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East Orlando Chamber Presents Coffee Club East: Live and In-Person After months of various virtual events, the East Orlando Chamber of Commerce (EOCC) is presenting their first face-to-face event since March: Coffee Club East at 8:30am on Thursday, October 1, 2020 hosted by Bonefish Grill Lake Underhill. The Chamber is eager to provide this networking event at no cost to its members thanks to Duke Energy, and a budget friendly $10 to non-members who would like to experience the creative and lively benefits of the Chamber. In this long-awaited edition of a face-to-face Coffee Club, attendees will start their day with a laugh as they become contestants in a Chamber rendition of the quick-wit game Family Feud, connect with familiar and new faces, and enjoy hot coffee provided by Panera Bread. Coffee Club East serves as a tool to build new, lasting relationships between business owners while also strengthening the com-
munity within East Orlando’s 440 sq. mile corridor. President/ CEO, Andrew Cole, says “our Chamber is a family, we’re always thinking outside the box to provide our members with creative and engaging events that allow them to create genuine bonds”. Both current and prospective members can expect to be swiftly integrated into the community, while taking advantage of the business tools presented to them. In compliance with CDC regulations, space is limited, registration and masks are required. To register, guests can visit https://www.eocc.org. The East Orlando Chamber of Commerce strives to be the leading source of business advocacy, community engagement, and regional connectivity for the 440 miles of East Orange County. The chamber provides members with various resources such as, but not limited to, professional development, networking opportunities, educational programs, and health benefits for business owners and employees. For more information visit https://www.eocc. org.
Thriving Businesses During COVID-19 Most of the time we as consumers, go to a business to get a product or service, but never really take the time to hear their story. Over the past few months Dorothy Hardee, Chamber Administrator, and I started visiting our members to check in on them during the pandemic. With iPhones in hand we asked our members to tell us about their business. We now have recorded over fifty member shout out videos hearing about their products and services and I’d like to share a few of their stories, which may not have been captured on camera. We spoke with Laurie Franks, owner of Your CBD Store - Waterford Lakes, she was a former nurse who saw many people suffering with chronic pain, and saw how doctors prescribed script after script to patients to help with their pain. She knew there had to be a better way. She knew that there were alternative medicines which could possibly help one’s situation. She herself had pain issues and researched other ways to manage her condition. With her passion to help others she opened her own shop. She was first located in Union Park, after about a year she was struggling. The COVID pandemic provided an opportunity. A business had closed in Waterford Lakes Town Center and she was able to get out of her lease from the location in Union Park and jumped on this opportunity. When we visited her, she had just moved in the
month prior and her sales had already surpassed her previous revenue and to mention this was without any signage. Tuff Shed on Colonial Drive was another member who posted a Hot Deal on the Chamber Website and had five potential clients call within the first hour of the post. When speaking with Neil Haddox, he had been concerned how the pandemic would affect their business, unemployment, employees being furloughed, and folks working from home. Many people who were at home used this opportunity to work on honey do lists, fix things up around the house and get organized so, people purchased sheds. As the pandemic prolonged and companies shifted their models to a stay at home workforce and people needed more space. Tuff Shed answered the call buy promoting storage sheds as remote offices. As the schools shifted to virtual learning and some parents decided to home school their children, Tuff Shed promoted their structures as a backyard schoolhouse. We learned these structures can withstand 150 mile an hour winds, have hinges which hold a 450 pound load and customization includes windows, electric, insulated walls and more. Taking a tour of their factory and watching these structures get built, it amazed me that you don’t need a crane or take down the fence to get one set up in the back yard. They are modular and assembled on sight. This
business has taken the economic downturn and grown their profits. PDQ, a fast-casual restaurant, was another visit. We have all heard how restaurants have been hurt by reduced capacity, carry out only and lack of dine in guests. This business took the opportunity while being closed to reevaluate their processes and procedures. They simplified the menu, reworked execution, and figured out how to do more with less. Now they are even more profitable than pre-COVID times and have been able to focus more time on giving back to the community and the area schools. Brennen Broyles, Operating Director, gave us a tour of the kitchen before they opened for an inside look at how they prepare the food. We learned that PDQ stands for People Dedicated to Quality, which is evident when you see the passion and care his staff put into making your meal. Hand breaded tenders, marinated chicken done on sight, only items brought in frozen are the fries. We also learned another fun tidbit that the patrons in the Waterford Lakes area. They love the Limited Time Offers (LTO). This location leads the company in nationwide sales of these unique items, from the Strawberry Pop Tart Milkshake, Sweet Potato Waffle Fries with marshmallow dipping sauce, to the Chicken Tender Milkshake, yes a blended up chicken tender in a milkshake. You go East
Orlando!!! As many of us hear the daily depressing news about COVID, there are positive narratives which are being overshadowed and there are many. I encourage you to visit the East Orlando Chamber YouTube Channel to hear from our local businesses. I also encourage you to go and patronize a local business. Even though some may have a corporate name, they contribute back to our community, our local businesses live in and support our local economy. As you can, get out and patronize a local business and give them a minute, ask them about their story and take an active role in your business community. If you are interested in learning more about the East Orlando Chamber of Commerce or would like to have your business showcased, contact us to discuss the options. We work with you to elevate your business and provide opportunities. We’d love to discuss your business objectives and how the the Chamber helps drive results making you a long-term member of one of the oldest established chambers in Central Florida. Schedule your appointment today to learn more, 407-277-5951 or visit www. EOCC.org.
