In this episode, our hosts Mike Nelson and Derek Foster interview four students at the Blue Collar College – Tim, Jonathan, Jawid and Edon! Their incredible stories showcase the strength of the Blue Collar spirit – between preserving heritage, community values, working hard to chase those dreams, and even acts of genuine heroism, the future for the next generation of Blue Collar workers is looking bright!
On Thursday, October 5th, at 10:30 AM, a press conference was held outside of Glens Falls City Hall to announce Northern Power and Light’s partnership with Boralex to offer a Community Hydro Subscription Program. This program brings locally sourced hydro power to the local community! The City of Glens Falls is the anchor customer for this project, and is working with Northern Power and Light and Boralex to make community members and local businesses aware of the opportunity to participate in this program.
Mayor Collins
Jeff Flagg – the Economic Development Director for the City of Glens Falls – was on hand for the press conference: “We are here today to celebrate and advocate for the opening of the Northern Power and Light, Boralex, Community Hydro Subscription Program that the city is engaged in, and we are hoping that other member of the community and the region will engage in as well,” he said as part of his opening remarks.
“This Community Hydro Project, which the City has signed on as an anchor tenant, is unique in that we are sourcing local hydro power credits from a facility here in the county that produces local jobs using local resources… This is a great opportunity for residents, businesses and municipalities around the state to access clean power,” Flagg said.
Mayor Collins was on hand for the event as well: “We continue to make small, significant steps towards clean energy. This is an opportunity for a public private partnership between Boralex and Northern Power and Light. We need more partnerships like this to drive clean energy initiatives forward. We are so happy that Glens Falls is part of this… We are moving forward,” the mayor said.
Northern Power and Light co-founder Ethan Smith said a few words as well: “This is a really exciting day… It’s wonderful to be working with Boralex again on another community hydro project, especially right here in their home town… This collaboration with the City of Glens Falls is equally exciting, and marks a new milestone. It enables individuals and communities to benefit from the resources in their own backyard,” Smith said.
Northern Power and Light, through a state-run program called Community Distributed Generation, helps small-scale renewable power producers connect directly with energy users in a way that is economically beneficial for the energy producers and the energy consumers… It’s a way to choose clean power, keep your dollars local, and not raise costs.
The City of Glens Falls is an anchor customer, and is the biggest subscriber to the program… Moving forward, the Community Hydro Projects needs individuals and businesses to sign up for the program. The City of Glens Falls, Northern Power and Light, and Boralex are working together to campaign for individuals and businesses to sign up for locally sourced hydro power.
For more information about the program and how to participate, please visit npandl.com
Business vs.busyness… oneletter makes aworld of difference.
As a founder, owner, or leader of a company, do you want to be fully engaged in building a successful business? The alternative – to be encumbered by success-defeating busyness. If you look back over the past weeks or months, and can honestly say that you have been busy but aren’t seeing positive results in your business, it’s time to take stock of where you’re applying your efforts. Are you working on growing your business, or are you stuck on the hamster wheel of daily operations?
Let’s consider your business in light of the six key components of the Entrepreneurial Operating System® (EOS®): vision, people, data, issues, process, and traction. As an EOS® Implementer, I help leadership teams strengthen each component and build a stronger company from the inside out.
So, clear your desk, silence your phone, and let’s have a chat about something we both care deeply about: your business.
First on the table is vision. I would love for you to be crystal clear on what success looks like and for your employees to have that same clarity. So, let me ask you:
Do you have a well-defined vision of what you want to achieve, and can you articulate it concisely and powerfully?
Have the people who work for you grabbed hold of that vision with both hands, and are they working toward it collectively?
Speaking of people, I would love for you to be leading a team where everyone is excited to contribute, looks forward to coming in each morning, and is the best person you can imagine for their job. If a person comes to mind who doesn’t fit that picture, remember that neither of you is happy with the current situation. So:
How much is this person costing you in terms of lost productivity, lowered morale, aggravation, and the like?
If you truly want the best for this person, how long are you going to let them suffer before either moving them to an appropriate seat in your own company, or releasing them to pursue success at another company?
