WAVE Young Professionals Network in Brainerd Lakes Area

There is a networking and professional development program helping future leaders connect in the Brainerd Lakes Area.

Arranged through the Brainerd Lakes Chamber of Commerce, the WAVE Young Professionals Network is designed to help those ages 18 through 39 take the next step in elevating their skills and advancing their careers.

“This has been front of mind for the big Chamber board for a few years,” said Leah Boedigheimer, WAVE Young YPN Vice Chair. “The Brainerd Lakes Area really wanted to create a program for young professionals because you have people new to the area, moving back, have been here forever, and then with remote work to create a program where you can advance professionally and socially.”

WAVE YPN meets once every month and discusses a different topic every get-together, with December’s topic being “The Impossible Goal.”

“Being content, and sometimes when young professionals – I think this is kind of a stigma, it comes across as, when we aren’t content, we’re greedy and that’s not what we want to portray,” said Boedigheimer. “It’s not that we aren’t content, it’s just, what are the next steps and how do we get there?”

Many people have their own “impossible” goals they are working towards. Paula Chapulis, a leadership coach and the Brainerd Chamber’s Blue Ox Business Academy Director, knows those goals are attainable through hard work and the right mindset.

“Leadership is a mindset. It’s not a title,” emphasized Chapulis. “When you think about all the thoughts that we have every day, and I mentioned today we have 60 to 80,000 thoughts a day and we have what’s called the negativity bias, being able to know about that can help someone understand what is getting in their way for what they want out of life.”

Some of the key takeaways from WAVE’s meeting last week included establishing a new approach to goal setting, discussing what it means to have a growth mindset, and finding an accountability partner. The goal is to help the young professionals who are not satisfied with just being content continue striving for more.

“We should always strive to be better,” Boedigheimer added. “Be aware that you’re where you’re at because of your hard work. But you should always strive to be better. But then also, always reach back and remember the kindness that was given to you and the support that was given to you. So it’s like, how can you give that back to the community?”

The next topic on deck for WAVE in January is “Generations in the Workplace.”