Information about economic development, economic and business trends, Columbus workforce, programs, events and the Chamber of Commerce in and around Columbus, OH

Member Spotlight: ActionCoach Business Coaching

 

   

 

About ActionCOACH:

A business coach is just like a sporting coach. A sporting coach pushes an athlete to achieve optimum performance, provides support when they are exhausted, and teaches the athlete to execute plays that their competition does not anticipate. A sporting coach will make you run more laps than you feel like. A sporting coach will tell it like it is. And a sporting coach will listen.

The role of the business coach is to coach business owners to improve their business through guidance, support, and encouragement. Business coaching helps owners of small and medium sized businesses with their sales, marketing, management, team building, and so much more. Just like a sporting coach, your business coach will make you focus on the game.

Why We’re Chamber Members:

The Columbus Chamber's mission is to lead and support economic growth and economic community development of the Greater Columbus community, and  achieving that mission through activities that benefit Chamber members and attract new investment to Columbus is very much in alignment with ActionCOACH’s mission of world abundance though business reeducation. We both are very much wanting to create a great, thriving economy in the Columbus region.

Fun Facts about ActionCOACH:

ActionCOACH operates in 26 countries and has more than 1,000 offices around the world. The franchise has received numerous awards including Fastest Growing Franchise, Franchisee Satisfaction, Best Overall Company, and has been named the number one business coaching franchise for more than five years running. Unlike other franchises in the category, Brad Sugars’ ActionCOACH is the first business coaching franchise originating from a business Brad started 15 years ago.

Featured Product/Service:

Your ActionCOACH will become your marketing manager, your sales director, your training coordinator, your confidant, your business mentor. Your ActionCOACH will provide business advice help you make your dreams come true though an individualized custom program designed to get the results you’re looking for in your business and you’re life.   

For more information about ActionCOACH , visit www.columbuscoaching.com

Young Professionals Spotlight: National Association of Asian American Professionals (NAAAP) Columbus

Each month, the Columbus Chamber will spotlight a local young professional or professional organization to showcase what they offer, how to get involved and when to check out their next event. For the month of February, the National Association of Asian American Professionals (NAAAP) Columbus is featured.

When and why was NAAAP Columbus started?
Nationally, NAAAP was started in 1982 in New York City. NAAAP has since expanded to more than 25 metropolitan cities in the United States and Canada. NAAAP Columbus was started in late 2006 because the founders believed that Central Ohio needed an organization that cultivates, supports, and promotes Asian American leaders. NAAAP Columbus offers professional development opportunities on the local and national level, engages its membership in community service, and organizes professional networking events. Through NAAAP Columbus, members work together to enhance leadership in their careers and communities.

Why should I become a member?
By becoming a member of NAAAP Columbus, you join the largest and fastest growing Asian American professional organization in North America. NAAAP Columbus provides its members with the tools and resources to further career advancements and empower Asian Americans to become great leaders and reliable employees. Members make connections on a local and national level, with individuals who look to help their fellow Asian professional. These connections are done through networking events, professional seminars, career fairs, community service projects and national conferences. NAAAP also has a national career web site where, as a member, your resume is placed at the beginning of searches for companies and recruiters.

How do I become a member?
You can become a member by visiting our website, NAAAPColumbus.org.  A single membership is $25 and a family membership is $45. We also have a student rate of $20. You can also become a member by downloading and filling out our membership form on our web site and mailing in a check payable to NAAAP Columbus.

Tell me about your upcoming event(s).
We are working with various groups ranging from the Asian American Bar Association to the Asian American Commerce group on joint networking events. Our networking events will be bimonthly and the location will change each time.  Please visit our web site, Facebook page or follow us on Twitter for further updates. We will also have various seminars and speakers ranging in topics from "Resume Writing and Interview Skills" to "Asian Issues and Personal Branding."

Along with our professional development and networking events, we will also participate in local community events such as "March with AACS" and "GenerAsian Next" to support the efforts of AACS and their services.

What are some successes or cool facts about NAAAP Columbus?
It has been a slow process, but NAAAP Columbus has been working with various Asian organizations to forge strong and hopefully long lasting relationships that Central Ohio Asian organizations have been sorely lacking. We are working more with the Asian Festival committee to hopefully bring to Columbus a Dragon Boat festival as well as an Asian American Career Fair.  We are also collaborating with the Asian American Community Services to help their efforts in creating a "March with AACS" event that will help raise funds that support AACS' unique services.  In addition to "March with AACS," we are also helping AACS plan for their yearly "GenerAsian Next" conference that will focus on teen violence and drug abuse issues within the Asian American Youth across Ohio.

