Tuesday, September 19

Women's Council Board Meeting - Hybrid

Wednesday, September 20

Downtown Networking Partners

GLBX Leads Group

Real Estate/Construction Council Meeting

Thursday, September 21

Biz to Biz Leads Group

Branding & Marketing Council

Friday, September 22

Deerfield Beach Annual Fall Breakfast

HYBRID - Small Business Council Board Meeting

At the Greater Fort Lauderdale Chamber of Commerce, we believe that your stories are the heartbeat of our community. Whether it's a business milestone, a community initiative, or an inspiring journey, your experiences matter.

We invite all our valued members to share your success stories with us. Your stories not only inspire others but also highlight the strength and resilience of our Broward County business community.

Have a recent achievement, a unique business journey, or a community project you're proud of? We'd love to hear about it! Your story could be featured in our newsletter, website, or social media, showcasing your contributions and inspiring others.

Please submit your stories and any accompanying photos to jsaunders@ftlchamber.com each week by Friday evening. Let's celebrate your successes and continue to strengthen our community through shared experiences.

Thank you for being an essential part of the Greater Fort Lauderdale Chamber of Commerce. We look forward to sharing your stories with our community.

Downtown Business Council Board Meeting: September 2023

Chamber Legislative Priorities, the upcoming Washington Summit, resignations, City & County Commission items of relevance, and more were all part of the discussion at the Downtown Council Board meeting this morning. The monthly meeting took place at Holland & Knight on Las Olas Blvd!

Action items included issues to raise to Government Affairs, which were discussed toward the end of the session. If you'd like to get involved with the Downtown Council, contact chair Elizabeth Van Zandt: elizabeth@ddaftl.org

Inspired by the era defining VMAs, you’re invited to channel your favorite Y2K celebrity for a night of music and fashion. Enjoy entertainment, music, food, and specialty cocktails at this adult only soirée while supporting Handy’s education program for youth in foster care. www.handyinc.org/events/homecoming-2023

Upcoming Virtual Business Coaching Event

Board of Directors Application

Interested in becoming a member on the Board of Directors? Click the button below to fill out the form!

Small Business Person of the Year Nomination Form

Today marked orientation for Class 30 of the Leadership Fort Lauderdale Program. Chamber President and Vice President, Dan Lindblade and Denise Jordan welcomed the new class and orchestrated the expectations for what they would get out of the program, but also what the new class members would need to put in. Jordana Foster of Ready Set Go Beyond LLC also broke down the new vertical and how the new class should approach the program.

“So many times, as leaders, we’re so focused on others, we need to take a closer look at ourselves. How are you leading yourself? Throughout this dynamic class 30 program, you will be exposed to and connected with so many different businesses and organizations. Here’s what I want you to do, I highly recommend that you lean in and fully connect with each other”, said Foster.

Former class 25 member, Renee Peterson, also shared her insight on the program and the benefits she gained from it. ”Ask questions and see how you can collaborate. I’m telling you amazing things can happen. It happened with my class. We stay in touch; we do business together. That’s super important,” said Peterson. From program expectations to leadership styles, the new participants received a wealth of information to guide them on their journey.

But the excitement didn't stop there! The new class had the unique opportunity to choose from four different nonprofit organizations they'll be working with, setting the stage for meaningful community engagement right from the start. The first session promises to be an exciting adventure as the participants embark on their leadership journey with clarity and purpose.



Stay tuned for more updates on their inspiring path ahead!

Velvet Taco Joins the Riverside Food & Drink Community

September 13th marked the grand opening for Velvet Taco's Fort Lauderdale location. With over 30 locations in Texas, the taco franchise is making it's way to South Florida. Their menu comprises multiple proteins like chicken, beef, pork, fish, and even vegetable-based. You also can enjoy a hint of Indian cuisine which shows in their spicier selection! Feeling hungry? Visit 305 S Andrews Ave, Suite 115, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301 to try the Riverwalk food and drink community!

Chaimran's Circle & Trustee Reception: Loop19

Thank you to our Chairman’s Circle & Trustee reception sponsors back on September 14th, Merrill Lynch, a Bank of America Company & The King Group! Another great high-level networking event at Loop19. Also – a thank you to Chamber member Mazza Kitchen for providing delectable Mediterranean eats: https://lnkd.in/dH7vfpGk

New Trustee Member: Accenture

General

Acoustic Visual Innovations LLC

AKT Fort Lauderdale

Art Prevails Project, Inc.

