Topsail Young Professionals

Host Christa and new co-host La Rhea Burke welcome Alexis Siebert, co-founder of the Topsail Young Professionals. Alexis takes us on her journey from Winston-Salem to Topsail, sharing her rich background in the arts and her family’s deep creative roots.

Discover how Alexis and a few friends turned the challenges of networking in a new town into an exciting opportunity by launching the Topsail Young Professionals, in collaboration with the Greater Topsail Area Chamber of Commerce. Learn how this thriving group is helping young professionals and businesses connect, grow, and make their mark.

Find and Follow Topsail Young Professionals on Facebook and Instagram!
Topsail Chamber of Commerce - 13775 NC-50, Surf City, NC
topsailchamber.org
(910) 329-4446

You can also learn more about Alexis Siebert on Instagram.
And learn more about the Topsail Yoga Collect at https://www.topsailyogacollective.com/, as well as on Facebook and Instagram.

Topsail Insider is Sponsored by Saltwater Resort & Suites - Topsail Island’s premier luxury hospitality experience! Book your beach getaway today at SaltwaterTopsail.com or call (910) 886-4818!

Co-Hosts: La Rhea Burke and Christa Schroeder
Edited by Christa

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Transcript

0:02

Welcome to Topsail Insider, where you can hear all about the businesses and events in the beautiful coastal towns in the greater Topsail area of North Carolina. Coming up, we're interviewing Alexis Siebert. She moved here and found it hard to meet people and network with other young professionals. So she and a friend partnered with the Greater Topsail Area Chamber of Commerce and started the Topsail Young Professionals. Join us today to discuss the new group. Making waves in Topsail, today on Topsail Insider. It's time to indulge and experience the finest coastal hospitality on Topsail Island with Salt Water Resort and Suites in Surf City, North Carolina. Designed to exceed your expectations, guests can enjoy elegant suites featuring premium luxurious bedding, fully equipped kitchens with dishwashers, 75 inch flat screens, ensuite washers and dryers, and gorgeous ocean views. With the grand opening of their newest location, you can now relax in their Saltwater Pool and Modern Clubhouse, perfect for unwinding, socializing, and private events. Book your next beach getaway today at saltwatertopsail. com or call 910 886 4818. Saltwater Resort and Suites, redefining luxury on Topsail Island.

Mic 3-Christa: 1:39

Hello Insiders. My name is Christa and I am co hosting today with Miss La Rhea Burke, one of Topsail Insider's brand new hosts. You can learn more about La Rhea and our new host by visiting TopsailInsider. com La Rhea owns Picnic Haven. She's a personal trainer, a kickboxing instructor, author, and a woman's bodybuilding champion. She also founded a thriving t shirt brand called Loves Active. I am thrilled to pass the mic to you, La Rhea. Welcome to being a host on Topsail

Mic 1-La Rhea: 2:07

Ah, thank you so much, to say that I'm honored to be here is an understatement, not only because I get to unlock a new passion, but also because I get to connect with such amazing friends here in this little, not so little island of ours in surrounding areas. So today we have Alexis Siebert joining us. She is a co founder of Topsail Young Professionals. Welcome, Alexis, and thanks for joining us.

Mic 2-Alexis: 2:31

you.

Mic 1-La Rhea: 2:32

So I just want to kick things off with what is the mission behind Topsail Young Professionals? Can you tell us a little bit more about that?

Mic 2-Alexis: 2:38

Yeah, topsail Young Professionals is a group of dynamic individuals, that are all about networking, leadership, and impact, in and around the Topsail area, and is started by the Topsail Chamber of Commerce.

Mic 1-La Rhea: 2:52

So when speaking on the phone, I found your story so relatable. Many of us have moved here from somewhere else and have either found it hard to meet people, or have had to look for people to connect with, not only because we want this, but often we need it. Alexis, you have quite a story behind you and what led you to what you are doing today as a young professional of your own and being a co founder of the Topsail Young Professional Group and founder of Topsail Yoga Collective.

Mic 2-Alexis: 3:26

But

Mic 1-La Rhea: 3:26

it's like your web has broadened to a new way to collect us all. Can you start with just telling us more about yourself?

Mic 2-Alexis: 3:33

yourself? I grew up in Winston Salem, North Carolina, and most of my family lives there still. It's a very tight knit community, I would say. I was very involved in the downtown area. My family is very involved in the arts in that area.

Mic 3-Christa: 3:48

area.