We move next to data. Here, I would love for you to know exactly which actions drive success in your business, and know that you’re doing those actions so you get the results you are after. With that in mind:
Can you identify the top actions that drive cashflow, profitability, customer acquisition, etc. in your business? (Most of us track results!)
Does everyone know who is responsible for each of those actions, and how much they need to do every week to drive the results you want?
You might be seeing some of your business issues more clearly at this point, and there are probably more to uncover (don’t feel bad – it’s true for every company). I would love for you to have such an open and honest culture that you’re able to identify every challenge and obstacle. This leads me to ask:
Have you been applying a bandage to an issue to avoid finding a long-term solution?
How many times do you want to wrestle with an issue before you get to its root and solve it for good?
Let’s move on to process. I would love for you to capture the best way to do things in your business. After all, this is your intellectual property – own it by documenting it in such a way that others can be trained to do things right! Plus, defining a process makes it easy to update later on. That being said:
What are the Core Processes in your company? What’s the right way to do things?
Where do those processes go off the rails, and why? Is the gap in your process, or in performance?
Finally, we have traction. I would love for you to get the most important things done day to day and month to month so that you systematically build your company. As one of my clients said: “I want my job to be about forest management, not forest fires!” To that end, consider:
Have you identified a handful of priorities to focus on completing this quarter? (We understand that when everything is important… nothing is important!)
Do you have a pulse; nay, a cadence that everyone follows to ensure that the most important things get done?
Strengthening these Six Key Components in your business will do much more than just expand your customer base or increase your revenue – it will help you build your business from the inside out, so that you become a better, healthier, more impactful company. That’s real business growth!
The Adirondack Regional Chamber of Commerce (ARCC) is pleased to announce that the 35th Annual J. Walter Juckett Community Service Award will be presented to Robert Nemer co-owner of the Nemer Motor Group, and regular contributor to many local community organizations.
Mr. Nemer will be presented with the award at the ARCC Annual Dinner on the evening of March 8, 2024 at The Sagamore Resort.
“All you need is a couple of minutes with Robert Nemer to learn that he is passionate about helping others. His work spans through decades of helping our youth get the supplies and resources they need to succeed in school, all the way to helping fund the much-needed equipment that our hospitals need to serve their patients,” said ARCC President & CEO Tricia Rogers. “When called upon, he answers the call. His contributions to our region will be felt for years to come.”
Nemer moved to Upstate New York in 1970, after teaching elementary school in Philadelphia, to help run his father’s Volkswagen dealership in Albany. Along with his brother Peter, they established and grew the Nemer Motor group which now includes four dealership locations.
Nemer is a founding member of the Adirondack Civic Center Coalition, Inc. that was responsible for the acquisition of the Glens Falls Civic Center/Cool Insuring Arena from the City of Glens Falls. He also started the Kids with Packs Program, in partnership with The Post Star and the Tri-County United Way, to provide school supplies to children in need in 14 schools in Warren, Washington, Saratoga, and other counties. Nemer also serves as a board member for Hudson Headwaters Health Network, and the SUNY Adirondack Foundation.
Mr. Nemer is a major and regular contributor and sponsor for many community organizations and their events. Through the Nemer Motor Group, he has made considerable contributions to Glens Falls Hospital, Saratoga Hospital, St. Peter’s Hospital, and Hudson Headwaters Health Network. Nemer and his wife Franny (Francine) have also personally donated time and funding to these health centers. The two have also contributed to the youth education efforts of The Hyde Collection.
Nemer is a very active member of the Lake George Association (LGA) and a founding member of LG30, a select group of donors committed to the LGA mission of protecting and safeguarding Lake George. He also serves on the LGA’s Council of Business Advisors and invests in the LGA’s Science-to- SolutionsTM programs.
“It is with great pleasure that we honor Mr. Nemer with the J. Walter Juckett Community Service Award this year, celebrating his outstanding contributions to making our community a better place,” said ARCC Board Chair Marc Yrsha, EVP, Chief Banking Officer, Glens Falls National Bank and Trust Company. “Mr. Nemer is an exceptional community leader who has been working for decades to ignite positive change and inspire compassion in us all.”
