The Youngish Professionals Committee has recharged our batteries to get the YPC Spotlight working again, and we have a great interview to kick off the next round of this bright series! Our Youngish friend Rebekah Hammond-Lehman takes to the orange chair to share her talents and interest with our community, and some advice on how to put your dreams into action.

SO…without further ado, please welcome Rebekah to our latest installment of the YPC Spotlight series!

YPC: Hey Rebekah, thanks for sitting down with the YPC! To kick things off, tell us a little about yourself and where you’re from.

RHL: Well, I grew up in Olivet, just down the road from Marshall, but I went to school in Battle Creek. Currently, I live in Battle Creek and work in Marshall.

I married my high school sweetheart, Dan, 15 years ago and we have 3 children who we absolutely love and adore. I love to travel and have been to 49 out of our 50 beautiful states. Hopefully, I will have Hawaii checked off of my bucket list within the next couple of years.

YPC: What a great state to end on! Professionally, what keeps you busy?

RHL: I’ve been a photographer for the past decade and just this year I opened my own studio and co-working space in Downtown Marshall – Kin&Co Studio.

YPC: What kind of photography do you do?

RHL: I’m mainly a wedding photographer, but I really enjoy fine art photography as well and often shoot purely for my creative outlet. I love trying new techniques and am always pushing myself to be better.

YPC: What inspired you to become a photographer?

RHL: I’ve always been a creative type and thought briefly about going into graphic design, but then my husband bought me a camera as a gift before one of our vacations and I fell in love. I learned everything I could about my little camera and then kept upgrading from there. Eventually, people started asking me to take their photos and that’s how I ended up where I am today.

YPC: A hobby turned professional, that’s awesome. Where has your photography taken you?

RHL: Lots of places! I have the honor and pleasure of traveling all over Michigan, which is pretty awesome. I have an intense love for this state and I’m always excited to visit new cities, especially along the shoreline and up north. I’ve also shot in Alaska and Washington D.C. My dream is to become a destination wedding photographer!

YPC: What’s the coolest thing you’ve ever photographed?

RHL: Oh, gosh! That’s a hard one! I guess it would have to be any photo that moves me. I have literally been moved to tears as I document beautiful moments, or shaking uncontrollably from laughing so hard.

YPC: Is the “first look” photo you recently took, where the bride sent the groom’s best friend in her place, one of those laughing so hard moments?

RHL: Ha! Totally. It was such a fun and funny moment, and it’s wild to know that photo has now been shared over 32,000 times and seen by millions!

 

YPC: So tell us a little bit about the studio/co-working space and what inspired you to open it in Marshall.

RHL: Where to start! I’ve wanted to have my own studio for a long time. I was often driving to Kalamazoo or Grand Rapids to find a decent space to rent for my photography needs and it was getting old. I had hoped that someone would just open up a cool space in the area and then thought, “Why not me!?” So that’s exactly what I did. But more than just having my own studio, I wanted to share it. Not every photographer/videographer can afford to own a studio and I wanted to make this space available at an affordable price to meet those needs.

In addition to the studio space, we also have a really unique co-working space. We have three desks that we rent out monthly to independent business owners that need a creative space to work in. It can be difficult for some people to work from home, myself included, and I wanted to create a space that motivates and inspires small business owners and helps them thrive at what they do.

As far as opening up the studio in Marshall, it was just a perfect fit! I’ve always loved the Marshall vibe and the diversity of the shops downtown. Not only that, but we are located directly above East End Studio and Art Gallery. To me, it’s just a beautiful blend of the arts and it couldn’t be more perfect!

YPC: What is one thing you are most proud of in 2018?

RHL: Well, I’m definitely proud of myself for taking my studio dream and making it become a reality. I tend to dream a lot, but don’t always follow through or take the necessary steps to make it happen. I think a lot of us can be like that.

YPC: What advice would you give to someone who wants to make a dream become a reality?

RHL: In the words of Nike, JUST DO IT! In all seriousness though, I would encourage them to start talking about their dream to close family and friends. Speaking it out loud is actually a pretty big step for a lot of people. Surrounding yourself with a solid support system will be so important and you will definitely need their encouragement along the way. Next, write down your dream and then work your way backwards with lots of little goals leading back up to your dream. Just start there and see where it takes you.