Mic 2-Alexis: 3:49

And it was like, walking down the street, you would see 15 people you knew and just say hi every day. moving here was a little difficult when you know no one, and I was so used to asking a friend, for help or referrals in Winston Salem on, hey, where's the coolest place to go? Or does somebody want to grab a drink with me? I'll be at this place for a few hours today. And I just didn't have that here yet. And it was very hard it seemed like a lot of people were feeling that way as well. I was part of the, very large downtown group of Winston Salem. It's a little bit bigger than, it's like the fifth largest city in North Carolina. And downtown Winston Salem. fell into disrepair after the 80s and the tobacco industry left. And so a lot of the artists, musicians, and movers and shakers decided to revitalize the downtown. My family felt it was very much needed. important to be part of that, being in the arts industry. So it was really nice, working with only small businesses, from my youth up until now and really helping that downtown revitalize itself. One of my favorite things is people always would text me like, hey, you know everybody. Do you know where, do you know somebody who could do this for me? just oh, I know a guy or I know a gal in Winston Salem was just my go to thing. And I didn't, I was missing that here.

Mic 1-La Rhea: 5:13

Yeah, it's interesting because when you think of Winston Salem, I think of a city like with lots of people And so for you to be able to say that you had connections to many different businesses People in the local area and you felt that love is a large statement to say in itself. I'm just curious. What would you say is the number one way you went about finding those connections or getting to know people in the area?

Mic 2-Alexis: 5:37

so I have two older siblings that are twins, and they're quite a bit older than me, actually. They're eight years older than me, and my older brother was very involved in the music scene in the area, in the like, indie music scene. And, my sister Gretchen is an artist and very involved with North Carolina artists and non profits for artists. And I just decided to move to the downtown area and make friends. worked at a lot of bars and restaurants where I familiarized myself with a lot of locals. And it was very much a neighborhood feel even though it's a large downtown. my father teaches at a, at University of North Carolina School of the Arts. And so he was very involved. in the art scene there and my stepmother founded an arts based elementary school and a lot of my friend's kids went there. So it was very easy for me to just have my hands in a lot of different pots. And just get to know people. I like to say, and so do my parents, I've never met a stranger, I try to be helpful and nice and that's just where it led me. and I'm also, I was also very involved in the music scene in Winston Salem and so I just knew people from that.

Mic 1-La Rhea: 6:54

So you're mentioning art a lot here and just knowing you and seeing you and just hearing about you. I definitely get the sense that there's more behind that. How, tell me more about your parents and art and what exactly did they do?

Mic 2-Alexis: 7:07

Yes, so my mom, Alicia, my dad, Glenn, and my stepmom, Mary, and my younger sister, Veronica, are all professional opera singers. they are all, classically trained and making a living being classically trained opera singers. And my grandfather, Jim, was a very big singer and he was in, a lot of musicals when he was younger in the 20s and 30s, and then my other grandfather, Glenn, also was on Broadway in the 40s. And so I had a very deep connection to the arts and I'm probably was singing before I was talking kind of thing. My brother is a musician as well. And my older sister Gretchen is a sculptor. Actually, that's what she's trained in. And she is a wonderful artist. She is involved with the Piedmont Craftsman International non profit, which brings craftsmen and artisans of North Carolina together and highlight their work.

Mic 1-La Rhea: 8:07

You come from a really great family background. Yes. It doesn't surprise me that you're doing what you're doing now. And they're probably very proud of you.

Mic 2-Alexis: 8:15

I Would hope so. Yeah, they are my you know, my family is just we're kind people we're willing to help anybody and they really instilled that in all of us and the arts is a Very big way to show that you know my parents were alive in the 70s and 80s right when the AIDS pandemic was happening, and being in the arts they saw a huge impact in that. My stepmom had quite a few friends pass away from it, so I think them noticing how important community is was really instilled early on, and they're both from big families and they know what that means,

Mic 3-Christa: 8:49

Now you mentioned that you have an acting background as well.

