It’s renewal time again and I just paid my dues, have you? If not, maybe some of my thoughts on why I renewed might help sway you. The Chamber of Commerce is the only organization that is made up of our business peers dedicated to helping each of us succeed. The board of directors, on which I serve as president, is made up of business owners which give us a uniquely personal perspective on setting the goals and programs for the members.

Throughout the year, we decide what programs to bring to you by asking ourselves “Would this subject be something I would want to learn about?” “Is this place and time easy for me to schedule?” Time and again this past year, the answer was “Yes.”

Sessions such as:

• Leveraging social media
• Big data
• Email marketing
• Mobile APPs
• Effective networking
• Getting into the news

to name a few, attracted businesses of all sizes and generated dialogue and learning that everyone benefitted by. As a home-based business myself, I found interacting with other business owners was very important to achieving a balanced perspective. I connected with dozens of new people, some of which lead to new business.

In addition to educational and networking events, the Chamber implemented some improvements to support you. Our new website makes interacting with the Chamber easier. Better events listing and calendar tracking along with more information about what’s going on with members. Updating your member profile is easy and allows you to keep us up-to-date on what’s important to you.

Here’s to another great year with the Maplewood Chamber of Commerce!

Rick Gilman, President