Weekly Message From The Chair, April 12, 2021

Message #15- 4/12/21

Baltimore City Chamber of Commerce Members and Friends,

In this week’s message, you will find:

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Watch the video of our Economic Update with Comptroller Peter Franchot!
Special thanks to Public Policy Committee Chair James Dorf for his leadership in creating this opportunity to partner with the Office of the Comptroller. Watch the video here.
Here are 10 things you should know:

First, make sure to check out the video from our Economic Update with Maryland Comptroller Peter Franchot! He gave great insight and we had a really cool conversation before he took questions from the audience. Click here to watch the video.

Second, join me in congratulating our newest Board Member, Brenda Kwateng. Brenda has been busy growing the Women’s Leadership Initiative Committee. Her work and results made her an obvious choice. I was proud to nominate her and I am very happy that the Board voted unanimously to approve her appointment. She will attend her first Board of Director’s meeting this week. Connect with Brenda Kwateng today on LinkedIn. She is a successful business owner, strong leader, GS10kSB Alumni and someone you need to know.

Third, join the Women’s Leadership Initiative on April 14, 2021 at 6pm for the BCCoC WLI Committee Meeting. RSVP here.

Fourth, save the date! I am planning an outdoor, in-person, covid-complaint Chamber event for May 21st. In order to choose the right venue, I am talking to Members who can provide food and drink and offer a venue with a large outdoor area that can host 50 to 100 people. If this sounds like your venue, click here to email me asap.

Fifth, PPP and Tax deadlines have been extended! If you need help applying for loans or filing your taxes, contact Chamber Member Kimberly Royster. Be advised your Business Personal Property Taxes are still due by April 15th unless you file an extension.

Sixth, apply for the next free Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses entrepreneur growth program at http://www.10ksbapply.com/baltimore. To learn how this program has helped thousands of businesses increase revenue, add jobs and impact local economies join me for the next Open House on April 29th. The application deadline is approaching and there won’t be another cohort until 2022.

Seventh, MDOT certified businesses should learn more about the new Business Development Reimbursement Program. The BDRP is a DBE supportive service, with the goal of increasing the number of State Certified Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) firms serving as prime contractors and subcontractors on federally funded contracts. The objective is to assist MDOT Certified DBE firms in increasing their competency and business capacity. Questions? Contact Lisa RS Grant, CCA, Manager, Disadvantaged Minority Business Enterprise Programs, at 410-545-0317 or lgrant2@mdot.maryland.gov.

Eighth, on April 22, 2021 join the Women’s Leadership Initiative at 6:15pm for “4 Keys to Create a Monetizable Online Presence that will Attract Ongoing Referrals and Clients”. Our Speaker will be Ms. Diana Concoff Morgan. RSVP here.

Ninth, Women business owners and Women members! Be on the lookout for the Quarterly Women’s Leadership Initiative (WLI) survey in your inbox!! We want to hear your voice. How is the WLI doing? Are we meeting your needs? What information do you need to THRIVE in 2021? Contact Brenda Kwateng with questions or ideas.

Tenth, I’ve had some inquiries as to how to be on our Board of Directors. It is simple. Put in some work for the Chamber. I am looking for my successor and I will only nominate someone for the Board if they have shown their commitment with actual work for the good of our Members. When I leave, the Chamber will be enormous and my successor will need a strong Board to continue our growth and produce results for the Baltimore business community. We now have 400 Members and we should hit 500 by early next year. We are growing quickly and we aim to be the largest Business organization in the region. So, if you are interested in being a Board Member, first, I need to see you get results on a committee. Committees include Events, Membership, Marketing, Community Service, Women’s Leadership, Public Policy and Procurement Relations. Email me if you want to discuss how you will have an impact on Baltimore. Only serious inquiries please.

We have listed some great info and opportunities below! Keep reading for this week’s Events and Offers

If you are an active Baltimore City Chamber Member and you have a special offer for our Members, or if you would like to discuss Membership, schedule a call with Will Holmes at https://whc.as.me/baltimorechamber.


EVENTS

4/14/21 and 4/22/21
Women’s Leadership 

Join the Women’s Leadership Initiative on April 14, 2021 at 6pm for the BCCoC WLI Committee Meeting and on April 22, 2021 at 6:15pm for “4 Keys to Create a Monetizable Online Presence that will Attract On-going Referrals and Clients”. Our Speaker will be Ms. Diana Concoff Morgan. RSVP for both events here.

4/15/21
MBDA Webinar

Can You Force Employees To Get The COVID-19 Vaccination?
Link: https://r.mailserver.baltimorembdacenter.com/ad2ai64natt7e.html?t=1616436697

4/17/21
Beyond a Dream Youth Conference

Saturday, April 17, 2021, the Be. organization will host the 5th Annual Beyond a Dream Youth (Virtual) Conference. This half-day virtual event will bring together students, local businesses, colleges, universities, career professionals, and over 200 parents and teenagers to the virtual stage for interactive sessions throughout the event. Corporate sponsors will have access to parents and students through an interactive virtual exhibition hall and one-on-one meet and greets. Contact Stephanie Jerger for more information.

