Message #7- 2/10/20
Baltimore City Chamber of Commerce Members,
Summary: In this message, I highlight upcoming events, offers from Members, procurement opportunities, lending opportunities and info you can use to make better business decisions. Please share this weekly message with 10 people who will benefit!
First, thank you for an amazing January! We had a record number of new members join, packed events and more existing Members are renewing on time! This is a big deal because this allows us to grow and provide more robust training, networking opportunities and growth opportunities to our Members. People are feeling the new energy and it is attracting more attention. With your continued support on social media, attendance at events and referral of new Members, we will increase the size of our market. And if Members continue to buy from each other as they have been this month, all Members will benefit! I am so proud of you! Keep it up! We are succeeding!
Second, our Business After Dark networking event is this Thursday, February 13th at Full Tilt Brewing and our 4th Wednesday Breakfast Networking event at Miss Shirley’s is February 26th. Both events are fun and great opportunities to grow your network. If you haven’t RSVP’d yet, please do so ASAP on our website, www.baltimorecitychamber.org.
Third, in front of a packed General Body Meeting on February 6th, we recognized our first Chairman’s Award winners:
- Allan Hirsh of Allan Hirsh Advisors
- Tracy Pruitt, CFO of The Arc
- Ineta M. Brady, Licensed Massage Therapist
- Hal Resnick, Management Consultant at Basehart
- Morgan Lyons, Territory Manager at Natural Facing
The Chairman’s Award recognizes outstanding service within the Chamber or within the Baltimore community. Monthly, at each General Body Meeting, I will recognize people who go above and beyond to serve and make a positive change in Baltimore. So, if you would like this type of positive recognition for you, your brand or your company shared all over social media; simply do something outstanding for Baltimore and the Chamber and make sure I know about it. Thank you to our Awardees for their service!
Fourth, each week, I plan to use this message to connect you with opportunities, invitations and information that you will hopefully find valuable. So, here you go:
OPPORTUNITIES
Volunteers for Your Business
I had the honor of visiting Chamber Member, St. Peters Adult Learning Center last week. I met with the management team and the adults with developmental disabilities they serve. It was a great visit and I learned about the incredible opportunities, incentives and benefits that come with employing people with disabilities. Plus, many of the limitations that we often assume exist with individuals with disabilities, are either not there or can often be overcome with a little creativity if we try. St. Peter’s offers volunteer workers if you want to experience how easy it is to incorporate a new worker into your business process. To arrange a visit or to learn more, please contact Ms. Maxine Eaton at 443-500-1820 or meaton@stpetersalc.org.
Business Capital
Kiva is a nonprofit that underwrites zero-percent-interest, zero-fee loans up to $10,000 by connecting everyday investors, lending as little as $25, with entrepreneurs in our own communities. As Kiva’s operating partner locally, Baltimore Corps helps guide business owners through the Kiva loan process and connect entrepreneurs to opportunities available within our network. Have questions about the lending process? Email Kaetlyn Bernal at kiva@baltimorecorps.org. You can also attend their Pitch Competition on February 20th! Click here to RSVP and learn more.
American Cancer Society- Daffodil Days
Daffodil Days is an opportunity for everyone to join the American Cancer Society in saving lives, celebrating lives and leading the fight for a world without cancer. Dollars raised through Daffodil Days support groundbreaking research, patient services and other lifesaving programs. Through the daffodil, the first flower of spring, this campaign brings a symbol of hope to cancer patients and those affected by the disease.
- $10- Bunch of 10 Daffodils stems
- $15- Pot of Mini Daffodils
- $15- Bunch of 10 assorted Tulip color stems
- $25- Gift of Hope- ACS to deliver flowers to local hospital’s cancer centers.
Orders are due Feb. 24th. Flowers to be delivered to local office the week of March 23rd.
Click here for a flyer and order form or email Christine.Schifkovitz@cancer.org for more information.
American Lung Association Fight for Air Climb
On Saturday, March 7 at 8am. hundreds will step up to the challenge at the American Lung Association Fight for Air Climb in support of friends and loved ones who suffer from lung diseases like asthma, COPD and lung cancer, and raise funds for clean air and lung disease research, education and advocacy. Participants will climb 27 flights of stairs – that’s 650 steps of the 100 E. Pratt Street building in Baltimore. Registration is $35 per participant. For more information or to register, visit www.baltimoreclimb.org. Are you ready to step up to the challenge? Register today! Questions? Contact Lisa A. Kenney, Development Manager, American Lung Association in Maryland & Washington, DC, at Lisa.Kenney@Lung.org
Sickle Cell Disease Advocacy Days on April 20 & 21, 2020
Please join the Sickle Cell Disease Association of America, Inc. (SCDAA) as they advocate for those affected by sickle cell disease. On Advocacy Day, they focus on key legislative issues that are important to individuals living with SCD and their families, including promoting stable funding for research, better healthcare access, expanded programs, and increased education and awareness for the SCD community and programs throughout our nation. Click here to learn more.
