Is Our Chamber of Commerce Obsolete?
October 12, 2009 32 Comments
Frankly, it’s worth asking this of any old-school civic group. If a group is no longer doing what they set out to do, why keep paying into it? Show me the value, and I’ll continue showing you the money.
The first Chamber of commerce was organized in 1768 in New York city. Every chapter across the city like its parent in NY was formed to further the welfare and interests of local businesses and bettering local schools and other community organizations.
No one will argue that these pursuits are anything but noble. As times change though, we need to continually ask ourselves if the way that we go about carrying out a mission is keeping up with the times. If they are not, then the organization itself is hindering those whom they are trying to serve. This post came out of this conversation. This is just our observations. After reading them we would love to hear from you.
These sentiments came from a late night discussion with a few business friends.
Chris Nordyke
I was hanging out with a friend and client recently. We were talking about how business was going, and our conversation settled on chamber stuff. Both of us are members- but we found ourselves asking “why”?. The answers flowed from networking to pr, and meeting space to credibility.
Sadly, we realized that most of those items have been successfully deployed by organic groups around Corvallis. With the rise of social networks, and groups like Young Pros, SpeakerLunch, Beer and Blog, and others, people are finding connection, both professional and personal, for free.
Finally, my friend sheepishly acknowledged, “I guess the only reason I am a member, is because I can use the meeting room for free.” It’s not free of course. It actually cost her more than a couple hundred bucks for the year.
Still a good deal? Maybe. I would actually have to agree with her. Meeting space is hard to come by, and that is a convenient perk. The trouble is, it’s not scalable. Not everyone can enjoy that benefit, because if only half the members used it once during the year, it’d be virtually full, all the time.
So what do I get out of my chamber membership? The greatest benefit I’ve found is the networking. I’ve made some dear friends, many of which are clients now that I first met at Greeters or an Afterhours. These events don’t really require a lot of resources to put on, but the connection is highly valuable to me, and all I have to do is show up.
Over the last year, however, I and many others have found great opportunities for connection at other venues such as Beer and Blog, Young Pros, SpeakerLunch and others, for free. That doesn’t even include all the new spontaneous “tweet-ups” and meetups that go on every day around town. And then there’s the interaction that takes place on blogs and facebook pages. I could go on.
Clearly, the opportunities for networking oneself to the people around us are becoming more and more abundant every single day. Who needs a chamber to call a meeting- call your own and Facebook it.
How does the Corvallis chamber keep from becoming obsolete?
John Bergquist
I am not a member of a chamber of commerce. I do see the worth of new contacts and networking opportunities that the chamber might offer me though. I do think the chamber’s goals in helping business and community are essential. My whole business is built around connecting with others and helping businesses connect with their communities.
So how do I see the mission of the chamber being fulfilled?
Well it is happening outside the chamber’s control. The Communities they serve are going beyond what a program heavy chamber does. Things have changed.
With social networking and the explosion of tools for our community to connect and engage we now are seeing spontaneous, organic community involvement like we have not seen in over 200 hundred years.
I witness every day something remarkable. Business friends and community members see a need or opportunity and take it upon themselves to initiate change. It did not take a new committee or a board’s approval. Usually it only takes a quick phone call (usually now a direct message via twitter or facebook), a bit of collaboration and creativity, and the new thing is born.
This past week I looked over the organizational chart of our local chamber. As I scanned it I instinctively began crossing off duties deemed the responsibility of a chamber staff. These services were in many ways already being offered via the community. Many others could easily be handled by individuals or groups that are passionate about a service.
Chris gives several examples above. If the chamber allowed many of these services to grow organically (which I would argue that they are regardless of the chambers permission) then they could ease the burden of the member dues as well as give the staff time and resources to fulfill their mission better.
Will I become a chamber member? I guess it depends on what changes the chamber is willing to make. Only time will tell.
What do you think?
Whether you’re a chamber member or not, how could the chamber provide value to you? What role could they/should they play?
Chris Nordyke, City Leadership, Community, Popular Posts
I see the chamber as the epicenter of the business community have one voice or at least a majority voice in the community. This is lacking right now. The chamber has A LOT to work on, but also has so much potential. The City Council provides the business community with nothing and I think that is a place the chamber could help. The chamber should be the advocacy group for business in the valley. They should promote groups whether they are part of the chamber or not. You need to show value before you ask for those to pay for it. If not groups will continue to form outside the chamber and make the chamber completely obsolete.
