BLOG Participate in the 2021 $100 Challenge This year, the Denton Chamber of Commerce is bringing back the $100 Challenge. Shift $100 of your holiday budget the months of November or December to a locally owned, independent business. If you don’t have $100, spend $50. If you don’t have $50, spend $10. Click to see a list of local Chamber Members and get a head start on your holiday shopping. READ MORE OCTOBER 29, 2021 5 Surprising Things Your Employees Want You’ve probably read all the articles that tell you employees want more money, more praise, and more opportunity. And these things are 100% true, but there are other things they wish they had, too. These are things they probably haven’t told you, and maybe haven’t even figured them out themselves. READ MORE OCTOBER 21, 2021 Diversity Corner - September Edition: Hispanic Heritage Month Recently, while attending a local event, I used the word “Hispanic” to describe myself. A person at the table challenged me, asking “Where is Hispanic? I don’t see a place called Hispanic when I look at a map.” It’s a fair question and I imagine non-Hispanics and Hispanics alike have wondered the same. On the eve of Hispanic Heritage Month, I thought it would be a good time to briefly describe its origin. READ MORE SEPTEMBER 12, 2021 Why You Need to Grow Your Personal Brand (and It’s Not to Land a New Job) Business owners are as guilty as they come. Because they have their own businesses they rarely see a reason to build out things like their LinkedIn profiles. “I’m not looking for a job.”, is a common response when asked why they don’t have one. But in today’s uber-competitive business climate, where even mom and pops are potentially competing on a global level, it’s more important than ever to be able to differentiate your business, and yourself, from the competition. This is done through personal branding. READ MORE AUGUST 27, 2021 3 Most Common Business Challenges and Ways to Slay Them Being a business owner has its rewards and its challenges. If you’ve been in business longer than a hot second, you’ve likely experienced both. Often the freedoms override the dissatisfaction, but if you find that the negatives are wearing on you, don’t get discouraged. The earlier you recognize the most common challenges of business ownership, the more likely you’ll be able to take them in stride. READ MORE AUGUST 27, 2021 Master LinkedIn with These 5 Quick Steps Too many people think LinkedIn is solely for finding a job. Since small business owners have jobs, they often overlook the site’s potential. LinkedIn has 756 million users (as of 6/29/21), with two new users joining per second, on average. Over 110 million users are based in the U.S. If you want to improve your personal brand and your company’s visibility, this site is a great place to start. Here’s what you need. READ MORE AUGUST 20, 2021 6 Hacks to Tame a Hectic Work Life According to the American Institute of Stress (yes, that’s a thing) and its Attitudes in the American Workplace VII Report, 80% of workers feel stress on the job and nearly half say they need help handling that stress. If you’re one of those nearly 50%, we have a few productivity hacks that may help you tame an otherwise stressful situation. READ MORE AUGUST 15, 2021 Diversity Corner - August Edition: Recognizing Microaggressions As a business owner you want to be mindful of microaggressions occurring in your company because research shows microaggressions have negative impacts on employees’ relationships at work and job outcomes. The accumulation of microaggressions can also lead to health problems and may be more psychologically damaging than direct forms of discrimination. If your employees are experiencing microaggressions in your business, they may turnover more quickly. If your customers experience microaggressions from your employees when they patronize your business then they will not return. Running your business is already tough enough, so how do you mitigate what is challenging to see? READ MORE JULY 28, 2021 Real Talk About Hiring Freelancers in Your Business: When You Need to and What You Should Know According to Linkedin, 70% of small businesses had hired a freelancer at some point. 81% of those who had hired a freelancer plan to do it again. If you’re considering hiring a freelancer, remember there are some differences between them and a traditional employee. Check out this blog for 3 things to keep in mind when working with a freelancer, ideal times to hire a freelancer, and popular misconceptions about working with freelancers. READ MORE JULY 22, 2021 A Reason to Join the Chamber that Only a Handful Think About, But Everyone Can Use When was the last time you heard someone say, “I have too many followers and too many likes on my business page.”