[TRANSCRIPT]
0:00:00 - (Doug Jenkins): Coming up next on chamber amplified.
0:00:02 - (Bret Barnes): We are in a unique position with the size of our community where we can do things and offer things that can't be offered by larger urban cities. You know, because there's so many people, you know, it makes it even harder to plan things because you've got to plan them on such a larger scale. So we're in a good position where we can have more of a niche of different offerings that are available in a tighter knit community.
0:00:31 - (Doug Jenkins): Welcome to the show. I'm Doug Jenkins from the Findlay Hancock County Chamber of Commerce. On each episode of Chamber Amplified, we're examining issues impacting the local business community. Whether it's employee recruitment and retention, marketing could be it issues. It's really anything that can be impacting your business. Our goal is to give our members tips each week on at least one way they can improve operations and thrive in the current business environment and be up to date on the things that are impacting the area business community as a whole. So we're back from our holiday break.
0:00:58 - (Doug Jenkins): I realize it's like a week beyond.
0:00:59 - (Doug Jenkins): That, but I was at a conference.
0:01:00 - (Doug Jenkins): We're back.
0:01:01 - (Doug Jenkins): That's the important thing. It's time for another year of chamber amplified. I'm excited about the future of the podcast. You're going to start seeing it repurposed in a few more places. And of course, we're counting down to episode number 100 in the coming weeks. Really looking forward to that as well. Today on the show we're talking about the after hours task force. Bret Barnes from Centricom is a member of that group and joins us to talk about how they're looking to find ways to attract and retain young professionals in Findlay and Hancock County. I think you'll find that it's not, quote unquote, making Findlay more like Columbus, but it's more about highlighting the existing resources that are already here and finding better ways to put them in front of the community.
0:01:36 - (Doug Jenkins): Bret's going to tell us all about those efforts. Thanks again for tuning in. And remember, if you're listening on Apple podcasts or on Spotify, you can rate and review. The show really does help spread the word. Now let's get into it.
0:01:47 - (C): And let's just first get into the after hours task force and the acronym. We were talking a little bit about this before we got started, just so everybody kind of knows everything that you're focused on. What does the acronym actually stand for?
0:02:00 - (Bret Barnes): So an after hours task force stands for attracting future talent, entertainment and resources.
0:02:07 - (Doug Jenkins): All things that we probably want to.
0:02:09 - (C): Be doing as a city. So this all came together as sort of, how do we attract young professionals? What are the things that are needed in the community? What are the things that we already have in the community that maybe we can better purpose or repurpose? That type of thing? What are the initial conversations with the task force centered on?
0:02:29 - (Bret Barnes): So one of the primary focuses is this task force actually stemmed from the Findlay Hancock County Economic Development Office. So it is largely centered around workforce development. And the large, really evolving matter is a topic of concern to many employers as they're trying to not only seek professionals, but trying to draw in a younger professional atmosphere. So in order to do that, you have to have the infrastructure, entertainment, nightlife, things like that, that are going to attract those young professionals to our community.
0:03:06 - (Bret Barnes): And I can actually say that having moved here in, what was it, September of 22, it was one of those things where I actually came from, Phoenix, Arizona. So I was used to that big city life, and then I came and moved to Findlay. And one of the big reasons I moved to Findlay is because I liked this closer knit community and the smaller community. But one of the things that I often struggled with was where do I go to connect with people that are my age in the community?
0:03:38 - (Bret Barnes): What things are there to do other than most of the entertainment geared for younger professionals is centered around bars and restaurants. There's not a lot of entertainment outside of that industry. So most of the things, when I first moved here, it was, all right, well, I guess let's go meet at the bar. Let's go get something to eat. There wasn't a lot of things to do outside. Now there are a lot of things I always see on the chamber's website.
0:04:11 - (Bret Barnes): There's a huge, I guess, push for activities for families, for children, especially over the holidays. I actually was sending one of my good friends a lot of information that I kept finding through my Hancock county leadership, know about activities for children going on in the community. But what we're focused on is not only activities for young professionals, but it also goes into different areas.
0:04:39 - (Bret Barnes): Infrastructure, having retail offerings that are in walkable distance, in vibrant corridors with a big diversity in the types of goods and services that you can get from them. Restaurants is definitely a big thing. Restaurant variety is something that attracts not only young professionals, but professionals from all different age groups. But entertainment opportunities that are programmed around young professionals is one of the things that we're looking at.
