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March Events
At A Glance
March 2
Networking Grp 1 7:30-9a
March 3 PPHH/WL Network Group 7:30-9a
March 4 Brighton B2B 7-8:30a
March 5 Women's Bible Study 7:30-8:30a
March 6 Political
Power Lunch 11:30a-1:30p
March 9 Brighton Business Advocates 8-9a
March 10
Livingston Business Alliance 11:30a-1p
March 11
Brighton B2B 7-8:30a
March 11
Ribbon Cutting-Transnation Title Insurance 11:30a
March 11 Midday Connect 11:30a-1p
March 11 Senior Services Referral Network 3-4:30p
March 11 LegUp! 5:30-7p
March 12 Business Women's Bible Study 7:30-8:30a
March 12 Ambassadors' Mtg 8-9a
March 13 Biz 4 Breakfast-First Merit Bank 8-9a
March 16 Networking Grp 1 7:30-9a
March 17
PPHH/WL Referral Network Group 7:30-9a
March 18
Brighton B2B 7-8:30a
March 18
AXIS-Young Professionals After Hours 5:30-7p
March 19 Business Women's Bible Study 7:30-8:30a
March 19 Tech Talk 11:30a-1p
March 20 Multi-Chamber Breakfast Mixer 7:30-9a
March 23 Brighton Business Advocates
8-9a
March 24 Livingston Business Alliance 11
:30-1p
March 24
Ribbon Cutting-Gia's Salon 1-2p
March 25
Brighton B2B 7-8:30a
March 25
PWCM's "Old Bags" Luncheon 11:30a-1p
March 25 Midday Connect 11:30a-1p
March 25 Senior Services Referral Network 3-4:30p
March 26 Business Women's Bible Study 7:30-8:30a
March 26 After Hours/New Member Celebration 5:30-7p
March 30 Referral Network Grp 1 7:30-9a
March 31 PPHH/WL Referral Network Grp 7:30-9
See below for more details!
Education/Training
Business Spotlight Luncheons
Host this innovative marketing event. Provide a light lunch to attendees and present information about your business. Lunches take place in the Conference Room at GBACOC.
Contact Catherine Shinsky at 810.227.5086 if you would like to spotlight your business.
Michigan Manufacturing Technology Center Workshops
Join us for an ongoing series of seminars presented by MMTC. All workshops will be held at the GBACOC!
Supervisor 1 Training
Wednesday, April 15
Thursday, April 16
Friday, April 17
12:30 - 4:30 p.m.
Supervisor 2 Training
Tuesday, April 28
Wednesday, April 29
Thursday, April 30
Friday, May 1
12:30 - 4:30 p.m.
Supervisor 3 Training
Wednesday, May 13
Thursday, May 14
Friday, May 15
To reserve your seat, contact Stephanie Novrocki at 734.451.4261 or [email protected]
Tech Talk
Get an update on technology and how it can benefit your efficiency in business and at home. No charge to attend and we encourage you to bring your lunch! Sessions take place at GBACOC.
Thursday, March 19
11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Blogging for Business & Pleasure
Nancy Johnson, Social Eyes on Business
RSVP TODAY!
Networking Opportunities
Biz 4 Breakfast
This program takes place on the 2nd Friday of the month from 8:00 to 9:00 a.m. Businesses host the event and provide a continental breakfast to attendees.
This is a great opportunity to showcase your place of business!
Friday, February 13
First Merit Bank
9880 E. Grand River Ave.
Brighton 48116
RSVP TODAY!
Ribbon Cuttings
Transnation Title Insurance
Wednesday, March 11
11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
RC at 11:30
204 Brookside Lane
Brighton 48116
RSVP
Gia's Salon
Tuesday, March 24
1:00 - 2:00 p.m. RC 1:30
427 W. Main Street
Brighton 48116
RSVP
Referral Network Groups
Connect with other businesses in one of our four referral groups. All groups meet in the Chamber Conference Room. Contact Membership Director Paula Millis about joining!
Group 1
Monday, March 2, 16
7:30 - 9:00 a.m.
Group 2
Livingston Business Alliance
Tuesday, March 10, 24
11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Group 3
Brighton Business Advocates
Monday, March 9, 23
8:00 - 9:00 a.m.
Group 4
Midday Connect
Wednesday, March 11, 25
11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Brighton B2B
Every Wednesday
7:00 - 8:30 a.m.
Senior Services
Wednesday, March 11, 25
3:00 - 4:30 p.m.
PPHH/WL Referral Group
Tuesday, March 3, 17
7:30 - 9:00 a.m.
Hamburg Township Hall
10405 Merrill Road
Whitmore Lake 48189
Connect with our young entrepreneurs and future leaders! AXIS meets on the 3rd Wednesday of every month.
