News & Events from the Lafayette Chamber |
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Sara Regan, Executive Director
251 Lafayette Circle, Ste 150, Lafayette, CA
Typical Office Hours
Monday-Thursday 9am-4pm, Friday 9am-1pm
Closed Monday-Thursday 12:30pm-1pm for lunch.
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Did you know?
When you register for a Lafayette Chamber event you will not only get an email confirmation with all the details but the email will also include the link "Add to Calendar". Quickly and easily add the event to your calendar!
Here is our “short list” of Lafayette Chamber events, hope to see you this week!
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No time to register? Simply reply to this email for the events you would like to attend, and we will register you!
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Don't forget your business cards!
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2023 Lafayette Citizen of the Year, Mike Anderson
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Taste of Lafayette Restaurant Stroll
Tickets on sale now! Almost 250 tickets have been sold! Tickets are limited and no tickets will be sold at the door.
Event date: Tuesday, May 16, 5pm-7:30pm, Downtown Lafayette.
Participating Restaurants/Businesses (to date)
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TODAY'S EMAIL BLAST IS SPONSORED BY
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Our 1200 square foot space is versatile, intimate, and perfect for workshops/classes, showers, micro wedding receptions, performance shows, corporate events and meetings, dinner parties, pop-up shops, product launches, photography/videography space and more. Reach out today to set up a site visit.
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Welcome to our NEWEST Lafayette Chamber Members!
The following businesses/organizations recently joined the Lafayette Chamber! We encourage you to visit their website to learn more.
Donatella Mazzini, Piedmont, CA 94611
510-967-8703
Florentine Design is a Bay Area based design firm with an Italian twist, specialized in Residential projects. Simona and Donatella bring the beauty of Italy and its history in everything they do. We offer full service: Architectural and Interior Design.
Categories: Interior Design, Architects
12 Crow Canyon Ct., Suite 210, San Ramon
Judy Mena-Weiss, 925-328-0888
Local direct mail advertising magazines focusing on events and businesses
Category: Advertising & Direct Mail
PO Box 1518, Lafayette, CA 94549
Amanda Lee, 415-666-5675
Our mission is to rescue, rehabilitate and help the voiceless dogs who need nothing more than a chance. We are a foster based organization who rescues over 300 dogs per year.
Category: Non-Profit Organizations & Clubs
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Lafayette Chamber RENEWING Members
A huge thank you to the following members for renewing their membership.
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Lafayette Walkabouts
Over the last month, the City of Lafayette partnered closely with the Lafayette Chamber to check in with our downtown-based businesses on local issues. Members of our Chamber Business Issues Committee paired up with a City Council Member, City Manager or Economic Development Manager and walked door to door visiting businesses along Mt. Diablo Blvd. and surrounding streets, from Mountain View to Pleasant Hill Rd. The goal was to have face-to-face discussions to hear feedback or suggestions directly from businesses – both Chamber members and non. This initiative has facilitated a collaborative and direct feedback channel to make improvements for the Lafayette business environment. If your business was missed, or a member of your team didn’t get a chance to speak with one of our walkabout groups, and you have feedback on what's going well/challenges that the City and Chamber can be of assistance with, please let us know! Reach out to AJ, our Membership Engagement Coordinator direct with any concerns or follow up questions.
📷 Lafayette Chamber Board member Matt Pease, Create & Flow founder Rebekah Powell, and City of Lafayette Mayor Carl Anduri.
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The 2023 Best of the East Bay Ballot is live!
Each year, Diablo magazine recognizes local businesses and services that make the East Bay the best! Look for the winners in the July 2023 issue and online at diablomag.com.
Voting is open only until March 31st! Cast your vote and be entered to win a $200 gift card! Vote here.
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Lafayette Business Women
A women-led business group. Shared experiences, contributed knowledge and skills, networking and collaboration opportunities. Empowering female entrepreneurs to build successful businesses.