Mic 2-Alexis: 8:52

Yeah, I I'm very into musical theater. I like to say I'm a jack of all trades, master of none. but I, just the love and the dreams of what my grandfather Glenn did in the 40s, It led me wanting to do Broadway. So starting from the time I was a little kid, I was in 30 musicals. I've been in so many different shows. I was always in a play, or a musical, or in theater, or in chorus, or in some sort of

Mic 3-Christa: 9:20

acting,

Mic 1-La Rhea: 9:21

idea. In a family full of artists and singers and opera singers and musicals, what was your typical, meals and dinner? Were you guys singing? I know this is

Mic 2-Alexis: 9:32

we were singing it actually freaked my husband out the first time he came over to our house No, I've you know, I didn't play sports. I did musicals with my mom after school In Lewisville, North Carolina, they have a town square It's a suburb of Winston Salem great town square and they just really did two to four musicals or plays a year in the town square outside. So I got these amazing Broadway esque productions done as a kid. So I was doing them from the time I was nine. And this community is still so strong. In fact, I'm still best friends with a girl I met there when I was nine.

Mic 1-La Rhea: 10:08

Wow.

Mic 2-Alexis: 10:09

30 years of friendship nearly. And we are still friends with a lot of those people in the community. I have, connected with those people.

Mic 1-La Rhea: 10:17

connected with

Mic 2-Alexis: 10:18

entire, my entire life. In fact, today I posted about the Topsail Young Professional group on my Facebook page and my kindergarten teacher commented on it and she did musicals with me. So like to have my life, be witnessed in her eyes and just to know like that community is still there is so strong, It's so nice and it just made me remember all the things about her that I loved

Mic 1-La Rhea: 10:43

definitely brings it to like full circle and back into perspective because I can think of being that kindergartner You don't we don't think of the connections we're making at that time and what that might mean to us in the future So it's really nice to hear you share that story about meeting and connecting back with her and still having that relationship It's it's really cool

Mic 2-Alexis: 11:01

You know what, actually, now that I think about it, she wasn't my kindergarten teacher. She was my preschool teacher. Actually, she was my preschool. So a little year before, but

Mic 1-La Rhea: 11:09

Still see the fact that you know that. Yeah. I don't know if I remember my preschool teacher,

Mic 2-Alexis: 11:13

it was crazy because she ended up doing the community theater with us and she was like, Oh my gosh, I haven't seen you. And she just stuck with our family and was a good friend. Yeah.

Mic 1-La Rhea: 11:22

That's so good. I can just picture you guys waking and I don't know, what's just my thoughts when I think of this. I'm like, they're just singing along, having sing alongs, having musicals, all these wonderful things.

Mic 3-Christa: 11:33

Or does someone say something like, Oh my gosh, look out the window, there's a rainbow. Somewhere

Mic 2-Alexis: 11:39

Literally. Literally. I will use a

Mic 1-La Rhea: 11:42

use a

Mic 2-Alexis: 11:43

example. my office mate yesterday was like, oh, other office mate, your phone is blowing up, you're so popular. And I'm like, popular. I'm gonna be

Mic 1-La Rhea: 11:51

you know? And you're like, yeah,

Mic 3-Christa: 11:54

you sound so good.

Mic 1-La Rhea: 11:55

good!

Mic 2-Alexis: 11:56

But that's what it, that's my brain constantly. I am constantly. Constantly referring back to a musical quote, So that's how I got very much involved in the arts with that.

Mic 3-Christa: 12:06

a musical quote, you know.

Mic 2-Alexis: 12:12

I literally do. And then it just stays in my head forever.

Mic 1-La Rhea: 12:15

before we move

Mic 3-Christa: 12:16

very much involved in the arts with that.

Mic 2-Alexis: 12:24

Yeah. And there, we're trying to develop it up here,

Mic 3-Christa: 12:28

I'm in Snoods Ferry in here in Hampstead. Are you participating in any of those local theater groups?

Mic 2-Alexis: 12:33

I am not in Wilmington just because I live in Hampstead and it's a little bit too far for me. I have been encouraged by a few people in town, who I know do theater with them, to come and audition, but right now my job just doesn't allow me to and the commute. I am a karaoke queen

Mic 1-La Rhea: 12:51

Okay, where's

Mic 2-Alexis: 12:52

I am a

Mic 3-Christa: 12:53

where's your joint? Where do you go for your karaoke?

Mic 2-Alexis: 12:55

Right now, one of my favorite places is to go to, Scallywags isn't open anymore, but when Scallywags was open, that was one of my good places. Crab

Mic 3-Christa: 13:03

Crab Pot.

