Ad 2 Madison had a blast at YPWeek. It’s an event we love sponsoring and promoting and major shout out to all of the week’s organizers who make it all come together seamlessly. Our board and members fanned out and took part in multiple events — and to tell you a little bit about what we learned we bring you Dispatches from YPWeek!

Event: Sustainable Suds 3.0

Attendee: Kaine Korzekwa, Ad 2 Madison Web/Blog Chair

This was my first time attending Sustainable Suds, a brewery tour that highlights breweries in Madison that have sustainable practices. At each establishment we learned some about the brewery, their product, and the practices that help reduce their footprint on our planet. We started off at everyone’s favorite pub, The Great Dane. Next, we were off to Bos Meadery. I had only had mead there once and didn’t know much about it so this was very interesting. After Bos, we headed to Giant Jones. This was a new brewery for me and I am definitely going back! The two women owners were extremely personable and the beer was great. Our last stop was Working Draft, which has quickly become a staple in the Willie St. area.

This was a perfect event to meet people. Nothing like a couple drinks to get people to network. To top it all off, the ticket was $20 and some food and all the drinks were included — it was a great deal!

Event: Adulting 101

Attendee: Andrea Stegman, Ad 2 Madison Membership Chair

Loans, Taxes, Bonds, Oh my!

These were just some of the topics during the ‘Adulting 101’ session put on during YPWeek. Typically a scary topic, the speakers eased my nerves during our discussion of all things finance.  In the relaxed setting, we were able to ask specific questions and inquire about certain topics such as ‘Do I need life insurance?’, ‘How much should I be putting towards my 401k?’, and other scary things that we didn’t learn in school.

If there was one thing to take away from the speakers, it was to go see a financial advisor! Everyone has financial situations and goals in mind, and they are there to guide you to financial success.

Event: Connect Socially, Eat Locally

Attendee: Grace Davenport, Ad 2 Madison Public Service Chair

I attended Connect Socially, Eat Locally. This is my second year attending this event and each year has been an incredible experience. During the event you are invited to try small plates from four local chefs, three local food artisans, and drinks from four local breweries, distilleries, and soda vendors. Local chefs this year included Chef Dave Heide, owner of Lilliana’s and Charlie’s on Main, Chef Doug Hamaker, co-owner of Forage Kitchen and part-owner Roast Public House, Chef Lauren Montelbano from Surya Cafe, Chef Laurel Burleson from The Ugly Apple Cafe. Local food artisans included Lushlife Vegan Bakery, Landmark Creamery, and Off-The-Block Salsa. The drinks were provided by Wisco Pop, Natural Spirits, Flix Brewhouse, and Giant Jones Brewing Company.

This event is a great way to not only mingle with young professionals from a variety of backgrounds, but also to highlight many different local small businesses. I have met young professionals in sales, marketing, advertising, local realtors, University staff members, and much more. It is incredible to see how we all come together and can learn from each other.

Event: Speaker Crawl

Attendee: Kaine Korzekwa, Ad 2 Madison Web/Blog Chair

I also attended the speaker crawl, along with a few other members of the board. I attended this event last year and it was amazingly inspirational once again. It brings in young business owners and other great minds in Madison to talk about how they got their start and answer the questions on everyone’s minds. This year it was held at DreamBank’s new location on East Washington. The new space was great.

I listened to short talks by the Chandra Miller Fienen, the executive director of StartingBlock. StartingBlock is a hub for amazing startups in Madison. We also heard Kellian Kiron talk about her experience striking out on her own from Chicago to come back to Madison and start a franchise of The Barre Code downtown. Lastly, it was fascinating to hear from Peter Wilt about how he has helped bring professional soccer to the city of Madison by helping start Forward Madison.

Be sure to look out next year for awesome YPWeek events! We hope to see you there.