CEO's Focus: A New beginning to a Prosperous Future 

by Chris Messina,
President/CEO,
Napa Chamber of Commerce

I’m humbled by the amazing opportunity to serve the Napa business community, a community I have long admired. While our community is facing unprecedented challenges, together we can forge unprecedented solutions to what many consider the challenges of our generation.

As the steward of our business community’s interests, we pledge to build on the world-class Napa brand and create one of the strongest and most sustainable economies in California!

As a critical advocate for businesses, large and small, we pledge to work with our elected officials, reminding them that “there but for the grace of you, our businesses, go all of us”!

In the service of our existing members, and the many businesses that have yet to join our community, we pledge our unflagging support, and a shared vision of community impact.

For therein lies our value to the business community: to be relevant to our members; to have a positive impact on our community—by working on those problems that drive businesses elsewhere; and to build on the good work that’s been done before us and make Napa and the greater Napa Valley the preferred place to do business in California!

Together we can improve the quality of education in our community, attracting more businesses. Together we can make Napa the best place to start and grow a business. Together we can make our community the shining example in California for what it means to have a sustainable vision for our business community. As the saying goes, “Without a vision, a people perish.”

I’m grateful for the opportunity to work with you as we confront the business and economic challenges of our generation. I’m grateful to those that came before, even as we look towards a brighter future. And finally, to my Sonoma County friends I cannot deny that the Cabernet IS better on this side of the mountains! I invite you, and all others, to come and enjoy and invest in the Napa community.

Thank You!
 

 

 

 

 

GAINING TRACTION

Katherine Zimmer
VP Marketing & Communication

Chambers of Commerce — relevance, yesterday and today

The Napa Chamber of Commerce is in its 124th year. It started with an innovative group of business leaders looking for a solution to improve roads and wooden sidewalks. Starting as the Improvement Society in 1889, this pioneering group of volunteers evolved to be called the Board of Trade and then the Chamber of Commerce.

Chambers have always worked from a position grounded in grassroots reality. They help business leaders understand the processes involved on the many levels required for business growth — from city, state and national government to local permitting and building beneficial relationships. They are the collective voice representing business to government and providing the due diligence on legislation pertinent to their business community. They also give businesses an arena to find their niche in corporate social responsibility by consulting with them to find the right alignment between the community and their mission.

Many chambers are their community’s primary visitor-serving organizations and many play support roles to destination management entities, but chambers will always be perceived as the one-stop place to call on for all types of business referrals.

Communications and business information resources are other benefits of your local chamber. Finding economical educational workshops, seminars and conferences can be challenging for small businesses. In addition to educational events, chambers provide avenues for businesses to network, access influencers and gain critical exposure through sponsorship opportunities and marketing channels. Not only do they produce many of these events, they can tell you where else you can take advantage of similar resources.

Influential business leaders know that participating in chamber activities means connecting with local leaders; creating business alliances, affecting public policy, improving local and regional communities, growing the value of your business and being engaged with the organization that is leading business in your community.

Today’s chamber industry does a great job with all of the benefits it provides, but faces challenges in communicating exactly what it does, which can give a negative perception of chambers’ relevance.

There’s a saying: “Chambers do the things that most people think just happen.” With businesses looking for quick, tangible results — jobs, more customers, and a return on investment in this fast-paced and global media world — it can be difficult to communicate the value of connecting, engaging, marketing, advocacy and sustainability. If the specific issue doesn’t touch a member business directly, they often don’t realize how the benefit that a particular position on legislation or influence at a planning commission meeting can help them.

Gone are the days of chamber pancake breakfasts and parades. Gone is the notion that you join the chamber because your grandfather did and it’s the right thing to do. Here are the days of tough economies, global impacts, and instant communication. Chambers of commerce are relevant partners. Do your business a favor and talk to your chamber.

Your success is your chamber’s business.

Reprinted with permission from the Napa Valley Register.

 

 

 

 

GAINING TRACTION

Katherine Zimmer
VP Marketing & Communication

Social media updates, Part 2: Mobile Web

 

Columnist’s note: This week’s column is written by Andrew Healy of 3 rock marketing.

So you’ve got a website for your business and that’s it. Nothing else to do but wait for people to find it and contact you through it. Right?

Wrong. The online world is changing daily, and one of the biggest changes affecting this area today is mobile web.

Mobile web traffic is growing at an astronomical rate, and depending on which figures you read, we’re talking about hundreds-percent growth year over year. So here are the questions: What is it? Why do I need to be aware of it? And how do I make the most use of it?

Put simply, mobile web refers to the use of the Internet from mobile devices, which include any smartphone or tablet computer, like the iPad. More and more visits to your website are coming from mobile devices and your website needs to be optimized for these visits. There’s a huge difference in screen size between your desk or laptop computer and any of these mobile devices, and within the mobile devices screen size varies hugely, too.

You want to make sure that the people who are looking at your website are seeing it in all of its glory whether they look at it on the phone, tablet or computer. That’s why having your website optimized for mobile is so important — you don’t know where and when people will come across it. You do know, however, that you want them to have an optimum experience, as this reflects on your business. Think of it as a first impression and we all know that you won’t get a second chance to make this.

Google and other search engines are giving better search rankings to sites that are optimized for mobile, and as everyone is trying to get further up the rankings, it’s almost a no-brainer to be looking at mobile optimization for your existing website.

Like everything in the world of web, there are lots of options to get your website optimized for mobile. If you’ve been thinking ahead and have your website on a content management system platform like WordPress, Drupal, Joomla, etc., there are existing plug-ins that can be used. If you’re thinking about a new website for 2012, you need to include mobile optimization in your request for proposals so you can have the mobile optimization work done in tandem with your native site. And if you like your existing site and want parts of it to go mobile, that’s possible too, with a standalone mobile URL.

If you’re not thinking about getting this work done, you should be. Being part of the evolution of the World Wide Web should be an essential part of your business’s marketing strategy, because “time stands still for no man,” woman or business.

Andrew Healy is the chief social officer of 3 rock marketing, a Napa Valley–based marketing company that specializes in social media and online presence. Contact him at andrew@3rockmarketing.com or 227-4273.

Reprinted with permission from the Napa Valley Register.

 

 

 

 

Chair's Focus: Exciting Decisions for a Bright Future

by Debra Dommen,
Vice President,
Government and Community Relations,
Treasury Wine Estates

2012 Board Chair, Napa Chamber of Commerce

This year has already been a busy one!  Over the past few months of transition, the Chamber’s extraordinary staff and team of volunteers have paved the way to achieve greatness in 2012. We are happy to start our year with a new President & CEO, Chris Messina. 

While we are poised to do great things, the path that got us here was both challenging and exciting. I’d like to take this opportunity to walk you through our journey.

Last fall, a great team of volunteers agreed to form the “Search Committee” for our new President/CEO. The core team consisted of Board members Ryan Gregory, Cherie Knox, Pamela Gleeson, Kathy D’Angelo Holmes and I. In addition, we brought on past Chair Connie Anderson. We met over twelve times and put in countless volunteer hours, so first I’d like to extend a big thank you to this “A Team.” 

