GLD Communications Presents- 3-2-1 PROFITS - THE PODCAST - S1:E10 Your Chamber and You (Live!)

11/08/21 • 61 min

If you own a business anywhere in the U.S., you’ve probably either joined or been approached to join the local chamber of commerce. Chamber membership can provide a great resource to any size or type of business - if the organization is well managed.

What is a “chamber of commerce?” A chamber of commerce is a not-for-profit, regional organization of business owners, entrepreneurs, and private citizens who come together in an effort to promote the interests of their local business community. Chambers are typically run by a paid staff, led by the CEO or Executive Director with input from a board of directors.

Chambers of commerce leverage their group resources to help member businesses of any size obtain affordable healthcare, discounts on member products and services, and save money on promotions and marketing. That said, every chamber is different and the overall personality, value, and effectiveness of each membership depends largely on three things: 1) the size of the region being served, 2) the size of the organization and 3) the leadership of the chamber.

In this episode of 3-2-1 PROFITS - THE PODCAST, host Gery Deer has a conversation with Wendy Rodgers, President and CEO of the Beavercreek Chamber of Commerce in Greene County, Ohio. Gery talks to Wendy about her experience as the newly-minted head of her chamber and how the members have responded to the work she and Operations Manager, Chris McClure, have done to add value and grow relationships within the membership.

But that’s not all! This episode of 3-2-1 PROFITS - THE PODCAST was recorded in front of a live audience of chamber member professionals and local business owners! During the episode you’ll hear our audience’s responses to the conversation and a few of them have some questions for our guest as well!

More About our Guest

Before being hired to this position, Wendy Rodgers served three years on the chamber board of directors where she held positions as 2020 Board Chair and 2021 Vice Chair. Wendy has been a licensed realtor since 2018 and is currently with Irongate Realtors in Beavercreek. Prior to that she spent almost 20 years as a certified paralegal.

Wendy’s drive for community service certainly does not end at the chamber’s office door, however. In addition to her duties there, she is also president of the Beavercreek Kiwanis Club, served on the Beavercreek Zoning and Appeals Board and is involved in many other community outreach and volunteer programs.

3-2-1 PROFIT$-THE PODCAST is a Media Production of and trademarked by GLD Enterprises Communications, Ltd. Copyright 2021, GLD Enterprises Communications, Ltd., All Rights Reserved. Produced and Engineered by Julie Barth. Executive Producer and Host Gery Deer.

Are you interested in starting a podcast for yourself or your business? Call us for a free consultation and let us help you get on the air!

321 PROFITS - THE PODCAST is a production of GLD Enterprises Communications.
©2023 All rights reserved.
Produced and Engineered by Julie Barth.
Directed and Hosted by Gery Deer
Production Graphic Design by Taylor Huggins Media.

Promotional considerations are provided by GLD Enterprises Communications, Ltd., our advertisers, and guests of the program.

More About our Guest

Are you interested in starting a podcast for yourself or your business? Call us for a free consultation and let us help you get on the air!

Promotional considerations are provided by GLD Enterprises Communications, Ltd., our advertisers, and guests of the program.

Previous Episode

S1:E9 - 3-2-1 PROFITS - It's all about the Details

If your business is growing, it’s changing. If it’s changing, it’s probably becoming more complex, requiring more resources - in every respect. Many business owners experience growing pains, each unique to each of them. Expanding capabilities, onboarding of new employees and customers, even a physical move to a bigger and better location are all positive sides of growth but also bring added stresses.

When Chris Chitwood decided his auto detailing business in Dayton, Ohio had outgrown his home garage, he and his wife knew it was time to change - to take a chance on something bigger and better. In this episode of 3-2-1 PROFITS - THE PODCAST, your host Gery Deer talks with Chris about how he took his first steps toward growing his business, Dayton Detailing, and where it’s leading him today.

Chris is certified with the International Detailing Association as a Certified Detailer and Skills Validated detailer. He is also certified for the installation of OptiCoat professional-grade ceramic coatings and paint protection film.

Dayton Detailing is located at 3876 Indian Ripple Rd Suite B Dayton, OH 45440. You can call them for more information at (937) 409-9337, or visit their website www.daytondetailing.com

3-2-1 PROFIT$-THE PODCAST is a Media Production of and trademarked by GLD Enterprises Communications, Ltd.
Copyright 2021, GLD Enterprises Communications, Ltd., All Rights Reserved.
Produced and Engineered by Julie Barth.
Executive Producer and Host Gery Deer.

Promotional considerations are provided by GLD Enterprises Communications, Ltd., our advertisers, and guests of the program.

Next Episode

S1:E11 3-2-1 PROFITS - THE PODCAST - The Sawdust Family - Part 1 of 2

3-2-1 THE SAWDUST FAMILY - PART 1

Many people in the United States underestimate the value and significance of the family business. According to the Family Owned Business Institute at Grand Valley State University in Grand Rapids, Michigan, “There are 5.5 million family businesses in the United States. Family-owned businesses contribute 57% of the GDP and employ 63% of the workforce (Family Enterprise USA, 2011). That means family-owned businesses employ over 98 million people! In addition, family businesses are responsible for 78% of all new job creation (Astrachan and Schanker, (2003) Family Business Review 16(3) 211-219).”

For the 2-part season 1 finale and season 2 premiere episodes (January 2022) of 3-2-1 PROFITS - THE PODCAST, we will hear from two very different family business owners. First, a small livestock bedding company and then one of the company’s long-time customers. Both are family businesses that started out very differently from each other and have very different legacies. We’ll hear from each other about what it means to be part of a business that is more than the products and services being offered but was actually built on opportunities and challenges.

Our story begins with the family of your host, Gery Deer.

In 1952, Gary Deer, Sr., and his wife Lois had settled into city life in Dayton after leaving the foothills of the Appalachians in southern Ohio just a year before. In August of that year, their son was born, Gary, Jr., and Sr. had a good job with the telephone company. But, not long after, a labor strike with no pay taught him how insecure any employment could be. He soon went to work at National Cash Register (NCR), one of the largest companies in Ohio, but he was determined never to be without a job again, regardless of what happened with his employer. So, along with his work on the factory floor, he worked a number of what we would now call, “side hustles.”

What began as a part-time job helping his landlord pour and finish concrete sidewalks, driveways, and garage floors, transformed into a business that would change the lives of the entire Deer family. Gary Deer, Sr., passed away on July 1, 2020, after a long fight with Parkinson’s disease. But the unusual business he built left a legacy that still benefits his family. Click here to read more about the life of Gary Deer Sr.

Telling the Deer family story is our guest, Gary Deer, Jr., current owner-operator of Gary Deer & Sons in Jamestown, Ohio, and the older brother of our host, Gery Deer. In Part 1 of our two-part episode, “3-2-1 THE SAWDUST FAMILY,” Gary Jr., explains how his dad started out, some of the motivators behind the business, and how he got involved as a young boy.

Don’t miss Part 2 as we hear where the business has gone, how Gery is involved, and what lies ahead for Gary Deer & Sons and the Deer family legacy. Look for it on December 28th.

3-2-1 PROFIT$-THE PODCAST is a Media Production of and trademarked by GLD Enterprises Communications, Ltd.
Copyright 2021, GLD Enterprises Communications, Ltd

Promotional considerations are provided by GLD Enterprises Communications, Ltd., our advertisers, and guests of the program.