Leaders not shaken by earthquake

Published in the Culpeper Star Exponent 8/29/2011

The Chamber After Hours Mixer on Thursday at Fotis was more like a ‘Therapy mixer”. Our business week was interrupted with an earthquake that rocked not only the ground under our feet but our sense of security. As business owners, leaders, and employees we were left with a big question - what to do in the event of an earthquake. Most of the business leaders that I spoke with at the mixer were eager to tell the story of where they were at the time of the big quake. It reminds me of similar milestone moments in my life – the first step on the moon (dating myself), the falling of the Berlin Wall, and the events of 911. The Big Quake was certainly not on the scale of those national events, and yet the quake was the primary conversation on the minds of our business community Thursday night.

Everyone ended their story with a “Thank God that everyone was safe”. The gathering seemed more talkative than usual. It is interesting that a crisis can bring out a greater sense of community. We were all checking on each other and offering to help in person and thru social media after the quake. It was interesting to see how Facebook and Twitter became a conduit for gaining or sharing information.

Sadly, however, some of our businesses lost merchandise and suffered property damage as a result of the quake. Most that I have spoken to have taken this in stride with great resilience. Some with thousands of dollars in losses were cleaned up and opened up as soon as the building inspectors had cleared their building as safe and the streets were reopened.

One of the primary reasons for the quick reopening of the businesses was the response of the Town and the County Administrations and our local emergency services. With each email and communication from the local authorities, it was clear that safety was naturally the top priority. Once the environment was cleared however, they were very focused on getting our businesses back to work.

As a community we often ask what our tax dollars go toward. We see the day to day activities and yet we do not often see the “bench strength” that we have to deliver services in crisis environments. Culpeper is fortunate that our public services were in place and ready when we needed them.

In addition, our volunteer fire and rescue professionals were in place and delivered the services that were critical to our safety. They dedicate countless hours in fund raising in order to have the equipment to protect us and our property in crisis circumstances.

Many Thanks to Mayor Coleman for his leadership, Town Manager Kim Alexander for her quick and progressive decisions, County Administrator Frank Bossio for laying a foundation of preparation, Culpeper County Building Department Director Bob Orr for his countless inspections all hours of the day and night, and the emergency services professionals for their training and dedication to our protection.

Ushering in the new school year

Published in the Culpeper Star Exponent 8/22/2011

In years past we have had a more formal setting to welcome the new teachers. The School System and the Chamber of Commerce jointly developed a new format. We

have tweaked it and seen it grow for the past three years. This year 80 businesses were registered to greet nearly 1000 teachers and administrators. I cannot think of a better welcome. The teachers were treated to bags…. of samples and special promotional items from the businesses - pencils, water bottles, food samples, and tons more….


Teachers were introduced to local businesses in a way that would take years to achieve otherwise. Needless to say, this is one of the best “Buy Local” venues for businesses to connect with the educators in a very practical way.

On hand to support the event were many of our elected officials and administrators. A special thanks to Senator Edd Houck, Delegate Ed Scott, Chairman of the Culpeper County Board of Supervisors – Bill Chase, Commissioner of Revenue – Terry Yowell, Mayor Coleman, School Board Officials, and our new Culpeper Town Manager – Kim Alexander for joining us in welcoming the teachers to a new year.

BIE Day also marks the beginning of a busy calendar for additional joint programs. The Career & Technical Department of CCPS, the Culpeper Chamber of Commerce, and Career Partners, Inc. team up to offer a Career Expo on September 22nd for high school and 8th grade students.  It is important to do this early in the year in order to help students connect academic achievement with career potential. Our business leaders devote a full day to talking with students about their interests.

After the Career Expo we begin planning for the 2012 E Squared Program where over 60 businesses and community leaders work with educators and students to develop a competitive business plan. E Squared stands for “Entreprenurial Energy” and is aimed at fostering skills in business / wealth creation. The immediate benefit of the program is that the winning team will receive a substantial scholarship for their advanced education.  The program begins in January and ends in late April with a prominent final competition.

Thanks to the educators, administrators, government leaders, and businesses that make all of this possible. We are fortunate to have such teamwork and collaboration in support of educating tomorrow’s leaders. 

A great place for business

Published in the Culpeper Star Exponent 8/15/2011

It is good to be in Virginia! According to the Virginia Economic Development Partnership (VEDP), Virginia has been named with several top accolades recently.

CNBC named Virginia the 2011 “Top State for Business”. The reasons and degree by which Virginia was recognized are equally impressive. VEDP stated in a recent release that “CNBC took an in-depth look at why Virginia again came out on top. Using publicly available data, each state was scored on 43 different measures of competitiveness. States received points based on their rankings in each metric, which were then separated into 10 broad categories: Cost of Doing Business, Workforce, Quality of Life, Economy, Infrastructure & Transportation, Technology & Innovation, Education, Business Friendliness, Access to Capital and Cost of Living.”

“Not only did the Commonwealth win the highest ranking—Virginia received the highest point total in the history of the rankings, finishing in the top-half of every category ranked.”

The VEDP also reported recently that Virginia was ranked #1 for Economic Growth Potential. The ranking was issued by Business Facilities Magazine. According to VEDP - “The study took a hard look at factors like job creation, project development, incentives and workforce. It also took into account the state’s growth strategy; including the depth and breadth of incentives, as well as partnerships among state and local governments, educational institutions and businesses.”

