RIBBON CUTTING

Join us November 27 for the Friendsville Animal Center (706 Kiser Station Road, Friendsville, TN 37737) ribbon cutting at 1 p.m. Are you looking for a place to board your pets during the upcoming holiday season? Check out Friendsville Animal Center and coordinate a tour of its new facility.

 

ENJOY A LUNCH BREAK AT SMOKY MOUNTAIN BREWERY

Join us for a Power Connect Lunch on November 27 at 11:30 a.m., at Smoky Mountain Brewery (743 Watkins Rd, Maryville). Meet, Mingle, Lunch, Connect, Nibble, Engage and Network with other influential professionals. Event chair Tony Saddy of Get Fit Maryville will lead the event.

While you (and the other guests) will have an opportunity to introduce your business, current areas of focus and/or anything you could use help with, all I ask is that everyone shows up with a focus on how they may be able to add value for the other attendees.

Open to ALL Blount County Chamber members, but you must RSVP by emailing alawson@blountpartnership.com. This is a Dutch Treat lunch.

 

MARK YOUR CALENDAR FOR CHRISTMAS OPEN HOUSE

Join us for the Blount Partnership Christmas Open House (201 S. Washington St., Maryville) on December 5 from 8:30-10:30 a.m. The staff will once again prepared hot dishes and Santa Claus is scheduled to stop by. There will be food in the board room and in a tent in the courtyard.

 

GOVERNMENT CONTRACTING SEMINAR

Looking for information on fulfilling government contracts? Check out this Small Business Administration seminar on December 3 from 1-3 p.m. at the Burlington Branch of the Knox County Public Library (4614 Asheville Highway, Knoxville, TN 37914)

Let SBA show how you can qualify for government contracts. Come Learn About Contracting Certifications for: 8(a) Business Development-Minority Owned Firms, Historically Underutilized Business Zone (HUBZone)-Firms Located in these zones, Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business (SDVOSB), Women Owned Small Business (WOSB).

Come hear from the following partners on the contracting opportunities and available resources that can assist you in getting certified and qualifying for contracts: City of Knoxville, Governor's Office of Diversity Business Enterprise, Knox County, Knoxville Community Development Corporation, SCORE, Tennessee Small Business Development Center, and University of Tennessee Procurement Technical Assistance Center.

For more information register here.

 

BITCOIN AND CRYPTOCURRENCIES

Join us at the Blount Partnership (201 S. Washington St., Maryville) on 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.

 

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
 

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 - 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

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

 

DECEMBER MEMBER-TO-MEMBER PROMOTIONS NEEDED

Member-to-member promotions are here. Submit to the email below. Check out the latest offer from Laser Aesthetics of Maryville. 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

 

REMEMBER TO SHOP LOCAL

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

 

It helps keep communities diverse.

 

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 "I Can Help" by Billy Swan. The song was a big crossover smash, reaching No. 1 on both the Billboard Hot 100 and Hot Country Singles charts.