January 5, 2019
Amherst Area Chamber of Commerce
Newsletter
IN YOUR CORNER
This week..

Happy New Year!

January is already proving to be a month of Chamber commitment and connection.

Just this week, John and I were honored to be inducted into the Rotary sponsored by Beth Pearson, one of our newest Board members to be voted in at our Annual Meeting. This is a great opportunity for increased community and connections

We kick off networking this month with The Office Trivia After 5 at the The Taproom in Hadley sponsored by Edward Jones featuring Community Action Pioneer Valley this Wednesday. So you REALLY think you know The Office? Watch local teams go head-to-head. Prizes and great fun. Teams of 3-6 ideal. Register now. Time to binge watch?

71% of businesses are on Instagram according to Hootsuite. Are YOU one of them? Perhaps you have an Instagram account and not really using it to its maximum potential. Do you really have 'authentic followers'? Now is the time to invest in your business with our upcoming workshop, Instagram To Boost Your Business, an intensive hands-on morning workshop hosted by Hampshire Hospitality and led by Jacki Jacobs. Jacobs has walked hundreds through this process and will leave you with more content and ideas than you ever imagined. and she will provide resources beyond the classroom giving you up to 6 months of content! This is a MUST for your business marketing plan. Register here.

At our Annual Meeting, on Wednesday, January 23 , we will gather in community to welcome our new board members, honor those who are going off the board after serving us with devotion and diligence, and acknowledge our incredible group of Ambassadors. A wonderful program is in the works. It will be a beautiful celebration of service, community and future visioning!.Tables are filling up. Register here.

As we begin to sift through our survey results the #1 reason for being part of the Chamber and #1 benefit to their business is networking . We will continue to bring these opportunities to you and bring more creative opportunities that allow you maximum networking exposure... and YOU must take advantage of them. Here's to 2019 already making us a stronger business community!

Claudia Pazmany
Executive Director
Rotary Induction

Our Executive Director, Claudia Pazmany, and our Membership & Marketing Manager, John Page, were inducted into the Rotary this past week as representatives for the Chamber.

"People of Action - Rotary is where neighbors, friends, and problem-solvers share ideas, join leaders, and take action to create lasting change.

Proud to be a new Rotary member.
BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT SEMINAR WRAPS UP
December marked the end of the "9 Lies That Are Holding Back Your Business" seminar. When asked would you encourage others to participate in something like this in the future one class member responded, "Do it! Great way to get out of your business to work on it, not in it." That is what business development looks like.
We would like to once again thank  Joshua Hornick Coaching  and  Isenberg School of Management  for partnering with us to provide this amazing professional development opportunity to our members.
CHAMBER NEWS & EVENTS
JANUARY AFTER FIVE
The Office Trivia at the Taproom

Wednesday, January 9t
5-7 PM

Test your wit at The Office trivia while enjoying craft brews at theTaproom  in Hadley.  Sponsored by   Tom McRae of Edward Jones Financial .
Featuring local non-profit  Community Action .

2019 Annual Meeting

Wednesday, January 23rd
Noon - 2 PM
The Red Barn at Hampshire College

Please join us to reconfirm our commitment to the Chamber mission.
Share lunch with us at the rustic Red Barn as we reflect on the year, share goals for 2019, honor outgoing Board Members while welcoming the new,
and acknowledge our devoted Ambassadors.

A beautiful celebration of service, mission and community. Join us.

Sponsored By
MSBDC IN-CHAMBER DATES IN THE NEW YEAR!

Want to start a business? In the process of starting your business and need some guidance? Why delay?

FREE support made convenient and accessible through your Amherst Area Chamber.

Make an appointment at our downtown office for:
January 22
Febraury 26
March 26

Email:
By appointment only.
MEMBER NEWS & EVENTS
Calling on our Members to Participate in the 3rd Annual Career Day Advisory Panel
Amherst Pelham Regional High School
Thursday, February 28th

Ready to share your career path to inspire our local youth?
 Take ONE HOUR of your time to share your career path story with our local 10th and 11th grade students. 

This annual event, which has involved multiple parents/guardians and community members, has been very popular with our students. We encourage people who participated in the past to come again so that students who might not have had the opportunity to hear from you can do so, and so that those who have further questions for you can get more information. Of course, we welcome first-time participants as well! 

Participating in our Career Day advisory requires a 1 hour commitment, from 10:10 a.m to 11:10 a.m. You will be stationed in a classroom with another speaker and will be asked to speak for 10-15 minutes to a group of students who have signed up in advance to hear your presentation. They will then have time to ask questions. 

Please consider sharing your career story.

RSVP to Andrea Dustin at 362-1714 by Friday, January 25th. Please include your name, job title/profession, place of employment, and contact information.
HOMESTAY FAMILY WEEKEND
January 18-20
 
Member, Institute for Training & Development based here in Amherst, will once again host the program “Study of the U.S. Institutes for Western Hemisphere Student Leaders” this January, sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.  
 
An important component of the ITD Winter Institute is spending a weekend with a local family. The homestay weekend is scheduled for January 18-20. Students enjoy immensely their interaction with local families. They particularly enjoy sharing their culture with American families and discussing the differences and similarities between the two. Meeting their homestay family is usually one of the highlights of their time here in the US.
 
This winter’s group will be comprised of students from Chile, Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay. They all speak English and are highly motivated individuals who have gone through a competitive application process to be selected to be a part of this Winter Institute. The student fields of study include Business Administration, International Relations, Economics, Education, Law, Communication Studies, Accounting, and Social Work. Many are very active in extra-curricular activities and love practicing their English skill s.  This is an excellent opportunity to experience a cross-cultural exchange with great student leaders from Latin America. 
 
If you are interested in hosting one or two student leaders for an overnight or would like more information on ITD, please call Kaye Sherwood at  413.256.1925  or email at:   kaye@itdamherst.org .  
MEMBER NEWSBITES
HOT DEALS
Any hot deals to heat up the Winter Weather?

All members are invited to share their hot deals for other members by logging into the Amherst Area website with the details or email details and graphics to: info@amherstarea.com We will feature them on social media.
STAY TUNED!

After 5 So You Think You Know The Office Trivia Night, Wednesday, January 9, 5-7pm, The Taproom.

Instagram to Boost Your Business Workshop, Wednesday, January 16, 8:30-noon, Holiday Inn Express and Suites, Save-the-date and get ready to reposition your business!

Annual Meeting Luncheon , Wednesday, January 23, The Red Barn , sponsored by Encharter Insurance .

Ribbon Cutting, Amherst House of Power, Thursday, January 31st 5-7pm. Stay tuned for event highlights.

Margarita Madness , Thursday, March 28, 5:30 to 8:30pm, Hosted by Insterskate 91 at Hampshire Mall and Presented by Tommy Car Auto Group
VISIT OUR MONTHLY CHAMBER CALENDAR
to stay up-to-date on all local community events.

REGIONAL TOURISM PARTNERSHIP:
PROMOTING OUR REGION