What services do you utilize most within your Chamber membership? Are there any services you wish your chamber offered?

A Chambers greatest asset is events. Corporate sponsors are looking for exposure to the chamber members. They are looking for avenues to showcase their products and services. I am with the United States Black Chambers. They advocate for Black businesses by finding ways for businesses to get access to capital and contracting opportunities. We try to attend any meetings that affect Black businesses to keep our chambers and business members informed of the latest trends. We have been very effective in identifying the different pieces necessary in procuring contracts. Chambers are the eyes for business opportunities.

We take great advantage in our membership. I belong to a twice-monthly Leads group that meets and discusses what our businesses have to offer, updates, make referrals. We also advertise on some of the chamber pages. I am in a year long leadership class, too, networking and getting more familiar with the city and county. Our chamber has other networking and referral opportunities and we try to attend whenever possible. 

I have only been to one meeting, and it was wonderful. All on creating a donor list and donor relations. There were two members that my Executive Director and I were interested in meeting with at a later time.

SCORE is not a Chamber of Commerce.    SCORE is a resource partner to the Small Business Administration.  We work with a variety of Chambers across the country by offering workshops for their members.

Need a forum where businesses that are looking for services do an expo as the exhibitors and invite the businesses that are providing services to attend. This would save both sides time and money. There are too many events where the service providers are both the exhibitors and the attendees.

Need to have services/programs for non profit organization members to connect.  We are service based and not looking for customers but potential board members, donors, marketing consultants, etc.

Perhaps guidance for nonprofits seeking to partner with a for profit to achieve sustainability and contributing to the community. 

We have hundreds of things that we offer, I work individually to help tailor a package that best fits each business.  They enjoy the personal service and we are able to get a much better retention rate from them.

I would like more networking opportunities.

As a new start up organization we are first looking for sources of funding to begin acquiring vacant homes to rehab. I tried to get a home equity loan on my home, but banks don't do loans under $60 K.

I have yet to make contact with the Chamber of Commerce.