Any Chamber of Commerce automatically carries brand value as a community advocacy group. That brand value can be leveraged to create, promote, rally and unify a community.
No brand is timeless or absolute. OK, except for Elvis.
Any brand can have both negative and positive value.
Seems like you are loading a lot on to Social Media. Can it handle it? What if the people you want to talk to aren’t on Twitter or Facebook?
What makes a local group valuable? Why is Beer & Blog valuable vs. an SAO Tech Pub? Is it who is there? The fact that its free? Topics? Speakers?
Would you join Beer & Blog if there was a membership fee?
Jason, I am just noticing how people that were not coming together in the past, are now through those tools. For me anything that creates community is good. Also I have seen many people that don’t even use email, benefiting from the events created organically. It is not social media, but a movement I am seeing all over, of people re-engaging with each other. I think social media is just a result of that.
I am still chewing on the pay for membership question you posed.
I’m fairly ignorant of my Chamber. I live in Woodland Park, CO, a town of 10,000 up in the mountains outside of Colorado Springs. It’s a pass through for folks going skiing and heading to do all the Rockies offers. The town should be home to the outdoor gear rentals and restaurants and unique services that cater to the outdoor focused community and the thousand’s passing through for outdoor activities each week. Wouldn’t be hard to make it THE place folks wait to come to during their trips. And the place the locals never want to leave.
But alas…this hasn’t happened. It has regular, run of the mill businesses. Pretty frequent turnover. People see the amount of tourists and vibrant community and follow the ‘build it and they will come’ mentality. Even though they give no compelling reason other than that they are…just there.
I know chamber members. The banker, the auto parts owner, the realtor, etc… And folks hoping to ‘network’ and meet somebody who will help result in finding new customers. Sounds pretty self-focused.
They’d be better off to pool their money and hire a branding expert, some social media pros…and join the new world.
I’m not motivated to join and try to change the chamber. So much easier, if I want to really address it, to use the online tools and communication we have at our fingertips to do it outside of an old model.
Chris, Matt and Loyan: Do you know what the mission and vision and values and goals and objectives of the Chamber are? If so, and you agree that what the organization is all about is of value to you and your business, you should be a member, get involved, lend your time, talent, give of your mind and muscle as well as your money to advance the organization’s agenda. Do you think the staff and the board and the volunteers at the Chamber are practicing what is preached (on paper)? If not, you should ask them why not? If you think there are things not being done that should be (and the opposite), it would be most purposeful if you worked within the organization to make the changes you believe are needed to make the answer to the question you posed a resounding “No!”
Curt,
Thanks for your commenting and being a part of a public conversation where others can weigh in and give their perspective.
I agree with much of the chamber’s mission and objectives, but find that like many organizations, the chamber has fallen victim to process and bureaucracy.
It now spends more time on planning and reporting than relationship-building and promoting. I have seen the chamber marketing plan- it’s good, but execution will require a shift in culture, from the top down (board to staff).
I also think that for necessary change to come to the chamber, it will require a streamlining of goals and objectives, or better stated, a “paring down”. We have a master plan that is far too broad for any team of the chamber’s size to execute well.
I’ve brought this to board leadership’s attention, and to date, it’s not be addressed at a board meeting. (Although it was touched on briefly at the last- I am optimistic, but not holding my breath)
I am engaged and committed to trying to create positive change that benefits Corvallis. I’ve agreed to step in and work on the membership services committee as a part of that.
So long as the board demonstrates commitment and extends support, I’ll rally with others to try to make some good changes within the chamber.
However, if the chamber can’t re-invent itself in a dramatic fashion, it won’t be long before something else addresses the needs of the business community more effectively.
I prefer to work within the existing framework of the chamber, regardless of how tarnished the brand is. That may prove to be naive, but I hope not.
More candid exchanges like these can only prove beneficial though. Thanks for taking part in WLC.
Hey, I’m all in on social media. I love it and the tons of new friends and connections I’ve made. But I also know that lots of people are resistant to SM. I’ll be doing my best to get people on the bus.
