By Maddie Holtzclaw

My name is Maddie Holtzclaw, and I have been a YPK member since Fall of 2015.  After my first Networking Happy Hour experience (which I went into by myself after discovering the group online), I knew I wanted a long-term engagement with this organization.  I remember learning about the Leadership Certificate Program the following year.

When my time finally came to apply, I was hopeful that my employer would pay for the class.  When I was accepted to be a part of the leadership class, I was the Assistant Manager at Legends at Oak Grove apartments.  Our management company/owner back then was a smaller operation, so they could not always cover expenses such as this one.  As luck would have it, my Regional Manager was in town the day after the leadership class orientation occurred.  I was excited to tell her about the opportunity and how big of a deal it was to have been selected.  When asked, I went ahead and mentioned that the one-time cost would be $100 and that it covered eight weeks’ worth of leadership training courses.

The very next day, I was told by my Property Manager that our Regional came to her and said, “We normally wouldn’t offer to pay for a course provided outside of our company, but Maddie seemed very excited about it and leadership opportunities are important.”  With that, I had successfully (although unintentionally) earned the payment toward my Leadership Course.  To this day, I still use tips learned throughout those eight weeks, and I am forever grateful to my previous company and Regional Manager for making that opportunity a reality for me.  I have chosen to stay with Legends at Oak Grove since that course, so the valuable leadership traits are still benefiting my property and my team to this day.

I’m very fortunate to have had the opportunity to be a part of the Young Professional’s Leadership class.  If anything, make it a point to at least tell your company, manager, owner, etc. how excited you are to have been selected to participate in this program and let them hear for themselves just how much you expect it to benefit your current role and company.  The most important aspect to keep in mind is that this program (as well as YPK as a whole) really can make a difference in your career.  Leadership will always be a necessary tool, no matter what your profession or title may be.

About the Author

Maddie Holtzclaw is the Property Manager for the Legends at Oak Grove apartment community.  She graduated from the University of Tennessee in Knoxville and chose to stay local as a way to give back to this city and community.  Maddie has been a YPK member since the Fall of 2015 and has participated in various roles within YPK.  When she's not managing an entire property, Maddie enjoys spending time with close family and friends, checking out any and all parks, and trying new recipes.