The Private Business Owner

An Online Publication by Generational Equity

Top 4 Benefits of Joining a Chamber of Commerce

By

chamber-of-commerce

When you run a business, the multitude of tasks can be overwhelming. There’s strategy to deploy, marketing to implement, clients to manage, sales orders to fulfill and that’s just before lunch! How can a business owner get the most from these long days?

Believe it or not, your local chamber of commerce may be the most valuable professional membership available. After all, this is a group dedicated to economic opportunity and prosperity.

First, identify the right chamber for your company. A small, local printing shop may find it most helpful to join a small suburban chamber while a larger business may get more benefit from aligning with a regional or state chamber. A middle-market company with international sales may look to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce for support.

Once you’ve found the chamber of commerce you think will best help your company, look for the following valuable benefits. [Read more…]

11 Questions to Ask Before Joining a Board

By

This is a guest post by Sara Speer Selber.

board-of-directors-questions-to-ask

Your business and community leadership has been recognized and you’ve been asked to join a corporate or non-profit board of directors. Before you agree, it’s important to conduct the same due diligence you would when buying another company.

After all, your name will be associated with this organization and you want to make sure ethical behavior is its norm. You want to avoid board membership at the helm of a for-profit or non-profit led by self-serving leaders who act recklessly or illegally.

If you are asked to join a corporate or non-profit board, what questions should you ask before saying yes? How do you know if you are joining a board of directors that is behaving in a responsible manner? [Read more…]

Why On-Site Medical Care Is Good For Business

By

on-site-medical-health-clinic-for-businesses

Your assistant has a cough that won’t go away but keeps putting off going to the doctor. Your HR manager needs half a day off to get her annual physical. Another employee wants to check to make sure his new medication is controlling his blood pressure properly.

Each of these scenarios take place in businesses across America every day, and each doctor visit means several hours off work and pricey office visits, maybe even ER visits. That coughing assistant could be infecting others as well as getting sicker herself.

Think on-site health care is too expensive for your mid-sized business? It may be time to change your thinking. Many medium-sized businesses are using on-site wellness programs to differentiate themselves from other employers – and keep their workforce healthier while lowering expenses. [Read more…]