Where do you work and what makes your role awesomesauce?
My name is Erik Richter and I am part of the amazing team at Zywave! “Awesomesauce” is defined by Urban Dictionary as “The essence of awesomeness.” Working at Zywave, now, for the better part of a year, I can definitely say my job is just that! Sure, I love what I do…I get to help build our awesome software that helps insurance brokers, a largely analog industry in this digital world, grow and succeed…but my love for my job extends far beyond just doing something I completely love every day. Something else that makes Zywave truly Awesomesauce is the people I get to work with. My peers. I am truly on a team. We are smashing our minds together each day to solve complex problems and build cool stuff…both for the company and industry-wide. We are making a difference. What’s more, we are having fun doing it! How much more awesome could that get? Still more! Extending from this, along with being on a team with my peers, I am also on a team with my company. At Zywave, employees are treated like partners…we are treated like assets…and because of this, I feel valued every day. Because of this I WANT to go to work! I WANT to help make sure my company succeeds. I’m inspired to…and I have fun doing it. Work doesn’t feel like work. It feels like a place I get excited to come to every morning knowing I will leave excited to come back the next day…and after being in the workforce for many years, I never thought this feeling was possible until I came here. I love my job! For a young professional, I feel that feeling is the essence of awesome…and I feel it’s rare to find that. This is why Zywave is Awesomesauce…for the same reason you won’t find that word in Webster’s Dictionary…as an employer, Zywave doesn’t fit the traditional, boring mold. It is different. I love that!
How long have you lived in MKE & what brought you here?
I have lived in the Milwaukee area, cumulatively, for 18 years. I like to say I’m a boomerang resident…I left for short periods of time, but always came back! At the heart of it, this is because my whole family is from the area…and because of that, Milwaukee is and will always be, simply, home.
What do you love most about MKE?
The thing I love most about Milwaukee is that, to me, it feels like a big present wrapped up in a tiny package. It has the culture, food, architecture, neighborhoods, parks, events, and beauty of a big city without the crowds, traffic, expansive size, and angry people. It’s like spending time with your cool uncle knowing he’ll never ground you for staying out too late. It’s the best of both worlds.
What local restaurant is at the top of your list?
Stack’d Burger Bar. Hands down! I have a huge affinity for anything between two pieces of bread. In my opinion, Stack’d does it best. Everything is made in-house and they have the best turkey burger I’ve ever tasted. I feel that is a huge litmus test when it comes to a quality burger place…many places’ come out dry and overcooked. Not Stack’d! Plus, their fried pickles with Sriracha ranch are out-of-this-world good! …and as if everything I just mentioned isn’t enough, Purple Door Ice Cream is, literally, two blocks away for a little after-dinner awesomeness as well!
What is your biggest hope for this city?
Milwaukee has an extremely high homicide rate. I think if there is one major scar on an, otherwise, beautiful city, it is that. My biggest hope for Milwaukee is for that statistic to diminish…not just for the city, but for the people who live in it. I hope, one day, I can turn on the news and not see stories about kids getting shot. I hope, one day, people feel safe taking a walk at night. I hope, one day, respect and love for people rises and hate falls. I know it’s a long shot to think this way…but what is hope for?
What’s your favorite hidden gem or secret fact about the city?
I absolutely love that Milwaukee allows its hidden gems and secret facts to be seen and known by the public through its Doors Open MKE weekend! This event, alone, keeps the amazing history of our city alive! …and allows the public to see some pretty cool things it, otherwise, wouldn’t! Hidden treasure in City Hall, the world’s oldest bowling alley, a lake under downtown buildings, speakeasy tunnels…it’s a whole weekend dedicated to hidden urban exploration and the stories behind these gems! If you’re looking for something specific, how about Hi Hat on Brady is actually an old school house that was moved, brick-for-brick, four blocks down the road to its current location! Talk about a mobile home!
What do you think is going to be a game changer for the city in the year of 2016?
I feel like Milwaukee is currently going through an urban Renaissance. Everywhere I look, I see new buildings getting erected and old buildings getting new lives. Run down neighborhoods are now hip and modern…and clean. There are things to do and places to see, and I think much of this is happening to attract more young professionals to the city…not just from Wisconsin, but from all over. After all, we are the next generation of the workforce. We are the next generation of home owners. But, most importantly, we are the next generation entrusted with this city. It’s ours to look after and invest in…and with so much development, it also shows Milwaukee is investing in us…it has faith in us. It wants to make us happy with the hope that we will continue to help it grow. 2016 and 2017, I feel, will bring about a shift in the way Milwaukee is viewed by outsiders…not so much of a travel destination anymore, but rather, a home base. “Milwaukee, Home” never sounded better!
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