Other People’s Business…MattersRetaining Relevance: Building a Future Ready Chamber of Commerce

For the Economic Development Association of Canada

September 9, 2018

ATLANTIC CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

Or put another way…

…remain relevant!

Staying Relevant

Relevancy

Irrelevancy

Relevancy

Relevancy Means Making Choice

I Change

ATLANTIC CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

Historic Network of Strength

• Championing the cause of business in

Atlantic Canada since 1896

• Originally founded as the Maritime

Board of Trade

• 1974 - Atlantic Provinces Chamber of

Commerce (NL joined)

• 2013 - Atlantic Chamber of Commerce

(incorporation)

…the music (al) moves me…

Source: I Love You, You're Perfect, Now ChangeBook and lyrics by Joe Di Pietro. Music by Jimmy Roberts.

eTV.com

Boundaryless Organization

• Lean

• Virtual Team of 4

• Interprovincial

• Board

• Interprovincial

• Diverse (sector, business size, etc.)

• Less overhead & Duplication

• Annual Budget approx. $400,000

• Accredited

Membership

Board of Directors

Executive Committee

CEO

VP Policy

Manager,

Administration

Communications & PR Coordinator

PACS

NB, NL, NS, PE

Urban and Rural Caucuses

Finance & Audit Committee

Policy & AdvocacyCommittee

Membership Committee

Governance Committee

• Broad network of member companies

• Events, meetings, etc.

• Health insurance, merchant and payroll services,

ad-gas-courier savings and more.

• Robust local market knowledge, specialized

information and resources (digital, published…)

• Proactive, effective advocacy teams

• Skills building and member development

sessions

What We Offer What Members Want

Atlantic Chamber’s Relevance

• Access member companies

• Networking & relationship building

opportunities

• Benefits and savings

• Credibility

• Access to information

• Advocacy support

• Professional development and

knowledge sharing

• Who’s missing?

• What is missing from our offering that they need?

• Why is it missing ($, resource, access)?

• How do we fix that?

• Where are our next customer’s coming from?

• What will their needs be?

• What do we need to offer or build to meet those

needs?

• How and where do we connect with them?

It’s Okay Not To Know….

Retaining & Regaining Relevancy

“A lot of times people don’t

know what they want until

you show it to them.”

~Steve Jobs

imore.com

What’s Out There?

• Small-to-medium business

• Entrepreneurs

• Newcomers / immigrants

• Young professionals/millennials (18-38yo)

• To some extent:

• Mid-career professionals & entrepreneurs

Building Our Field of Dreams

Building Relevancy For the Future

GIPHY

• Building a corporate partner member program to build capacity in new areas

• (Co) Sponsoring studies, guides to help business grow and improve export

capacity

• Programs to facilitate interprovincial trade/commercial opportunities

• Provide ‘rapid’ knowledge delivery through online programming and PD

• Become an environment where likeminded entrepreneurs/businesses can

growth/collaborate organically.

• Partnering with youth organizations to facilitate mentorship/entrepreneurship

experiences between youth and businesses

• Enhanced affinity programs to offer more savings to business

What Does This Look Like?

Building Relevancy for the Future

• Advocating for better business conditions and outcomes• Promoting job creation and investment• Improving access to skilled labour force• Reducing red tape (regulatory efficiency)

• Supporting existing and new business through enhanced program and service delivery

• Leveraging partnerships to address gaps, provide programs and services in a region faced with an aging population, decreased public revenues and increased debts.

• A strong, active chamber improves the economic vitality of the community and enhances the quality of life for all.

How Do the Chambers Align with ED Experts and Organizations?

Building Relevancy Collaboratively for a Prosperous Future

• Improving cost structures for business

• Prudent fiscal management

• Operating at local levels with local interests a priority –Community Builders

Tribe philosophy or approach• Tell a story• Connect a tribe• Lead a movement• Make change

In essence: Create a movement about something that matters

To the Chamber:Other People’s Business…Matters

Seth Godin – The Tribes We Lead

One Last Thought

TED2009https://www.ted.com/talks/seth_godin_on_the_tribes_we_lead

Thank You – Questions?

Change