Our process began by reviewing the current job description, our policies and discussing what qualities we wanted our new leader to possess. Many descriptors were used: figure head, agent of change, possessing that “wow” factor, mentor, leader, seasoned CEO, etc.  After placing ads and combing through over 200 resumes, we narrowed our list down to fifteen candidates. 

The next step is what we referred to as “speed dating.” You know, when you first meet someone, not sure if you want to commit to dinner, but coffee seems appropriate? So we met, either by phone, Skype or in person, with fifteen candidates for thirty minutes each.  We had a strict agenda, getting through our questions while giving them an opportunity to reveal more about themselves and ask us questions as well. 
After discussing the interviews and going through our notes, we went from fifteen to five.  At this point we decided to broaden our team to keep the Board informed and involved. We added Board members Paul Hicks, Jaime Penaherrera and Past Chair Jeff Gerlomes to our team. They were great assets, and quite frankly, validated our process and decisions.

The next step, final interviews. We spent over an hour each with five top-rate candidates.  While all were fabulous, and could have come in and hit the ground running, Chris clearly rose to the top. 

We could not contain our excitement and put the process on fast track in order to introduce Chris to our members and the community at our Annual Dinner. If you could not make it, I encourage you to reach out to Chris and introduce yourself. He’s excited to jump in and meet as many members as possible.

One of the questions we kept asking ourselves during this process was “do we want an experienced Chamber CEO or someone who will come in with a fresh perspective to really bring value to our members?” We think we got both, a seasoned Chamber President/CEO that knows we can no longer conduct business as usual. I look forward to this year’s journey into success with Chris and all of you.

 

 

 

CEO's Focus: New Changes at the Napa Chamber

by Randy Martinsen,
President/CEO, Accelerated Marketing Group
Interim CEO, Napa Chamber of Commerce

The Board of Directors of the Napa Chamber of Commerce welcomes Chris Messina, CDP, as its new Chief Executive Officer. Chris will begin working at the Chamber effective February 21, 2012.

Chris comes to the Napa Chamber bringing experience and expertise as a business owner, as well as six years of Non-Profit leadership including his present position as the President/CEO of the Foster City Chamber of Commerce, the former manager for the Advocacy Division of the Santa Rosa Chamber of Commerce and three years as the Executive Director of Santa Rosa Main Street, a non-profit that worked directly with the Chamber of Commerce and the City of Santa Rosa. He is a graduate of the three year educational series of the Western Association of Chamber Executives (WACE), the Certified Downtown Professional program (CDP), and will receive his Accredited Chamber Executive (ACE) certification in February, 2012. He is earning his Institute for Organizational Management (IOM) certification, and most recently he was chosen as one of twenty Chamber officials to attend a business trade mission to China.

The Board is confident that his proven track record of creating and maintaining professional partnerships, his fundraising and promotional expertise, and his commitment to community involvement are going to be positive contributions to the retention and expansion of the Napa Chamber of Commerce’s membership base and community partners.
 
I thought my last article in these newsletters was December of 2010 as my position as Chairman of the Board was winding down. I am honored that the Board felt confidence in my ability to fill in as Interim CEO giving them time to create a Search Committee for the new CEO.
Given that this is my last article as an officer of the Chamber I want to express my gratitude for the many opportunities I have been given in my eight years of service on the Board and as Interim CEO.

As a marketing consultant, I am proud that the Strategic Marketing Plan I helped to create in 2001 is still part of the marketing efforts of the Chamber today. Although I will not be involved with the day-to-day operation of the Chamber after Chris takes the helm, I will be involved as a Chamber Ambassador and a volunteer with Membership Services, Legislative Action Committee and “Wake Up Your Business Wednesday” events. 

I believe in the Napa Chamber of Commerce and what it does for all businesses in the Napa Valley. It is much more than just a marketing benefit to my business. It is an advocate on policy issues; it helps me understand propositions and candidates when voting time comes. It believes in and gives back to the community with the same passion I have for giving back. It believes in education and supports our education systems in Napa to make it possible for new entrepreneurs and developers to thrive. It is interested in making Napa a destination for visitors, and is an advocate for healthcare like no other Chamber in which I have been a member.

I have confidence in the process this Chamber follows and its dedication to our community. I look forward to working with Chris, and the future Board of Directors.

Lastly, I want to express gratitude for all the Board Members I have met and worked with over my eight years in these capacities of service. I thank the staff - who work so hard for our Chamber and the true passion they have to make the Chamber succeed in its vision. I look forward to many more years of association with the Chamber and with all of you – its members! THANK YOU 

 

 

 

Does the law require that an employee sign the time record? What regulations govern modification of time records by a supervisor/manager? Does the employee have to sign any changes made on the time card?

Nothing in the law requires an employee to sign a time card or denies a supervisor the right to change a time card to accurately reflect the time worked. The time record requirements appear in both the Labor Code and Industrial Welfare Com­mission (IWC) orders, which state in part:

(A) Every employer shall keep accurate information with respect to each employee including the following:

(1) Full name, home address, occupation and Social Security number.

(2) Birthdate, if under 18 years, and designation as a minor.

(3) Time records showing when the employee begins and ends each work period. Meal periods, split shift intervals and total daily hours worked shall be recorded. Meal periods during which operations cease and authorized rest periods need not be recorded.

Employer Responsibility
The employer’s obligation to keep accurate time records usually is delegated to the employee, but ultimately it remains the employer’s responsibility.

Although not a requirement, it is a common practice for employers to ask employees to sign either just the time card or to sign a statement affirming that the time record is accurate.

The fact that the signature exists and appears to confirm the accuracy of the time record in and of itself does not automatically absolve the employer of any liability for unpaid time.

Errors in Records
Different scenarios come to mind. The employee may remember later that he/she worked an additional hour that was not reflected, or the employee may allege that he/she recorded the beginning time incorrectly, or forgot to sign in or out at all.

In other words, there are many reasons the record may be in error, even with an employee’s signature.

Further, Labor Code Section 206.5 bars an employer from requiring a signed statement acknowledging, as accurate, a knowingly false time record. Requiring an employee signature is an individual company decision to be made with your legal counsel’s advice.

Although nothing prevents modification to reflect the accurate hours worked and to correct any errors, the best practice is to include time-keeping policies in your handbook. Establish how discrepancies will be addressed and limit access to the official record.

Reprinted with permission from the California Chamber of Commerce.

Check out the Compliance Section of the Napa Chamber Store. The Chamber is where you can get the Required Labor Poster, HR Handbook for California and the California Labor Digest at the LOWEST price! Napa Chamber members are able to receive all of their required products at greatly reduced rates.
Contact Lynn Page at (707) 254-1145 or click here to visit our online Chamber Store.

 

 

Key Relationships Affect Your Bottom Line
by T.R. Vierra,
Owner of eco-Organize

Despite differences about what it takes to be sustainable, nearly everyone acknowledges that three influential, and often competing factors – social, economic, and environmental demands – require serious attention. In a small community like the Napa Valley (where everything and everyone is connected) creating unbalanced, and, therefore, unhealthy relationships among these three responsibilities can cause irreversible damage, especially for businesses.