Mic 2-Alexis: 13:03

yeah. and it was fun when they did it at Buddy's Outside for a little bit this year, that was really fun. but I'm a big karaoke queen. I've won a Jet Ski, that's my claim to

Mic 1-La Rhea: 13:13

I have this like running joke with my friends I'm like, I just want to karaoke and I have this sense where I think it's like riding a roller coaster I just want to do it. I'm a little

Mic 2-Alexis: 13:21

I'm afraid though. It is like riding a roller

Mic 1-La Rhea: 13:23

But I just want to do

Mic 2-Alexis: 13:24

Yes, you should. It's really fun and worth it because people who go to karaoke's also just want to sing their hearts out so they, the best people, are usually the ones who don't sound the best, because they're so into it. They're like giving it their all and you're like, that was amazing how much performance was into it,

Mic 1-La Rhea: 13:41

so you can't drive to Wilmington just because of the distance for the theater. And I know that you were a part of a Young Professionals group in Wilmington before starting all of this.

Mic 2-Alexis: 13:51

I'm involved with BNI. If you're familiar with those, it's Business Networking International. I'm also part of the Wilmington Chambers Young Professionals and the Port City Young Professionals. And, they are a bit of a drive. It takes me about 35 minutes, sometimes more depending on the time of day to get there. We all know Hampstead traffic. but it was just too difficult I had been living in the Topsail area for a little more than a year and

Mic 1-La Rhea: 14:16

to connect

Mic 2-Alexis: 14:16

wanted to connect with more of the people I lived around and not people I had to travel to.

Mic 1-La Rhea: 14:21

So you were going to Wilmington for this Young Professionals Group, but what made you decide to start doing it here?

Mic 2-Alexis: 14:28

My job, I am the Exteriors and One of their passions is being involved in the community. They wanted to know more of the Topsail area. That's why they hired me. I knew people, I was connected with people, and when I mentioned to my, owner, Stephanie, that it was, a little hard for me to drive sometimes, she mentioned, the Topsail Chamber's really amazing. Do they have one? And that sparked the inspiration. No, but Let me ask him about that. I'm not afraid of a challenge. I'm not afraid of trying new things and I really wanted some friends.

Mic 1-La Rhea: 15:07

who did you

Mic 3-Christa: 15:08

with to get this up and off the

Mic 2-Alexis: 15:12

so I love the Topsail Chamber of Commerce here. They are one of the best resources a business could have in this area and, And knowing that Wilmington had their own young professional group, I was interested to see, they're closer, maybe they'll have one for me to join. And I also had a few friends feeling the same frustrations who were maybe even living in like Sneeds Ferry. So it was more, why don't we just start one here? Why don't we connect with the businesses that matter in our area?

Mic 1-La Rhea: 15:44

Give us some details on how you went about doing that. what, how did it come together?

Mic 2-Alexis: 15:48

Yeah, I brought the idea initially to Tammy Proctor of the Topsail Chamber., she is the executive director and she, invited me to her office and basically was like, we have all the tools, create it. I know I can trust you. I know your company. I know I've seen you around town. So go for it. And I.

Mic 3-Christa: 16:10

ahead.

Mic 1-La Rhea: 16:11

I,

Mic 2-Alexis: 16:12

tapped into my friend group, that is pretty much the best way to make, your network grow. And I tapped into just friends who I knew were networking and were very, community driven. and the first place I looked, obviously was my Topsail yoga collective. which I started with Marissa Miller who is from Inlet Marketing Company. she's also new to the area and Jessica Nadeau who is with Northwestern Mutual and she lives in Sneeds Ferry. Again, also traveling so far to Wilmington. And then Jessica Sulzmoor who is a local realtor in the area who she knows everyone and knows the ins and outs and really introduced me to a lot of people. So it was the prime group of people to get it started. I wanted my friends to help me with this because we all had a similar goal. We all were like minded. We all knew what we wanted to accomplish. And they're just very easy to work with. We're all on the same page. We're all on the same level. Tammy is open to all of our ideas and it's been nothing but wonderful.

Mic 1-La Rhea: 17:24

I can't help but get this like picture of the Olympics and, the relay where they're running and they pass the baton to the next person, to the next person. And each person's role is extremely important, but it's a team and they work together. I feel like you got the baton and you ran with it. It was like Tammy gave it to you within the trust that you knew that you could run to the next person, pass the baton. And you guys brought this all together as a team.

Mic 2-Alexis: 17:48

oh, yeah, definitely. Yeah, she was the coach. I was the first runner and then it was just taking it off from there, it really was.

Mic 3-Christa: 18:00

I just want to take a brief moment to talk about Patriot Roofing.

