Business Connection Vol 9 | Issue 1 by Chamber Business Connection

Grove City Area Chamber

BUSINESS CONNECTION VOL.9, ISSUE 1

How to Build an Internship Program Meet Caroline Shroyer: Your Community Realtor Revitalizing Your Marketing Strategy for 2024

GCCHAMBER.ORG

IN THIS ISSUE: Member Spotlight

New Ribbon Cutting & Event Guide

Our Members Say--New Section!

Establish an Intern Program

Marketing Tips for 2024

Safeguard Your Data in 2024

CITY DEMOGRAPHICS Population: 42,757* Median Age: 40.1 Population Over 18: 79.5% Population Over 65: 17.7% Number of Households: 18,469* Median Home Value: $244,151 Average Income Per Household: $111,247 Nearest Intermodal Facility: Rickenbacker International Airport (LCK) and Norfolk Southern Rickenbacker Intermodal

Annual Meeting & Awards Celebration Photos and Stories

Meet Caroline Shroyer

Foundation News

CHAMBER DESK 5

Letter from the Director Encouraging note from Director, Shawn Conrad.

Member Anniversaries Welcome new and celebrate current members.

Want to learn more about the demographics of Grove City? Visit our resources online

*Population and number of households data is published by MORPC. The remainder of the demographics are estimates provided by Esri. Please note that all of these figures are 2022 estimates, as this is the most recent estimate published by MORPC.

CHAMBER BUSINESS CONNECTION DEC 2023 | 3

HERE FOR GROVE CITY’S BEST HEALTH

Grove City Methodist Hospital (Located behind Target)

Jackson Pike

270

To learn more about the ways OhioHealth cares for Grove City,

Target

Stringtown Rd Parkway Centre Dr

visit OhioHealth.com/GroveCity.

Buckeye Pkwy

The OhioHealth Grove City Methodist Hospital campus includes 24/7 emergency care, heart and vascular care, and primary care from OhioHealth Physician Group. It’s just another way we’re bringing your best health within reach.

YOUR CHAMBER Chamber Business Connections is published bi-monthly by the Grove City Area Chamber of Commerce with revenue from member dues, advertising, and sponsorship. All rights reserved. Reproduction of the whole or any part of the content in this publication, by any method or purpose whatsoever, without written permission from the publisher is strictly prohibited. Only chamber members can advertise in Chamber Business Connection. To plan advertising contact the chamber.

Your Board Katie Antry Fleming Board Chair Chris Moscato Immediate Past Chair Mellissa Forte Board Chair Elect Greg Dawkins GC Chamber Foundation President

Ed Fleming Board Member Nikki Fleming Board Member Lenny Frazzitta Board Member Cathy Frederick Board Member Brittany Hannigan Board Member

Nick Connaughton Chair of Finance

Amanda McCullouch Board Member

Jeffrey Buskirk Chair of Government Relations

Brenda Newman Board Member Carol Riffle Board Member Andrea Ruede Board Member

Staff

Letter from the Director ‘BUILDING OUR FUTURE TOGETHER’ The GCACC Board, staff, multiple Focus Groups, industry experts, and advisors spent most of 2023 listening to our members, researching, exploring, planning, and developing our Strategic Plan – the document that will guide us into our future, and will ‘Futureproof’ Chamber and Community leaders for years to come. Be sure to visit our website, follow us on Social Media, and read our EMagazine, Newsletter, and business newspaper to keep informed, and to learn about the ways you can get involved in building the future of our Chamber and our Community. On behalf of the Board, staff, and 750 members of the GCACC, CONGRATULATIONS to our 2023 award winners: Business of the Year - TOSOH Best Place to Work – Small -Stepping Stone Child Care Best Place to Work – Large - TOSOH Heartland Bank Heart of the Chamber -Creative Mobile Interiors Spirit of the Chamber – Izzy Benjamin Ambassador of the Year – Lenny Frazzitta Our first-ever Lifetime Achievement Award goes to our very own Marilyn Reiner. For over 20 years Marilyn has served the GCACC and the City of Grove City and we couldn’t be more honored to present her with this very special award – we love and appreciate you, Marilyn!!! Read more about all our award winners in our Annual Program Meeting Guide, in our February edition of Chamber Business Connection, and in our business newspaper, Grove City Living, and make it a point to stop by these amazing member businesses and say congratulations!

-Shawn

President / CEO Shawn Conrad Events Manager Marilyn Reiner Events Operations and Marketing Heather Brokaw Member Services and Marketing Kaziah Conrad

The Chamber Business Connection is published by Katbro LTD

CHAMBER BUSINESS CONNECTION JAN 2024 | 5

Celebrating Anniversaries

RECOGNIZING MEMBERS

1 YEAR:

10 YEARS:

Abundant You Chiropractic & Wellness Whole Health Chiropractic Sunny Fund N A Inc Cardinal Health Government Relations The Release—Muscle Rehab The Art of Skin Esthetics Academy

Grove City Elks Lodge #37

5 YEARS:

Parkway Village Apartments

Jeffrey Tadlock Photography

Recio Supply Co.

Abram Contractors

Nippon Express USA

King's Kids Day Care Trish Z Fitness-Healthy Lifestyle Coaching

15 YEARS: Firestone Complete Auto Care

Subway Ohio Facility Maintenance Hesson Plumbing Baskets n Boughs Corporate and Specialty Gift Baskets Faith Community Church of God Franklin University Chuck's Septic Tank, Sewer & Drain Cleaning

WELCOME NEW MEMBERS Skyward Contracting Incorporated Pathways Financial Credit Union NovoPrint USA, Inc. Capitol Fence Chris Cline Midwest Aerial Photography Roofs by Warren 3C Highway Band "A Musical Road" PC Geeks Goldman Sachs 10,000 Businesses at Columbus State Community College N3-Energy 6 | CHAMBER BUSINESS CONNECTION JAN 2024

Attention new Chamber members! Don’t forget that your GCACC membership includes one free half-page ad for this publication, the Chamber Business Connection, so don’t miss out on running your ad in one of the upcoming 2024 issues. Ads due on the 15th of the month prior to publication. Issues publish in even-numbered months. All ads can be submitted digitally via email to Heather, heather@gcchamber.org Need an ad? E-magazine creative team KatBro can lend a hand contact content@katbroconsulting.com The Chamber online calendar: https://business.gcchamber.org/events/calendar

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT

MIDWEST AERIAL

GROVE CITY ELKS LODGE #37

THE RELEASE—MUSCLE REHAB

With “more than meets the eye”, Midwest Aerial has been providing quality aerial imagery and photography since 1989. They put priority on safety and reliability as their staff makes it their mission to deliver high-quality products and to have quick turnaround times after the image-collecting flight. In addition to aerial photography, Midwest Aerial’s services can also be used to develop a variety of maps used for infrastructure and engineering plans.