The J. Walter Juckett Award, named in honor of the longtime chairman of the Sandy Hill Corporation, was created 35 years ago to recognize and honor a deserving member of the community who has selflessly gone above and beyond by contributing time and energy to help others. To see a list of past honorees, please visit the Chamber’s website: www.adirondackchamber.org/j.-walter-juckett-community-service-award.
ABOUT J. WALTER JUCKETT
J. Walter Juckett had a remarkable business career and was a major community leader in his adopted home, the Village of Hudson Falls, and the entire region. His leadership and commitment spanned a wide range of civic, charitable, religious, political, business and educational activities. He was recognized with honors for his work and contributions to the Boy Scouts of America, New York Business Development Corporation, Salvation Army, Norwich University, Presbyterian Church, Hudson Falls Central School and many other organizations. He was a tireless supporter of the arts, having served as a director of the Lake George Opera and a major force in The Hyde Collection Capital Campaign.
ABOUT THE ARCC
Founded in 1914, the Adirondack Regional Chamber of Commerce (ARCC) is a 100% membership funded organization representing businesses in New York State’s Washington, Warren, Essex and Northern Saratoga Counties. The ARCC is a 501c6 not-for-profit corporation, governed by volunteer Board of Directors, and does not receive any funding from local, county or state governments. Our mission is to serve our members and business community through our advocacy efforts, education opportunities and the power of connection and collaboration.
What if I told you that the key to effective marketing wassimpler than you thought?
Marketing in today’s environment has a lot of objectives, including Brand Awareness, Lead Generation, Communications, and P.R., just to name a few. But they can all in some way boil down to this: helping you stand out in a crowd and get noticed by potential clients or customers.
This can be somewhat of a daunting task considering the vastness of the digital universe now and the amount of noise on the many marketing channels available to you and your marketing team. It is possibly even more difficult for the solopreneur or small business owner. These are people that are scaling their business while still trying to figure out how to effectively market that business at the same time.
Hopefully, I can simplify things just a little here by shining a light on your RAS — your Reticular Activator System.
I cannot remember where I first learned about the RAS, if it was a book I read, a workshop I went to, or just a friend telling me about. I know over the years I have continued to learn more about it and harness its power for our sales and marketing efforts. Located in the brainstem, the RAS has a few different roles in the human body. However, since hormone control and sleep regulation aren’t going to help you get noticed by customers, let’s focus on the functions that are most useful to us as marketers.
Every moment of every day, there are thousands of data inputs hitting all of your senses at the same time. It is impossible for us to be consciously aware of all of them as they happen, so our brains developed a way for us to unconsciously register all the data and then communicate to our conscious mind when one of them needs our attention. In walks your RAS.
The RAS acts as a filter that is cued in on data inputs when they reach one or all three of the following criteria:
1. It’s important to your survival.
That flash of a car out of the corner of your eye as it runs a red light, the audio on a commercial that catches your attention about a symptom of a disease, the movement in the bushes that you all of a sudden become aware of. Things that your brain thinks are important to your survival will trigger your RAS.
2. It has high emotional value.
Babies crying, babies laughing, humor, puppies and kittens. This is why those cat videos on TikTok have 65 million views. When your RAS registers something with high emotional value, it will direct your conscious attention to it.
3. Novelty
When your RAS encounters something it has never seen before, it immediately stops. It’s the Freeze, Flight, or Fight scenario. Since your brain has never encountered it, it freezes, and in many cases will enlist the conscious mind to help decide if this is a threat or not.
So how does this relate to marketing? The RAS is what stops a user mid-scroll to actually pause and read a post that comes up in their feed on Facebook, Instagram, Tik Tok, etc. Messaging, content, images, and videos should all be built around activating someone’s RAS. A good ad or post will incorporate one of the RAS criteria while a GREAT one will incorporate all three.