Meeting once a month, typically the third Wednesday of the month, the group plans to meet at member locations throughout Lafayette at varying times from breakfast, bunch/lunch to happy hour and evening hours.
Join us:
And save the date for upcoming events:
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Lafayette Young Professionals
Register now for:
Lafayette Yo Pros is designed for the younger crowd ranging in age from 21-39 years old, with "young at heart" always welcome. This is a place where young professionals can tap into our local business community and really develop relationships that will be with us for the rest of our lives.
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Lafayette Chamber Young Professionals present:
Financial Foundations: Tips for saving, investing, and home buying
Wednesday, March 16, 5pm-7pm
If buying a home in California has seemed intimidating to you, or even out of reach, this panel is for you! From the basics of saving and investing to the first steps of buying a home and getting the right insurance, this panel is geared toward young professionals who are looking for help to navigate big financial decisions that set them up for success. This could be the best hour of your time this week!
Moderator:
Panelists:
Carolyne Charvoz: Financial Planner, Mass Mutual is a second year financial planner and part of a wealth management team at MassMutual Northern CA, working with families who are focused on developing good habits to secure their financial freedom.
Aran Nafisi: Mortgage Lender, US Bank is a local Lafayette resident and an experienced mortgage loan originator with US Bank, serving the Lamorinda community and the greater San Francisco Bay Area with residential mortgage financing.
The Dana Green Team is the number 1 team in Lamorinda and works with more buyers than any other real estate agent in the area.
This event is in person at Compass, 3595 Mt. Diablo Blvd, Suite 200, Lafayette, CA. Online option via Zoom will also be available. Make your selection during the registration process.
Directions: go up the stairs near Philz and cross the bridge. Compass has the whole second floor on the west side. Registration is required.
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Upcoming Ribbon Cuttings!
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Lafayette Art & Wine Festival 2023
The Lafayette Chamber of Commerce is proud to present our 26th annual premier community event showcasing the downtown business corridor. Funds raised from this event enable the Chamber to provide our businesses and community at large with a variety of important services, program offerings, engagement, and resources throughout the year. We are also able to give back to our festival beneficiaries like Lafayette Partners in Education, many of the local school organizations and other participating non-profits. Get involved and be a part of the excitement.
Thank you and welcome back to the following sponsors/vendors:
Interested in opportunities related to the Lafayette Art & Wine Festival? Click here.
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Acalanes Student Job Fair
Wednesday, March 15 12:45-1:30PM, Main Quad (front of campus by Flag Pole)
Acalanes is sponsoring a student Job Fair aimed at bringing our local business partners and services onto campus to connect students with employment opportunities.
Event Details
Noon: Check In & table set up
12:45-1:30pm: Student Job Fair
1:30-2:00pm: Clean Up
Sign Ups
Check In
There will be a welcome table for businesses to sign up at the front of the Main Quad beginning at noon.
Table Set Up
Tables will be provided for each business attending the fair. It is suggested that you bring one or two representatives from your organization to share with students the employment opportunities. Brochures, signage, and applications are welcome.
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Nonprofits and our Arts Community
The Lafayette Chamber's next Arts Community email blast will go out Friday, March 10. Please send any submissions supporting any local arts by Wednesday, March 8 to holly@lafayettechamber.org.
In case you missed it ...
View archive of email blasts HERE>
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Business Resources & Opportunities |
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Thursday, March 9, 2023, 11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.
Members $30, Guests $35
Our March 9 meeting follows right on the heels of International Women's Day. What better way to keep the momentum going than to showcase a panel of our amazing members? Hear from women in different businesses, at different career stages, with unique perspectives on the professional and personal issues that all of us share.
You'll also enjoy our traditional 5-Minute Member Speaker, raffle prizes, and the warm camaraderie that Mt. Diablo Business Women is known for. Plus the opportunity to introduce yourself and your business to everyone at the meeting, with lots of time for networking! Register here.