How does a business leader avoid that? By embracing a principle called the triple bottom line (coined in 1997 and also known as TBL or 3BL). TBL focuses on the benefits of protecting people, planet, and profits. No matter how large or small a business, the crux of TBL is responsibility to stakeholders, not just shareholders.

One way to figure out who your stakeholders are is to perform a life cycle analysis. For example, consider the newspaper or computer screen you are reading. Now think of everything it took – from educating and paying the labor force to producing the materials involved – to getting this article onto that medium. Look at each component of the process, recognizing each stakeholder – past, present, and future. Amazing how many relationships each business process has, isn’t it? How these relationships develop is largely up to the leader of the business. 

Unfortunately, many business leaders harbor the misconception that becoming a sustainable or “green” business is expensive. Sure, like anything else, it could be. But it doesn’t have to be. There are many things that you can do – right now – today – to improve your TBL that don’t cost a dime but have the potential to save you a substantial amount of cash.

An easy place to start is right-sizing. What equipment does your business really need? Could you achieve the same outcome without all the bells and whistles? Are you paying for more than you need? Or could you allocate your budget more wisely? Look at every aspect of your business with a “show me the money” attitude. The money you save will help you better weather economic storms and it will help you create a thriving business… or household.

One great resource available to you is the Napa Chamber’s online Green Business Directory. It provides you with a one-stop relationship-building list of businesses that are proactive in their sustainable practices.

Looking forward to 2012, we can honor existing relationships, make new and meaningful ones, and give special attention to the ones that need tweaking. Give back whenever and whatever we can. Keep our money local. Volunteer. Donate. Eliminate waste at every opportunity. And practice TBL.

T.R. Vierra owns eco-Organize, a Napa based business providing practical solutions for creating more sustainable businesses since 2007. T.R. can be reached at 707-258-8338 or eco-organize@sbcglobal.net. Learn more at eco-orgainze.com.

Reprinted with permission from the Napa Valley Register.

 

GAINING TRACTION

Katherine Zimmer
VP Marketing & Communication

Engaging is the New Networking

“En-gage!” was the command that punctuated an event on the bridge of the Starship Enterprise. Captain Jean-Luc Picard’s confidant and Shakespeareanesq directive that lead everyone to venture forth to meet the unknown head-on filled with tension, excitement and hope. Picard was a master of diplomacy and debate with remarkable tactical cunning and the small talk skills of an accomplished debutante. Who knew back then that “engaging” would be the new concept for networking in the 21st Century age of social media and video face time.

“Hello, my name is Katherine and I am a trekkie.” Little did I know that my decades of boldly going where no one had gone before would give me skills! Networking, cultural sensitivity, innovative collaboration, and an often-essential wacky sense of humor are all traits needed to navigate the world of connectivity in any venue, in any era.

net·work·ing n - 1. the linking of computers (or Facebook pages) so that users can exchange information or share access to a central store of information; 2. the building up or maintaining of informal relationships, especially with people whose friendship could bring advantages such as business opportunities.

We noticed a few years ago in the Chamber of Commerce industry that the word ‘networking’ had started to have a stale, even negative impact, it had lost its passion. The excitement and hope of a fruitful outcome was lost on the effort it took to show up. Excuses were easier than the willpower and chutzpah it took to muster up the courage to boldly go into a room filled with people you don’t know and try to glean something advantageous – almost as difficult as public speaking for some.

Those of us in the marketing spheres started searching for new phrasing by tweaking old phrasing with new terminology… gain access to influencers, link to resources, connect with business growth opportunities, innovate and/or leverage relationships and so on.

During this marketing paradigm shift, the social media evolution exploded. People became more physically isolated into their worlds of online connecting, but were connecting with hundreds of people (they still don’t know), which is great in itself because it makes the world a smaller place and provides a somewhat random, yet customized network foundation for future opportunities.

Full circle: Now the newly resurrected buzz phrase is “face time.” Getting back into a room with people and talking one-to-one or in small groups and learning about each other is becoming fashionable again, but this time the process brings with it the added confidence that has been acquired from connecting online… that sense of a smaller world and the benefit of knowing that it’s not about what you can gain, but more of what you can give that will reap success.

We’re fortunate here in Napa Valley… we have incredible venues, magnificent food and wines, and really interesting people to ease the networking process, but it can still be a chore when the benefit is not easily realized. The key is to find balance in your connecting platforms, give more than you receive, be authentic, relax, and engage… we want to see you!

Reprinted with permission from the Napa Valley Register.

 

 

 

 

The Year In Summary

by Ryan Gregory,
Vice President, Riechers Spence & Associates
2011 Napa Chamber of Commerce Chairman of the Board

Well, I can’t believe that my year as Chairman of the Board for the Napa Chamber of Commerce is almost over. It has been a challenging and rewarding experience, and it was truly an honor to lead the Chamber. As I reflect on the year, I think back on what we did well, what is left undone and what came completely unexpected. Despite my carefully-laid plans for 2011, the year had a mind of its own.

What did we do well this year? We made strides to improve the Chamber’s operations and efficiency. The Chamber’s Five Year Vision was updated and is ready to guide us in decision-making through the next five years. Our financial audit was completed and we passed with flying colors. Adjustments to our corporate bylaws have been made to reflect current practice and our policies and procedures have been compiled into one comprehensive governance guide for easy reference by staff, volunteers and Directors. We held our award-winning mixers, conferences and networking events providing business leaders a chance to socialize, network and compare notes.
We were diligent in delivering one of the Chamber’s core membership benefits— advocacy, being proactive and standing up for issues that our member businesses care about. We defended Napa County’s agricultural preserve by taking a position on the Mishewal Wappo’s request for tribal status and insisting that resulting land development projects be subject to our local land-use requirements. Realizing that the ordinances governing Napa’s food truck industry were outdated, we led an effort to bring this to City Council’s attention and supported the creation of a stakeholder group to update the ordinance. When we heard that the first draft of the Citizens Redistricting Commission’s maps severed American Canyon from the rest of Napa County, we quickly sprung into action, took an opposing position and were successful in supporting significant change. We implored our elected State representatives to keep Napa’s Redevelopment Agency intact and instead look at other reforms and opportunities to balance the budget. In 2011 we took positions and made your voice heard with Federal, State, County and City officials and even took a trip to Capital Hill to deliver our message in support of Napa Valley’s economic vitality.

In addition to our comprehensive advocacy benefits, the Chamber has also been successful in our money-saving and no-cost marketing avenues. We have improved upon connecting with members by developing a new program, Napa Chamber Cares that focuses on visiting members to gain a better understanding of their products, services, and long-term goals. This boosts our promotional efforts through social media, advertisements, online materials and marketing collateral. We are in the process of evaluating our event frequency and content; with marketing research, we recently transformed the event formerly known as First Friday Business Development Lunch to Business Develop & Dine. Along with the new name and graphic design elements, we listened to you to improve the content and tighten the schedule to provide a richer business development opportunity. Through your current feedback we’ve done a wonderful job on this redesign and will continue to improve our events in the coming year.

