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A Big Month for Us
Vendvana celebrates its year anniversary By Heather Maxwell Executive Director Anthem Area Chamber of Commerce M ary Ellen Twohey used bartering as a tool for her business and had an epiphany. She wanted to build a community that changes lives through modernizing a proven concept.
A year ago this month, she founded Vendvana, which provides a trade exchange marketplace and collaborative community to members with access to new customers, stronger cash fl ow and increased buying power.
“June is a big month for us, as we are celebrating our launch a year ago,” Twohey says. “We are thrilled to be a part of this community and help others build better business through bartering.”
Why did you decide to open your business in the North Valley?
I have lived in the North Valley for 11- plus years and this is where I love to call home. Th e North Valley is very welcoming to local businesses, which creates a great opportunity to build our Vendvana community with other like-minded members
SPOTLIGHT Info: vendvana.com
The Anthem Area Leadership Academy works on a legacy project. (Photos courtesy Anthem Area Chamber of Commerce)
who help one another and make this the best place to live.
Do you own/operate any other businesses? If so, what? And, how do those endeavors complement this business?
Yes, I am also the founder of Uncorked Media Group, which is an attention agency focused on achieving results for clients through helping them creatively reach their customers through the right marketing messaging. Vendvana is essentially an additional marketing arm for our members. We showcase their products and services to our captive community to facilitate trading and bring them new customers to fi ll unbooked appointments and buy extra inventory.
What are some of the most challenging aspects of running your business?
Th e concept of bartering may sound old school to some business owners, and we are educating them on how our bartering system can impact their bottom line by conserving cash, bringing in new customers and more business while eliminating their extra capacity. We encourage our members to search Vendvana for an item or service fi rst and use their barter credit before paying cash.
What differentiates your business from your competitors?
Vendvana is a hand-selected community of like-minded professionals that is like a
Vendvana’s team is, from left, Michelle Ruggiero, director of client services; Mary Ellen Twohey, founder; and Kathleen Blair, director of sales.
Now Enrolling Students! Grades K-12
The Anthem Area Leadership Academy participants visited the Arizona State Capitol and had lunch with the Karen Fann, president of the Senate.
big family. We have weekly Masterminds where we share barter tips, member successes and other tricks of the trade (pun intended) to help our members grow and succeed. We have created a collaborative environment where we invest our resources back into our members to help them build relationships, because we all want to do business with people we know and trust.
Do you participate in any local philanthropic efforts? If so, what and why? What does the future hold for your business?
Yes, we are members of Pledge 1% to give 1% of our time to local nonprofits and community organizations. Over the past year, we have volunteered at Local First Arizona events, chamber of commerce events and various art festivals. Giving back through volunteering allows us to further connect with the community we love to call home and inspire others.
What’s one of your favorite memories/ experiences as an Anthem Area Chamber of Commerce member?
I am in the Anthem Area Leadership Academy and super excited about the legacy project we are working on. Through video, we are giving a voice to the local business community and showcasing their stories during the COVID-19 situation. Stay tuned for the grand debut at the end of this year!
NEW state of the art Middle/High School Classroom and Gym Facility Kindergarten-2nd Grade: 14:1 Student to Staff Ratio West-Mec and Paradise Valley Community College Dual Enrollment Partnerships
High School Honors Courses Diverse and Inclusive Extracurriculars Varsity Athletics To schedule a tour call the main office at 623-551-5083 or visit www.caurusacademy.org
