At the end of July, President Dani Esperanza and Membership Coordinator Kristin Miller attended Accelerate, the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives (ACCE) Annual Convention in Indianapolis, IN, with the goal of learning strategies to accelerate positive change within our Chamber and the Athens community.

Kristin Miller and Dani Esperanza

Kristin Miller (l) and Dani Esperanza (r) at Welcome Night for #ACCE22

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In addition to attending the convention, Esperanza represented the Athens Area Chamber by presenting at the convention. Their session, titled “Being the Wayfinder for Entrepreneurs in Your Community,” was a collaboration with Caitlin Vargas, the Onward Eugene (OR) Startup Community Director, and the session analyzed a chamber’s role in entrepreneurial ecosystems.

The well-attended session allowed Esperanza to discuss how the Athens Area Chamber leverages partnerships and locates resources in order to help local entrepreneurs achieve their larger vision. In analyzing our Chamber’s role in the entrepreneurial ecosystem of Athens, Esperanza also shared the outreach and engagement strategies that have and haven’t worked for us. Attendees left the session with a better understanding of the successful collaborative ecosystem in Athens as well as practical tools and tips on how to support entrepreneurs no matter where they are in their business lifecycle.

Chamber staff returned from the convention inspired by new ideas and armed with the latest strategies and best practices to propel our Chamber forward in the coming years.

 

ACCE22 Convention Session Announcement