Member Monday
Wellness in the Workplace: The Invisible Thread
In many professional settings, career success and personal wellness are treated as separate entities, when in reality, they’re intertwined. We may intend to prioritize our health goals, but inadvertently push them aside for deadlines or parenting emergencies. Without realizing it, we compartmentalize our wellness for “later.” The Good News: Simple, intentional steps have a profound…
Read MoreMake Like a Baby and Advertise
If you have ever played Peek-A-Boo with a baby, you know what Object Permanence is. Typically, babies learn between 4 and 8 months that you haven’t completely disappeared when you cover your eyes. And, in a sense, that is what businesses are trying to do with our marketing and advertising efforts. We want customers, and…
Read MoreLocal Business Digital Survival Guide: Part 1
You could have the best product in Lynchburg, the most skilled team in Central Virginia, and five-star service that would make your grandmother proud. But if potential customers can’t find you online, you might as well be invisible. Here’s the uncomfortable truth: most local businesses are losing customers every single day, not because they’re doing…
Read MoreBuilding Bridges: Why Strategic Partnerships Are the Key to a Thriving Lynchburg Community
Greater Lynchburg’s nonprofit community is vibrant and collaborative. Every visit to a local organization reveals partnerships in action—sharing resources, co-hosting workshops, and volunteering at each other’s events. This spirit of cooperation is one of our region’s greatest strengths. Yet, through my role as Business Development Specialist at Freedom First Credit Union and service on multiple…
Read MoreFinding Your Place: My Experience with Young Professionals of Central Virginia
When I first joined Young Professionals of Central Virginia (YPCV), I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect. Like many of us balancing career growth with community involvement, I wondered if it would just be another networking group where business cards get exchanged but real connections are rare. Instead, what I found was a community that…
Read MoreHow AI is helping Lynchburg Businesses
Here’s something I’ve been thinking about lately: Lynchburg businesses are caught in a tough spot. You need to compete with bigger markets like Roanoke, Charlottesville, and Richmond, but you can’t lose the personal touch that makes local business work here. AI-powered marketing is changing this equation in a way I didn’t expect. For the first…
Read MoreDrawing Strength: How Archery Silences the Noise of War
In 2015, I came home from Afghanistan carrying memories that never slept: the sights and smells of combat and cowardly suicide bombings; the faces of brothers and a sister who didn’t make it back from that mission. Survivor’s guilt, depression, and constant flashbacks followed me everywhere. Then one afternoon I picked up a bow for…
Read MoreBeyond the Classroom: How Leading Off-Campus Shaped My Career Journey
I first came across the Leading Off-Campus program while walking to the cafeteria at the University of Lynchburg, where I noticed a table set up with flyers. At the time, I was looking for ways to build connections and gain exposure to a professional atmosphere beyond the classroom. Choosing to apply to the program shaped…
Read MoreA Restart, A Community, and the Power of Belonging
For thirteen years, my identity was rooted in the world of education. The classroom was my second home, and my students were part of my purpose. But life has a way of bringing us to crossroads. After over a decade in education, I found myself standing at the edge of change—uncertain about what the next…
Read MoreGetting Your Team to Williamsport
A summertime tradition that many people enjoy is the Little League World Series. These kids are amazing! I often think about how hard it must be to find even one young athlete that is a great fit for the team, much less a dozen to be able to make it to Williamsport and compete with…
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