Let the Athens Area Chamber Help You Connect with Meaning!
The Athens Area Chamber of Commerce is committed to meeting the networking and connection needs of ALL of our almost 400 diverse members, and in order to do so we restructured our member services in the beginning of 2023. In addition to our big annual events, we now offer 3 types of regular networking opportunities, 2 new members connection services, and a host of new event sponsorship opportunities and engagement points for our members. Read on for an overview of the ways that the Athens Area Chamber helps our members to network and connect.
Our new networking events come with many more sponsorship opportunities to showcase your business or organization – click below for more information!
Networking Events Sponsor Opportunities
Overview of Networking Opportunities
Quarterly Business After Hours Networking
While the name is staying the same, our Business After Hours events will be much more exciting!
Our monthly Business After Hours will change into a quarterly networking event, which will allow us to enrich those events to make them more attractive and beneficial to our members.
Quick Details:
- BAH will be a quarterly event held at a member business on a weekday from 5-7pm
- Each quarterly Business After Hours (BAH) will consist of valuable content and opportunities for quality connections, with a structured timeframe, loosely guided networking, and a learning component.
- Member businesses will still host each BAH, and the Chamber will select venues based on member interest, event set-up needs, and optimal accessibility.
- Sponsorship opportunities for food, drinks, and door prizes will be available for each BAH.
Our Quarterly Business After events will be announced in our monthly ChamberGram newsletter, weekly Greenblast, and can also be found on our events calendar.
Coffee & Conversations
Get a jump-start on your day and tackle important local issues with area agencies and officials.
By creating the Coffee & Conversations events, the Chamber hopes to provide our members with valuable and direct access to local and state agencies and officials, giving our members the opportunity to discuss issues important to the Athens business community.
Quick Details:
- C&Cs will be held at the Innovation Center from 8-9:30am on a weekday.
- During this pilot year, we have 2 Coffee & Conversations planned, with the potential to grow into quarterly offerings.
- Sponsorship opportunities for food, coffee, and door prizes will be available for each Coffee and Conversations event.
Our Quarterly Business After events will be announced in our monthly ChamberGram newsletter, weekly Greenblast, and can also be found on our events calendar.
CAP – Connecting Athens Professionals
New name, same vibe: Young Athens Professionals (YAP) is now Connecting Athens Professionals (CAP)!
If you are looking to connect on a social level, Connecting Athens Professionals (CAP) offers a laid-back gathering space for emerging and experienced professionals.
Quick Details:
- CAP Happy Hours will be held on the 2nd Thursday of every month from April to October.
- CAP events will be held at a different local business every month, and the organizing partners will select venues based on member interest, event set-up needs, and optimal accessibility.
- CAP events will intentionally create a welcoming and informal environment for emerging leaders to feel comfortable creating and fostering new connections.
- CAP will emphasize connection, not cliques, at all events
- Sponsorship opportunities for food and door prizes will be available for each CAP event.
For more information, check out CAP’s website or follow CAP on Facebook. (Please note: CAP was formerly Young Athens Professionals (YAP) and we are still in the process of updating our social media and website to reflect that change.)
Overview of Member Connection Services
These two new member services will help the Athens Area Chamber meet the needs of members who: do not have a storefront/physical location, want to showcase a new or renovated space, and/or who are hoping to connect with other member businesses for specific purposes. These benefits, along with our new suite of networking opportunities, will allow us to meet the diverse needs of our membership in more meaningful ways.
If you are interested in taking advantage of one of the following services, please submit a form to us and we’ll be in touch shortly!
Cultivated Introductions
Searching for a specific service, to find a local supplier, or to collaborate on a project? Tell us what you need and we’ll act as a liaison and help connect you to the right people.
Quick Details:
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- Fill out this form to tell us what type of connections you are seeking within our membership.
- Within 3-4 business days of receiving your request, the Chamber will curate a list of members who may meet your needs and send out an email to you and those members introducing you and what you are looking for.
- The Chamber will then provide you with that curated contact list so that you can follow-up with those members.
- Please note: the Chamber will only provide the public contact information that each member provides for their membership directory listing.
If you’d like to have the Athens Area Chamber help connect you to other members, please fill out this form and we will be in touch soon!
Cultivated Introductions Request Form
Virtual Introductions
Let us introduce you to the community by featuring off your space, team, and some important facts in a 1-minute video.
Quick Details:
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- The video will include up to 3 images and 3-5 important facts
- The Chamber will produce up to 2 Virtual Introductions a month, and they are on a first come, first serve basis.
- In this pilot year, we are limiting this service to members who have recently either moved to a new space or renovated their existing one.
- This service can also be provided to new members who do not have a brick-and-mortar storefront in lieu of an in-person ribbon cutting.
If you have a new/renovated space and are interested in having the Chamber produce a Virtual Introduction, please fill out this form.