Chamber Happenings

Montana Aware Toolkit You can find the downloadable toolkit and other resources at MARKETMT.COM.

Tamarack Time! will be postponed this year but the TT! committee is already planning on a fabulous return in 2021!

Don't forget to start saving your Harvest Foods receipts for the Bigfork Elementary school. The program began again on Sept. 1st and TJ and Toot Sward will be adding them for the school again this year. Please remember, Harvest Foods will print duplicate receipts upon request for business owners who need their original for tax purposes. Receipts can be dropped off at the elementary school, Bigfork Area Chamber of Commerce, Tall Pine and the Liquor Barn. If your business would like to be a drop off location as well, please email the chamber. 🙂

Don't forget...we have masks for you and your customers! Bigfork Area Chamber of Commerce has free masks for local businesses and their employees! Up to 50 per business ... right now! We have been given a supply of cloth masks (washable up to 15 times) to make available to you and your employees. Send us an email with with how many you would like and we will have them ready for you to pick up at the Chamber office or we can deliver them to you next week. A BIG thanks to Glacier Country Tourism for the masks!   We also have disposable masks for sale to hand out to customers. There are 50 in a box and the cost is $22.50.

Community Happenings

September Sundowner Today at 5 PM – 6:30 PM at Bigfork Inn Restaurant Join us for our monthly networking reception outside, on the patio, at Bigfork Inn. As fall nears, enjoy a beautiful summer evening at one of Bigfork's most historic locations. Light appetizers and drinks will be served. Plan to attend and network with business professionals in the community and hear about upcoming events. Don't forget to bring a few dollars for raffle tickets for you chance to win great prizes gift certificates, wine and more! The Public is welcome and no cost to attend!

Member Happenings

Montana Chamber Members Recognized by Forbes as "America’s Best Employers" Glacier Bank, was one of ten Montana organizations who's own employees voted them on to the " 2020 America's Best Employers" list.   Forbes recently released it's second annual ranking of America’s best employers by state. The list is divided into 51 rankings—one for each of the 50 states, plus the District of Columbia—and was compiled by surveying 80,000 Americans working for businesses with at least 500 employees.    The Montana Chamber extends our sincerest CONGRATULATIONS to these four members. Your success is well deserved!   Want to find out who else made the list? Click here.

A note from new member The Miracle of America Museum:

Visitation at the Miracle of America Museum is holding its own and recorded visitors from all 50 states again this year. Lock out of Canadian visitors and international restrictions have cut visitation about 20%, stateside visitation is up, and tip jar receipts have improved. Plenty of room for social distancing and mask wearing. Rave reviews in the comment and suggestion book. The vintage motorcycle collection is drawing bikers, many of them mom and pop, from all over, even if their original destination is Sturgis, and it causes them to detour to Polson area and while they're here, some explore other areas as well. Recent restorations and display improvements are causing an increase in word of mouth referrals. Schedule is still 9 to 5 daily. For more info, call 406-883-6804, or go to their improved website at www.miracleofamericamuseum.org.

Whitefish Chamber of Commerce is hosting their Gone Fishin' event on September 17th at Montana Build. Now you may be asking why we are including this in the Bigfork Area Chamber email...Well that is because Montana Build is a wonderful member of both of our chambers and we want to make sure you get a chance to meet them! Due to COVID, you must RSVP, but that is easy! Just CLICK HERE.

MEET THE ARTIST: MICHAEL SISSON, METAL SCULPTURE Saturday, September 12, 2020 at 12 PM MDT – 2 PM MDT Bigfork Art & Cultural Center   Stop in, say hello, and learn what inspires this former metal fabricator/millwright to follow his passion and create without blueprints. Michael's fantastic metal sculptures are one-of-a-kind originals that just might inspire you to find your passion, too.  For more information call 837-6927

Undaunted Family Connections is a nonprofit offering coaching to parents, caregiver, and guardians who have adolescents and young adults who are struggling with a variety of life challenges by providing hope, building resilience, and restoring peace in their home. There has never been a more important time than now to bring these services to the valley by providing families with extra support while dealing with these unprecedented times is so vital to our community.

State & Regional Happenings

Governor Bullock Announces Montana Working Capital Program Governor Steve Bullock announced Thursday the new Montana Working Capital program which builds off the Montana Loan Deferment program by allowing Montana businesses to take out a new loan to support economic recovery.    The Montana Working Capital program will allow Montana businesses to take out a new loan to be used for payroll, employee benefits, lease or rent, inventory, utilities, and insurance. Utilizing the unused portion of the $125 million allocated to the Montana Loan Deferment program, new borrowers can work through an approved lender to take out a loan with 35 percent of it granted through Coronavirus Relief Funds.    For more information go to https://commerce.mt.gov/Montana-Coronavirus-Relief/Business-Assistance

PLANNING AND EXECUTING SUCCESSFUL MONTANA BUSINESS TRANSITIONS What: Online Seminar targeting business owners across the state. Topics include: ·   Succession planning ·   Legal and estate planning ·   Tax & Accounting implications ·   Wealth Planning ·   What acquirers are seeking ·   Current M&A market review & valuation discussion When: September 30, 2020, 12P-1:30P MST Where: Online via Zoom, RSVP here Who: ·   Ray Round, D.A. Davidson ·   Bill VanCanagan, Datsopoulos, Macdonald and Lind ·   Vu Pham, Endgame Solutions ·   Dana Springer, WipFli ·   James Thompson, Alexander Hutton ·   Todd O’Hair, Montana Chamber of Commerce ·   Kiah Hochstetler and Dawn McGee, Goodworks Ventures In the US today, there are over 7 million private companies that have owners that over the age of 55 and there has been $1.5T raised to buy those companies. In addition, Montana continues to attract strategic acquirers looking to capitalize of the state’s economic growth (#8 in the US) and tailwinds tied to a national reverse migration (leaving cities for rural locales). Whether transitioning to the next generation/key employee, selling to a competitor or a private equity firm, planning is key to a successful outcome. We welcome you and your clients to participate in a 90-minute session hosted by the Chamber covering legal, accounting, wealth management, valuation and succession planning topics. REGISTER NOW ►

Marketing Tips this Week

15 Social Media Marketing Fails [Infographic]   Here are 15 common ways marketers fail on social media. Use these as a reminder as to what you should avoid doing on social.

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