Blount Partnership News and Events

Check out our question-and-answer session with a new Blount County Chamber member in this email. So, here we go with our 123rd installment visiting with Joe Gleason of Jiffy Lube Multicare.

DAD JOKE: Want to hear a joke about paper? Nevermind it's tearable.

AND THE AWARD GOES TO. . .

Congratulations to our Best of Blount Award winners.
Tourism Impact Award goes to Dancing Bear Lodge.
Bright Future Award goes to Express Strategic Services.
Large Business of the Year is Accenture.
Small Business of the Year goes to ICC International.
Community Impact Award goes to Kingdom Design Ministries.
First Responder Award goes to Blount County Sheriff's Office James Berrong.
Philanthropist of the Year Award goes to Jason Brooks of LDA Engineering.

TENNESSEE MEMORIALS RIBBON CUTTING

Tennessee Memorials (708 Home Ave., Maryville) invites you to its grand opening celebration and ribbon cutting ceremony on November 6 at 10:30 a.m.

NETWORKING TRAINING CLASS

If you've ever been nervous about networking or want to learn how to do it better, then you need to attend this fabulous free seminar by Raeus Jae Cannon on November 6 from 3-4:30 p.m. at the Blount Partnership (201 S. Washington St., Maryville). It will be the best 90 minutes of your week.

You will learn how to stop making cold calls and steer more prospects toward you. REGISTER ONLINE.

BITCOIN AND CRYPTOCURRENCIES

Join us at the Blount Partnership December 6 from 9:30 a.m.-noon as John Cannon, president of Symply Data Centers, presents a seminar entitled "Bitcoin and Cryptocurrencies: Exploring the NEW Currency."

Cannon explains cryptocurrency foundation technology, Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Ethereum, Litecoin and other cryptocurrencies. How do you use it? What are the tax implications? REGISTER ONLINE.

DAD JOKE: Dad, can you put my shoes on? No, I don't think they'll fit me.

SMALL BUSINESS SATURDAY IS NOVEMBER 24

This Nov 24, the Blount Partnership wants to celebrate Small Business Saturday with you! It's a special holiday created so communities can show love for small local businesses. And it wouldn't be a celebration without businesses like you joining us!

The day was setup to help businesses with their most pressing need -- getting more customers. The day encourages people to shop at small businesses on the Saturday after Thanksgiving. The single day has grown into a powerful movement, and more people are taking part than ever before.

If your small business is interested in participating, please email alawson@blountpartnership.com. We will help get the word out about shopping locally at the beginning of the holiday season.

ELECTION DAY IS NOVEMBER 6

If you didn't vote during the early voting period, election day is Nov. 6. Click here for Blount County precinct locations. The polls are open from 8 a.m.-8 p.m. You must vote at your assigned precinct.

PLEASE REMEMBER TO BRING YOUR VALID PHOTO ID TO VOTE

GET PLACEMENT IN 2019 BASICALLY BLOUNT

The 2019 Basically Blount lifestyle magazine and membership directory is entering production once again. This annual, full-color lifestyle magazine and chamber membership directory is initially distributed to all Chamber members starting Feb. 2019, along with distribution four times throughout the year via area professional offices, newcomers, visitors, and new businesses all looking to relocate to Blount County.

If you would like to learn more about the benefits of Basically Blount or view the media kit, contact: Rick Ford of Marcon Marketing at (865) 705-8580

DAD JOKE: What did the ocean say to the shore? Nothing, it just waved.

SOFT SKILLS SESSION FOR NOVEMBER

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

Registrations are currently being accepted online at www.blountchamber.com for a class entitled Making Your Social Media Look Good on Nov. 30. This course qualifies for .2 CEU's awarded by Pellissippi State.

The final class is Creating Infographics for Promoting Your Business on Dec. 21.

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.

FREE TECHNOLOGY CLASSES AT LIBRARY

The Blount County Public Library is offering free computer classes in Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint (2016) and Gmail. Receive an opportunity to gain a nationally recognized certificate from Northstar Digital Literacy. Course descriptions and schedules are listed below. The free classes meet in the Blount County Public Library's new Learning Lab (outside the library in the former First Tennessee Bank branch building) unless otherwise *noted. Spaces are limited and registration is required. To register, please visit the library's Information Services Desk or call (865) 982-0981, ext. 1450, or (865) 273-1428. Sign up no earlier than one month prior to a class.

Microsoft Excel 2016 Essentials: 2-session class. Bring a USB drive.
M/F - Nov. 5 @ 9-12:30 PM, Nov. 9 @ 8-10:30 AM
M/F - Dec. 10, 12 @ 2-4 PM.

