The Chamber’s Wake Up Alexandria and Off the Clock networking events are some of our more popular programs. Some people wonder what all the fuss is about, but others have figured out the networking value of these opportunities and take advantage of them.
Of course the main purpose of these programs is to spotlight businesses and organizations and educate the community on the products and services they offer. An informed community is a thriving community! However, to many attendees, the key benefit of these programs is the opportunity to network.

Network: To interact with others to exchange information and develop professional or social contacts.

Many successful business people quickly realize and embrace the concept of networking. Why? Here are three of the top reasons:

To meet new people and gain contacts and referrals. Gaining new business and clients is usually the main goal, but don’t forget about the value of meeting people who could open the doors for new ventures or collaborations, or people who could be key in helping your organization in other ways. For example, if you have a position to fill, these networking opportunities may offer connections to the perfect candidate, or if your organization is in need of certain services, you may gain a referral for someone tried and true all because you attended a networking event. Meet people, introduce yourself, hand out business cards, and set up future meetings to further develop these important relationships. Work the room, and with every person you meet, as yourself – how can I help them/their business and how can they help me/my business?

Marketing and visibility. Seeing people face-to-face and developing relationships goes a lot further than most formal advertising options. This is just as important in maintaining existing client relationships as it is in developing new ones. Having yourself and members of your team out and about in the community at various events is a strong form of marketing. Notice I said “yourself and members of your team.” Some business execs make the mistake of finding themselves “too busy” to attend events like this, so instead they only send other representatives from their organization, and others make the mistake of thinking that only top management should be making appearances at community networking events. It needs to be a combination of both. Empower your team to be out representing your organization, but also take time to do so yourself. A healthy mixture of the two provides the strongest impact. The ones who are really losing out are the organizations that don’t send anyone, believing that there’s too much work to be done to allow any employees time to go out “socializing.”

Stay in the know! These events keep you up-to-date on what is going on within the community. Sure, you’ll hear about fundraisers and store specials, but you’ll also hear about what other entities are struggling with or what they’re celebrating, what the pulse of the current economy is, what business is moving into the abandoned complex in the center of town, what current legislation will be a win or lose for this area if passed, and so much more that you’ll never hear about while sitting at your desk all day every day. Some of the most impactful news for business leaders is the news shared over casual conversation at a networking event that doesn’t make headlines with the local media.
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Is your organization taking advantage of local networking opportunities? The Chamber invites you to be our guest at any of our networking events. Find out about them here: https://www.alexandriamn.org/eventsandprograms.html
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Mariya Kemper is the creative director and co-owner of Dancin' Off Broadway. The business has provided a gateway for children and young adults to explore their creativity, build their confidence, and make lifelong memories and friendships in a safe and accepting environment for 30 years. DOB strives to provide a well-rounded dance experience, offering a variety of different dance styles taught by qualified instructors with years of experience.

In today’s world, we hear a lot about workplace or organizational “culture.” Years ago, a person got a job, performed the duties expected of them, and often, stayed at that job for most or all of their working years.

That is the not the norm today. Currently we are experiencing an employee job market, which means employees are able to get many of their expectations met when “choosing” a potential employer. Yes, in today’s market, employees are choosing their employer every bit as much, if not more, than employers are choosing their employees.

What many of the current generation of workers are seeking in a job is a positive workplace culture. What does that mean? Culture is difficult to define, but think of it as an organization’s personality. Much like an individual’s personality is created by past experiences, upbringing, beliefs and values, an organization’s personality develops the same way.

Usually it is ownership or management that sets that initial personality. That person or persons blend their past experiences, beliefs and values to create a workplace personality. As leadership changes or employees come and go, that personality could change, unless every hire and every change in that organization is made with a focused culture as its driving force.

It’s extremely important to realize that leadership or management is what develops or changes that personality, for better or worse. Just like parents quickly realize, you can’t act one way and expect your children – or your employees – to act another way. You cannot demonstrate one set of values and expect your employees to showcase other values that you may find beneficial to your organization.
If you are having a difficult time attracting or retaining quality employees, now may be a great time to take an in-depth look at your organizational culture. Keep in mind that you may be too “up close and personal” to really see it for what it is. Ask some trusted clients or associates from other businesses to give you some honest feedback. And remember, this is something that can’t be changed overnight. It will take a lot of hard work and intentionality. But the good news is that it can be changed!
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There are a multitude of resources available to help you get on the right track. Just Google “positive organizational culture” and you’ll find plenty of resources. Good luck!

What are the challenges of doing business in Alexandria and/or in Minnesota?

From permits to regulations and restrictions, from challenges in finding expansion sites to skilled workforce, and from financial assistance to more basic everyday business problems – there are a lot of hurdles to owning and operating a business.
But there is help available, and many businesses are not utilizing the many services that are in place to help with these challenges.
We are blessed in our community to have the Alexandria Area Economic Development Commission, which is here to help connect businesses with the resources they may need. If they don’t have the answer, they will help you find it.

Another resources it the Grow Minnesota! Program, which was launched in 2003 by the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce. The focus of the program is to retain Minnesota businesses, encourage business expansion within the state and, most importantly, to thank businesses for doing business in Minnesota.

The Alexandria Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce is one of 70 partner entities working on behalf of this program. Alexandria has a team of eight local business leaders and Chamber staff members going out to have one-to-one confidential conversations with local businesses, asking them about their products and services, workforce, facilities, market, investment/growth/expansion plans, and also about the strengths and weaknesses of their community and the state in regards to doing business.

Between 750 and 1,000 of these business visits are conducted in Minnesota each year – 15-20 of those right here in Douglas County. During the 13 years the program has been in existence, more than 10,000 businesses have been visited statewide through this program.

The information gathered during these visits helps strengthen the Minnesota Chamber’s public policy agenda on behalf of the statewide business community at the Capitol. What is shared with policy-makers is based on what business leaders throughout the state are saying during these meetings – not just on statistics and numbers.

The Minnesota Chamber of Commerce strives to help companies find solutions to all types of business problems because, ultimately, this is key to creating and retaining jobs in Minnesota.

These business visits are a great way for the Chamber and its partner entities to simply make businesses throughout the state aware of the vast array of services available to them. When a business has a need, the Chamber provides the answers directly, or puts the business in touch with the appropriate private or public resource that can help them.

For more information on the Grow Minnesota! Program or on the resources available to Minnesota businesses, visit www.mnchamber.com/build-your-bottom-line. These resources are here to help you not only stay in business, but succeed in business.
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Thanks for doing business in Minnesota!