Steven Nunnelley [Humanoids of Huntsville]

Not long after moving to North Alabama, Steven Nunnelley noticed something curious about the area’s demographics. Huntsville was nowhere near as big as his hometown, but everywhere he went, he found plenty of self-motivated millennials.

“I grew up in Louisville, and we don’t have young professional clubs with as much attendance as I’ve seen here,” Steven says. “I’ve gotten more of a view of Huntsville and how driven the people are and willing to come together and work together to better their lives. That’s been very interesting for me to see.”

Part of that view comes from attending Urban Engine programs like 32/10 and CoWorking Night, which Steven says helped him meet like-minded people when he first came to town. Millennials, he notes, are less likely than previous generations to stay in one job for decades. And that makes networking a critical career exercise, whether you’re working on a tech startup or just keeping an eye on the future.

“What I learned very early on about [Urban Engine] is that in a lot of the clubs here, the people are really intelligent and they are trying to break that mold of being in the same job forever,” he says. “They’re looking for supplemental income or a whole career change, even starting their own company.”

For other new transplants looking to make connections in Huntsville, Steven offers some simple but powerful advice: Get off the couch. You won’t be sorry.

“Be active,” he says. “When you debate going to a club or a group or a kickball game or something like that, just realize that sitting on a couch isn’t going to get you anywhere, literally. If you can get out and get on your feet, it will definitely reward you in the long run.”