Young and Professional

Dear Friend,  What's In A Name? When you mention the Franklin County Young Professionals, the first questions that come to mind are; 'what is young and what is a professional?' Don't think about this too hard. If you consider yourself young and you are working (or would like to be working) then you are a Franklin County Young Professional. Need more direction? Check This Out

The Future of Franklin County We've talked about this before, many times, so it should come as no surprise to anyone that we believe that the future of Franklin County lies in the hands and minds of our youth. Our young adults are the life and breath of tomorrow. They bring the spirit, the enthusiasm and the creativity to take the county to the next level. Our 'yooots' have definitely got game.       Why Another Organization? Today's young adults do not join organizations just for the sake of joining yet they still gravitate toward the idea of hanging out with like minded folks. Franklin County YP is just that, a collection of enthusiastic Franklin Countyites (or Countonians) who are looking to make a difference. These kids don't need a reason to gather - they just gather and create the reason. They care about their community and they want to seek out others who they can team up with to help them reach their dreams.  Don't Take My Word For It Tonight. Twiggs. 6:00. Recorded yesterday but worth watching today - Go Zach! Did You Know? For years young professionals have been to gathering to explore business development, management skills, individual training, community service, and international connections. The Chamber has always been a logical partner. Beginning in 1920, the United States Junior Chamber (JCs or more commonly Jaycees) was developed as a leadership training and civic organization for people between the ages of 18 and 40. Today we support the Young Professionals. Talk to me about how you can help.

Please make a Chamber membership part of your success strategy. Thank you for your continued support of the Chamber in your community.

Dave Southwick

Last Second Legislative Forum

Dear Friend,  Mind Excavating.... I think I mentioned something last week about a need for a mind excavating. Oooh boy was I right. So let's get right to the point.

Legislative Forum  Tomorrow, the Chamber and the St. Albans Rotary are co-hosting a Legislative Forum featuring the team from the Vermont Chamber of Commerce. This is the first in a series of opportunities that we will bring to St. Albans businesses to help garner a better understanding of recent legislation and what to expect during the 2016 legislative session.      What Is This? The Vermont Chamber of Commerce will be presenting information that will help us better understand what happened in 2015 and what we can expect in 2016. This is not a debate nor is it an exchange with our county legislators, it is a great opportunity to learn about the issues and understand how to impact the outcome. Bring your questions and be prepared to offer your thoughts and concerns to one of the groups that represent businesses in Montpelier.   Details When: Tuesday, September 22, 12:00 - 1:00 Where: St. Albans Rotary Hall, Franklin Lodge, 142 North Main Street, St. Albans Registration: Nope - just show up  Cost: Free Food: Yes, a catered lunch from Tatro's Deli and Catering Why: Because YOU CARE.   Did You Know? Sea otters hold hands when they sleep so they don't drift away from each other. Something to think about..

Please make a Chamber membership part of your success strategy. Thank you for your continued support of the Chamber in your community.

Dave Southwick Executive Director  802 524-2444

Season of Refreshing

Dear Friend,  Fall Cleaning? In anticipation of a much needed new refrigerator and dishwasher being delivered this coming Wednesday, our house is undergoing a Fall Cleaning. Cabinets have been emptied, freezers are being excavated, carpets are being shampooed and those hard to reach-behind places are getting a once-in-a-long-time scrubbing. Our dust bunnies have had many off-springs.

A Time of Refreshing  At the same time, I have also been using the past month as a time of Fall Cleaning for my professional life. Cleaning out a few hard to reach areas and excavating parts of my frozen mind. But most importantly, taking a close look at what is really important: priorities and values.     We All Need Mentors In the middle of my personal soul searching, I ran into a wise and caring man. No, I didn't stumble upon him while he meditated crossed-legged in a cave on top of Mt. Mansfield. Nor did I find him during a quiet moment in the front pew at church. He was simply standing in line, waiting for his morning coffee at DD. Our simple, daily paths are always lined with those who care most about us. That's why we call them mentors - they are there when we need them most. A Simple Message He listened attentively as I shared my struggles and then carefully chose these words from the thousands at his disposal; "Take a close look at your priorities and values. If you keep your decisions in line with them, then you can't make a wrong choice." Wow, how often we let the clutter of the world and our own pride get in the way of the things that matter most. Thank you kind friend, you are so right. I bet, we all can use a good ole' fashion Fall Cleaning now and again. Aw shoot, probably should have bought him his coffee. Did You Know? As of September 1, 2015, according to eBizMBA, the Top 15 Most Popular Social Networking sites are: 1. Facebook, 2. Twitter, 3. LinkedIn, 4. Pinterest, 5. Google Plus+, 6. Tumblr, 7. Instagram, 8. VK, 9. Flickr, 10. Vine, 11. Meetup, 12. Tagged, 13. Ask.fm, 14. MeetMe, and 15. ClassMates. Some would argue YouTube should also be high on this list.

Please make a Chamber membership part of your success strategy. Thank you for your continued support of the Chamber in your community.

Dave Southwick