Chamber Challenge 5k Registration Now Open

With spring in full bloom and summer just around the corner, its time again for the annual Chamber Challenge 5k presented by Dixon Hughes. The Chamber Challenge is Asheville's only team based 5k designed for runners, joggers, and walkers of all skill levels. Learn more about the race, register your team, and receive a personal challenge from Chamber President, Rick Lutovsky at ChamberChallenge.org. 

See Jeff Run: Your 5k Training Partner

Need some help getting ready for the 5k?  Follow the Chamber's Public Policy Director, Jeff Joyce, as he prepares for the Chamber Challenge 5k.  Jeff will guide you through every aspect of preparation with entertaining videos, designed to keep you motivated! Follow Jeff's progress on his mission to beat the Chamber President, Rick Lutovsky, in the Chamber Challenge 5k.

Last week for ATHENA and Small Business Leader

of the Year Nominations

Recognition for one’s accomplishments is always gratefully appreciated. Your Chamber seeks to recognize individuals within the membership who have demonstrated significant personal and business success.  We are seeking nominations for two awards programs, the Small Business Leader of the Year and the ATHENA Award. The Small Business Leader recognizes a man or woman who provides outstanding leadership to a local business.  The ATHENA Award recognizes a woman in our membership who personifies the highest level of professional excellence, or a man who has sponsored women in reaching their fullest potential.  Nominations can easily be taken on our website for both the ATHENA and Small Business Leader of the Year awards.

Mega Networking Returns on May 8

The bi-annual Mega Networking event is set for Friday, May 8 at the Crowne Plaza from 8 a.m. - Noon. Come and meet fellow Chamber members in an organized, fun, “speed-networking” kind of way! Registration is limited to one person per company, and five people per industry. The cost to register is $30. Contact Laura Wolf for more information or to register for the event. Thank you to Gold Sponsors Clear Channel Asheville and Nationwide Insurance – McKinney Agency, Silver Sponsor Manpower, and Host Sponsor Crowne Plaza.

Speaking of Speaking - The Importance of Your Elevator Speech

Presentation skills coach Rick Fornoff will share a short yet powerful course on improving your speaking skills, whether talking to an audience of one or one hundred.  You'll walk away with practical tools and techniques to conquer your nervousness, a clearer idea of how to present yourself and your business, and increased confidence as you make a presentation, take the stage, or lead a team. The workshop takes place on April 29 from 9 -11:30 a.m. at the Asheville Merchants Corporation Boardroom in the Chamber Building. Registration for the session is $20 and can be taken online or by phone at 828.258.6116.

This Week on the Chamber Blog

This week on the Chamber Blog you can get to know one of our newest non-profit members, Girls on the Run of WNC.  Girls on the Run's mission is "educating and preparing girls for a lifetime of self-respect and healthy living." Learn more about Girls on the Run and their 5k at blog.ashevillechamber.org.

Hot Tips: How to Harness the Power of Guerilla Marketing

If you find it challenging to find the necessary budget to market your company; this seminar is for you! Coined by Jay Conrad Levinson, guerilla marketing is more about matching wits than matching budgets. Guerilla marketing can be as different from traditional marketing as guerilla warfare is from traditional warfare. Rather than marching their marketing dollars forth like infantry divisions, guerilla marketers snipe away with their marketing resources for maximum impact. Learn how to deploy unconventional techniques in order to get conventional results, with a limited budget. The workshop takes place on May 7 from 9 -11 a.m. at the Asheville Merchants Corporation Boardroom in the Chamber Building. Registration for the session is $20 and can be taken online or by phone at 828.258.6116.

Daniels Group Announces "Will Print for Food" Program

The Daniels Group is working with MANNA FoodBank to do something positive in this time of economic uncertainty. With the help of its employees, vendors, and customers, The Daniels Group launched a campaign and food drive to benefit MANNA FoodBank. For every print job entered in the month of May, the company will contribute 10 cans or packages of food to Manna. Customers have the option of including the sentence, “The printing of this piece helped support MANNA FoodBank” on their printed piece.  Vendors and customers of Daniels Graphics and Daniels Communications are also encouraged to help in the effort by donating food as well.

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