Wednesday, March 18
5:30 - 7:00
Presentation:
GBACOC
218 E. Grand River Avenue
Brighton 48116
Networking/Social:
Two Brothers Coffee, Brew+Eatery
423 W. Main Street
Brighton 48116
RSVP TODAY!
This is an innovative group of entrepreneurs who gather to share ideas and success stories! LegUP! meets on the 2nd Wednesday of the month at the Johnson Center, Cleary University.
Wednesday, March 11 5:30 - 7:00 p.m. "How to Save Money on Your Taxes Without Going to Jail" Paul Samways, CPA/CDFM, Livingston Business Advisors Cleary University 3750 Cleary Drive Howell 48843
Ambassadors' Meeting Thursday, March 12 8:00 - 9:00 a.m. Lil' Chef Restaurant 101 Brookside Lane Brighton 48116 Please contact Membership Director Paula Millis if you are interested in joining this dynamic group of business professionals who represent the Chamber at events! Business Women's Bible Study Thursdays, 7:30 - 8:30 a.m. Chamber Conference Center This is a weekly gathering for women in the marketplace who want to draw spiritual wisdom and encouragement from the Bible while fellowshipping with one another. For more information, contact facilitator Donna Alberta at 810.494.4025 or Pam McConeghy at 810.227.5086.
Many thanks to our Sponsors!
Major Sponsors:
Annual Business Sponsors:
2015 Presenting Event Sponsors
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Brighton Fine Art & Acoustic Music Festival
Brighton's Smokin' Jazz & Barbecue Blues Festival
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Letters from the Perch
Dear Chamber Members,
It's another busy day at the Chamber. It's 9:08 a.m. and the B2B referral group has already moved on, the conference center is filled with the SBA Financial Team facilitating a financial roundtable, presented by the Small Business Technology Center, and upstairs in the boardroom, business experts from Livingston County SCORE are solving business challenges in a financial management workshop. This building is always buzzing with activities that lead to new pathways for growth, development and success.
We hope that you are enjoying the new Weekly Business Planner. Our goal is to reduce the number of emails that we send to you each week. Because we have so many programs through the Greater Brighton, Whitmore Lake and Pinckney-Putnam-Hamburg-Hell Chambers, there is always a need to get information to our membership. We will still send reminder and special event emails, but the amount is decreasing.
Make sure that you "like" the Chamber's FB page. You can use our FB page to promote your business, giving you an automatic audience.
Finally, we are pleased to welcome our newest Annual Business Sponsor... AAA Service Network. Ed Copp's company will join DTE Energy, PNC Bank, Comcast and Eberspaecher Exhaust Technology of the Americas as Annual Business Sponsors. This sponsorship offers unique ways to promote your organization...ways that haven't been offered in the past. If you are interested in learning more about the Annual Business Sponsorship, please give me a jingle.
There is a lot of activity in the perch today. I see at least 50 black leather jacket birds diving in and out of my window as I write this. The hawk has been eyeing them from his perch, and just swooped down for a meal. He was unsuccessfuly in his conquest... this time anyway. I haven't seen the black leather jackets for a while. They are such toughies with their bully attitudes towards the other birds. They seem to come and go as the seasons change. I am going to take it as a good sign that spring is around the corner. March is nearly here... in like a cold-blooded lion and hopefully out like a warm-blooded lamb!
As always, if there is anything that we can do for you, don't hesitate to ask!
Pamela McConeghy
President and CEO
Greater Brighton Area Chamber of Commerce
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|  Wednesday, March 11 Open House & Ribbon Cutting District Office of U.S. Congressman Mike Bishop Join us in welcoming Congressman Mike Bishop to Brighton! He is moving his District Office from Lansing to Brighton. Come and meet Congressman Bishop and his staff! Light refreshments will be served. Time: 5:00 - 6:30 p.m.; Ribbon Cutting 5:30 Location: 711 E. Grand River Avenue, Suite A Brighton 48116 Cost: No charge. RSVP |
|  Friday, March 20 Multi-Chamber Breakfast Mixer Join us for breakfast and meet members of the Howell and Hartland Chambers of Commerce. Complimentary beverages and continental breakfast will be served. Come and check out the Heart of Howell building in downtown Howell! Time: 7:30 - 9:00 a.m.
Location:
Heart of Howell Building Grand River Avenue Howell 48843 Cost: No charge. RSVP TODAY!  
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Thursday, March 26 After Hours/New Member Celebration Stop by for a drink and a bite after work and enjoy some casual time with your fellow Chamber members! We will also introduce our newest Chamber members so help us give them a warm welcome! Our sincere thanks to The Main Crossing for graciously sponsoring this event by providing an array of delicious appetizers! Try The Main Crossing during your next evening out... they offer casual dining with a touch of class! Chef Eric has created some wonderful entrees using the freshest of ingredients! Time: 5:30 - 7:00 p.m. Location: The Main Crossing 440 W. Main Street Brighton 48116 Cost: No charge.