Need proof? Start paying attention to what it is that grabs your attention the next time you’re on your favorite social media channel, cruising Broadway on a Saturday, or even just walking through a store. Does it relate to any of the three criteria? You bet your RAS it does!
As the sales world adapts to an evolving global market, companies that follow industry trends and adopt innovations in data-driven technologies will retain their competitive edge.
In the competitive, fast-moving world of sales, keeping up with the latest industry trends is essential. Efficient sales teams know that their continued success relies on a growth mindset that permits them to adapt to the needs of an ever-changing market. By understanding the latest developments, innovations, and market trends, sales professionals can ensure their competitive edge and deliver the perfect products and services for buyers.
There are several benefits to understanding the trends impacting the sales profession. Significantly, it affects a sales team’s ability to forecast changes in the market. Predicting market changes and understanding global sales trends allows sales professionals to make informed business decisions and keep their companies competitive. Investing in market research to keep up with these trends can save companies money and time in the long run. Rather than wasting resources on costly mistakes, business leaders can focus on adapting to meet buyers’ needs. Their willingness to embrace trends will allow them to provide their clients with the hottest products and services on the market, giving buyers an exceptional purchasing experience.
At a recent workshop focused on the future of sales, over 125 sales experts and leaders met to identify the possible top distributors affecting sales. Once broken up into teams, these experts were asked to review 70 topical variable cards within the following categories: people, culture, technology, governance/geopolitics, economics, and the environment. At the end of the discussion, each team chose the top three issues they believed would have the highest impact on the future of sales. In the end, four categories were selected as the clear winners: culture, people, technology, and economics.
SECTION 1: CULTURE
While there are still unknowns about the future of sales, one thing is certain: Faster and more disruptive change is on the horizon. One of the most significant predictions for the market is that there will be more disruptive change vs. incremental change — something that future sales team training practices should reflect. Innovation, product evolution, and changing purchasing patterns will force faster, more extensive improvements. The buyers of tomorrow will want partners that recognize change and keep up with the latest direction. They need bold experts who are dedicated to evolution and adaptation.
There are several benefits to understanding the trends impacting the sales profession. Significantly, it affects a sales team’s ability to forecast changes in the market. Predicting market changes and understanding global sales trends allows sales professionals to make informed business decisions and keep their companies competitive. Investing in market research to keep up with these trends can save companies money and time in the long run. Rather than wasting resources on costly mistakes, business leaders can focus on adapting to meet buyers’ needs. Their willingness to embrace trends will allow them to provide their clients with the hottest products and services on the market, giving buyers an exceptional purchasing experience.
At a recent workshop focused on the future of sales, over 125 sales experts and leaders met to identify the possible top distributors affecting sales. Once broken up into teams, these experts were asked to review 70 topical variable cards within the following categories: people, culture, technology, governance/geopolitics, economics, and the environment. At the end of the discussion, each team chose the top three issues they believed would have the highest impact on the future of sales. In the end, four categories were selected as the clear winners: culture, people, technology, and economics.
As international trends become the dominant market force, global culture will have a marked influence on these changes. Consider, for example, the influencers and tastemakers of social media, whose position in pop culture enables them to shift beauty standards, behaviors, and lifestyle choices. In this way, culture will ultimately be a strong future sales driver. It will even affect the future of sales jobs as companies respond to these trends.
Disruptive change is usually caused by large-scale events, such as the COVID-19 pandemic. These events can seriously impact businesses by raising demand for new services, causing fluctuations in product prices, and increasing research costs. Companies that adapt to these massive changes efficiently and quickly will find a ready market and new buyers. By capitalizing on new trends, companies can increase profits, stay relevant to their demographics, and expand their offerings and sales locations. Conversely, businesses that resist change and do not adopt new innovations or sales techniques will see declining profits and lose out to more competitive companies.
Digitization, response times, and market research are three tools that companies can use to keep up with changing trends in the sales industry. Companies with a strong digital foundation can more efficiently respond to market shifts. Similarly, staying up to date with market research helps ensure that companies can make internal changes and swivel their product and service offerings as new challenges arise. Businesses that keep a finger on the pulse of the industry will maintain their competitive edge in a constantly evolving global economy.
