Category: Podcast Episode

Mirinda Rothrock, President of the Decatur Regional Chamber of Commerce is our guest this week to talk about why it is so vital to align your programming with your advocacy efforts.

In this episode, Mirinda shares how you can show the value of your advocacy efforts to your members through your programming. She shares a great example from her community regarding a minimum wage increase and how the Chamber collected data, worked as the voice of business in opposition to the minimum wage increase, and how they are now focusing their programming on how they can help the business community adjust to the coming changes.

Through some job specific programming, the Chamber is able to reach other employees at a business beyond the primary rep or owner which allows that member business to better recognize the value that the Chamber provides for their business.

If you would like to connect with Mirinda about what she has shared in this episode or about how she aligns her programs with advocacy efforts, you can reach out to her by email at mirinda.rothrock@decaturchamber.com.

In your mission to be a great Chamber, you may consider delegating to an award-winning Chamber publisher like Community Matters, Inc. for your next Chamber Directory, Guide, or Map. Community Matters can handle all of the ad sales, design work, collection, and distribution. In the end, your Chamber has a great looking print & digital publication and a smooth source of non-dues revenue. Click here to receive a bid for your next publication.

Charlie Moore, President and CEO of the McLean County Chamber of Commerce is our guest this week to discuss how your Chamber can implement TRACTION into your strategic plan.

In our discussion, Charlie addresses some resources to help with implementing TRACTION. These resources are:

If you would like to connect with Charlie about what he has shared in this episode or about integrating TRACTION at your Chamber, you can find him on the Chamber website at mcleancochamber.org. His email address is charlie@mcleancochamber.org.

In your mission to be a great Chamber, you may consider delegating to an award-winning Chamber publisher like Community Matters, Inc. for your next Chamber Directory, Guide, or Map. Community Matters can handle all of the ad sales, design work, collection, and distribution. In the end, your Chamber has a great looking print & digital publication and a smooth source of non-dues revenue. Click here to receive a bid for your next publication.

Roy Williams, President and CEO of the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce is our guest this week to discuss a more broad topic that will be different for each community. Roy talks about some of the programs and initiatives that have been developed at the Oklahoma City Chamber that stemmed from asking the question “What needs to happen in our community?”

In our discussion, Roy covers: community initiative campaigns, their Forward Oklahoma City Fund, CVB, EDC, All Sports campaign, their PAC, Innovation District, Criminal Justice, and their MAPS project to touch on just a few.

If you would like to connect with Roy about what he has shared in this episode or how they went about implementing some of these programs at the Oklahoma City Chamber, you can find him on the Chamber website at okcchamber.com. His email address is rwilliams@okcchamber.com and phone number is 405-297-8939.

In your mission to be a great Chamber, you may consider delegating to an award-winning Chamber publisher like Community Matters, Inc. for your next Chamber Directory, Guide, or Map. Community Matters can handle all of the ad sales, design work, collection, and distribution. In the end, your Chamber has a great looking print & digital publication and a smooth source of non-dues revenue. Click here to receive a bid for your next publication.Image

Jonathan Packer, Senior Vice President of Customer Experience at the Austin Chamber of Commerce is our guest this week to discuss a step by step membership/customer experience from first exposure to the Chamber, to joining the Chamber, to becoming more engaged, and eventually retaining members year after year.

Jonathan covers their strategy there at the Austin Chamber and shares some of the technology that they use to help with this experience.

If you would like to connect with Jonathan about what he has shared in this episode or how they went about their digital transformation plan, you can reach him by email at jpacker@austinchamber.com.

In your mission to be a great Chamber, you may consider delegating to an award-winning Chamber publisher like Community Matters, Inc. for your next Chamber Directory, Guide, or Map. Community Matters can handle all of the ad sales, design work, collection, and distribution. In the end, your Chamber has a great looking print & digital publication and a smooth source of non-dues revenue. Click here to receive a bid for your next publication.Image

Libby Spears, founder of Bravo, CC is our guest this week to share ideas about how your Chamber can add value to the marketplace. Bravo, CC is a communications and consulting venture, that works with professionals and organizations across the world to stand out in a crowded and competitive marketplace.

One of her key take-away ideas is that the Chamber should be the go to resource in your community for professional training and development.

If you would like to connect with Libby about what she has shared in this episode, you can connect with her at bravocc.com where you can find her contact info, you can opt in to her email list, or you can connect with her on social media through there as well.

In your mission to be a great Chamber, you may consider delegating to an award-winning Chamber publisher like Community Matters, Inc. for your next Chamber Directory, Guide, or Map. Community Matters can handle all of the ad sales, design work, collection, and distribution. In the end, your Chamber has a great looking print & digital publication and a smooth source of non-dues revenue. Click here to receive a bid for your next publication.