I’m also helping with many local groups: CDNUG, SAO, WIN09, and Ignite. And, yes, I like and attend Beer & Blog and BarCamp. I love the free model. But I also know that putting on events is time consuming and can lead to burnout. It’s easier when someone is paid to help out. Does that mean membership? Maybe. Someone is paying. In free organizations, it’s probably the leaders/organizers (in time at least).
Anyways, I’m really asking the questions above because I want to know as someone who tries to put on great events and have exciting groups, what makes people in Corvallis go to these things? Why get out of the house? What makes you take the leap and get involved and actually help out? Maybe that’s time or money (sponsorship / membership).
Curtis, thank you for joining the discussion here. I personally cannot say I know the missions of the Chamber and of the many other business and community advocacy groups in Corvallis.
WeLoveCorvallis.com is part of my effort to improve the level of understanding for myself and others who share my position of partial ignorance and worse, misunderstanding.
This is why I am so excited to see you and others sharing your perspective here. By understanding others I hope to gain a greater understanding for myself. It is important to me that our city leaders feel the same way.
I think the value of a tool should never exceed the value of the task which tool is meant for.
The chamber’s mission is to serve, grow, retain and recruit businesses in Corvallis and Benton County.
The vision is:The Corvallis Benton Chamber Coalition is a catalyst for creating a thriving economic base enabled by education, research,entrepreneurship, manufacturing and supporting our retail sector,
resulting in a great place to live and work.
CBCC’s mission and vision are important.
A strong economic base is the engine that drives the ability to support the quality of life that Corvallis and Benton County citizens value and enjoy. As HP and other employers have reduced workforce over the past 7 years, it has been important to nurture a culture and community where fledgling businesses can grow to replace some of the living wage with benefits jobs. Hundreds of businesses come to the Chamber coalition each month to see advice and services for a myriad of needs.
Corvallis also needs to enable existing businesses to be able to grow and relocate within the county as their needs for space grow. We’ve been losing too many start ups to other locations because of the many barriers that are in place. The chamber coalition is the major voice trying to find the balance in the planning and permiting space, working with the planning commissions, city, county and others to enable responsible development for growing businesses consistent with the city’s and county’s vision.
How do we support such services that are for the community on behalf of the greater good if membership is obsolete?
When and how do we as citizens decide to give back to our community in ways that help citizens become self-sufficient and economically independent. As Oregonians, we show a remarkable compassion to give and become members for social services, but we don’t invest equally, either publically or privately in economic vitality. I believe in that old adage, if you give a man a fish he’ll eat for a day, if you teach him to fish, he’ll eat for a lifetime. So if we have $200 to spend in our community, should we spend it on teaching a woman to run her own business or a man to grow more jobs in the local area, or supporting local businesses, or should we spend it on Linn-Benton Food share. The former is an investment in the future of this town, and the latter is an investment in the past. That’s why I spend my time and membership in the Chamber coalition.
I’ve been on the board of the chamber coalition for 4 years, and came to it from the Economic Development Partnership board.
I’ll do another post later on why we changed the name from Chamber of Commerce (which we are NOT) to the Corvallis-Benton Chamber Coalition. also to note, we are not members of the US chamber, and have not been at any time during my tenure here.
Katherine,
I’m thrilled that chamber board members are beginning to congregate here. Thanks for the post Katherine.
No one can question that Corvallis has a large number of dedicated volunteers and the chamber is no exception. I count you as one of the most engaged and valuable of the bunch.
It must be said though, there’s a difference between an organization understanding it’s vision and mission, and executing on it. Every business (including mine) struggles to execute day in and day out.
You yourself commented you were concerned that the chamber was bogged down by bureaucracy and reporting. (I paraphrase) This has become over the last several years a huge disservice to members.
The board and volunteers share in the blame. (Including me) We’ve all been lulled to sleep at various committee meetings recycling the same conversations/agendas and working toward the same yet-to-be-realized proposed outcomes.
I don’t think the membership model is dead, I think the value proposition is changing much faster than we are (the chamber).
I also don’t have all the answers. That is part of why we started WLC, to get vibrant, candid conversations started.
