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

Who Needs Technology?

Dear Friend,  Typing Class I saw a picture on Facebook that showed a couple of students in a HS typing class banging away on IBM Selectrics. I am seasoned enough to remember those days - being the first student in my HS to drop a class he was auditing. I couldn't see the need to spend hours learning how to format a business letter when all I wanted to do was learn the key board. I did not possess any form of ESP that could see a future of the ubiquitous keyboard - I just wanted to learn to type. My wife, on the other hand, refused to learn to type for fear of being stereotyped into a clerical career. Oh how times have changed.

Change for the Better  When I went off the college, the standard gift was an electric typewriter to give me a boost up for all the reports I would have to produce. Today, we send our kids off to school with a shiny new laptop (and a cell phone) so that they can stay ahead of the ever changing "curve." Are we in better times? I think so. Say what you want about being distracted with new technology but I believe we have come light years in reaching new levels of communications.  Face to Face? Oh, I agree, nothing will every take the place of time spent face to face. But in a world that is ever expanding, the new technology lets us stay connected in ways that were never possible before. Let me give you one very simple example. When I was a freshman at Syracuse, we had one payphone for the entire floor. A call would come in from my granny and whoever was closest to the phone would answer (or not) and then my name would be shouted down the hall until I was found (or not) and retrieved to answer the call. Calls lasted no than 3 minutes and all ended with the same send off; "Oh honey, this phone bill will match the National Debt." Yesterday, my daughter called me from Clemson, SC while walking between classes. I picked it up on the first ring and we talked for 3 free minutes (on the Family Plan). The conversation might have gone longer but dad's can only grunt for so long. I can text all of my kids, at the same time, with one hand tied behind my back. And they love it. Does it replace face to face? No, but it beats no face to no face. And besides, now there is FaceTime.   Is There More? Yes, there is so much more and every day we build better ways to share information, stay in touch and solve problems. The good news is that these same technologies are helping build better businesses. Never before have business owners had access to such powerful and useful technologies that directly impact the bottom line. Shared calendars, useful POS tools, access to data, collaborative projects and linked teams all make for a more effective and efficient business model.    Strategies for Success - Smartphones = Smart Business Part 2 Tomorrow afternoon, 4:00 to 5:30 pm at the St. Albans Library, we will be digging into a couple of really cool phone apps that can change the way you think about your business. Tools that help you collaborate and save time will be the main focus. Time to cast that electric typewriter to the side and bring in the future. There is still room -SIGN UP HERE.  Did You Know? Although electric typewriters would not achieve widespread popularity until nearly a century later, the basic groundwork for the electric typewriter was laid by the Universal Stock Ticker, invented by Thomas Edison in 1870.

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

Dave Southwick

Bike Tour

Dear Friend,  Remember That Time... When I mentioned that 1,200 Lycra clad bicyclist would be coming to town? It's tomorrow!!! Starting around noon on Wednesday, members of the Velo Quebec Grand Tour 2015 will be arriving in St. Albans for a 48 hour visit to our town and surrounding country sides.

