We love our members! Here’s why.
We recently asked one of our Austin Young Chamber Members and Leaders about her personal experience with AYC and it made us want to join AYC all over again. Check out what she had to say:
My experience with AYC since day one has been filled with passionate and goal orientated people that crave to make an impact on their day to day success story and the successes of those around them.
When at any AYC event whether it be for your first time or your 100th, there is an energy or buzz to the room that is incredibly empowering.
You could meet like-minded individuals that are just starting out on their road of networking in Austin or are veterans to the networking scene.
I can’t explain what exactly it was that clicked for me. It could have been that every single person had a smile on their face and wanted to meet you, get to know you, and help you.
Joining AYC is a no brainer and to be honest with you from the get go I knew it was the right fit for me. I knew that I wanted to put myself out there since moving back to Austin which was an entirely different city than when I left six years prior so I hadn’t the faintest clue where to start. When I heard there was a young chamber I immediately scoped it out or more like majorly creeped on every social media platform to see what they had to offer, which is quite a lot. If it was accessible and affordable since I was jobless and broke at the time and there was so much to choose from that didn’t cost a thing! I was so eager to start, I choose to not only go to one event but 4 in the first month!
AYC offers you such a unique experience of getting to blend your social life interaction with your professional life.
When I started my journey with Austin Young Chamber of Commerce I was jobless and lost trying to stumble my way through a city I was unfamiliar with professionally. By getting involved in AYC I have had the opportunity to network with incredible individuals in the community that have helped me pave the way to where I am today and where I hope to see myself in the future. Within a month of being plugged in I had been offered and accepted a position with the City of Austin AmeriCorps VISTA Project as Austin Parks and Recreation Community Outreach Coordinator where my mission was to help aide the department’s efforts to alleviate poverty in two communities in Northeast Austin by conducting outreach, community assessments and doing data analytics to provide more opportunities within their youth developmental programming. That year of service segwayed into my opportunity to be offered the position as the City of Austin AmeriCorps VISTA Project VISTA Leader were I am the liaison between VISTAs and city staff, conducts recruitment, implementation of projects, and provide VISTA members with on-site professional development and training sessions. Now of course I did not get to where I am today without the wonderful opportunities AYC provided for developmental growth. Just in my first year of being an AYC member I have been able to lead the charge on multiple different not for profit volunteer service events, attend professional development seminars, and make lasting connections with the people who make Austin the city I love calling home.
Interested in becoming a part of the Austin Young Chamber family? Click here to join or reach out to Ashleigh O’Connor your member relationship coordinator.
