“From Your Garage to the Assembly Line”
Saturday, April 20, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm
at the Sheridan College C-TEL Presentation Hall

For more information and to pre-register, contact Robin Bailey, state director for Sen. Enzi, at (307) 682-6268 or robin_bailey@enzi.senate.gov. You can also just come early and register at the door.

This article was originally published as a “Community Perspective” column
in The Sheridan Press, February 16, 2013.

In keeping with the Chamber of Commerce’s vision to be the number one resource for the Sheridan County business community, we’ve jumpstarted 2013 by working hard to connect member businesses with the many resources available in our area.

At the January Chamber luncheon, Laura Lehan with Sheridan’s PeAk Consulting Group spoke to a packed house about how customer service really can separate your business from the pack. And, Linda Barker, with the Sheridan Workforce Center, offered up an outline of their services – all available here in Sheridan. 

Just this past Wednesday, at our monthly luncheon, over 100 business men and women gathered as Susan Jerke, regional director with the Wyoming Small Business Development Center, presented the vast amount of free resources available to start, improve, market, and grow your business. John Dick, with the Wyoming Technology Business Center, also outlined their services during the resource spotlight portion of the luncheon. 

In addition to our monthly luncheon programs, the Chamber’s bi-monthly training programs are off to a great start this year and provide valuable resources for our business community.

In fact, just last month, the “Standing Tall in an Upside Down World” principled leadership training was filled to capacity. And we’re already receiving registrations for our March 22 workshop, “Breaking Down Financial Statements to Benefit Your Business.”

As we continue to plan Chamber programs for the year, we will remain focused on our vision.

Look for more resources coming your way and be sure to check out our website at sheridanwyomingchamber.org for the resources to help you start or grow your business.

The Regional Director of the Wyoming Small Business Development Center told members of the Sheridan County Chamber of Commerce Wednesday that focusing on the often over-looked fundamentals of running their companies could help fuel expansion and support a successful adaptation to the ever-changing 21st century economy.

“Business is all about change,” Susan Jerke told the audience at the Chamber’s monthly luncheon. “The whole world is about change right now.”

A statewide organization, the center is funded at the federal level by the Small Business Administration and at the state level by the Wyoming Business Council. The center is housed on the campus of the University of Wyoming.

The collaboration between the three organizations allows the center to provide a wide array of free services to Wyoming business owners looking to grow their operations.

In a brief presentation on how business owners could harness the fundamentals of entrepreneurship to reestablish their footing in the local economy, Jerke said a sharp sense of focus is essential.

“The best way to predict the future is to create the future,” she said. “You always need to be reinvesting yourself.”

Saying that most failed to businesses flounder shortly after launching, Jerke added that proper planning is a key component in the effort to build a successful company.

Later in her presentation, Jerke touched on topics including the importance of establishing a social media presence, embracing change, networking and confronting the realities of a given business’ financial situation.

“When you really dig in and learn about your business, that’s when you’ll emerge on the other side (of difficult financial times),” she said.

Jereke also took time to review the services offered by Wyoming Entrepreneur, the business-focused network comprised of the center and two other programs at the University of Wyoming.

Assistant Director of the Wyoming Technology Business Center, John Dick, also addressed the crowd to outline his organization’s involvements with tech start-ups across the state.

With presences in Sheridan, Laramie and Gillette, the UW-based center offers networking events for entrepreneurs, incubation facilities for companies and outreach counseling among other services.

Founded in 2006, the WTBC partners with businesses that the organization’s management believes have the potential to generate between $3 million and $5 million in annual revenue.

“These are the building blocks of Wyoming’s economy,” Dick said. “We focus on the bread and butter of these companies.”

The University of Wyoming College of Business and the Sheridan County Chamber are bringing the principled leadership program, Standing Tall in an Upside-Down World, to our community.

Wednesday, January 23
9:00 am to 12:00 pm
at MDU’s Sheridan office

This UW-developed curriculum was designed specifically for Wyoming’s business and community leaders, and has already had an overwhelming response in several communities around the state. It’s time for the “good guys” in the business world to stand up and show exactly what they stand for and believe.