I Thought You Were Kidding  Nope, they are coming. Here's the details. Starting tomorrow around noon, about 1,200 bicyclist will be rolling into town on the fourth leg of their week long bike tour. They will be making the Collins-Perley Sports Complex their home until they head back north on Friday morning. Dave Kimel and his crew have transformed the complex into a resort extraordinaire. The majority will be camping in tents on the athletic fields surrounding the complex while a few have hotel rooms in the areas. They will be taking their breakfast and dinners in a magnificent dining room set up for them in the hockey rink and catered by The Abbey. At night, they will be entertained under a big-top tent that will serve as their Evening Bistro with music and and local libations.  But Wait, There's More... Thursday is a day off and the cyclist have several options at their disposal. First, they can "rest" by taking one of five designated bike tours on routes throughout Franklin and Chittenden counties. These routes range from a mere 17 miles to Killkare State Park and back to a 121 mile excursion through Georgia, Milton, South Hero, Colchester, Burlington, Williston, Fairfax and many points in between. For those visitors who want a taste of the local scene, we will be providing a continuous afternoon shuttle bus from the complex to downtown St. Albans where our guests can stroll the streets and sample your hospitality and products. For most, lunch is on their own and they might be seeking a local experience. The Chamber will have a tent set up at the Complex and will be promoting our Regional Guide and local merchants. Here Is Your Opportunity We can't know how many riders will actually come into town or how many will stop in your shop but we do know that this is a great opportunity to make a first impression on potential customers who live within striking distance our our county. Each cyclist has a limited amount of luggage space to take much home with them so they may not be inclined to buy big items this visit. However, most have a car at home that can haul whatever catches their eye, so plan for their next visit. I hope you have a chance to make the best of this opportunity. Let us know if we can help.  Special Thanks Events of this size do not happen without many hours of planning and the help of many cooperating agencies. Thank you to the City of St. Albans, the Town of St. Albans, the public works departments, our public safety teams, the staff of Collins-Perley and you - our Franklin County businesses. Did You Know? Most cyclists are happy with sociable weekend trips and the occasional longer tour during the summer but for some the lure of bigger adventures is irresistible. In September 1879 a group of cycle tourists from the London Bicycle Club rode across France to the Pyrenees. More than thirty years before the riders of the Tour de France first ventured into the mountains these London cycle tourists tackled the celebrated ascents of the Aubisque, Tourmalet, Aspin and Peyresourde. In 1880, a pair of cyclists rode from Lands End to John O'Groats, the famous End-to-End route, covering the 896 miles in thirteen days and establishing Britain's classic long-distance touring challenge. Sore butts galore! https://www.pannier.cc/journal/a-history-of-cycle-touring-part-1

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

Dave Southwick

Car Shows

Dear Friend,  Do You Remember Your First Car? A 1964 Ford Galaxie 500 XL. Details: convertible, Pagoda Green, 390 ci V8, automatic transmission, after market Craig floor mounted 8 track player with speakers mounted in the back seats, tires reverse mounted to hide white walls, wire rim hubcaps, dual exhaust with glass pack mufflers, black & white fuzzy dice and many JC Whitney aftermarket parts to jazz it up. She met an untimely death at the hands of a large tree at the end of an icy hill - mom was driving. I miss her (the car - mom is fine). Take a look!

What Makes a Car Show Such an Attraction?  Everybody remembers their first car. And while we might not have had the foresight, money or inclination to hang on to our original beauty, we never the less, enjoy seeing her once again whenever we can. She could have been a hand-me-down from a great aunt or a beater you picked up for a song and nursed back to utility or you might have saved up your hard earned paper route money to by a new gem from the local dealer. No matter, she was yours (or you shared it with a sibling) and she was awesome. More Than A Car She rescued you from having to ride the school bus with the little kids. She got you to and from your after school and summer job. She escorted you and your friends to the lake, ski area, cabin in the woods and bonfires out in who knows where. And, she took you to the drive-in movies - need I say more? Summer is Car Show Season Hopefully you were able to get out to the Swanton Car Show this past weekend - the Swanton Chamber of Commerce put on a great show with around 200 cars filling the park. The Kingman Street Klassic has been reschedule for this coming Saturday, August 1. Then be on the look out for car show dates in the Islands and Alburgh. Don't miss a chance to get out there and re-kindle a relationship with your first love! Just a Reminder Dorey Demers, RiseVT Coordinator, will be our guest speaker at the next Strategies for Success seminar on Thursday, July 30 from 4:00 - 5:30 in the St. Albans Free Library on Maiden Lane. Dorey will be presenting strategies for creating a healthy workplace.  SIGN UP HERE!  Did You Know? Automobile shows officially began in 1900, with the New York Automobile Show and the Boston Automobile Show. The New York City cycle show of 1899 was the first to use the word automobile in its title when it announced its Fourth Annual Cycle and Automobile Exhibition. This exhibition, held in Madison Square Garden in late January of 1900, featured seven electric vehicles, two gasoline-powered vehicles, and a gasoline tricycle. Henry Ford Blog - boy, he invented everything!