What work is left undone? One of our 2011 initiatives was to grow our membership by increasing membership retention and reaching out to new businesses and non-members. However, despite strong efforts by the Chamber’s sales staff, our membership renewals and new member sales stayed flat much of the year and began to decline toward the end of this year, which is currently indicative to the Chamber industry as a whole. Members are still struggling with the economy, and they are seeking maximum value for their dollar. We are finding that this new economy is having a significant impact on the Chamber’s business model.

In order to move forward and become a sustainable organization for our members, changes are necessary. This will require creativity and new ideas— in other words, a departure from “business as usual.” We will need to focus more on membership benefits and value in general. We will need to rethink our membership rates and become more flexible to accommodate the needs of our business community. We will need to reconnect with our members, reprioritize the Chamber’s functions and reconstruct our business model accordingly. The Chamber has started the work necessary to create this change, and I look forward to seeing it get implemented and pay dividends next year.

What came completely unexpected? Who knew that during my year as Chair we would see the unplanned departure of our President/CEO? The latter part of this year has been dominated by this and efforts to recruit our next CEO. But, thanks to the extraordinary efforts of the Chamber Staff and Board, the Chamber continues to run smoothly in the meantime. And thanks to the tireless work and countless volunteer hours of the CEO Search Committee members, we are well on our way to finding our next CEO. What makes this daunting task manageable is the exciting opportunity it presents to find a CEO that has the vision, leadership and skill-set to plan and execute the important improvements and changes described above.

This year has been a roller coaster ride. As Chair, the successes have invigorated me and the challenges have stretched me and made me stronger. Most of all, I will look back and remember the relationships I have built this year with the community, the Chamber Staff and members of the Executive Committee and Board of Directors. These are some of the most incredible people in Napa, and I am so pleased that they choose to spend their time with the Chamber. Thanks to all of you for your assistance, support, professionalism and dedication this year.

In closing, if nothing else, this year I was a strong steward of the Napa Chamber of Commerce and worked hard to leave it in better condition than when I started. Next year’s Chair Debra Dommen and her Board are ready to continue this stewardship and complete the work that needs to be done. And I look forward to continuing my involvement in the Chamber next year as Immediate Past Chair and beyond. 

 

 

What Are Your REAL Chamber Benefits?

by Randy Martisen,
President/CEO, Accelerated Marketing Group
and Napa Chamber of Commerce Interim CEO

The Napa Chamber of Commerce serves the business community and makes Napa a better place to work, live and grow. Chamber members are proud to belong to an organization that plays such a key role in the community. During the last two years the Chamber membership was relatively flat. We had projected growth for 2011, but it just didn’t happen as we had hoped. In making calls to members recently I have discovered there is a perception the Chamber is simply a “marketing expense” to many of them. I wanted to take some time to outline the many other reasons being a member of the Napa Chamber is a benefit to your business and give you a brief report card for the year.

While it’s true, the Chamber offers several ways for its members to market their business, some of them are not as easily traceable as others. Our Chamber directory with your listing is published to over 10,000 businesses and visitors each year. You get FREE Press Releases for your company and Ribbon Cuttings by our Chamber Ambassadors. You have access to our Chamber E-Sheets, social Mixers and Business Develop & Dine lunches where you can access great relationship building opportunities for your business. Don’t forget our very popular annual events: Napa Valley Business Expo, Benefit Golf Tournament, and E3 Conference. In fact, there are over 50 events each year and every event is an opportunity for you to make a new friend and potential customer.


But it’s not all about marketing…
Here are other powerful benefits:
       
1.  Business Products available for purchase at a discount. The savings on Labor Law Updates and posters each business is required to publish each year alone can be worth your entire membership fee.

2.  Access to marketing expertise to help you edit your ads and press releases to make them more powerful at no cost to you. Only members have access to our marketing department resources in this way.

3.  Save 15% to 25% on your total annual expenditures for office supplies by using the Napa Office Depot and Staples benefit programs! Also, through a partnership with BEN-E-LECT, a leading provider of “Employer Driven Health Plans,” small businesses may save as much as 30% on their group healthcare costs.

4.  Chamber representation for legislative action issues. Details of each of these actions can be found on our website under Legislative Action; please see the Chair’s article (page 3) for a recap on advocacy during 2011.

In the coming months we will hire a new CEO to take these benefits to a new level, and provide even more to our membership.

Our conferences were rated the “Best of 2010” by North Bay Biz Magazine, and we believe this year’s conferences and Expo were better than last year. The feedback from those who attended our E3 Conference in October was that it was the best of our economic conferences in many years.

Being a Chamber member is much more than getting help with your marketing. It gives you a powerful voice in the community that reaches all the way to our Nation’s Capitol.

If you have questions about any of these services you can visit our website at NapaChamber.com or you may contact me directly at 707.254.1146.

 

 

 

GAINING TRACTION

Katherine Zimmer
VP Marketing & Communication

Advocacy With a Voice for Business

Many of the Napa Chamber’s membership benefits are highly visible – such as the variety of marketing tools available, networking events, and valuable educational seminars. Whether you want to actively participate or not, there are exclusive programs to save your business and employees money, promote your business without attending a single event, and give access to the Chamber’s informational resources.

Advocacy and legislative action is one of the most advantageous member benefits, yet it is one that often goes unrecognized or is considered an intangible unless you are in the midst of dealing with a government agency, ordinance, or policy that is adversely affecting your business and the Chamber has stepped in to help.

The 19-member Legislative Action Committee (LAC) is charged with thoroughly investigating any public policy issue that the Chamber is asked to take a position on. All subjects are reviewed first by being aligned to the Chamber’s Five Year Vision and then balanced presentations of the pros and cons of each issue are followed by discussion, lively debates and ultimately, recommendations to the Board.

Redwood Credit Union’s Napa Branch Manager and current NCC Vice-Chair of Advocacy, Cherie Knox comments, "The Chamber's Legislative Action Committee is a dedicated group of community professionals who are passionate about representing business to government. Beth Painter has done an amazing job of chairing this committee in 2011 and I'm excited that she has agreed to do so again in 2012. Our LAC members are actively engaged and ready to explore issues that affect our community and our businesses."
 
Beth Painter, community land use planner and current LAC chair credits the strength of the LAC in its diversity of membership representing a varied cross section of the community. The members come prepared with relevant questions and work hard to understand all sides of any issue discussed. Painter says, “Our goal is for the LAC to assist the Chamber Board and its membership to both engage in and understand the legislative policies that effect our community.”

A broad variety of topics have been researched and evaluated in 2011 including the City of Napa’s Mobile Food Truck Ordinance, Downtown Specific Plan, redevelopment agency, affordable housing programs, downtown traffic patterns, Napa County’s jail expansion plans, the Wappo Tribal recognition, the draft Climate Action Plan, Napa Airport plans, and Historic Preservation Ordinances. And recently the committee met and posed questions to Assemblywoman Marika Yamata to learn about her goals and vision.

The Napa Chamber has always been a strong voice for legislative action when advocating for our members and the business community. This uniquely objective voice supports are business community and positively affects many aspects of its success.

LAC meets at 8:15 a.m. on the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays of the month in the Napa Chamber Board Room. The Chamber’s committees are where the action is, where the real work is done – you are welcome to take part in helping the Chamber membership create a strong local economy.

Reprinted with permission from the Napa Valley Register.

