Blount Partnership News and Events

 
Check out The Dialogue at the bottom of this email where we feature a question-and-answer session with a new Blount County Chamber member. So here we go with our 99th installment visiting with Andrea Breeding, owner of Senior Health Copywriting (865-268-9813).
 
Join us February 22 for our monthly coffee club being held at Quality Financial Concepts (115 W. Broadway Ave., Maryville) from 7:45-9 a.m. Coffees are designed to offer our members the opportunity to build business relationships with other members and to gain exposure for their business or organization in an "open house" setting. Coffees are open to anyone associated with a Chamber member business. Participation is not reserved to the representative(s) listed on the Chamber membership.
 
WE NEED YOU FOR OPERATION THANK YOU
Participate in the Chamber's 20th annual "Operation Thank You" set for February 20-22, 2018 and meet other business people on a one-on-one basis.

During this three-day event, Chamber members, the Chamber staff and Board of Directors will personally deliver Chamber member information packets. We invite you to join us in this three-day effort. You can agree to call on as many or as few members as your schedule permits.

If you, someone (or several people) from your business, organization or group is interested in participating, please stop by the Blount Partnership (201 S. Washington St., Maryville) and pick up some packets.
 
STATE LEGISLATIVE BRIEFING SET FOR FEB. 23
The first state legislative briefing presented by First Tennessee Bank and Twin City Dealerships is set for Friday, February 23 from 8-9 a.m. at the Blount Partnership (201 S. Washington St., Maryville). Join Sen. Art Swann and Reps. Jerome Moon and Bob Ramsey as they discuss the happenings in Nashville during the current legislative session.

 
STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE TO BUILDING YOUR MARKETING PLAN
The Tennessee Small Business Development Center is presenting a workshop that will help you draft your own marketing Plan for 2018 and beyond on February 22 from 9:30 a.m.-noon at the Blount County Public Library, 508 N. Cusick St., Maryville. Victory Harbin of Tech Nav and Chad Rogers of Old Number Eleven will lead the discussion.

Conversation will include: 1. Keyword Strategy, 2. Search Engine Optimization Strategy, 3. Paid Online Advertising Strategy, 4. Social Media Strategy. Leave the workshop with your first draft marketing plan. Register here.
 
FINANCING YOUR BUSINESS THE SBA WAY
Join Jacqueline Merritt from the SMall Business Administration for a free workshop on how to finance your business the SBA Way on March 2 from 9-10 a.m. at the Blount Partnership (201 S. Washington St., Maryville).

Whether you are an existing entrepreneur or have given thought to starting a business, this seminar will put you ahead of the game in government guaranteed lending. This workshop covers SBA loan options. RSVP to Jacqueline by email or phone at 615-736-7465.
 
JOB FAIR PARTICIPATION OPPORTUNITY
Looking to hire? Come participate at the annual Blount County job fair slated for Thursday, March 22, 2018 from 2-6 p.m. at the Second Harvest Food Bank facility. Click here for the participation form.
 
ALL THINGS GOOGLE
The "All Things Google" Lunch and Learn Technology Series is a professional development workshop series for adults who seek to learn about the Google platform, applications available through Google and how to access and use these applications (Google Sheets, Google Docs, Google Calendar, Google Drive, etc.) This technology series is offered by the Blount County Public Library with funding provided by the Tennessee State Library Archives Library Technology Training Grant.

This Lunch and Learn series launches March 2, 2018 with the Essentials of Google Drive. This series will meet in the new Learning Lab at the Blount County Public Library on Fridays each month from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. The $10 registration fee includes a box lunch and participants will have the opportunity to network. Each of the topics offered will be divided into 3-4 weekly sessions that can stand alone or be taken consecutively. A total of 50 classes will be offered with a new schedule released each month.

To register for classes in the Lunch and Learn Series please visit the Blount County Public Library website http://www.blountlibrary.org/248/Technology-Classes.
 
SOFT SKILLS SESSION FOR FEBRUARY
It's Your Career! That's the focus of eight free soft skills sessions offered in partnership by the Blount County Public Library, the Adult Education Foundation of Blount County and the Blount County Chamber of Commerce that are scheduled over the next 11 months.

Registrations are currently being accepted online at www.blountchamber.com for the second class entitled Building a Team set for Feb. 23. This course qualifies for .2 CEU's awarded by Pellissippi State.

The other classes offered include Managing People and Personalities, Free Resources for Professional Development, How to Run an Effective Meeting, Improving Your Presentation Style - Speaking, Improving Your Presentation Style - Strategies for Engaging Presentations, Making Your Social Media Look Good and Creating Infographics for Promoting Your Business.

All classes are conducted in the Blount County Library's learning lab located at 508 N. Cusick in Maryville and limited to 50 participants. A complete class description is located on the registration site. All classes run from 8-10 a.m. with networking beginning at 7:30 a.m.
 
FEBRUARY MEMBER-TO-MEMBER PROMOTIONS ARE HERE
Member-to-member promotions are needed for February. Check out the new offer from UT College of Business, Pellissippi State, Realty Executives RELOCATION, AAA, Knoxville Zoo, Swagtown and Cell Phone Repair (FYI, they do more than phones). See this 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!
 
Stores do not control pricing of most products - the vendors do.
 
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 or any good news about your business, please send it to us. We'd love to share it with the community.
 
REMEMBER WHEN
Topping the Billboard Hot 100 chart this week in 1966 was "Lightnin' Strikes," by Lou Christie.

Events

 

Feb. 26-March 4

 

 

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 99th installment visiting with Andrea Breeding, owner of Senior Health Copywriting (865-268-9813), which does targeted copywriting services for senior health care products and services. Content writing is an ongoing marketing need for companies who have a website or use brochures, newsletters and articles.
 
Describe what Senior Health Copywriting does. I write content for articles, web pages, brochures, and newsletters for businesses who provide senior health care products and services. Additionally, I write case studies, white papers and do website audits.
 
How did you get started? I have written a health article for the Royal Oaks Community newsletter for the past 6 years. Since I love writing, I thought I would try getting paid for doing what I love.
 
What is your background? I am trained through the American Writers and Artists organization and member of the Professional Writers Alliance. I was previously a nurse practitioner and worked for years with the elderly. By combining the two skills I can write expert copy for any business that deals with the senior population.
 
Who is your mentor? My friend, Patrick Smith. He has been my advisor, manager, organizer, editor-in-chief, photographer, and all around "man Friday" to me. I could not have done a lot of this without him.
 
Describe your customers. In terms of services, that would be owners/administrators of senior living facilities, home health or medical services. Additionally, companies who make senior specific products that help with mobility and function. An example would be in- home monitoring systems.
 
What environments impact your business? With an increase in the elderly population we see issues concerning their independence, their health, and the burden that caregivers must shoulder. These problems will only intensify because that population is growing. We will constantly need new ideas and innovations to help the elderly and their families manage the challenges.
 
Name three things you wish you knew when you started. 1. I wish I had known more about marketing (Thank you, Blount Chamber, for your help). 2. The length of time it takes to get going. Longer and more involved than I thought. 3. I wish I had started doing this years ago.
 
What do you enjoy most about your business? I definitely like the independence and the networking. Most 9-5 jobs are too regimented and stifle creativity. If you remember the movie "Office Space", then you know what I mean.
 
Premier and Presidential Partners