Good Business and Strong Community Go Hand in Hand in the City of Central
By Bob Breaux, President and CEO
Central Chamber of Commerce
In 1982 my wife and I got the idea to go into business for ourselves. We wrote a business plan, found a couple of investors, took out a second home mortgage for startup capital and in early 1983 we formed the corporation that we ran successfully for 25 years.
Ten years ago we bought a business to merge with ours. Last year we sold the two companies to our employees just because it was time to move on and do something else, something new, something different.
So, I know what it takes to start and run a small business. It takes commitment, money, willingness to change, patience, leadership, integrity, involvement, time management, balance, stamina, fortitude, etc. As a small business owner you may have a title like President, CEO, VP or whatever, but you have total responsibility for the entire operation. You develop the vision and the master plan, write the business plan, create the system and bookkeeping systems, hire the employees, market and sell the products and services, deliver, collect the unpaid bills, pay the bills, and if necessary clean the windows and bathrooms.
Blood, Sweat and Tears
You do it all. You live with it 24/7. You brought it to life and you keep it alive with hard work and commitment. Yes, there are plenty of benefits and you earn each and every one of them with blood, sweat and tears.
Beyond the risk, hard work and commitment of the business owner you must also have a strong community to work in if you are going to be successful.
A successful business needs a strong community, a good infrastructure, few government obstacles, and a solid/growing economy. Business needs a community with solid schools, a safe crime-free environment, good roads, recreation, and a good quality of life. Businesses have a vested interest in making sure all of these things are in place.
Forming Coalitions
To do this, though, would require each business to hire a full time staff to just monitor government at all levels, to market the city, to train and recruit other businesses to come to the community, and much more. Of course, this is too expensive for any small to medium-sized business to do alone. That’s why businesses form coalitions or Chambers of Commerce. The Chamber then hires staff to work for the community, and therefore, for all of the businesses in the community.
A Chamber of Commerce acts on behalf of its members (the business community) to represent businesses at the local, state and federal levels of government and to assure that all is being done to build a strong and safe place to work and live.
The Chamber of Commerce is also responsible for helping to sell the community to others to get them to live and work there and to help grow the community. The Chamber of Commerce also recruits new businesses to offer the goods and services needed by the growing community. In this way the Chamber creates jobs.
Stronger Schools
Chambers help to build better and stronger schools, recreation facilities, healthcare and all things that improve the quality of life. Networking, training and support of the membership businesses is also a big responsibility of the Chamber. Being a member of the Chamber of Commerce says you are a business with integrity and that you care about the community you work and live in.
Central is fortunate to have a strong and growing Chamber of Commerce. The City of Central Chamber of Commerce is a good partner with the city government, the school system, the state and nation and the people who make up the Central community. We are working together to make Central all that it can be.
We are excited to be serving the business community and the entire community of Central. If we can be of help to you in any way please drop by or call our office at 261-5818, We are located at 13013 Hooper Road.
Come see us!!
