How to Raise Your Chamber’s Profile with Jeff Rea

This transcript has been lightly edited for readability and to correct obvious transcription errors while preserving the meaning of the original conversation.

Episode 115 — How to Raise Your Chamber's Profile with Jeff Rea
Clean Speaker-Labeled Transcript
Guest: Jeff Rea
Automated QA: Passed

00:00.842 Brandon Burton
This is the Chamber Chat Podcast, the show dedicated to chamber professionals to spark ideas and to get actionable tips and strategies to better serve your members and community.
00:14.454 Intro Voice / Brandon Burton
And now your host. He is currently building a new office and studio. He is my dad, Brandon Burton. Welcome to the Chamber Chat Podcast. I'm your host, Brandon Burton, and you're joining us today for episode one hundred and fifteen of Chamber Chat Podcast, where it's my goal to introduce you to people and ideas to help you better serve your chamber members and your community. Our guest for this episode today is Jeff Rea. And Jeff has a Kind of a unique perspective. He's the current president and CEO of the South Bend Regional Chamber of Commerce in Indiana and also of the Greater Niles Chamber of Commerce in Michigan. Jeff is a frequent speaker, trainer, facilitator, and commentator. He's a former South Bend Tribune columnist. He's the host of WNIT, a PBS television show about economic outlook. And it's a weekly program that explores the stories, companies, and people helping to drive the regional economy. Prior to coming to the chamber, Jeff served as mayor of the city of Mishawaka, Indiana for six and a half years. During this time as mayor, he guided Mishawaka to a record economic growth, all while reducing the size of the city budget and number of city employees. Prior to his time as mayor, Jeff served as economic development director and city planner for Mishawaka. Jeff comes from a family of small business owners who owned two pharmacies going back over 50 years. It is at these pharmacies where Jeff learned at a very young age the value of small business and its importance to the success of the local economy. I'm excited to have Jeff with us today on the Chamber Chat podcast. We'll be talking about Things that you can do to raise your chambers profile in your community. I think it's a really important topic, but we'll get into this discussion right after this quick break.
02:19.096 Brandon Burton
Would you be interested in creating even more value from the processes that you're already doing on a daily basis? Swipe It has been one of my sponsors for ChamberChat from the beginning. Swipe It provides credit card payment solutions that will save your chamber up to 40% on your processing fees, and Swipe It can integrate your credit card processing seamlessly into your existing membership software. Swipe It does not charge chambers to switch. And they will make switching simple. In addition to these savings, Swipe It has an affinity program for Chambers of Commerce so you can earn more non-dues revenue to support your budget. Learn more about Swipe It by requesting your free cost savings analysis and become more profitable today by visiting https://chamberchatpodcast.com/cc as in credit card. Again, that's https://chamberchatpodcast.com/cc. And you can join many other chambers as you begin swiping with swipe it.
03:27.758 Brandon Burton
All right, Jeff, we are back. Welcome to the Chamber Chat Podcast. If will say hello to all the chamber champions out there and share something interesting about yourself so we can all get to know you a little better.
03:38.862 Jeff Rea
Well hello Brandon. Thanks for having me. I'm really honored to be here. I'm a big fan and I often take you on my run or when I'm mowing or or something, listening to to great experts in the industry. And so I'm honored to be here today. you know, it's an i interesting question. My my wife and staff probably say there isn't anything interesting about me. I I'd probably tell you that I I'm half the man that I used to be. I didn't I historically I didn't eat very well. I wasn't very healthy. I probably weighed a couple more pounds and and so over the last thirteen, fourteen years I've made a commitment to be healthy and and I'm about half the man that that I used to be. And so people that knew me years ago don't think I look anything like I did a decade ago.
04:20.76 Brandon Burton
That's awesome. And we're doing this interview on Zoom. So I'm seeing Jeff and he's a a healthy looking fit guy. And I'm I'm trying to picture you twice the size.