In addition, The Virginia Tourism Corporation (VTC) blog at Virginia.org – reported  recently that Virginia was named 1 of 5 prettiest states in the nation by Bob Ecker of the San Francisco Examiner.  Mr. Ecker’s comments are worth repeating – “What stunning scenery, backwoods horse country, dense woods and green, green green pasture land as far as the eye can see. Chock  a block with lovely little towns, countless rivers and bays, deep story lines – some good, some somber – but for the most part this  state is inhabited by smart, very friendly, genuine people. Plus the Commonwealth of Virginia is so rich with American history.  Worthy sites include Mount Vernon, Monticello and Montpelier and hundreds of others offering glimpses into the beginnings of our  country. Virginia is a beauty – and wine too.”

Wow!  Great to do business in Virginia! Great growth potential in Virginia! Great to visit Virginia!  AND we live here. It is easy to take things for granted. Having our environment recognized in such ways is a confirmation of our hard work. In Culpeper, we have a great business environment fully prepared with infrastructure, workforce, and Germanna Community College to meet the needs of business. Our small town charm and depth of history are noteworthy. I especially like the comment by Mr. Ecker that Virginians are “Smart, very friendly, and genuine people,” a welcome accolade. Thanks!!!

What is Toastmasters really about?

Published in the Culpeper Star Exponent 8/8/2011

 

I was talking with a colleague this week about an upcoming presentation. He confided that he was not a confident public speaker. I quickly pivoted the discussion inviting him to join the Culpeper Toastmasters Club. He confided again that he had joined a few years ago in another area and that he had not completed the first Competent Communicator series of 10 beginner speeches. Naturally I went into full recruiting mode for upcoming meetings in Culpeper. Still there was a silent reluctance. Unfortunately, this is a common fear that is very easy to solve.

I also find that many do not understand what “Toastmasters” is all about.  I was discussing this with some of our Chamber Young Professionals Group at lunch recently. They were uncertain about “Toastmasters” and what it is all about. I take for granted that Toastmasters is synonymous with “Public Speaking” training and education. Somewhere along the way I just knew that Toastmasters was the place to gain public speaking skills. There is a misconception that Toastmasters has something to do with making a “Toast” at a wedding or a retirement party. The name certainly leads us to this perception.

According to Wikipedia - “Toastmaster is a general term, prevalent in the United States in the middle 20th century, referring to a person in charge of the proceedings of a public speaking event. The toastmaster is typically charged with organization of the event, arranging the order of speakers, introducing one or more of the speakers, and keeping the event on schedule.”  We do not commonly use this term today and thus there is a generational misperception about the organizational purpose.
Toastmasters International has recognized this in developing the 2010 strategic plan. Objective #2 in the plan included the following:

EDUCATION PROGRAMS - Toastmasters’ programs provide invaluable opportunities for achievement in a consistently structured, high-quality, supportive environment. Improving awareness that Toastmasters is the solution to developing leadership and communication skills is a strategic initiative. 

Local chapters of the Toastmasters vary in size and yet they are very consistent in their focus on support for developing public speaking skills. I have written in earlier articles that public speaking is analogous to sports. Both require training and practice. It is that simple. The local chapter is like joining a sports team. Everyone is there to learn and improve their game. They are on the same team. Show up for a game (speech) without being in practice for a few months and your pitch may not be in the strike zone as often. Why not walk in with the confidence of a pro?

The Culpeper Toastmasters Club has moved its meeting location and are now meeting at the Culpeper Library. The next meeting is August 16th from 7 PM – 8 PM. Meetings are prompt and only one hour by design. The Culpeper Team is very supportive and a great place to begin and or improve your game. Go to Culpeper.FreeToastHost.com for more club and meeting information.

Join alliance for small businesses

Published in the Culpeper Star Exponent 8/1/2011

The Culpeper Chamber of Commerce, Board of Directors, voted on July, 2011 to work with the Virginia Chamber of Commerce in offering the following benefits to our small business members. The description below is an excerpt from the Virginia Chamber of Commerce Small Business Alliance Program:

Small Business Membership Alliance

Small business is the driving force of the economy and jobs in Virginia. The Virginia Chamber of Commerce is committed to a partnership with local chambers to ensure the voice of small business is heard with minimal investment and maximum impact. 

 

As an Alliance Member you will receive:

• Chamber Briefings, the Government Relations monthly e-newsletter
• Chamber Action Alerts
• Virginia Chamber Prosperity Project
• Creating opportunities to engage your employees in legislative and electoral processes.
• Invitations to regional policy events and surveys
• Opportunities to participate in building Virginia’s 2020 Vision Plan
• Access to statewide coalitions & initiatives
• Participation in Chamber Day at the Capitol
• Full-time, professional government relations staff
• Access to professional Chamber Staff and Resources
• Aggressive, proactive General Assembly representation
• Chamber ‘Clout’ to oppose initiatives harmful to your business and support initiatives helpful to your business
• Information through Chamber updates
• Increased visibility in the marketplace, and in the General Assembly
• Discounted rates for members at statewide Signature Events
• Member discounts on publications
• Online Membership Directory

The program is FREE to businesses with 10 Full Time Employees or fewer and a member of the Culpeper Chamber of Commerce. To qualify as a small business under these guidelines, the business is at least 51% independently owned and controlled by one of more individuals, together with affiliates, has 10 or fewer employees.  One or more of the individual owners shall control both the management and daily business operations of the small business.

We are pleased to work closely with the Virginia Chamber of Commerce in bringing additional membership value to our members. The initiative of the Virginia Chamber in highlighting the voice of local small business at the state level is a significant. Please contact the Culpeper Chamber of Commerce office regarding this new benefit. Join us in being the “Voice of Business” locally and now…. at the State Level…

Many Thanks to the Board of Directors at the Virginia Chamber of Commerce and the President of the Virginia Chamber for your support of the local Chambers of Commerce and our small business members.