? Uh, never. Whether you’re just beginning to get your business into social media marketing or you’ve been there a while, you can always use some help. The chamber is one of those little-known places that you can get it for less than the cost of employing an agency. Here’s how your business can benefit. READ MORE JULY 16, 2021 Diversity Corner - July Edition: Inclusive Leadership Inclusive leadership is leadership that is exhibited through the lens of inclusion by putting inclusion at the forefront of every decision in your organization. Inclusive leaders understand all of their employees. They intentionally ask feedback from their employees who are underrepresented. And most importantly, they do it not only when they have a question about diversity. Companies with leaders who are perceived to be inclusive by their employees experience greater productivity and performance. So how do you become an inclusive leader? There are three important factors that help you practice inclusive leadership: 1. Exposure, 2. Experience, 3. Empathy. READ MORE JULY 1, 2021 6 Ways to Build Long Lasting Customer Relationships In this age of consumerism, there's a choice for every product. You alone do not hold a monopoly on your product so you must understand that the customer is king. For a business to be sustained and stay viable, the customer must always come first. Keeping them happy and returning for more is the ultimate goal for any business. READ MORE JUNE 23, 2021 The Mutual Benefit of Content Marketing with the Chamber Content marketing is creating content your ideal customer is interested in, in a medium they enjoy, that will inspire, educate, or entertain. The goal of content marketing is to become a resource for your target demographic in order to help them know, like, and trust you and thus want to do business with you. It is a long-term play, not a short-term win. In content marketing, you use content to create a trusted relationship with your potential customer and that can't be done overnight. Done correctly, it's a large investment in time. But does the investment pay off? READ MORE JUNE 17, 2021 7 of the Best TED Talks for Small Business Finding good quality (inexpensive) learning resources to keep you at the top of your industry can mean the difference between success and struggle. A chamber membership is a great investment for your professional and business development as is some time spent absorbing the innovative ideas of others. TED talks are an amazing opportunity to learn (on your schedule) from a few of the brightest minds in our world. Best of all, the talks are free. Here is a list of some of the best TED talks for small business owners. READ MORE JUNE 13, 2021 6 Reasons Why a Facebook Group Can't Replace a Chamber Membership Saying that joining a Facebook group for business replaces the need for a chamber membership is like placing a nickel in your piggy bank and claiming to have a retirement account. Sure, the two are kind of similar but you’ll never get the same amount of return from that group as you will from a chamber membership. Here’s why. READ MORE JUNE 4, 2021 6 Reasons Solopreneurs Need a Chamber Membership If you’re a solopreneur, you’re likely putting in some long hours building your business. Anything that helps you be more productive for little money is a necessary investment for you at this point. You may have thought briefly about the chamber and then decided against it because when you think of older people standing around talking about business, you probably figured it wasn’t for you. It’s not how business gets done nowadays. But the chamber offers a lot more than what you imagined and a lot of it can help you build a strong business in a much less time than going it on your own. READ MORE MAY 28, 2021 Welcome to the Diversity Corner, a New Initiative of the Denton Chamber DEI Committee In line with the Denton Chamber’s effort to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion, the Diversity Corner will be featured in the first Mind your Business newsletter of every month to update you on the work of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Committee, and more importantly, share with you tips and information about diversity, equity, and inclusion that can help you better serve your customers and lead your employees. READ MORE MAY 27, 2021 Denton Chamber of Commerce Announces New President The Denton Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors is pleased to announce its new President, Erin Carter, IOM, M.S. READ MORE MAY 25, 2021 8 Steps to Hosting a Great Business Event for Increased Revenue Whether you host a business event in partnership with a charity to help them raise money or simply have a sidewalk sale, a special business event can help bring people in and show them a new side to your business. But it does take some organization. Here are the steps to ensuring a successful business event. READ MORE MAY 21, 2021 15 Easy Ways to Build a Huge Email List Even if you’re feeling shy about technology, it’s time to start building that email list. You want customers and potential customers to keep you in mind. Reaching out to them and offering them things they want like special deals, coupons, exclusive information, and other items they’ll find value in will increase your list and, in turn, your sales. Here’s how. READ MORE MAY 14, 2021 OLDER DENTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE 401 NORTH ELM STREET, DENTON, TX, 76201, UNITED STATES (940) 382-9693 ABOUT USBOARD OF DIRECTORSSTAFFCONTACT USBLOGMAILING LIST ©2018-2021 DENTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE