Chamber Blog
How Strong Businesses Stay Standing When Others Fall Every leader has faced a curveball in the last few years-supply chains, staffing, tech, or the economy. The companies that come out stronger aren’t lucky. They’ve built resilience into their DNA. Resilient organizations lean on three things: confident leadership, flexible operations, and teams that feel trusted. Chambers…
Cybersecurity Made Simple: 5 Steps Every Local Business Should Take Nearly half of cyberattacks target small businesses, not just large corporations The average breach costs $25,000, but prevention is affordable and accessible Begin with strong passwords, MFA, and consistent team training Back up data in two places and test regularly A clear response plan helps…
What AI Can’t Replace in Your Local Business AI excels at automating repetitive, time‑consuming tasks. It can streamline administrative routines (like scheduling, invoicing), but lacks human judgment. Client‑facing personalization benefits from human empathy and context-AI can assist, not replace. Internal operations: AI helps with analytics and forecasting, though strategic decision‑making stays human. Ultimately, local business…
Mid-Year Reset: 5 Smart Moves to Strengthen Your Small Business The year’s midpoint is your wake-up call-refocus now to finish strong. Scrutinize your numbers to find what’s working (and what’s not). Reboot your marketing before seasonal shifts hit. Remove workflow roadblocks to boost team output. Reconnect with your business’s core purpose. 597 Words ~ 3…
Flagstaff Green Business of the Year Award: Celebrating Sustainability in the Local Business Community Reflecting the Flagstaff business community’s commitment to environmental stewardship, the Chamber introduced the Flagstaff Green Business Award in 2022. This award recognizes the sustainable efforts of local businesses and non-profits, highlighting their commitment to creating a positive impact on the environment.…
Marley Discovery Center Opens at Lowell Observatory: A Boost for Flagstaff’s Economy Flagstaff celebrated a monumental addition to its cultural and scientific landscape with the grand opening of the Marley Discovery Center at Lowell Observatory. This state-of-the-art facility promises not only to enhance the city’s reputation as a hub for astronomical discovery but also to…
Greater Flagstaff Chamber of Commerce Celebrates Native American Heritage Month: Honoring Our Indigenous Communities The Greater Flagstaff Chamber of Commerce proudly joins the community in celebrating Native American Heritage Month this November. This month holds special significance for northern Arizona, where we have the privilege of living and working alongside vibrant Native American communities, including…
Transforming Employee Feedback into Actionable Insights: A Leader’s Guide To manage employee experience effectively, leaders must turn data into action. Gathering feedback is easy; interpreting it to meet employee needs is the challenge. Leaders should focus on synthesizing insights from feedback tools into a clear, strategic response. The Big Picture: Managing employee experience is crucial,…
Everything You Need to Know About Prop 138: The Tipped Workers Protection Act A group called One Fair Wage (OFW), an outside special interest group from New York and California, is pushing an initiative known as the One Fair Wage Act that would raise the minimum wage by $2 above the current Consumer Price Index…
Governor Katie Hobbs Announces Major Update in Deployment of Federal Broadband Dollars PHOENIX, AZ (August 5, 2024) – Today, Governor Katie Hobbs announced the approval of Volume II of Arizona’s application for the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program. This officially unlocks the $993 million dollars in funding, which will be utilized to connect every…
Are ADUs the affordable housing solution cities need? Across North America, people are asking their city and town councils to take action on property development fees that drive high new home prices, which in turn drive up the market for existing single family homes. As urban areas grapple with housing scarcity, an innovative approach is…
Flagstaff City Election November 2023 The City of Flagstaff is conducting an election this fall with the Election Day November 7, 2023. There will be no polling places on Election Day. All registered voters in the City of Flagstaff, effective October 10, 2023, will receive a ballot via mail from the County Elections Department. The…
Chamber Hosts Governor Hobbs, Business Leader Roundtable Flagstaff, AZ – On Friday, June 23 at 8:00am, Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs and her staff met with local business leaders at the Greater Flagstaff Chamber of Commerce for the first of nine meetings while in town. Greater Flagstaff Chamber President and CEO Julie Pastrick presided over a…
Calling Small Biz Owners: Apply for Chance to Win $25K! US Chamber of Commerce -The America’s Top Small Business Award (formerly Dream Big Awards) honors the achievements of small businesses and highlights their contributions to America’s economic growth. The 2023 America’s Top Small Business Awards are presented in partnership with Iron Mountain and Dell Technologies.…
Business Advocacy Updates: May 18, 2023 Flagstaff, Arizona – Last evening at approximately 11:50 pm, the Flagstaff Mayor & City Council voted 6-1 in favor of Northern Arizona Healthcare’s rezoning the proposed site for our new hospital on Beulah Blvd. south of University Heights. Mayor Becky Daggett and Councilmembers Deb Harris, Lori Matthews, Miranda Sweet,…
City announces Joanne Keene as New Flagstaff Deputy City Manager FLAGSTAFF, Ariz – The City of Flagstaff is excited to announce that Joanne Keene will be joining the City as a Deputy City Manager. She will start with the City on May 30, 2023. Joanne is currently serving as the Deputy City Manager for the…
Greater Flagstaff Chamber – Business Advocacy Division at Work Did you know, the Chamber has a Business Advocacy DIvision (BAD)? The Chamber’s BAD is made up of volunteer member investors in various business backgrounds including retail, bankers, construction management, engineers, our utility partner, health and wellness and more. The Business Advocacy Division meets the third…
34th Annual Meeting and Award Luncheon The Chamber’s Annual Meeting and Award Luncheon brought together Flagstaff’s business community for a gathering of recognition and reflection. An insightful keynote address regarding the state of the economy on a national, regional and local level was given by Mr. Danny Court, senior economist and partner at Elliott D.…
Business Advocacy Notes: February 2nd, 2023 City Stormwater Fee Hike Update Flagstaff’s Mayor & Council decided at the January 31, 2023 council meeting to postpone a decision on the proposed utility rate hike until February 14, 2023 at the request of Councilmember Sweet, supported by Mayor Daggett and Councilmembers Aslan and Matthews. There are three…
Chamber Board of Directors Votes to Oppose Massive City Fee Increase On October 20, 2022 the Chamber’s Business Advocacy Division (BAD) met and heard a presentation from Ed Schenk, a City of Flagstaff stormwater utility official who offered the utility planned to bring forward a 300% rate hike on local residents in the coming weeks. …