0:05:11 - (Bret Barnes): There's a lot of different factors that go into it. There's also rental housing is a big thing for young professionals that are coming into the area that might not have a family, they might just be coming by themselves. There needs to be good one bedroom, two bedroom options in the community that are going to be within the price range that these young professionals are able to afford when they're starting out their careers, or maybe they're 510 years into their career and they're still trying to look for a place that's affordable. So we're not that term everyone uses house poor.
0:05:52 - (Bret Barnes): You're spending all your money on rent, and then you're eating ice cubes on top of a piece of bread or something because used all your money towards your rent. Right. And that also sparks another thing, too, with recreational activities that are going to be at no cost, things that maybe the city puts on or maybe we find outside sponsors to sponsor events or even recreational areas that young professionals, and really not just young professionals, but this really spills into the community as a larger part.
0:06:28 - (C): That's what I was going to say is it sounds like this is framed in attracting young professionals. But when you talk about free entertainment options, when you talk about one to two bedroom housing for people who are just starting out, that's a wide swath of the community right there.
0:06:44 - (Bret Barnes): Absolutely. And it's a big thing, too. I know they just recently I'm actually over, I live kind of by the fairgrounds, and I know on Sandusky they put in that bike path there, which looks just. That's going to be something that will not only attract younger professionals, it'll just attract professionals a wider variety as well. So a lot of these benefits, even though we're looking at it from the young professionals standpoint, because that's what our group tasked with, I guess I should say our task force is tasked with, is attracting younger professionals. But really what we're working on is going to benefit the community as a whole.
0:07:28 - (Bret Barnes): And one of the biggest things, though, and I will say, I don't know if I'm speaking for the whole group on this one or if it's just one of my big focuses, but it is employers and how employers are connected to the community. I had the amazing privilege when I joined Centricom. My CEO is very involved in Findlay. She's very involved in the University of Findlay, sits on the board there, and she has such a passion for the community that at Centercom, we know where we can go, we know who we can connect with.
0:08:07 - (Bret Barnes): She's a big advocate of connecting with the community, and it was wonderful, especially as someone who just moved here from that September to I started in April 2023. From that period, from September to April, I really only knew I made a few friends outside just doing activities and meeting people. But that's really where it sparked a lot of professional engagement and a lot of meeting new people who were in my age range that I now call really great friends.
0:08:42 - (Bret Barnes): But it all started with the company culture, and it all started with my CEO getting me in touch with members of the chamber like Dionne Newbauer. It was amazing because she, she always has, there's a committee for something, right? So it was great getting involved with her, and she really opened the door. But it all stems from that company culture and having a company that actually wants you to be involved and give back to the community.
0:09:14 - (Bret Barnes): So that's my biggest thing that I'm focusing on personally within the task force is how can we make it easier for companies to adapt a community culture, ones that might not yet because it's an extra task. It is something extra to do. We all have our tasks, well, I should say our job roles, right? We all have our things that we're trying to get done. And I know it is an extra ask, but it is very important that companies embrace the community culture, and companies provide an outlet for their employees to really become more active members, because when you're active in the community, you want to stay.
0:09:58 - (Bret Barnes): But what we're finding is young professionals are coming into the community and not really knowing where to access those, not say it definitely doesn't stop at the company culture. Know. There are things that we also are looking into for the alliance, you know, things that maybe programs or things to get people to really see what Findlay has to offer, what Hancock county really, I should say, has to offer for young professionals.
0:10:30 - (Bret Barnes): And like I said, there's a lot of benefits to what we're looking into for the community as a whole. But we are kind of putting on that lens to look at it through that young professional perspective. Another thing, too, is how are we connected regionally to other larger urban areas? What offerings can we give for people to go to places like know, Columbus, Cincinnati, to go to those larger urban areas, even to. To kind of get a diverse know and a different experience culturally as well?
0:11:08 - (Bret Barnes): I can say, fortunately, again, that with my position for marketing and partner relations, I have had an opportunity to go to all the larger cities. I shouldn't say all, but most of the larger cities. I've had a great opportunity to kind of immerse myself in those environments. And it's a big thing, too, because we want to not only bring Findlay up to more of a modern, urbanized feel to attract young professionals, but also connect them with different resources that might be in larger urban areas around us.