 

 

 

 

It’s Time for Business of the Year Nominations

by Ryan Gregory,
Vice President, Riechers Spence & Associates
2011 Napa Chamber of Commerce Chairman of the Board

You have downsized, you have cut your salary, and you have successfully led your organization through another tough year while maintaining staff morale and a high level of service. You are a Business of the Year candidate!

With the year almost over, it’s time to celebrate perseverance and this year’s class of survivors at the Chamber’s Annual Dinner on January 20 where we’ll honor this year’s Business of the Year along with Citizen of the Year and Ambassador of the Year. The Chamber’s Annual Awards offer the opportunity to honor those significant contributors who routinely go above and beyond to support building a strong local economy and who make extra efforts to ensure that Napa is a healthy, growing and inclusive community.

Previous honorees of the Business of the Year award have had a philosophy of providing the highest possible level of service while giving back whenever possible to the community. They have built a loyal following of clients that has seen them through both flush and impacted economic times. They have striven to provide not only the best quality products and service, but also a safe haven work place atmosphere that prizes teamwork and creativity. They are proud of their standing in the community and the service they provide. There are many local businesses that match this description and that have extraordinary survivor stories to share. Don’t miss this chance to get nominated and honored for your contributions. Nomination forms can be found online at bit.ly/BizNoms

The Napa Chamber’s Annual Dinner is to be held on Friday, January 20, 2012 at the Marriott Napa Valley Hotel and Spa in Napa.  Registration details will be coming soon.

Other tidbits:

• The process of finding the next Chamber CEO continues. We have already received many qualified resumes to choose from. If you know of anyone qualified for the job, please have them forward their resume to me at ChamberNapa@gmail.com. The advertisement period ends on November 7

• Our annual E3 Conference was a huge success with some of the best programming and subsequent feedback in years. Thanks to our Chamber Staff for their hard work. Thanks also to past-Chair Jeri Gill for stepping in to assist Staff in pulling this event together- she did an incredible job!

• I am pleased to announce that past-Chair Randy Martinsen has agreed to step in as Interim CEO for the next few months until our next CEO is hired. Randy will work with operations leader Katherine Zimmer to ensure that all important administrative and financial functions of the Chamber are being handled. Randy has been involved with the Chamber for more than 8 years and brings to bear his considerable experience with the Chamber and understanding of its members.

 

 

GAINING TRACTION

Katherine Zimmer
VP Marketing & Communication

Arts and Foodies Bring Business Opportunities

This fall Napa Valley is presenting three spectacular events highlighting local creative talent and stimulating the cross pollination of food, the arts and commerce. All three are benefit celebrations that will continue to give back to our communities and local businesses throughout the year.

Napa Valley October ARTS’11, the Napa Valley Film Festival and Flavor! Napa Valley are all highlighting and strengthening our historical culture and the burgeoning creative scene and the economy in our community. These events are multi-disciplinary collaborations that emphasize both the creative and fiscal value of supporting a thriving, inventive and involved society.

As we wrap up October, the month-long Napa Valley ARTS’11 has the numbers to reflect a great success. Arts Council Napa Valley has sourced national funding and partnered with many local organizations to ramp up the Napa Valley ARTS program for 2011. Using the optimized ACNV website to draw presenters and programs ARTS’11 has swelled from 115 events last year to over 180 this year.

“During ARTS’11, we have successfully encouraged local businesses to participate, take advantage and partner in the many ways for both visitors and locals,” says Kristina. “This is a celebration of creativity for everyone in a destination already renowned for its wine and food, ARTS’11 showcases the robust flavors of local arts and culture.” Her commitment to collaborative business opportunities is evident in the many ways that ARTS’11 is leveraging multiple streams and community resources to facilitate and promote all of the events.

Last Friday I attended the Leadership Council luncheon and listened to Marc Lohrmer’s high-energy passion for the upcoming Napa Valley Film Festival (NVFF). With screenings and events throughout the Napa Valley, the official inaugural film festival embraces locals and visitors alike with a flexible footprint of venues, prices, and generationally optimized experiences. The five-day “extended weekend” (November 9-13) features the best of new independent films, studio sneak previews, and conversations with actors, directors, producers and writers. 

NVFF Executive Director Marc Lhormer says, “The new Napa Valley Film Festival adds an exciting dimension to Napa’s array of events. Our collaborative approach assures that the community we build around the festival, and the positive economic impact for Napa businesses, will extend well beyond the five-day run each year. Our team has made great efforts to work hand-in-hand with the local business community to incorporate their products and services into both the marketing of - and experience of - the film festival.”

And then… immediately following the film festival is Flavor! Napa Valley, a four-day benefit celebration of wine, food and fun, being held November 17 – 20. Flavor! offers something for every fan of world-class food and wine. This inaugural benefit celebration features a wide variety of gastronomic events at the Silverado Resort and Spa in Napa, and Culinary Institute of America Greystone (CIA) in St. Helena.

Join the cultural extravaganza in Napa this fall and connect your business and quality of life with these three unique opportunities for economic enrichment. Stay tuned for more on these community-building events.

For more information: www.NVarts.org; www.napavalleyfilmfest.org;www.flavornapvalley.com

Reprinted with permission from the Napa Valley Register.

 

 

 

GAINING TRACTION

Katherine Zimmer
VP Marketing & Communication

Employee Health = Business Health

There is a prominent trend of content crossing my digital desktop right now that fits nicely with my recent columns about taking care of your employees on the many levels needed to keep them happy and productive.

We’ve talked about the cost of turnover and the economic indicators that predict a massive job-hopping environment when jobs start opening up. Many people are starting their job searching now so they will be dialed in when the “dream job” hits their RSS feeds.

We’ve talked about the multi-tasking, capacity overload and the consistent overwhelm that leads to big-time stress and all of its complications.

Employee health is the common denominator to all of these issues – physical or mental, it will end up defining your business’ health. Healthy employees support your ROI and bottom line. Less sick time equals more productive time; healthier people equal less Workers Comp issues; higher quality of employee morale equals more creative collaboration, higher levels of customer service, and highly functioning teams.

There are many ways and employer can support a healthier work environment without wiping out the petty cash envelope or adding a budget line item. Seek out trade agreements with well-being providers. Does your business provide a product or service that the spa might find useful? Could that result in a masseuse coming into your workplace once a month for 20-minute neck/back massages?

Encourage wellness activities like a team meeting walk on the Vine Trail path or in the park and switch your recognition gifts from cakes and ice cream to movie tickets and fruit smoothie gift certificates!

Here are a couple of excerpts from the afore mentioned great content crossing my desk:

“Energizing at Work” courtesy of Kaiser Permanente of Northern California Anyone who has managed in an office environment knows, workers’ batteries begin to run down as morning turns into afternoon, and by 3 or 4 p.m., the energy that was so palpable only several hours earlier is often gone. Encouraging office workers to take a few moments to care for their bodies and spirits can help them remain energized all day.

Here are some easy steps anyone can take to keep their batteries charged and stay focused and productive all the way until the end of the day. Post these tips in the cafeteria; break room or department bulletin boards. And don’t forget to follow them yourself….take regular breaks; keep your body hydrated; snack with fresh fruits and vegetables; and walk during breaks.