Mic 1-La Rhea: 18:03

Yeah, so

Mic 2-Alexis: 18:04

yeah. So Patriot Roofing is a female owned and mostly operated roofing, siding, and exteriors company. Stephanie Bolton is the owner. She is, One of the best mentors I could have asked for in a boss. She's really involved, like I said, with the community. She really thinks professional women in building is important, women in construction is important, and she really wants to change the perspective of the building industry.

Mic 3-Christa: 18:31

industry.

Mic 2-Alexis: 18:32

Yeah, it's actually one of my favorite things about this company is like, how much encouragement. is put towards, revitalizing and changing how things are done and noticing things can be done better and more inclusively.

Mic 1-La Rhea: 18:54

Alright, so this group, it's clearly taken off. when did you guys have your first meeting? How many people showed up? what was that like?

Mic 2-Alexis: 19:02

Our first meeting was in September of this year at Hidden Chips Distillery, and it was our inaugural quote unquote ribbon cutting, we would like to say. And we had more than 75 people show up.

Mic 1-La Rhea: 19:13

show up.

Mic 2-Alexis: 19:14

it was quite an event. shocking turnout and it was so supportive and people who we never knew came to it and they found us through the chamber, through word of mouth, through Facebook and Instagram. being young, quote unquote, young professionals,

Mic 1-La Rhea: 19:31

professionals, Which

Mic 2-Alexis: 19:32

which I would like to say young professionals is not limited to age. It could be a young business as well. No, you

Mic 3-Christa: 19:43

young?

Mic 2-Alexis: 19:44

It's young businesses. It's young businesses, so it could be young at heart, young in young in, how old your business is, but it's also very much operated by Millennials and we like social media and that is kind of who we were trying to reach out to because a lot of the members of the chamber, they are business owners and we want to show how this area has a boom of younger people moving to it and how hey, you can also start a business. You can also further your career here. You can make this place what you want it to be. so we get a lot of our word out through, social media and also through the Chamber and just networking and word of mouth.

Mic 3-Christa: 20:26

we do have a lot of young people moving here and starting their own businesses. I am glad that there is a group now that focuses on those younger, millennial, younger, thirties, even in their twenties. Someone started their business at 17, one at 18. Like I see you guys coming down out of high school with an entrepreneur mindset I really like that you have this group for the younger people.

Mic 2-Alexis: 20:48

yeah, it, that's what spawned it. The noticing that there were so many younger people moving to the area, a lot of young families, a lot of people starting their families, a lot of military deciding to stay, Onslow County's median age is 23.

Mic 1-La Rhea: 21:07

23,

Mic 2-Alexis: 21:08

Wilmington and Pender County and New Hanover, it's 38. So that's a huge difference. And I'm no spring chicken, but I want to help people, grow and keep within their community if they can. So if, like you're saying, if there's 17, 18 year olds who are in high school and they're like, I'm already making, six figures straight out of high school because this group helped me Foster this business, or I just graduated college and moved here.'cause I loved the beach. How can I start a business here and stay living at the beach?

Mic 1-La Rhea: 21:41

So how often do you meet, and what can we expect, so

Mic 2-Alexis: 21:45

have a once a month meeting and we rotate between a few different formats. We do networking, that can be an after hours event or during the day. We do leadership, we recently did a Lunch and Learn where we have, speakers lead everyone. Then we also will be doing community based events. December 14th, we are going to be at the Flotilla, volunteering there, and we will have one of our Topsail professionals leadership being one of the judges. So we're doing those kind of things, but our events are all about networking, leadership, and impact.

Mic 3-Christa: 22:22

leading

Mic 1-La Rhea: 22:23

impacting your

Mic 2-Alexis: 22:24

to your community, impacting your community, leading your community. Those are our core values, How can we, engage those people? So like I said, we had a networking event in September, we had a pumpkin carving event in October, and the proceeds from that went to Western North Carolina hurricane victims. we had our Lunch and Learn with Andy Schwebka from Hidden Ships Distillery last month. Then we had a Lunch and Learn with Richard Stroop from,

Mic 1-La Rhea: 22:52

Saltwater

Mic 2-Alexis: 22:53

Resorts and Sweets. and then in January we'll have another networking event. And then maybe we'll have some other fun events like a mini golf tournament that we have coming up. So that would be considered one of our community events because we will be donating some money through that.

Mic 3-Christa: 23:07

that's great.