The Grove City Elks Lodge #37 is celebrating 10 years as a Chamber member, and many more years as part of the Grove City community. Elks Lodge #37 is an active group with frequent events, community outreach activities, and regularly welcomes in new members. The Lodge is open to visitors and potential members can get to know the organization by visiting, with meetings the second and fourth Mondays at 7pm.

The Release—Muscle Rehab offers clinical massage therapy close to home here in Grove City and in a relaxing setting. Licensed massage therapists on their team use medical massage techniques with the goal of clients leaving feeling better than when they walked in. Massages are tailored to a client’s unique needs and requests, so instead of selecting from a menu clients simply book a block of time.

7535 West Broad, Galloway 614-853-2902 midwestaerial.us/

2140 Sonora Drive, Grove City 614-875-2375

3796 Broadway, Grove City 614-407-5303 release614.com/

facebook.com/ColumbusGrovecityElksBpoe37

CHAMBER BUSINESS CONNECTION JAN 2024 | 7

NON-PROFIT SPOTLIGHT Giving back and working in the community isn’t just a ‘thing’ but more of a culture for Caroline Shroyer and her Keller Williams Consultants Realty team (The Shroyer Group). Caroline shared the following with us about building up such a culture in the workplace: For business owners wanting to build or broaden their volunteerism I'd say to remember that the workplace is not just a building; it's a part of a broader community. By giving back, they strengthen not only their company culture but also the community they are a part of. Celebrate the joy of giving back as much as they celebrate their business milestones. It's not just about financial gains; it's the positive impact we leave on the world. Don't waste time thinking about it, just jump in with both feet and then watch their culture change. Ready to “jump in with both feet”? Below are five of our non-profit members who would love to have you and your team get involved in 2024! Grove City Community Club: www.grovecitycommunityclub.org or 614-218-1742 MASH Pantry and Resource Center: www.mashpantry.org/ or 614-522-1555 SW Franklin County Historical Society: www.facebook.com/SWFCHS or 614-871-5247 The Buckeye Ranch: www.buckeyeranch.org/ or 614-871-2371 Volunteers of America of Greater Ohio: www.voaohin.org/ or 614-372-3120

COMMUNITY BUSINESS New Ribbon Cutting & Event Guide: Now Live! This year the GCACC wants to help you celebrate your business with the best event possible. Whether you’re looking to have a grand opening ribbon cutting of your new business, celebrate a re-opening or new location, host an open house, or mark a special anniversary, we’re ready to help you. Our Chamber Events webpage is full of the resources you need to plan the event—from selecting a date, to carrying out the party. The scheduling form not only gets your event on our calendar, but will help lead you in planning out all aspects of your event, from food and decorations, to prizes and special guests. Visit the new Chamber Events website now to begin planning your ribbon cutting or other special business event: https://www.gcchamber.org/chamber-events/ Check out our first ribbon cutting of the year below--we celebrated the Grand Opening of All Fluffed Up Pet Salon last month. You can find them here in Grove City at 3379 MacDowell Road and find them on Facebook: facebook.com/AllFluffedUpPetSalon

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MEMBER RESOURCES

OUR MEMBERS SAY... Welcome to a new corner of the Chamber Business Connection where we’ll share answers members provided to a business-oriented question! Our goal is to share some thoughts from members like you about business topics that are useful. For future issues, we’ll send this question out in email (weekly newsletter, etc.) as a Google Form link—keep an eye out!

Question of the Month: What is your favorite digital business tool? A: So many to choose from! I think I have to go with Amplenote. It took me years to find a quality cloud-based note taking app with a solid to do list. Amplenote is 100% it, couldn't operate without it. -Trey Kauffman, Owner of Mosaic Life Creative

A: ChatGPT, created by OpenAI, enhances my content and copywriting efforts for print, emails, and social posts. While it doesn't replace humans or my own creative outlook, it boosts my efficiency. You can also request it to rewrite text in the style of my favorite author. I even used it to make this explanation shorter than my first rambling version:) Within Canva , another great app, you can use Magic resources to create photos or illustrations based on simple or detailed instructions of what you want the visual to be. It will continue giving you other options if you don’t like the first 6 that it gives you. Lastly, the Remarkable 2 device. If you like to write with paper you’ll love this device! -Trent Soles, Director of BeLocal Grove City

A: HiHello, which is a digital business card app and generates a QR code for someone else to scan to exchange a business card. As long as you have your phone, you’ll have your business card, and you can update before your next business card order too. -Katie Browder-Person, CEO/Owner of KatBro and GetKnown marketing agencies

A: Canva! The platform has tons of FREE digital media for marketing and presenting. It's user friendly on mobile and on other devices. I probably use it just about daily! -Tiffany Berger, Owner of Breathworx614, Breathworker + Well-being Life Coach

CHAMBER BUSINESS CONNECTION JAN 2024 | 9

ANNUAL MEETING

Annual Meeting marks end of one great year, kickoff of the next The GCACC held its Annual Meeting & Awards Celebration on Wednesday February 7 in celebration of a successful 2023 and to launch into an exciting new year. A morning gathering with the goal of celebrating before businesses open, the favorite breakfast buffet kicked off the morning and gave attendees plenty of opportunity to visit with familiar faces and network with new people. With over 200 in attendance, plenty of socializing could be done! Remarks about the previous year for the Chamber, Chamber Foundation, and even the City of Grove City were provided for those in attendance to see growth and the opportunities that lie ahead. Ohio Magazine was also on hand for the presentation of a Best Hometown award for Grove City. In an exchange of Board leadership, Chris Moscato wrapped up his 2023 term of leadership and Katie Antry-Fleming officially began her year. Celebrating award recipients is a key part to the Annual Meeting and Awards Celebration. In the rest of this issue, we’ll meet each business and individual who was recognized. Below are those recognized at this year’s event: Business of the Year, and, Best Place to Work (50+ employees): Tosoh Lifetime Achievement Award: Marilyn Reiner Best Place to Work (up to 50 employees): Stepping Stone Child Care Spirit of the Chamber: Izzy Benjamin Ambassador of the Year: Lenny Frazzitta Heartland Bank Heart of the Chamber: Creative Mobile Interiors A big thank you to this year’s sponsors: OhioHealth (Presenting Sponsor), Auto Service Experts OH by Sanderson Automotive, Shawn Marquis Agency, Wright-Patt Credit Union, Elford, Health Markets, and Personal Healthcare Concierge.

