JUNE 2020 EDITION
~ Directors Corner ~
Greetings Chamber Members and Friends!

Summer is among us and the “jump start” to our visitor and tourist season has shown us what a great community we have in the Lake of the Ozarks! As I sit here and draft this message, I look beyond my computer screens to see numerous boats cruising around and the infamous bright yellow smiley face parasail glide gracefully out of sight. 

We are thrilled to continue seeing an increase in our call traffic, which is exciting. The holiday weekend sparked a lot of interest for a future visit to the lake. With the increase call volume and over all inquiries from visitors and our community alike, I encourage you to visit our ​ Online Directory​ to ensure your business contact information is current and accurate. A large portion of our callers, as well as our visitors, are directed to our online directory. We are also receiving an increase of other inquiries requesting one of our Vacation Mailing Guides shipped directly to them. The contents of that mail piece include our Community Map, Print Business Directory, and the various brochures and rack cards of participating ​ members of the “​Vacation Mailing Program” . ​ If you would like to learn more about having your individual business marketing piece included, please give us a call at the chamber office 964-1008. 

In last month’s e-newsletter I made mention of the Tri-County Business Survey that was currently open for participation. Thank you to the 130+ businesses that took a few moments to complete this task. The input received was found extremely valuable and shared with our local and state elected officials. You can view the survey results by clicking here. If you were not able to complete the survey and would like to provide feedback from your business, please reach out to us. We would love the opportunity to hear from you and share your information. 

We've packed quite a bit into this newsletter, please know we are here to help and support you in any way possible. If there's anything that you'd like to share with us, please don't hesitate. Just hit Reply and let us know, we're all ears.

Thank you for your continued support of the Lake Area Chamber of Commerce and to OUR community.

#WeAreTheLake
 
Sincerely,
K.C. Cloke
Executive Director – Lake Area Chamber of Commerce
Join us for our weekly “Member Connect” zoom meeting Wednesdays at 9 am where we'll share and discuss current efforts taking place to assist our business and community members. When available, we’ll hear updates from our local community leaders including elected officials to share updates as well. Lastly, this is a great opportunity to network with your fellow chamber members and peers! As a participant you’ll have an opportunity to introduce yourself, your company, and share the latest happenings of your business. 
Upcoming Chamber Events:
June 5th - 11:30am
Lake Area Chamber Ribbon Cutting for First Watch


June 16th - Monthly Networking Social
at Tirebiters Peanut Pub, Osage Beach from 5-7pm

June 24th - 4:30pm
Lake Area Chamber Ribbon Cutting for Lake of the Ozarks Brewing Co.

Lake Area Chamber At Work:
(May Activities)
On-Air Monthly Chamber Chat with:
o   Mix 92.7, 101.9 The Wave, and KRMS NewsTalk 1150.
 
Supported Economic Development and Workforce by attending and participating in the following meetings:
o   LOREDC (Lake of the Ozarks Regional Economic Development Council)
Marketing Meeting
Board Meeting
Membership Meeting
 
Steered the following Lake Area Chamber & Community Committee meetings:
o   Executive Committee
o   Lake Area Chamber Women’s Conference Planning Committee
o   Weekly Lake Area Chamber “Member Connect” zoom series
 
Participated in the following weekly Zoom Meetings:
o   Tri-County Directors Call (local chambers, CVB, and the LOCLG)
o   Lake Region Recovery Task Force
o   District 7 CCEM (Chamber of Commerce Executives of Missouri)

Through collaboration with other entities, the following efforts were created to support our membership: (Each item outlined below includes a hyperlink to access either more detail or to access the recorded meeting)


LakeHomeShow.com Monthly Update
May 2020 Stats

Pageviews: 1086 total pageviews

Top Visited Category: Home Improvement & Decor

New Users: 373


If you are interested in showcasing your business on this award winning virtual trade show please reach out to me today! 
Dborrett@lakeareachamber.com
573-964-1008

Danyell Borrett
Membership Director
Please help us give a warm welcome to our
 newest Lake Area Chamber Members from
the month of May:

1932 Reserve & Lofts
1202 Procter Road
Osage Beach, Mo 65065
(573)-639-9197

Cloke Custom Homes
Serving the Entire Lake Area
(573)-216-1062

Executive Lakefront Rental Homes
575 Cedar Road
Lake Ozark, MO 65049
(816)-918-7774

Lake TV
Serving the Entire Lake Area
(573)-539-5983

Steven Fitzgerald
Serving the Entire Lake Area
(540)-256-5911

Wright Studio 3rd Generation
Serving the Entire Lake Area
(573)-434-0585

September 11th -13th, 2020
The Magic Dragon Street Meet Nationals brings back the vintage era to the Historic Bagnell Dam Strip, with Rat Rods, to muscle cars, with classics, mixed in with a flash of new style and something for everyone to enjoy. The average spectator total for this 3 day event is 10,000. Check out the sponsorship opportunities available to showcase your business during this great event!
NEW Event!
October 1st & 2nd, 2020
The Women Inspiring Women Central Missouri Conference will bring women together to grow in a variety of aspects of their life all the while providing an opportunity for Lake Area Chamber Members to have exposure to a direct market (women) and showcase their product/service. 