04:30.382 Jeff Rea
It's pretty interesting. You know, it's funny, those those life moments, you know. For example, I met President Bush and and I have this, you know, terrific, you know, how many times you get to meet a president? I got a picture of the president and and I look at him like, wait, that doesn't look like me. But you know, it's it's interesting. I think we all wrestle with balance in our lives, right? We're busy and we eat as as we go and we don't have time for exercise and such. And so I decided years ago that I needed to do a better job of. balancing things and and and and really changed my lifestyle. Never went on a diet, you know, just sort of tr decided to be healthy and and I'm healthier at fifty one than I was at thirty five and and but it it's pretty exciting. I feel great. I feel like I I think clearer and yeah it's been a been a big change.
05:14.722 Brandon Burton
That's awesome. You know, my my father in law went through a similar thing where he was he was really big. And about the time we had our first kid, like he had that that you know awakening that he needed to change or else he wasn't gonna be around for his grandkids. And so he made some big lifestyle changes and lost, you know, over 200 pounds and and got in great shape. And that's How my kids know him now. You know, they see him as a f a strong fit guy. So when they see pictures of, you know, when they were born and he was still at the beginning of this journey, that they don't recognize him. Like, do you know who this is? That's grandpa. You know, so it's it's neat. It's neat to see that change. So congratulations. Yeah, hey, thanks. Keep it up. So tell us a little bit about you've got two organizations kind of wrapped up in one, so to speak. So help. Help us get a better idea from the the perspective you're coming from, what those two organizations look like, how that's managed, what, you know, staff and budget and things look like, and and I'll let you take it from there.
06:25.506 Jeff Rea
Yeah, sounds good. So the South Bend Ch South Bend Regional Chamber has been around for a hundred and nine years. And and so you know, kind of the like many communities, really a a great track record here in the community. It's probably a different I guess all chambers are a little different, but we're a combined chamber, economic development organization, convention, and visitors bureau as well. So we have all three under our roof, and and just we think that's a terrific model. It just creates You know, so much synergy and collaboration within the in the community. And and so CVB and Chamber were together before I got here, and then we've merged economic development since I I've got here. And and and boy, it's amazing that things like the visor bureau in particular, I think is underestimated sometimes when it comes to chambers. It's a terrific piece of my economic development tool and and so many of the pieces you know kind of cover both. And so we have about a a four million dollar budget. We have 15 staff members. and and and our focus really is is the South Bend region and and and when people ask what that is, I say, well, it's kind of this flex geography, right? It depends why you're asking, because you know, our our employees come from a broad geography and our customers come from a broad geography, and we have businesses from this broad geography, and and so generally north central Indiana. And then a couple years ago, we added Michigan to our mix too. We had a joint joint agency up there of C chamber and CV and economic development and a smaller community, but very much part of our market place here. And so we've added that to our mix. So I carry a a title of of both. It's confusing to people sometimes when they see me on TV and and under my name, sometimes it says Niles chamber and sometimes it says South Bend Chamber, but but the the but the good news is you know I would I would say you know we have kind of a bank model if you will we centralize certain services in the home office and then have sales office out in Niles so so it's been a a great partnership across it it's and it's worked really well. and we're big proponents of of economic development and chamber and C VB being together because it it really helped has helped benefit our community.
08:41.088 Brandon Burton
Yeah, I would agree. Those all those organizations coming together under one, they're so complementary. And and we've done episodes all about that of of why it's such a good idea to to bring them all under one roof. And so is the the Niles chamber, is that they have their own building then in Niles? Is that right? Like their own office or
09:02.498 Jeff Rea
Yep, we're a tenant up there. And my so have one staffer devoted completely to Niles. And then, you know, the beauty of our model is you know, any of my 15 staffers could could be devoted to it as well, too. So if we need, you know, web web page update, graphic design, you know, bookkeeping, whatever, it's all part of of you know, kind of the our staff. So we don't really divide it up South Bend staff versus Niles staff for it really try to integrate it, but but we do keep up. presence in Niles at a at a facility. It was important to us that we maintained identity up there. That you know, that that's a community, that's a chamber that's been around for a hundred years as well. a community that that does have you know its own strengths that we didn't want to dismiss. So we so I I'd say again more so we consolidated the back office operations and and we you know we we don't need two payroll systems and two health plans. And HR and IT and you know all those kind of things. So yeah, it's it's it's worked really well and it's actually generated a lot of interest from others in the region to to to contemplate a similar model. So you know, we I I think of it as the Niles as the test and then the opportunity maybe to expand into some others too, as chambers are you know thinking about this, especially some of the smaller towns who who just don't have the resources to to hire the staff they need that maybe have some of the expertise to to do their web updates or whatever and stuff. So so we're gonna use it as a model to maybe do some more work.