Click here for more description of the program, as well as a list of past attendees. And click here for testimonials from recent participants.

The cost is $250 for the first person from an organization and $200 for each additional person. To register, just click here. Or call the Sheridan County Chamber for more information.

What else can we say … how often do we get a chance to hear a Hall of Fame NCAA basketball coach with 900+ wins, the last year of those wins with only 1-1/2 legs and inoperable cancer?? Now he’s committed to sharing life lessons from his own experience … and with a great sense of humor.

This morning many of our Chamber membership had that opportunity and were honored by the Coach’s presence and lifted by his message. Patrick Akers, franchise owner of the coming Qdoba Mexican Grill, summed up how we all felt, “It was phenomenal … motivational … well worth the time. We need more events like this for the whole community.”

Here are just a few pieces of Coach Meyer’s wisdom – some directly from him and some from his colleagues -

On relationships -

The F words I try to instill in my teams: Faith, Family, Friends.

Did you call your Mama today? I sure wish I could have called mine. (Bear Bryant)

You can tell a lot about a person by the way that they treat someone who can’t do anything for them or to them.

On planning -

Plan, prepare, practice, and play like you just lost your last game. (Lon Krueger)

It is not who you play or where you play; it is how you play. (Bobby Knight)

On greatness -

People only want two things in life: security and significance.

Somewhere in our life we must meet someone who expects greatness from us.

The price of greatness is responsibility.

Our example is not the main thing in influencing others; it is the only thing.

Coach Meyer has also created his own set “2nd Ten Commandments” – worth applying to all of our own businesses and lives. (click here for a copy)

Special thanks to Coach Steve Smiley at Sheridan College, who was also assistant coach to Coach Meyer for several years (as well as a previous Northern standout), for his work in bringing this opportunity to us.

“Leverage Your Business” Workshop
Tuesday, March 27
8:00 – 11:30 am
at the MDU office building, 2324 Dry Ranch Road

The workshop is open to the public, but targeted to business owners and managers.

The cost is $40 for Chamber members, $60 for non-members. Space is limited – call the Chamber at 672-2485 to register.

This article was published in the “Community Perspective” column
of  The Sheridan Press, July 30, 2011.

Last week I completed the last of the seven full-day modules with the 2011 Class of Leadership Sheridan County.  What an experience!  I would highly recommend the course to anyone who wants to strengthen their leadership skills, learn more about the area in which we live and work, and make some wonderful new friends. 

Leadership Sheridan County is a unique program offered annually by the Sheridan County Chamber of Commerce.  Each year, the previous year’s graduates spend countless hours planning out the modules for the current year’s class.  The result is an always-evolving, ever-improving program that changes with the times. 

Our class began on January 8^th with a retreat that included orientation, leadership speakers, team building activities and open discussion.  Ryan Koltiska, a graduate from last year, was selected by his peers to serve as this year’s Leadership Chair.  Ryan and his module leaders did an outstanding job creating a fun and informational program. 

Our first full-day module included education on the area’s Youth Services.  The day began at the Wyoming Girls’ School, ended at the YMCA and was filled in between with fabulous speakers, activities and discussion on leadership opportunities in our community.

In February, we headed south for two days in Cheyenne, where we toured the Historic Governor’s Mansion and the State Museum, visited with Wyoming Supreme Court Justice William Hill and had dinner with Representatives John Patton and John Botten.  Our trip culminated with a personal meeting with Governor Matt Mead.  All who attended would agree this was one of the highlights of our Leadership Course.

Additional modules, taking place on the third Thursday of each month, focused on City Government, Health and Human Services, County Government, Economic Development, Community and the Arts and Natural Resources.  Each module remained informative and interactive and featured expert speakers, behind the scenes tours and team-building activities. 

Our August Chamber Luncheon will feature Leadership 2011 Graduation.  Then the tough part begins, as we choose next year’s Leadership Chair and begin planning our modules for the 2012 class.  That’s when our leadership skills will truly be put to the test.  The best part is that we get to be a part of this great program for a second year and spend more time with the great friends we made this year!