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

Dave Southwick

Good Health = Good Business

Dear Friend,  Another Time, Another Place I have been watching the Corporate Wellness Roller-coaster for well over 40 years. When I first entered the field I headed off to academia to earn a doctorate as an Exercise Physiologist while many of my classmates joined the ranks of Corporate America as fitness/wellness coaches. Throughout the 70's, all the big businesses were opening their own wellness programs. In the late 80's I moved to healthcare software world and my colleagues were laid off from their corporate gigs and moved over to the world of HMO wellness. Corporations decided it was a lot cheaper to let the insurance companies pay for wellness than to do it themselves. Since the late 1990's, corporate wellness has been in limbo and it has been every man for himself. Today we have RiseVT.

First, Let Me Tell You A Story  In 1979, my friend and mentor, Larry Gettman, went to work for T. Boone Picken, the multi-millionaire owner of Mess Petroleum in Amarillo, TX. Picken was convinced that good health was good business. He also believed that "good health did not just happen." So, he created a state of the art wellness center and employee fitness program and hired Larry to run it. By 1985, Mesa Petroleum was recognized by The Institute of Aerobic Research (of Kenneth Cooper, MD fame) as the Most Physically Fit Company in America. Mesa had reduced healthcare costs 60% below the national average saving $1.6 million in health care dollars. Sick days dropped precipitously and the medical costs for those employees enrolled in the wellness center were one half of those who did not. Good Health DID equal Good Business! Tell Me More! Mesa Petroleum claimed an ROI of $6 for every $1 spent on wellness. Other companies claimed similar results and many fence sitters joined the movement until corporate wellness became such an important corporate asset that it was used as a major tool for recruiting top employees. Remember photos of CEOs conducting business on treadmills and exercise bikes in downtown Manhattan?  Did I mention RiseVT? Two years ago, representatives from about 30 organizations in Franklin County began early morning meetings at NMC to discuss how we might bring a county-wide health and wellness initiative that would rock the socks off our community. That hard work has morphed into RiseVT - a community focused health and wellness movement targeting individuals, families, schools, companies and entire communities. Yes, that is who you saw in Taylor Park this morning. Just like Mesa Petroleum, you can become a RiseVT certified center of excellence. Good news is that all you have to invest is your time - the RiseVT team will help you do the rest. Where Do I Learn More? So glad you asked. Dorey Demers, RiseVT Coordinator, will be our guest speaker at the next Strategies for Success seminar on Thursday, July 30 from 4:00 - 5:30 in the St. Albans Free Library on Maiden Lane. Dorey (yes, the same Dorey who packed the house to talk about Facebook) will be sharing the RiseVT wellness magic that is springing up all over Franklin County. She will give you the tools you need to bring a healthy environment to your workplace. You do not want to miss this! In fact, I can pretty much guarantee that you will walk out of that room (well probably jog out) jazzed to make a difference in your world and I bet she has things to give away - everybody loved swag!  SIGN UP HERE! I only have room for 30. It is time to RISE VT! (You can put your socks back on.) Did You Know? Francois Henri "Jack" LaLanne (1914-2011) was a fitness, exercise, and nutritional expert who is sometimes called "the godfather of fitness." He described himself as being a "sugarholic" and a "junk food junkie" until he was 15, but "turned his life around" after listening to a public lecture about the benefits of good nutrition. He came to believe that the country's overall health depended on the health of its population, writing that "physical culture and nutrition - is the salvation of America."

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

Dave Southwick

Time To Mix It Up

Dear Friend,  Summertime and the Livin' is Easy Finally, several days in a row without rain - people are smiling again. This is one of those times of year when we can kick back and really enjoy living in Vermont. That's not to say that we don't like other times or that there are times when we don't like it at all, I am simply saying - today is a great day to be in Vermont.