ANNUAL MEETING

Find more photos on our Facebook page: @gcchamber

ANNUAL MEETING

2023 BUSINESS OF THE YEAR/ Best Place to Work- TOSOH Located on Gantz Road, Tosoh is a humble business that quietly and generously supports multiple nonprofits, local businesses and the Grove City community. As a Japanese-owned company, Tosoh has created undeniable value through its focused efforts to blend traits and values effectively and successfully from both American and Japanese cultures. Through this effort, they have created a blended work culture and environment that values people above everything else. Tosoh’s local roots go back to 1988 when they occupied their first Grove City location next to City Hall. With rapid growth and anticipated additional growth, Tosoh moved to its current location on Gantz Road in 1991. Expansion after expansion has brought them to the size they are today, with about 350 employees and a massive and well-respected footprint in the manufacturing technology space. With Intel and Samsung as two of Tosoh’s biggest customers since the 1980’s, they are looking forward to more growth in the coming years. When the Tosoh leadership team was asked why they thought Tosoh was voted as Business of the Year, the answer was quick and unanimous – the people. Above all else, the employees are the most essential piece of the big picture at Tosoh. Their employees know the end goal at Tosoh, and how they fit into the path to get them there. A substantial percentage of Tosoh’s workforce is from Grove City. When Tosoh employees have great work experience, they talk about that experience with people in their circles and the word about Tosoh being a great place to work spreads organically. Leadership at Tosoh truly values employees, taking the time to get to know them and their families. Most importantly, Tosoh values its employees’ input and takes them very seriously, supporting them and their teams greatly. In addition to a healthy work culture, Tosoh’s substantial benefits help attract and maintain great talent. Some of the benefits of working for Tosoh are tuition reimbursement, stability and access to cutting-edge manufacturing technology and state-of-the-art laboratories. These benefits blended with a culture of family, safety, stability, respect and support makes Tosoh a place where employees want to come, and most importantly, stay. In addition to growing its employees, Tosoh hopes to grow its already superior intern program by reaching students from the community who are in college, high school or local trade schools that are looking to learn about manufacturing. Tosoh will be a strong partner in the GCACC’s Manufacturing Day this year. 12 | CHAMBER BUSINESS CONNECTION JAN 2024

Tosoh would like to give a big thanks to the Grove City Area Chamber of Commerce, the City of Grove City, Grove City Council, Grove City Division of Police, Jackson Township Fire Department, the Turkey Wattle and Arts in the Alley for providing opportunities for employees and the company to serve and give. In closing, Tosoh America President Jan Top and Tosoh SMD President Joe Buckfeller said, “If you were to ask us, ‘If we had a magic wand that would allow us to pick Tosoh up and place it anywhere in the world, where would we put it?’ Our answer would be that we would not move it. Tosoh loves Grove City and is happy to be here and stay here.” One of our newer award categories, Best Place to Work, (Large and Small categories) will be given to the business receiving the most votes in their category from the public. For the second year in a row, the winner in the Best Place to Work – Large Employer category is… Tosoh! The Tosoh philosophy is quite simple yet impactful – the people matter most. Tosoh has created undeniable value through its focused efforts to blend traits and values effectively and successfully from both American and Japanese cultures. Through this effort, they have created a blended work culture and environment that values people above everything else. Each employee is recognized and treated as an essential piece of Tosoh’s vision, knowing how their jobs fit into working toward organizational goals. Through onboarding, training and access to cutting-edge manufacturing technology and state-of-the-art laboratories, Tosoh is a workplace that employees want to join, but most importantly, stay. The leadership team at Tosoh knows that each employee is a valuable brand ambassador, and they live by this great motto: “We don’t ask our people to promote us, we treat our employees right and trust that they will give their honest opinion.’’ Congratulations to our dear friends at Tosoh, we’re proud of you and happy for you!

ANNUAL MEETING

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD Marilyn Reiner Marilyn will be quick to let you know, along with her trademark wink and smile, that while she’s worked for the Chamber for a very long time – she’s not as old as the Chamber building. She has worked in multiple capacities; part-time administrative assistant, office coordinator, bookkeeper, AP, AR, receptionist, member services, newsletter creator, restroom cleaner, gardener, snow shoveler, and master problem solver - just to name a few! Most of us know Marilyn through her work as Events Manager for the GCACC. She has attended and managed nearly every Farmers’ Market for the past 20 years – that’s around 360 Saturdays – arriving at 6:30 am and never leaving before 1 pm. While Arts in the Alley lasts just one weekend per year, the hours devoted to preparing for the event, the Parade, the Shows, the vendors, concessions, and entertainment are nearly immeasurable; spending the night in the Chamber office in preparation for the Community Parade has become a cherished annual tradition. Whether working for the Chamber, serving as a charter Lioness with the GC Lions Club, playing the organ at her church, or serving as the GCACC staff liaison to the Chamber Foundation, the WE:LEAD Program, or leading the SW Community Leadership Class, Marilyn always displays character, integrity, drive, and dedication, to Grove City and the GCACC. Her sense of humor and infectious laugh brighten the lives of all who know her. Please take the time to congratulate Marilyn on this very special and very well-earned award. Her passion, love, and loyalty put her firmly in that ‘Givers’ space, reserved for those who love and encourage others. Marilyn; you have led us, taught us, modeled character and integrity to us. You have, and will continue to serve the Chamber and Grove City and no one is more deserving to receive our Lifetime Achievement Award than you. We love you!

In this world, we can divide people into two groups - the ‘Givers’ and the ‘Takers’. While we will find ourselves in each of those categories during different times in our lives, those who stand faithfully in the ‘Giver’ line make the world a much better place. Today we celebrate someone who has enriched and blessed countless lives by a direct or indirect encounter with our favorite ‘Giver’ and the 2023 Lifetime Achievement Award Winner... -Shawn Conrad Achievement Award Winner: MARILYN REINER

