What a Web of Connections at Wantable with Steve Glynn
There's something powerful about watching someone stand in front of a room full of people and openly celebrate the fact that they didn't get where they are alone. That's exactly what Steve Glynn, Chief Milwaukee Officer at Experience Milwaukee, did at our July CreativeMornings event — and it was exactly the reminder we all needed.
Steve's story doesn't start with privilege or a built-in network. Growing up in a single-parent, low-income household with his father incarcerated his entire life, he learned early that the traditional pathways to success weren't going to be handed to him. But what could have been a story about barriers became a story about bridges — the ones he built, and the ones others helped him cross.
The Wake-Up Call
When Steve finally graduated college, he had a realization that would change the trajectory of his life. While celebrating with classmates, he noticed something: many of them already had professional networks waiting for them — family connections, mentors, introductions lined up like dominoes. Steve didn't. And instead of letting that be a dead end, he asked himself a different question: What if I built my own network? And what if I helped others do the same?
In 2007, that question became Spreenkler — a creative community and networking group that would go on to connect hundreds of Milwaukee's creatives, entrepreneurs, and tech professionals. It wasn't just about business cards and LinkedIn connections. It was about creating real spaces where people could launch careers, find collaborators, build confidence, and most importantly, see themselves reflected in a community that believed in them.
The Power of People
Throughout the morning at Wantable Cafe, Steve didn't just tell his own story — he told our story. The story of a city built by people willing to show up for each other. He spoke about the mentors who took a chance on him, the collaborators who believed in his vision for Spreenkler, the friends who became business partners, and the strangers who became family through shared creative work.
He talked about selling Spreenkler in 2014 not as an ending, but as a launching point. Because the mission hadn't changed—only the platform. Today, through Experience Milwaukee's podcast, events, and storytelling, Steve continues doing what he's always done: creating spaces for people to connect, shine, and share what makes Milwaukee special.
Milwaukee's Secret Ingredient
What makes Steve's work so vital is that he understands something fundamental about Milwaukee: our greatest asset isn't our lakefront or our breweries or even our food scene (though he'd argue all of those are world-class). It's our people. It's the way we show up for each other. It's the networks we build not because they're transactional, but because they're transformational.
Steve reminded us that morning that none of us get anywhere alone. Not him. Not the founders in the room. Not the creatives, the dreamers, or the entrepreneurs. We are all standing on the shoulders of people who opened doors, made introductions, gave advice, shared opportunities, or simply believed in us when we didn't believe in ourselves.
The Invitation
As the morning wrapped up and people lingered over coffee (because that's what we do in Milwaukee — we stay, we talk, we connect), Steve left us with an invitation: to be intentional about building our own networks, yes, but more importantly, to be the person who helps someone else build theirs.
Because that's what Milwaukee does. That's what Steve does. That's what we can all do.
Whether he's on the ice playing hockey, working from one of Milwaukee's many bars, hanging out with his wife and their four kids (ages 6 to 19), or proving to anyone who'll listen that Milwaukee is truly the best city in the world, Steve Glynn is living proof that when you invest in people and community, you don't just build a network — you build a legacy.
Thank you to Brett Newski for kicking off the morning with such energy. His smart, spirited songs were the perfect opening to July's MENTOR event.
CreativeMornings Milwaukee meets monthly for breakfast lectures designed to inspire the creative community. Each event is free and open to anyone interested in joining our growing community of makers, thinkers, and doers.
Thank you to Wantable Cafe for hosting us and to Steve Glynn for reminding us that connection isn't just nice to have — it's everything.
