Chair’s Message Your Board of Trade New & Improved 2018 has been a year of transition for the St. John’s Board of Trade. The Board is implementing year one of a transformative strategic plan. The three pillars of the plan are Connect, Celebrate and Support.
STRONGER
BUSINESS TOGETHER
JOIN OVER 750 FELLOW MEMBERS WHOSE BUSINESSES ARE DRIVING THE PULSE OF OUR CITY!
CONNECT
We have been rethinking our events and how to maximize your time. We have been doing more intimate events with small groups of likeminded people in our Pints and Peers sessions to ensure richer networking. We have had great response to our evening events with Vikram Vij and our recent reception with the Premier. We know that you are busy working on your businesses and you don’t always have time to come out to events. Therefore, we are doing more events virtually that you can watch via Facebook live. We are inviting members to our meetings with Ambassadors and High Commissions when they are in town. We recently received the Consul General from Israel who advised of R7D funds for Canadian companies. In addition, the High Commissioner from India visited Newfoundland and Labrador for the first time. His Excellency Vikas Swarup is familiar with the connections between India and this province and shared with us a vast array of opportunities in this emerging economy including the construction of 100 airports, 50 metro systems and 50 Smart cities.
VOLUME 34: #1
CELEBRATE
Helping to promote our members, especially our small business members who don’t have a marketing department, is a priority for us. This year we introduced member video profiles and will continue to offer these as a way to help our businesses grow their online presence and up their game. In addition, we are transforming our advertising initiatives by providing more online advertising opportunities. Why? Sixty-three percent of consumers prefer to do business with a company that is a member of their local board of trade. We have over 8000 followers (and growing) on our social media platforms. We want to join in celebrating your good news and are happy to share or retweet your messages. Please tag us on social media at stjbot.
CHAIR
ANDREA STACK SUPPORT
Our Director of Business Solutions is tasked to help you with your pain points. She is measured by the positive impact she has on our members. This year Rhonda Tulk Lane has helped members find grants to hire students as well as navigate the myriad of paper work necessary to bring in foreign workers. She has also conducted preliminary market data for a retail business looking to relocate and guided members through the introduction of cannabis and how it can impact the workplace. Our advocacy work with all levels of government continues to be a priority. Our Advocacy specialist, Brandon Ellis, has led work on your behalf to mitigate electricity rates, offset the introduction of a carbon tax, and improve the development process at City Hall. Our consistent message is to keep taxes reasonable and competitive. I am pleased to have been your Chair during this time as we address continuous disruptions, find solutions together and ensure your Board of Trade is evolving to meet your ever-changing needs.
I3
