The Power of Forward-thinking
March, to me, has always been a month to look forward to. Typically, we are coming out of a dark and snowy winter, and I eagerly await the grass to green and the flowers to bloom. Well, Mother Nature has given us what seems like an early start to Spring. This makes me question… when will that huge snow hit us?? Since the pandemic began, my mind and way of thinking has changed dramatically, which I suspect is the same for many of you as well. I often found myself wondering (worrying?) about what might happen next. It’s taken some time to unlearn that behavior, but here is what I have discovered: forward thinking can be a powerful tool when focused properly.
When I think about the future of our Chamber, rather than worrying about what might happen, I ask myself ‘how can I affect change?’ ‘What am I doing to further the mission of The Chamber?’ ‘Are we in touch with and recognizing the needs of our member businesses?’ ‘What can we do better?’ Since the fall of 2022, these have been questions The Chamber staff and Board of Directors have asked of ourselves and each other. And what we’ve come up with, in line with this being The Year of Our Members, is so very exciting. We have completely revamped our networking opportunities. We are thrilled to announce that we will now organize and offer 3 different types of networking events to cater to the needs of a broader section of our membership, and we are also introducing 2 new member benefits to help further connect our members. You can read more about our new networking opportunities here, and our new membership benefits here.
After conducting surveys of our members, it became clear what the wants and needs are. We will continue to ask questions, gather feedback, and adapt accordingly. It’s an exciting change! Do I worry that there will be some hiccups? Sure! But more than that, I feel the thrill of meeting the needs of our members, making changes when necessary, and using forward-thinking as a tool, not a worry.
I hope you will join us on this journey! The events we have planned and those still being finalized will offer valuable information/education, intentional networking, and FUN!
In gratitude,
Kristin Miller, President