10:30.924 Brandon Burton
Like that. Exactly. And I know as we were going back and forth about topics for this episode, that was one that, you know, stood out to me as well. We could have done a whole episode on what that structure looks like. And I know as mergers are, you know, on the forefront of a lot of chambers minds for all the reasons you just listed. this is a different kind of model for a merger that that people can dive into and and kind of I guess pick your brain at. So
10:55.158 Jeff Rea
That you know, the one thing I'd say about it, and don't we don't want to go that direction necessarily, but but we dated before we got married and and I always think of that as being a maybe the key thing that helped make that work. you know, sometimes the the the idea of an arranged marriage isn't isn't the most attractive thing, but if you get a chance to date a a little bit, if you will, and and so we did a contract for services for a period of time so that we could, you know, sort of see the benefits and how we gelled with each other and how this model worked and I think that's proven to to to be really helpful over long term. So I I always would recommend that that that people do that.
11:31.234 Brandon Burton
Yeah, absolutely. Good advice. So like I mentioned it towards the introduction, is our topic that we'll focus our discussion on today is around how to raise your chambers profile in your community. And as I read your profile, I mentioned how you you do a TV show. you're involved in a lot of other things as well that that really do help raise the profile for your chamber. Share with us what what is working for you. What are some ways that that other chambers, maybe even in a smaller market, things that they can do to to elevate their profile.
12:06.434 Jeff Rea
Yeah, I you know, it's certainly is a challenge. And and I've had some terrific predecessors here who who really established a firm foundation, and I've been able to build up upon that a little bit. But but I think the you know the biggest thing for us is is that position of wanting to be a thought leader. And and so we're not shy about sharing opinions on on what the business community thinks about things. And I I think that's been a good thing. I think you know, if I wrestle sometimes with some chambers, it's like, well, I gotta go to the board and see what the board thinks about you know this before I take a position on that issue or something. And and my board has really empowered me to to to to to be a a spokesperson for the chamber and our staff to to really be out there and react very quickly to things so so people seek us out now for for our opinions on such this I did a call this morning with the school superintendent. Monday they're gonna announce some major changes and and our opinion is important before that goes public or or or similar with our elected officials. We're in constant communication with our elected officials about you know different positions they're on. And we're you know we I think we approach it the right way. We're not overly critical you know we don't embarrass people in public but we privately have some some stern conversations but I think elected officials have come to trust us the school corporations have our businesses obviously have put their trust in and and and so I I I think it starts with that and then I think you know from that know we also try to drive the news cycle the best we can as well. And and I think of like our market, I have four or five TV stations, I've got a newspaper, I've got two radio stations that are all hunting for original news. And you know, at the same time I have 1300 member businesses who are doing you know incredible things in our community, but also a lot of business stories or or you know I try to read a fair amount. I see that in Tulsa they're doing this or in Oklahoma City they're doing that. And and so then I'll maybe suggest to our local media, you know, what about this or that from a a story standpoint? So we've become kind of the I I would guess the go-to you know source on on so many news stories. So you know so this afternoon, for example, I'll do two interviews on two completely different topics, but because the media seeks us out, it says what does the business community
14:26.978 Jeff Rea
think about that. And and and I think, you know, sometimes folks are timid. They're afraid to get out there you know too far, especially on things that are potentially political and and and we haven't been you know afraid to do that in fact you know I think of like even on the political side we've endorsed candidates for example in in the past and and that really raised our our profile our business folks asked us to think about you know carefully vetting these candidates and understanding them at a different level and then suggesting this and and and we don't approach it from a political standpoint. Ours is a job interview. You know, we have a job description. We ask people to apply by by doing our questionnaire. And then we say if it was up to us, we'd hire Brandon for for this job and and our endorsements go that way and so you know so we do a a variety of things I've I've written for the newspaper for six or seven years and a weekly column where I append about you know, business issues. I host a television show where we get a chance to talk about business issues. So I I think especially the contraction of the media industry these days gives chambers a lot of opportunities to get out there and and and and really raise the profile and help fill gaps that they have that they're trying to fill right now.
