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Archive for the ‘catalyst’ Category

Be The Change!

Thursday, July 29th, 2010

What you can do now to “be the change you what to see in the world” (Mahatma Gandhi)

Today more than ever the words of Gandhi inspire us to be all that we can be. To reach out and Motivate others to be the best they can be. To be Empowered to change the world for the better. And to Activate that leadership spark to step up and make a difference.

On Friday, Aug. 13, you have a special opportunity to Motivate, Empower and Activate your passion for your business, your career, your life at the first ever Illinois Women’s Leadership Symposium! (Click here for Special Pricing)

This full day multi-faceted event led by powerful women leaders in keynote and hands-on workshop presentations includes interactive networking and an Expo/Marketplace for more than 250 women from across Illinois.

Limited Offer Pricing: $129 per person when you reserve your seat by July 30 (a $30 savings). Now IS the time to register!

Click Here To Add This Event To Your Calendar!

You will enjoy a specially prepared continental breakfast, a plated lunch, fun snacks, interactive networking, and shopping at the Marketplace.

Motivate. Empower. Activate.

Special guest facilitators!!!

Seattle Sutton, RN, BSN, Founder and President of Seattle Sutton’s Healthy Eating (SSHE).

SSHE, a family-owned, Illinois-based healthy meal replacement company that offers a no-gimmick approach to convenient, healthy eating. SSHE prepares thousands of fresh meals weekly and its innovative approach has helped thousands of people achieve and maintain weight loss without the planning, shopping or cooking for themselves.

Diana Martinez, Chief Operating and Marketing Officer for Second City International.

Second City is the world’s premier comedy theatre and school of improvisation – specializing in sketch comedy and improvisation in Chicago, Toronto, and Hollywood. Ms. Martinez’s awards include the “Influential Women in Business” Award in 2002, and “The Award for Business Excellence” in 2003, she was named “Today’s Young Executive in 2003″ by the Business Ledger, and awarded “The Hispanic Hero Award” in 2002 by the Chicago Fire.

Lourdes Duarte, co-anchor WGN Evening News and host of “Adelante Chicago”

Ms. Duarte has won several awards including an Emmy Award for her work on “Hoy en Dia” and Society of Professional Journalists Awards for Minority Issues Reporting. Most recently, she won an Emmy Award for her story titled “Unlicensed and Serving.”

Cheryle R. Jackson, Vice President, Government Affairs and Corporate Development for AAR CORP.

A leading provider of products and services to the commercial aerospace and defense industries. Ms. Jackson was appointed the first female president and CEO of the Chicago Urban League. In that capacity, she led one of the most transformational periods of growth at the venerable civil rights organization, shifting its focus from social services to economic development.

Darlene M. Ziebell, President and Founder of Center for Women Business Owners

A mentoring firm providing forward thinking women business owners with ideas, real life experiences, and training to make their business dream a reality. Ms. Ziebell is a Business Management Consultant with over 30 years of practical business experience. In various executive roles and entrepreneurial endeavors, she has personally managed all levels of business from start-up to corporate maturity.

Limited Offer Pricing: $129 per person when you reserve your seat by July 31 (a $30 savings). Now IS the time to register!

Click Here And Add This Event To Your Calendar!

Posted in catalyst, membership, networking opportunities | 2 Comments »

Trade Means Jobs & Opportunities for Illinois

Friday, July 2nd, 2010

In 2008, Illinois exported $53.4 billion in manufactured goods, which supported more than 409,000 manufacturing jobs. That year, Illinois exported $7.5 billion in agricultural products which supported more than 86,800 agricultural jobs. In one year, Illinois exports more than $16 billion in services. Foreign companies employ more than 243,000 workers in our state.

And, smaller businesses in Illinois benefit from trade. Nearly 90% of the 15,607 Illinois companies that exported goods in 2007 were small and medium-sized enterprises with fewer than 500 employees.