“Lack of Time Management Skills Lead to Health Problems” courtesy of Express Employment Professionals, Napa
With the technology and innovation of smart phones, and easy access to work e-mail, social media, documents, and programs, today’s workforce now spends more time working after hours outside the office and less time worrying about their health. A recent study by the Society of Human Resource Management found that 70 percent of employees work beyond their work schedule in the evening and on weekends. With the extended hours, a healthy lifestyle is often the first area of an employee’s life to suffer. A healthy, happy, motivated worker is not only good for team morale and the success of the business, but can save money on health insurance cost for the business and its employees.

For the full text on both of these articles, please go to: NapaChamber.com/BusinessFocus

Melissa Rodgers is program director for Employer Engagement and Worksite Wellness, Regional Health Education, Kaiser Permanente of Northern California - kp.org

Courtesy of Sandi Weimer from Express Employment Professionals, Napa - sandi.weimer@expresspros.com

Reprinted with permission from the Napa Valley Register.

 

 

 

 

Changes and Opportunities

by Ryan Gregory,
Vice President, Riechers Spence & Associates
2011 Napa Chamber of Commerce Chairman of the Board

As most of you know by now, we said goodbye to Lisa Batto after eight years of dedicated service to the Napa Chamber of Commerce. Since being appointed to the CEO position two years ago, Lisa has grown as a professional and as a person. Lisa worked hard to fill this role and her efforts were noticeable. It is truly unfortunate that those of us that originally supported Lisa in taking the job also had to be the ones to make this most recent decision to terminate her employment as the CEO. However difficult a decision it was, it is in the best interest of the Chamber that we now seek and hire an established Chief Executive Officer to lead the Napa Chamber into the future.

We have all noticed the dramatic shifts in our local economy lately. These shifts are having a significant impact on the Chamber’s business model. In addition to addressing these immediate issues, changes are also necessary to position the Chamber to be sustainable into the future. This will require creativity and new ideas, a departure from “business as usual.” We need to focus more on membership benefits and value in general.  We need to rethink our membership rates and become more flexible to open up Chamber membership to more of the business community. We need to advocate for our member businesses’ specific issues as much as we do for policy matters. In short, we need to reconnect with our members, reprioritize the Chamber’s functions and reconstruct our business model around providing the services and benefits that today’s businesses need.  This is a big task that will require the vision, leadership and skill-set of an experienced manager and executive.  

In informing Lisa of this decision, we expressed our sincere appreciation for the good work she has done for the Chamber over the years. Lisa retains a great deal of respect for the Chamber and its staff, and has been cooperative in this transition. Many of us are friends with Lisa and involved with her in other organizations, and we look forward to continuing those relationships. Lisa recently said, “I’m a sixth-generation Napan. I’m not going anywhere.” We hope she doesn’t because great things are in her future.  

The process of finding a new CEO has started. A search committee has been formed and is putting the finishing touches on the advertisement and job description that will be posted by the second week of October. Being an award-winning Chamber in a highly desirable area, we expect a great response and are committed to spending as much time as necessary to find the most qualified executive. If you know of anyone qualified for the job, please have them forward their resume to me at ChamberNapa@gmail.com.

In the meantime, you’ll be happy to know that the Chamber is running smoothly. Thanks go to Katherine Zimmer, VP of Marketing & Communications, for stepping up and agreeing to manage Chamber business, operations and staff until a replacement is found.  Thanks also to members of the Executive Committee and Board of Directors for their extraordinary efforts, fitting countless volunteer hours around their day jobs. All of us here at the Chamber are committed to ensuring minimal impact on members during this transitional period. And we are also committed to finding a CEO that is ready and able to plan and execute the important improvements and changes that our Chamber needs to succeed into the future

To download the President/CEO job description PDF, please go the Napa Chamber job opportunities page HERE

 

 

GAINING TRACTION

Katherine Zimmer
VP Marketing & Communication

Don’t Freeze Professional Development

As a nice segue to my last column about the grim state of employee retention programs, this column focuses on how you can keep professional development on the employee goals table without spending a fortune. Figuring out a way to keep some consistency and forward movement in staff development is critical to keeping your company goals moving forward.

I’ve been able to take advantage of some great professional development opportunities so far this year that were either free or low cost. If money is the only issue, there are lots of free or low cost opportunities out there, if you look around. If employee time is the issue, then find a way to move some duties around so that everyone can participate in development and training. Keep it fair and raise the morale bar for everyone in the process.

The two seminars I attended that prompted my last column were expertly produced by Express Professional Services and were offered free of charge. These two events were great for human resource professionals, sales, marketing, and company leaders.

Last week I finished my third and final year of the Western Association of Chamber Executive’s Academy program. It is a three and a half day intensive training for industry personnel. Was it free, no, but I did plan ahead, apply, and win a scholarship to attend.

During our classes last week, we frequently discussed how to provide incentive and motivation to overworked staff and volunteers. Professional development initiatives should be built into annual budgets and your corporate culture. If the budget isn’t possible, you can still find a way to foster a culture of personal growth.

And as we’re learning more every day, this culture can mean different things to generational workers. It’s important to stay aware of that when seeking opportunities that will maximize their goals, build their strengths and maintain a creative environment.

Here are some ideas:
-    Napa Valley College provides a robust schedule of business development classes, from social media to office programs, photography, graphic art, and accounting.
-    The Napa Valley College Adult Education program is a great resource as is the new Business & Entrepreneurship Center.
-    Local companies that provide products and services also teach about them, often at no cost as with the employment professionals’ seminars.
-    Look for sponsorship opportunities at business events and negotiate tickets for your appropriate staff members to attend.
-    Monitor our industry’s associations and take advantage of webinars, online resources, and events. Partner up with other companies to share event hotel space or webinar venues.
-    Google a lot. Look for opportunities outside of your area as well… often you can find precise training within a short drive.

Remember to be creative and open. Talk to your employees about their personal goals and find ways to help achieve them. Your company will benefit from it on many levels.

Reprinted with permission from the Napa Valley Register.

 

 

 

GAINING TRACTION

Katherine Zimmer
VP Marketing & Communication

Perception Is Everything

“La Bella Figura” is an Italian colloquialism – an informal idiomatic expression that came about through the values and philosophies of an ancient culture. Directly translated it means “the beautiful figure.” One might say it’s just slang, but most would explain it as a way of life ingrained in a culture that emphasizes beauty, positive image, and proper behavior.

Can you picture the aging Italian woman sweeping her storefront curb or deeply focused on shining the brass doorknob to the flower shop that has been in her family for generations? Or the young man whose daily chore before opening is washing down the front sidewalk of the deli he works at through the summer, his efforts meeting up with the washed walkways from the stores on either side.

The primping of storefronts is an easy example of “La Bella Figura” – the pride taken in how your business is perceived by the world passing buy. In Italy, the concept exudes well beyond the brick and mortar. It’s the underlying reason Italians are known for their style, elegance, and creativity. From the best dressed corporate professionals to the pressed and decorated uniforms of the police to the trash collectors in their immaculate white coveralls; it is second nature.