15:44.558 Brandon Burton
So what I liked so much about this topic is I I think there's chambers throughout the country that maybe struggle to get that traction to figure out they see the the options. I mean, they've got a list of chamber members and stories that could be shared and they have a relationship with elected officials and schools and everything. But if you ask the average person in the community, what does a chamber of commerce do? They, you know, you get crickets, you know. So I'd like this topic to to be able to figure out where or how does a chamber get onto some of these platforms, whether it's TV, you know, the news cycles, feeding stories to the the local news or or their own platforms, being a blog or a podcast or Facebook Live or YouTube videos or whatever. what are your thoughts on on them getting to these platforms?
16:39.468 Jeff Rea
Yeah, I you know, I would start like sort of very simple, especially like if we're thinking news, for example. I I think it's our ours is very intentional sometimes. It's entrepreneurship week. And so maybe we're suggesting a couple of key entrepreneurs that would be great for the news to interview, or it's national pizza day, or it's small business Saturday, or whatever. Our ability to sort of say, call Susie over here, call Sally over here. we we think there's a great story. So, so some of that is is pretty easy, just highlighting our members and making sure the media knows who to call. They they're not sure where to start, I think. You know, sometimes so I would I'd really start with that. you know, for from in terms of trying to drive the news cycle. We you know, we're texting reporters even sort of saying, Hey, did you know it's so and so, or did you see the recent report that came out from the Bureau of Labor Statistics or did or whatever. So, so just just be aware, be mindful, you know, kind of what's there. I I think the second thing is it is is take that opportunity to to really go and and and just tell the story. So, you know, I very rarely pass up a Kiwanis club or a rotary club or a even a service club because I want to tell people about what's happening here. And and and it's funny, sometimes the illusion that I've been involved in all of it, no, I think I just read more than others do. And so I'm able to say, hey, do you know they're building a new Chicken place over here. Did you there's a new factory coming up over here? Did you know that there's a new office building under construction downtown? And and and so our ability to just be that that spokesperson for what's happening in the community, every one of those groups really wants that. I I'm I'm embarrassed to to say this, but when I was cleaning out my kitchen, I had 48 mugs from the Kiwanis Club. And I don't drink coffee, but but every time I spoke. and so you speak once a year. you know, we got five different Kiwanis clubs or or whatever. And but but what a great opportunity for the chamber guy to come say, and here's what's happening in the business, you know, community. And and and I think, you know, so I think some of that stuff's easy. I think even then, like on the social media side, some of that's easy. I, you know, I I'm not generating a ton of original content, but I'm trying to drive a lot of attention to news stories related to businesses in in town. And some of them are members and
18:56.952 Jeff Rea
Some of them aren't, but I but I again just sort of try to position ourselves as the chamber, as the sort of the center for information. And then and as I mentioned with the news, you know, even in our newsletters and stuff, we're trying to break news sometimes that maybe they haven't reported on. So so the the local newspaper didn't pick it up, but in our economic newsletter we did. And so it's kind of ir original information that then usually leads to a news story. on the other side. you know, so some of those are good examples. You know, I got lucky perhaps on the on the TV show that that our local PBS affiliate just wants to have a business focus and says, Who who better to do it than the guy that's in the center of of a lot of the business activity? And and then similar with the newspaper, the newspaper says, Geez, we we don't have as many writers anymore, we don't have the budget. Would you do would you do a column? that would that kind of helped us understand key business issues and what's going on there and stuff. So so I I don't think there's any one single one, but but put a lot of them together and all of a sudden you've really kind of positioned yourself, your organization as the as the experts that everybody turns to on an issue.
