Small Business

Written by: Ian M. Berkowitz, Berkowitz & Associates, P.A.

As many small business owners continue to struggle in these tough economic times and the "official" recession progresses, die-hard entrepreneurs of all kinds try their very best to develop and implement new ways keep their heads above water and maybe even grow their businesses. Many of the most highly successful business men and women have been created during the most challenging times in our economic history. I believe that if you take advantage of these challenging times by challenging yourself to be open to new ideas and networking opportunities then you might begin to reap some new and unexpected benefits.

One new and exciting opportunity that I suggest you take advantage of as soon as possible is to join a chamber of commerce. In my humble opinion, you have no idea how many business connections, benefits and opportunities you are missing out on by not joining a chamber of commerce. Case in point, last week I was privileged to have participated as a panelist at an event for the Greater Boca Raton Chamber of Commerce called back to Basics, A Guide to Business Survival. I, along with two highly successful business leaders presented numerous answers to questions such as: How to get government money for your business; how to market your business more cost effectively; how to reorganize your daily routine to make your operations and sales more efficient and what are the three biggest areas for business owners to focus on during these tough economic times? The amazing thing is that it was free and there were over 100 other business owners present with whom to network.

As defined by Wikipedia, a chamber of commerce, also referred to in some circles as a board of trade, is a form of business network. Business owners in towns and cities form these local societies to advocate on behalf of the business community. Generally, chambers of commerce serve the following purposes: to create a strong local economy, promote the community for businesses, provide networking opportunities, educate business owners on all types of areas to become more effective business owners, speak with all levels of government entities that affect the local community on behalf of businesses and participate in political action, such as getting pro-business candidates elected to office. In case you might not be aware, it is believed that the first chambers of commerce were founded in 1599 in continental Europe specifically Marseille, France and Brugge, Belgium. An equally interesting fact is that the world's oldest English-speaking chamber of commerce is Glasgow, Scotland, which was established in 1783.

Each and every day business owners like you and me are looking to reach out to more customers and clients and turn them into loyal and supportive paying patrons. Joining a chamber can and will provide you with a substantial amount of opportunities to meet potential customers, develop a network of like-minded business owners to refer you business, gain knowledge on the business issues in your community, and learn all types of new skills to enhance yourself and your business.

Here is a fact and a thought for your consideration. Our Greater Boca Raton Chamber of Commerce is composed of more than 1,700 companies representing well over 35,000 employees. Is reaching out to that number of businesses in our local community worth it to you? I know it is to me and that's why I am a proud member and supporter of our chamber. If your goal is to add one new thing to your list of networking and educational opportunities with the potential impact of growing your business then I would strongly urge you to consider membership in one of the local chambers of commerce.