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Help Acalanes Students Explore Career Opportunities
Another way to get involved with the high school is to share your career experiences/pathways. The Acalanes College and Career Center invites interested parents, alumni, and community members to share their career experiences/pathways with students during March and April. Students are encouraged to begin investigating the great number of career options available and the many different career pathways that people take to find their chosen career.
Here are the Career Academy dates:
- Mar 22: Engineering Career Academy
- Mar 29: Computer Science Career Academy
- April 12: Alumni Academy - Young professionals who recently graduated from Acalanes sharing their pathways/experiences
- April 14: Business Career Academy
- April 26: Health Academy
- April 28: Trade Academy- Roofing, Electrical, Plumbing, Automotive, and more
If you would like to be a presenter or know someone who would be a good fit, please email Debbie Levy, dlevy@auhsdschools.org and be sure to provide your name, industry, and phone number. Academies are held from 10:10 to 11:05 a.m. |
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Project LPIE Judges Needed
Are you a current or former professional in Instrumental Music, Entrepreneurship, or Writing (creative, editorial, or journalism)? Lafayette Partners in Education (LPIE) is looking for professionals in these areas to judge Project LPIE, a project based competition that allows Acalanes High School students to showcase their skills in 13 categories. Visit www.lpie.org/project-lpie or contact office@lpie.org for more information.
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Contra Costa County to hold 5 Community Visioning Sessions for Arts and Culture Planning
(Martinez, CA) – Artists, arts and cultural leaders, and the community are getting together to share their vision for the future of Contra Costa County’s arts and cultural landscape.
During the week of March 14, five Arts & Culture Community Visioning Sessions will be held throughout the County. The events are free, and all are welcome.
The County is developing an “Arts & Culture Strategic Plan” as part of its effort to identify an organization that will serve as a new countywide arts council. The County has contracted with Arts Orange County, the nonprofit arts council in that community, to lead the planning process as the project manager and to facilitate the visioning sessions.
The goal is to guide an arts and cultural planning effort through an inclusive community engagement process that recognizes and respects the geographic and demographic diversity of the County. It will also inventory the County’s arts and cultural assets, including organizations, venues, and public art.
The Arts & Culture Community Visioning Sessions will be held in various locations around the county in Danville, Oakley, Pittsburg, Richmond, and Walnut Creek. Each session is approximately 90 minutes in duration, and light refreshments will be provided. Registration is recommended, but walk-ins are welcome. A Spanish-speaking interpreter will be available at each session to assist.
The following are the dates, locations, and registration links for each Visioning Session:
Tuesday, March 14 – 5:00 PM Heather Farm Community Center 301 North San Carlos Drive Walnut Creek
Welcome remarks by District 4 County Supervisor Ken Carlson
Wednesday, March 15 – 5:00 PM Oakley Recreation Center – 1250 O’Hara Avenue, Oakley
Welcome remarks by District 3 County Supervisor Diane Burgis
Thursday, March 16 – 5:30 PM Pittsburg Senior Center – 300 Presidio Lane, Pittsburg
Welcome remarks by District 5 County Supervisor Federal D. Glover
Friday, March 17 – 5:00 PM Danville Veterans Memorial Building – 400 Hartz Avenue, Danville
Welcome remarks by District 4 County Supervisor Candace Andersen
Saturday, March 18 – 10:00 AM Richmond Art Center – 2540 Barrett Ave, Richmond, CA 94804
Welcome remarks by District 1 County Supervisor John M. Gioia
Masks required at this venue
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East Bay SBDC Presents – eCommerce Workshop Series I, II and III in March, April and May 2023
Interested in setting up a digital storefront on Amazon or Shopify and selling online successfully? Interested in setting up your own eCommerce Website and selling online successfully? Interested in learning best eCommerce practices and using AI to enhance profitability?
