266 Express
Welcome to the 266 Express, your official podcast of Sanger, TX.
In every episode, we paint a picture of life in this beautiful North Texas town.
You will gain insight into everything from our rich history, community events, and the rapid growth and development of Sanger. Welcome to the 266 Express.
266 Express
Business Connections Unleashed
Dive into the vibrant world of local business with our latest podcast episode featuring Megan Moon, president of the Sanger Chamber of Commerce. We explore the significant role of the Chamber in supporting local businesses, advocating for economic development, and facilitating connections within the community. Megan shares her passion for fostering a thriving economic landscape, emphasizing every local business's importance in the broader context of community success.
Listeners will uncover how the Chamber serves as a vital resource for networking opportunities, educational events, and essential advocacy efforts. Megan sheds light on the importance of shopping local, explaining how every dollar spent recirculates back into Sanger, bolstering local infrastructures, and services.
Engaging with the Chamber isn't just about membership; it’s about creating a dynamic ecosystem where businesses thrive together. With useful insights on getting involved in the Chamber and maximizing available resources, this episode offers a roadmap to success for both new entrepreneurs and established businesses. Join us as we discuss upcoming events that are essential for networking and community engagement.
Ready to become part of a community that prioritizes growth and collaboration? Tune in and learn how you can support local businesses and help Sanger flourish! Don't forget to subscribe, share your thoughts, and leave a review!
You have been listening to The 266 Express, the official podcast of Sanger, TX. IF you have comments or suggestions, please send them to dgreen@sangertexas.org
Welcome to the 266 Express. I'm John Noblin, along with my co-host, donna Green. Donna, who do we have with us today?
Speaker 2:We have Megan Moon, her new last name, and she's the president of the Chamber of Commerce.
Speaker 1:Well, congrats on the name change.
Speaker 3:Thank you.
Speaker 1:Super exciting. So, megan, for those who may not be familiar with it, can you give us a bit of an overview of what the Sanger Chamber of Commerce does?
Speaker 3:Yeah, absolutely so. We are the hub for the business community in Sanger. Business owners, business leaders can get together and we help to support, promote and connect businesses in this area. We provide networking opportunities, advocacy and connect businesses in this area. We provide networking opportunities, advocacy and resources for business growth, and we help businesses navigate challenges and build visibility and foster connections in the community. So you know whether you're a startup or an established business or a nonprofit, there's a place for you in the chamber.
Speaker 2:Awesome, wonderful. So can you tell us how the chamber serves as a bridge between local businesses, the government and the community?
Speaker 3:Yeah, absolutely so. We keep businesses informed about local regulations, opportunities, community projects. Our luncheons this year have really been geared toward bringing access and information to the local businesses from community leaders and just kind of other resources that we feel would benefit the businesses. You know, while they're busy just running their businesses they don't always know or aren't always aware of what's going on in the community around them and they want to be involved. So we want to bring that easily to our business community. We also work with city officials, sanger, isd and local organizations to just align business growth with community needs. So we have EDC partnerships where Shani and myself go and we do site visits with local businesses. I am here with the city manager and with Donna, you know, talking about the chamber and we're really trying to bridge the gaps between the facets of our community just to help everyone thrive together. So very important that all of us work together.
Speaker 1:Oh yeah, I say it 100 million times right, strong city, strong chamber, strong school, strong community right, it's just the way it works. And you find that places that do that well are highly successful and manage their growth well because there is a team broader than just the unit. Right, and those communities that don't do it well, they have different kinds of challenges than we have. So, yeah, I mean, a strong chamber is vital and those relationships are key. You know, a lot of people don't really and this is the same across communities, right, a lot of people, uh, don't always understand the, the benefits of of chamber membership. So you will have a handful of businesses that that, that uh, that don't always immediately kind of latch on to the chamber whenever they, um, whenever they move into a community, and then you have some that that's the first thing they do, that's the first stop they make. Can you tell us what are some of the key ways that businesses can leverage chamber resources to grow and to gain visibility when they move into a community or a region?
Speaker 3:Yeah, absolutely. I mean, you're so right. There are, you know, businesses that have been around Sanger forever, that haven't joined the chamber yet, and then there are businesses that we did not know were here. They're brand new and all of a sudden they're chamber members and we love that. So, yeah, there is a wide range of how people get involved and I think a lot of it comes down to that kind of information.
Speaker 3:What does the chamber do for me? So we, you know, we focus on increasing visibility. We have our directory, we have social media, we have promotions and then, of course, we have our networking events and our luncheons. You know we're busy, everyone's busy. So the more that you're in front of people and you're kind of putting your business and yourself and what you can offer in front of people, the more like when they know they need a service, they're like, oh, I just ran into so-and-so the other day and I'm looking to sell my house, and you know it's things like that the visibility is so important.