Illinois’ top export markets in 2008 were Canada ($14.9 B), Mexico ($4.2 B), China ($2.5 B), Australia ($2.4 B) and Japan ($2.4 B). Opportunities for small business are available.

The Aurora Regional Chamber of Commerce is interested in assisting our business members interested in international trade. We want to hear from you. If you would like to share your business’s trade experiences, please click this link to take the survey: http://survey.constantcontact.com/survey/a07e2ygpw5ngb57a7u8/start

Thank you!

Posted in Federal legislation, catalyst, economic development, legislative affairs, membership | No Comments »

Building a Referral Machine

Monday, February 15th, 2010

Join us Friday, March 5, 9-11 a.m. for the first of a three-part program to expand your referral generation and move beyond “networking.” Brian Marshall, Alliance for Strategic Advantage, will lead the way.

Referrals are the key to success in building any business. That’s why people invest so much time, energy, and resources in various forms of networking activities. However, meeting your immediate growth goals solely through networking activities is not easy. That’s why networking is called a “farming” activity, and not a “hunting” activity. You plant enough seeds over a long enough time, you can build a robust, totally referral based business, but how long will that take in your business? Five years? Ten years? Fifteen years?

You will learn how:

You can systematically revitalize your current connections and have them become active ambassadors for you in the marketplace
You can systematically break down the barriers to referrals and get others motivated to help you and how to get them to understand how best to help you
An understanding of network dynamics will help you to quickly build a far more powerful and productive network
How to get 10 times the referrals without even asking

The process will take you through five stages of development from understanding how to re-think your business and messages through the eyes of a “connector”, to, ultimately, becoming a “connector” that others want to be associated with, regardless of your profession. In addition to understanding key guiding principles of networks and the psychology of referring, you will receive the processes, methods, behaviors, tools, and templates that will ensure your success.

Three-part program (for one low price of $20) includes:

March 5 program from 9-11 a.m. at Chamber offices
March 16 Coffee & Connections at 8:30 a.m. at Painter’s District Council 30
March 19 webinar at 9:00 a.m. for follow-up and questions

Presented in partnership with Imprint Enterprises and Fox Valley Networking Professionals.

To register, click here.

Posted in AuroraChamber.com, catalyst, economic development, membership, networking opportunities | No Comments »

Busch to Speak on 2010 Economic Forecast

Thursday, January 7th, 2010

Aurora Regional Chamber Offers 2010 Economic Forecast

Expert to Address Lunch on Thursday, Jan. 21, at 11:00 a.m.

Andrew B. Busch, Director of BMO Capital Markets and a Global Currency and Public Policy Strategist in Chicago will provide insight into the 2010 economy. Busch has been heard on WBBM radio and numerous cable and local financial programs.

Busch is a senior fellow on economic issues for the Illinois Policy Institute and consults with the staffs from the US Treasury, Congress, and the White House on economic and financial market issues. He was an adviser on the economy and the financial markets to US Republican presidential candidate John McCain.

He met recently with all the most senior staff at the US Treasury and has advised the last three US Treasury secretaries, including Tim Geithner.

Busch joined BMO Financial Group in 1990 in the foreign exchange trading room of Harris Trust and Savings Bank, which merged with Bank of Montreal’s room in 1995.

In his blog today, Busch writes:

As a reformed currency trader, I often can asked why I spend my time following what happens in politics. Does the resignation of Sen. Dodd really matter? Why should we care if Congress fights over health care or regulatory reform? What difference does it make if there’s an estate tax or not? These are all questions that seem to have very little on the surface to do with currencies and the value of the dollar.

The best answer to all of this is that it all matters. Since the 1930s and the seismic shift of US governmental intervention into the private sector, the economy has been buffeted by the use of the very tools that were supposed to reduce variation in unemployment and growth. Namely, monetary and fiscal policy. As we are focused on politics, we’ll look at the fiscal side of the equation which includes tax and spending policies.