20:07.66 Brandon Burton
That's right. And we hear all the time that chambers should be that go-to resource in their community. And like how you said, you aren't necessarily making all the original content. You you're a connector, right? I mean, you're able to see what's going on in the community and then connect them with the right resources that can broadcast that story and get it out there. And so how do you see the the influence as you're providing stories, say for your your local news channels or for the local newspaper? they know to come to you for these these stories and you can connect them with the right business owners and and things to match up with what they're looking for. in what ways does that, you know, shine a light back on the chamber and kind of what you're doing in the community for the the people throughout your community to to have a better understanding of what the chamber does?
20:59.096 Jeff Rea
Yeah, so so I think an initially it it it makes people want to be a part of something. The perception is boy, that that chamber sure is involved in a lot of stuff. I better be a part of that. I may be missing out on on something i if if I'm not. I I think others though have have have have sort of increased their interest in the chamber because we've helped raise the profile of them. You know, we did a we did them a favor, if you will, by connecting them to a resource or by telling a story or or something. And so I I think that's been a That's been a a key piece of it. And then I think it just, you know, kind of gradually increased our influence. The more they they see us, the more they're asking, you know, what do you think about this? And and and I say, you know, we don't always agree with everything going on in the community. So sometimes we speak against and and and and and and you know, kind of that balance means that, you know, our opinion's important, I I guess. And so we've been so so I would use schools. for example. And and our we have an urban school district that's underperformed and it needs to make some changes. And and and we've really helped drive some changes in that urban school district and and we're excited about the the superintendent and the direction that that it's that it's going. But but if we weren't asking some hard questions at the beginning and if they weren't asking, you know, for our opinion, they you know some of those things might not have happened. And so it's it's been You know, it's it's been a a good thing. I think the election, you know, piece too. And and and I'll just, you know, go back to a couple of years ago. We had a longtime mayor that was retiring. We had five candidates entering in to the race and and we got heavily involved in the primary and to to sort of help identify the next mayor candidate. And we saw a young guy named Pete Buttigieg that was thinking about running for mayor. And to be honest, he was probably the third or fourth or maybe fifth. Most known candidate in in that race, but head and shoulders above the rest of them. And and very early on, you know, we created those opportunities for the public to get to see those candidates. And then we ultimately endorse the first group to endorse him. I'd like to, I'm not trying to take all the credit for you know his presidential runary transportation, but but but but our opinion really mattered to people because they, you know, people who didn't know any of these candidates from Adam said.
23:07.694 Brandon Burton
I've never heard of him. No.
23:19.332 Jeff Rea
boy, we really trust the chamber. The chamber thinks that this is the right person to provide leadership. And I think it certainly helps on those fronts. And endorsements isn't for everybody, but I just think I think there are ways for you to even this last election cycle, we didn't endorse school board candidates, but we hosted candidate conversations. And so no so people weren't generally sure where to learn more about these candidates. knew though that they could learn about them from the chamber. Each of them did a one-on-one interview with me that we uploaded and then they could sort of watch that quick interview and maybe get a feel for for candidates. So you know, you know, now more than ever with the mediums that are available to us, they they really come out of a lot of different directions. And and and and so I think like I'm writing content for the newspaper, I'm doing content for for TV. We do two magazines or I'm sorry, four magazines a year. We do you know four newsletters a month, you know, there's a lot of chances for us to to get our message out there. And with 1,300 members overall between our two organizations, a lot of chances to highlight different, you know, different folks. And so so we should never be short of stories. And and part of that is we got to be really connected to our members so so we know those stories and we have relationships and and that when we say, you know, call Brandon, Brandon's gonna pick up the phone and and and do that. And and so yeah, it's it's it's been really fun and and and you know w we always could do better, but but we're but we're trying to you take advantage of all those mediums and and especially during the pandemic, e even that. So so our role has changed during the pandemic. I'm the the COVID czar for our county. The two cities and the county tasked me with this job to help really coordinate COVID efforts. And so my team has shifted. to being the information source for COVID-related information for businesses and for our community and such. And so so I do a daily call, for example, where we're talking vaccines and testing sites and what our numbers look like and how we should respond. And and but but but that role was sort of a direct result of the reputation that the chamber had in the community and the respect that people had for it and the want to sort of put you know put
25:34.722 Jeff Rea
Put put some common sense to that leadership.