This demonstrative care for appearances not only supports the business at hand, but encompasses a far grander goal, that of service to their community. La Bella Figura is the art of presenting your best, whether it is your storefront, perceived image, or setting an example. It is an etiquette system of awareness that is often lost in today’s rush for achievement and instant gratification.

Why should this matter to you?

Let’s go back to the fundamental concept of being in service to your community. Taking pride in how you, your business, and neighborhood are perceived is a collaborative effort that raises the bar for everything happening in your community. New development, tourism, local patronage, and business visitors all take notice when they see the manifestation of this cultural philosophy.

When was the last time you walked from your parking garage to your office and saw a piece of trash on the sidewalk and thought, “I should pick that up,” and kept walking. Have you ever reached down, picked it up, and enjoyed the reaction of others seeing you do it? “Wow, that was nice of you to pick that up, thank you!” And then that person will do it next time, guaranteed.

The bella figura philosophy is alive and well in business-focused social media networking. Great efforts are made to be informative, delightful, engaging, well mannered, authentically branded and present. The alternative behavior – sales-driven, indifferent, distracted, and negative – wouldn’t allow for any longevity in the digital social-sphere. Maybe we should take a lesson from that and work harder to be better perceived when connecting in person.

Take time to stop and say hello to people. Show genuine interest in them. Always present yourself authentically and as “put together” as you possibly can. Smile at strangers. Pick up that piece of paper or drink cup in your path.

...and, "sweep" your storefront!

Reprinted with permission from the Napa Valley Register.

 

 

 

 

by Ryan Gregory,
Vice President, Riechers Spence & Associates
2011 Napa Chamber of Commerce Chairman of the Board

We have had a busy first half of the year here at the Chamber. We have worked hard to improve the Chamber’s organizational systems and operational efficiency. And we have been diligent in delivering the Chamber’s trademark advocacy, being proactive and standing up for issues that our member businesses care about. In short, we have lived up to our reputation as the biggest and best business organization in Napa County. Here at the halfway point, it seems appropriate to reflect on the year and take stock of what we’ve accomplished so far. 

Under the leadership of President/CEO Lisa Batto, we have made strides to improve the Chamber’s operations and efficiency. The Chamber’s 5-year Vision has been updated and is ready to guide us in decision-making through the next five years. Our financial audit has been completed and we passed with flying colors. Adjustments to our corporate bylaws have been made to reflect current practice and our policies and procedures have been compiled into one comprehensive governance guide for easy reference by staff, volunteers and Directors. 

Our 2011 initiatives are on track. We continue to grow our membership thanks to Chamber veteran Sherrell Harper. A new second membership sales staff person will propel us even further. And, we continue to take steps to align staff resources and the Chamber’s products, services and communications to make sure our members receive the value of membership that they expect. This in turn enables us to retain members and attract new members which circles back to supporting the first initiative of overall membership growth.

Through the tireless work of our Legislative Advocacy Committee and Board of Directors, we have been proactive in delivering our trademark advocacy and have gotten in front of issues that matter to our members. We defended Napa County’s agricultural preserve by taking a position on the Mishewal Wappo’s request for tribal status and insisting that resulting land development projects be subject to our local land-use requirements. Realizing that the rules governing Napa’s food truck industry were outdated, we led an effort to bring this to City Council’s attention and create a stakeholder group to update the rules. When we heard that the first draft of the Citizens Redistricting Commission’s maps severed American Canyon from the rest of Napa County, we quickly sprung into action, took a position and got a letter out in time for the next Commission meeting.

We were also very active in areas concerning the State budget. Recognizing the effectiveness and importance of Napa’s Redevelopment Agency, we implored our elected State representatives to keep our agency intact and instead look at other reforms and opportunities to balance the budget. We took a position to support the tax extension until the next election when the people can decide and oppose SB 653, which would create an uneven tax structure and hurt business.

That’s a lot of work and we deserve a break. The timing couldn’t be better for the Chamber’s Annual Golf Tournament coming up on July 15 where we’ll take a day off work and have some fun and fellowship with friends and colleagues. We’ll also get refreshed for the second half of the year, which is sure to be as action-packed as the first. See you out there.

In place of the Chairman and CEO Focus articled this month... this article recently came to our attention and we’d like to share it with you. It’s written by Amazon.com bestselling author Tony Rubelski.

In a world loaded with marketing options and information overload I’m often asked by new and existing business owners for a simple, inexpensive way to increase their local visibility and marketing efforts to produce more opportunities and sales. Without a doubt, I always ask a stunningly simple question, Are you a member of your local chamber of commerce? I get one of three answers:
1. Yes
2. No, but tell me more
3. We used to be a member

Now I know every person has opinions but I’d like you to take a moment to read this brief article to discover seven reasons why I strongly feel that every business and non-profit organization should be a member of their local chamber regardless of the size of their organization, marketing budget, years in business, or even if they’ve heard or possibly had a negative chamber experience in the past. In light of the current challenges in the economy, this article is even more relevant than when I first wrote it two-years ago.

1. Visibility. Yes, you’ve heard it said time and time again, that out of sight means out of mind. This is not a smart strategy for any business, especially when times are good. A market can change quickly. As Jim Collins says, good is the enemy of great. This is a great statement, but I’d like to add to it as it relates to marketing. While good is the enemy of great, complacency and short term thinking is the enemy of sustained marketing breakthroughs.

Let’s look at a real world example of chamber complacency in action. Having worked with hundreds of chambers throughout North America, I’m simply baffled that within many communities how few real estate agents and automotive sales reps are either non-existent or barely active within their local chamber. In these two highly competitive and crowded markets you’d think these folks would do anything to stand out from the competition and fully leverage the chamber to get an edge. Nope. It’s as if they have no idea the local chamber exists and how it can benefit their business.

2. Access. Unless you’re crazy or like consistent rejection, no one enjoys making cold calls all day long. It’s a painful, tedious process that often wastes far too much time and mentally drains even the most upbeat and friendly person after a while. When you join a chamber and actively get involved you’ll discover that meeting prospects who may have an interest or who can refer you to key contacts you’re trying to reach, is a huge benefit of membership. From being on committees, serving as an ambassador, or attending specific events where prospects are likely to be, you’ll find yourself in situations where you can identify and meet decision makers face-to-face versus making cold calls.

3. Ongoing training and education. Unless you have the luxury of a training budget or can afford to bring in local, regional or nationally known experts on different topics, I firmly believe that there’s no other organization in America that delivers timely programs at such an affordable price as the local or regional chamber of commerce. By spreading costs among fellow members through registration fees and sponsorships, members can stay updated, informed and educated at a bargain price.
4. Networking. From seminars, leads groups, luncheons to business expos and various business and community committees, there’s absolutely no excuse for not being able to meet new contacts, referrals and people who can help you with ideas and additional ways to grow your business.

The old adage, out of sight, out of mind, is so true when it relates to networking. The chamber gives your several different venues to meet new people. My entire career I’ve utilized the power of networking in my home chamber’s ranging from serving as co-chair of the ambassador league to sponsoring and speaking at different events. The positive outcomes on the bottom line and great people I’ve met have been great. In addition, doing business with fellow member who offer wonderful products, services, and ideas has also been a big plus.