Let’s keep wrestling through this. It’s just as uncomfortable for me as it may be for others. For the sake of Corvallis though…
Kathleen: Not to stray too far from the topic, but if the Chamber Coalition sees our community losing start-ups to other locations because of (planning and permitting) barriers, there exists within the Prosperity That Fits (PTF) plan at least two action items – with the Chamber Coalition as lead partner, and active committee participants – to address just such problems: PTF #1.1 – Development Resources &Resolutions Team (DR2) and PTF #14.1 – Blue Ribbon Panel. Lyle Hutchens, one of your fellow Chamber Coalition board members, chairs the Blue Ribbon Panel committee, which the DR2 Team also reports to. He’s the man to see about helping start-ups succeed here, rather than going elsewhere to pursue success.
Come to think of it, the foregoing isn’t really that far off-topic. Because it’s about what the Chamber Coalition does (in concert with every other entity involved in the PTF plan) to make the quality of life better here, by making it good for businesses here. That’s something no single business can do alone. It’s part of why every business needs the Chamber. Because having a single organization within which all businesses come together, work together, is how to get things done, for the good of business, and that’s good for the community. One more reason the Chamber isn’t obsolete, but rather, is vitally important.
Hi everyone,
I am a Chamber member and in a previous life was the Board Chair. I hope I can add something to this conversation, although I may be too opinionated.
I’ll try to be concise here. If you are interested in having me expand on any of these points, let me know, but I don’t want to bore you. That said here are my three top issues:
1. Too many business organizations in town. The City has consistently said “the business community does not speak with one voice.” That’s true. How can we if we have multiple organizations that have different goals and don’t talk to each other on issues?
2. The Chamber (and many, many other organizations) are volunteer driven. Some volunteers are committed and engaged. Some are not. Regardless, volunteers turn over. That can give staff more power than the Board to drive policy. Some organizations I’ve been part of weren’t even aware that was happening and needed to make corrections.
3. Chambers by their nature are small business focused. That’s not a bad thing, but the Chamber dues structure doesn’t give them financial security only with support of small businesses. They need large businesses to keep the budget up, but they don’t provide services or service to large businesses. It’’s a tough spot to be in.
There are a lot of other things about Chambers that I have learned over the years, but I want to be part of the conversation, not be one of those annoying posters who try to dominate it. (Wait, I think I already have…. sorry!)
Cheers,
Marcy
(Go Beavs!)
Curtis, I so appreciate your perspective because you are dead on. You are right when you say:
” Because having a single organization within which all businesses come together, work together, is how to get things done, for the good of business, and that’s good for the community”
Unfortunately we have at least four organizations that represent business interests in Corvallis, so we appear disjointed. I would applaud an effort to bring all organizations into the “coalition” so we could discuss issues of common interest and not be divisive.
The issue for any organization or company not wishing to become obsolete is to keep growing, improving, changing – finding more ways to better satisfy existing members/customers, finding new ways to better interest prospects and convert more of them to involved members/engaged customers.
What is it members/customers want that we’re not giving them? (Wants are stronger than needs.) What is it that prospects want that they don’ t feel we can give them? (Feelings are more powerful than thoughts.)
The organization or company needs statistically valid, objectively-fielded research with past and present members/customers and prospects to quantify perceptions and the decisions they lead to. The organization or company needs professionally conducted focus groups with multiple subsets of past/present/prospects to attempt to understand the emotions driving the perceptions – especially if those of us on this side of the one-way mirror feel they are misperceptions. (For all of us, perceptions are reality.)
If the organization or company needs members/customers in order to succeed, it needs to be customer-driven, customer-focused, customer-centric. Or it might just become obsolete.
Marcy: Thank you. Why are there multiple, fractured business organizations here?
My understanding may not be correct, but I understand that, at one time, the Chamber was the one organization for all businesses here, the unified voice on behalf of business before city, county and state governments, and before professional, social, fraternal and neighborhood organizations.
If that was true, and now is clearly no longer so, I would hazard a guess that individuals of a certain mind, groups of a common interest, felt their wants weren’t being met by the Chamber staff and/or board, so they split off to focus 100% on what they perceive is most important to businesses such as theirs.
Until the perceptions held by the leaders and members of those other business organizations change about what they feel is most important and what they believe the Chamber can’t/won’t do for them, I can’t imagine all of these groups (re)joining together.