East Bay SBDC presents 3 eCommerce Workshop Series to help small business in Alameda and Contra Costa Counties to sell your products or services online successfully.
eCommerce Workshop Series I – 4 Workshops, Tuesday 10 am – 12 pm, March 21 to April 11: Selling on eCommerce Marketplace
- Set up storefronts on Amazon and Shopify
- Benefits and limitations of selling on marketplaces.
- Decision making using eCommerce Analytics
eCommerce Workshop Series- II – 4 Workshops, Tuesday 10 am – 12 pm, April 18 to May 9: Set up an Independent eCommerce Website
- Create/Improve eCommerce website
- Implement eCommerce functionalities and features
- Securing eCommerce websites.
eCommerce Workshop Series – III – 2 Workshops, Tuesday 10 am – 12 pm, May 16 and 23: Enhancing eCommerce Profitability
- Learn best eCommerce practices
- Use AI to enhance profitability
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Leadership Contra Costa℠
Leadership Contra Costa℠ is a nine-month program organized by the Walnut Creek Chamber that brings together community members asking them to step out of their everyday lives, participate in monthly topics in a wide-range of subjects, and imagine a better Contra Costa region – and their role in creating it. The monthly day-long sessions include in-depth looks at arts and education, business and economic development, sustainability, health and human services, and government and political processes. Each day of this program gives participants the opportunity to learn what makes a truly vibrant civic life.
Leadership Contra Costa℠ was created to identify and promote the skills as a current or future leader, enhance the participant’s knowledge of the Contra Costa region, expand involvement in community affairs and increase communication among the most active and involved members of this community.
Lafayette Chamber staff member, Holly Sonne, is currently enrolled in the class or 2023. Happy to discuss with you! Simply reply to this email!
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Acalanes High School Video Productions Program for Local Businesses
The Acalanes High School Video Productions program is now offering opportunities for any business to request a video to be made for their business by the high school program. Video topics are up to the business or can be made up to the decision of students if you'd like...the following video types are being offered:
- Commercial: This would be a 30s spot in helping to sell either a service and/or set of products.
- Feature Story: This would be a 2-3min video that tells the story of the business focusing on the HOW/WHY of the company/business.
- Promo: Have an upcoming event you'd like to promote? Our students can design a 1min video that promotes an opportunity, upcoming special, or event!
Our students are knowledgeable, but ultimately we would love for them to gain valuable, on the job, experience producing content for local businesses, no matter how big or small. There is no cost to have a video made, but the program is asking for a donation that your business is comfortable making ONLY after you have received the content created for your business.
If you are interested in learning more about this opportunity or coordinating a video that our students can do for you, please contact me at via email: Eric Morford, emorford@auhsdschools.org. |
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Small Business Help Office Hours - Hosted by SCORE
SCORE has the largest network of free volunteer small business mentors in the nation. No matter what stage your business is at SCORE can be a valuable resource.
The Lafayette Chamber of Commerce has been partnering with SCORE for over 15 years.
We welcome our chamber members and community members to schedule a complementary meeting with a SCORE representative on Tuesdays between the hours of 1:30pm-4:00pm in our Chamber office at 251 Lafayette Circle, Ste 150.
Mike Harris is our in-house SCORE counselor. Mike earned a BS with an emphasis on electronics from Stevens Institute of Technology and an MBA from Santa Clara University. After a few years in engineering, Mike spent most of his career in high tech marketing and operations management. While continuing to work in electronics he helped manage his family retail business. After retiring from his career in electronics, Mike began working with small businesses helping them obtain working capital loans. Besides mentoring, Mike helps present SCORE business plans and financial planning workshops.
To schedule your appointment, please call the Lafayette Chamber at (925) 284-7404 or book your appointment online here. Enter your desired time frame. In person meetings at the Lafayette Chamber office are by appointment only and are scheduled every 30 minutes.
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Call for New Marketing Materials
It's the new year and the Chamber wants to make sure our community is up to date on what your business offers! If you've recently updated your promotional materials or business cards, and would like to provide copies to the Chamber office to display, or to replace/update what we already have, please feel free to stop by with any brochures, flyers, menus, cards, etc. and we are happy to place them on our display wall!
