businesses, through collaboration, partner-
ships and the leveraging of resources to pro-
vide an inventory of services, and to facilitate
access to capital, exporting and programming
opportunities.
Co-chaired by UCCCC Board Members, Bill
Stockley, owner of Fast Signs and Eloy Salazar,
owner of Salazar Investments, and assisted by
Dr. Gilda E. Ramirez, Vice President for Small
Business and Education for the United Corpus
Christi Chamber of Commerce, the committee
is charged with surveying small business own-
ers, and will produce a small business needs
assessment, develop & maintain an invento-
ry of resources, services and promote small
business purchasing events in the community.
#SHOPSMALL, #DINESMALL
Goals for the Council, through its collabora-
tion with small business agencies and cham-
ber member banks and micro-lenders, are to (1)
develop a pipeline between financial resourc-
es and small businesses, (2) facilitate financial
education opportunities for small businesses,
(3) address cultural issues that form barriers
to business growth, (4) help small businesses
to scale up business activity through mentor-
ing, networking, social media, online and small
business resources, and (5) to encourage small
business owners to fully utilize chamber ser-
vices to promote sales and marketing.
As chamber members, small business owners
and their employees are encouraged to max-
imize the return on their membership invest-
ment by being active participants and utilizing
the chamber’s online services and networking
events. Making time to attend Chamber 101, the
orientation session that is scheduled monthly
for both new and current members is strongly
encouraged. More than ever, it’s important for
businesses to show up in the critical moments
when potential customers search for answers,
products, and services they need online.
Chamber 101 will guide members on how to ac-
cess and navigate the Chamber’s website, log-
in and use member-only tools, including how to
post jobs, events and hot deals, how to update
company listings in the directory and much
more. The basics of connecting with custom-
ers online, including reaching local customers
and member-to-member opportunities, search
engine optimization tips to help get your web-
site to be found, an introduction to online ad-
vertising on the chamber’s site and linking your
website and social media pages will maximize
members’ business online presence. Addition-
ally, attendees of Chamber 101 will get an intro-
duction to events that will help grow business,
learn about marketing opportunities, receive
information about how to get involved with
committees that give businesses a seat at the
table and many other "chamber solutions" that
business members should be exploring. Every
employee of Chamber businesses are wel-
come to attend!
Chamber members interested in participat-
ing in the Small, Diverse & Emerging Business
Council should contact Dr. Gilda E. Ramirez,
by email at gilda@unitedcorpuschristichamber.
com or by phone at 361-881-1800.
BUSINESS MATTERS
MAY 2017
20