For more information about Andrew Busch, visit his site.

The program, sponsored in part by Harris, NA, will be at Gaslite Manor, 2485 Church Road, Aurora, on Thursday, Jan. 21, at 11:00 a.m. Reservations are required: $25 Members; $35 Non-Members. The Chamber’s 72-hour cancellation policy applies. For information, visit http://www.aurorachamber.com/forecast.asp or call (630) 897-9214.

Posted in Federal legislation, Uncategorized, catalyst, economic development, healthcare reform, membership, networking opportunities, stimulus | No Comments »

ExpoPalooza 2010: Your Opportunity to Meet New Consumers

Monday, January 4th, 2010

The Aurora Regional Chamber of Commerce will host ExpoPalooza 2010 at Westfield Fox Valley, Aurora, on Friday, March 12, and Saturday, March 13. If your 2010 business strategy includes meeting and engaging new customers to increase your success, then ExpoPalooza is for you. Visit the Aurora Chamber website at http://www.aurorachamber.com/expopalooza.asp for information and applications. Early bird discounts are available if you sign on before January 29. Don’t delay. Let’s make 2010 a profitable one for all of our members.

Posted in AuroraChamber.com, catalyst, economic development, membership, networking opportunities | No Comments »

20 Ways to Make the Most of Your Holiday Business

Wednesday, December 2nd, 2009

by Mary Kurek, Visibility Consulting
1. Boost Customer Service (Have employees wear holiday attire and special holiday nametags. Train them to offer to hold items at the counter. Have them learn to “pay compliments” and jot personal thank you notes on receipts.)

2. Attach your business to a charity during the holidays. Co-promote and give a % back to the charity.

3. Offer holiday refreshments on high traffic weekends.

4. Offer gift wrapping.

5. Offer in-house babysitting or children’s entertainment corner.

6. Create a special rest or seating area of spouses of shoppers.

7. Offer free delivery.

8. Offer shipping.

9. Create a frequent shopper strategy – progressive percentage off or a special gift that graduates in value with each $50 purchase.

10. Hold an open house with specially packaged items and Santa with a “helper elf” to assist younger shoppers.

11. Hold a holiday sweepstakes, raffle, scavenger hunt, guessing game, or contest.

12. Bombard customer senses with visuals, aromas, music, and interactive displays.

13. Show the savings a customer receives at purchase (pointing out dollars saved is a winning idea used by many big department stores).

14. Institute a “check-out strategy” that could include a coupon on the receipt, pre-wrapped stocking stuffers at the register, buy 2/get 3rd free, or pick an ornament for a mystery % off. (Collect names/e-mail addresses)

15. Cross promote – create collaborations with complimentary businesses to include fliers in bags and in-store posters.

16. Have holiday candies at the register to draw attention.

17. Send out special customer Christmas cards with hand-written notes and offer a % off.

18. Send out a holiday newsletter with recipes, stress reduction tips, and local events.

19. Produce your own gift giving guide/catalog.

20. Hold a special customer/employee dinner or brunch where everyone contributes. Great bonding.

Aurora Regional Chamber Note:

Do you have more ideas or suggestions? Let us know. Share them with your fellow Chamber business members.

On behalf of the Aurora Regional Chamber of Commerce team and Board of Directors, we wish all of you a happy, healthy and profitable holiday season… and may 2010 be a wonderful year for our community.

Posted in catalyst, economic development, membership, stimulus | No Comments »

Membership Has Its Privileges

Thursday, November 12th, 2009

In today’s highly competitive business environment, business owners and managers are consistently faced with mounting pressures; two of which are increasing revenue and controlling costs. Current economic conditions have further heightened these two concerns. Consequently, businesses are constantly exploring new ways to address these often daunting tasks.

One way to accomplish both is by joining the Aurora Regional Chamber of Commerce. As a member of the Chamber, businesses realize there are numerous opportunities to meet new clients and to form strategic alliances and partnerships. Like-minded business professionals obtain a number of best practices and learn from one another.