Contact AJ with any questions.
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Local Mixers and Business Opportunities
Lafayette Chamber Ambassador David Benet of Mobility Matters maintains an online calendar of upcoming mixers, ribbon cuttings and events presented by local Chambers of Commerce and other organizations. There are a lot of mixers and events coming up! If you have a networking event that you would like to share or you would like to receive a notification of upcoming events, please email David. Follow this link for the calendar: https://www.mobilitymatterscc.com/upcoming-mixers-and-events/. |
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March Golden Happy Hour
We invite all Lamorinda seniors to join us for an early evening of warm smiles, engaging conversation & mingling in Golden company!? Jim and Nancy Scala will be there to greet everyone.
A few appetizers will be provided. Everyone will be responsible for their own beverages or additional food.? ? Space is limited for this free event, so please visit greetlafayette.com/events to RSVP. Cheers!
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Wallet & Purse Collection for Bay Area Rescue Mission
When their clients are starting their programs to transition off the streets they start with teaching them they need to carry a wallet / purse with identification and their necessary paperwork.
MVPC has a collection bin at the Chamber office. Items can be dropped off during regular Chamber office hours, Monday-Thursday 9am-4pm, Friday 9am-1pm; Closed Monday-Thursday 12:30pm-1pm for lunch.
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Plaza Park Lawn Closure
The City of Lafayette Public Works Department is set to close the Plaza Park lawn for Spring maintenance beginning this Wednesday, March 8. They will cordon it off until April 7, 2023 to give the new seeds the best chance to grow. Please note, rain may cause rescheduling. Tomorrow morning they will place a-frame barricade signs around Plaza Park making people aware of the upcoming closure. |
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The Weekly Roundup, March 3, 2023
➡ Disaster Recovery Center in Danville To Remain Open Through March 16 for Residents Impacted by Winter Storms
➡ Applications to Round Two of Microbusiness COVID-19 Relief Grant Program Due March 16
➡ Lafayette Police Department Statistics for December 2022
➡ Learn About the Updates to the Planned Pleasant Hill Road Median Multi-Use Pathway at Community Meeting on Wednesday Evening
➡ Reminder: City Council, Commission and Committee Meetings Are Now Held In-Person
➡ Congressman DeSaulnier Announces Community Project Funding Opportunities for Non-Profits
➡ Report Observations of Coyotes with Severe Mange
➡ Consider Renting Our Facilities for Your Upcoming Event
➡ Lafayette Planning Applications and Major Development Projects
➡ Report Public Works Maintenance Concerns and Code Enforcement Complaints Via the “My Lafayette” App
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Supervisor Candace Andersen's March 3 Weekly Update
➡ Disaster Recovery Center Remains Open Through March 16 For Residents Impacted By Winter Storms
➡ Congressman DeSaulnier Announces Community Project Funding Opportunities for Non-Profits and Government Entities
➡ Board of Supervisors Recognizes February as Black History Month
➡ Board of Supervisors Recognizes February as American Heart Association Month
➡ Lafayette Chamber to Honor Citizen of the Year
➡ Contra Costa County Looking for New Members for the Civil Grand Jury
➡ Moraga Seeks Nominations for 2023 Citizen(s) of the Year
➡ AAUW San Ramon Event - Women Leaders in our Community Featuring Our Chief of Staff Gayle Israel
➡ Grants For Microbusinesses and Non-Profits
➡ Community Advisory Board Looking for Members
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Show Your Membership!
Would you like to include a Lafayette Chamber membership emblem on your website or other marketing materials?
The Lafayette Chamber would be happy to provide you with the appropriate logos. Simply email your request to holly@lafayettechamber.org.
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Sign up for Text Notifications!
Please note: to signup via text you will be asked for your birthdate. This information is not stored, it is only used for verify you are over 21 years of age.
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