YPC: What is one thing you wish to accomplish in 2019?

RHL: I would love to start teaching photography workshops in 2019! I taught a photography 101 workshop back in the day and I loved it so much! And now that I say that, it’s making me think that I need to start that list I was just talking about!

YPC: What are you really into right now, as far as music, movies, books, etc.?

RHL: Oh man…I’m a huge Making a Murderer fan and recently finished the second season on Netflix. I actually texted my sister and asked her if she wanted to go to Washington with me next year to sit in the protest. I think she thought I was joking…I wasn’t. Haha!

I’ve also been into learning the Enneagram. It has been really fascinating learning about all of the different personality types and what makes people “tick”. Sadly, I cannot figure out what type I am! But, I’m determined and will report back once I figure it out.

YPC: Is there anything else you would like others to know about the studio or your photography?

RHL: Yeah! We actually have one desk available for rent if anyone is interested. Shameless plug, I know! Also, the studio rental isn’t necessarily exclusive to photographers and videographers. We have a beautiful handmade conference table that could be used for meetings, or you could use the space for workshops, yoga classes, artist events, etc. We actually just had a local band, Steel Giant, use the space for a live recording. It was really awesome!

YPC: Excellent! Well, thank you for your time Rebekah; thank you for sharing your talent, creative space, and energy with Marshall; and thank you for being Youngish! We are fortunate to have you as part of our community of professionals!

To learn more about Rebekah and see her talents in action, check out her professional page on Facebook (@kindredphotos) and Instagram (@kindred_photo_), in addition to Kin&Co Studio’s page on Facebook (@kinandco.studio). Interested in having her shoot for you or your business? Great! Send her a private message through either of the accounts above or a direct email to info@kindredphoto.us.

We hope to see you at the Mele Kalikimaka Mingle on Thursday, December 6th (Facebook Event Link)(Website Link), that you have your calendars marked for the Wolf Tree Film Festival on January 26th (Facebook Event Link)(Website Event Link), and that you are continuing to find new ways to share your talent and energy with the great little town of Marshall!

Cheers!

In our latest YPC Spotlight, we learn just how real orange chair envy can be, as the talented Jake Gates shares with us some tales from the comforts of his own soup’d up model (they make them in leather?!).

We hope you enjoy the adventure of how this youngish professional found his way back to Marshall, and learning about the power Fiction holds in the here and now.

In this month’s Spotlight, Tylere Presley takes to the orange chair to share how he found his current path in life, along with some of the twist and turns he has experienced along the way. He’s the kind of guy that has always had a clear picture of what the future can bring, and has always been able to see the positive in life, despite the circumstances. Please read on to see the good, the scary, and power of a positive perspective.

YPC: Let’s kick things off from day one. Where are you originally from?

Tylere: I was born in Battle Creek and then made the big move to Marshall when I was in 2nd grade.

YPC: What did you enjoy most about growing up in Marshall?

Tylere: I liked that it was the kind of place I felt I could do anything and be anybody. I always felt comfortable to try something new growing up here.

YPC: That’s awesome. When you were at Marshall High and looking towards your future, what were your dreams?

Tylere: I wanted to go to college, go to law school, become an attorney for 10 or 15 years, and during my time as an attorney serve on a school board or city council…

YPC: You had all of this mapped out in High School?!

Tylere: Haha, yeah! And after that all of that, I thought I’d run for a position on the state level and see where it goes from there.

YPC: With the path in mind, what did you end of studying in college?

Tylere: I majored in political science and minored in legal studies and psychology at Central Michigan University (CMU).

YPC: What followed after graduating from CMU?

Tylere: My first semester at CMU I was interested in joining a fraternity, and I found Beta Theta Pi. When I was pledging, I met some people from our national staff that traveled the country, visiting different chapters and alumni groups. I thought that sounded pretty interesting, and I knew it would be good to take a break before heading off to law school – to network and challenge if it was something I still really wanted to do. While at CMU, I worked hard to make that a possibility. I held various leadership positions, ended up being chapter president, and attended some national conferences. I’m happy to say it all paid off and I got the job I was after..

YPC: And where was that?

Tylere: Oxford, Ohio, which is where our headquarters is based. But, while that was technically home base for me, 75% of the time I was traveling around the country.

