Celebrating Women s History Month
FROM THE PRESIDENT/CEO WELCOME
Dear Reader,
As we move into March, the energy and momentum in our business community continue to grow. With new opportunities, fresh collaborations and businesses making great strides, it’s shaping up to be an exciting spring for Washington County. This month also marks Women’s History Month, a time to acknowledge the incredible contributions of women in business and leadership. From inspiring Chamber members to dedicated staff, board and council members, we are grateful for the many women who help drive innovation, create jobs and strengthen our local economy Their passion and leadership are an inspiration to us all
At the Chamber, we remain committed to fostering an environment where businesses can thrive and leaders new and experienced can make a lasting impact. We look forward to supporting you throughout the year and celebrating the successes that make our community stronger
Thank you for being part of the Chamber. Let’s make this month another great one!
Bob Cantler | President/CEO
OURTEAM
Bob Cantler President/CEO
Lauri Hale Director of Finance & Operations
Elisa Britt Director of Leadership & Engagement
Hope Lewis Director of Young Professional & Workforce Dev
Cooper Reaves Director of Marketing & Government Relations
Caleb Tull Director of Membership & Business Development
CELEBRATING WOMEN-OWNED BUSINESSES
4 Questions with Besiah Fahngon (featured on cover)
Tell us about you and your business.
I’m Besiah Fahngon, and I’m the founder of Kaifa, an event strategy and experience design company dedicated to creating meaningful, high-impact programs for businesses and organizations My work focuses on not just planning events, but also building engagement strategies and helping organizations maximize their impact. I’ve had the privilege of working with institutions like TNECD, ETSU, Sync Space, the Nashville Entrepreneur Center and LaunchTN, bringing together entrepreneurs, stakeholders, and communities through well-executed programs Whether it’s launching a business accelerator, producing a conference or curating experiences for collaboration, my goal is always to create something that leaves a legacy In addition to my work with Kaifa, I’m currently working on an entrepreneur and community engagement guidebook, designed to help business owners and organizers build meaningful connections and navigate challenges like one’s I’ve encountered.
What has your journey as a Black and Woman business owner looked like?
It has been a journey of both challenges and triumphs. It means navigating spaces where you are sometimes the first or the only one. It requires a TON of resilience, adaptability and a strong sense of purpose. I’ve had to learn how to build relationships for growth. At the same time, it has been incredibly rewarding to uplift other entrepreneurs and businesses especially within underrepresented communities.
Is there anything you'd change about your journey?
I’d tell myself to not wait for permission. There were times I played small or second-guessed myself when I should have trusted my instincts I’ve learned that the best way to make opportunities is to step forward with confidence, take risks and surround yourself with people who see your vision. Every challenge, pivot and lesson has made me a stronger leader, a better collaborator and more committed to making an impact through my work.
What is a seemingly small decision you made in your business that had a huge impact?
One of the most important decisions I made was to walk into the rooms where people opened the doors for me even when I felt uncertain, even when I thought I wasn’t “ready.” I made a conscious choice to not talk myself out of opportunities that were meant for me
The biggest lesson? Don’t overthink yourself out of your own blessings.
Besiah Fahngon, CEO of Kaifa
CHAMBER NEWS & UPDATES
REGIONAL LEGISLATIVE BREAKFAST
On February 14, the Chamber joined other Chambers of Commerce in the region to welcome the Northeast Tennessee state delegation to the 23rd Annual Regional Legislative Breakfast With a record attendance, our collective business community was able to hear directly from lawmakers what they are working on and what they are doing to ensure Northeast Tennessee remains the best place to start a business and raise a family.
TN CHAMBER DAY ON THE HILL
On February 25, Director of Marketing & Government Relations, Cooper Reaves, joined the other Chambers in Tennessee for the TN’s Chamber Day on the Hill Cooper spent the day meeting with local legislators, economic development leaders and elected officials to advocate for Washington County businesses and entrepreneurs who directly contribute to the economic and community success of our community and the Northeast Tennessee region.
VETERAN-READY LUNCH & LEARN
On February 18, Veteran business owner and Chamber Board member Colonel Rob Campbell hosted a Lunch & Learn on becoming a Veteran-ready business, not just a Veteran-friendly business
Sponsored by Regions Bank, this Lunch & Learn showcased the decline in Veteran populations, the need for jobs available to Veterans and how our former service members can make significant contributions to the workforce and business world.
AVAILABLE NOW: LEGISLATION WATCHLIST
The Chamber’s Legislation Watchlist for the 114th Tennessee General Assembly is available now This list includes specific pieces of legislation that the Chamber is tracking and/or advocating for Every year, the Chamber monitors bills that could have a positive or negative impact on local businesses and takes the appropriate steps to advocate for or against them To see what the Chamber is watching, view the Legislation Watchlist at johnsoncitytnchamber.com/legislation.
Spotlight MODEL MEMBER
Unbound Digital Business IT Solutions has been specializing in business support for the Tri-Cities area for over twenty years Started in 2000 as a local, family-owned company, Unbound Digital has grown a successful reputation due to the quality and attention to detail that is provided to each business customer.
Located in the old Chamber of Commerce office, Unbound Digital specializes in many aspects of the technology industry from hardware such as servers, workstation, routers, switches or access points to services on the go such as remote solutions, phones systems, data back-up, email or websites. Unbound Digital can support your business no matter the size or need you have
Our Model Members voluntarily double their annual dues to provide extra funding for our Chamber programming. With the help of Unbound Digital and 91 other businesses, Model Members have given over $60,000 over the past year!
about
NEW MEMBERS UPCOMING EVENTS
WELCOME NEW MEMBERS!
Hebmüller Aerosapce Inc
Joined February 4
Rowan Tree Care
Joined February 13
Don Chentes Inc.
Joined February 17
DON’T FORGET
Don’t forget to use these helpful links when you want to stay up-to-date with all things Chamber!
Chamber Events Calendar shorturl.re/chamberevents
Member’s Only Facebook Group: johnsoncitytnchamber com/facebook
Newsletter Signup: shorturl.re/chambernews
Online Member Portal: shorturl re/memberportal
UPCOMING EVENTS
Membership Breakfast
March 12| 7am | Abundant Christian Living
New Member Orientation
March 12 | 11:30am | Chamber
Ribbon Cutting: Sentimental Journey
March 14 | 12pm | 222 E Main St Johnson City
Network at Nine
March 21 | 9am | Chamber
Women’s Power Hour
March 26 | 11:30am | Chamber | RSVP
National Civics Bee in Johnson City
March 27 | 5pm | 315 Elm St. Johnson City
MEMBERSHIP UPDATE
We have launched a new membership website for businesses thinking about joining the Chamber! If you know a business that is looking to make an impact in Washington County, encourage them to become a Chamber member and learn more at our one-stop shop for Chamber membership details and benefits! Visit joinjcchamber.com to learn more!