In addition to business development opportunities, business owners and representatives are able to obtain countless cost-saving discounts. The number of these member-only programs continually grows. At this time, there are more than two dozen opportunities, including:

Discounts on office supplies and technology through a national retailer
30-minute consultations on marketing, sales, social media and website reviews
Discounts on flyer design and printing
Insurance discounts on commercial policies, business-auto policies and more
Low-cost radio advertising opportunities
Free set-up on promotional products and more
Reduced payroll and human resources administrative costs
Health consultations and services
Low monthly legal counseling for your business
And much, much more.

Join the Aurora Regional Chamber today and see why membership has its privileges. We are your catalyst for business success.

Tags: business, discount, membership, save
Posted in AuroraChamber.com, catalyst, cost-saving, membership, stimulus | No Comments »

How To Get Our Groove Back

Thursday, July 30th, 2009

Guest Blogger: Mary Kurek, Visibility Consultant
www.marykurek.com

We’ve all heard enough sad stories related to this recession to fill a rain bucket, and even if we aren’t as impacted as others, the news can’t help but dampen spirits.

The tendency can be to react by retreating. When you retreat, you pull away from possibilities and opportunities. You withdraw yourself from delivering those same things to others. Your talent, your wisdom, energy, and intelligence are all needed – now more than ever.

But, from what well do you draw this magic “happy juice” to get into a mingling mood? How do you adopt a fresh outlook and new perspective on business, life, and community? Here are some ideas:

1) Get thee to a beach…or a mountain. Nature’s simplicity invigorates and relaxes. You don’t need a 2-week vacation, either – just find the environment that works for you for a few hours. Walk it, bike it, climb it, dig in it, swim in it, or just observe it. Getting your head out of the usual atmosphere invites different thoughts. Some of my most creative ideas have come from beach walks (ie: Taking shrimp to the Buffalo Bills during their spring training camp. Sons got to meet players up close.)

2) Engage in extraordinary networking. I have clients that have told me that they’d never blog or never post on Twitter. Here’s what I say: I just got off of the phone with the Deputy Lt. Governor of the State of MO (to interview him for this newsletter). I found him on Twitter.

The inspiration for my web site reconstruction came from an executive recruiter in Texas (met him on Twitter).

I just did 3-days of work for a client across town that I met through a Twitter contact.

A couple of weeks ago, I helped a woman connect with two Marines who saved her husband from drowning at a local beach over 4th of July. She contacted me through Twitter.
Need I say more?

3) Take a Mini Fam Tour – This is tourism lingo. “Fam” (short for familiarization) is an organized tour of travel writers and travel agents and meeting planners who are invited to a town to get familiar with the offerings.

You may have lived in your town all of your life, but I’m betting there is some park, library, community center, or historical residence you’ve not experienced. Go alone or with a group, but, like heading to the beach, this is an act designed to open your head to new ideas.

4) This is a “tuffy,” but the best way to dig yourself out of self-consuming thought is to put your thoughts elsewhere. It’s very easy during these times to feel overly conscious about our own situations, which can be a reason for reclusive behavior. The answer to that is to volunteer to help others. This one action uplifts two-fold and serves in so many ways, you are bound to reap reward as long as you go at it with an open spirit. Talk to your Chamber Membership Director for more suggestions.

Just a few ideas, but ones with significant and proven impact. Stay connected to your community and your Chamber. You business and your (self) will appreciate.

Posted in catalyst, membership, networking opportunities, social media | No Comments »

Help for Small Businesses Available

Friday, July 24th, 2009

The US Small Business Administration – through the 2009 Recovery Act – has short-term relief available for qualifying businesses. If your small business is stressed meeting expenses during these economic times, the SBA has a new loan program designed just for you.

