Editor’s note: From time to time we receive a response to an article that we find thoughtful enough to publish. This is a response to Will Milwaukee Ever Become a True Destination for Young Professionals by Rob Hullum. The opinions below are the opinions of only the reader and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Shepherd Express. This has been slightly edited for grammar and clarity.
I moved to Milwaukee a year ago to get a small business started. I grew up in the suburbs of Chicago, and in my adult life over the previous 18 years I have been fortunate enough to spend time in a variety of places including some cities that are perceived and described as “hip” like Denver, Seattle and Portland. I have been involved with several startups with a variety of outcomes. I have some insights and comments that I'd like to share.
The first issue and obstacle for Milwaukee in regards to attracting or even better retaining a creative class (old or young) is the entrepreneurial atmosphere. When you tell people you're starting a business in Milwaukee you get the "don't quit your day job" treatment. It's not only that the population is risk adverse but almost hostile to the idea of risk. This could not be further from the atmosphere in "hip" cities. In fact, trying to start a business is respected even if it fails. You will usually be encouraged and congratulated. I have lived a really nontraditional life as an adult, driven more by geography and recreational pursuit than a career, family or money. When I tell somebody here about moving around so much and my past it's like they immediately get suspicious of me. In the "hip" cities, or in large cities, this would not be an issue at all. It's actually a familiar story in these places that is welcomed and not shunned.
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When I tell people in Milwaukee that I moved here by choice they usually laugh and ask why. For me, I was a little familiar with Milwaukee because I grew up nearby. I went to concerts here and I knew a couple of people that went to college here. This is a kind of two-part personality trait common to many of the people I meet in Milwaukee. Part is a kind of a provincial view almost as if they haven't interacted substantially with people from outside of Wisconsin. The other part is kind of an insecurity issue, there's a "we're just a crappy rust belt city in the shadow of Chicago and in a rural farm state" kind of mentality. Because there are relatively few people that have spent significant time someplace else they fail to see some of the really great elements Milwaukee has.
Something that stems from the provincial mentality and the lack of a substantial transplant population is a "don't question, don't knock, don't change" outlook. If you question why something is done a certain way in Milwaukee you'll be dismissed immediately. "That's the way we've always done it" or "We're not Denver or Los Angeles so we don't do things like them."
Here are some of the reasons I chose to live in Milwaukee:
- I had roots in Chicago so the region is familiar and family is nearby.
- The price of rent is affordable and the cost of living/doing business is also affordable. There is an ability to buy a house, and not just the only one you might be able to afford.
- I was able to live near great parks and a trail. Places without these elements have low quality of life and these elements are a must for any place I'll live.
- Wisconsin has great recreational opportunities that are easily accessible and affordable. There is great bike touring, cross-country skiing, canoeing, kayaking and light hiking.
- The city’s size is manageable both in population and physically.
- People are, in general, not pretentious. Nobody will push their agenda on you or knock you down for not having the latest device, clothes, car or whatever.
- The city has great bones with old buildings made to last. Retrofitting, upgrading, altering and improving the city, or even reinventing it, are all possible in a genuine way without a stagnant prefabbed Disney effect.
Milwaukee shouldn't waste any money on PR or marketing. That's just slogans and complete bullshit. There's no substance in crafting an image or branding a city or product or human. Milwaukee should focus on substance. It will never be a San Francisco or Denver or Portland or Austin. That's actually a great thing. Those cities are all overpriced and the true creative class is long gone.
Interesting people can't afford those places. The cost of everything is a substantial barrier to entry to any business big or small, tech or not. The people who made those cities great are either gone or busy reminiscing about the good old days when they could afford to live and have fun before all the uptight people moved in. So Milwaukee needs to maintain it's affordability and highlight that asset.
One thing Milwaukee has that is somewhat unique is the lake. Fresh water is the most undervalued and overlooked resource on the planet. The best days lie ahead for the Great Lakes region in a warming world with less fresh water by the day. Milwaukee needs to invest in a light rail system, but it's a really tough sell in auto centric America in general, but especially in frugal risk adverse Milwaukee.
Milwaukee has one of the best park systems in America. Other cities are literally spending billions to build parks and network their parks. Milwaukee has a solid foundation and instead of dismantling the parks and dismissing them as unnecessary, it needs to double down to keep the parks in top shape. They may be Milwaukee's best asset and investment.
In coordination with the parks and light rail, Milwaukee could connect and upgrade their bike trails. This could make it one of the most bike friendly cities in America with relatively little effort and cost. The state of Wisconsin needs to do more to promote modern outdoor recreation and reduce (not lose) their hunting and fishing sportsman image. This would benefit Milwaukee because easy access to outdoor recreation adds substantially to the quality of life and is in short supply in many other places.
Cheers,
Eric
