Joining Organizations The purpose of the Joining Organizations feature is to give our readers the chance to familiarize themselves with some amazing local organizations, especially if they are looking for ways to grow their business or professional network, make a difference in the community, and gain valuable experience outside of the work place. Don’t be afraid to reach out and get involved! Whether it’s meeting over Zoom or in person, joining a professional organization is vital to keeping your business healthy. After joining one of these esteemed groups, you’ll be intimately connected with other professionals in your industry and beyond. You’ll have a platform to enrich your understanding of your chosen career and the community you serve, and to join others in learning new and innovative techniques, ideas, and practices. There’s also networking opportunities, advocacy events, scholarship programs, and career development workshops to take advantage of. Not only that, but joining one of these groups will grant you visibility in the business community and offer you a chance to grow your reputation among other professionals and consumers. Even if you’re choosing to socially distance, being a part of one of these organizations in any capacity will keep you accountable to your peers and on the path toward success. Now the question is, how do you find the right organization for you? That will depend on your values and the goals you have for yourself and your career. Each organization has a set of values that they’re more inclined to support, and so doing your research so that you’re in a group around other like-minded professionals is essential. Take the time to consider which one you want to be most associated with based on how much personal and professional development opportunities are offered. This way, you can decide what organization you feel most confident dedicating a portion of your time and/or money to supporting. Despite the disruptive way the pandemic is keeping us all apart, the following local organizations and associations work twice as hard to keep us all together and to keep the opportunities flowing. Take the time to look through these organizations to find out how they’re keeping the Omaha business community thriving.
Better Business Bureau (BBB) has been assisting U.S. consumers and businesses since 1912. It is a private, nonprofit, businesssupported organization that sets and upholds high standards for fair and honest business behavior. Nearly 400,000 BBB Accredited Businesses support BBB’s mission of advancing mar ketplace tr ust, and their dues and contributions allow BBB to offer its information and services to consumers at no charge. BBB provides objective advice, free BBB Business Profiles on more than 5.3 million companies, over 11,000 charity reviews, dispute resolution services, alerts and educational information on topics affecting the marketplace. People today are overwhelmed with choices—and often unsure about where to find verified, unbiased information. There are more than 32 million businesses in North America alone, and hundreds of thousands of sites around the world where people shop online. Also, thousands of free and subscription websites offer a range of information, including: reviews, reports, directories, listings, and gripe sites. BBB is the resource where you can find trusted, verified information. Go to BBB.org/nebraska or call (800) 649-6814. #PrintProudDigitalSmart
The National Association for Women in Construction (NAWIC) is a resource for women in the construction industry and offers its members education, support, and networking to help advance their careers in construction, build their technical skills, and become leaders. NAWIC Chapter #116 includes Omaha, Lincoln, Council Bluffs, and the surrounding areas. This year, Women in Construction Week is March 7–13, 2021. The focus is to highlight women as a viable component of the construction industry. Women in Construction Week also provides an occasion for NAWIC’s thousands of members across the country to raise awareness of the opportunities available for women in the construction industry and to emphasize the growing role of women in the industry. It is also a time for local chapters to give back to their communities. Information about upcoming meeting locations, topics, and times is available on the website at www.nawicomaha.com or email nawicomaha@gmail.com to request information. The Greater Omaha Chapter meets on the second Thursday of each month at various locations in the Omaha area. Visitors are welcome to attend. MARCH 2021 Strictly Business 47
