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Spotlight on Ogden Young Professionals

Apr 07, 2016 03:46PM ● By Bryan Scott


Ogden - Ogden Young Professionals was created by kbENT Media in September of 2013 and has hosted professional training seminars, meetups and socials for area entrepreneurs. The group provides educational workshops, networking events with a strong sense of business development and interaction with city economic development and redevelopment. In January 2016, they partnered with The Ogden Weber Chamber of Commerce to expand their capabilities, increase awareness and ultimately support the next generation of emerging leaders.

Ogden Young Professionals (OYP) meets every second Thursday of the month at 5:30 p.m. There is no age limit to join OYP; we want to promote small business and help startups get off the ground in the Ogden/Weber area. OYP educates members on the available resources, including the OWATC, Ogden’s Business Development Center/Business Information Center (BIC), Small Business Development Center (SBDC) and others. OYP helps professionals build their business, network with local other local business owners, share ideas, be in the know for what is happening in Ogden and help Ogden grow. 

During their March meetup the group met at the Bellington Manor in Ogden. Debra Darrington Peterson spoke to the group about her story and opening the Bellington Manor. The group was then tasked with a communication activity where teams had to guide their partners across a room full of obstacles. This meetup taught members how to better communicate and to explore the other side of the story; how to represent yourself and your story; and how to avoid people receiving a different story than the one you intended to tell them. 

For the past two years, OYP has held nine workshops a year and has hosted an annual art project titled “What if Ogden…?” which takes place during the April First Friday Art Stroll and asks participants to imagine new uses for dilapidated and vacant spaces throughout town. People paint their ideas atop photos of the abandoned spaces. This year the event will be held at The Parlour, 2562 Washington Blvd. from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. on April 1. OYP also has a “social” meet up on May 14 at MacCool’s in Ogden. The social will run for an hour starting at 5:30 p.m. The socials are free and will give people a chance to come meet members and network.

Member highlight on Bethany Tracy, owner of Hippie Skin:

Hippie Skin is an integral part of a healthy, balanced, natural lifestyle.  Since our bodies absorb and assimilate what we put onto our skin, it’s important to know what goes into it.  Formulated with simple, natural, organic and easily pronounceable ingredients, Hippie Skin nourishes skin and body from the outside in.

I joined Ogden Young Professionals a couple of years ago, and I loved the idea of being able to connect with like-minded business owners/entrepreneurs/and career professionals.  Having a forum to connect is definitely beneficial to growth, but as OYP has grown, I’ve really enjoyed attending and learning about how to be a better business owner.  OYP brings in local professionals to share their experiences, and we have covered many subjects from marketing to business planning, which are hugely beneficial to a small business owner like myself.  I find this group invaluable, and the connections I have made through OYP are not only beneficial to my professional growth, but personally as well.  

I started Hippie Skin because I was increasingly frustrated with “organic” skin care products that were overpriced and loaded with fillers.  I wanted to know what I was putting onto my skin, and I wanted to know that it would be the best thing for my skin.  I have a strong propensity toward green practices and sustainability, and with that passion, we developed products that follow a model of purity as well as sustainability.  All our products are raw, cold-pressed, steam-distilled, and of the purest quality; we spend countless hours learning about our raw materials before we purchase them to honor our commitment to quality.  We package Hippie Skin in glass containers to avoid contamination with chemicals that can leach from plastics, and because glass is much easier to recycle than plastic.  We also offer a Hippie Green discount locally for those who return used jars to us for a discount on new ones. 

Ogden is awesome.  I absolutely love living here, and Ogden has been a great place to start a business.  I joke a lot of times that it was far easier than I expected it to be, and the community here is incredibly supportive.  I believe that anything is possible if you put your mind to it, and our great community is a testament to our success as a company.  We are passionate about our product and love that everyone seems to love it as much as we do!

OYP is now a membership-based group. The membership fee is $90 a year and pays for the workshops along with refreshments. Membership includes all workshops. If you are interested in joining Ogden Young Professionals you may attend one workshop at no cost. Beyond that, non-members can attend sessions for $15, payable at the door. To join Ogden Young Professionals you can go to the Ogden Weber Chamber website and select 2016 Ogden Young Professionals in the event registration page. You do not need to be a member of the Chamber to join Young Professionals. In fact, this group is a great gateway to the chamber and opportunity to get involved while your business grows.

For more information, see Ogden Young Professional’s Facebook group (open to everyone, not just members): https://www.facebook.com/OgdenYoungProfessionals. Please also join us for Friday Art Stroll at the Parlour and join us at McCool’s on May 14. 

For more information on Hippie Skin, please visit them on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HippieSkinCare or visit their website at www.hippieskin.com.