25:37.408 Brandon Burton
Yeah, no, that makes a lot of sense. I love you know how you're putting your members in the hero spotlight. You know, when it to make those connections and it really puts the credibility back to the chamber. So when they can re look back and remember, that's right, they've they put me on the TV, you know, on the on the news, or you know, they highlighted or made sure my story was highlighted in the newspaper. really makes them respect what you're doing, the work that the chamber does a whole lot more. And those are all you know great great ways to connect. I'm a big fan, obviously, podcasting. And when there's an opportunity for chambers to to have, you know, their own medium to be able to tell these stories to to get that out there and and get the the rest of the community to tune in because like you mentioned, there's so many different resources now, mediums that we can get our information from. so You guys are doing a great job with magazines and newsletters and everything that I mean, you guys are really hitting it from every angle. So great job.
26:43.17 Jeff Rea
We're we're trying and and obviously, boy, this last year has sort of shifted things so much. And and and and like I think all of them, everybody you've talked to, everybody's really had to pivot and figure out how to do things. But but you know, I I think you know, sometimes I think we're trying to take advantage of of changes in particular industries and you know, like I said, the media industry is is definitely in contraction mode. And so so we have yeah, I think a greater ability to drive. content and information that we might have had even five years ago when when you know our like our our local paper has about two reporters now and used to have 10 probably and and so so the content that we're able to generate I think is is is really good. And and and and again if it's it's it's not necessarily about us, right? So it's so I I think sometimes like we have the tendency to to sort of say, you know, look how great we are the chamber and and our I hope always hope that we're like look how great our businesses are the business community and these these are the real life the entrepreneurs that are in it's especially during COVID to be able to highlight some of those or plug the media into some of those great success stories about how people pivoted and and as much as they media sometimes wants to know the chambers or the business community's opinion, it's so much more valuable sometimes to sort of talk to to the person behind the counter and get that the the the boots on the ground opinion to try to find that balance there.
28:07.622 Brandon Burton
Absolutely. Well, Jeff, as we start to wrap things up here, I wanted to see if you have any tips or a piece of advice that you would offer to any chamber champions listening that they can take and and help lift their organization up to the next level.
28:23.458 Jeff Rea
Yeah, I I you know, the one that pops to mind a little bit is just to to be very business like or to run this like a business. You know, it's it's it's interesting, I think. you know, and not like a nonprofit. And not, you know, not to be critical of that, but I do think I'm afraid sometimes boards of directors and others, you know, take their business hat off when they walk in the door and and and put on their nonprofit hat. And I I think we've been successful because we've tried to be very business like and run this. like a business and and and much like businesses, we have to pivot, we have to make hard decisions, you know, sometimes that that that we don't necessarily want to make, but we but we do. You know, we're much smaller today than we were when I started 10 year 10 years ago. And and I boy, I wish I was still at the same staff level, but business decisions warrant you gotta do things differently. And so I think I think that's one. And then I the other piece that that I go with that is is is really the collaborate idea. You know, there are so many chances collaboration. And so sometimes sometimes this is something the chamber should be involved in. Something sometimes it's just something the chamber should champion that someone else in the community can do and and do better. And I think sometimes we have the tendency to, you know, want everything to be housed here or be part of us or or our organization. But we found great success in collaborating with with our regional partners, with other organizations in in the community. And and and I and I, you know, chambers I think have this unique power of convening that most other people don't have. And so for us to be able to convene and and and try to help make sure people aren't duplicating what they're doing and they're collaborating together. We're Switzerland sometimes on particular issues. And so if we can get pe people to work together. And so I those are the two things that come to mind a little bit on the be business like and being collaborative.
