DIRECTOR'S CORNER – by Executive Director Laura Sparano
 

There are many ways to visualize the Nordonia Hills Chamber of Commerce.  I’ve often thought of us as a tree, with the trunk being the office, the branches are the different categories of membership and the leaves are the members, of course.  Some of you may remember when we “diagramed” sentences in school.  I loved to do that – and was pretty good at it, too. All those words connected in a specific way for a specific meaning – Heaven!  So I think I’m a pretty visual person.

But what about a paper clip chain?  That’s a new “Chamber visual” for me.  Actually, my chain isn’t that neat row you’re thinking of; it’s more like the mess in my paper clip bowl.  But they’re all attached!  Now think about it a moment.  Think about all the connections you have, not just one-to-one long chain, but all the paper clips that might be linked to you and the ones liked to those.  Think about the connectivity – the connections - you have out there: other Chamber members, networking (online and actual) groups, your neighborhood, your church.  Are you using them to your full capacity to benefit your business?  (I’ve just begun working with my LinkedIn and FaceBook connections.  Check us out online.)

Have you ever thought about the “connectivity” of our Chamber?  Each of our 300 members is a link in that paper clip chain.  When a person inquires about a particular type of business, we refer our members because they are vital to our chain.  If we refer non-members, there is a “dis-connectivity” because we’ve broken the chain.  Our events are brimming with “connectivity”.  The Community Expo is HUGE with connectivity - business to business, consumer to business, resident to resident.  Our monthly meetings are driven by “connectivity” – as each of you stand to introduce yourself, you’re becoming connected to everyone else in the room.  At a ribbon cutting ceremony, can connect with the “movers and shakers” in our community.  All our events and programs add to the chain.  But the chain only continues and connects if you choose to be involved and use those connections.

We are currently just over 300 members and as we gain new members, not only does the chain grow but so do your connections.  So I ask you not only to get involved with the chain, but also to add to the chain.  Ask the businesses you do business with if they belong to our Chamber.  If not, send them our way.

Together we can make the chain continue to grow and offer more connections to you.  There are many links to our community chain and our string of connected NHCOC clips only grows if you choose to be involved and stay connected. 

Those are my thoughts and I welcome yours.