REGISTER NOW: Uncomfortable Conversations: The Skills Crisis
REGISTER: 8THIRTYFOUR Skills Survival School Founding Cohort

Meet Renay

Share the goods.

By: Renay Shoenmaker
Well it seems to be that time of year again. Summer rays have begun fading away; while Fall’s crisp winded days are blowing in, whistling the phrase: Welcome Back; school is now in session. It is at this point I wonder where the summer has gone. Did it really go by THAT fast? Can I really be…growing up? The answer is yes.

As I begin my junior year at Grand Valley, I am in awe that three years of memories, successes, failures, and embarrassments have flown by. How did I get to a point in my life where accepting responsibility is second nature? Somehow, though I cannot explain it, I finally feel ready for the daunting tasks that are about to be thrown my way. In this sense, I am proud for finally leaping into the professional pool as a first time intern with 834 Design and Marketing.

Although, I do not really know what to expect, I cannot complain so far. I already have fallen into a deep “like” for the industry, and that was only after the first day. All in all, I am excited to see where this year leads me and also 834 Design. But, ultimately I cannot wait for the point where this “like” I hold for the industry turns into a love of this career world.

To wrap up this little introduction up I would just like to say: Hello blogging world! My name is Renay Schoenmaker. First time blogger, but don’t hold that against me. I love being creative, thinking outside of the box, and I have the deepest passion for laughing and making others smile.
And I’m here to stay.

Follow Renay on Twitter @renayshoe

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Recent Musings

Something on Your Mind?

Introducing our second speaker for Uncomfortable Conversations | The Pause, happening this Thursday. 

Meet Cheryl Bergman, Executive Director of the @miwomenscomm.

Cheryl is a statewide policy leader driving economic opportunity and better health outcomes for women across Michigan. Appointed by Governor Gretchen Whitmer in 2019, she brings together employers, healthcare experts, advocates, and policymakers to tackle the issues that actually move the needle - economic security, affordable childcare, and midlife women's health.

Before this role, Cheryl helped elect Michigan's first woman U.S. Senator and first woman Governor, and served as Senior Advisor on Governor Whitmer's 2018 campaign.

She's exactly the voice this conversation needs.

Join Cheryl and our powerhouse lineup of industry experts at The Pause on September 24th. 

Link in bio to register - spaces are going fast.
We love this trend, so we thought we’d jump on it and ask the team some “hard-hitting questions” to end the week. 

We’re a team made up of Gen X, Millennials, and Gen Z. Find out who knows the most about the classics. Any guesses?
We've received so many questions from new grads about breaking into a competitive market as a young professional. It starts with one thing according to @bodespeaks: being the salesperson of YOU. Emulate the leaders in your industry and show up where they show up.

It's not who you know, it's who knows you
Use the playbook of people you admire
Show up consistently and be seen
A handwritten note beats 100 LinkedIn messages, always.

See more Bode wisdom at her YouTube channel linked in our bio.
Meet our first speaker spotlight: Dr. Karen May, DC, CCSP, CCIP.

Dr. May owns and operates @mhneuropathycenter, and she's joining us for Uncomfortable Community Conversations: The Pause on September 24th to talk about something we don't talk about enough. 

Her career has spanned from elite sports medicine, including a stint as team physician for USA Bobsled and Skeleton as well as caring for pregnant moms and newborns and helping women navigate life’s transitions, always grounded in a belief in food as medicine and the body’s own capacity to heal. In 2017, that expertise was tested when a rare surgical complication left her fighting nerve damage in her own body. 

Drawing on decades of clinical practice and training, she rebuilt her health from the ground up — and has since helped thousands of people do the same. With over 20 years in holistic health care, she speaks today as both physician and peer.

Join us for The Pause on September 24th. Link in bio.
“It has been an incredible experience - getting to connect with women business owners from all across Michigan, learn from experts on planning for growth, and learn to lead to the best of my abilities for myself and my team.”

- @rcdutcher, CEO of @red66.marketing 

We’re looking for business owners who thrive in collaborative environments and can fully commit to the program—attending all in-person sessions, participating in one-on-one coaching, and engaging in every aspect of the nine-month fellowship. Participants who gain the most come ready to contribute, learn, and problem-solve alongside other committed business leaders.

Applications close on September 15.
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