Mic 1-La Rhea: 23:08

of our community events because we will be donating some money through that. And I was going as a young professional to just get some information. And he did such a great speech. He talked about that leadership and what it takes to be a business owner and how to be a leader.

Mic 2-Alexis: 23:26

It was an amazing speech. Yeah, I know I we met and immediately you walked in and we connected I just like I was like, oh, you're cute. Hello

Mic 1-La Rhea: 23:35

like your outfit. Oh, you like mine.

Mic 3-Christa: 23:37

now

Mic 2-Alexis: 23:37

god, and then literally like 20 minutes later I think we got an email like oh, hey, by the way, and so that was very interesting Yeah, that's how we connected. So That's what I mean. I would not have known you until today. So it was really nice getting to know you and connecting with the community just from that because we offer that time to that networking, that fellowship, that connection before and after each event. My personal phrase is meet three people you didn't know at these events. Find three business cards you've never seen. Reach out to somebody. Or some group you've never heard of before and see what that takes you to. See what that leads you. Can

Mic 3-Christa: 24:17

Can you tell us about the remote workers? I work from home, obviously, but I get to meet people when you guys come in for the interview. My husband works from home. I know a lot of people, especially after COVID, have turned to remote working. So tell me about, what you guys did to support this group of people.

Mic 2-Alexis: 24:34

That was, one thing we really noticed from the get go about the Topsail Young Professionals is that a lot of them were remote workers or hybrid remote workers and we, unlike Wilmington, there's no co working space here and sometimes you're just, you feel a little trapped in your house, and you just moved here and want to meet more people. So we fostered this remote working group out of that need. a lot of the, people I had met in town were at Saltmarsh Market while they were working. And Michelle Wilbanks already had a very, relaxed co working friend group that she, assembled like once a week via text. And we had just played off of that. She wanted to grow it.

Mic 1-La Rhea: 25:17

and asked if

Mic 2-Alexis: 25:18

Asked if we could help her with that. So we partnered with Salt Marsh for a few of the first ones because they have such a wonderful space. They have all of the options of snacks, of drinks, of being right in the center and heart of Surf City at the moment, and they offered really strong Wi Fi, a snack board, and a lot of it is just people sitting there, hanging out with their computers, doing their work. Or it's Hey, I know. You are also in marketing. I really need somebody to help me market my real estate business. Or hey, I'm really sorry to bother you. You're a financial representative and I am a photographer and I have nothing planned. Help me please. Or I need a tax associate. And then, you see those friends at Salt Marsh grabbing a snack the next day, So for the remote workers, we're going to be changing venues once a month, we focused on Saltmarsh for the first two Starting it out, seeing how it's going. But we're going to be doing two events a month at one business. next month it will be at Surf City Brewing Company. They just joined the Chamber of Commerce and they will be having snacks, maybe a little bit of swag, things like that available. And it is maybe a new location to go to Meet new people.

Mic 3-Christa: 26:34

Our rotating, a month. We're thinking

Mic 2-Alexis: 26:36

Correct. Our rotating, forum is once a month, but we're possibly thinking of having always a lunch and learn, always a remote, and then a networking or community.

Mic 1-La Rhea: 26:47

do not a the Chamber of

Mic 2-Alexis: 26:53

do not need to necessarily be a of the Chamber of Commerce. We highly encourage you to look into being a member because they have so much to offer you as a small business and even an individual. there's no fees to join at the moment. all you have to do is sign up for an event on their website and you're automatically added to our mailing list. once you're on the mailing list, you get all the information about what events are coming up. You can email us. with questions. You can also join our Facebook and our Instagram groups and connect with other members through there. and you'll see events through the Topsail Chamber's website, newsletter, and Facebook. there's multiple ways to find it, but there's no need at the moment to have an official membership, MUSIC TRANSITION

Mic 1-La Rhea: 27:48

So Alexis, you're off to a great start already. the meetings, the Lunch and Learns, they are just, such a wealth of information and I speak just from myself because I attended one, so I can say this, but, the one I went to where, Andy from Hidden Shipspoke. Amazing. The fact that you guys are going to like local businesses. This one was at Coastal Blends, which is a locally owned business here in Holly Ridge. It's a veteran owned business and when I went in those doors, it was packed.

Mic 3-Christa: 28:18

it was

Mic 1-La Rhea: 28:19

There was nowhere to park. There was nowhere to, you just had to situate yourself. And I just can't help but think about the impact that was for them. I'm sure their sales went up, and I can only imagine how much they appreciated for you guys to have that there.

