If I know local business owners, I know that they are by nature an optimistic group. Think about it. Who decides to open a business without the belief that their product or service will provide value to their customer, be better than the competition, and generate a profit?
Yet I know that for many of you the last few months have been “the longest year of your life”. It has been on my mind to remind you all that in this time of unrest and uncertainty you can rely on us.
The Redding Chamber has been advocating on your behalf with the government at all levels during this COVID-19 era. We have strengthened our relationships with the 3 incorporated cities in the county and the County of Shasta itself to the tune of more than $1 million in business recovery grants. We have worked more closely with our state representatives and with CalChamber, writing letters and signing on with other Chambers of Commerce throughout the state in opposition of job-killing legislation. We were one of the organizations to fight for the Paycheck Protection Program in alignment with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, which provided much needed stop gap funding for our business community to retain staff, saving jobs when revenue became scarce. This week Michelle Nystrom of O2 Employment Services and I met with a representative of Governor Newsom’s office who specializes in small business development throughout California. We carried your voice with us. In response to the Governor’s decision to shutdown indoor dining throughout the state as well as close other business types in Shasta County, we have formed a new coalition of restaurant owners, brewers, vintners, and coffee roasters in an effort to gain strength in numbers and advocating for a long term, safe reopening plan that prevents future unexpected closures.The notion of being stronger together is a basic tenant of belonging to a Chamber of Commerce.
The pandemic, for many, has put the brakes on the economy. COVID-19 has been a “check engine light” for our businesses. Now is the time to be working on our businesses like a mechanic works on a car. Whether it needs a tune up or a complete engine replacement, just remember the color that follows red at a stoplight is a bright greenlight and we need to be ready to put the pedal to the metal once again.
What is your greatest challenge at this time? Do you have a success story you’d like to share? I’d like to spotlight each in an upcoming article.
