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The Chamber has Moved!

BY:

Lynne Conlan is Executive Director of the South Hillsborough Chamber of Commerce.

 

By now, you must know that the South Hillsborough Chamber of Commerce has moved. We’re not that far away – just one mile down 674, but we have moved. We are almost totally settled in at 4051 Upper Creek Drive, Suite 100.  But I did say “almost.” It’s just like being on a diet. Those last five pounds are so tough to lose.  Our last five empty boxes are still full, and no one has the heart to unload yet another box. So there’s that.

But our biggest issue is that some of you cannot find us. It’s really easy, folks. I promise. We want you to drop by. So try this. We are on the corner of 674  and Upper Creek Drive, right on the corner in the South Bay Medical Arts Building. Most everyone can find the building, but that’s where the confusion begins.

We are in Suite 100. The biggest takeaway is you should not enter the main entrance. We have our own entrance. If you enter that main entrance, you will never find us.

Rather, you should take a look at the main entrance. We are to the right, then around the corner – passed SunExpress Pharmacy – Suite 102 and Millennium Physicians Group – Suite 101. Go around that corner. We are the only office at the back of the Building – Suite 100.  We do have a chamber sign right outside our lobby door. We will get more signage, but in the meantime, that’s how you find us.  Still confused, give me a call at 813-634-5111. We still do faxing and copying for you for a nominal charge. We can still give you referrals for whatever you need. Our members are ready and willing to help you out with any and all projects and needs you may have. Just don’t wander around aimlessly in the main building. We’re ready to help you and cannot wait to see your bright, shiny faces!

And while we wait for your visit, we’ll give those last five boxes a try! But I’m not making any promises.
Lynne Conlan is executive director of the South Hillsborough Chamber of Commerce. Call her at 813-634-5111, or email lynne@southhillschamber.com.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The chamber - what's in it for you?

BY:

Lynne Conlan Executive Director of the South Hillsborough Chamber of Commerce.

 

Lynne Conlan is executive director of the South Hillsborough Chamber of Commerce. Call her at 813-634-5111, or email lynne@southhillschamber.com.

Membership in the South Hillsborough Chamber of Commerce is, of course, my mantra. But once you join and schedule your ribbon-cutting, then what? Just because you are listed in the membership directory and have a membership plaque posted in your window, the benefits don’t stop there. Have you left a stack of business cards in the chamber lobby that we can pass out to members and nonmembers alike when they inquire about your type of business or service?

Do you send us your fliers that either state what you do or drive people to an event you are sponsoring? You need to get those in our weekly e-blasts. But to help get a better return on your investment in your chamber membership, I recommend you take it a step further. My best advice is to sponsor an event. The focus of that event is on you and your business or service. Your name is out there with advance notice in the chamber email reminders and in our Facebook postings. And we can get you a group of members attending as your captive audience. They come to learn about you and your business, so take advantage of that sponsorship opportunity. We have numerous opportunities available for 2023, but the dates are filling up, so let’s figure out which one is the best fit for you.

Our Coffee Connections are the first Tuesday of each month from 8:30-9:30 a.m. It is the first stop of our members on their way to work. You just need to caffinate them and supply some breakfast snacks and let chamber members provide that captive audience. Our monthly Chamber Luncheon is always the third Thursday of the month from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

We’ll help you find the location and you spring for the lunch. Again, we also supply the captive audience….and we’ll add raffle prizes to make the event a little more entertaining. Then you give it all you’ve got about what you do.

Our Business After Hours is the fourth Thursday of the month from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Our last event was at Your CVB Store in the Cortaro Plaza. Everyone learned a lot about what Akhil and his staff are doing to help our community.

If you are not exactly sure what you need to do to maximize exposure to your new networking friends, give me a call at 813-634-5111. We have a checklist of what you need to do and lots of ideas we can re-purpose from other successful events. I’m looking forward to seeing you soon at your very own  sponsored event.

Lynne Conlan is executive director of the South Hillsborough Chamber of Commerce. Call her at 813-634-5111, or email lynne@southhillschamber.com.

 

 

 

 

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Figure out what you do best!

BY:

Lynne Conlan is Executive Director of the South Hillsborough Chamber of Commerce.

 

During the Pandemic, we learned to be flexible and how to pivot. And I personally learned there is a work around for everything. I have omitted the phrase “It can’t be done” from my vocabulary. It can. At the chamber, we learned that the six most costly words are “We’ve always done it that way.” Sometimes you just have to give up those sacred cows that weren’t part of your mission or vision or were never even in your best interest. We got rid of a lot of those sacred cows. And no one has really noticed. I’m just sorry it took a pandemic to make us realize how to become our best selves.
But not everybody learned how to eliminate those sacred cows. Many of our states have laws in place they should probably look at and drop. I ran across list of the weirdest laws in the United States, and I wonder how these laws remain on the books to this day.
Get a load of these. In Mobile, Alabama, it is illegal to possess, make, sell, give away or throw any non-biodegradable, plastic-based confetti. So much for parties there. In Fairbanks, Alaska, it’s illegal for a moose to be on the sidewalk – even if it is your pet. But I do have to ask, are they even good pets? In Connecticut, for pickles to be fit to eat, they must bounce when they are dropped from a height of one foot. That should really prolong your dinner time routine with all that pre-dinner bouncing.
In Indiana, grocery, convenience, and drug stores can’t sell cold beer. However, if the beverage is not cooled, it can be sold legally. Businesses have been fighting for years to get the law repealed.
Although Iowa is a landlocked state, drunk surfing or water skiing is prohibited. And in Kansas, it is illegal to hunt from a motorboat.
Apparently, Wisconsin takes its dairy products very seriously. It has a law that prohibits serving margarine at a public eating place as a substitute for butter — unless it is ordered by the customer. Violators can be fined between $100 and $500 and/or imprisoned up to three years. And we cannot forget Florida. There is a Florida state statute, that states, with a few other provisos, that a dog’s owner isn’t liable for damages caused by their pet if at the time of the injury the owner has a sign prominently displayed on his property that includes the words ‘Bad Dog.’
So, as we head back into our new normal, we need to take a look around and maybe makes some changes. Some things don’t and shouldn’t last forever. My proudest accomplishment? If you google Sun City Center DMV, it no longer gives the chamber’s address and phone number. Thanks, Google. It only took me five years to get that fixed!
Lynne Conlan is executive director of the South Hillsborough Chamber of Commerce. Call her at 813-634-5111, or email lynne@southhillschamber.com.

 

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Lynne Conlan is Executive Director of the South Hillsborough Chamber of Commerce. Call her at 813-634-5111, or email lynne@southhills.com.

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