Sickle Cell Disease National Walk-a-Thon on July 11, 2020
Walk with the Stars is the Sickle Cell Disease Association of America’s (SCDAA) largest event dedicated to finding better treatments and a cure for sickle cell disease (SCD), and to preventing the complications of this disorder through awareness, education, advocacy and research. Click here to learn more.
If you are an active Baltimore City Chamber Member and you have a special offer for our Members, schedule a call with Will Holmes at https://whc.as.me/baltimorechamber.
INVITATIONS
2/11/20 at 12pm- Centers of Influence! Every 2nd Tuesday, Past Chairman, Richard Craft leads this Members Only resource and referral group. These sessions are designed to help you find high value clients and make more money. You can register for this event on our website: www.baltimorecitychamber.org
2/11/20 at 8am- Get Down to Business Event hosted by Whiting-Turner Contracting Company! This event occurs on Tuesday, February 11, 2020, from 8am to 10am at the War Memorial Building, Paul C. Wolman Assembly Hall, 101 N. Gay Street, First Floor, Baltimore, MD 21202. Right across from City Hall (to the east). Parking is available in any nearby garage or on the street. This event is exclusively for diverse subs and vendors. This event offers an opportunity for business owners to meet with the Whiting-Turner Contracting Company’s bid teams to find about projects that will be put out for bid in the next several months. For more information, contact Bernie LaHatte at 410-821-1100 or email Bernard.lahatte@Whiting-Turner.com.
2/13/20 at 6pm- Business After Dark Networking Event with the Baltimore City Chamber! Every 2nd Thursday, mingle with Chamber Members, business leaders and other professionals in the city. This month, we are meeting and networking at Full Tilt Brewing! You can register for this event on our website: www.baltimorecitychamber.org
2/26/20 at 9am- 4th Wednesday Breakfast and Resources with the Chamber! Every 4th Wednesday, enjoy free admission and connections to resources, answers to business challenges and networking with lenders, agencies and other members at Miss Shirley’s in Roland Park. Miss Shirley’s is a Member of the Chamber and hosts us every 4th Wednesday morning. Please come out to this well-attended event! You can register for this event on our website: www.baltimorecitychamber.org
2/27/20 at 5pm- Baltimore Business Lending is hosting their signature event, Coffee With Capital! This event will occur on February 27 from 5pm to 7pm at the Forest Park branch of the Enoch Pratt Library (3023 Garrison Blvd. Baltimore, MD 21216). Baltimore small business owners and those interested in starting a small businesses will meet and chat with resource partners and learn about funding options. This event is free! Click here to RSVP.
4/18/20 at 8am- MoneyBaltimore Global Business Conference! This year’s MoneyBaltimore conference will show attendees how to successfully do business in Baltimore, Africa, Asia and Latin America. Registration has not yet opened, but mark your calendars. This conference is free and in partnership with the Johns Hopkins Carey Business School. Click here to learn more information.
6/3/2020 at 9am- 2020 Baltimore City HUBZone Workshop! Learn about the SBA’s new HUBZone regulations, network with Federal Agency procurement representatives and gain knowledge on how you can use the HUBZone designation to your advantage when pursuing government contracts. Click here to RSVP and learn more.
INFORMATION
Real Estate and Investor Tools- Thinking about buying property in the City of Baltimore? Before you buy, check out this great tool with info on zoning, planned projects and other important information. Click here to learn more.
MDOT Certification– Ever consider doing business with the State of Maryland? If you have plans to grow, the certification process could open up new opportunities for new revenue. Click here to learn more.
Baltimore Demographics- Ever wonder where to find info on demographics in Baltimore? Click here to see this summary by the Census Bureau.
Maryland Wealth- Interested in seeing stats on Maryland’s wealth and its tax revenue for each city and county? Click here to view the report from the Department of Legislative Services Office of Policy Analysis.
Connect with City Leadership- Want to attend a Board of Estimates meeting or Baltimore City Council meeting to hear from our elected officials? Check out the schedule at: http://www.baltimorecitycouncil.com/complete-calendar
U.S. Economy- Interested in how the U.S. economy is doing? Here is the most current information from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis: https://www.bea.gov/news/glance
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
Web: http://www.baltimorecitychamber.org
Need Business Coaching? Learn more about working with me.