Speaker 3:The educational events and workshops that we provide just help business owners sharpen their skills, and then the advocacy and support and navigating challenges or expanding operations. You know, the chamber is going to be that hub where we know where your resources are, we know when to come to the city and ask the questions like, hey, are there certain tax credits out there or things that initiatives that the city is doing that can help support business growth? If we need to go to the Texas Workforce Commission because people are hiring and kind of what resources and training are available, you know we can do those things for these businesses so that they have an extension of resources and they're not trying to figure everything out on their own. So super important to build your business community and build out your team with your city and your chamber behind you, and we just hope to keep amplifying what businesses need to be successful.
Speaker 1:Yeah, you and I have had those discussions too. I mean, the chambers is great for advocacy, you know even political advocacy. There's a lot of things that a lot of entities can't touch. When it comes to what's going on with the regs in Texas, you know the regulations and you know some of the taxing law and some of those things that really impact businesses, where the chambers offer another avenue to have your voice heard that other avenues don't always offer. So, yeah, fantastic.
Speaker 3:Yeah, and I think what a lot of people don't realize too is the chamber is an industry in its own. So myself and a couple other of our board members will go to the Texas Chamber of Commerce executive events and we get to talk with other chamber executives and hear about what's going on in their own communities, what they're doing and borrow ideas from each other. There is no proprietary information in the chamber industry. We are all borrowing and giving and leaning on each other for support. Borrowing and giving and leaning on each other for support. So when you join your local chamber and if they're involved in the chamber industry as a whole, you're not just getting one resource, you're getting all the resources that they can pull from the other local chambers and it just creates this magnifying effect that I don't know if most businesses know that.
Speaker 1:There's a lot behind it. Yeah, strength in numbers that whole thing is is there is. Sometimes we get lost in the weeds and we forget that there's room at the table for everybody. Right, and even even if you have a business that is the same, maybe the same category as another business, there's enough room at the table for everybody. So, how do you? You know how do you handle that, and the chamber is a great tool for helping helping figure that out.
Speaker 2:So switching gears and something that I'm very passionate about, the chamber. You host several signature events every year. Can you tell us about business over breakfast, your luncheons, your mixers and then, of course, celebration your big events?
Speaker 3:Yes, business over breakfast just my personal bias. It's one of my favorite events that we do at the chamber. It's the second Wednesday of every month at 8.30 in the morning. The location varies and it's a free event. So it's ways for community businesses, people that aren't even members to come out and network a little bit and get a taste and feel for the culture of the chamber and see if it's for them. So you're getting to meet a lot of new faces and so we love that event.
Speaker 3:Our business luncheons like I mentioned earlier, we're really trying to bring speakers that are going to bring in relevant conversations to help get that information quickly to the business owners and leaders so that they can work in their day-to-day and still have an understanding of what's going on in their community. Mixers this year are changing just a little bit. We're super excited and I know we're probably going to talk about chamber structure and committees here in a bit, but we have one committee that's just working on special events programming and we have a mixer every month. It's going to be more of like an after hours, you know, focusing on local businesses and trying to bring in some. For example, in February we had the Cottage Law business owners who practice out of their home. They, you know, do the sweet treats and things like that, and we called it Sweet on Business and it was a remarkable event.
Speaker 3:Many community people came out, it wasn't just chamber members and we're able to support these businesses that don't have a storefront. So we're trying to find creative ways to get the community out, get the members out and just enjoy what Sanger has to offer. So be on the lookout for those mixers. They're happening every month. Our next one is coming up. It's a St Paddy's Day mixer and it's going to be at Uptown Rail and Brewery. So we're really excited about that one Celebration. If you don't know about Celebration, I don't know if you've been in Sanger that long, because we're 40 years strong with Celebration and that because we're 40 years strong with Celebration and that's our biggest community festival. We have 150-plus vendors, lots of activities for kids and families to come out and we're really trying to connect community and businesses alike in an all-day event that we throw every year and it's definitely our biggest event of the year, come rain or shine, and so we love Celebration. It's a great complement to some of the other community events that we have going on in Sanger.
Speaker 1:Agreed, agreed. We love celebration. So with all these events that you have, you're driving a little bit of traffic and things like that, but with the luncheons and some of those other things, it looks like you're providing a lot of networking opportunities. Do you think that's a huge benefit?
