Mission Statement:
"We are an organization that supports our business community. We provide resources for our members to stimulate their growth and make our business community a better place to conduct business"
Vision Statement:
"The Chamber is a recognizable and sought after resource for businesses in the New Berlin community"
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Business of the Year Nominations are Now Open |
What are the current conditions at your business?
The Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis is tracking the economic recovery among businesses across the Ninth District, a region that includes Minnesota, the Dakotas, Montana, parts of Wisconsin, and Michigan's Upper Peninsula.
They are partnering with state and local chambers of commerce, economic development associations, and other business groups in each state to collect your feedback.
Please take this 5-minute survey to help the Minneapolis Fed and President Neel Kashkari better understand effects on your firm.
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13 Small Businesses on What They Predict for 2022
Despite a rebound in business activity after 2020, the year 2021 continued to provide obstacles for small business owners to overcome. From supply chain disruptions and staffing shortages to constantly shifting COVID-19 protocols and inflation, businesses have had to adapt to survive.
Though 2022 will surely bring new challenges, business owners have more growth and development to look forward to in the new year. Here, 13 entrepreneurs share their predictions for the year to come, including concerns to anticipate and plan for and positive outlooks to look forward to.
Employee and consumer demands for ‘better’
“The trends I see in 2022 are an increase in wages and benefits to keep existing employees and to attract A-players to our organizations, and customer demands for top-notch service to ensure the health and safety of employees and clients who visit their buildings.” >> Read More
— Tom Richter, president and CEO of JAN-PRO Cleaning & Disinfecting of Utah
Challenges with staffing and interest rates
“We expect that hiring challenges will persist for another year and will remain our biggest challenge. We also believe that interest rates will remain very low and inflation will normalize, although not until the fourth quarter of 2022.” >> Read More
— Mike Zaffaroni, owner and CEO of Liberty Landscape Supply
Diversified outreach campaigns that encourage engagement
“I predict that SMBs will keep their customers more engaged and connected via multiple channels in 2022. The key is to create outreach campaigns, not just via emails and newsletters but through various social media platforms too. Consumers engage with a company in a brick-and-mortar store, online or in a mobile app, by catalog, or via social media, so every piece of the consumer’s experience should be consistent and complementary.” >> Read More
— Paige Arnof-Fenn, founder and CEO of Mavens & Moguls
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Weren't able to join the 2022 State of American Business virtual event this week? Or, just want to watch it again? Click here to view the recording of the event and continue reading below to find links to recordings from key speakers.
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New! January Partner Trainings
Start a Small Business in Eight Steps (Western WI WBC), Jan 26, 6 pm
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Utilize the SBA
LEARNING CENTER
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Start, pivot, or grow your small business with courses from SBA's Learning Center"
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Hello Friends,
Today I bring you an announcement from your Chamber board. More to follow from me Next week :)
A message from your Board of Directors
Congratulations Ed Holpfer on your retirement
Many of you may have already heard that our CEO and President of the New Berlin Chamber of Commerce Ed Holpfer has announced his retirement effective February 28th, 2022. We wish to thank Ed for his 10 years of dedicated service to the New Berlin Chamber and our members throughout his tenure.
Under Ed’s leadership the chamber evolved over the years to remain relevant to our members and the community. Ed always strived to support our businesses, providing you with the resources to stimulate growth within your business, while making New Berlin a better place to conduct business.
We believe we can speak for the entire membership as we appreciate all the work Ed has done for all of us. From the golf outing to Discover New Berlin, all of the educational programs and information throughout the years. Don’t forget all the friendships he has built with us through the years. Ed you truly will be missed.
So where do we go from here?
Your board has spent the past year planning the future of the chamber. We looked at the status of the chamber and where it needs to position itself to continue to be a robust resource to our membership.
With the current labor situation making it difficult for a small non-profit to compete on pay, insurance, and other benefits, we have elected to sign a two-year contract with Wisconsin Association Management (WAM) to provide a team of experts to manage the New Berlin Chamber of Commerce.