YPC: What was your travel like? College campus to college campus?

Tylere: Yeah. South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida were my main territories, and I also spent a little time in Texas.

YPC: That’s a ton of time on the road. Did that experience teach you anything new, or was your eye still on law school and that initial dream you shared?

Tylere: For the first year on the road I definitely still wanted to go to law school. I should mention that, during college, I also had an internship with a law firm in Chicago and worked in Jase Bolger’s office when he was speaker of the house, so I had the opportunity to see what it would be like to be an attorney and in public office. I definitely liked both of those experiences, so that’s why I was still so dead set on going to law school. It wasn’t until my second year when my job description changed and I moved to Atlanta that my mindset started to change. I met some attorneys there that said, “Man, you really don’t want to do this.” My goal had been to get in-state residency in Georgia and apply to the University of Georgia Law School, but yeah, they persuaded me not to do that. And at that time, I started to have aspirations to do some different things, so when I started to think about my return on investment of going to law school, it just wasn’t there.

YPC: Were you surprised to hear that advice from them?

Tylere: At first, yes. But the more we talked about what it was I wanted to do, where I wanted to go, and how to get there, it just made a lot more sense to not do that.

YPC: So you’re down in Georgia at that point. With the new change in mindset, is that when you moved back to Michigan?

Tylere: Initially, no. When my project in Atlanta ended I moved to West Lafayette, Indiana, with the anticipation of being there for a year. But then I was diagnosed with Stage 3 Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, so I did 6 months of chemo – which finished in January of 2015 – and, 2 days after my last chemo, I moved down to Tuscaloosa, Alabama, for an opportunity at the University of Alabama. In December 2015 my cancer relapsed, and that’s what essentially brought me back to Michigan and to Marshall.

YPC: So you had your first round of treatment down there?

Tylere: Yeah, my first round of treatment was in West Lafayette, Indiana. I had everything diagnosed at the University of Michigan in 2014, but I had just moved to Indiana and didn’t want to move back to Marshall. With West Lafayette only 3 hours from home, that was the concession I made with my mom. One of the worst parts of being diagnosed the first time was when the doctor said I was going to have to move home for 6 months. I really didn’t want to do that. Once it relapsed, I had a couple of different options of where to go, but I was more concerned about making it easier on my family. So that’s why, reluctantly, I decided to go to UofM to get treated. And I’m glad I did. They provided great care, and, based on my last visit, I’m all good now! My last treatment was in August of 2017.

YPC: That first diagnosis…did that just knock you right down

Tylere: Yeah, is a sense. I didn’t really know what it meant. I didn’t know what life was going to be like. But, as someone who always has to be doing something, I would get chemo treatments and go back to work…

YPC: That’s awesome you were able to still be so active.

Tylere: Yeah…but I will say, what really helped lessen the blow of the bad news was, a month before, I had noticed some swollen lymph nodes on my neck. I was visiting home and my mom noticed them as well, so we went to the doctor. Before going, I asked my mom what it could mean as she is a nurse-practitioner. She said it could be nothing and be addressed with some antibiotics, but if that doesn’t work, it could be some form of cancer. So I was already thinking worst case scenario at that point, or at least had it in the back of my mind. When the swelling didn’t go down, they said I needed to go get these scans done, it was like, “Okay…cool. Something way more serious is happening here.”

YPC: Wow, man, we cannot imagine. With the second diagnosis that followed, that must have been crushing

Tylere: Yeah…when I was told it had come back, it was almost a similar story. I had just gotten a six-month check-up scan that came back fine, but then I started to notice a lymph node under my left arm, and I was like, “I don’t think that is good.” So I called up the doctor’s office and had another scan done. A week later the call came in. It was back, and this time it would require a much more aggressive form of treatment.

I was super bummed about this because I had already started planning the next steps in my life. Around the time I was first diagnosed I had picked up a GoPro Camera and started playing around with that. A couple months later I bought a DSLR (photography camera) and started making little videos and taking photos, and I really enjoyed it. The fraternity had asked me to do a bunch of work for them video-wise, so not only was I back in Alabama, but every other weekend I was in some other area of the country filming some sort of project. I was super pumped about what was coming next…and then I was hit with that news. I didn’t know what the final outcome was going to look like. If you relapse, you know it can’t be good. On top of that, moving back wasn’t the most exciting thing for me, but I decided to make the most out of it, and I’m enjoying it. I enjoy being back.