CHAMBER BUSINESS CONNECTION JAN 2024 | 13

ANNUAL MEETING

Best Place to Work STEPPING STONE CHILD CARE In a community of countless businesses, large and small, with thousands of employees working each day, childcare – available, safe, affordable, high quality, excellent, childcare is a critical and vital component to the success of those businesses and our community. The Grove City Area Chamber of Commerce is very proud to announce the winner of our 2023 Best Place to Work – Small Category (under 50 employees), is Stepping Stone Child Care. Congratulations to owners and sisters, Ghaida Aqel and Maysa Aqel and to their staff, team, and families. This small business with a big vision and an even bigger heart opens its doors each day to over 65 children ages 6 weeks to 5 years old. Each member of this dedicated staff is CPR Certified, and First Aid Certified, and has passed multiple background checks. While Stepping Stone is designed as more of a daycare than a traditional school, every child, from the youngest baby to the oldest, is taught by an expert teacher who must follow a detailed, specialized, structured curriculum created and designed for their age group. Ghaida, educated in HR and Business Management, and sister Maysa Aqel impart the vision to their staff of 15 teachers, a facility assistant, a cook, floaters, and other part-time team members and continue to encourage and support them In late 2020 and early 2021, they began to search for a facility, but it seemed that every door was closed to them – too big, too small, not zoned for childcare, too expensive, and on and on. When the location on Stringtown Road opened, they jumped on it, and with a few more twists and turns, the rest is history. This family loves Grove City and they love what they do. Ghaida says that as she looks back, everything seems very clear – things work together, and everything happens for a reason. This very successful sister team is self-taught and continues to embrace the idea that if you want something and you work hard, follow your dreams, and be patient, it will happen for you. Isn’t that a life motto that we would all love our children to follow? When asked why they think they won this very special award, Ghaida said ‘We take care of our team, good pay and benefits, a safe, clean place to work and we treat them like family. Same thing for all the children and their families – we are all family. We get together outside of work, have regular potluck’s, and we laugh, cry, and encourage each other. The vision for the future is pretty clear; continue to maintain our reputation for excellence, grow the business by word of mouth, fill the daycare to compliance capacity, don’t take too many things too personally, and possibly consider additional locations. If you want it summed up, this female-owned and all-female staff will tell you that it’s ‘All about love and Girl Power all the way’!

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ANNUAL MEETING

SPIRIT OF THE CHAMBER HEARTLAND BANK HEART OF THE CHAMBER AWARD 2023 Spirit of the Chamber - Izzy Benjamin The Chamber is honored to present our ‘Spirit of the Chamber’ Award to Izzy Benjamin. Many of you will know Izzy from Heartland Bank where she works as a Universal Banker, or from her previous place of employment, WesBanco. You might recognize her as a volunteer at the Farmers’ Market, Arts in the Alley, the Gardens at Gantz, the Chamber Foundation, Mid-Ohio Food Collective, and at events all around town. Izzy also works as a part-time event coordinator for ‘Storybook Assistance’. There certainly isn’t much downtime for this young lady – if she isn’t working, volunteering or serving somewhere in the community, she is dabbling at painting or following her passion of reading. The criteria for the Spirit of the Chamber Award is: ‘The person who best exemplifies the mission and values of the Grove City Area Chamber of Commerce’. It certainly didn’t take long for Izzy’s name to rise to the top of our candidate list; Izzy is truly the representation of that definition. Izzy tells us that when she was in high school, she was known as the ‘nice’ one, the one who always had an ear to listen and a caring, compassionate heart that would bring comfort. Not much has changed since elementary school. Izzy describes herself as ‘pretty goofy’, but also a person who genuinely loves and cares about people. She attributes her kind character and giving personality to her parents and her family who she tells us ‘Modeled those attributes every day.’ Izzy will tell you that she doesn’t do anything because she has to, she does the things that she does because she wants to. Izzy wants to see the GCACC Young Professionals Program grow, to continue to serve the community by volunteering and offering herself to those who have a need. I have had the pleasure of working with Izzy for many years and I know without a shadow of a doubt what her superpower is – it’s building, nurturing, and growing relationships. And as a representative for the GCACC isn’t that the perfect match? We certainly think that it is – thank you Izzy for being you and for sharing yourself with the Chamber and with our community. Lenny Frazzitta is someone that you’re going to want to get to know. While Lenny is a bit newer to the GCACC scene he has already made an indelible and valuable mark on the Chamber and the community. Lenny is the VP of Regional Business Banking Relationship Manager for Huntington Bank. He moved to Grove City a number of years ago after having lived in several places along the East Coast. What brought him here, you might ask; Beulah Park horse racing! Lenny spent more than 13 years as a jockey, racing and winning in Ohio, Kentucky, and throughout the racing circuit. Lenny quickly fell in love with all things Grove City and when injuries took him out of racing, it was a quick decision to stay in Grove City Lenny has one daughter, the love of his life, and spends much of his free time playing hockey and not to lose his connection to horseracing, he still owns several racehorses.

AMBASSADOR OF THE YEAR: Lenny Frazzitta

When Lenny joined the Chamber, he immediately connected with the staff to find out how he could get involved. Lenny joined the Ambassador team, the Benefits Committee, and the Marketing Committee, and this year we are excited to welcome Lenny to our Board. Lenny is passionate about helping people and in particular, he loves working with new businesses and is a master at connecting people. As an Ambassador, Lenny does exactly what he’s good at – he makes connections. He connects people and businesses with the Chamber and with each other, and through those connections, he provides solutions. Thank you, Lenny, for sharing your gifts, talents, and time with the Chamber, and congrats on earning Ambassador of the Year! CHAMBER BUSINESS CONNECTION JAN 2024 | 15

ANNUAL MEETING

2023 Heartland Bank ‘Heart of the Chamber’ – Creative Mobile Interiors The Heartland Bank ‘Heart of the Chamber’ award was established in 2016 to honor and recognize a Chamber member business that exemplifies the mission and values of the GCACC. This year’s winner now sits alongside past winners who have brought undeniable value to the community, the Chamber, and to those with whom they work each day. Please join me in congratulating our 2023 Heartland Bank Heart of the Chamber Award winner, Creative Mobile Interiors. Welcome to this prestigious family of businesses. Grove City can comfortably boast that we are home to some of Central Ohio’s most amazing businesses. Some large, some small, some highly recognizable, some less well known, but all contribute to the amazing community of Grove City. One of our superstar businesses just happens to be the Chamber’s 2023 Heart of the Chamber Award winner, Creative Mobile Interiors (CMI). Specializing in unique vehicle interiors, you may have seen their projects featured at local parades and car shows, or at their facility right off I-71. CMI was started by Owen Connaughton in 1999. Working in the custom vehicle conversion industry for many years, Owen stepped out on his own to start a business based on his spoken mission: ‘To never sacrifice quality and operate with the highest levels of professionalism, integrity, and passion for our work which allows us to exceed our client’s expectations and sets the standard in our industry.’ If that driving standard doesn’t reflect the mission and value of the GCACC, I’m not sure what does. When the Connaughton and CMI families lost Owen to a sudden illness in 2013, the loss was deep and palpable – but greater, was the desire to honor Owen and his legacy by pushing through. And that’s exactly what they did. Owen’s wife Stacey took over as CEO and appointed Chief Engineer, Josh Gifford, as the new President. Together, they and every employee at CMI, including Owen’s son, Nick Connaughton who serves as CMI’s controller, rededicated themselves to CMI’s mission and grew even stronger. The talented designers, engineers, and craftsman who work on the conversions and customizations have an average tenure of 14 years, with several being with the company 20 years or more. Building on Owen’s vision, Stacey, Josh and Nick maintained a culture of pride, compassion, community involvement, charitable giving and fun. Designing and building highly customized conversions for businesses-large and small, non-profits, adventurers, families, and celebrities - including restoring Johnny Cash’s tour bus, which is on display at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame - CMI loves the challenges and excitement that come with each unique project. CMI was acquired by Airstream last year, but the work continues – holding to Owens’ standards of service, quality and integrity. Something must be working; CMI has been featured on the Travel Channel’s ‘Extreme RVs’, and DIY Network’s ‘Man Caves’ – just to name a few and they are looking forward to potential expansion as a result of the acquisition. Nick Connaughton has been on the Chamber Board and the Executive Committee for several years and holds the position of Chair of Finance. Thank you CMI for your contribution to our community and our Chamber of Commerce, you are a beacon of light in our community, and we are honored to present the 2023 GCACC Heartland Bank Heart of the Chamber Award to you.