Where can I go to learn more information?
You can visit NAAAPColumbus.org to learn more about upcoming events nationally and locally within the NAAAP Community.  Also, you can become a fan of our Facebook fan page, join our LinkedIn group, or follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/naaapcolumbus.

To learn about nearly 60 other local YP and professional organizations, view the Columbus Chamber's directory of YP and professional organizations.

Make Getting Involved a Priority This Year

By Andrea Applegate, Director of Workforce Development

Teckie Shackelford was among a panel of presenters recently at an event at the YWCA.Teckie is a veteran of the boards of directors of many corporate and non-profit organizations (e.g., H&R Block, Wendy’s and the Columbus Foundation, where she was the first female to be elected the president of the board). She was asked to give advice to anyone under 30 who might be reluctant to get involved on boards because "life happens."

Teckie acknowledged that life often gets in the way—regardless of one’s age or stage in life. She observed, however, that if you don't establish habits and priorities early in your career, you will likely never do it. "Start now," she advised.

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One morning last month, I got out the door early to pick up breakfast items (donated by Chamber-member Dunkin' Donuts) and deliver them by 7:15 a.m. to the Jazz Academy at the Lincoln Theater. That’s where the YP Presidents Council meeting was being held. I had no role at the meeting other than to deliver the food — and I didn’t intend to stay. But, I ran into some friends, got involved in some interesting conversations, and chatted with a prospective Chamber-member. Before I knew it, Robbie Banks started the meeting. Yikes!

I thought it would be rude to leave. I’m glad I stayed.

If you’re not familiar with the YP Presidents Council, the Columbus Chamber convenes this informal gathering of people in leadership positions (staff, volunteers, doesn’t matter) within groups focused on "young professionals." The purpose of the YP Presidents Council is to support and strengthen the great work of these groups, help them learn best practices from each other, encourage common event planning when appropriate, and allow them to broaden their personal and professional networks.

It was awesome to see everyone really engaged in the process. They shared a little bit about their respective organizations so that others in the room can recognize synergies, points of collaboration, etc. They also talked about how to keep their members engaged, particularly when it comes to producing events. They agreed how challenging this is, particularly when their committees are made up of volunteers with fabulous ideas and the best intentions, but who are short on time.

The YP Presidents Council meets every other month. If you're a YP president and would like to get involved, contact Robbie.

There are dozens of YP groups in our community. Some are made up of, focused on and led exclusively by YPs. Others focus their outreach and services to a younger demographic. Still others seek to engage young people in their traditional organizations (like arts organizations, and health & human service agencies). Check out our YPO directory to see for yourself the variety.

If you are a young professional, you should resolve to get involved in at least one of these organizations. It's a great way to build skills and connections that will benefit you for years to come. And it's best to get in the habit of being involved as early in your career as possible. If you are a manager, make it a point to support—even encourage—the young professionals in your charge to get involved. It’s a great way to help them develop leadership, networking skills, and will raise also the profile of your business in the community.

Member Spotlight: Oxiem Marketing Technology

The Columbus Chamber member spotlights put the focus on member businesses, their presence in the Columbus Region, what they do and how they’ve involved at the Chamber. To submit your member business for a member spotlight contact the Chamber's marketing department.

About Oxiem:

Oxiem Marketing Technology is a digital marketing agency focusing on web site development, search marketing campaigns and social media services. Integrating dynamic web designs with user-controlled content management systems and active online marketing programs, our unique approach is to make technology usable, innovative and measurable.

Why we’re Chamber members:

We’re a growing business and we care about being part of the community and being involved with local efforts to make Columbus not only a great place to work, but to live and raise a family.

Fun facts about Oxiem:

It’s rare to find leadership like ours. Bill, our Technology Director, has a strong technology background and John, our Brand & Strategy Director, has a strong marketing background. Marrying the two has helped forge a unique approach to technology marketing that makes the process easier on the client and in the end more effective. It also makes for some great theatre to watch them debate on the topics.

