Your Chamber at Work - April 8, 2024
Apr 08, 2024
FROM THE KC CHAMBER'S PRESIDENT AND CEO
At the end of February, we announced the 2024 Small Business Superstars to begin our annual celebration of small business, and this week, that recognition continues with some of the best networking of the year. On Thursday, April 11, from 5:00 to 7:30 p.m., Union Station’s Grand Plaza will be filled with display tables featuring the products and services of the top small businesses from throughout the region. The 2024 Small Business Celebration Candidates’ Showcase is the first opportunity the public will have to mix and mingle with the innovative entrepreneurs who strengthen our business community and keep it moving forward.
Tour around the room to sample food prepared by local chefs, or experience displays of homegrown creative talent. Learn about the mission-driven passion that inspired people to launch their own businesses, enhancing our community with one-of-a-kind products and services that are unique to the Kansas City region. I guarantee you’ll be awestruck by this show of visionary, service-minded abilities, and impressed by their stories of hard work and dedication.
General admission to the event costs $10 and includes food, a drink ticket and complimentary parking in the West Yards Garage behind Union Station. I encourage you to register now! You can also listen to our Director of Small Business Vicky Kulikov talk about our small business efforts as well as the annual Small Business Celebration in this podcast episode with EAG Advertising & Marketing.
I hope you enjoy the Small Business Celebration Candidates’ Showcase on Thursday evening, an event sponsored by CommunityAmerica Credit Union. We appreciate the support of our sponsors, so please join me in thanking them for their generosity.
DOING BUSINESS IN MEXICO
Join the World Trade Center-Kansas City on Tuesday, April 16 in the KC Chamber Board Room inside Union Station (30 W Pershing Rd., Kansas City) to learn about doing business in Mexico. From 3:00 to 4:30 p.m. the event will provide insights into business opportunities, industry overviews, and best practices for innovative Kansas City companies and start-ups aspiring to succeed in the Mexican market. Join us to learn more about what opportunities exist for successfully doing business in Mexico. This is a free event, but registration is required. Register now!
TAKING THE NEXT STEPS: UTILIZING AI IN YOUR BUSINESS
World Trade Center – Kansas City in partnership with the Consulate General of Canada in Chicago is excited to host a breakfast roundtable with Cam Linke, CEO of the Alberta Machine Intelligence Institute (AMII). On Wednesday, April 17, from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. in the World Trade Center Conference Room (2nd Floor, Union Station), Cam will discuss practical applications for using artificial intelligence (AI) in your existing business structure and how to integrate AI effectively. This event is ideally suited for Chief Technology Officers (CTOs), Chief Information Officers (CIOs), and technology decision makers. There is no cost to attend but registration is required by clicking here.
ACE AWARD NOMINATIONS AND CHAMPION OF DIVERSITY AWARDS
The month of April brings with it a renewed attention to those in our regional community who are doing notable work to ensure diversity, equity and inclusion are at the forefront of our business community. Nominations are now open for the KC Chamber Ace Awards that honor up and coming senior level managers who have shown a commitment to Diversity and Inclusion. Learn more about the Ace Award criteria and submit a nomination by clicking here. The Champion of Diversity Award recognizes a regional business or nonprofit organization that has made an impactful commitment to embracing diversity in their workplace, diversity supplier partnerships, and the community. Review the application guide and complete an application for Champion of Diversity & Nonprofit Champion of Diversity by May 12.
HEALTHY KC NETWORKING FORUM: FOSTERING COMPANY CULTURE
Join Healthy KC for the first networking forum of 2024 that will focus on Fostering Company Culture, on Wednesday, May 1, from 8:30 to 10 a.m., at REACH Healthcare Foundation (8131 Metcalf Avenue, Suite 200, Overland Park). The morning will begin with networking and move into a moderated panel focused on the topic. Company culture is a crucial part of employee wellbeing and is a large factor in employee retention but is far from one-size-fits-all. How can you create a culture that fits your organization? We will hear from our panel on how business leaders in our region foster their company culture and use it to promote the wellbeing of their employees. Register today!