Under authority provided in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (signed Feb. 17, 2009), SBA has designed a deferred-payment loan program to help small businesses make payments on existing debt. Section 506 of the Recovery Act authorized SBA to help viable small businesses make payments on existing small business debt. The America’s Recovery Capital, or ARC Loan Program, is designed to give viable small businesses facing immediate financial hardship some temporary financial relief so they can keep their doors open, refocus and get their cash flow back on track.

ARC loans are available through SBA-approved small business lenders and have been authorized through Sept. 30, 2010, or until the appropriated funds run out, whichever comes first. Non-SBA lenders can become ARC lenders. Contact the local SBA district office for information and training. Interested businesses can find the nearest SBA district office at www.sba.gov/localresources/index.html.

How small business owners benefit

ARC loans are interest-free to the borrower, have deferred payments for 12 months, and have no SBA fees associated with them.
ARC loans will allow borrowers to redirect cash flow from making loan payments to investing in their businesses.
Banks will begin investing in small businesses again, making credit more readily available for those businesses that need it.
Streamlined applications by SBA.

According to the SBA website, SBA loan programs now provide greater incentives to the lender, are more affordable for small business owners, and help to drive economic recovery in our community.

Loan structure

An ARC loan is a deferred-payment loan of up to $35,000.
ARC loans will be used to make up to six months of principal and interest payments on qualifying loans for existing viable for-profit small businesses in the United States.
Disbursement period (up to six months) is followed by 12 months with no repayment of the ARC loan principal, followed by a repayment period of five years. SBA pays monthly interest to the bank.

If you would like to speak directly to a customer service representative about the ARC Loan Program, please call our toll-free number (866-947-8081) Monday through Friday during the hours of 8am to 9pm (Eastern Time).

http://www.sba.gov/recovery/arcloanprogram/index.html

Posted in catalyst, economic development, membership, stimulus | No Comments »

Ill. Tollway to Host Open House for Eola Road Interchange

Thursday, July 16th, 2009

New I-PASS Only Interchange to Provide Congestion Relief on Local Roads

The Illinois Tollway will host a public open house meeting to share information with interested residents and commuters regarding construction of the new Eola Road Interchange on the Reagan Memorial Tollway (I-88). The meeting will be held from 4-7 p.m., Tuesday, July 21, at the Eola Community Center, 555 S. Eola Road in Aurora. The open house format will allow the public to view displays and planning documents, as well as pose questions to representatives of the Illinois Tollway’s Engineering Department. The new Eola Road Interchange will include four ramps providing access for Eola Road traffic to and from the Tollway via Bilter Road on the north side of I-88 and Diehl Road on the south side of I-88. Construction is underway and scheduled for completion by the end of 2009. The $50 million project is a joint collaboration between the Tollway, DuPage County and the City of Aurora, with the Tollway serving as the lead agency covering up to $25 million of project costs, the county funding up to $19 million for construction and right-of-way and the city contributing up to $6 million for right-of-way.

First Electronic-Only Toll Collection
The new Eola Road Interchange will provide all-electronic toll collection, the first on the Illinois Tollway system, and will include tolled ramps to and from the east. I-PASS toll rates will be set at 30 cents for passenger vehicles, and truck rates will range from $1.15 to $3.00 during daytime hours, with overnight discounts offered. Cash-paying customers will have access to existing interchanges at Farnsworth Avenue two miles to the west or IL Route 59 two miles to the east.

Eola Road Interchange Project Status
Reagan Memorial Tollway (I-88) mainline traffic is shifted to the inside shoulder and two left lanes in both directions and crews are working on embankment, installing storm sewers, digging new detention ponds and driving piles for retaining walls as work continues to build the new ramps for the interchange. On local roads, traffic is reduced to one lane in each direction on Diehl Road between White Oak Circle and Eola Road with traffic traveling on the south side of the road. One lane also is closed on Bilter Road between Ferry Road and I-88 for median removal and preparation for resurfacing and widening to accommodate the new interchange.

Posted in catalyst, economic development, planning and development | No Comments »