SECTION 2: PEOPLE
Automation will overwhelmingly influence the future of sales jobs. According to Zippia, 46% of current jobs will be automated by 2030. These changes in the global job market will require many people to upgrade their skills, retrain, or even switch occupations. Still, as scary as that statistic might seem, the real-world application of automation in the workforce could take many different forms. Obviously, the cost of automation, the specific skill being automated, job availability, and location can influence how automation plays out in the near future.
While it’s possible that almost half of all jobs will be automated within the next 10 years, some industries will be more affected than others. Manufacturing, for example, will have higher rates of automation than administrative or creative roles. Nothing can replace the human element in sales pitching, but that doesn’t mean sales teams shouldn’t incorporate automation into their processes. For example, depending on where the buyer is in the purchasing process, automation could assign leads to team members based on skills, training, and experience. This would permit the delivery of the perfect sale to the ideal salesperson every time.
This new reliance on automation technologies will require businesses to reevaluate their hiring strategies, team distribution, and sales techniques. Companies may need to move employees to other departments, expanding or compressing teams to ensure that talent is used most effectively. To accomplish this, businesses must invest in employee training programs and personal development. Sales experts and professionals will also need to be flexible in the new world of work. This might mean changing perspectives about automation and cultivating an open mindset about change. Companies that resist new technologies will only harm their chances of success.
SECTION 3: TECHNOLOGY
Predictive analytics, artificial intelligence, and machine learning are driving the future of sales, leading to bigger challenges and even bigger potential profits. Advances in machine learning mean that artificial intelligence and predictive data are merging with better, more functional algorithms to change the experience of commerce. One of the most significant ways these technologies will impact sales is through personalization. With access to more advanced data on potential buyers, sales professionals can deliver better sales interactions.
Through the use of data mining and statistical analysis, machine learning has already reached new heights in understanding buyer behavior and producing predictive sales models. Machine learning algorithms can identify trends and patterns within massive datasets, allowing them to forecast potential results and offer practical strategies for sales teams. What’s more, they can operate anonymously and adapt their algorithms to incoming information. Essentially, these machine learning systems are able to evolve and improve almost instantaneously. Their applications in sales are limitless and will revolutionize the industry.
Additionally, artificial intelligence can track a team’s response to a lead by analyzing pitches, voice inflection, and word usage. This data can then be used to monitor and improve the sales team’s approach. With new developments in text processing, natural language processing, and computer vision, sales teams can employ personalized sales techniques at every stage of the buyer’s journey.
Part of the widespread changes brought on by data- first strategies will be in the workforce. Most jobs will become increasingly data-focused as companies leverage analytical technologies. Sales professionals with experience in data analysis will find a high demand for their skills in the job market because companies will recognize the need for sales experts who can interpret and utilize large datasets. Businesses will continue to invest in data-first technologies and prioritize sales teams that can utilize data-first strategies to stay competitive.
As predictive analytics, artificial intelligence, and machine learning become commonplace in the office, sales teams must be ready to incorporate them into their day-to-day operations. Companies should invest in these technologies and train their sales force to utilize them skillfully. By better understanding the buying behavior of their key demographic, businesses can tailor their sales techniques and more effectively pitch to the buyer.
SECTION 4: ECONOMICS
While no one can discount the skills of an experienced sales professional when it comes to closing a deal, it’s also true that selling on a “hunch” will no longer be enough. The future of sales is in predictive modeling, machine learning, and meeting customers where they are now.
Here are a few ways technology can disrupt sales when it comes to economics:
• Predictive analytics can help regional and global expansion, where ambitious companies aim to expand their client base and potential buyers. With predictive analytics, sales teams can make more effective decisions when interacting with clients or in a new market. By analyzing buyer behavior in a specific region, sales teams can better predict which products or services will be popular during a season or event.
• Data-first analysis can maximize the output of a sales team, saving precious time by handing sales professionals the information they need to complete a sale. This is doubly true for companies that engage in e-commerce, where automation can offer relevant service or product upgrades, recommend new products, and streamline the purchasing process.