But if there is a common cause great enough, larger than any one of the organizations, but crucial to all of them, I believe they could join together – unite for that good fight.
What’s worth every business fighting for? I can think of a few things: Elected representatives and government staff who have a better understanding of business and the vital role it plays in the quality of life for everyone in this community. Ditto for those educating our children ages K-Postgrad. And for those in the media. And for every resident of the community.
All it would take to get started would be for the board chair of one of the organizations to call her or his counterparts at the other organizations and all agree to meet over coffee, tea, milk, water, beer, wine, or hard licker and begin talking with one another about their organization’s common challenges and shared opportunities.
Curtis,
You are correct about the spin off organizations doing so because they felt their needs were not met by the Chamber — at least that is why CIBA exists. The small businesses were upsset because the Chamber took a position in favor of Home Depot coming to Corvallis, so they split off from the Chamber.
I don’t know why the DCA was put in place, but I do find it interesting that the financial support the the organization is a “voluntary” tax asssessment of downtown businesses. In the past when too many businesses opted out, the area that was assessed was expanded. How does the City of Corvallis play into this, since they assess the tax? I have always wondered.
The business community does need to come together to develop common goals. I have been a proponent of this for years. Even if the only thing we can agree on is that Corvallis is a good place to do business (is it?) we should rally behind that.
We also need to quit talking and start doing. We spend way too much time in discussion in this town!
Marcy: Speaking of discussing, isn’t that what this bolg has us now doing yet more of? :-)
Yeah, yeah, yeah. But at least it’s a different medium!
Nice to have more discussion on a new media format. It took me awhile to read all 20 comments and of course I agree with most of them and all of you.
I am a Chamber Member. I value what the chamber does for our business community and think the staff does a heck of a job without sufficient resources and little ways to get additional funds. I have volunteered my time and what little talent I have to the economic development effort and consider the chamber’s role to be key and important. Jon Nelson’s efforts to get the major economic development organizations working towards common goals via the Economic Vitality Partnership several years back was a good start. The Vision 2020 plan was a good effort. The Prosperity That Fits Plan is a good document. The Corvallis Sustainability Coalition is a vital group. As has already been said, “all of us working together can made a difference.” It just makes sense to collaborate and build our consensus and priorities. Thanks to all of you for making Corvallis such a great place to live and raise kids and grandkids. Someone recently advocated two goals….can we all support these? Corvallis needs to be a place for young families to thrive and a place were high growth companies can get started….I may not have gotten the wording quite right but along those lines….They seem simple but I doubt if everyone would agree to support them…would the Chamber?
This question has generated a lot of interesting responses. I’d like to add that, in my observation, the Chamber is doing a pretty good job, warts and all. This is no time for the business community to show a lack of unity. Frankly, there’s room for improvement with all the ED partners. But why would focus on that? If you have concerns about an organization’s effort, don’t gripe behind their backs, pick up the phone. With the business licence debacle, urban renewal failure and the economy in the tank we’ve already got enough of an uphill climb. Something productive to do would be to get together and start a lobbying effort for support from your City Council. I think what often appears as Council inattention to economic development concerns stems mostly from a lack of understanding and not opposition. I guess that’s my two cents. Thanks for the site!
Mark,
Thanks for your comment.
Do you mind elaborating a bit about your observations of the chamber? What do you feel the chamber is doing a “pretty good” job of? and what are the “warts and all” in your opinion.
I ask this with genuine interest, as I’m currently serving as the chair for the chamber’s membership services committee. I want to know what we’re doing well, and not so much. I have my opinions, but they’re only worth so much.
Chris
I can express my own perception that there are several disjointed organizations tasked with business advocacy and/or economic development within Corvallis. I believe they exist in a naturally competitive situation because they receive funding from common and finite sources and overlap in purpose and objectives.
I will confess that these perceptions are based on my limited knowledge and understanding. I would welcome any insight.
I serve on the Council sub-committee charged with allocating transient occupancy tax dollars to economic development groups in the city. We also review those groups to ensure that they are using those dollars effectively. So I suppose I have a fairly good vantage point. I wouldn’t read too much into the phrase “pretty good”. Each of the tax fund supported programs is succeeding in their own way and is an important piece of the puzzle. I don’t think this is a good forum to re-air old news. In other words, you’re probably already aware of the “warts” and most of them are probably unsubstantiated and based on misunderstandings. I think it’s worth noting that parts of what the Chamber has taken on are tasks no one else has been willing or able to assume. And, conversely, other partners like the BEC are uniquely qualified to fulfill their missions.
