All Entries in the "Chambers of Commerce" Category

Join the Newport County Chamber of Commerce for a Legislative Update from Rhode Island House of Representatives Leadership

 Middletown, RI- Please join the Newport County Chamber of Commerce as we welcome House Speaker Nicholas A. Mattiello(D-Dist. 15, Cranston) and House Finance Committee Chairman Marvin L. Abney (D-Dist. 73, Newport,Middletown) to Middletown.

On Tuesday, April 24that 8:00 a.m. join us for Politics & Pancakes at The Atlantic Resort 240 Aquidneck Avenue • Middletown. The Politics and Pancakes Series isdedicated to bringing government officials and leaders to Newport County to discuss issues impacting the business community.

This series was spearheaded by The Chamber’s Government Affairs Committee, which reviews, develops, and supports issues that promote a positive, pro-active economic environment with social progress and enhanced quality of life. The Chamber believes that laws and regulations should serve the public without acting as a detriment to business development and growth.

This event would not be made possible without the support of our presenting sponsor: EmeraEnergy.

The Newport County Chamber of Commerce is one of Rhode Island’s largest business advocacy organizations formed to enhance the business, civic and economic vitality of Newport County and greater Rhode Island. Our purpose is to leverage the region’s core assets to find solutions in the areas that matter most to the business and community, quality jobs, quality growth and quality of life.

The cost is $40 for Chamber members, $50for non-members. Space is limited. Those interested in attending this informative event, should RSVP by calling 401.847.1608 or visit www.newportchamber.com.

For more information contact:

Blakeley Schmidt

Newport County Chamber of Commerce

35 Valley Road Middletown, RI 02842

401-847-1608

www.newportchamber.com

Blakeley@newportchamber.com

Monthly Learning Tips from Rhode Island Small Business Owners: Lifelong Learning

Ronald G. Shapiro, PhD

This month’s learning tips come from Bob Salvas, a lifelong Rhode Islander, certified SCORE counselor, Seminar Coordinator for the Rhode Island chapter of SCORE, independent marketing consultant at Bob Salvas Consulting and owner of 4 th Monday Networking. Bob’s marketing career spans 30 years, initially as a marketing team member for the United States Post Office and more recently as an independent consultant helping small to medium sized businesses with their marketing initiatives.
Through his tenure in the profession Bob has observed a major change in the ways to most effectively market a business. At one time a business needed to simply provide information to customers. The customers would notice the information and call the business for more information. Today there is so much information out there that a business needs to focus on unique ways to communicate while also providing evidence that the business is credible. In Bob’s opinion, this can best be accomplished
through networking, email, direct (paper) mail, and social media. The most effective of these communications include testimonials supported by word-of- mouth recommendations from satisfied customers and others. Additionally, utilizing a novel way to communicate, such as hand writing direct mail, can’t hurt.

As a SCORE (an independent agency, originally established as the Service Corp of Retired Executives by the US Government Small Business Administration in the 1960s) volunteer Bob is dedicated to providing learning opportunities for business people because being a dedicated lifelong learner is absolutely critical for today’s successful business professional. All SCORE volunteers share Bob’s passion for learning and have been highly successful business owners or corporate executives. There are about 30 SCORE volunteers in Rhode Island. Some are currently active in their businesses. Others have retired. The volunteers offer seminars and 1:1 counseling at libraries, Chambers of Commerce offices and other public locations throughout the state. While most of the seminars focus on marketing, financials and productivity, SCORE aims to satisfy all business owner needs with unique seminars, bringing in outside experts and generally doing what is necessary to help business owners to be successful. The seminars and counseling are all free and highly recommended for business professionals. Bob recommends that
all small business owners:

 Utilize the free consulting, seminars and webinars offered by Rhode Island SCORE. To start go to the website for information and to register for opportunities: https://ri.score.org.
 Become familiar with the US Government Small Business Administration website (https://www.sba.gov), the services they offer, and the links to services offered by numerous other organizations.
 Include Face-2- Face networking as a significant part of their business marketing plan. Bob emphasizes that successful networking focuses on relationship building rather than making a quick sale. He emphasizes the importance in building both deep relationships, by getting to know selected people really well by attending some events very regularly and by broadening the scope of people one knows through attending new events as well. Bob states that you cannot build your business while hiding in the office.

Please contact Bob at 401.359.1602 or by email at Bob @BobSalvas.com for any questions you may have about marketing or SCORE. He considers it a privilege to help the small business professional to become more successful.

I would like to thank Industrial Consultant Dr. Margarita Posada Cossuto for helpful comments.

Professional Women’s Leadership Association, Nexus, Opens RI Chapter

PROVIDENCE – For the past year, the Women in Leadership Nexus has united powerhouse women committed to launching their leadership journey and co-creating a new leadership paradigm to shape the corporate sector. Today, the professional association announces the formal launch of its Rhode Island Chapter, dedicated to empowering women to reach newfound levels of professional success.

Throughout 2017, more than 200 women joined the movement, showing up at Nexus events, joining the blogging community and challenging traditional paradigms that hold that leadership is determined by hierarchy. With the opening of an official Rhode Island Chapter, members will have the opportunity to more intentionally accelerate their leadership journey by being armed with the skill sets, perspectives, experiences, relationships and knowledge needed to reach new sizeable milestones.

“At Nexus, we are passionate about helping our members achieve their professional and personal game-changing moments, the ones that will forever shape their leadership legacy,” says Carrie Majewski, Founder/CEO of Nexus. “We help our members recognize that they can be the X-factor leader or what we like to call the next-gen leader. They can be the leaders that build the awe-inspiring workplaces of tomorrow; the authors of the next best-selling business book; the trailblazers giving the top-viewed TED talk. We inspire our members to believe any dream is possible.”

The Nexus offers both Professional and Corporate Memberships, with organizations able to sponsor a specific number of employees. Nexus members enjoy a number of benefits, from members-only pricing at quarterly chapter events to access to a members-only portal to preferred rates for Nexus- and partner-led leadership development workshops. Potential members will be vetted during an application process to ensure the cultivation of a group of women committed to intentional leadership.

The Rhode Island Chapter also includes 16 Founding Members who will play a critical role in evangelizing the group’s purpose, shaping the chapter’s ideology and identifying strong candidates for membership.

“Women need more women cheerleaders. The Women in Leadership Nexus gives us just that, bringing together women of all ages and career paths to a safe haven to let our hair down, learn new things, be vulnerable, laugh (a lot!) and grow—together,” says Jen Hetzel Silbert, Founding Member, Employer Engagement, TechHire Rhode Island. “Each event and interaction gives me a reason to stand taller and with the confidence that, in spite of the daily challenges faced at home and on the job, I know I’m capable, I’m worthy and I’m not alone.”

Adds Susan Keller, Founding Member, Entrepreneurial Executives: “The Nexus brings together leaders of all ages, professions and experiences who lead in unique ways. Nexus has embraced a different way to look at leaders and how they lead. Having a diverse group of smart women in the same room is inspiring and has allowed me to connect with women that I might not otherwise have had the opportunity to meet.”

To learn more about the Women in Leadership Nexus and membership opportunities, visit: wilnexus.com/membership.

About The Women in Leadership Nexus
The Women in Leadership Nexus empowers women to reach an amplified level of leadership, fueled to be the agents of change and co-creators of a different leadership paradigm. Through in-person events and an interactive member community, the Nexus unites women looking to explore, shape and apply the principles of a next-gen leader. The Nexus offers application-based membership to its Rhode Island Chapter, with members spanning all industries and professions. To learn more, please visit www.wilnexus.com.

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