Blount Partnership News and Events

 
Be sure to check out the 90th installment of The Dialogue at the bottom of this email where we visit with a new Blount Chamber member, Anne Taylor, Marketing Manager for TWO MEN AND A TRUCK.
 
BALLOON FESTIVAL/ECLIPSE VIEWING
On August 19, a summertime spectacle will take place in Townsend, Tennessee: the inaugural Great Smoky Mountain Hot Balloon Festival.

The sky will be filled with a spectrum of color against the backdrop of a breathtaking Tennessee sunset as dozens of professional balloonists take flight.

Taking place at the Townsend Visitors Center located at 7906 E. Lamar Alexander Parkway from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m., the event features something for everyone. Families can enjoy kid-friendly activities, live entertainment, crafters demonstrating and selling their artwork, delectable food from the food truck court and local craft beer.

For those desiring a unique view of the scenic mountains, balloonists will offer safely tethered hot air balloon rides (weather depending).

The event takes place within days of another highly anticipated Blount County event: the total solar eclipse.

On Monday, August 21, a narrow path in the United States will experience the first total solar eclipse in 26 years. Only certain parts of specific states will experience this cosmic event. The eclipse is caused by the moon blocking the sun, and only the sun's corona is visible. Blount County just happens to be one of the places to see this once-in-a-lifetime event.

CHAMBER BOARD NOMINATIONS NOW OPEN
The Blount County Chamber of Commerce is accepting nominations for three positions (Construction, building trades and suppliers; financial and professional; and individual/non-profits) for its 2018 Board of Directors until August 15. Please complete the online form of an individual you think would make a good board member.
 
CHAMBERRITAVILLE
ChamberRitaville, the Blount Chamber's largest networking event
, is set for August 22 from 4-6 p.m. at the Second Harvest Food Bank of East Tennessee (136 Harvest Lane, Maryville). Display areas (4x4) are available and tickets are $10. Don't forget to bring a door prize.

By the way, there's awesome food that we'll have. Check out these treats and goodies: ice cream cake by Diary Queen, Chick-fil-A chicken nuggets, chicken tenders, Bananas Foster from Metz, wraps from Ruby Tuesday, sliders by All Occasion. Cash bar with alcohol and non-alcoholic Chamberitta's.

This summer casual-themed event is your best opportunity to meet many Chamber members from all sectors of the community in one location. Use this event to network and meet new people in the business community!

Event sponsors are Epic Nine, Pinnacle Financial Partners, American Foundation & Basement Repair, PCS, AMR/Rural Metro and Dunlap RV

To get your display area, tickets or sign up to give away door prizes please call the Blount Partnership at 865.983.2241 or email Amy.


 
CYBER SECURITY WORKSHOP
secure-checkout-computer.jpg Join us August 8 from 8:30-9:30 a.m. at Cate-Russell Insurance presents a cyber security workshop at the Blount Partnership (201 S. Washington St., Maryville). Janet Smith of Bailey's Special Risk will deliver a brief presentation on the alarming growth and trends of cyber attacks and what you should do to better protect your business. So, come learn more about the growing dangers of cyber crime and the liability it places on your business. RSVP to lcate@caterussell.com
 
AUGUST MEMBER-TO-MEMBER PROMOTIONS ARE HERE
The August Member-to-member promotions are here. Check out the new special deals from University Eye Specialists, King University, Tai Chi, Kung Fu and Two Men and a Truck. See these and other promotions at member-to-member promotions. New offers are being posted almost daily, so check out the Blount County Chamber of Commerce Member-to-Member promotions online. This Member-to-Member Promotional Program offers you and your company the opportunity to market your products and services to the membership.
 
Here's how it works:
1. Submit a PDF of a service, product or discount you'd like to offer to the Chamber membership to jmuir@blountpartnership.com. Be sure to include an expiration date.
2. An email with all the promotions will be sent out on the final Monday of every month to our member database.
3. All promotions will be posted on www.BlountChamber.com
 
REMEMBER TO SHOP LOCAL
Think local first + Buy local when you can = Being a local!
 
Small businesses have just as much access to vendors (who also determine pricing, not stores) that big box businesses do. If a small business doesn't have the products you want or need, ask them - they're also usually much more receptive and willing to order them for you.
 
Find what you're looking for in the Chamber Directory.
 
GOT AN EVENT OR NEWS? WE'D LOVE TO HEAR ABOUT
Is your organization hosting an event in the community? Submit it here on our community calendar. If it's a tourism event, please email Ashlee so she can post it on www.SmokyMountains.org.
 
Also, please send us any news releases or good news about your business. We'd love to share it with the community.
 
REMEMBER WHEN
"I Just Want to Be Your Everything" by Andy Gibb topped the Billboard Hot 100 this week in 1977. It is ranked number 26 on Billboard's 55th anniversary All-Time Top 100 list.

Events

 

August 7-13

 

 

August 14-20

 

 

Save the Date

 


You can access the entire calendar here to see other community events and submit your own.

The Dialogue

This feature is a question-and-answer session with a new Blount County Chamber member. So here we go with our 90th installment visiting with Anne Taylor, Marketing Manager for TWO MEN AND A TRUCK, Knoxville, which is the fastest-growing moving company in the country and offers comprehensive home and business relocation and packing services.
 
How did TWO MEN AND A TRUCK begin? It all started as an after-school business for two high school boys. With a hand-drawn logo, advertisement in a local paper, and advertising fund stashed in a ceramic dish, the endeavor was never expected to be more than a local moving company. Now, more than 30 years later, TWO MEN AND A TRUCK® has grown both domestically and internationally with more than 354 locations worldwide.
 
What does TWO MEN AND A TRUCK do? TWO MEN AND A TRUCK® is the fastest-growing moving company in the country and offers comprehensive home and business relocation and packing services. Our goal is to exceed customers expectations by customizing our moving services to specific needs. We move apartments, condominiums, homes, businesses, and everything in between - from very small to very large. Whether moving down the street, across the country, or to a new home or business building, we're here to help with managing relocation stress.
 
What is your background? I now use my marketing skill sets to develop, implement and oversee the marketing plans for the TWO MEN AND A TRUCK® franchise with the objective of promoting all products and services both internally and externally to grow revenue. I have over five years of experience with over thirty professional businesses and brands. Top student in my field with a bachelor's degree in Communications and Media Arts. While studying I chose to specialize in Integrated Marketing and received distinction on my comprehensive exam, graduating Summa Cum Laude in three years from Bethany College in West Virginia in 2015.
 
Who is your mentor? My biggest supporters have always been my clients for believing in my resourceful and creative abilities to help them grow their business. Because of them I have been able to gain the need experience and skills to help businesses grow their revenue through my marketing strategies.
 
Describe your customers. TWO MEN AND A TRUCK® Knoxville moves homes of all shapes and sizes! - Residential Moving - Commercial Moving - Full-Service Packing - Interstate Moving - Senior Moving - College Student Package - Charitable Moving Services. Our customers are so happy, they're spreading the word with our 96% referral rate - we've had 90+straight months of growth and have 354 locations nationwide.
 
Name three things you wish you knew when you started. How we can utilize our chamber membership to partner with wonderful business to help collect donations for our charity programs: Movers for Moms, Christmas in July School Supplies Drive and Movers for Mutts. The chamber has been a great resource to network with fellow business who feel passionately about our charity work.
 
What do you enjoy about working with TWO MEN AND A TRUCK? What I enjoy most about working at TWO MEN AND A TRUCK® is that our core purpose is to move people forward. We move people personally and professionally. In fact, 75% of our managers started in frontline positions and moved into management roles.
 
Premier and Presidential Partners