Time to Mix It Up, Part 1  Each year, we look for more ways to make the Chamber of Commerce a true Regional Chamber. Gone are the days where everyone thought the Chamber only cared about<insert any place other than where you are>. We have worked hard to represent all of Franklin County and we work even harder to make sure we bring the Chamber to your town. This week we are headed to Fairfax, VT. On Thursday, July 17th, from 5:30 to 7:30 pm we will be mixing it up with our friends at The Union Bank in Fairfax. Yep, this Thursday we will have a chance to mingle and get to know our colleagues and businesses in Fairfax. It wasn't too long ago that Fairfax had a vibrant business association. This week is a great opportunity to renew those relationships and to let the Chamber hear how we can provide more services in your community. Grab a friend, sign up here and head on out to The Union Bank. See you there. Time to Mix It Up, Part 2 And if that isn't enough, on the following Thursday, July 23rd we will be really mixing it up with a Golf Mixer at the Alburgh CC. We are co-hosting this event with the Lake Champlain Chamber of Commerce. Many of you do business in Alburgh and the rest of the Islands and they do business with you. This is a great opportunity to shake hands with your Island neighbors as well as shake up some new relationships. This mixer has two parts, start out with a bit of golf, if you'd like, and then hang out for a country style BBQ. Great friends, super food, and a majestic view from the front porch make the Alburgh CC a must stop next week. Sign up here. Why All the Mixers? One of the major pillars of the Chamber of Commerce is to create opportunities for members to get to know each other. When a member showcases their business, you get a chance to peek behind the scenes and achieve a better understanding of what exactly makes them tick. In addition, you run into people you might not normally have a chance to chat with during your normal day. But most importantly, everybody enters a mixer with their head up and their hand extended. Time to meet someone new.   Did You Know? Fairfax was chartered on August 18, 1763. Not one of the original proprietors ever made a settlement in the town. The first settler in this town was Capt. Broadstreet Spafford and commenced his settlement in 1783. By 1790 the population of Fairfax had grown to 259 and according to the 2010 census, there were 4,285, give or take!

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

Dave Southwick

Great Thanks

Dear Friend,  We Should All Aspire to Live Such a Life Dr. A. Gould Susslin was honored this past weekend as the Bay Day "Great Race" renamed it's Championship Trophy in his memory. A small token of appreciation for a gentleman who placed family and community at the forefront. These priorities were clearly evident on Sunday as a large number of his family gathered to help the community remember this man's important contributions. Jay Cummings read a tribute to Dr. Susslin that highlighted the many ways in which he enriched this community. A Great Citizen celebrated on a Great Day.

Thank You  My hat goes off to all the participants, sponsors and volunteers who helped make the 36th running of the Great Race a success. Over 300 athletes on 161 teams from 14 states and Canada competed on a beautiful Franklin County day. Volunteers helped weeks in advance to get the course in shape and make sure that everything ran like clock work on race day. Race Directors Jay Cummings and Aaron Reynolds once again showed a calm control of the situation that only comes with years of experience. And Lisamarie Charlesworth is to be credited with much of the heavy lifting that goes on behind the scenes. Check out the FaceBook page to read some of the compliments that are directed at "you," the contribution of many. Franklin County Focus I have had a blast recording our first seven episodes of Franklin County Focus. Three are currently posted and the next four are in production. Elizabeth Malone, the Executive Director of Northwest Access TV, has been a wonderful teacher and mentor as we explore businesses and organizations in our region. Each visit gives us a look into what makes up our local economy. We get an up close interview with key leaders and a look inside that many miss by simply driving by. Our first visits have been centered in Swanton to give us a feel for the issues they face in conjunction with their recent "Community Visit" economic development efforts. We film once a month so if you would like to have us visit your business, give us a call.   Did You Know? "Even the best brands run the risk of becoming old and stale if they are not continually infused with fresh ideas and creativity. Your brand promise, values and personality are the benchmarks by which you'll test decisions for how your company will evolve and grow." Quoted by Chris Vanderzyden in 7 Steps to Entrepreneurial Victory!

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

Dave Southwick