CHAMBER BUSINESS CONNECTION JAN 2024 | 16

BUSINESS RESOURCES

A beginner’s Guide to Creating an Internship Program This article is heavily based on “7 Steps to Creating an Internship Program”, an article that ran on the US Chamber of Commerce’s news site (and you can read the original here). We seek to deliver information tailored to our Grove City and Central Ohio audience, so there are some differences in their original piece and our presentation below. “I got my start as an intern” is a common phrase we might hear in our respective business industries as someone explains their ‘origin story’. Internships aren’t going out of style as both the intern and the employer benefit from the arrangement, but many business owners and employers haven’t jumped into the intern pool. If you’re ready to jump in and bring interns on board in 2024, read on for tips to get started. Have a coordinator In large corporations, the intern point of contact or coordinator might exclusively handle that job. But we know many of our members wear many (many!) hats, so you’ll need to determine who gets the “intern coordinator” hat on your team. You guessed it—this person will be responsible for overseeing the internship program and likely the intern(s) as well. To have a robust program with many viewpoints, you may want to have several involved in the initial creating of the program before the coordinator takes the driver’s seat. Research state laws… and resources Make sure you’re staying in the legal lanes for Ohio (and any other states that might be involved), and while you’re at it, check for any other policies that could be on the books for your workplace or any other governing body to which your business reports. And, as we’ve shared in this issue of Chamber Business Connection, the State of Ohio has assorted resources to support internships for potential interns and the potential employers. Stay on top of Department of Development news here, sometimes opportunities come about faster than we can share in our publications. Set program goals for you and the intern(s) Be realistic, or more so “SMART” as you set up goals for your new program. Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and TimeBound can help you outline a program. This is also a good time to consider if this is a paid or unpaid internship (remember that unpaid may be eligible for course credit when you go to recruit!)

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From there, your intern(s) will need goals too, so this is the time to see where their work would fit in and what you expect from them work-wise. While all the jokes suggest interns don’t do much, nothing is quite disappointing for an eager intern like having nothing to do, or even nothing relevant to do. Create the application process This might be similar, but likely not identical, to your regular hiring process. You may want to look for essays from potential candidates, or have them supply letters of recommendation from current instructors or others who have worked with them in the past. This can be a good time to collaborate with a human resources firm or expert if you don’t have an HR person on your internal staff. Mentorship & Development Once your intern(s) have come on board for their internship term, make sure there are opportunities to connect with others in your business who could be a wealth of knowledge to them. Small operation? Have your intern(s) join you at GCACC events so that they can connect with other members and further widen their network. This is also leads to allowing for growth and development of your intern(s). Many interns have learned what they do (or, perhaps don’t!) want to do for a full-time job based on an internship. Learning what they don’t want to do isn’t necessarily a knock on you, but rather them trying something, appreciating the lessons, and checking it off the list so they can apply for the best jobs down the road. Keep in touch If your intern was a successful addition to your team, keep in touch even once they’ve moved along or returned to school. Keep the door open so they could eventually join your team full-time, but also to keep up the professional networking. They may decide your corner of their industry isn’t quite for them, but they may still value the conversation and could point you in the direction of your next great intern or new hire by referring friends or classmates to you. We’d love to know your interest in starting internship programs, or if you currently have one, so that the GCACC can best serve you in this capacity! Drop us an email at: marketing@gcchamber.org or give the office a call: 614-8759762.

BUSINESS RESOURCES

State Internship Program Empowers Innovative Businesses, Fuels Diverse Talent Source: Ohio Department of Development news release (COLUMBUS, Ohio) – In the heart of innovation, the Ohio Department of Development is providing some of the state's most innovative businesses a gateway to diverse and dynamic talent through a transformative internship program. The College Technology Internship Program is now accepting company applications for the 2024 summer internship round. The program supports technology companies, or companies with a technology need, in hiring diverse talent. Not only that, but the program will pay for two-thirds of each intern’s salary. “With this program, we’re doing a lot of the heavy lifting for companies, by sourcing the talent and providing a financial incentive to hire them,” said Lydia Mihalik, director of the Department of Development. “Companies get a pipeline of talent with fresh perspectives and innovative ideas, and we help further the opportunities and potential of Ohio’s future workforce.” The Ohio Third Frontier, a Department of Development program, will reimburse companies for two-thirds of an intern’s wages up to $7,500. Companies can hire up to 10 interns per round and be reimbursed up to $75,000. The program is accepting company applications through Feb. 12. Through 13 rounds of the program, 902 interns have been hired. Of those, 82 percent have been African American, Asian, Hispanic, other ethnicities, and white females. While diverse applicants are encouraged to apply, all college students interested in technology are welcome. Intern experience encompasses all areas of study, ranging from design, to engineering, mathematics, and software development. Interns have helped companies develop social media platforms, mobile apps and websites, new augmented reality and virtual reality technologies, and implement new software to modernize operations, accounting, and enhance cybersecurity. Internships for this round can occur between May 1 and Oct. 31, 2024. The student application period will open Feb. 5. Learn more by clicking here.

