November 2022 Better Together Newsletter Update

From the Desk oF the e xecutive Director

Keep our dollars local, Think Big and Shop Small!

“Local businesses are more likely to utilize other local businesses such as banks, service providers, and farms. For every $100 you spend at local businesses, $68 will stay in the community.

Independent retailers return more than three times as much money per dollar of sales to the community in which they operate than chain competitors.

Independent restaurants return more than two times as much money per dollar of sales than national restaurant chains. And Small businesses employ 77 million Americans and accounted for 65% of all new jobs over the past 17 years.”

US Small Business Association and US Department of Labor

As we embark on the holiday season, it is more important than ever that we lift up our local businesses and keep our dollars right here, in our Sheboygan County communities. We have some phenomenal retailers, restaurants, and service providers to patronize. We recognize not everyone wants to get out in person to shop, but our local partners are creative and want to ensure their employees, families and community members can conveniently shop small. The Sheboygan County Chamber of Commerce has launched an online store to purchase Sheboygan County swag while also helping our neighborhood businesses through the purchase of gift cards. These can be ordered from the comfort of your home and shipped wherever you would like them to go. Sounds easy right? Local businesses will receive 100% of the proceeds of gift card sales. So as you begin your holiday shopping journey, remember to keep it local and let’s keep our hard earned dollars right here in Sheboygan County.

Show your pride in our community and get your Sheboygan County attire by clicking here Lastly, the Chamber board of directors will have openings in the new year, and we would like to encourage Chamber members to be involved at all levels. If you are interested in a board position, please complete the interest form here

We want you to Think BIG (betterment, improvement, growth), Influence Local! The Sheboygan County Chamber of Commerce is committed to providing expertise for fostering dynamic organizations throughout Sheboygan County. We are truly Better Together!

Deidre Martinez

Ne Ws From the Director oF memBershiP & Work F orce DeveL oPmeN t

Welcome to November and Happy Thanksgiving! Cooler temps at night make it great sleeping weather, but ugh, I miss the 70’s already…and not just the music!

We had a very successful first annual STEMfest event on Thursday, October 13. Over a thousand 4th and 5th graders from countywide school districts attended and were wowed by the many STEM-related demonstrations put on by our wonderful volunteers.

Thank you to UW-GB, Sheboygan Campus for hosting the event, Millipore Sigma’s Curiosity Cube, all our volunteers, our Business Education Partnership, instructors, parents, and our wonderful sponsors who made it all possible! By the way, since we had advocates of the arts also participate, we’ll be adding an “A” in STEM next year! You did an amazing job this year and we are already looking forward to next year’s STEAM event!

Right around the corner is Explore Your Future at Lakeshore Technical College. Over two days (January 11 and 12, 2023), three workshops will be conducted by volunteers. We’ll have (1,200) 7th and 8th graders learning more about their personalities, and how their personality will ultimately play a role in their future career choice(s). This will be an incredible opportunity for students to ask questions and learn more from our county business leaders. For more information please call me at 920-395-8705 or email me at scott@sheboygan.org

Don’t forget, you can post events, introduce new employees, and many other topics via Member News.

Member news is part of your membership, so at no additional cost you may post every day, every week, etc., whatever makes sense for your business and staff. Please reach out to me if you’ve never posted before and we can walk through this process, or you can send me what you’d like to post. It’s quick, easy and it’s a great way to let everyone in Sheboygan County know who you are, what your business does or if you’ve got an event coming up!

Some other things to think about as we move into November:

• Deep Dive opportunities are a great way to meet new Chamber members and their respective businesses and gain referrals in the process. Every member is from a different business sector, so no two members are alike in any one group! Who do you want to do business with? People you know and trust of course. Join a Deep Dive today! Check out a short video at www.sheboygan.org to learn more about Deep Dives.

• Roundtables are a terrific way to meet others within your business sector. Whether it’s Human Resources, Sales & Marketing, Not for Profit, and others, you’re sure to learn something from your peers. These peer-to-peer networking groups can help any one of your employees, or yourself, accelerate your learning curve, and minimize potential setbacks within your organization. Our own John Rogers does an outstanding job keeping each group on task, and always shares his own wealth of knowledge. Contact john@sheboygan.org and join a Roundtable today!

• Our Young Professionals network goal is to attract, engage and retain young, diverse talent to Sheboygan County by providing opportunities for young professionals to design their social culture, serve as civic innovators and community stewards, and develop into the next generation of leaders for Sheboygan County. If you are interested in joining the YP network, please contact Kierra Brooks at kierra@sheboygan.org

Scott Kuehn

k ierra Brooks - sPeciaL eveN ts coorDiN ator

Hello Everyone!

Oh, how the seasons have changed. The holidays are soon approaching and, every year around this time I think to myself where has the time gone? Nevertheless, this is my favorite time!

