The Menifee Valley Chamber of Commerce has been around for over 36 years and could not be stronger. Of those 36 years, I have had the privlidge of serving as a Board of Director for the past 7. In 2008-2009 I served as the Chairman of the Board and learned more about business and more importantly myself than anyone could have imagined.
When Joan Ring came to my office 9 years ago and asked me to join the Chamber I was sharing an office with another insurance agent. He and I split the cost and figured out a way to share all the phone calls waiting to pour into our office. We thought if we were Chamber members, it would be a windfall of opportunity and all we had to do was wait...
The phone didn't ring, no one came in and we would have thought the Chamber of Commerce was a total joke if I didn't venture out to start actually meeting people. I went to the mixers, the lunches, the ribbon cuttings and all the events I could to meet people. Next thing I know, my phone still doesn't ring but I have a box full of business cards I start calling for meetings. I'm setting up appointments, and coffee times and then the business starts actually coming in. My office partner never left his chair, and his business never took off either.
If done right, a person can make a career off the contacts they make through the Chamber of Commerce networks. Notice I said contacts and not clients from the Chamber. The difference is the amount of Care put into the relationship with the people you work along side with in this crazy thing called community. Remember the saying, no one cares what you know until they know how much you care.
Looking back, it was a hard 7 years but they flew by as I matured and my business grew. Thank you to all who voted for me as Business of the Year (4 times) and to those keeping me on the Board. My business and my family thank you for the many memories and the bright future of this Valley.