Microsoft Word 2016 Essentials: 3-session class. Bring a USB drive.
M/W/F - Dec. 3, 5, 7 @ 2-4 PM

Microsoft PowerPoint 2016 Essentials: 3-session class. Bring a USB drive.
M/W/F- Nov. 26, 28, 30 @ 2-4 PM

Gmail How-To's: 1 session class. Bring a USB drive.
M - Nov. 19 @ 9-11 AM

Additionally, businesses need to take advantage of the library's subscription to Lynda.com. Using your library card, get access to Lynda.com, a LinkedIn Company, with thousands of courses in software, creative and business skills to develop your staff skills and meet learning needs at your own convenience. Learn More

NOVEMBER MEMBER-TO-MEMBER PROMOTIONS

Member-to-member promotions are here. Submit to the email below. Check out the latest offer from Proven Protection with a great deal on security cameras. See 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

DAD JOKE: How much does a hipster weigh? An instagram.

REMEMBER TO SHOP LOCAL

Think local first + Buy local when you can = Being a local!

Buying local foods has numerous health benefits to your family.

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 "Last Train to Clarksville" by The Monkees. The song was featured in seven episodes of the band's television series, the most for any Monkees song.

The Dialogue

This feature is a question-and-answer session with a new Blount County Chamber member. So, here we go with our 124th installment visiting with Joe Gleason, President of Jiffy Lube Multicare.

What does Jiffy Lube Multicare do? We provide vehicle maintenance services for the DIFM customer with the highest level of customer service. We provide fast oil changes, routine maintenance, tires, as well as minor and major repairs with a nationwide warranty.

How did you get started? My father started the business when I was in college and I worked from the ground up. How did you get the background and skills necessary to run or work in this type of business? College, working through every position in the store, and LOTS of on the job training.

Who is your mentor? Frank Shipley. He ran the business for my father and taught me more than money could ever buy. Still today I look to him for advice, both in business and personal. My father passed away almost 2 years ago, so Frank is the one man I can still look to that knows me inside and out that I trust as much as my father did.

Describe your customers. Sophisticated, busy, smart, and need their vehicles to be reliable and always ready to go.

What impacts your business? With oil and employees being our biggest factors, costs for both effect us greatly. When we have to increase prices, customers tend to put off service which reduces our income and need for staffing. That, in turn, hurts our staff, their families, and those around them when they cannot work. We fight to keep our costs down and our customers Happy.

Name three things you wish you knew when you started. How hard it is to please "some" people. How fulfilling it is to help people that are uninformed whether it's our staff or our customers. Getting to know our staff and customers. We have both that have been with us for years that have helped shape what Jiffy Lube means to the Knoxville, Maryville, Clinton, and soon to be Alcoa communities. Our staff is the backbone of our business and we cannot do any of this without the leadership and guidance from them. They simply are the best around.

What do you enjoy about the business? Business is business, whether it's restaurant, automotive, or any other. There's bills, employees, customers, and so many other things that each mirror in some way. My favorite part is growing through the business with my staff. I love these guys and girls that have stuck by our side through the years. They truly are the best part of the business.

View previous Profiles

	Events

	November 5-11 November 5 -- Dulcimer Concert at Blount County Library November 6 -- Tennessee Memorials - Ribbon Cutting November 6-7 -- Sue Ann Tipton & Ken Justice at Townsend Visitors Center November 6 -- Network Training Class with Raeus Cannon November 6 -- Southern Appalachian Studies Series: Bluegrass Music Club November 6 -- Girls Inc Fundraising with Moe's November 7 -- Core Benefits & Investments Ladies Night November 8 -- Maryville College Fall Career and Internship Fair November 8-9 -- Barbara Dull & James Dull at Townsend Visitors Center November 8 -- The Life and Music of Stephen Foster November 10 -- Theresa Godfrey at Townsend Visitors Center November 10 -- 2018 Foothills Holiday Craft Fair November 12-18 November 12-14 -- Corinne Coley and Bill Saltz at Townsend Visitor Center November 13 -- Girls Inc Fundraising with Moe's November 13 -- The Tennessee Vegetable Garden: Getting Started with Cool and Warm Season Crops November 15 -- Coffee Club sponsored by Southpoint Risk - Blackwood Division November 15-16 -- Audrey Cordle at Townsend Visitors Center November 17-18 -- Rick Kratz at Townsend Visitors Center November 18 -- Clayton Homes Turkey Trot for Education Save the Date November 24 -- Small Business Saturday November 30 -- It's Your Career - Making Your Social Media Look Good December 13 -- Coffee Club sponsored by Treasures Jewelers You can access the Bount County Chamber events calendar here or the community calendar here.

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