CHAMBER BUSINESS CONNECTION JAN 2024 | 18

BUSINESS RESOURCES

High School Tech Internship Now Open for Ohio Students Source: Ohio Department of Development news release. This has been edited to more “date-neutral” language as this release originally ran on January 2. (COLUMBUS, Ohio)—Ohio Lt. Governor Jon Husted, who serves as Director of the Governor’s Office of Workforce Transformation, announced that the High School Tech Internship program is now open for Ohio students to enroll. The goal of the program is to provide Ohio businesses with the tech talent they need while providing students with valuable work experience at an early age. “Tech internships for Ohio students offer invaluable real-world experience, providing insights into various local businesses and career paths,” said Lt. Governor Husted. “Many high school students demonstrate readiness for work, making these internships a valuable tool for identifying talented young individuals that companies can recruit.” To enroll in the program, individual students or school districts must contact the intermediary in their region to be connected to a business that is hosting an internship experience. Interns will perform job duties similar to what is expected of an entry-level employee in technology roles that focus on software development, data, cloud and IT infrastructure, cybersecurity, broadband/5G, advanced mobility, and other tech-focused roles. Ohio employers hosting interns will be reimbursed up to 100 percent of the wages paid to interns (up to $5,000 per intern). Employers are also eligible to earn bonuses for each student who earns certain industry-recognized credentials. Interested businesses can contact the intermediary in their region to apply to host summer interns. “Ohio is committed to helping students explore career options through meaningful learning experiences that connect them to our state’s workforce needs,” said Stephen D. Dackin, Director of the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce. “The High School Tech Internship empowers students to advance their learning beyond the classroom in real-world settings, while developing skills in technology-focused roles they can use now and in their future careers.” High School Tech Internship intermediaries allow the program to be administered seamlessly between schools and businesses. Intermediaries have several responsibilities to support the growth and administration of the internship program, including helping place students with participating employers. “The High School Tech Internship Program not only bridges the skills gap for Ohio businesses but also cultivates a pipeline of homegrown talent, empowering our high school students with real-world experience and helping them realize the great career opportunities available in Ohio,” said Lydia Mihalik, director of the Ohio Department of Development. “It’s a win-win, shaping the future of our workforce and bolstering the innovation that drives economic growth.” Last year's High School Tech Internship program created the opportunity for 510 Ohio students to participate in internships with 141 employers across the state. For more information on the program, click here.

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MEET OUR MEMBERS

Meet Caroline Shroyer By Sarah Hann Caroline Shroyer is no stranger to the Grove City Area Chamber of Commerce having previously served on the Chamber Board, as Board President for a term, and as a Chamber Ambassador. And, if by chance Caroline is a stranger to you, she won’t be one for long if given the chance. In our hour-long lunchtime chat I felt as if I’d known her for much longer as we covered everything from Chamber involvement, professional lives and mutual acquaintances. Caroline’s journey with the GCACC began earlier in the 2000s when she found herself running the former Grove City Tree Service business. With a background in real estate (her current career field), running a tree and landscape business was a whole new ballgame but she wasn’t without a game plan or a next step. “I just walked right into the Chamber!” Caroline recalled of how she first joined and got involved with the GCACC by simply walking in the front door of the office on Broadway. Eventually Caroline’s professional side of membership pivoted as she re-entered real estate in 2015 and then sold Grove City Tree Service in 2017. But even as her professional life had changes, her commitment and involvement with the Chamber didn’t change. Caroline served as the GCACC’s Board President in 2016. While she no longer serves on the board, she can still be spotted at events and keeps a pulse on what’s happening in the GCACC. Real Estate Life Since her re-entry to real estate, Caroline has built up her own team with Keller Williams, The Shroyer Group, and works her business full time. With a repeat-and-referral mode of business, Caroline maintains relationships with her past clients; even if they personally may never need a realtor again, they’re still likely to pass along Caroline’s name. From fun outings, postcards, to being available to chat suggestions and tips when home ownership gets hairy, a relationship is maintained. “My people are like family. I take it personally.” Caroline has seen waves of new home owners and has had the pleasure of working with and guiding them to the home that’s the right fit for them. “It’s so rewarding when you get to see someone get the keys to their first house.” In addition to her clients, Caroline takes care of and supports her team by coaching them to achieve their goals. Coaching her team “feeds a need to educate” as she works with individuals to meet their next goals. As with any goal, accountability is key and Caroline is willing to step into the role. She’ll reach out to team members to check in on their progress toward a recently-stated goal. And, to keep herself on track, Caroline too has someone she counts as her accountability partner when working on her own goals and tasks.

CHAMBER BUSINESS CONNECTION JAN 2024 | 20

Photo Source: Scioto Post

MEET OUR MEMBERS

“My people are like family. I take it personally.” “I like to help people grow,” she said of her enjoyment of coaching.

Giving Back Pages could be filled about our conversation that covered many corners of giving back, from the little-but-big things that pull our heartstrings (homeless shelters love candles and wash cloths), to focusing online “retail therapy” in support of community groups instead of ourselves (buy from a non-profit’s wish list instead of your 300th drink cup or mug). If you’ve already read our “NonProfit Spotlight” piece in this issue of Chamber Business Connection, then you’ve gotten a taste of Caroline’s passion for serving the community and spreading that love. “The Shroyer Group Gives Back” is the name for Caroline’s team’s many community outreach initiatives. They’ve partnered with groups for winter coat/hat/mitten drives and school supplies collections. Just about anything to serve the community goes, and team members are encouraged to find an initiative that excites them and jump in to serve.

3 TIPS FOR NEWER MEMBERS/BUSINESSES We asked Caroline for three things she’d tell the newest Chamber members, what she’d say to someone who just walked right into the office as she did years ago. Here’s her three: 1. Know your target customer—who is going to buy

While a few community outreach events or activities went dormant during the pandemic, Caroline is excited each time another returns to its pre- 2020 version. Organizations that rely on inperson volunteers are back to operating ‘like normal’ but likely need more volunteers than before due to increased need. Her team, her clients, and her community all benefit from Caroline’s energy and passion for the many ways she serves others. From leading the Chamber board, to maintaining client connections, and organizing community efforts, she clearly doesn’t do something ‘halfway’. “If I’m in, I’m all the way in!”

your product or use your service? Determine this then target your marketing efforts toward them. 2. “Don’t think an idea is too out of the box”. Think outside the box, but then act on those outside-thebox ideas instead of casting them aside or writing them off. 3. Get involved with the community! Get involved with the Chamber and leverage and make use of every opportunity. “That was a good move on my part.” One last point to prove Caroline is a go-getter—she reached out to us to take part in the e-magazine! This is an opportunity open to all members, so if you’d like to chat, see your business in a future issue, and share your story, reach out to: shann@katbroconsulting.com

21 | CHAMBER BUSINESS CONNECTION JAN 2024

BUSINESS RESOURCES

Revitalizing Your Marketing Strategy for 2024: Essential Tips for Business Growth By : Katie Browder-Person, CEO of KatBro Ltd. If you are looking for ways to revitalize your marketing strategies in 2024, you're not alone. Whether you run a large corporation or a small startup, businesses of all sizes should leverage the changing trends to engage better with customers, drive growth, and stay ahead in the market. This article provides essential marketing tips to take your business to new heights in 2024. 1. Leverage AI & Automation: One of the biggest shifts we've seen in recent years is the rising influence of artificial intelligence and automation. Whether it's data analysis, content creation, customer service, or predictive strategies, AI can handle a wide range of marketing tasks more efficiently than human marketers. Moreover, automation can simplify your daily routine, save time, reduce costs, and prevent errors.

