Marlborough Express - Weekend Express
Chamber in the business of growing business
COLUMN: It’s a great honour to step into the general manager role for the Marlborough Chamber of Commerce.
I’m excited for the opportunity to give back to the community I love and lead a staff that’s committed and dedicated to one of the most valuable assets in Marlborough; our region’s businesses.
Here at the chamber we attend countless meetings and as many events as we can.
This is really important to our team because it keeps us connected to the coal face with first-hand knowledge of the issues affecting our business community.
One of the questions we hear a lot when were out and about is: What is a Chamber of Commerce, and more importantly, what does the Marlborough Chamber of Commerce do?
These are great questions, it’s not all ribbon cutting ceremonies and charity golf tournaments after all.
We are many things. In fact, in a world of increasing specialisation we are one of the organisations that remains committed to having something for everyone.
The chamber is a worldwide business network, most cities and towns have them, but not every Chamber is the same, nor are their mission statements.
The Marlborough chamber is a business just like yours and we run it consistent with a vision, mission, goals, and objectives, just as you do.
We are a not-for-profit with a volunteer board and the profit we generate we reinvest into our members and the community.
At the heart of what we do is a burning desire to see our members businesses grow, and the results show that being an active member of the chamber is a good strategy for business.
As a regional ‘‘connector’’ we foster relationships with business leaders, elected officials, central and local government and everything in-between, offering unparalleled access to elected officials and key decision makers like no other organisation can.
The chamber is one place where education, networking and advocacy reside together with equal focus and attention, coming together to be the voice of business in Marlborough.
We run a diverse range of events to suit all appetites and encourage everyone to sign up, join in, and engage.
Adding your voice makes every business in our community stronger.
Chambers have a reputation for excellence and that perception resonates with consumers.
When a consumer sees a business that is a member of its local Chamber of Commerce, they see a business that is trustworthy, connected to the community, follows best practice, listens to its customers, and is a leader in the business community.
It’s not all hot air though because helping businesses get better is what we do every day, it’s the ‘‘why’’ behind the positive perception people have of a business that supports its local Chamber of Commerce.