September chamber meeting wrap-up
By Larry Sparks
The Eastern Plains Chamber of Commerce held its Sept. 4 meeting at Grace Community Church in Falcon.
Bill McIntosh of Complete Protection Insurance was the breakfast sponsor. He spoke to the group about his insurance practice and his business model. He and his wife, Kathy, serve the community as an independent insurance brokerage. They use the profits of the agency and their own time to support missionary work.
The main presentation came from Brandon Eldridge of the Small Business Development Center (SBDC). The SBDC is funded, in part, through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration. The SBDC Network is a partnership among the state of Colorado, the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade, the Small Business Administration, Colorado’s institutions of higher education, local economic development organizations and local chambers of commerce.
Brandon led the group with an interactive and engaging style. The educational presentation focused on business planning. The average small-business owner benefits from the SBDC. Brandon shared how the SBDC can assist businesses move from aspiration to legacy. Today, the small business owner needs to be an expert in human resources, marketing, finances and technology. There are tools available through the SBDC that guide the business owner with each of these planning categories.
Brandon discussed the mentoring service available to help business owners with planning their businesses, managing risks, defining the mission and defining the vision. Some of the tools used to guide business owners are SWOT analysis and SMART goal setting.
Brandon is always entertaining and informative. The Eastern Plains Chamber is pleased to bring him in as a presenter because the SBDC offers so much value to our members. This presentation demonstrated the kind of education the Chamber likes to offer its members. Members are encouraged to work with the SBDC in order to maximize production and to realize potential.
The chamber meets on the first Wednesday of each month at Grace Community Church in Falcon. For more information, visit https://www.easternplainschamber.com/.