0:11:49 - (C): And that doesn't necessarily mean changing the face of the community. To me, it seems like adding additional amenities to the already existing community and not necessarily taking away from what's already here. For instance, on the entertainment side, you talk about free options and everything like that. There are a lot of things that are already here. Maybe it just needs to be better publicized or made available to. Like, the city does a great job with sand volleyball leagues, and there's a great disc golf scene here, things like that, that kind of get you away from only having to go to bars, things like that. What are some of those other things or amenities, especially on the entertainment side, outside of just meeting up at a bar after work that have been discussed?
0:12:32 - (Bret Barnes): So some of the things that I personally was thinking of that would be amazing is more of an offer. I know you just mentioned how there's some of those activity leagues that are out there, and if we could maybe encompass more, because I know. What was it? Frisbee golf. I've definitely seen that before, because when I first moved here, I had no clue what people were doing. When I went over to the local recreation area over here, and I was very confused at what these baskets were sitting there. And then all of a sudden, I see people throwing things. I'm thinking, why are they throwing stuff at us?
0:13:09 - (Bret Barnes): But I think we have, and I know there's a hockey league as well, but if we can kind of expand what things are offered, maybe, and I don't know if this already exists, I apologize. But maybe a bike riding club or maybe a canoeing club in the river, or maybe access to canoes and to recreational things like that, that younger professionals might like. I definitely don't want anyone to take this as a way that I'm saying there's something wrong with Findlay and it needs to change. I think it's a great community.
0:13:43 - (Bret Barnes): Ever since I've come here or moved here, it's been awesome. I've been embraced by so many different members of the community and met so many amazing people. And what we want to do is we want to take all the things that make Findlay and Hancock county great and amplify them. And I definitely agree with you. There are absolutely offerings, several offerings from the chamber and from the city that we need to connect professionals to so that they know, because unless I was part of this task force, there are like those leagues, I would have not really known about it. And I know I'd seen a couple of emails here and there come through, but I think maybe if we did a bigger push on that to get people connected with that and also maybe if we did more, we have Findlay young professionals as well, which is a wonderful organization.
0:14:38 - (Bret Barnes): I am definitely honored to be a part of that. I've met great contacts that have helped me not only in a professional capacity, but also personal friendships. I mean, it's been wonderful. Maybe if we can do a bigger push on the young professional scene and get people into that program, too, that would also be another way, another outlet for young professionals to have to kind of connect with the community.
0:15:06 - (Bret Barnes): And one of the biggest things, too, that we're also discussing, which, again, it appeals to the masses, not just young professionals, but it would be more non automotive focused infrastructure. So public transport services. I know when I first moved here, especially coming from Phoenix, Arizona, I was surprised that I think I've gotten maybe two, you know, and the entire time here because most of the time you're looking and there's no one on the.
0:15:36 - (Bret Barnes): So, you know, if there was maybe a push for more public transportation options to be available as well, to get young professionals or just really to get the community as a whole, to get people, maybe downtown more on Main street, where all those shops and wonderful restaurants are, better access to those, I think would go a long way with how people feel about moving to Findlay and staying in Findlay. But really, though, for me, the biggest push, and I can't stress it enough, is the sense of, know, the sense of we want to make sure that all of the companies, all these different businesses in Findlay are aware of how many resources for their employees that they have.
0:16:22 - (Bret Barnes): So that that way their employees can not only feel like they just live and work in Findlay, but they can feel like they are part of Findlay and they are part of Hancock county. Because I will personally say with all the various, and I know you know this already, but just for everyone listening with all the various committees that I've joined over the last year, it's been awesome. I mean, I met so many amazing people. I've really been able to, especially with Hancock county leadership, see how the community operates, what are the ins and outs, what are different facets that I never even thought about before.
0:16:57 - (Bret Barnes): And it's been amazing. But again, I'm lucky enough to have had that company culture already established to where it was very easy for me to connect and for me to be a part of these things so, like I've already mentioned, I personally want to do a big push to reach out to businesses. Obviously, I got to speak with the group about this because there are ten or nine other individuals on this task force as well.
0:17:28 - (Bret Barnes): But I'd like to do maybe a packet, community awareness packet that can go to the employers that says, hey, did you know Findlay offers all of these different opportunities, all of these different events, areas for people to connect, different recreational offerings, the leagues that we were talking about, just to kind of put something together so that that way employers are aware and can pass it along to their employees. Because when we are more community focused, we're going to have better results. Right? We're going to have people who actually are invested and who care about the community and want to get involved in more ways.
0:18:11 - (Bret Barnes): I mean, that's been a big thing for me was once I started seeing how amazing Findlay and Hancock county actually are. Not that I didn't think it was amazing when I first moved here. I loved every second of it, especially the trend, a lot better.