5. Low cost advertising opportunities. As far as visibility at the local level, a chamber offers a wide range of affordable advertising options and sponsorship packages for just about every business or non-profit, regardless of how big or small their budget may be. I’ve bought and sold traditional media and I can tell you it’s not cheap. For the price of a few ads within a major media outlet, you can often sponsor an entire program with the chamber, give a short commercial about your company, meet new prospects and follow up with the list of attendees who may have a need for your offering. This is a wonderful way to hold your marketing dollars accountable and see them working hard right before your eyes.

A common area to get low cost or free advertising is submitting updates or news briefs for possible inclusion within the chamber “Member News’ section of the newsletter or eletter. Amazingly, a lot of members do not take advantage of this wonderful free marketing opportunity provided with their membership. The chamber is always on the lookout for member related news. I make it a goal to get over a small news update or announcement at least every two to three months to my local chambers because I know many times it will get printed and read by key people in the business community.

6. Advocacy. A foolish belief among large companies, especially national retail outlets, is that they’re too big or not local enough to care about getting involved or joining their local chamber of commerce. A few things they should think about: Are their employees and customers local? Are taxes and school systems important to finding and retaining a high quality work force? These are key areas that the chamber researches, lobbies and routinely discusses with local and regional government units, politicians and the media to keep people up to date on central issues of importance pertaining to their membership and the community.

What happens to your local employees and customers does have an impact on your business even if you’re a national chain. In addition, missing out on networking, sponsorship and other business building news and benefits, I think it looks incredibly tacky if four or five local businesses are active in the chamber and a national firm in the same market area won’t even join. In my mind this sends an incongruent message to the market when the national company claims to be ‘a good corporate citizen’ but they won’t join and get involved with their local chamber of commerce.

7. Money saving discounts. If you fully leverage the cost saving discounts ranging from health insurance, office supplies, to discounted phone service to other items your business currently uses or will need, it’s not uncommon for a small business to easily find enough savings in the first 30-60 days upon joining with endorsed providers or member to member discounts to recoup most, if not all of their membership dues. Being a small business owner, I can attest to the fact that being a member of the chamber and shopping around for discounts and services available makes joining achievable for any company regardless of how limited their marketing budget may be.
Well, there you have it! Seven great reasons to join or get more involved and fully leverage the benefits that your home town or regional chamber of commerce can provide your business or organization.

© 2011 by Tony Rubleski. Tony is a #1 Bestselling author with Amazon.com and currently the president of Mind Capture Group. For additional information including blogs, articles, free resources and his newly released book visit: www.MindCaptureGroup.com

GAINING TRACTION

Katherine Zimmer
VP Marketing & Communication

Organic Networking – Casual Required

Ok, I know we live and work in Napa Valley and you don’t see a metro-volume of business suits in action here, which is why a review of this premise will resonate. Valuable business networking, the kind that actually leads to relationship building and ultimately to business growth, doesn’t always need to be done a within the walls of a typical business meeting.

When was the last time you ran into someone at the grocery store or local restaurant and engaged in conversation? I learned early on in residency here, that I couldn’t run to the store without running into someone I know. Every one of those encounters is an opportunity to build relationships. And just as social media communication mantras have reinforced… it’s usually better to keep it social and not always bring up business specifics. It’s okay to be human and let people see you in a casual situation, sharing who you are. Of course, I now put on a little make-up before I run “quick errands”!

People do business with people, not products and services. Keep in mind my last column about the difference between a business brand and a personal brand. Well, every time you engage with someone, no matter where you are… you are marketing your brand and, sooner or later, your business. I believe this is what makes doing business in the Napa Valley so coveted and gives us a head start in the world of economic challenges. The community spirit here embraces all business and the lines of delineation are gratefully blurry.

So, how do you leverage this special advantage to grow your business? Exercise your awareness muscles and be purposeful in your social interactions. That doesn’t mean beating everyone over the head with your ‘elevator speech’ in the gym. It just means having an awareness that you never know where that next client, idea, partner, or marketing opportunity is going to come from. I guess you could call it organic networking.

Now that we’ve had a review, I’d like to share one of the best examples of this networking theory readily available to you right now. The Napa Chamber’s Benefit Golf Tournament is renowned as the BEST benefit golf tournament in the Napa Valley. How does it test our theory?

In the words of our committee chair, Barry Martin, “There are a lot of charity golf events in Napa Valley, but the Napa Chamber tournament is one that I never miss and the main attraction is that it’s the most fun! We all get a chance to touch base, to make new friends and the players and sponsors are extremely well taken care of by the staff. It’s a win-win because we have a great time while raising money that goes directly to local nonprofits. What could be better?” As Community Outreach Coordinator for the City of Napa and Co-Founder of Lucky Penny Productions, Barry knows his community and how to be aware of the collaboration possibilities.

This tournament raises money to sustain the efforts of the Napa Chamber Foundation whose mission is to support and advance the educational, cultural and economic interests of our community. Please flex your awareness muscles and leverage the many marketing opportunities available for your business. For more info, call us at 226-7455 or visit napachamber.com.

 

 

 

Great Talking With You 

by Ryan Gregory,
Vice President, Riechers Spence & Associates
2011 Napa Chamber of Commerce Chairman of the Board

On March 21, The Meritage Resort and Spa was taken over by local business people flocking to the Napa Chamber of Commerce’s 2011 Napa Valley Business EXPO. More than 650 attendees and 65 exhibitors showed up to this, the 22nd annual, sold-out event, and the room was abuzz with the sound of networking. Whether it was the move of the event from a Friday to a Monday or a sign of the economy finally coming around, this was the most successful Business Expo in recent past.

In wandering about the room, you couldn’t help but run into a friend or business associate nor could you avoid meeting someone new. And at the booths, you couldn’t help but be drawn in by the exhibitors’ friendly smiles, valuable wares, new ideas, and their sweets and treats. Business partnerships were being formed and strengthened simply by mingling in the booths and aisles.

And in conversations had or overheard, the question most often asked was, “How is business? Are things picking up?” And more often than not, the answer was yes. There was a sense of optimism in the room that seemed to pervade almost every conversation.  So not only were business people talking, they were encouraging each other with positive stories and anecdotes.

This event left me proud of our community, optimistic for our future and energized to continue working hard towards that light at the end of the tunnel.
Congratulations to the winners of “Best Booth Decoration”:  Alkar Human Resources (First Place), Bank of Napa (Second Place) and Compadres Rio Grille (Third Place).  This was a tough choice as all exhibitors deserved recognition for their creative efforts.

Finally, I would like to thank the Chamber staff for working extra hard to make this a successful event and all the guests and exhibitors for attending in record numbers, helping to make this one of the best business events of the year.

Speaking of fantastic business events, the next great networking opportunity is just around the corner. The Napa Chamber’s 15th Annual Benefit Golf Tournament is coming up on Friday, July 15. This Annual Benefit Golf Tournament is an important fundraiser for local community organizations. The event raises money to sustain the efforts of the Napa Chamber Foundation whose mission is to support and advance the educational, cultural and economic interests of the communities of the regional City of Napa area.

Mark your calendar now for this valuable chance to get out into the community and engage face-to-face in networking and quality time with friends and colleagues!