• Another area where companies can see positive results from machine learning and data-first strategies is in reducing risk. For example, predictive models can work in tandem with credit scores to analyze a buyer’s purchasing capabilities and the possibility of default.
Still, predictive modeling has applications beyond the day-to-day quotas of sales teams. By using machine learning and data analysis, companies can create predictive forecasting models to prepare for possible economic recessions, market downturns, and even natural disasters. Through the use of pre-crisis and post-crisis data and buyer-behavior research, companies can predict product demand and sales results for a wide variety of categories. With access to such significant data, companies can create more accurate scenarios for revenue projections, leading to more accurate financial planning.
CONCLUSION
The future of sales will inevitably involve widespread disruptive change and evolving technologies. By understanding industry trends and adapting to new techniques and opportunities, companies will be able to meet future challenges. The oncoming artificial intelligence and machine learning revolution will permit sales professionals to overcome cultural changes and bring a better sales experience to buyers everywhere. Ultimately, companies that embrace the possibilities of automation and digitization will outcompete those that don’t.
Want to learn more about how data-first analysis and predictive modeling strategies can increase sales revenue and create more effective sales teams? Contact Velocity Sales today to take a free sales assessment.
Small and midsize businesses (SMBs) are growing rapidly in this market.
With the current state of the economy, competition to attract and retain customers and employees is stiff. In order to succeed and last, SMBs need to be agile and modernized. That starts with IT. Modernizing your IT can help SMBs grow, scale and excel in a challenging economy. Investing in IT can make your business more efficient and is more cost effective over time.
Managed IT
Leveraging managed services is a great way to start transitioning your IT to a more scalable, convenient model. Working with a Managed Services Provider (MSP) gives you immediate access to trained IT experts – without the overhead of assembling an entire IT staff of your own. Services like live chat and 24×7 support make this an excellent choice no matter what your industry is or what hours your team works.
This flexible model can be either co-managed or fully managed, depending on whether your organization has some technical team members or you’re starting from scratch. Either way, it’s a great way to save on IT while ensuring your environment is properly – and professionally – managed. It’s also a great way to access highly skilled, hard to get technical talent in an extremely competitive market without breaking the bank.
Scalable Options
Managed IT services aren’t the only adaptable technology these days. Audit what you’re currently using and what you see a need for. In addition to identifying gaps, this will help you discover opportunities to switch to subscription and per-seat (user- based) models. Subscription services don’t just help you avoid the initial capital expense, they also help you easily and quickly adjust when there are changes to your business. Whether it’s a sudden influx of customers, the need to change tools, or team members coming or going, paying per user helps eliminate unnecessary costs and long-term contracts in many cases.
Enable Flexibility
After the pandemic, we all know how important flexibility is to businesses. As a managed services provider(MSP), we witnessed firsthand how challenging it was for organizations to quickly transition their tools and processes if they didn’t already have remote flexibility. Being able to pivot how your organization functions is integral to long-term success. That’s where cloud and hybrid environments come in.
With a secure, correctly configured and professionally managed cloud environment, you’re able to drastically change things like where you work and how you work, without losing the ability to help clients as you change and grow. Even in organizations where onsite is still a requirement for many jobs (like manufacturing and healthcare), there are plenty of functions that can be done from anywhere, securely, if you’re using a cloud or hybrid environment.
Build In Business Continuity: Have a Planand Backup Strategy
Every business owner hopes they’ll never face a crisis that causes them to need disaster recovery services, but unfortunately that’s not something you can predict – or prevent. What you can do is create an IT environment that enables you to recover quickly, minimizing downtime and loss of productivity.
Regardless of the backup method you choose, having a secure solution in place is a key part of a modern IT environment. When your environment is configured with these things in mind, it can be much more cost-effective than trying to find a solution that fits in later.
Being able to quickly and effectively recover from unforeseen issues can mean the difference between retaining business or losing it.
Don’t Skip Cybersecurity
The last piece of the puzzle when it comes to modern, flexible IT is cybersecurity. Proactive services can put you in a better position to prevent cybersecurity threats and mitigate risk. Ensuring your systems are properly secured, managed and maintained is one of the most important things you can do.