Rob Bradham, President & CEO of The Greater Dalton Area Chamber of Commerce is our guest this week. Rob talks about things that Chambers should be thinking about in order to stay relevant with the generational shift that is taking place in the workforce. Some of the areas he addresses are being on the tip of the spear to solve the problems in your community and to give more of a purpose to membership for the younger generation of decision makers that are in your community now.

As Rob shared ideas from the Dalton Chamber’s strategic plan, the areas of focus to stay relevant centered on the areas of:

• Community Pride
• Downtown Development
• Economic Development
• Educational Outcomes
• Entrepreneurial Growth
• Housing

In the area of Entrepreneurial Growth, Rob briefly shared the story of a young man named Tripp Phillips who is from Dalton. Tripp landed a deal on Shark Tank with Kevin O’Leary for his company that produces water soluble Lego brick glue.

If you would like to connect with Rob about what he has shared in this episode, you can reach him by email at bradham@daltonchamber.org.

In your mission to be a great Chamber, you may consider delegating to an award-winning Chamber publisher like Community Matters, Inc. for your next Chamber Directory, Guide, or Map. Community Matters can handle all of the ad sales, design work, collection, and distribution. In the end, your Chamber has a great looking print & digital publication and a smooth source of non-dues revenue. Click here to receive a bid for your next publication.

Listen on: Apple Podcasts, Google Podcast, Spotify, Stitcher

Bob Quick, President & CEO of Commerce Lexington, Inc. is our guest this week. Bob covers an interesting topic around his experiences with Chamber Travel Events. He specifically talks about four travel events that Commerce Lexington participates in which are:

• Leadership Trip
• Regional Tour
• Annual International Trip
• Washington D.C. Fly-In

Bob has great insight about the importance and impact of these Chamber Travel Events. If you would like to connect with Bob about what he has shared in this episode, you can reach him by email at bquick@commercelexington.com or phone at 859-254-4447.

In your mission to be a great Chamber, consider delegating to an award-winning publisher and Chamber partner like Community Matters, Inc. for your next Chamber Directory, Guide, or Map. Community Matters can handle all of the ad sales, design work, collection, and distribution. In the end, your Chamber has a great looking print & digital publication and a smooth source of non-dues revenue. Click here to receive a bid for your next publication.

Listen on: Apple Podcasts, Google Podcast, Spotify, Stitcher

Michael Gallops is the President & CEO of the Rowlett Chamber of Commerce. Michael has been in this role of President & CEO for about 2 1/2 years and in this episode, he talks about how he has adapted in this role. He also shares some of the tools and resources that have helped him to accelerate his learning of the intricacies in the Chamber industry.

If you would like to connect with Michael Gallops about anything he discussed in this episode, he can be contacted by email at michael@rowlettchamber.com, office phone 972-475-3200, or on his cell phone at 469-628-7926.

In your mission to be a great Chamber, consider delegating to an award-winning publisher and Chamber partner like Community Matters, Inc. for your next Chamber Directory, Guide, or Map. Community Matters can handle all of the ad sales, design work, collection, and distribution. In the end, your Chamber has a great looking print & digital publication and a smooth source of non-dues revenue. Click here to receive a bid for your next publication.

Listen on: Apple Podcasts, Google Podcast, Spotify, Stitcher

Henry Florsheim, President & CEO of the Wichita Falls Chamber of Commerce visits with us this week about the importance of having a strategic plan and how he went about creating a strategy when he took the helm about 6 years ago at the Wichita Falls Chamber. Henry is a change agent and is not afraid to blow things up, meaning there are no sacred cows.

In this interview, Henry offered to share his 4-page Strategic Plan with any Chamber who may need some direction to create their own. There are resources, companies, and people who can help, but often times with limited budgets, it is helpful to get some advice from other Chambers.

Henry also mentioned the tips that can be learned from Frank Kenny’s Chamber Professionals Facebook page.

If you would like to connect with Henry about anything he talked about in this episode or to request a copy of his strategic plan, you can reach out to him through the resources below.

Search for Henry Florsheim on Facebook and LinkedIn.

Email henry@wichitafallschamber.com, or phone 940-723-2741.

In your mission to be a great Chamber, consider delegating to an award-winning publisher and Chamber partner like Community Matters, Inc. for your next Chamber Directory, Guide, or Map. Community Matters can handle all of the ad sales, design work, collection, and distribution. In the end, your Chamber has a great looking print & digital publication and a smooth source of non-dues revenue. Click here to receive a bid for your next publication.