Speaker 3:It is. It is, you know, business owners understand other business owners, and so when we're looking to support and support local and use resources from people we know, like and trust, well, you can't get to know, like and trust people if you're not out there meeting them. So not every business owner has the time to do that. Sometimes they have the community liaisons that go out. Every business owner has the time to do that. Sometimes they have the community liaisons that go out. But Sanger is full of resources and full of services that you know the average person may not even realize as they go to Gainesville or Denton to get some of these services.
Speaker 3:And so again, it's that amplifying effect. We're at these networking events, we're meeting people and even if we're not looking you know I'm in financial services Obviously I'm always looking to meet people, but I don't just meet people that need my services. I meet people that need home builders or real estate agents or other chamber member services that I can connect them to. So it's not always direct sales, you know, looking to sell or looking to buy directly with the business that you're in. It's oh hey, I know someone that can help you with that and all of a sudden your life just got a little bit easier because you didn't have to do legwork in finding that service or that person. So networking has many ancillary effects that I think people often overlook. I'm not even that big of a people person, but man. The chamber providing that platform has been so helpful just in my business and in my personal life.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that's fantastic. We say that a lot, if you have to ask more than three people for something you're looking for, you may be doing it wrong. You need to meet more people.
Speaker 3:You need to meet more people yeah, even introverts like me. I've done nothing but be grateful for my chamber involvement over these past several years, but be grateful for my chamber involvement over these past several years.
Speaker 2:So tell us what opportunities are available for businesses to get involved with the chamber, whether it's sponsorships, volunteering or something else.
Speaker 3:Yeah, absolutely All of the above. We have sponsorship opportunities from you know, low-cost business over breakfast sponsorships to you know, some of those bigger community-facing sponsorships like Celebration it's just a way to get visibility at events and on marketing materials. The organization that I work for. We have a lot of branding and some of it's a little cheese ball, but I always make sure I'm handing it to people because, again, it's that front-of-mind concept of putting your business and your branding in front of mind.
Speaker 3:Someone walks by a sign that has your giant logo on it. Oh yeah, I've been meaning to reach out to this HVAC company. I need to get some work done, you know. So the sponsorships, you know, besides supporting your chamber and supporting our efforts, really give you some visibility and put your business front of mind with folks. Volunteering is something that we would love to see more community members and chamber members involved in, and I think we're providing a lot of opportunities for that this year, for you to be involved the way that you want to be and the way that you can afford, time-wise. And so you know, our events need help. Our events need help and that's about it.
Speaker 3:You know, celebration is the big deal every year.
Speaker 3:We get some of the kids involved at the high school and they get some volunteer hours, but we have a lot of other things going throughout the year where more hands on deck would be helpful and that kind of leads into committees.
Speaker 3:We've introduced committees this year to just divide and conquer. We're about 12 board members strong right now and just everyone falling into their roles and falling into the way that they want to engage with the chamber has really helped with the special events committee, our programming that we've offered year over year, and then our membership committee focused on loving on our members and bringing in some new ones. Committee focused on loving on our members and bringing in some new ones. All of those opportunities have volunteer opportunities if you want to get more involved without as much of a commitment. So we're really excited about that. Just the more involved you are, the more you get from your membership. And as we move through the year and touch base with our members, we really want to collaborate on what that looks like for them and it's going to be different for each member and that's okay.
Speaker 1:So we obviously sitting around the table, understand what the collaboration between the city and the chamber looks like and what the collaboration with all the entities kind of looks like to a large degree. Could you tell us how the chamber works alongside not just the city but the ISD and the other organizations to strengthen that community, because I think it's important for the people to hear.
Speaker 3:Yeah, absolutely. I mean we want to ensure that our business and community grow in harmony and it's not just the city, it's not just the chamber, it's not just the school district and it's not just the nonprofit community. We have a really large nonprofit community in Sanger and I don't know that folks are aware of all these resources. So we collaborate with the nonprofits and local organizations to strengthen community ties. We just had Girl Scouts presenting at our luncheon yesterday for an ADA playground that is going in. We're super excited about that. Girl Scouts working with Lions Club and this opportunity to bring something to Sanger that really is a community project, things like that. We want to make sure that our business community is aware that that exists. We partner with the City of Sanger to align economic development with business needs. Again, shani and I visiting businesses, our communication between myself and Donna and John, letting y'all know what's going on in the business community and what those needs look like. From hey we're having difficulties with this to hey. This business would be really great to bring to Sanger. It would be a wonderful tandem business for us to have here and then working and supporting the school district.
