leg should reaching the popular Briarcliff retail and holding this region back: “Too often,” she have been designed to connect two points of housing development in Clay County. said, “we try to be something we’re not.” Her density—Downtown and the Country Club The problem with the streetcar, said spouse needed but two words to describe Plaza, for example—rather than simply Claypool, was that “the vision should have the impact of poor policy decisions that still serve just the business center. been much more public,” instead of being impose consequences on the region today: “It’s annoying that you can’t go any- initiated by a pair of voters from a narrowly “The stadiums,” he said. Had Kansas City where without a car,” said Justin Smith, defined band along the Main Street corridor. followed Denver’s model, he believes, rather a lawyer with the firm of Shook, Hardy & than build the Truman Sports Complex to Bacon. The Ugly the east, Downtown would be far stronger Despite the current approach of con- today, and the metro overall stronger as well structing a streetcar line piecemeal, Lee It’s been an albatross around the for having a solid core. said, “you have to start someplace” if you’re region’s neck for four decades, and it’s just Ingrams.com March 2014 Ingram’s 37 1 2 3 1. Millennials, said Brooke Beason, really want to know that their voices will be heard in the workplace. | 2. As people age in the work force, said Brad Carlson, they change their views on which employee benefits mean the most. | 3. Bonyen Lee-Gilmore said her Valentine-area neighbors were pondering the possibility of starting their own neighborhood school. as much a concern to this group—most said Kansas City’s education field is “greatly panies where their concerns will be heard of whom have yet to start raising families— behind the education reform curve, which by senior managers, she said. as it’s been for those who’ve moved to makes it difficult for me to attract great Then, too, said Bonyen Lee, it’s the suburban stretches in that span: Nary a professionals to my staff from cities with littlest things that go a long way,” such as word of praise came forth on behalf of the strong education-reform climates.” having quality coffee available for their Kansas City School District. Education is the greatest barrier hold- employees. The comment that came closest to that ing the city back, Lofthus said, presenting Thirty years ago, Brooke Beason said, was the recognition by Meagan Flynn- both an opportunity and a threat. Without employee satisfaction could be gauged in Mesmer that “you can’t fix just the a serious response to the problems in urban part by whether a job allowed you to own schools.” Deeply ingrained socioeconomic education, families will continue to move your own home. For a cohort that has problems have to be addressed before there into the suburbs and the city will lack suf- lived through a period where the biggest can be any hope of raising academic perfor- ficient numbers of young professionals investments in their parents’ lives—their mance, she said. As an example, she cited entering the work force. homes—have lost huge sums in value, the efforts of a non-profit group she works “It will be catastrophic for our city in there’s less interest in home ownership with. Volunteers there fill backpacks with the next 10-12 years if things continue on today, a greater desire to live in vibrant food, which urban-core students take home the current path,” Lofthus said. neighborhoods with more population for the weekend, else they go hungry before density, more service businesses, and the schools reopen on Monday mornings. The Workplace especially more local restaurants, panel- The Gilmores, who live in the Valentine ists agreed. area between Downtown and Westport, One area where Kansas City could And while employer-paid health-care are part of a neighborhood discussion easily bolster its appeal to young pro- coverage is a nice perk, it’s not the end- about whether there’s enough critical mass fessionals, panelists said, was within all for this group, particularly given among parents to launch a neighborhood employer ranks, promoting workplaces the changes in the insurance market school, at least for kindergarten through that offer Millennials more than just a being wrought by federal regulatory chan- fifth grade.