The event will offer topics to break down barriers and offer solutions to every day challenges whether business or personal related while connecting them with other like-minded women. Topics related to physical, mental, financial, and spiritual wellness as well as business educational opportunities will be offered. 

Upcoming FREE Business Support Workshops

Online Business Basics During an Economic Disruption - Webinar
·          June 10, 2020
·          1:00 pm - 2:00 pm
·          Register Here
This offering will provide current and future business owners a framework for creating a marketing strategy in a growing online marketplace. Participants will learn what information is needed to successfully choose marketing tools for their brand and create a strong online business model.
Fee info: Free

QuickBooks Online
·          June 15, 2020
·          11:00 am - 12:00 pm
·          Offered by  Missouri Small Business Development Centers
·          Register Here
Join us for a quick overview of QuickBooks Online capabilities and tips for using the software for your business. A demo company file will be used to highlight navigation tips, recording multiple transaction types, matching, recurring transactions, and report generation.

Accountability for Remote Workers - Zoom Session
·          June 18, 2020
·          10:00 am - 11:00 am
·          This program offered by:  Missouri Training Institute
·          Register Here
With many teams now working from home, supervisors are not always around to ensure their team members are crossing tasks off their to-so lists. This free one-hour virtual workshop offers strategies and practical tips for supervisors to create a cadence of accountability in a telework environment. Learn what it takes to set clear work expectations, encourage and coach others to be self-disciplined, and hold your remote workers accountable for results. 
After a participant completes registration, an email will be sent to them with the following Zoom details. Registration limited to 300 people.  Contact : Rae Lyon,  lyonra@missouri.edu 573-884-8772 

Lake of the Ozarks Economic Indicators Webinar
June 23, 2020
1:30 PM-2:30 PM
Virtual via Zoom
The coronavirus, or COVID-19, pandemic is a global health concern and the focus of many efforts to understand, contain, and treat this disease. In addition to these tremendous efforts, we must also consider the coronavirus' impact on Missouri's economy. This webinar will focus on Economic Indicators and Impacts for the Lake of the Ozarks region (Camden, Laclede, Morgan and Miller counties). By the mid-May 2020, most consumer-focused Missouri businesses (77%) were open, compared to 58% of Missouri businesses operating in mid-April. Being open for business does not mean revenues are back to pre-COVID levels. Revenue for operating firms is mixed; some businesses are above last year's revenue levels while others are substantially lower. These data provide a window into changing revenue patterns, across areas and industries that will be useful to follow as Missouri businesses reopen. Join Dr. Alan Spell, Assistant Extension Professor and EXCEED (Regional Economic and Entrepreneurial Development) for this ZOOM webinar. 
Cost : Free
Contact : Michele Kroll,  KrollM@missouri.edu , 573-346-2644 
Partners:
EXCEED

Practical Tips for Remaining Proactive - Zoom Session
·           June 30, 2020
·          10:00 am - 11:00 am
·          This program offered by  Missouri Training Institute
·          Register Here
Remaining proactive is more than just anticipating the future so you are better prepared to deal with it. It is about recognizing that regardless of the situation and whether or not you have control over it, you always have a choices in how you respond to it. Join us for a free one-webinar on the benefits of remaining proactive in uncertain times. Learn practical tips to help you gain the confidence you need to make more strategic decisions in how you respond to obstacles beyond your control. Register online and a Zoom link will be emailed to you. Registration is limited to 300 people.  Contact : Bryana Larimer,  larimerb@missouri.edu , 573-882-2860 

Grow with Google: Connect with Customers and Manage Your Business Remotely
·          June 30, 2020
·          12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
·          This program offered by  Missouri Small Business Development Centers
·          Register Here
Join Bryan Caplan, Speaker for Grow with Google, for an info-packed webinar dedicated to growing your business online and keeping you connected.
In this 45-minute webinar, you will discover Google tools that can help business owners like you work and manage your business during this time of uncertainty. Plus, get insights on more online and timely resources for small businesses.
In this workshop we’ll discuss:
·          How to update critical business information online
·          Keep customers informed
·          Conduct virtual meetings
·          Access important files from anywhere.
Fee info: Free
Partners: Google


Efforts to Stop COVID-19 Lawsuits
MO Chamber of Commerce is requesting Gov. Mike Parson to call a special session and address the growing problem of opportunistic COVID-19 lawsuits.
This broad support for a special session shows that there is widespread concern in Missouri over the fact that employers can be sued over potential COVID-19 transmission. Today, these lawsuits can move forward in Missouri regardless of whether businesses are taking proper precautions against virus transmission. The potential for these lawsuits is a rising concern for businesses that are seeking to follow public health recommendations, safely reopen their doors and return Missourians to work.