Speaker 3:Again, you know we bring in volunteer opportunities for the kids. I myself go into the high school and I teach in a classroom and you know we get to know and understand what's going on with the schools. We have a really unique system here in Sanger where, at least when I was in high school and I'm sure a lot of listeners out there where we didn't have cool things like the culinary arts program, we didn't have cool things like technical training. At my high school it was purely academic. So we're taking these kids and we're bringing them into the workforce pretty quickly. Not everyone's college bound anymore and so being able to provide the opportunities for them to get real world experience and workforce experience is something that benefits our business community in ways that I don't know business owners understand. You know that's a workforce solution that we're providing here in this community, so we want to help be a catalyst for that and connect people to those resources. So the collaboration is huge. We can't do it alone, you know.
Speaker 2:Shop local. That's a huge initiative for many communities, but can you explain for people who don't really understand? You know, why is it so important for our Sanger residents to shop and support the local businesses here?
Speaker 3:Well, luckily for everyone listening, I left my soapbox at home, but I probably can find one really quick. Your dollars that you're paying in taxes, whether it be property, whether it be sales, whatever goes to support your local communities. So where do you want those dollars to go? Do you want the dollars to go to the state of Texas? I mean, maybe that doesn't directly affect you. Do you want dollars to go to the federal government? Nobody's going to say yes to that.
Speaker 3:So what's the best use of your money? It's in the things that affect your day-to-day life and that's your local community. So if you're supporting your local businesses, you're supporting your entire community and you are creating this exchange in giving and receiving what you put into your community. You're going to get back out and the community needs support. The business owners in Sanger need support.
Speaker 3:We have amazing shops in Sanger. You don't have to go anywhere else to get retail. We have so many retail shops here. We have great places to go out to eat and we're getting even more. And then we're building more and more resources to where you don't have to hop and skip away to go to the grocery store or to go to the hardware store or to do some. I mean, who wants to drive that far anyway after a long day of work? So everything you need is right here, you just have to know about it. And that's what the chamber is aiming to do is making sure people understand what their local resources are so that we can keep Sanger growing and we can keep these individuals that are working hard to bring services to Sanger keep them supported and going, so that we don't see the opposite happen in this community, where we have so much growth and so much positive growth, but then we have businesses coming and going. We want businesses coming and staying.
Speaker 1:It's better for everybody.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I agree, I would prefer a lifetime partnership to 90 days or six months or even a year. Talking about resources a little bit what are some of the resources that the chamber offers to both new businesses, if you're coming in, or even the existing businesses, those people that have been, because there's a dynamic there, right, that the chamber deals with. That we deal with as well, which is the new guy and the old guy, right? I mean, you have the family businesses, the mom and pop shops and those things. We're trying to balance those along with this new growth that you talk about and you know how does the chamber kind of fit into that larger puzzle?
Speaker 3:Yeah Well, I mean, if you're a business owner and you're in business, you never don't need business. So the marketing and advertising that we can do through our chamber channels again keeps your branding out there, keeps you front of mind of people. You know, not everyone knows when businesses are running promotions or running deals or having events. You know, and we can put that out there for the community to know, we can boost it, we can do all the things that we need to do to make sure people are aware of what's going on in your business, and so we really encourage local businesses and our members sharing that with us so that again we can be that amplifier the workshops and training that we're doing throughout the year at our Lunch and Learns, which we have a great Lunch and Learn today, we'll have another one in April, august, october. Be looking out for those, because those are geared to provide information for the startups just as much as it is for the tenured businesses.
Speaker 3:Business owners know that you never stop learning and growing. You never stop trying to get better. That's why you're in business, right To be self-sufficient and to be that entrepreneur, which means continued learning, and so we want to provide that where everyone's going to get something out of one of these lunch and learns whether they're new or old. And then the networking and referral opportunities. I always tell folks when I'm trying to meet new people in my business, I go, hey, I need business now and I need business later. I'm in business to do business, and so the more people you're meeting, again it's not just on the business level but on the personal level. When you need something, you're always going to need community. As a business owner, you just are. It's not for the faint of heart, and so the more people you have behind you, the bigger your support system is, the more successful you're going to be.
Speaker 2:So what is your training class today? Just to give people a flavor for what you.