WAM manages a number of non-profit organizations including the West Allis-Wauwatosa Chamber of commerce. We are happy to announce that we will have a team of 10 people involved in the management and backroom operations of the New Berlin Chamber of Commerce. They provide us with expertise in
- Organization management
- Membership and education services
- Financial management, financial statement preparation and tax filing services
- Fundraising
- Membership recruitment
- Publications and communications management
- Government and public relations
- Website development and site management
We are excited to announce that Tina Conley of WAM will be your main contact as Ed transitions to retirement. Tina has a Bachelor of Business administration and marketing degree from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
Prior to WAM, Tina spent 17 years as the broker owner of Metro Milwaukee Realty. Once you meet Tina you will see that the chamber is in good hands moving forward. Watch for an announcement to attend Ed’s retirement party which will also give you the opportunity to meet our new management team.
You can direct your questions to me or any of our board members. Thank you for your membership, and continuing support.
Sincerely,
Your New Berlin Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Bureau Board of Directors
Kip Warzon, treasurer
Sara Geiger, Secretary
Bob Brester, Director at large
Jessica Braun, Director at large
Rob DuCharme, Director at large
Amanda Johnson, Director at large
Gregg Robers, Director at large
Dr. Norman Schlimbach, Director at large
Rene Warzon, director at large
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Featured Stories: INC.
With 7 Short Words, Tom Brady Just Taught a Dangerous Lesson in Leadership - Something can be really smart and really dangerous all at the same time.
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Actually, it's about two lessons, both of which were on display recently, and one of which can easily contradict the other.
It all stems from the waning minutes of last week's final regular-season game between Brady's Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Carolina Panthers.
The Buccaneers won the game, walking away: 41 to 17. But what the game lacked in suspense, it made up for when we saw what happened between Brady and his teammate, tight end Rob Gronkowski.
'I need one more'
Gronkowski was "mic'd up" during the game, meaning he literally had a microphone on his uniform.
As a result, we were able to catch this brief sideline exchange between the teammates, when the game was essentially over except for running out the clock, and when you'd normally expect that Brady and other starters might sit out the rest of the way, rather than run any risk of injury before the playoffs that begin this weekend:
Gronkowski: "Let's go! I need one more!"
Brady: "One more catch?"
Gronkowski: "Yeah."
[Fist bump.]
Sure enough, Brady stayed in the game--responding forcefully to his coaches who wanted to take him out. He played long enough to throw one more pass to Gronkowski, and was then replaced by his backup.
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Featured Stories: Business Insider
Meet the Congressman pushing a 4-day work week law: 'I care about making capitalism sustainable and more humane'
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Rep. David Cicilline (D-RI) (L) shakes hands with Rep. Mark Takano (D-CA) during a rally and news conference with leaders from LGBTQ advocacy organizations before the House votes on the Equality Act May 17, 2019 in Washington, DC. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
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- Rep. Mark Takano, a California Democrat, wants to make a 32-hour work week law.
- He says it'd be part of building a new normal that reflects the past two years.
- It would also raise wages by ensuring workers get paid overtime for hours worked over 32.
Representative Mark Takano wants you to work less — or at least collect a lot more overtime pay.
The California Democrat proposed legislation in July that would slash the standard work week to 32 hours. That also means anyone who works over 32 hours a week would receive overtime. The legislation is still awaiting a vote and recently garnered the support of the powerful Congressional Progressive Caucus.
In Takano's vision, the shorter work week would help address three of the biggest issues raging in the workplace right now: low wages, how much power workers have, and how to navigate a new work normal shaped by ongoing pandemic trauma.
"There's a great sort of opening for people to see it as part of a new normal, a new normal that they'd like to build," Takano told Insider. "800,000 Americans dying within a two to three year span has been traumatizing, and we have an opportunity now to look at the world with far more experienced eyes."
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Wisconsin Headlines:
Good help is hard to find: NEWMA 2022 Report
In the NEW Manufacturing Alliance’s Manufacturing Vitality Index, 91% of respondents said they anticipated difficulty finding talent in 2022. “We simply need more people in Wisconsin,” says Nick Novak, Vice President of Communications and Marketing for Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce. “Coming out of the Great Recession in 2008 and 2009, the economy was rebounding, and Wisconsin manufacturers reported they were struggling to hire people with the proper skills, but now that skills gap has morphed into a population gap. It’s just a numbers game.”
Entire state meets 2010 air quality standard after Rhinelander mill reduces sulfur dioxide pollution
Federal and state environmental regulators announced Wednesday that the Rhinelander area has met the most recent federal air quality standard for sulfur dioxide, bringing the entire state into compliance. "People in the Rhinelander area are breathing cleaner, healthier air due to EPA's partnership with the state of Wisconsin," said EPA Region 5 Administrator Debra Shore in a statement on Wednesday.