30:08.974 Brandon Burton
I think those are great pieces of advice. I I love the idea of running it like a business because you just have to to to stay alive. well, as we look to the future of chambers of commerce, how do you see the future of chambers and their purpose going forward?
30:27.182 Jeff Rea
Yeah, I I think they form a a really important role. Obviously it's changing, it's evolving. I'm a big fan of what ACCE did with the Horizon project and and we follow that and and many of the things we're doing. you know, obviously figuring out membership and and how that works and investment and showing value, I think is all really i important things. But but I our our community is r is relying very heavily on on having a a chamber of commerce, on having a a voice of business, on having business help drive decisions. making there. And so I I think our influence will will continue to grow and people will will continue to ask and and and we'll have to kind of tweak our model and figure out services along the way. But I but I think for example our model with economic development visitor bureau and chamber is i is really one that works very well and we kinda house it all you know together and and deliver some great services there. So I I don't know. I wish I wish my crystal ball was clearer when I look into it some days. It's it's I don't get it as clear as I'd like it to be, but I'd like to think there's a that much like the last a hundred and nine years there's been an important role for us, there will be well into the future.
31:32.606 Brandon Burton
So my my crystal ball looks really good looking backwards. It just it doesn't look forward very well. But well, Jeff, I wanted to give you an opportunity to put any contact information out there that you'd like for anybody listening that would like to connect with you or learn more about what you're doing to raise your community profile or or the model that you have there running the two chambers. What would be the best way for someone to to reach out and connect with you?
31:58.284 Jeff Rea
Yeah, email probably prefer J R E A at SBR Chamber dot com. S B R like South Bend Region Chamber dot com. And or five seven four four hundred four thousand comes right to my desk. I think it's the coolest phone number ever. It's pretty easy to remember, but five seven four four hundred four thousand gets right to my desk. Be happy to to chat with anybody or share experiences.
32:23.416 Brandon Burton
That's perfect. And you got that number, huh?
32:25.942 Jeff Rea
Yeah, I I don't know. I don't know why I got it. I'm pretty I don't know if that's it's not it's not always good to have a number that people it's easy for people to remember and but I'm not hiding from anybody, so I'm glad that I'm glad it's out there and people can can get me if they want.
32:38.958 Brandon Burton
That's right. Well, I will I'll get your contact information on our show notes page for this episode, which will be found at Chamberchatpodcast.com slash episode one fifteen. But Jeff, I really do appreciate you spending some time with me today here on Chamber Chat Podcast. You're doing some great things there at the South Bend Regional Chamber and and ways to to really elevate your profile of the chamber there in your community. So thank you for sharing all that with us. I really do appreciate it.
33:06.222 Jeff Rea
Well thank you and thanks again for what you do. I I'm a big fan and I again I'm learning a lot every single day and and this platform that that you created here is really a terrific platform and and I I I'm thank you for doing that.
33:20.278 Brandon Burton
If you are a Chamber Professional, please subscribe to Chamber Chat Podcast in Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, or Spotify. When you subscribe to Chamber Chat Podcast, new episodes will show up in your podcast app each week as they are released. If you're finding value in this podcast, please leave us a rating and a review in iTunes. But most importantly, please share Chamber Chat Podcast with your colleagues that are in the industry.
33:52.694 Brandon Burton
As a podcast listener and as a chamber leader, have you considered the benefits that podcasting could have for your chamber? This is what I like to call the podcast pivot. If you're like many chambers, you're always looking for ways to provide non-involvement value to your member investors. Many chambers are finding that podcasting is a great solution. A podcast platform becomes a media arm for your organization that builds trust in your community. Tells us stories about your members as well as your advocacy efforts and becomes a valuable, tangible asset for nondues revenue. If you'd like to see if podcasting is a good fit for your chamber, visit Chamberchatpodcast.com slash pivot to learn more and to gain access to our free chamber podcasting guide. Again, this is found at Chamberchatpodcast.com slash pivot.