Speaker 3:It is my favorite. So our wonderful Donnie Mack is hosting us. He speaks across the country for Builders Association, so the man knows what he's talking about. But we're doing a strategic success summit, also kind of known as Business 101. And I think business owners who are successful understand that sometimes you do need to get back to the basics. When things that you've been doing have created success for you. Often we kind of fall back to okay, well, you know, I did the work and now it's working for me, and we forget those steps that we had to take to get there, and so sometimes you start falling back. Those are the ebbs and flows of businesses. So the Strategic Success Summit Business 101, is going to help people remember the foundational things, get back on track, and again, it's not just for people that are starting out or interested in the entrepreneurial side of business. It's for people that have been in business a really long time and could use just a little spark like that. It was wildly successful last year. We really enjoyed the content, and so we're going to be doing that again today and for some of the future events we're going to do human resources. Again, managing people is hard, and so any tool that people can get to just be a better leader, manage your team a little bit better, get a little bit more out of their team. That's going to be coming in April. We're also looking at doing another AI cybersecurity type of event that we did last year last year. Ai is taking over the world, so that has been a very interesting topic of conversation with business owners who are looking for ways to work smarter, not harder.
Speaker 3:And then we want to do a sales and marketing too. Everything's about sales. Even if you're not directly in sales, you're constantly selling your business. You're constantly marketing your business, and most business owners get in business to do the job, to provide the service, to provide the product. They don't always have that hat to be able to market themselves and sell themselves too. So this will provide some tools to be able to do that with ease. So we're really excited about these events. We want to increase this programming to be able to bring in more, so we want to hear from folks you know what are you looking for for your businesses? What information would really help you be successful? And let's see if we can't keep this program that we just started last year growing.
Speaker 1:Okay, she says, go ahead. I'm just, I'm fascinated again just by excuse me, just by that thought of I mean, you're so right, Most people get into business to do the business part. But there is, that portion of marketing is not just marketing the business. You know, you and I have talked about this not and so being engaged at that level, learning how to utilize that tool in the networking process, even if it's through the chamber or something else, is probably essential to your long-term success.
Speaker 3:I mean, it plays a huge part of that.
Speaker 1:So what would you say, the biggest benefit of chamber membership is right now, today, and then I will follow that up immediately with in the future. What do you think one of the biggest benefits of being a chamber member will be? I'm going to throw you a curveball.
Speaker 3:Yes, tbd, because we are constantly trying to build and grow our chamber programming, so really excited about that. But I'll address the former first. So I think the biggest benefits of chamber membership, first and foremost, are increased credibility. You know, chamber members are really often seen as established, trusted businesses. You're building relationships. Really, I look at sales as building relationships. So even if you don't feel like you're a salesperson, do you like connecting with people? Well then you're in sales right. So you're building those relationships and you're increasing your credibility. You're creating stronger connections with people.
Speaker 3:Again, I have seen so much support in this community. When somebody is in the hospital or having a rough time or their business is not going as expected, the community comes out and the members come out to support them and that wouldn't exist if there wasn't such a strength in the connection. Again, the marketing exposure is always going to be there. We're always trying to find creative ways to do that and the more that folks are coming out and bringing their businesses to Sanger and communicating and networking and giving us the information we need, the better our marketing is going to be for sure, and we are open to everything. I tell people all the time nothing's off the table unless the cost is prohibitive, because we want to try new things and we want to make sure that we're not missing any opportunities that we can provide to help a business be successful With the variety of businesses we have in this area.
Speaker 3:We have to be creative and we have to be open and we have to stay connected and communicative in order to bring better marketing for these businesses. Again, the educational resources are going to keep getting better. I'm really excited about the Lunch and Learns and we want to hear from our members on what they need there. And then one other thing we're trying to increase is advocacy and representation and just strengthen our relationship with the city, city council and help be a voice for business-related policy Because, again, business owners are busy, they have needs, but they don't always have the time to focus on those needs. So, always trying to get better as a chamber, always trying to get better as leaders and always looking for feedback that will help us do so.
Speaker 1:Would it be fair to say and we run into this as a city and I know other organizations do too right, they put a lot of pressure on the organization to deliver. But would it be fair to say that, whether it's your relationship with the schools, relationship with the city, relationship with the chamber, the benefit that you get from any of those relationships is probably directly proportionate to what you put into those relationships? Would that be fair?
Speaker 3:It's weird how adages exist. They exist for a reason. Right, you definitely get out what you put in, and I think, if we want to really narrow what that looks like, it's the communication. The more communication you give us, the more you're going to be able to get out of us, because we're going to know what you need. Right, you know, and as much as we go out and we seek the information ourselves, we can't do it all. You know, we're about 160 members strong.
Speaker 3:The chamber structure is a little bit different from some of our neighboring towns. We don't have paid executive staff. We are all business owners ourselves, and so, while I think that's a benefit, because we understand how businesses operate, without that communication, without that engagement, we can't always know what we don't know. And we're busy too, and so it's absolutely a two-way street. When I run out and I'm meeting with people, I'm handing them my personal business card. I am pointing out this is my cell phone number. Don't email my personal email. This is my work email. This is when you're going to be able to find me, because we want to bridge that gap and making sure people have access to communicate so that we can keep gathering and garnering the information we need to be successful. So without that communication on one side, we're just a one-legged stool.