YPC: Was it that GoPro that got you into the work you are doing now?

Tylere: It was the spark that re-ignited a fire! I had played with videography and photography in middle school and high school, but outside of that, it was all just for fun. Once I started to work towards law school, I stopped doing it. I kind of just put it away, but once I picked it back up, it was as if I never stopped. And now I can purchase much better equipment which makes it even more fun, hahaa.

YPC: What’s your dream job? Presidential Aspirations

Tylere: No, but I still feel public service is something I would like to do. Just not sure what level. Working for the fraternity taught me how much I value autonomy. As a recent graduate, they allow you to do a lot, and that’s pretty crazy…

YPC: No kidding. As a recent graduate, it seems like you’re usually under a magnifying glass.

Tylere: Yeah, but definitely not the case in this instance. Right away they told me that I would be running 15 different projects. They trusted me and my best judgement, and it really instilled in me the confidence to deliver. That experience is what inspired my desire to own my own business. A media business with photography and video, working with social media…really any kind of content creation. I’d like to create a small team and help develop them and their talent to deliver compelling stories for organizations, businesses, schools, and people. If someone wants something done, let’s help them. But let’s do it in a fun, unique, and compelling way.

YPC: As far as storytellers go, who captures your eye and imagination the most?

Tylere: It varies and I find inspiration everywhere. I like to watch a wide range of things made by a wide range of different people. It’s more so looking at how they shoot something, how they tell a story and how they edit it, and then I try to see how I can mimic or improve it.

YPC: Is there anything recent that has really captured your attention?

Tylere: I’m really into the show Peaky Blinders on Netflix. The lighting, the cinematography, the editing, the music, the dialogue, the story, everything. It’s just a really great show for so many reasons.

YPC: So what’s the story with Tag Along Media? Is that the dream business you’re looking to grow?

Tylere: Yeah! I started Tag Along Media when I moved back to Marshall. I was told the chemo treatment this time around was going to be 18 months to 2 years and I knew I would have to stop working for the fraternity and focus on my health. I was super bored, had a lot of ideas and I knew I couldn’t sit around and do nothing all day. I had some camera equipment to play with and people started asking me to film stuff for them, so I was like, “Sweet, let’s do this.”

YPC: Where would you like to see Tag Along in 5-10 years

Tylere: I’d like to have built a small team. Whether that is in Marshall or a different market, I’m not sure. With the way the world works, the awesome power of the internet, and travel, it is amazing how you can be connected with anyone, anywhere. And that’s happened for a lot of projects I’ve worked on. I get a call, I hop on a plane, and I’m there to help capture an event. I think it would be cool to be able to set up here in Marshall though, for sure.

YPC: We definitely don’t mind hearing that! When you think about Marshall, what are some opportunities you see for town?

Tylere: That’s tough…I’m trying to think what could be improved about Marshall versus what are the things I miss from other places I’ve lived. That’s what’s been so great about being able to travel around the country. I am able to compare and contrast, and traveling away from Marshall made me realize how special of a place it is. We are spoiled in so many different ways and I’d like to work to promote all those special things.

It would be awesome if we had more young adults in town, as it is something I miss from living in larger cities. Yoga was a big part of my life while living in Atlanta, especially hot yoga, and having different studios to go to would be great. Affordable downtown living would be awesome. I wish there were more downtown apartments, because as a young person in town, I am very attracted to that kind of space. I’ve spent some time in the current apartments and Marshall feels like a whole new place in them.

YPC: Big change of pace, but what did your experience having cancer teach you?

Tylere: In a weird way, it taught me to care less about what other people think and more about the things that make me happy. To work towards those things and get rid of the negative in your life. Going through that experience, I’ve seen a lot of different people in hospitals. Every time I walked in to get my treatment I’d joke that I just lowered the average age. Everyone looked so sad and somber, and it was a tough place to be. But I had to have a different mental state than that. Does cancer suck? 100 percent. It wasn’t something I wanted or something I asked for, but there was nothing I could do to change the situation. The only thing I could change was my attitude. It was the one thing I had control over in that situation and, frankly, most situations. So that’s what I did. Don’t get me wrong though, I was upset about it, but you have to be the best you.