Featured product/service:

To celebrate the launch of our business in Columbus, we’re giving away a $20,000 plus “Digital Launchpad” package of services, including entire new website development, search strategy and social media set up. It’s our way of leveraging what we have to offer to make our own business community a little bit better.

Go to oxiem.com/launchpad to enter, or read all about it on our blog.

Summer Internships – Employers and Students, Are You Ready?

Today we are inundated with cold and snowy weather, so it’s kind of hard to believe summer will be here before we know it. But it will be! Now is the time for employers and students to start thinking about summer internships.

At ColumbusInternships.com, we’re gearing up for a busy season. For businesses that want to initiate an internship program but are unsure how to go about it, we’re planning a series of seminars to help you get the ball rolling. The first will take place next month:

Getting Started With Interns
February 16, 2010
8:30 – 10:00 am
Columbus Chamber Office, 150 S. Front Street, Ste. 250
Complimentary for Chamber members; $25 for non-members

To read more details and register, visit the events page.

Students can learn about the benefits of internships by watching a feature story that was broadcast on Columbus’ NBC4 yesterday. Megan Powell, of Capital University, shared her perspective about her position at E.E. Ward Moving and Storage. Watch it here.　

For more information and to register as an employer or student, go to ColumbusInternships.com.

Three Commonly Asked Questions From Young Professionals

By Robbie Banks, Young Professionals Manager, Columbus Chamber

I have the pleasure of meeting many young professionals (YPs) who are looking for opportunities to get involved in Columbus. While it is known that YPs value work/life balance, they sometimes need guidance on narrowing down the many available options for ways to get involved.

Three of the most common questions I am asked when I meet a YP are: 1.) "Do I qualify as a young professional?" 2.) "What organization(s) should I join or get involved with?" and 3.) "Where do I go to find out about the local YP and professional organizations?"

Here's how I generally respond.

Do I qualify as a YP? If you identify as a YP, then, by golly, you are! To take part in YP programming, you can self-select if you are a YP (or "young at heart"). For research purposes, a YP is often defined as 24-35 years old. Some young professionals' organizations (YPOs) may have age requirements that can range from 21 to 45.

What organization(s) should I join or get involved with? Before I respond to this question, I will ask you to give me your definition of "getting involved" and tell me about your interests and passions. Once I learn what makes you tick, I can help you identify organizations and events that you may want to investigate, For example, a YP in the finance industry may tell me that she enjoys sports, is passionate about children, and is interested in networking to meet potential clients. In response, I may suggest that she attend various networking events, join an organization's athletic leagues, and check out a couple organizations that are focused on children.

Where do I go to find out about the local YP and professional organizations? To help you in your search, view the Columbus Chamber's directory of YP and professional organizations. This handy directory features nearly 60 local organizations, along with each organization's mission or description, main contact's name and email address, Web site, Facebook, LinkedIn and/or Meetup groups, and categories that define each organization. Then, to be "in-the-know," you can register to receive the Chamber's weekly YP email, "Activities and Events for Young Professionals." The email is chock-full of volunteer opportunities, events, and more. Sign up for the email now and look forward to receiving a message from me in your in box each Friday.

Columbus is fortunate to have dozens of unique YP and professional organizations. Shop around for the organizations that are the right fit for you. Attend various events, and be sure to invite your friends and colleagues to go with you. Talk to the organization's leadership and members, and bring your business cards to each event. A number of the events are free to attend or cost very little. Whether you are looking for networking, social, volunteer, athletic, or professional development opportunities, I am certain you will find it by staying informed and getting involved!

Blue Chip Economic Forecast – Video Now Available Online and On Demand

The Columbus Chamber’s 11th Annual Blue Chip Economic Forecast drew a packed house at the Columbus Metropolitan Club last week. According to the forecast, the Columbus economy is expected to resume growth in 2010. Year-to-year net is predicted to be 0.1 percent, or 800 jobs, compared to 1.8 percent decrease in 2009.

If you weren’t able to make it to the event or just want to listen and learn again, take a look at this video from the forum—courtesy of the Ohio Channel.

You can also watch the program on Time Warner Cable’s free Local on Demand Channel 411. Simply tune to Local On Demand, select the “Local News & Info” category, and then select “Blue Chip Economic Forecast.”