Speaker 1:It doesn't make a lot of sense. Yeah, and you said it we don't know what we don't know. Nobody does, and if you don't tell us, we can't get better.
Speaker 3:And we want to get better, absolutely, I think, everyone in. Sanger wants to get better.
Speaker 2:You mentioned the benefits for the future. You know Sanger is growing and with that there's I mean there's going to be multiple print shops, multiple coffee shops, multiple, everythings right, and so part of being with the Chamber. I think one of the benefits for the future is, as we grow, your brand could get diluted, you know, when there's so many. So being a part of the chamber where you have another person or another entity advocating for you, marketing for you, that type of thing keeps your business top of mind instead of getting washed away.
Speaker 3:Right.
Speaker 2:New and great thing that's coming in.
Speaker 3:That's such a great point, donna, and I think, being able to have a platform where you can communicate what differentiates you and what makes you special and how you can build relationships. Because I mean, once upon a time I don't know if you did this on purpose, but there were three financial advisors judging the Christmas parade and we all laughed about that, because there are plenty of cooks in the kitchen, there's plenty of room at the table Again, all those adages. But, personality wise, there are preferences. People might have a stronger relationship with this business versus that business, but you can't ever differentiate yourself if you're not putting yourself out there. And the Chamber does provide that platform for you to be able to differentiate yourself. Stick out and meet people that you just people want to work with, people that are similar to them and that they have that understanding with. And I mean, if you're not out there, you're not going to meet those people.
Speaker 1:So yeah, and I mean you, you um there, we, we get this all the time, right? Why did you let another Mexican restaurant come in this anger?
Speaker 3:Why did you right? I mean we, we get those phone calls.
Speaker 1:This is options, yeah, well it goes back to again what was said earlier, which is there's plenty of room at the table for everybody, and how you manage that and how you navigate.
Speaker 1:That is extremely important Because, again, I know very in my lifetime I've known very few people that actually have the attitude of I would love to crush the competition right. In a majority of my interactions both with the chamber and economic development and businesses in general as a community, it seems like a majority of those owners understand, like yourself, that it is a struggle across the board and it's much easier to lift somebody up than it is to just tear them down because it does not do anybody any good, right? I would love you talk about a couple of coffee shops. You know, I would love for your coffee shop to be so busy, which it is that you have to go down the street because you can't wait an hour for your coffee, right? Those are not bad things. And so when we look at the chamber and how you connect those businesses and how you look at companion businesses and comparative businesses, do you think the chamber plays a role in their long-term success?
Speaker 3:Absolutely, Absolutely. I think the chamber again providing the platform, the resources, the support keeps people going in business. There are so many businesses that have come in, Some have left, but the feedback has been this chamber community is so supportive. It doesn't feel like competition, it doesn't feel like, you know, I shouldn't be coming to these networking events or meetings because there's already a real estate agent. We're very embracing of a variety of businesses and multiple versions of that business.
Speaker 3:Because you know, you mentioned the coffee shop. Yes, that coffee shop is very busy, it is, and maybe someone needs something where they can just go and sit in and work even though I do work at that coffee shop quite a bit but coffee shops are people's spots and it's a preferential thing. And so by joining the chamber and being involved in the chamber, you're meeting those people that might prefer your business just a little bit more. And in those startup years where it becomes tough to be successful, especially for, like restaurants and things like that, having that exposure and having that community support you and embrace you and not feel this competitive I don't belong helps get you through those hard times, to have a more sustaining business and a longer standing business.
Speaker 1:Right.
Speaker 3:It's really, I mean, success is easy to digest. It's when you are struggling that you really figure out, like, who your friends are. Oh, yeah. And this community has been really wonderful in that regard. I've been in other communities and I've just noticed a difference in how business owners in Sanger treat each other.
Speaker 1:Well, yeah, I mean, sometimes it's easy to get on base and, whoever's batting follow-up you're counting on right to move you down, and that's what we, the city, counts on.