If you’re going to invest in cybersecurity, we recommend starting with a Security Risk Assessment to see where your current gaps are. At the very least, an endpoint detection and response (EDR) solution should be in place to help protect against today’s more advanced threats. Don’t make the mistake of thinking antivirus is enough to keep your systems safe – threats have evolved, and your technology needs to as well.
These are just a few ways you can create more secure, scalable, flexible IT environments that enable you to stand out from the competition and meet your business goals. Modernizing your IT is an attainable goal – one we’re happy to help with.
You’re in a large room, filled with hundreds of members of your own local business community, and many of them are looking for the exact services you provide. Does that sound too good to be true? Fortunately, it’s 100% real and it’s coming to Glens Falls in November.
For those who haven’t heard yet, we’re talking about the ARCC’s annual Business Expo on Wednesday, November 8th.
The Adirondack Regional Chamber of Commerce (ARCC) helps entrepreneurs, small business owners and community members work together to improve life in the Adirondack region. The ARCC has been working on behalf of local businesses for over 100 years, and the Business Expo is just one of the many tools in their toolbox. The Expo solves a problem that many small business owners and entrepreneurs face: finding a connection to the community. That is where
the ARCC truly excels, in facilitating those critical relationships between business owners that in turn help to drive the local economy.
The ARCC Business Expo is a perfect opportunity to explore what the regional business community has to offer. Ambassadors from the ARCC will be on hand with a kind smile and easy introduction as you work your way around the event. Their ease and friendliness helps to set the tone for the day, and it again illustrates one of their core objectives of building meaningful connections.
The Business Expo allows the ARCC community to showcase their products and services and give potential customers first-hand experiences as well. Whether participants rent a booth or simply “work the room” as an attendee, the comfortable atmosphere allows customers to seek information and ask more detailed questions. It’s also an opportunity to put a face behind a business, which is an advantage for both business-to-business (B2B) and business-to-consumer (B2C) operations. From previous Expos, attendees have consistently reported finding significant value from the event.
This will be the second Expo under the leadership of Tricia Rogers, President and CEO of the ARCC, who took over the role in August of 2022. She and her dedicated team are expecting an even larger turnout than last year. Currently, the ARCC is experiencing a boom in membership with over 700 members and counting. They will be setting up between 80-90 booths which is an increase from just over 70 booths last year. “The ARCC Business Expo is a favorite event of our members and business community,” Rogers said. “We really look forward to this event. It’s a great opportunity to showcase our businesses.”
Rogers always takes the time to thank and show her appreciation for the ARCC staff and volunteers. She began with the ARCC as a volunteer ambassador herself, and in 2016 took on the role of Membership Manager. In early 2022, she was promoted to Vice President, Membership & Community Engagement. Later that year, she was named to her current title of President and CEO. “I feel so lucky to lead the organization in a community that I am passionate about,” said Rogers. “I love this community and really want to make a difference. It helps that I work with a great team.”
Community building is often on the mind of Marketing Director Amanda Blanton, who reiterated the importance of networking at an ARCC “Chamber 101” meeting in early September. “You will always find a person who is not familiar with your business, even if you have been in business for 50 years,” explained Blanton. Business Expos are traditionally great opportunities to network with other professionals in the same or related fields, gain exposure to new ideas, and potentially learn new skills.
For Membership Manager Ava Kanninen, this is her first Expo with the ARCC. She can already attest to the excitement. “Regular attendees have told me that they love how open and welcoming the expo is. Some of that is because we don’t use the tall pipe-and-drape booths, so we have a warm and neighborly atmosphere. I also think that the level of engagement that our partners bring to all of our events is a special thing to be a part of, and I know the members are excited because the event keeps growing every year,” she said via email.
The chamber’s recommendation for attending expos, tradeshows and conventions is to make a full circuit first, then come back and see whom you’d like to connect with. And, of course, bring plenty of business cards.
