Your Chamber at Work - January 2, 2024

FROM PRESIDENT AND CEO JOE REARDON

Happy New Year, and welcome to 2024! As we return from the holiday break, I am reminded that beginnings are always filled with so much promise as we look to an unwritten future and feel inspired by all its possibilities. I hope the holidays provided time for rest and relaxation, allowing you to greet 2024 as excited as I am by all its potential.

Speaking of excitement – the KC Chamber returns in the new year, eager to launch our annual Small Business Celebration, which is one of the largest recognition programs of its kind in the nation! Right out of the gate, we are accepting submissions for our Small Business Superstars, helping to recognize outstanding for-profit companies headquartered in the Kansas City metropolitan area. These businesses are recommended by the customers, clients and the communities they serve so well. Membership in the Chamber is not a criterion for status as a Superstar, and it is an honor to celebrate all small businesses who help sustain our local economy.

As a friendly challenge, I encourage all of you to think about the small businesses you work with and submit them as a Superstar. This is an ideal way to show your appreciation for their efforts, create awareness of their expertise and acknowledge their excellence. Help them shoot for the stars in 2024!

Continue reading Your Chamber at Work for specific details about submitting a company as a Small Business Superstar. What fun it is to magnify the importance of our small business community, helping shine a light on them for all to see and appreciate!

SMALL BUSINESS SUPERSTARS

The time has come! Submissions are now being accepted for the Chamber’s Small Business Superstars. Hopefully, you have been compiling your list of outstanding for-profit companies based in the Kansas City area that you would like to celebrate – and they do not need to already be Chamber members. This is the fourth year for the KC Chamber’s Small Business Superstar program. These businesses will be given access to exclusive resources such as a digital marketing toolkit, a special window cling announcing the accolade, and an exclusive Superstars Reception on February 29 to celebrate their small business. Click here to submit a Superstar now!

AMERICAN RED CROSS BLOOD DRIVE

Kick off the new year with a good deed! Register here to give blood with the American Red Cross in the KC Chamber Board Room on the first floor of Union Station (30 W. Pershing Rd., Kansas City, MO) on Wednesday, January 10! Use the code "KCChamber" to reserve a timeslot between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. that day. As an added incentive, all donors between January 1-31 will be entered for a chance to win a trip to Super Bowl LVIII in Las Vegas.

NEIGHBORHOOD NETWORKING AT THE NEGRO LEAGUES BASEBALL MUSEUM

If you are a lover of baseball or interested in history, the Neighborhood Networking event on January 12 from 8:30 to 10 a.m. is something you want to attend! Our host for the first networking event of 2024 is the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum (NLBM) located at 1616 E. 18th St. The museum is renowned as the only one in the world dedicated to preserving and celebrating the rich history of African-American baseball and its impact on the social advancement of America. The coffee will be plentiful, and the conversation will be lively as you tour the space filled with historic artifacts of a bygone age. NLBM is a sensational site, attendance for Chamber members is free or $15 for non-members. Click here to register now!

THE GREAT RESET: 2024 EMERGING TRENDS IN REAL ESTATE

The KC Chamber Board Room will be the place to be on Thursday, February 1 from 2 to 6 p.m. as Steven Weisenburger, Director of Real Estate Business Advisory Services at PWC, provides an overview of the Emerging Trends in Real Estate® United States and Canada 2024 report, featuring insights from leaders across the real estate sector, including investors, fund managers, developers, property companies, lenders, brokers, advisors and consultants. As "The Great Reset" propels the industry forward, this year's report emphasizes that adaptability, technology, and environmental resilience are key to the evolving landscape of real estate. Local and regional panels will discuss how Kansas City’s markets will respond. Admission for KC Chamber members is $65 or $90 for non-members. Learn more here and email gdolan@kcchamber.com to register.