Speaker 1:The chamber, in a lot of ways right. The chamber provides a lot of the tools that we just have it and don't want to, and it's not a matter of whether we think it's our job or somebody else's job, it's just like you said, there's not enough hours in the day and not enough people to do some of these things. So the Chamber's always been an incredible partner to the city in picking up on the tourism, picking up on some of these things for driving commerce. Since you're the Chamber of Commerce, so you have always played a vital role in getting those dollars moving, which we know is vitally important because if we're all going to win or we're all going to lose together. And those dollars moving which we know is vitally important because if we're all going to win or we're all going to lose together and those dollars are valuable. I mean, people want a fire truck to show up if they're having a problem, they want an ambulance, they want a police car. All these things depend on commerce moving in our community.
Speaker 3:So we appreciate that. And shopping local, shopping local, banking local. I can't stress it enough, right, right, I cannot yeah.
Speaker 1:And the community aspect of that right. These are not. This is not just a grocery store. These are your neighbors, right?
Speaker 3:Oh, they are, they're in your community and I think that familiar face is just a unique part of. Sanger's culture that you can't get in other areas, which keeps me in Sanger Absolutely. You know, I appreciate that it's a lost art having a community with a unique culture and a growing community and support and it's. We have that here and we have to keep it going.
Speaker 1:We have to, not an option.
Speaker 2:So for those who are listening that want to get more involved, what's the best way to stay connected with the Chamber?
Speaker 3:Well, you know, coming to events Always the best way. Again, we have a lot of free opportunities for you to mix and mingle. Be looking out for the mixers, be looking out for the business of a breakfast and see how you fit in, see how you want to fit in to the Chamber community. Follow us on social media for updates and opportunities. You know we try to flood as much as we can out there, but not everyone's algorithms are, you know, bringing them chamber information. So just make sure to like and follow us or check out our page to see what's coming up. And go to the chamber website. Sangertexascom has the directory where you can just type in electrician and see some of our local members that provide that service. You can go to the calendar and see what upcoming events are. It's also where you go to register and as a chamber member, I like to call it your fan page. But you have a login where you're able to put your branding out there. You're able to put hot deals out there. You're able to put job postings out there.
Speaker 3:It's a very underutilized resource through the chamber. Other chamber communities are successful with it. We're just small so we've got to build it. We've got to build it so the people will come, but that's exclusive to membership being able to do the member-to-member discounts, and so you have your login and you create your fan page and you can put pictures and it just helps folks that go to the chamber directory members or not to look for resources get to know more about your business. So those are a couple ways to stay connected. And, for those that really want to be involved, join a committee and volunteer. You get to come to board meetings as a non-voting member if you'd like, but you get to have fun with our special events committee or our membership committee and it's just a great use of your time getting out there and meeting people and understanding what the business community needs from you.
Speaker 1:You've got some upcoming March events. Do you know the next three?
Speaker 3:Yes, I do, and, oh my gosh, I don't have my calendar in front of me to give you specific dates. But Business Over Breakfast March 12th is going to be this month's Business Over Breakfast. It's going to be at Beaver Builders. Donnie is going to host us. We know it's spring break. It's not always easy for people to get out, but we want to keep the conversation going over coffee and we just really enjoy getting together for that event.
Speaker 3:And then, immediately following that, is going to be a ribbon cutting at Integrity, and we will be doing that at 945, and we're going to be celebrating their grand opening, which is March 10th, and they're going to be able to show us a little bit more about what they're providing this community. So those are the two coming up really quickly. And then the Singer Farmers Market. Their opening day is March 15th. We're looking to do a ribbon cutting for them. Bringing them downtown has been amazing. A lot of work went into that, and so I would say those are the next three coming up. But be on the lookout for our luncheon, where our city manager is going to be speaking, if you remember.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I remember, I remember I was giving Donna a hard time about that and that's the fourth Wednesday of every month, and then we also have that St Paddy's Day mixer and we're going to have to forgive me, but that is going to be the 20th at 530 at Uptown Rail, where wear your green or you're going to get a little pinch.
Speaker 1:There you go. Or don't wear your green, if that's your thing, if that's your thing.
Speaker 2:You like to get pants right?
Speaker 1:Well, any words of wisdom for the community today, before we sign off.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I just I can't stress enough shop local whenever possible. It just it means it means the world and I don't want to hate on or undermine other businesses out there, but you know you don't see any of the big banks at chamber events or nonprofit events or things like that. You see, you see your local banks, you see your local, your local organizations that want to get involved. So you know, support them back as well. Share and recommend businesses on social media. You know it means the world. As a business owner, when I get a referral or a shout out or something, even though I've been doing this long enough, it still gives me butterflies, still just sometimes brings tears to my eyes because it means so much. Attend community events. You have your city calendar, your school district calendar, you have the chamber calendar. You have so many things going on. Our local library is always having things going on. So check out what's going on in your own community and just be impressed by what there is offered right here in Sanger.
