As I reflect on the last five months of this pandemic and how it has affected our community, I am struck by the sheer resiliency of our chamber's small businesses. I have been unceasingly impressed by the levels of ingenuity, passion, and adaptability I have seen from our members as they weather difficult and unsettled times. It makes me proud to be part of such an organization.

Summer is nearly at an end, and with the new season comes an inevitable sense of transition. We are no longer just responding to the impact of COVID-19 on our businesses; we are learning to actively manage and live within the new normal. Our chamber continues to plan and implement a robust program for the fall, and we look forward to sharing details in coming communications.

Our pitch competition is well underway, with our judging panel having reviewed all submitted pitch decks and made the first round of cuts. The remaining competitors are currently preparing their video pitches for submission, after which the judges will make another round of cuts before our live finale. Tune in on Friday, September 18 from 3–6 PM to see which business will take home first place! Register here to watch the live finale.

We are proud to announce a strategic partnership with the Greater Haverhill Chamber! As part of the collaboration, members of the Greater Haverhill Chamber will be offered a discounted membership to our Chamber along with all of the benefits members receive, and current Massachusetts LGBT Chamber members will receive the same opportunity at the Greater Haverhill Chamber.

“This partnership couldn’t come at a better time,” says Greater Haverhill Chamber President Dougan Sherwood. “It fits perfectly into our larger idea that inclusivity is important and drives economic development."

The arrangement will also allow both organizations to grow and strengthen by expanding outreach and collaborating on key programming for small businesses.

On August 13, Joshua Croke, founder of Action! By Design, led a fascinating session detailing how businesses can keep up-to-date on the best practices of running an inclusive workplace even as many businesses continue to work remotely. View the webinar here.

On September 10 at 12 noon, Cathy Burgess of Wells Fargo Advisors and Marcia Mantell of Mantell Retirement Consulting, Inc. will tell you everything you need to know about Social Security, from a lens that considers your status both as a business owner and as a member of the LGBTQ community. Learn how your Social Security is calculated and how marital status, business ownership, and when you file may impact your retirement. This webinar is completely free; register here!

Chamber member Rhode Island Spirits is in the running for USA Today’s 2020 Reader’s Choice for Best New Craft Distillery! Every year, USA Today holds “reader’s choice” contests to name the ten best travel destinations within a variety of categories. Help a fellow Chamber member make the final list by clicking here and voting for Rhode Island Spirits before September 14.

Vertex Pharmaceuticals — one of our corporate founding sponsors — has played a vital role in supporting our chamber's mission. This year, their LGBTQ+ work has been recognized by the Boston Business Journal, who named them a recipient of the 2020 LGBT Corporate Ally Award!

The BBJ Corporate Ally Award is given to companies “for their longstanding commitments to Greater Boston’s LGBT community as manifested in the areas of mission, innovation, impact, and sustainability.” Congratulations to the Vertex team for this well-deserved honor!

Chamber members are invited to join our statewide Facebook networking group.

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