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2. Get Social – Digitally: The digital landscape continues to evolve rapidly, and so should your strategies. Platforms such as TikTok, LinkedIn, Instagram, or even the latest metaverse trend, have made a significant impact on how brands interact with their audiences. Developing engaging and unique content suitable for each platform can help create strong online visibility. Keep up-to-date with changing algorithms, explore influencer marketing, and get on board with social commerce. 3. Personalization is Key: Gone are the days of mass, generic marketing. Today, personalization has become more critical than ever. Consumers are expecting customized experiences tailored to their preferences and behavior. Harness the power of customer data and predictive analytics to create more targeted, personalized content that resonates with your audience.

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CHAMBER BUSINESS CONNECTION JAN 2024 | 22 18 | CHAMBER BUSINESS CONNECTION

BUSINESS RESOURCES 4. Focus on SEO: With digital presence becoming a must-have, staying visible on search engines should be a top priority. Keeping abreast with the latest SEO trends and ensuring that your content is not only valuable but SEO-optimized will give you an edge over competitors. 5. Prioritize Customer Experience: Happy customers are the best promoters of any brand. 2024 is about centering your marketing strategy around providing exceptional customer experience at every touchpoint. Prompt customer service, seamless user experience, high-quality products, and continuous engagement are some ways to achieve this. 6. Voice Search Optimization: With the growing usage of digital assistants like Alexa, Siri, or Google Home, optimizing for voice search is crucial. Voice search SEO requires focusing on long-tail keywords and natural, conversational language. 7. Explore Video Marketing: Videos have been a hot trend for some years and will continue to dominate in 2024. From short social media videos to informative YouTube tutorials or webinars, video marketing can help to better engage with your audience, explain your product/service, and drive traffic. 8. Omnichannel Marketing: Implementing an omnichannel marketing approach ensures a consistent and unified customer experience across all platforms – be it mobile, web, or in-store. A seamless shopping experience across channels increases customer satisfaction, retention, and overall profitability. 9. Measure, Learn and Adapt: Lastly, tracking your marketing efforts is just as important as implementing them. By continually analyzing data and learning from the insights, you can identify what's working, what's not, and adapt your strategies accordingly.

These tips may help your business navigate the changing landscape and excel in your marketing endeavors in 2024. With constant change being the only certainty, businesses should keep an open mind, innovate continually, and remember – customers are at the heart of every marketing strategy. Stay flexible, embrace new technology, and maintain customer focus to thrive in the year ahead and beyond.

Infographic Source

23 | CHAMBER BUSINESS CONNECTION JAN 2024

CHAMBER BUSINESS CONNECTION DEC 2023 | 19

FOUNDATION NEWS

Year in Review As the new year begins, the Grove City Chamber Foundation has some news to share to wrap up a successful 2023 and dive into the promising future that is 2024. 2023 In Review After another successful year, which included an increase in scholarship dollars awarded and scholarship recipients from 2022, the Foundation is pleased to report the following highlights: In 2023, $23,500 awarded in scholarships with 45 scholarship recipients Since 2012, over $168,000 awarded in scholarships, with 265 scholarship recipients The 2023 “Fall for the Foundation” fundraiser raised over $28,000 with 125 tickets sold The 2023 Silverbridge Coffee fundraiser raised approximately $4200 from in person and online sales Mark your calendars for October 11 as this year’s “Fall for the Foundation” fundraiser, and the 2024 Farmers’ Market season for in-person Silverbridge Coffee sales. In the “off season”, Silverbridge is available for purchase online: https://gccfcoffee.square.site/ Congratulations to 2023 Quarter 4 Chamber Affiliate Scholarship recipients: Macara Lim (StoryPoint), Alissa Schiff (Southwest Eyecare), Madison Liming (Tosoh), and Madelyn Holcomb (Tosoh). The Foundation is excited to welcome three new members to the Board for 2024: Dawn Lowther (WesBanco), Matt Rogers (Dignified Home Loans) and Christy Yoak (Valmer Land Title Agency). Scholarship Deadlines Friday March 15 is the deadline for the High School Scholarship and the first of four deadlines for the Chamber Affiliate Scholarship. To recap eligibility—For the High School Scholarship: The applicant should be graduating from a school in the Southwestern City School Attendance area (public or private), or be graduating from a school outside that attendance area but reside in Grove City. For the Chamber Affiliate Scholarship: The applicant should be a current employee of a Chamber member company, an existing individual Chamber member, or an immediate family member of such an employee or individual Chamber member. Additional criteria, applications, and online submission directions can all be found at: https://gcchamberfoundation.org/scholarships/

