Over 30 young professionals and community leaders attended a YP Roundtable with Patrick Atkinson on Wednesday, September 19^th.  The event was held at the BSC National Energy Center of Excellence Auditorium.  Thanks to BSC for hosting the event!

While working for a crisis line in college Patrick was exposed to the “underbelly of the beast” and the needs of a hurting world.  After college graduation in 1981, he turned down numerous lucrative corporate job offers to work with runaways, prostitutes, and gang members in New York City.  His work brought him to many countries within Central America.  Founded in 1991, the GOD’S CHILD Project helped three children on day one.  Within its third year, they were helping 400 children.  Today they provide essential care for over 5,000 children and 8,700 widows and single mothers in Guatemala, El Salvador, India, Malawi and the United States.  For many years the GOD’S CHILD Project was funded through Mr. Atkinson’s books, articles, modeling, productions and inventions (www.atkinsoncenter.org).

6 Take Aways from Patrick

1. Be an entrepreneur for social good. Know yourself. Know what you know and know what you don’t know.
2. Don’t be afraid to say “yes”, give it a try and give it your best.
3. Running a charity is running a business. You have to first pay payroll, second taxes and third insurance. Having a legal structure is very important.
4. Having a “charitable heart” is not the same as running a charity corporation.
5. You have to take care of yourself to avoid burnout. You are a valuable asset.
6. It is important to build the machine and build the background of your company. Make sure you hit the “reset” button once you reach the point in your business where you realize “this is bigger than me”.

Mr. Atkinson current serves as CEO and is the founder of The GOD’S CHILD Project (www.GodsChild.org), an international network of charities, which includes the Institute for Trafficked, Exploited & Missing Persons (www.ITEMP.org). He serves on for-profit and non-profit boards of directors, and is the author / co-author of six books, including the international selling Message for My Child and The Powerful You.

Thank you, Patrick, for speaking to the Bismarck-Mandan Young Professionals Network!

Dress for Success was held February 16th at the Riverwood Office Complex where a group of YPN members gathered for the first in a series of Professional Development team events designed to help YPN members perfect their Professional Image. The PD team chose to start the year off by offering an event to help YPN members put their best foot forward when dressing for the workplace. Making that crucial first impression count when meeting with clients, customers, and co-workers is an important part of your Professional Image. Led by our Wardrobe Expert Dave, members were walked through the differences in Business vs. Business Casual vs. Casual and what those mean in the workplace. Dave offered up a myriad of great tips ranging from the simple (always match your belt color to your shoes) to the more advanced (don’t wear your flashiest suit to an interview – it can draw the interviewer’s attention away from you). Basics such as how to tie a tie, getting properly fit for clothing, and complimenting outfit colors were also shared with the attendees.

Overall it was a great opening event for the 2017 Professional Image series and the PD team encourages all YPN members to keep an eye out throughout the year for more opportunities!

A big Thank You goes out to YPN members Bill Heinzen for coordinating our speaker and Kate Black for graciously hosting!