The Blount County Chamber of Commerce is accepting nominations for the Blount County Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors until Aug. 27, 2021. Please submit the name, business, phone and brief bio of the individual that you think would make a good board member in one of the following three areas: Lodging/Restaurants, Manufacturing/Agriculture, and Retail/Real Estate/Insurance. Nominate Here.
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CYBERSECURITY: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW |
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Does cybersecurity sound like a buzzword to you? It’s definitely a hot topic right now, but for a good reason! We use technology every single day. Whether you’re emailing a client to schedule a meeting or paying your bills online, your hands touch tech. There’s no reason to fear using tech if you’re proactive with security and routinely train your team. Join us to learn simple steps to protect your data and care for your business on July 28 from 8:30-10 a.m. the Blount Partnership (201 S. Washington St., Maryville). Register here.
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JOIN US FOR THREE RIBBON CUTTINGS |
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Winsupply of East Tennessee |
July 21
11 a.m.
126 E. Macon Lane
Seymour, TN
Food, Giveaways and door prizes.
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Community Food Connection |
July 22
4 p.m.
137 N. Calderwood St.
Alcoa, TN
Come visit their new facility. Refreshments served.
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July 23
Noon
104 E. College Ave.
Friendsville, TN
Join us in downtown Friendsville for refreshments and snacks.
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July 26
3:30 p.m.
8215-B TN Hwy. 73
Townsend, TN
(Right beside Cades Cove Jeep Outpost)
Register to win free popcorn for a year!
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DISCOVER THE PLACE WE CALL HOME |
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Living or working in Blount County means you have the opportunity to Go Discover the breathtaking natural resources, vibrant business community, and authentic people who make this place home. Discover Blount is an incredible behind-the-scenes tour of our amazing county. Six Tuesdays from 1:00 – 6:00 PM, you will travel by bus* to explore exciting parts of our great community. Discover Blount is open to our first 40 participants, and we’d love to have you! LEARN MORE.
FALL 2021 DATES: Aug 31, Sep 14, 21, Oct 26, Nov 9, 30.
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MAKE A COFFEE DATE WITH US |
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Wake up to new business contacts at coffee club sponsored by United Services, Inc., at the Blount Partnership (201 S. Washington St., Maryville) on July 29 at 7:45 a.m.
Coffees are designed to offer members the opportunity to build business relationships with other members and to gain exposure for their business or organization in an "open house" setting.
Coffees are open to anyone associated with a Chamber member business. Participation is not reserved to the representative(s) listed on the Chamber membership.
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TAKE THE SMALL BIZ CREDIT INITIATIVE SURVEY |
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The U.S. Department of Treasury (Treasury) is administering a second installment of the State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI 2.0) which is $10 billion to provide funding for (1) small business financing, and (2) technical assistance to help small businesses become capital ready.
As part of the state of Tennessee's Discover Phase of the planning process, small and diverse business, ESOs (entrepreneur support organizations), lenders/funders to small and diverse businesses and stakeholders are asked to complete a brief survey by August 2, 2021. The survey may be completed here.
Your insights will help shape a set of recommendations under development to support the expansion of access to capital and resources for small businesses and entrepreneurs statewide.
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MAKE EFFECTIVE PRESENTATIONS |
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Make plans to attend our Effective Presentations class on August 4 at 8:30 a.m. at the Blount Partnership (201 S. Washington St., Maryville). This session is taught by Bill Conner, Airman & Family Readiness Specialist, 134ARW, TN Air National Guard.
We’ll look at how to structure your presentation to get all your information across, how to use visual aids to enhance your message, and how you can “work the room” in ways that make public speaking more enjoyable for you and more effective for your audience!
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MAKE A LUNCH TIME CONNECTION |
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Join us for a midday networking lunch on August 12 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.
Open to all Blount County Chamber members, but you must Register Online. This is a Dutch Treat lunch.
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THE DIALOGUE WITH DAVID DAVIS |
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This feature is a question-and-answer session with a new Blount County Chamber member. So, here we go with our 169th installment visiting with David Davis, president of DGD Enterprises which is a provider of consulting services specializing in identifying Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems for private and public companies, healthcare organizations, and government contractors looking for the appropriate software platform to position them for the future.
How did you get started? By accident, really!!! In March 2021, my position was eliminated at an employer of 10 years. Within a couple of days, I had others in the industry wanted to secure my assistance while I looked for another position. Within a couple of weeks, DGD Solutions brand was born and I decided to go all in and become a business owner.
What is your background? Interestingly, my 30 year background is very diverse. This diversity allows me to be an asset in many areas of a business. I have performed almost every function in normal business processes with specific focus on ERP Systems (computer software that runs businesses / manufacturers), supply chain, production processes, purchasing processes, and warehousing / logistics. You could say that I am a Process Expert.
Describe your customers? My first customer was my former employer (a Medical Device OEM). While they eliminated my position, they needed support during the transition for their ERP Software which I was happy to provide. My second customer was a direct competitor (Medical Device OEM). I was able to negotiate new FEDEX rates and save them over $130k annually in transportation costs.
What do you enjoy about your business? I enjoy the people I am meeting along with the things I learn from each one. Also, the freedom of time allows for working on diverse tasks. Everyday, I experience something encouraging that keeps me excited about the opportunities that lie ahead.
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TSBDC HOLDING IN-PERSON CONSULTATIONS |
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After a year of working remotely, Knox TSBDC is excited to see you in person! Its business specialists will be scheduling in person, telephone and virtual appointments at the Blount County Chamber!
All of our training events will be available online unless noted.
To receive services, you must register with our Small Business Development Center by visiting our website and Requesting Free Advising. Select "Virtual Advising", follow directions from there.
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Every Monday through August 2
July 20 from 9:30-10:30 a.m.
July 20 from 9-10 a.m.
July 20 from 10 a.m.-noon
July 21 from 9 a.m.-noon
July 21 from 2-5 p.m.
July 22 from noon-1 p.m.
July 22 from 10 a.m.-noon
July 27 from 2-3 p.m.
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July 19-25
July 26-August 1
Save the Date
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BE SURE YOU'RE FOLLOWING US |
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If you aren't following us on social media, you must. We are constantly updating information as each day progresses. So, give us a like and stay up-to-date as we move through this crisis.
And follow tourism updates here:
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Here's a great way to offer Member-to-Member deals using your chamber member account. Check the deals.
Members can post Coupons and Discounts to this page at no charge. Click Here
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Topping the Billboard Hot 100 this week in 1986 was "Invisible Touch" by Genesis. It was their first and only No. 1 single in the United States. The song additionally spent three consecutive weeks atop the charts.
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