CHAMBER SOCIAL AT HARMONY FAMILY CENTER

Take off work early and a make the short drive from downtown Maryville to the Harmony Famiy Center (4901 Montvale Rd., Maryville) May 8 from 3:45-5 p.m., for this special edition of the Blount Chamber Social. Located at the former Camp Montvale and nestled in the shadows of the Foothills Parkway, there will be a Fitbit giveaway, along with a Sunday rental of the pool and facility as well as tours of the facility and beverages. All members are invited to network with new and existing members, meet the Chamber Board of Directors and learn how the Chamber can help promote business.

Additionally, the sixth annual Mudder's Day Madness 5K Mud Run at Montvale is set for May 12, 2018. This year's event features youth pricing, trails, mud, obstacles, family friendly activities, and food trucks. The course is a challenging 5K course with many hills and obstacles along the way, as well as rocky, slippery, uneven terrain throughout but is suitable for all fitness levels. Participants can run as individuals or as part of a team. The events will have two waves with the first starting at 10 am and the second at 10:20 am. Waves will include individual competitors and teams. All teams must cross the finish line together. All event proceeds benefit Harmony Family Center and their service to children through foster care, adoption, and post adoption counseling and programs. Register here.

 

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How are we doing? Take a few minutes to take part in this important survey measuring membership satisfaction for the Blount Partnership and Blount County Chamber of Commerce. We will be gaining your thoughts and opinions in order to better serve you. We've made changes in our overall programming based on results of prior surveys, so be assured, we listen to you.

This survey should only take 5-6 minutes to complete. If you wish to be entered to win tickets to the Taste of Blount in September, please include your email at the conclusion of the survey.

ON TO THE SURVEY

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USE VIDEO AS PART OF YOUR BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY

We all watch online videos. In fact, video is future of communication. So, join us May 9 from 3-4:30 p.m. at the Blount Partnership (201 S. Washington St., Maryville) for a free class on how to use a series of videos to attract new customers, convert prospects into leads, close more sales and generate repeat business. Video Marketing Strategist Robert Berlin shares an overview of how video can move customers. RSVP here.

This class will explore:

• Why you need video to develop your business
• Four types of videos you need today
• Where to use video for maximum effect
• Productino cycle of a video
• How to get started

 

NETWORKING GOT YOU NERVOUS?

If networking isn't quite your thing, take 90 minutes from your day and join us May 15 from 3-4:30 p.m. at the Blount Partnership (201 S. Washington st., Maryville) and let Raeus Jae Cannon take you on a journey on how to improve your connection skills. Learn how to make that first contact and stop making cold calls. Be prepared to steer more prospects into your funnel. This program is a definite game-changer. RSVP today.

 

HOW TO START UP A BUSINESS

Learn about forms of business organization, tax requirements, business licenses, business planning and financing options with additional discussion about SBA loan qualification and opportunities. Join us for this free seminar on May 17 from 9-11 a.m. at the Blount Partnership (201 S. Washington St., Maryville). Register online.

 

HR SUPERVISOR'S SEMINAR

HR personnel take note of an HR supervisor's seminar on May 18 from 8:30-11 a.m. at the Blount Partnership (201 S. Washington St., Maryville). The fee is $25 for chamber members and $50 for non-members. Register online here.

8:35-9:20 a.m. -- Harassment presented by Lynne Peterson, Lewis Thomason
9:20-10:05 a.m. -- Hiring, Managing and Retaining your Workforce (It's Not Your Father's Generation!) presented by Carl Goodman, The ISAAC Network, LLC
10:05-10:15 a.m. -- Break
10:15-11:00 a.m. -- Americans with Disabilities and Family Medical Leave Act presented by Howard Jackson, Wimberly Lawson Wright Daves & Jones

 

WOMEN IN BUSINESS

Make plans to attend our next Women in Business meeting on May 21 noon at the Airport Hilton (Bar Area) led by Sharon Hannum.

In order for us to have enough time for the meeting, please arrive at 11:45 a.m. and get your lunch and bring to the bar area.

This is a Dutch Treat lunch from Cooper's Restaurant. The menu is soup or salad bar for $8.95 + tax, this includes drink, and dessert or the whole buffet for $12 (including tax) and includes a drink and dessert. Please RSVP May 18 to alawson@blountpartnership.com if you plan to attend.

 

SOFT SKILLS SESSION FOR MAY

It's Your Career! That's the focus of six 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 six months.

Registrations are currently being accepted online at www.blountchamber.com for a class entitled Free Resources for Professional Development set for May 18. This course qualifies for .2 CEU's awarded by Pellissippi State.

The other classes offered include 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.

 

TREMONT SUMMER CAMPS

Enjoy summer in the Smokies at the Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont summer camps. Live and learn inside the national park. Residential summer camps for ages 4-17. Also check out programs for adults, families and groups. Visit gsmit.org for more information and to register online.

 

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 meets 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.

 

MAY MEMBER-TO-MEMBER PROMOTIONS

Member-to-member promotions are here for May. Submit to the email below. Check out the offer from Pellissippi State and Roost. 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 donate more than twice as much per sales dollar to local non-profits..

 

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 1974 was "The Loco-Motion," by Grand Funk Railroad. This version of the song featured guitars, several layers of harmony, and heavy drums. Some radio stations replaced the guitar instrumental section with the repeat of the bridge instead ("You got to sway your hips now"), because the disc jockeys strongly believed the static guitar solo was too experimental hard rock for airplay on commercial radio station.