I want to start by giving a special shout out to all of you who made it to OktoberFeast. It was a great night with great music and delicious foods! Congratulations to our winner, who was voted Best of OktoberFeast, The Sheboygan Pasty Co. You now have bragging rights for a whole year and a trophy to prove it! Be sure to look for their trophy when you pay them a visit. I also want to say thank you to all our vendors and raffle basket donors. You all helped make the night so wonderful along with Nourish who provided the beautiful space. If you did not get to attend or be a vendor this year and would like to, you have an entire year to prepare!

Last week we had another event for Coastal Young Professionals called Brews & Brainstorming, a special networking event that allowed us to gather new ideas for the planning of 2023 for Coastal YP’s. Thank you to all the Young Professionals who attended and shared your ideas with us. I hope you all enjoyed yourselves and made some new connections. There were so many new faces and I want to send a very warm WELCOME to all of you! You had some wonderful ideas and I can’t wait to put them into play this coming year. I hope to continue to see your faces and build relationships with you, along with more of your family and friends.

Our next event will be a Packer Tailgating party on November 17th from 4-5:30pm. There will be free beer & brats! Please reach out to me if you would like to attend so I can register you, as registration is required.

*If you are new to town or just new to Coastal Young Professionals, feel free to reach out to me (kierra@sheboygan.org) to help answer any questions you may have or if you just want to know someone before attending an event.

Remember there are no membership fees & no commitments to join us! If you have not already, text SHEBCOYP to 57838 to stay up to date on current events or scan our QR Code to sign up for our monthly newsletter.

That is all I have for you today. Remember to stay connected! Until next time Sheboygan!

christy jacoB s - Director oF eveN ts

November? Where did October go? I can’t believe how fast time can fly by. October had us hosting or partaking in a multitude of events, with four of those events falling on TWO days! It was a tight schedule but an enjoyable one. And, if you happen to NOT have gone to any of those amazing events, you missed out. But you have time to register for the next round of events coming in November. The ATHENA Leadership Awards luncheon with be on Thursday, November 10th at The Bull. We will be recognizing and celebrating some very inspiring and motivational women in our community. I highly recommend you attend and join us for a wonderful lunch that supports some of our most influential members of our community.

Kierra Brooks

Christy Jacobs

christy jacoB s (coN tiNueD)

November also brings us cooler weather and football. November 17th there will be a tailgate party in the Chamber parking lot to prepare us for the Thursday night game, the Packers vs. the Titans. We are looking forward to big screen highlights in the parking lot along with brats and your favorite tailgate snacks. Don’t forget to register for this epic Packer tailgate party.

Until the next event……

johN roGers - BusiNess rouND ta BL es FaciLitator

Do What You Do Best – But, You Cannot Be An A.O.E. [Authority on Everything]

Over the years I have had the opportunity and pleasure to learn so many new ‘things’ from people who really know how to make cheese, or machines, or coffee filters, or teach others. Plus, when I facilitate a peer-to-peer roundtable, I get to learn how others learn from others.

Are you the Business Owner who might need some suggestions on how to sell or market, or are you the HR Manager also interested in how a worksite wellness program can be better? Are you the Nonprofit Executive needing ideas on how to attract either new staff or more volunteers? Our roundtables provide you with the opportunity to expand your horizons and learn from others. Maybe those questions that rattle around in your brain as you nod off to sleep will be answered.

What roundtables are offered by the Chamber? Eight [8] of them: Sales & Marketing, Nonprofit Executives, Safety Managers, Strategic Sourcing/Purchasing, Human Resource Managers, Business Owners, Worksite Wellness and Manufacturing. All are truly a benefit of your membership so take advantage and attend. Check The Buzz every Monday for what is on the horizon.

octoBer iN revie W

Sheboygan County Chamber Newsletter sponsorship opportunities now available! Please contact Scott Kuehn at 920-918-1315 or scott@sheboygan.org for more information.

Ribbon Cutting & vibe@5 Four Seasons Comfort October 6

Meet an Ambassador Nellie Weiss, UnitedOne Credit Union October 7

John Rogers

STEMfest October 13

Meet A Member: Habitat for Humanity - Lakeside October 21

Ribbon Cutting Poly Vinyl Company October 7

OktoberFeast / Scott Kuehn’s Birthday! October 13

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging Training October 11

Executive Series: Steve Harrison, Old Wisconsin Sausage October 20

vibe@5 - Habitat for Humanity - Lakeside October 17

octoBer iN revie W (coN tiNueD)

Manufacturing Month Tour: Georgia-Pacific October 21

Ribbon Cutting Junior Achievement of Wisconsin October 25

Ribbon

Candidate Forum: Wisconsin Assembly District

Amy

(R) and Chet

(Ind.)

Brews and Brainstorming October 26

Manufacturing Month Tour: Sohn Manufacturing October 28