As managing partner at BKD CPA & Advisors and former board chair of the Denver Metro Chamber Leadership Foundation board of directors, Webb knows a thing or two about balancing work and community engagement. Webb’s selfless attitude and commitment make him our spring Chamber Champion. Take a minute to get to know this outstanding leader better.
BUSINESS ALTITUDE: How has your involvement with the Chamber and the Leadership Foundation impacted your career?
TRAVIS WEBB: The Foundation embarked over the last year or more on a project to define our Civic DNA – what really makes this place special and so successful. When I relocated to Denver in 2005, my first experience on the ground – two months before I actually relocated – was attending the Foundation’s Access Denver program. Without yet having put the words down on paper, the program showed me what was unique about the community. That experience set a tone for engaging in the community and encouraging our BKD team to take advantage of the Foundation’s programs. The Chamber’s resources helped me appreciate that measuring the success of my career was more than just my team or client’s successes, but how we all impact the broader community in Colorado.
BA: What inspires you most about your job?
WEBB: I’ve recently been focused on appreciating the great things that come with my job and increasing clarity around what truly gets me excited. While that remains a work in progress, some of the best moments are when clients achieve long-term goals and when team members reach new levels of success at BKD. Early in a career, you can’t help but worry about your own success, but later in your career it’s the successes of others that gets you out of bed in the morning.
You have to do two things – raise your hand and follow through. —Travis Webb
BA: Who has been most influential to your success?
WEBB: Most of my mentors have been BKD partners who’ve laid the groundwork or cleared the path for me. The partners I worked with early in my career in Missouri influenced me heavily and either created opportunities for me or allowed me to chase something I was interested in doing. In Denver, it’s been great to have all sorts of community leaders and organizations throw open their doors and allow me to engage with them on their needs and projects.
BA: What advice would you give to someone looking to get more involved in the community?
WEBB: You have to do two things – raise your hand and follow through. Be realistic about your motivations – is “getting involved” something your company expects you to do, do you see it as a way to build your business or is it something you are passionate about and really enjoy? You’ll be more successful if there are elements of all three in your motivation, but long-term successful involvement requires the last piece of actually enjoying the effort along with being willing to make an impact through investments of time, treasure and talent. And, of course – get involved with the programs the Chamber and Leadership Foundation offer – they are great!
BA: If you could have a different job, what would it be?
WEBB: I got the chance to invest in a local brewery a few years ago, Jagged Mountain, and thought being behind the bar might be the thing. I still get in and serve beers and wash glasses occasionally, but that reminds me what a wimp I am and how hard that work can be. I’m just really lucky that I love what I do and am with a great organization. My job is always evolving at BKD, so it’s like having a different job every few years as the responsibilities and priorities shift over time.
BA: What do you like most about living and working in Colorado?
WEBB: The weather is pretty great, that’s for sure. I don’t miss the ice and humidity of the Midwest. For me, the coolest part about coming to Denver midway into my career has been the opportunity to engage with other business leaders who really, really care about the success of this community and are willing to invest in solutions for the challenges we face. Whether it’s transportation, education, homelessness and housing or other issues, I wish everyone in the community could see the amount of time, effort and resources leaders and their teams and companies invest at the Chamber and in other organizations to try to find good solutions. This place has a unique Civic DNA and it makes it a pleasure to live and work in this community.
Kathryn Goggin is the events specialist for the Denver Metro Chamber.
This was originally published in the Spring Issue of Business Altitude. Click here to read the full issue.