THE GOSHEN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
May 2015
NEWSLETTER Bringing business and community interests together
3 Great Business Resources The Chamber Offers Peer Advisory Group Employee Support Program Services
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The Goshen Chamber of Commerce Peer Advisory Group (PAG) helps members focus on solutions to the challenges of running a business. It is designed for small businesses that do not have their own Board of Directors. It is a business “think tank”.
Each peer group is made up of people who act as a personal advisory board for one another. Peer groups provide you with a trusted group of colleagues that you can turn to for advice, resources, connections and support. Ideally, peer groups offer an open and safe environment to test business ideas, discuss challenges and opportunities, and to gain honest feedback. Once per month, PAG members meet for 2 hours to present challenges and opportunities for peer advice and feedback. The program allows owners, principals or partners to share from their own experience and help their peers while getting guidance and insight in return.
Benefits include:
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Get help each month with the decisions necessary to achieve your goals and objectives.
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Fellow Board Members will open your eyes to alternatives and opportunities that you may not have known exist. You will find out what you don’t know you don’t know.
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Avoid mistakes by learning how your peers faced and solved similar challenges.
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View things from a broader perspective as you lean about the challenges your peers are currently facing.
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Think more creatively about solutions to your business problems.
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Get the help you need to redefine your role in your company and develop your vision.
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Benefit from a network or resources from your board.
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Learn new techniques and skills for problem solving by being a part of a business “think tank”.
W e ’ r e h e r e t o h e l p yo u
The Goshen Chamber of Commerce and it’s professional staff have developed programs that may be helpful to you as you seek to grow your business in Orange County. So, if you have a specific question or need, we really want to encourage you to contact us right away. Contact the Goshen Chamber of Commerce office at (845)294-7741 for more information or email us at info@goshnnychamber.com.
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We all depend on our employees (including the employee we see in the mirror each morning) to represent us well to the general public and the importance of that relationship with our customers is always one of the highest priorities in our business. However, when an employee in one of our local businesses is experiencing a serious personal problem, it has the potential to impact on that employee’s job performance and could possible affect the smooth operations, and ultimately the success of the business itself. We know from experience that problems can be resolved and that most people are resourceful, but it’s very helpful to some employees if they can get a little one-on-one help occasionally to further identify the problem, explore the problem in more detail, and receive some guided assistance getting help. The Goshen Chamber of Commerce, in partnership with a qualified volunteer from our own community, provides, at no cost, a service to local businesses which we hope will help meet unresolved needs of employees and business owners. Appointments for the Employee Support Program Services can be made simply by calling the Goshen Chamber at (845)294-7741. You don’t need to be a member of the Chamber to access this service.
Professional Small Business Counseling
The Goshen Chamber of Commerce, in partnership with SCORE, provides free one-on-one technical assistance to entrepreneurs and small business owners. This assistance includes help with securing financing for your start up or existing business, developing a new marketing plan, working through a challenge that threatens your future success, and much more.
Appointments with a SCORE professional advisor can be made simply by calling the Goshen Chamber at (845)294-7741. SCORE appointments are scheduled on Tuesdays and are held at 25 Main Street, Goshen. You don’t need to be a member of the Chamber to access these services.