Twenty-six year old Marisa Arms grew up in Greer, and, after graduating from Winthrop University with a degree in Business Administration and Marketing in 2006, she returned to Greenville to begin her career. She wanted the close proximity to loved ones but thought a move closer to downtown Greenville would better suit her career and lifestyle aspirations. Now, nearly five years later, Arms is grappling with a question that could change the course of her personal and professional life, “should I stay or should I go?”
“I recently separated from my employer so I have some options on where to go from here,” says Arms. “When I think about where I want to make my next move, the thought of relocating is exciting. I’m seeking the unfamiliar and larger cities tend to offer more diversity.”
Arms is not alone. In fact there are many young professionals in Greenville and throughout the entire nation pondering this same question. So is Greenville prepared to hold on to its home-grown young professional talent or are we letting these best and brightest slip through our fingers? And how does Greenville best utilize our assets to draw in new professionals to our area?
This topic was recently addressed by Greenville Forward’s Momentum series, a forum established to discuss ideas pertaining to the furtherance of Vision 2025. Brock Koonce, Program Director, says the Momentum series builds on the organization’s belief in the power of conversation to create significant systematic community change. Since the series began two years ago, around 30 Greenville professionals have gathered monthly to discuss a variety of dynamic topics directly impacting Greenville’s future, including diversity and green practices. But perhaps the “Should I Stay or Should I Go” topic stands as one of the most important conversations Greenville leaders should pay attention to in order to ensure the continued success and vitality of our city.
“It’s so important for Greenville to establish an identity that complements what we have to offer before we can say, ‘we want more young people in Greenville,’” says Arms. “First I’d ask, ‘What types of young people do we want to live here?’ and once that question is answered, then we can take the next step of recruiting young professionals to relocate.”
Koonce says the January Momentum topic provided a conversation-starter on how Greenville must find ways to keep young people engaged, inspired and in town. The decision to explore this topic more thoroughly was inspired by many facets, most notably the 2010 Greenville Forward student retention survey and some eye-opening market research presented by Rebecca Ryan in Live First, Work Second, Getting Inside the Head of the Next Generation. The student survey found that 50 percent of South Carolina college students planned to leave the state after graduation with nearly 70 percent of African Americans planning to leave. Ryan’s research spells out what young millennials are looking for: “Three out of four Americans under the age of 28 said a cool city is more important than a good job.”
“With the statistics uncovered in our study combined with the mindset of young professionals nationwide, it is imperative that Greenville take up this discussion and determine some very real ways that we can bridge any gaps and bring our young professionals fully into engagement with the community,” says Koonce. “We have to reach out and welcome our youth and allow them to make their mark on Greenville. They will be the ones to take up the torch and carry it forward.”
Rich Winley, Founder and CEO of Fix The Glue Marketing, has spent much time in his young career living in a number of large cities throughout the Southeast, and it has given him a unique perspective of exactly what Greenville does right to retain young talent and also where improvements are needed.
“I went to Atlanta right after graduation from Mauldin High to begin my career. I stayed there six years before moving on to a variety of cities like Knoxville, Mobile, Birmingham, Nashville and Destin before moving back to Atlanta,” says Winley. “In Atlanta, there was a large community of young professionals from all walks of life. With so much diversity and so many young people, it was impossible to ever feel isolated.”
But, because of family reasons in 2008, Winley made the move back to Greenville to be closer to family and to continue his career here in the Upstate. Winley says that the downtown area has an atmosphere that is modern, clean, and arts-friendly, which is a wonderful asset in attracting young professionals. But, he notes, that by comparison to other large cities, Greenville still does not have the depth of diversity he craves or the significant involvement of 20- and 30-somethings in economic development initiatives.
Arms says she would like to see more affordable housing options for purchase, a beautification of out-lier areas such as Laurens Road, Pleasantburg Drive, and Rutherford Road, and an increased youthful presence in local politics.
Participants in the Momentum forum found that while Greenville does have many outlets for engagement for young professionals, including PULSE, the Jaycees, and Kiwanis Main Street, to name a few, one of the biggest obstacles is getting this message across to young professionals just getting here. Also, in addition to a wish for more diversity, the young voice has also vocalized a desire for more entertainment and music venues. But young professionals have listed area amenities, including housing, quality of life and restaurant choice, as strong incentives to stay.
“This discussion is so important for the Greenville community. We need to build a city that everyone wants to live in. As young people, we need to be involved in the decision-making and shaping of our community. It will be us who will pave the way for our future generations,” says Winley. “Change is inevitable, and we should embrace it and move forward together.”