Your Chamber at Work - December 10, 2019

FROM THE KC CHAMBER'S PRESIDENT AND CEO

Thinking about growing your business? With 95 percent of consumers living outside the borders of the U.S., why not consider expanding to other markets? (And if you’ve got a website, you’re already a global business, as many of our members have found.)

The Chamber’s World Trade Center Kansas City can help. As one of a network of 330 World Trade Centers around the globe, our staff can easily connect you with resources and contacts in those markets. And our Export Concierge services can help you navigate the ins and outs of international trade – through education, development of export business plans, research into potential markets, resolution of export issues (like customs problems), and connections with foreign distributors and freight forwarders. One of our WTC businesses saved millions thanks to linking up with a new distributor.

Our WTC also offers educational opportunities. Yesterday (Monday) for example, we held a session on export opportunities in Europe, Germany, Israel, and the United Arab Emirates. And on Thursday, December 19, we’ll share export opportunities in China, Japan, and Korea. (If you’re interested, click here to register.) The WTC holds similar sessions throughout the year.

Going global can offer your company wonderful new opportunities – and our World Trade Center can help you on that journey. For more information, visit them on our website.

TAKE THE KANSAS CITY WORKPLACE MENTAL HEALTH ASSESSMENT

Healthy KC wants to help your business support your employees’ mental health. We invite you to take our new mental health assessment right here. Created with our partners at the American Psychiatric Foundation’s Center for Workplace Mental Health, Mental Health America, and One Mind at Work, the goal is to help businesses and organizations across Greater KC provide the best mental health resources for their employees. Once you take the survey, you’ll receive action steps on how to strengthen your current resources and add even more. This survey is ideal for workplaces of all sizes. A full report on the assessment will be available at our Healthy KC Breakfast coming up in March.

SMALL BUSINESS OF THE YEAR APPLICATIONS ARE COMING

Small business owners will want to keep an eye on their inbox and mailbox to find out if they’ve been nominated for the 2020 Small Business of the Year. The Chamber will be sending notifications through regular mail and email to notify nominees and make sure they have all the information they need for the next step. That includes the award application, and two upcoming workshops next month featuring past Top 10 Small Businesses to help nominees build a better application. The Chamber’s Small Business Celebration is one of the largest in the country. Nominees will have until early February to submit their applications. Stay tuned! For more information on the Small Business Celebration, click here.

NEIGHBORHOOD NETWORKING: FIRE HOUSE EVENT HALL

Join us for the next Neighborhood Networking at The Fire House Event Hall on Friday, December 13 from 8:30 to 10 a.m., 4518 Troost. This new Chamber member is an old fire house, fully restored to a 150-capacity event space with high ceilings, original windows, a restored original floor, and full bar area with an antique crystal chandelier. Celebrate the end of the year with hot coffee, new connections, and a tour of this great event space. Neighborhood Networking is free for Chamber members and just $15 for non-members. Register here. Thanks to the Chamber’s 2019 networking sponsors: Mazuma, SS&C, and Sprint. Special thanks to Neighborhood Networking sponsors Andrews McMeel Universal and Spectrum Reach.

URBAN NEIGHBORHOOD INITIATIVE RECEIVES $1.5 MILLION FROM H&R BLOCK

The Urban Neighborhood Initiative received $1.5 million as part of their partnership with H&R Block’s Make Every Block Better community impact platform. UNI will use that money to host community-building events to help create meaningful connections among neighbors. Through those same connections, UNI Block Connectors and a community engagement specialist will identify and help residents use the funding to make minor home repairs in the 10 neighborhoods that UNI supports. The Urban Neighborhood Initiative evolved from one of the Chamber’s Big 5 initiatives into its own independent organization. Its mission is to break the intergenerational cycle of poverty by helping to build healthy neighborhoods that enable all children and families to succeed and thrive. To learn more about the UNI, click here.

PUBLIC POLICY GEARS UP FOR 2020 LEGISLATIVE SESSIONS

KC Chamber staff has been working to prepare for the 2020 Missouri and Kansas legislative sessions. Over the past few weeks, Chamber staff and lobbyists have met with legislators from both Missouri and Kansas to discuss key Chamber priorities heading into the 2020 sessions. Additionally, staff met in St. Louis with the St. Louis and Springfield Chambers, Missouri State Chamber and several Missouri business leaders to discuss advocacy strategies and on common issues for the 2020 General Assembly Session and anticipated candidates in 2020 state legislative races. Chamber staff and members of the Chamber Kansas State Affairs Committee participated in a legislative issues event and political pundits panel in collaboration with the Overland Park Chamber of Commerce to help identify hot button issues and key political leaders for the 2020 Kansas legislative session. The KC Chamber looks forward to advocating on issues that will continue to make Kansas City a thriving region and economic driver for both states.