City Cave Flagler Village

CMG Home Loans

Deliver the Dream

eXp Realty, Success Squad

Five Elements Medical Spa & Wellness Center

FYVE Realty

G&JP Fitness LLC dba 9Round Fort Lauderdale

Grain and Berry

Industrious

Kids In Distress

Landmark Travel

Lytal, Reiter, Smith, Ivey, & Fronrath LLP

Maritime Hotel Fort Lauderdale

Neuwest Technology, Inc.

O'Brien Air Conditioning & Construction Services

Responsive Home Care

Scheffer Mote & Ricks

The Southern Group

Universal Technical Institute

Water Wise Landscape Solutions, LLC

Zebersky Payne Shaw Lewenz

AdvantaClean of Fort Lauderdale

Alison South Marketing Group

Austin Pamies Norris Weeks Powell, PLCC

Ballyhoo Media

CAN Community Health

Canine Assisted Therapy, Inc.

Colliers International South Florida, LLC

Crush Law P.A.

DRT Behavioral Services - Brain Love

Embraer Executive Aircraft

Federal Highway Self Storage

Firewall Centers

GFR Photography

Greenberg Traurig, P.A.

Hatch

HollandHues LLC

Hooper Construction, Inc.

Image360 - Lauderhill

Judith Stern Consulting, Inc.

Kalis, Kleiman & Wolfe

Kiwanis Club of Fort Lauderdale

LAN Infotech

Las Olas Capital Advisors

LBU LIGHTING

Niroc Consultants, Inc

Oleron, Inc.

One Lifestyle Management - Miami Dade, Broward

Portrayts LLC

Sawyer & Latimer, P.A.

South Florida Institute on Aging - SoFIA

TriMerge Consulting Group, P.A.

Twig, Trade, and Tribunal PLLC

Umbrella Credit Services

VOS CPAs

WestCare - Village South

WSFL-TV

TRUSTEE

Akerman LLP

Broward County Clerk of Court

Early Learning Coalition of Broward County

Gunster

HOTWIRE

Southwest Airlines

Sunshine Health / Centene Mgmt

Make Your Excellence in Healthcare Awards Nominations Today!

Nominees for the Greater Fort Lauderdale Chamber of Commerce Excellence in Healthcare Awards are those individuals, programs and entities who provide care, services and innovative programs above and beyond all expectations. These nominees are shining examples of the best and the brightest in our healthcare community. Awards will be presented on Thursday, November 9, 2023, at Perspectives on Florida's Healthcare program presented by Broward Health at the Signature Grand. All awardees will be notified by Chamber staff or a member of the Healthcare Council.

The deadline for submitting your nominee is Friday, September 19, 2023. Click here to make your nominations today!

The Jim Moran Institute for Global Entrepreneurship, part of the Florida State University, is accepting applications for its Spring 2024 Small Business Executive Program (SBEP) and Nonprofit Executive Program (NPEP) held in South Florida. Offered at no cost to participants, the program is funded by The Jim Moran Foundation and Jan Moran and her late husband, automotive pioneer Jim Moran. The application deadline is Saturday, September 30.

This year, the Jim Moran Institute is celebrating its 10th anniversary of offering these executive programs at no cost to the South Florida community. The South Florida team has guided and graduated 45 classes and more than 700 leaders since its inception in 2013 and they are committed to continue working with the talented entrepreneurs and leaders in their community.

The SBEP is designed for CEOs, entrepreneurs, business owners, and presidents of small businesses, while the NPEP is for executive directors, presidents, and CEOs of nonprofit organizations. Graduates emerge with the skills and training needed to turn challenges into strategic advantages, capitalize on business opportunities, and implement best practice management. Participants represent a variety of industries.

“Learning that I’m not the only one going through some of the struggles as a business owner and the opportunity to meet and network with others was what I found to be most beneficial,” said Max Zaslavsky, owner of Max Zaslavsky DMD and a graduate of the SBEP.

For the full article, click here.

• Broward County Labor Force Numbers:
• Labor Force: 1,071,543
• Employment: 1,040,924
• Unemployment: 30,619
• Percentage Rate: 2.9%

• Projected County Population for Broward by 2027: 2 Million
• The average Florida Hourly Earnings is $24.98
• Fastest Growing Companies - Ranked by Growth Rate:
• Air Pros USA (Hollywood)
• Conquest Cyber (Miramar)
• Cardella Construction Co. (Lauderdale-by-the-sea)
• Stretch Zone (Fort Lauderdale)
• CloudHesive (Fort Lauderdale)

*Stats Provided by GFLA Economic Sourcebook 2023*

The Perspectives on Florida’s Healthcare event is organized by the Chamber’s Healthcare Council, which works to improve our community’s quality of life by catalyzing leadership, growth, innovation, and outcomes. Contact liza@ftlchamber.com for sponsorship information!

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