When I left the county tourism office to become the executive director at the Greater Topsail Area Chamber of Commerce & Tourism, a dear friend greeted me with, “Have you lost your mind?”

Nope.

I am still in charge of my faculties.

There’s a general, vague idea that a chamber of commerce is something that businesses join just because.

Chambers of Commerce are membership organizations.

However, they provide important services to the business community which in turn impacts the health of a community.

I liken a chamber of commerce to two things – a three-legged stool and Netflix.

The Greater Topsail Area Chamber of Commerce & Tourism has three legs – membership, advocacy, and economic development. Membership encompasses networking, events, and educational opportunities. Advocacy is the sharing of important information from government, universities, statistics, and being a resource for our businesses when they need government assistance such as emergency relief from FEMA, etc. Economic development is smart growth, providing a new or relocating business with the proper information regarding permitting, zoning, and infrastructure.

All three legs of the stool must be evenly balanced, or a chamber becomes off-kilter.

I also liken chamber membership to Netflix. You can purchase the program and never turn on your streaming device. It provides you with no value.

However, if you tune in, find your favorite programs and binge on what business needs most, its more than entertaining. It’s growth!

If your business is not a member of a chamber of commerce and you’re not tuned in, do so today!

If you are already a member of a chamber of commerce, kudos to you! You are a diamond company that brings value to our community.

For more information about the Greater Topsail Area Chamber of Commerce & Tourism, find us online at topsailchamber.org or by phone at 910-329-4446.