To specifically address your question about what the Chamber is doing well several items come to mind. Consistent and effective lobbying of City Council on local ED matters, i.e.; business license, Land Use Application Fees, Economic Development Policy, the Willamette Angel Conference, fostering T.Gerding and Natural Point Sustainable EZ applications, co presentation of Willamette Innovators Night and quite significantly… development of new reporting capability able to quantify start up/retention/expansion results due to substantive interaction between businesses and the Chamber.
Honestly I’m a big fan of all of the ED partners in the City and it’s not my place to criticize. If somebody wants to do an ego trip and stir up a mess or start a turf war I think that’s a shame. We don’t need that right now. We may have different ideas about how to get where were going but that by no means justifies attacking the other guy to get ahead. Incidentally, I could list great things about CIBA, DCA, BEC, ONS, and WNHS too. There’s nothing wrong with holding folks accountable but you’ve got to have a little faith in them as well.
Good points Mark. Thanks for serving on the city council and bringing a business background to the council. I am not sure about a “lobbying effort to the city council”, what would that look like? I am not saying it is not a good idea just not something that I have participated in before or even heard of here in the city. Maybe there is something else for city staff to consider taking on, an article or training session on how do get things done in Corvallis. Lobbying….who would have “thunk it”! Hmmmmmmmmm.
Ok, ya got me Bill. Lobbying is probably to fancy a word for what I had in mind. Something I’ve noted during my Council term is that there’s a big part of the population that is simply stupefied by the prospect of engaging in the civic dialogue or the City for that matter. I think that spills over to the business community too. Maybe it seems too complicated, time consuming or just plain frustrating. I’m not sure but it was my personal frustration dealing with the Council that prompted me to run for office in the first place. It seems like the Council often runs more like a tram then a taxi. You know, just going along with the program. It’s tough to break old habits. If we business persons would come together and express our aspirations and frustrations openly and often I think you’d start to see a positive change in culture of the Council. That’s why I find the occasional divisions among the partners so dispiriting. We got to get business folks actively engaged with the Council on a regular basis and running for office too. Mysty, Joan and Kathleen can’t do it by themselves. And I think your idea for a “how to” manual is a very good thought.
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I had a good meeting with Mysty Rusk, the president of the Chamber Coalition. She makes a good point, and in the interest of full disclosure, I want to clarify some things.
In John and I’s post, we both point at good examples of community building that has added value- Young Pros, SpeakerLunch, and Beer and Blog.
It’s worth disclosing that I am currently the president of Young Pros (merely a title) and also one of the founding board members. I’m proud of what Rebecca Badger and the rest of us created almost 3 years ago.
I am also the founder of SpeakerLunch, an executive and entrepreneurs forum that has been in hibernation for the last few months.
I don’t have any organizing role in Beer and Blog- I’m merely a semi-regular and enthusiastic participant.
I don’t believe this changes the validity of any of my earlier assertions, but hopefully it exposes any personal motivation for my comments.
Is the inference that Chris is challenging the value of the Chamber to promote Young Pros and SpeakerLunch?
Should we point out that YoungPros and SpeakerLunch have no mechanisms to generate revenue? What I’m saying is, what does Chris have to gain?
How do you help an organization succeed when most people helping don’t have a vested interest in their organization’s success and have very little involvement in membership gatherings?
Wow, is this a town that loves to discuss or what?!?
I’ve found Chamber networking events and workshops to be valuable and know I could know more about the other biz advocacy that goes one. Feels like they spend a lot of time and energy organizing events and being the Director of an event that was cut loose from the Chamber because they wanted to be less event oriented sometimes makes me smile.
Feel that all the local biz groups have merit for what they do and advocate for. Each of us have our own passions and gravitate toward the groups to which we want to give more of our time. I don’t think one group rolling everyone together would work if the passion was lost in the shuffle. Sustainability of Corvallis itself is a good but lofty goal so hopefully even as separate groups we can all play together nicely and not let the $$ grubbing get in our way.