June 2017, Issue 2

National Small Business Week Honors 28 Million Businesses Across U.S.

For the 54th consecutive year, small businesses around the country were recognized during National Small Business Week. From April 30th- May 6th, entrepreneurs took to various platforms to embrace small business culture, and opened their doors to regular and new customers. The U.S. Small Business Administration, led by Administrator Linda McMahon, honored the hard work and dedication of the 28 million small businesses operating in the U.S.

McMahon kicked off the week in Washington, DC for the NSBW Awards Luncheon, which included the presentation of the National Small Business Persons of the Year, and that of the Small Business Person of the Year from all 50 states, Washington, DC and U.S. territories. This year, Garrett Marrero and Melanie Oxley, owners of Maui Brewing Co. were named SBA Persons of the Year.

McMahon continued her travels throughout the country on the NSBW Road Tour as she met with various business owners in Indiana, Texas and California. The SBA, and other businesses and communities hosted various events, promotions, and webinars engaging and educating current and up-and-coming entrepreneurs.

For many establishments, like Intuitive Risk Management International, NSBW serves as an opportunity to give back to their community of supporters, while forging relationships with other small businesses. With small businesses contributing to over 50% of the country’s sales and providing over 50% of all jobs, SBA and NSBW continue to honor the impact of entrepreneurs and their level of commitment to quality and community.

Next year, National Small Business Week will be held April 29th- May 5, 2018. For more small business updates and resources, visit U.S. Small Business Administration at www.sba.gov.

3 Reasons to Join a Chamber of Commerce

Running a profitable business takes a service or product of quality and need, hard work, and resources. With the average entrepreneur busy handling everything from the daily operations, to employee training, to company promotions, it’s imperative to utilize national and local resources, when available. Cue your local Chamber of Commerce. What’s a Chamber of Commerce? How does it serve you?

A Chamber of Commerce essentially is a form of business network, advancing the interests and needs of local businesses. The goal of a chamber is to serve as an advocate for establishments and their community. They provide a voice, networking opportunities, leadership, and so much more.

So, why should you join a chamber?

Community Presence

Increase your presence in the community. Customers often hear about a business by word of mouth. Well what if no one is talking about your business? As a member of a chamber, your brand can gain exposure to audiences you wouldn’t normally have access to, including current and new residents.

Networking Opportunities

There are no selfish players in a chamber. The mission of the organization is to bring the needs of all parties, owner and customer, to the forefront. As a member, you become apart of something bigger than your brand. You are able to foster relationships with other entrepreneurs, which leads to a healthy economic climate.

Valuable Resources

No one ever said running a business was easy. While there are many books, and articles outlining the top tips to starting a brand, your local Chamber of Commerce can serve as a resource to help you not only start your business, but sustain and grow it beyond your wildest dreams. At your fingertips is the chance to learn from experts whether in-person, via webinars, or through member publications. There’s engagement, excitement and effectiveness in the resources provided by a chamber.

There are many benefits to a Chamber of Commerce. If you’re willing to invest in your local branch, others may just be willing to invest in you.

From Our Blog

Life After You've Been Hacked

Have you ever had something stolen from right under your nose? You're going about your day, as usual, and nothing really seems out of the ordinary. You experience a hiccup, but think nothing of it. It's not until days later that you realize something is off. Way off. You frantically replay the events and conversations of days past until you get to the bottom of it all. You're taken aback. You start questioning yourself. You're questioning yourself. You're questioning everything. You're in complete and utter awe, and worse of all, you feel violated, frustrated and helpless.

This was me the morning I discovered my business was hacked.

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