YPC: Who do you look up to, or who inspires you?

Tylere: I don’t think there is any one person. It’s an amalgamation of different people. Parents, grandparents, some teachers and professors, former colleagues and bosses…I have a ton of great people in my life.

YPC: Any words of wisdom for the extra youngish in town

Tylere: Be you, be weird. Try new things, and don’t let other people tell you no if you know that’s something you want to do,

YPC: Favorite place you have ever traveled?

Tylere: Charleston, South Carolina. It stole my heart the first time I pulled in.

YPC: Favorite Podcast?

Tylere:I’ve been really into the Studio Sherpas. When I found it, I listened to 10 episodes in a row on a long drive and thought, “Where has this content been!?”

YPC: Final thoughts? Shout-outs?

Tylere: It would be great to see more people at Youngish events, as I think the YPC is a much-needed body in Marshall. In the short time it has been here, I have definitely checked out different places in Marshall that I didn’t know were there, and it is super exciting to see all that they are doing.

YPC: Thanks, man, and thank you for all that you do.

Tylere: Thank you.

Interested in utilizing Tag Along Media’s expertise to showcase your organization, business, or a personal story to new audiences? Great! Please contact Tylere directly (tylere.presley@gmail.com), and get ready to see some phenomenal work. We have been fortunate to work with him, as have many other groups in town, and we can only share our high praise for his talents! The photo above is one of his favorite photos, taken using one of his favorite toys, and it’s just one of the many unique perspectives he can provide you or your business.

Until next month’s Spotlight, be active, be engaged, and be Youngish!

And for those out there fighting cancer, be strong.
We’re all in your corner!

In this month’s Spotlight, Katie Bagale takes to the orange chair to share a few of the many things that make her world go round.

Having traveled and lived all over the globe, Katie finds herself back in one of her many childhood communities, sharing her love for our small town with her family, and her many lessons learned along the way with the greater Marshall area. Please read on to see how, from an early age, she learned the value and beauty diversity brings to life, and why she works so hard to help others embrace it today.

In this month’s Spotlight, we sit down with Carlos Figueredo.

Once hailing from the Caribbean, North Pacific and North Atlantic coasts, Carlos takes to the orange chair to share how two of his loves in life brought him to his current freshwater flanked home, Michigan. Please read on to see how art continues to shape and influence his life and professions, how he became part of the creative beast that is the Dark Horse Brewing Company, and why Marshall is the place he now calls home.

Jake Kershaw, stellar high school student and music sensation on the brink of stardom, takes to the orange chair to share his inspiring story in this month’s YPC Spotlight feature.

Special thanks to our fellow Youngish, Erica Eash (interviewer & photographer) for putting this piece together, and to the Kershaw family for graciously allowing us into their homes.

#BeYoungish #ChooseMarshall #TheYoungishProfessionals

YPC: You’re a very talented musician. How old were you when you started playing the guitar?

Jake: I was about 9 years old when I got my first guitar and I started listening to all of the old 80’s hair bands. But I was listening to the songs to really understand them, it wasn’t just for the sake of listening to music. And then after I got an electric guitar, that’s when this all just started happening.

YPC: I imagine this level of skill requires a lot of practice. What is your schedule like?

Jake: Right now I rehearse with the guys at least once a week. Sometimes I’ll play the guitar while I’m watching tv, or I’ll hear John Mayer do something and try it. I tend to just play whenever I really feel like it, but I used to practice maybe 10 hours a day. I would shut myself in my room and listen to people do guitar riffs that I liked and try to figure it out…come out for a sandwich or something at lunch, then go back to practicing!

YPC: Wait, does that mean that you’re self taught?! You just figured this all out by ear on your own?!

Jake: I took lessons for about a year. But yeah, for the most part it’s been by ear…and I’ve watched A LOT of videos, haha!

YPC: That’s really impressive!

VIDEO: Jake killin’ it at Blues at the Bohm, a monthly event at
Albion’s Historic Bohm Theater this July.

YPC: How many guitars do you have?

Jake: I have 9 electric and 1 acoustic.

YPC: Do you have a favorite?