22 | CHAMBER BUSINESS CONNECTION DEC 2023

CHAMBER BUSINESS CONNECTION JAN 2024 | 24

Safeguarding data, privacy and reputation: Best practices in the AI era This article originated from the Sedgwick online blog and originally post in the final days of December 2023 to prepare readers for 2024. We have only edited to clarify dates given the original late-2023 publishing. Sedgwick is the GCACC’s workers’ comp partner and can extend many benefits to members. Learn about Sedgwick as a GCACC member benefit by contacting our rep, Julia Bowling at julia.bowling@sedgwick.com As our world becomes more data-driven, safeguarding data and privacy has become a growing focus for businesses and the regulatory agencies that set industry standards. Last year, Gartner forecasted that by the end of 2024, 75% of the world’s population will have its personal data covered under modern privacy regulations. But there are still gaps in regulatory frameworks and areas where businesses and consumers alike should be particularly careful with privacy as technology innovation pushes forward. Over the next year and even into 2025, the interaction between privacy and artificial intelligence (AI) technology will be a significant focus for leaders in their tech and data applications. Below are three highlighted best practices for global businesses to safeguard data, privacy and reputation as 2024 approaches. Set a privacy approach as the default Across industries, we’re seeing that leaders are starting to approach privacy as a standard embedded practice, rather than a tick-box exercise. This mindset has escalated since popular generative AI tools like ChatGPT have become easily accessible to the public. Initially, at the onset of public use of these tools, companies tried to implement widespread bans of these tools to protect privacy. In Italy, for example, ChatGPT was banned for a short period of time, though the ban has since been lifted. With the proliferation of AI-powered tools, employees will be able to access these tools more regularly. After all, banning technology isn’t going to stop people from using the technology, nor will it sufficiently keep people safe. As a result, companies need to first understand and accept that their employees and colleagues will find ways to access technology outside of the work environment. Therefore, by default they need to put human centric privacy principles in place for AI technology or any technology that endangers user privacy. What’s helpful for leaders embracing privacy principles is that privacy laws tend to be technology neutral, meaning that the same foundational privacy principles can be applied regardless of this ever-evolving technological landscape. For instance, generative AI tools like ChatGPT didn’t exist when GDPR was put into place in the EU several years ago. But companies can apply similar GDPR principles by default to protect personal data when using generative AI and users will have much more secure, robust and familiar guidelines to follow. The responsible use and protection of personal data or sensitive data starts with providing people with principles and resources to keep them knowledgeable and data safe. Personalize technological experiences Externally, customers are very aware of AI as a growing part of how business is practiced. AI is fully immersed in the public domain and the general public, on the whole, has knowledge and awareness about the importance of keeping their personal data safe. As a result, customers today are looking for personalized experiences built into technology tools that gives them more access and control over their own data privacy. They want resources to be at their fingertips to check, alter or object to things like consent, marketing, cookies and privacy settings. Leaders building a privacy-centric approach to data should be intentional about how customer and user experience is built within their technology tools. Customers immediately see the benefit of being able to securely access and control their information, track progress and upload supporting information from anywhere, and it isn’t a one-way street. Having customers manage their own requests can significantly decrease the demands on your internal resources in areas such as customer service, privacy and legal. It can also limit the risks associated with sharing and transferring data through traditional mediums, such as post and email. These types of portals and tools for consumers is very likely the way that the future is headed, so companies that get ahead of the curve and start integrating thoughtful interfaces with consumer data privacy will build their trust and reputation with consumers. Offer training and educational resources As companies grow, business data increasingly needs to exist in a borderless digital world. The free flow of data is the next biggest challenge for many organizations. Yet modern privacy regulations may vary state by state or country-by-country, depending on where a company, or its customers’ data, is based. To keep up with the increasing flow of data, businesses are expanding their homegrown teams rapidly to meet challenges that may arise with local expertise. Businesses need to take a human-centric approach to growing their privacy capabilities as business expands. Safe stewardship of data privacy also means that companies need to provide awareness resources and, in certain circumstances, training about the responsible use of data and AI. Internally, that means offering education and support for colleagues at all levels regarding adherence to local privacy laws and internal guidelines, understanding global privacy restrictions, transfer limitations, maintaining reputational trust, and protecting information security. Externally, that means communicating with clients and customers transparently about how their data will be used, where it is stored and what steps businesses are taking to ensure their data privacy remains secure. Companies that communicate clearly about privacy and data use in clear and transparent terms –– will see more success in their privacy programs and build consumer trust along the way. Implementing privacy by design and educating colleagues at the outset is key to not only maintaining program success but replicating and expanding those practices into multiple countries and jurisdictions. A company’s reputation is built on upholding the promises of privacy, trust and security that its stakeholders – colleagues and customers – expect their data to be safe. If a company has a vulnerability in any of these core competencies, there will be a negative consequence on brand reputation.

25 | CHAMBER BUSINESS CONNECTION JAN 2024

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EDITORS DESK

From the Editor’s Desk: ‘Livin’ The Dream’ By Sarah Hann I’ll let you in on a little secret. When I was a magazine-reading teenager, I’d read the columns from the editors or the senior staff writers and think “how do I get that job someday?”. It didn’t have to be with that magazine, but as a child of 90s and early 00s journalism, I thought the job that included column space would be a pretty cool gig. I told this to Caroline Shroyer in January when we met up to chat over lunch for this issue of Chamber Business Connection and swapped stories of how we’ve ended up where we are in the professional world, I added “guess I’m living the dream!” About time someone says “livin’ the dream!” and it’s not sarcasm, right? As we progress into the new year, many of us have business dreams and goals to obtain. There’s such great support within the Grove City Area Chamber of Commerce to chase and live out your business dreams. Countless benefits are available that can help you along the way, or might be the ‘answer’ to a goal you’re seeking-- check out those benefits here! Let’s not forget one of our greatest benefits, the people. Annual Meeting and other Chamber events are fantastic opportunities to meet and network with others. Want to be the one throwing the event? Flip back in this issue to check out the event planning tools the GCACC has launched for the new year, perfect for any kind of event. But don’t count out your own meet-ups with other members. When I went to meet up with Caroline at a restaurant last month, she was actually finishing up meeting with two other Chamber members in what looked like a master season of support and collaboration. Met another member in passing? Send them an email to grab coffee. Heard of a member whose business might be able to collaborate with yours? Say something. Here's to a new year of business growth, coffee chat connections, and going for our goals!

Have a suggestion, column, upcoming event, or topic for the magazine? Email Marketing@gcchamber.org CHAMBER BUSINESS CONNECTION JAN 2024 | 28

WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT TO CONTINUE PROVIDING EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES IN OUR COMMUNITY. Buy tickets to our Annual Fundraiser Dinner & Show Dinner * Dancing * Silent & Live Auctions * Raffles https://gcchamberfoundation.org/foundation-fundraiser/

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Now selling a local favorite - Silverbridge coffee. Every bag (or box) of coffee you buy goes towards scholarships for 2024. Visit our site at https://gccfcoffee.square.site

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WHY ADVERTISE WITH GCACC? As a member of GCACC you are offered discounted advertising within the chamber produced publications; our Business Connection E-Magazine, Business Weekly Connection e-newsletter, AND our social media channels. We are already reaching your target audience in the Grove City and Central Ohio area. Partner with your chamber by purchasing an annual ad package and save.

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Artwork Requirements: Please submit in .jpg or .pdf format For print ads please submit artwork files in 300 dpi, CMYK and embedded fonts format. For digital ads please submit artwork files in 72 dpi, RGB format Word documents are NOT accepted Ads sent in are subject to final approval by the Chamber Business Connection magazine editing staff