RSVP TODAY! |
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Welcome New Chamber Members!
Brain Injury Association of Michigan
Clips Coupons Group
Ducks Unlimited - Huron Valley Chapter
Goyette Mechanical
Great Clips at Brighton Town Square -
25% discount to Chamber members
Great Clips at Country Corners -
25% discount to Chamber members
Great Clips at Crossroads Town Center -
25% discount to Chamber members
Heart of Howell
High Mountain Creative
John Mazurkiewicz
LeClerc Display Company
Lesley Consulting Services, LLC
Maple Square by Redwood
Pinckney Community Youth Initiative, Foundation Inc.
Prudential Heritage Real Estate - Hugh Waller
Simply Fresh Market - 10% discount to Chamber Members
The CEO Agency - Farm Bureau Insurance
Transnation Title Agency
Waller Construction
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Bill Payment Options
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 How to Winterize Your Business By PNC Regional President Tim Salisbury Now that Punxsutawney Phil has predicted six more weeks of winter and The Farmers' Almanac expects that about three-quarters of the country will see below -normal temperatures this winter, Brighton-area businesses should be prepared for extreme weather that may impact their profitability.
Last year, many U.S. cities faced one of the harshest winters in recent history. According to PNC's Fall Economic Outlook survey, 38 percent of small-to-mid-sized business owners said extreme weather had a negative impact on their business in 2014, and of those, half said their businesses have not yet fully recovered. Realizing last year's impact, business owners can take proactive steps to maintain steady footing during peak months. PNC Business Banking Market Manager Rick Rokosz shared a few tips to help protect businesses from old man winter's negative impact. � Acknowledge Weaknesses: Determine how winter months and frigid conditions may impact cash flowing in and out as well as your business' day to day operations. Talk to your banker to outline possible scenarios and discuss how to plan finances for your unique business cycles. � Protect Vital Information: Utilize technology like cloud to store and backup financial and insurance records, contracts, permits, customer data and other critical business records to ensure you can access data in alternate locations. Backup daily since you never know when power could go out. � Enroll in Online or Mobile Banking: If you are not enrolled in online and/or mobile banking, now is a good time to do so. This ensures you have access to your company's finances and can pay bills or vendors from anywhere, as well as get a picture of your cash flow. � Establish a Contingency Fund: It's important to have a backup plan in place in case of unexpected occurrences that may impact your business finances. Your contingency fund should hold anywhere from 3-6 months of operating cash. To serve not only as a safety net but also an investment, consider placing funds in an interest-bearing account such as a money market fund. |
All of our teams from AAA Service Network are excited to be part of the new Annual Business Sponsors program with the Greater Brighton Area Chamber of Commerce!
AAA Service Network began serving the Livingston County communities in 1976. Our company has evolved to be "your one stop repair shop".
We fix just about anything in your home or business; heating and air, appliance repair, plumbing, water heaters, water softeners, home standby generators, sump pumps...and more.
We have plumbers, appliance repair technicians and electricians on staff working side by side with heating & air conditioning technicians and installers providing top quality service.
Our teams are certified and well educated. They... will impress you.
Call us... We will make you smile!
810-227-1050
Visit: http://1800fixitnow.com
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| Ambassador of the Month
Mary Beth Potrykus
Mama Bear Productions, LLC
Mama Bear Productions, LLC was founded in 2004. The name comes from my love of bear hunting. I have been a successful bear hunter 3 times, one of which made the record books.
Like a mama bear, I take care of my family in addition to having a business of my own. Even though I have my own business, I am not in business by myself. That is one of the things I love about Network Marketing and the MLM industry. I work with a team of combined experience of 100 plus years in the business.
I market Shaklee products, a health and wellness company founded in 1956 by Dr. Forrest Shaklee who was a chiropractor. I also offer Healthy Workshops for businesses, schools, churches and organizations, and Lifestyle Check Ups is an additional service I provide.
I joined the Chamber in January 2006, and immediately became an Ambassador. It has been a wonderful experience in expanding my business as well as acquiring great friends.
In addition to hunting, I like to spend time with my family, and I enjoy watching my daughter play hockey, golfing and playing cards.
MaryBeth Potrykus
Owner, Mama Bear Productions
810.813.3308
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| Chamber Staff Pamela McConeghy President & CEO [email protected] Wendy Busick Manager of Finance [email protected] Sophia Freni Director of Civic Events [email protected] Jen Ling Director of Special Events & Promotions [email protected] Tom MacFarland Director of Sponsorship Sales [email protected] Jenny McKindles Administrative Services [email protected] Paula Millis Director of Membership [email protected] Karen Rogers Farmers' Market Manager Catherine Gedda Shinsky Director of Business Events & Division Liaison [email protected] |
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