Mic 2-Alexis: 28:35

That's one of our biggest goals is highlighting smaller businesses in the area and helping them increase their sales, their revenue. I just want to say, in fact, at Coastal Blends, you jumped behind the counter. have you ever worked there before?

Mic 1-La Rhea: 28:50

Just like you're a lady of all trades.

Mic 2-Alexis: 28:52

and I didn't, I was like, she must have worked as a barista, but it was so cool to see. You just noticed these people were getting swamped with business and they were shocked at how busy it was and you just offered to help, which was so sweet. I just wanna say that. But that's what our goal was, to help these people boost awareness, their network, and show, wow, this place is amazing. So that is one of our goals for that, yeah.

Mic 1-La Rhea: 29:18

And I just will say this too, and I know that, Christa has, I've spoken with Tami and I've talked with Tami briefly from the chamber and she's got nothing but wonderful things to say about you you're making such a positive impact. Just hearing your story, hearing about how you grew up, where you've come from, what you've done, and then to have you doing it here. It just, it doesn't surprise me, but I couldn't think of a better person to do these things. So we're grateful for you. Starting this and your, your heart behind that. We really appreciate that.

Mic 2-Alexis: 29:50

you. That means a lot to me. Thank you.

Mic 1-La Rhea: 29:53

So what would you like to accomplish with this group? let's just think next three to five years. what would you like to see accomplished? In

Mic 2-Alexis: 30:00

the next, three to five years, I would say I would love to see this community grow exponentially. there's so much opportunity. I would love to see us fostering any non profits in the community. I would love to see us even potentially starting a grant program to help small businesses grow. That is a dream of mine, is how can we help underprivileged or smaller businesses grow. take off and what resources can we give them. So being that go to resource for your business and your next step is what my goals are. And being able to give back to the community, give back to the area, give back to even the ground we exist on is really important here. so just fostering that connection and Hoping that the Topsail area can thrive and flourish in the next three to five years would be my dream and Potentially let that little bird fly on its own

Mic 1-La Rhea: 30:54

That sounds amazing just to think about that and the possibilities, to make those connections with people and give those, resources. So we're gonna go ahead and wrap things up What's one thing, and I know there's a lot of

Mic 2-Alexis: 31:07

other things, but

Mic 1-La Rhea: 31:08

but what's one thing that listeners can take away from this conversation today about you and about the Topsail Young Professionals?

Mic 2-Alexis: 31:15

Professionals? the one thing I want people to take away from this is that the Topsail Young Professionals is about networking, leadership, and impact. If you can network and meet a connection that helps you impact. your life and someone else's, you can grow your community. That is my favorite way to say it. And if you are confused on anything, reach out to us. We are here to help you. You can Contact me at any time. If you see me out in Topsail or Surf City, say, Hey, I saw you on Facebook and I know I don't know you, but can you help me with this? More than happy to. I think that's the best part, is we're more than happy to help you in any way. Even if it's us just liking a post on social media, that's the simplest form

Mic 1-La Rhea: 32:01

I love that. It's time to wrap things up insiders, please go to our show notes Where you'll find the address the phone number information to the Chamber of Commerce as well as all of the links to Topsail Young Professionals website and their Facebook and Instagram pages thank you so much, Alexis, it was a pleasure chatting with you and getting to know you and this new group that's in our area.

Mic 2-Alexis: 32:23

Thank you so much. I really appreciate it.

Mic 3-Christa: 32:26

Alexis, truly, thank you so much for coming on the show. I just want to say thank you, Larea. You did a great job hosting and I look forward to having you host more shows in the future. you're hired.

Mic 1-La Rhea: 32:35

you.

Mic 2-Alexis: 32:35

cut that

32:37

Hey, if you enjoyed today's episode of Topsail Insider, please show your support by clicking the follow or subscribe button on your favorite podcast listening platform. You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube. Please also go to Topsailinsider. com and join our mailing list by clicking on the make me a Topsail Insider button. While you're there, you can click the send me a voicemail button and let me know exactly what you're thinking. Your message just might be on an episode of Topsail Insider. You can email me at Christa at TopsailInsider. com or call or text me at 910 800 0111. Thank you for listening and supporting Topsail Insider and our local businesses and nonprofits. These are our neighbors and our friends, and together we build a mighty and a beautiful community I'm super proud to be a part of. I'll see you around Topsail.