The ARCC Business Expo will be held at The Queensbury Hotel (88 Ridge St, Glens Falls), on Wednesday, November 8th, 2023, from 4pm-7pm. For attendees, the event is free of charge. There is, however, a fee for exhibitors; ARCC members who would like to exhibit must register on-line.
There are early bird deals available as well as a variety of table options to fit every business’ needs. If you can’t make the Expo or would like a more informal setting for networking, there will be a post-Expo networking opportunity at Fenimore’s Pub.
The area’s premiere new home tour, the 2023 Saratoga Showcase of Homes opens its doors this weekend! Tickets are available at all Adirondack Trust branches, Saratoga National Bank on South Broadway in Saratoga Springs, Glens Falls National Bank in Glens Falls, Curtis Lumber in Ballston Spa & Queensbury and Roohan Realty in Saratoga Springs. Showcase tickets are always conveniently available at any showcase home during tour hours of 10:00AM – 4:00PM or can be purchased ONLINE at www.saratogashowcaseofhomes.com.
Once again this year, each showcase ticket holder will receive a FREE commemorative shoe/tote bag at the first home visited, while supplies last!
The 2023 Saratoga Showcase of Homes is being proudly presented over two weekends this year on October 7-8 and October 14-15. Tickets are only $25, which allows you to visit all of these beautiful new homes over four days. This year’s edition has 9 locations from 7 of our area’s finest builders. NEW this year is a showcase location in Lake George and Lake Luzerne!
Participating award-winning builders – Belmonte Builders, DeGraff-Bloom Custom Builders, DSG Construction & Remodeling, Kodiak Construction, R & M Homes, Whitbeck Construction and Witt Construction. To view an interactive mobile map with locations, directions and much more, please visit our website.
This year’s showcase will also be featuring a student “Minds Under Construction” exhibition on Saturday, October 8th from 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM at the DeGraff-Bloom showcase home #3. Area students from the 10 – 12 grades will be building vertical gardens and students from the 2 – 5 grades will be participating in the popular toolbox build activity. It’s all part of spotlighting work in the trades by the Northeast Construction Trades Workforce Coalition. In addition, a new 8’ x 24’ Tiny House built by BOCES students will be on display at the same location.
Now celebrating its 27th year, this annual community event has contributed nearly $1.5 MILLION dollars to our local charities. Proceeds from the Showcase of Homes will benefit Rebuilding Together Saratoga County (www.rtsaratoga.org) and Habitat for Humanity of Northern Saratoga, Warren and Washington Counties (www.glensfallshabitat.org). For more details on the 2023 Saratoga Showcase of Homes event, please visit www.saratogashowcaseofhomes.com. Check us out on FACEBOOK and follow all the updates on this year’s event!
About Saratoga Builders Association
The Saratoga Builders Association, Inc. (SBA) is a specialized professional trade association representing an industry basic to the wellbeing and economy of the people of Saratoga County. Its membership includes residential and commercial builders, developers, remodelers, building material suppliers, sub-contractors, financial institutions, architects, engineers, realtors, attorneys and other industry professionals. SBA is committed to the continued growth, prosperity and quality of life in Saratoga County. For more information, please visit their website at www.saratogabuilders.org or contact Barry Potoker, Executive Director at 518.366.0946 or bpotoker@saratogabuilders.org.
There will be a bus driver job fair on Friday, October 6th, 2023 from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM at the Queensbury Transportation department located at 421 Aviation Road in Queensbury! This job fair is for both permanent and substitute bus driver positions. There is no experience needed and paid training is available, so just bring your driver’s license and give it a try!
Bus drivers provide valuable services to the school community by safely transporting students to and from school, sporting events, and events in the community, ensuring that they are on time and ready to learn.
There are challenges to being a bus driver as the job requires patience, dedication, and a commitment to safety… Bus drivers have the ability to build positive relationships with students and make a difference in their lives. Taking on this valuable role can provide a sense of satisfaction knowing that you are fulfilling an important role for the community.
If you are interested in this event but are not available on Friday October 6th, please call (518) 824-5660 to schedule an appointment that works for you.