Jake: My Les Paul was my first really good guitar, but my Heritage…I’ve always wanted a custom guitar and I’ve always wanted a custom Heritage guitar, so this is amazing! I can definitively say I have never felt a guitar better than this guitar. It’s the coolest thing that’s ever happened to me!

YPC: I’m sure that’s a moment that will never be forgotten. You’re also a 4.0 student and starting to perform quite regularly. How do you manage it all?

Jake: It’s a lot to juggle. Especially this year since I’m getting more attention, I get picked out of school more! I talk to the teachers beforehand so I can get all my work done. Sometimes I get home, do my homework, rehearse for three hours and then do my homework again. It’s definitely a balance!

YPC: What are your plans after high school?

Jake: I’ve thought about this for a while! I would really love to be a musician. This is too fun not to do. But, I’ve always been told to have a back-up plan. I met Bill Chrysler, he’s been the sound engineer for John Mayer and Maroon 5. That made me think I’d like to go to college to learn about sound engineering. So it could be college first, but if I make it like I’m hoping I do, a musician on the road!

YPC: Do you get nervous before performing?

Jake: I don’t necessarily get nervous anymore. When you have a lot of time beforehand, you sometimes try to psych yourself out. It’s not my fear of being in front of people, it’s my fear of looking like an idiot in front of people!

YPC: Haha well it’s pretty hard to look like an idiot with your level of talent and charisma. What’s the most memorable moment of your career thus far?

Jake: I’ve done some really cool things, but performing for Blues in the Mall at the DeltaPlex was amazing. I broke the attendance records with upwards of 3,000. I didn’t even know 3,000 people knew about me! Playing with Johnny Lang was another big one.

YPC: You’ve performed at Blues Fest here in Marshall. Why do you think an event like this is important?

Jake: It brings the community together. That’s a lot of people and community right in one place. And it’s important to keep the blues alive. Things need to evolve and things need to change, but you still need to know where the roots are from. It’s cool for preserving the blues history, but also great for opening new doors for the future of blues.

YPC: If you could perform with anyone who it would be and why?

Jake: I would like to perform with Joe Bonamassa. He’s been so influential in what I’ve done, introducing me to so many other artists. He’s such a groundbreaking guitarist that’s doing things the way musicians want it to be done. I would love to get advice from him on what an inspiring artist like me should do.

YPC: You just released an album. What’s your favorite song on it?

Jake: “Sitting in the rain”, which is funny because it’s the last song that I wrote and finished, but it evolved into something that was catchy. It’s really fun to play and it’s just different. I like the song and people like it too!

YPC: Best advice you’ve heard so far?

Jake: Chet Atkins said to always be the nicest guy in the room. I try to do that the best I can everywhere I go. I try to be as nice as I possibly can because without the fans, I would not be here. Be humble, be yourself, and be kind to people. That goes a long, long ways.

YPC: Last question – what would you say to a young child who sees you perform and says, “I want to be like him someday”?

Jake: Dream big. Always dream big. Get yourself out there and do something with yourself. You can sit in your bedroom and play all day, but it doesn’t mean much if you don’t get yourself out there. That’s how I’ve gotten to where I’m at right now, because I’ve gotten myself in front of people and I’m lucky to have really supportive parents. So get yourself out there, write your own songs and do something new. Be different! Everyone else is already taken, so just be you.

Amazing Marketer, Mother, and Marshallite

In this month’s YPC Spotlight we sat down with Erica Eash, who is not only a successful business woman, but also an amazing mother and active community member. Please read on to understand how she makes it all work.

In this month’s YPC Spotliight, we talk to a local Youngish physician.

Part doctor, part basketball enthusiast, part lumber jack, and an all-around great guy. That’s Dr. Sami Ahmed. Having lived in many different places and now landing in Marshall, Sami takes to the orange chair to share with us his experiences and what he appreciates about small-town living…

In this month’s YPC Spotlight, we talked to Adam Hecox, hard-core peace-loving hippie and woodworker extraordinaire.

Adam’s a Marshall-native who spent his 20’s exploring places like Yosemite, Detroit, Orlando, Alaska, and Panama, before moving back to Marshall. The 35-year-old is the lead craftsman behind Shaded Pony Woodworks, a new subset of the ever-expanding Dark Horse Brewing Company’s line of products.