The Columbus Blue Chip Economic Forecast is published by the Columbus Chamber. The forecast is a consensus derived from the independent forecasts of four area economists – Bill LaFayette, Ph.D., vice president, economic analysis, Columbus Chamber; Joseph Mandeville; George Mokrzan, Ph.D., vice president, senior economist, Huntington Bancshares, Inc.; and James Newton, Ph.D., chief economic advisor, Commerce National Bank.

A full copy of the forecast is available for download at www.columbus.org.

ABC 6 On Your Side Job Boot Camp

Download Job Boot Camp 2009-2010

Attention Columbus job seekers and employers! It's a New Year and time for a fresh start. See the attached for information about the ABC 6 On Your Side Job Boot Camp, which offers a great opportunity for employers and job seekers to get connected!

EVENT:  ABC 6 On Your Side Job Boot Camp

DATE: Wednesday, January 20, 2010

TIME:  11am - 4pm

LOCATION:  Veterans Memorial, 300 W. Broad St., Columbus OH  43215

CONTACT:  Kim May 614/485-1439 for details or to register 

 

Young Professionals Spotlight: Red Shoe Society

Each month, the Columbus Chamber will spotlight a local young professional or professional organization to showcase what they offer, how to get involved and when to check out their next event. For the month of January, the Red Shoe Society is featured.

When and why was the Red Shoe Society started?
The Red Shoe Society was started in the mid-90s as a fundraising group for the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Ohio. As the charity has grown, the young professionals group has evolved into an organization committed to serving the fundraising, volunteer, and advocacy needs of this great cause. Its members now serve as ambassadors in the community, and participate in various leadership and networking opportunities throughout the year.
 
Why should I become a member?
Joining the Red Shoe Society provides an opportunity to serve one of the most recognized charities in the Central Ohio area. Members enjoy a wide variety of participation options, starting with attending networking and fund-raising events and scaling up to being a member of our Leadership Council. Members may also participate in House service projects and learn some of the amazing stories of the families who stay there.  Finally, participating in the Red Shoe Society prepares young professionals for membership on a non-profit or philanthropic board.
 
How do I become a member?
Membership is FREE to any young professional, between the ages of 25-40, who is interested in assisting thousands of families with seriously ill children. Members are expected to participate on one committee and attend at least one Red Shoe sponsored event during the year. Joining the Red Shoe Society is as simple as attending a New Member Meeting (hosted monthly) where you will learn about the charity and determine how you would like to contribute to the Society’s various committees.
 
Tell me about your upcoming event(s).
The Red Shoe Society's next major event is called "A Toast to Tinseltown." This event is a red carpet cocktail party with local celebrities and other prominent Columbus businesspeople. Attendees may enjoy a full buffet and bar at one of Columbus' hottest new restaurants, Sushi Rock. Tickets are on sale now by visiting the events calendar on http://www.colrmhc.org. The event is being held on Monday, May 3, 6:30-10:30pm. 
 
Another major event this spring is the McDonald's All-American High School Basketball Games being held March 28-31 at the Schottenstein Center. Red Shoe Society members will have the opportunity to volunteer at this event, as well as assist Ronald McDonald House Charities raise funds with local corporations.
 
What are some successes or cool facts about the Red Shoe Society?
Our organization raised over $90,000 for Ronald McDonald House Charities last year, and are excited for increasing that amount again this year. In addition to being selected for the All-American Games, our House recently became the second largest Ronald McDonald facility in the U.S. Further, the charity has been selected to receive a Mobile Care Unit in 2010. This will help serve a broader base of children and families around our service area. Finally, the Red Shoe Society recently experienced a re-structuring. The changes include expanding from just a board of directors to a broader volunteer organization. New members can be as involved as they would like to be, while still ensuring we serve the mission of the charity. 
 
Where can I go to learn more information?
If you have any questions about the Red Shoe Society or Ronald McDonald House Charities, please don’t hesitate to contact Jamie Foltz at (614) 227-3740, by email (jfoltz@colrmhc.org), or by visiting us on Facebook.

Celebrating What Makes Columbus Great

Our friends at Experience Columbus, our city’s Convention and Visitor’s Bureau, created a new list of places and reasons that make the Columbus region a great place to live, work, and play. From the new Huntington Park to the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, people are taking notice of all we have to offer.

Take a look at this recap of 2009’s impressive accolades on the Columbus Experience blog.

You can also read the buzz about Greater Columbus on Columbus.org.

Tell us, what do you think makes Columbus great?