4/20/21
5 Ps to Profit: Keeping Your Customers Coming Back

The 8-week course, “5 Ps to Profit: Keeping Your Customers Coming Back”, will be offered beginning April 20th. The course, designed for retailers, will focus on improving the web design and operations strategy for their existing or planned online stores. For more information and registration details, visit radezyne.com/training.

5/6/21 at 6pm
Baltimore City Chamber General Membership Meeting

This event is open to all! Learn about resources for your business and opportunities to help you in your career. Register at https://whc.as.me/1stThursdays.

5/10/21- 5/14/21
Job Fair

if you need new talent for your organization, contact the Mayor’s Office of Employment Development. They have qualified people looking for jobs right now! Register to attend the virtual job fair on May 10th, 12th and 14th. Contact HSGrads@oedworks.com or call 443-984-3014 for more information.

5/13/21 at 6pm
Baltimore City Chamber Virtual Happy Hour

Connect and meet with Chamber Members every 2nd Thursday! Wear your logo and share what you do! We have a toast every 15 minutes, so be ready to celebrate and network. Register at https://whc.as.me/2ndThursdays.

5/20- 5/21/21
The B.I.G Summit
Chamber Member, Monica Brunson is hosting the B.I.G. Summit on May 20, 2021 through May 22, 2021. This event is for healthcare and assisted living professionals. For more details, click here to contact Monica.

5/21/21
Save the date! Chamber Annual Meeting. Outdoor and in-person!

6/1/21
Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses 

Early Deadline for the next Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses cohort starting this Fall. If you’ve been in business more than 2 years, have 2 or more people in your company and your revenue is over $75k, you may qualify. Click here to apply.

6/3/21 at 6pm
Baltimore City Chamber General Membership Meeting

This event is open to all! Learn about resources for your business and opportunities to help you in your career. Register at https://whc.as.me/1stThursdays.

6/10/21 at 6pm
Baltimore City Chamber Virtual Happy Hour

Connect and meet with Chamber Members every 2nd Thursday! Wear your logo and share what you do! We have a toast every 15 minutes, so be ready to celebrate and network. Register at https://whc.as.me/2ndThursdays.

 


OFFERS 

American Cancer Society Fundraiser
Chamber Member, the American Cancer Society wants you to remember it takes more than brilliant scientists to push cutting-edge cancer research forward – it also requires different perspectives, and that comes from gender diversity in the lab. Join the American Cancer Society by supporting ResearcHERS: Women Fighting Cancer. Cancer Research Fundraising BY women FOR women. Our Virtual Kickoff will be on April 28, 2021 at 7pm. For additional information or an invite link, please visit www.acsresearchers.org/baltimoremd or contact Christine at Christine.Schifkovitz@cancer.org.

Life Insurance 
Chamber Member John Gourdin is available to answer your questions regarding life insurance. Remember, life insurance is something you have to own before you need it. Get a free quote and approval online in less than 20 minutes. NO sales pitches. NO physicals. You can be covered TODAY. Visit www.samdlife.com.

Having a Special Event?
Backyard Movie Theaters LLC is here to make your next event movie ready and memorable. You bring the crowd, and we’ll bring the big screen, HD projector, popcorn machine, lounge chairs, inflatable rooms, streaming access, and more. Maryland, Washington DC and Virginia. Give us a call (410-419-3229) and upgrade your event.

Meditation
Chamber Member, Kadampa Meditation Center-Maryland welcomes Members to a complimentary meditation and special offer. Baltimore’s only Buddhist Temple offers ancient wisdom and practical tools for taking on today’s challenges. Click here to learn more and register.

Career Training and Professional Development
Morgan State University is equipped to offer online learning convenient training solutions for businesses. Our catalog of over 300 online courses will allow you to provide training solutions to employees quickly and effectively as they learn on their own and in their preferred learning environment. Our six-week online courses are designed to teach individuals valuable skills that they can apply immediately on the job. Explore the full catalog here.

Need Medical Insurance?
Chamber Member, George Faber can help you find suitable affordable medical coverage, critical illness, short term disability, dental and more!  Whether obtaining a health plan is your financial responsibility or you want to supplement an existing plan to protect your savings and family, send George a message at George.Faber@USHAdvisors.com or call (443) 474 4800. Immediate quotes provided! 

Fundraising Opportunity for Non-Profits
Does your nonprofit want to raise money AND promote cleaner air? CleanChoice Energy is seeking active 501(c)(3) organizations for the new Clean Electricity fundraising program. For each household that enrolls in 100% Clean Electricity through their campaign, CleanChoice will donate $50 to your organization. Email kathleen.wojtowicz@cleanchoiceenergy.com to learn more about this fundraising opportunity.


Talk to you next week!

Sincerely,

 Will Holmes
 Chairman of the Board of Directors
Baltimore City Chamber of Commerce

 Schedule a call with me: https://whc.as.me/baltimorechamber
 Management and Tech Consulting: http://www.whcusa.com 
Check out my podcast: http://www.anchor.fm/whcusa