Speaker 3:Get involved in chamber initiatives and advocacy efforts. Obviously, you know, let us know what you. Obviously, let us know what you need. Let us know what you need. We can communicate to the right people to get you more information and just rise above the negativity and attacks on social media. If something occurs at a local business that's upsetting, meet with that business owner for a conversation or come to us and let us help you talk through it. Taking to social media is just not helping anybody. That's offloading for you, I suppose. But let's go ahead and rise above that. This growth is happening. We want to keep it moving in a positive direction and that's just going to continue to set us back. We can't thrive as a community if we don't approach each other from a position of support and seeking first to understand. So I guess I found my soapbox on that one. But yeah, if you're coming to town or if you haven't engaged with the chamber yet, just I encourage you to join or get engaged and come and check us out.
Speaker 2:And so can you just tell people your website and where you're located if they want to get involved.
Speaker 3:Yes, sangertexascom is our website, so there is a Sanger California. Be aware we are Sanger Texas. We have had people join Sanger California and vice versa. Kind of a fun little bit. Not sure if there's anything we can do about that. Follow us on Facebook. Sanger Area Chamber of Commerce Area emphasizes that we are not just city of Sanger but we appreciate businesses coming and joining the chamber from Denton Valley, view, crum, all sorts of areas surrounding us, and then you can contact us directly at chamber at sangertexascom. That is the email address, phone numbers listed on the website. Then, of course, if you run into me, I am happy to give you my information.
Speaker 3:Thought twice about putting it out there on the podcast, but I try to be as accessible as possible, but just stop by the next event. Introduce yourself. We'll get to know you and hope to continue that relationship.
Speaker 1:Absolutely, Megan. Thank you for coming in Absolutely. Thank you, thank the chamber for all the work that you guys do.
Speaker 3:Thank you.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I mean we're, and we'll have to do it again soon.
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 1:Yeah, because there's so much going on this year. I bet we could have this conversation in six months and there'll be so many other things going on.
Speaker 3:Yes, and it's exciting. It's exciting to be a part of this community With the larger communities around Sanger. You know, when you're in Sanger, you're here by choice and that shows that shows that people have that type of commitment and care for being a part of this community. Whether it's, you know, a public figure, whether it's a city staff, whether it's a chamber member, you know we're all here by choice.
Speaker 1:And.
Speaker 3:I think that's something really special.
Speaker 1:And everybody's paying attention. That's what people don't realize. Right Again, everybody's watching what we're doing and you know I've been to a lot of events this year. The city has.
Speaker 2:More than your fair share.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 3:The city has. Well, what do you guys have coming up?
Speaker 1:Don't we have coffee with the city manager? We have coffee with the city manager on the night. It's not the 19th, it's the 20. Come on, donna, this is you. I have a person for this and you're right there.
Speaker 2:Just fail off the wagon we just literally.
Speaker 3:It's on the 18th.
Speaker 2:18th, we're close, so it's a tuesday, so and?
Speaker 1:we will be at the coffee shop. We'll be at the starbucks starting at 7 am, and that will be an opportunity for you to uh to ask me some questions. Won't always have the answers, which is fair, but we can find them.
Speaker 3:You say that, but I feel like you always do have the answers.
Speaker 1:Well, I don't think so, but I appreciate that for sure. But those are the big ones, but it's going to be a big year for us and again, thank you for coming in and we will do it again soon, donna.
Speaker 2:Absolutely Perfect. I not only heard you, I listened, I know.
Speaker 1:I know which is good.
Speaker 2:Which is not always what I do.
Speaker 1:We're laughing because when you ask about, do you remember? I did remember, but that was the first time she heard that I'm coming in to the luncheon and she was like did you know you're speaking at the luncheon? I'm like what?
Speaker 2:You did not yeah, for a whole day, for a whole day, for a whole day, a whole day, and I'm like, okay, then.
Speaker 3:I'm surprised I didn't get a call like Megan. He doesn't know. Yeah, no, I wouldn't write him out.
Speaker 2:I wouldn't have done that, but I was like I'm pretty sure that if you're going to want to talk about anything we need to, and I go.
Speaker 1:I answered this yesterday.
Speaker 3:Love it. See, we have fun around here, so we hope to see everybody there.
Speaker 1:Support your chamber. I mean, that's really easy. The best thing you can do to support your chamber is to support your chamber. You know. Check out what they've got going on. We appreciate it. You've been listening to the 266 Express. I'm John Knoplett.
Speaker 2:I'm Donna Green.
Speaker 1:Thanks for listening in to what's going on In our small little North Texas town.