0:18:26 - (C): I think it would be disingenuous for anybody to think that it's going to be a transition from Phoenix to Findlay. Weather alone is going to be a lot different. But absolutely, it's making a transition like that as easy as possible for young professional, old professional of what have you, being able to have that seamless integration when you move to the community, you know where to find the resources, you know how to get involved. That's going to help everybody.
0:18:52 - (Bret Barnes): Absolutely. And another thing, too is, I know I've been saying a lot of Phoenix this and Phoenix that, but I think, too, I know, like I've said, I keep saying Phoenix, right, because that's what I've been used to for my 35 years of existence. But also, we are in a unique position with the size of our community where we can do things and offer things that can't be offered by larger urban cities because there's so many people, it makes it even harder to plan things because you got to plan them on such a larger scale.
0:19:27 - (Bret Barnes): So we're in a good position where we can have more of a niche of different offerings that are available in a tighter knit community that I think is able to achieve the goal of these young professionals having that sense of community in more ways than a larger urban area or municipality ever could. So we also, I think, can take advantage of that as well.
0:19:55 - (C): I look at it as just on a small micro scale. If you're looking at attraction and retention of employees, put together a company softball team put together a company Frisbee golf league, something like that. We have those amenities here already. It's a good way to get your employees doing something together outside the office. It's a good way to show off the community and who knows where it goes from there. I do know the softball leagues are highly competitive, so you might have to put together a team of ringers for that one.
0:20:24 - (C): I don't know. So that might be, I don't know if there's like an ABC league or something like that, but don't go into the A League thinking you're going to win it because there's a couple of teams that dominate there, I think. But, Bret, we're almost out of time here. If people have feedback for the committee or concerns or questions, what's the best way to get in touch and make sure that their voice is heard so that.
0:20:46 - (C): I think the last thing that this committee wants and the last thing that the community wants is for this to feel like a young professionals versus people who have been here for their entire lives type of thing, where as we've talked about, it's not that, but it's always good to get different voices around the table. So how can you address concerns, answer questions? What's the best way to do that with the committee?
0:21:08 - (Bret Barnes): I mean, I'm always available. If anyone ever wants to send me an email, they're more than welcome to. I definitely agree with you. This is not young professionals against the world. This is just that lens that we're looking through for this specific task force. And like we were saying, most of these things benefit the community as a whole. But these are just kind of some of the things that might be higher on a younger professional's priority list when looking to move somewhere.
0:21:37 - (Bret Barnes): But if anyone wants to reach out, I'd be more than happy to take anyone's suggestions and pass them along to the committee. My email, I don't know. Are we able to?
0:21:48 - (C): I'll put it in the show notes. Well, but yeah, if you want to give it here.
0:21:52 - (Bret Barnes): Yeah, it's bbarnes@centricom.net. Which is b as in boy, and then my last name, Barnes, like a horse barn. And then es at Centricon. That's Centracomm. Net. And like I said, I would be more than happy if you want to send me any suggestions that you have. There's definitely a need for that community voice because there's ten of us out of the entire community that are looking at this. So maybe there's a perspective. Well, I shouldn't say maybe. I can definitely say there are perspectives that we're not going to see this from.
0:22:30 - (Bret Barnes): So that would be fantastic.
0:22:32 - (C): Absolutely.
0:22:33 - (Doug Jenkins): Well, Brett, we appreciate your time.
0:22:34 - (C): Thanks for joining us on the podcast today.
0:22:37 - (Bret Barnes): Thank you so much.
0:22:40 - (Doug Jenkins): Thanks again to Bret for joining us. I think it's really interesting that a lot of different efforts to attract young professionals also double as something that's going to benefit the community as a whole. Namely better entry into the housing market through one and two bedroom homes and apartments and even amenities that can be enjoyed by everyone. So it's going to be interesting to see where all of this goes.
0:22:59 - (Doug Jenkins): That'll do it for this week's episode. If you have any ideas for topics that we should cover on future episodes or feedback on this one, just send me an email. Djenkins@finlayhancockchamber.com remember, if you're listening on our website, you can have every episode of Chamber amplified delivered straight to your phone. Just search for us in your favorite podcast player.
0:23:18 - (C): It makes it a little bit easier.
0:23:19 - (Doug Jenkins): For you to get each and every episode every week. Thanks again for listening. We'll see you next time on chamber amplified from the Findlay Hancock County Chamber of Commerce.