'It's been relentless'; Local COVID-19 testing site dealing with longer result wait time
Getting your COVID-19 test results is testing people’s patience in Dane County. Many test sites are extending their anticipated turnaround times due to the sheer number of people looking to see if they have COVID-19. Forward pharmacist, Tony Peterangelo, says it’s taking at least three days for their results.
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BUSINESS & FINANCIAL HEADLINES:
Why are grocery store shelves empty?
Gristedes CEO John Catsimatidis explained why grocery store shelves are empty during an appearance on FOX Business’ "Mornings with Maria" Monday. Catsimatidis said the coronavirus pandemic and inclement winter weather have a lot to do with bare aisles on top of the price of oil. "It's a multiple choice of items happening," he said predicting that Russia attacking Ukraine could send crude oil prices to $100 per barrel.
First interest rate hike designed to curb inflation could come in March: Chicago Fed president
With inflation at historically high levels, short-term interest rate increases are expected throughout 2022 and beyond as the U.S. central bank works to rein in rising prices, Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago president Charles Evans said Thursday. Evans said neutral would mean a federal funds rate of around 2.50%, and the process of getting to that level could likely stretch into 2023. However, if the Fed determines that inflation is likely to be more permanent, it could decide to raise rates more quickly, Evans said.
U.S. Retail Spending, Manufacturing Drop as Omicron and Inflation Surge
U.S. retail spending and manufacturing slowed at the end of 2021 as the Covid-19 Omicron variant and inflation surged, early signs the latest complications from the pandemic could be weighing on the economy. Sales at retail stores, online and restaurants dropped by 1.9%, damping the end of the holiday shopping season, the Commerce Department said on Friday. December’s sharp decline followed record-level retail sales that started with a 1.8% gain in October from the prior month.
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January 20 | 1 PM ET
Grow your solo business into a profitable brand that will enable you to live the life you want to live.
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That's all for this week. As always I appreciate your taking a few moments to stay up to date. Have a great week!
Ed Holpfer
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MEMBER PAGE ON OUR WEBSITE
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How to - Training Videos & PDF’s
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Another 5 Star Review
"Great people and great services offered to members. "Hot deals," easy member-to-member communication, and more. Highly recommended."
Nikolai Miskov Athletico Phtsical Therapy
Nikolai,
So glad you are enjoying your membership. Thanks for your support helping us to strengthen local business and the community :)
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More 5 Star reviews!
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Add your review at the following link:
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NEW REVIEW!
2021-06-17
"The New Berlin Chamber of Commerce is SO helpful in getting your business name and service out to the community. Why would you NOT want to support and be a part of your local Chamber? The benefits are wonderful!"
— Cindy Haupt
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Shebesta Piano -John Shebesta
"I’m semi retired now but the New Berlin chamber of commerce has always been very helpful and easy to contact I wish I could plug-in more often"
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"Great group of people that genuinely car about the business's and people in our community."
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"Has been a great experience being a member of New Berlin Chamber of Commerce. Very helpful getting connected in the community and staying in the loop!
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"The New Berlin Chamber of Commerce has made me feel very welcome as a new business in the community. They are very polite, professional and knowledgeable. Thank you"
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"Didn't know the importance of being a chamber member till I joined, but wow is it critical, especially if you own a business in New Berlin!
I get a lot of value out of their timely, important updates but also from the chamber member community and meetings.
Strong connections with state and local representatives, local business leaders and the local community.
Everything you need to know and who you need to know are all here at the chamber!"
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Burt Robertson
"When we moved our Business to New Berlin the Chamber was one of our first stops. They have not failed to deliver. For answer questions, helping us meet other business owners, opportunities to help us get exposure, the Chamber has been a huge help.
Even through Covid the chamber was constantly proving timely information and help to our business about regulations, rules, shutdowns and financial assistance opportunities for many places.
We are so happy to be members of the chamber and regularly recommend it to others... If you are a Business owner/manager you should learn more, it doesn't matter if you are a homebased direct sales business or a owner/CEO of a large factory or store... there is something for you at the chamber.
If you are new to the area and are looking for help getting around and find places to shop, eat, have fun... check out the community guide book the chamber has it is really nice.
These pictures are from when we had the opportunity to be the business of the week at the Farmers Market...
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"They are a Great Chamber of Commerce that helps businesses in the community" ******.
Sherry Ament, Herculift
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