Page 10 - BusinessWest November 24, 2021

Eric Oulette says he has been busy at ribbon cuttings, one of the many ways the Greater Westfield Chamber has been visible and involved.
“What I’ve noticed from working here almost a decade is that there are a lot of roadblocks preventing unifica- tion within our business community,” she said. “So if can we cross-pollinate and promote one another and high- light one another, using the power of the chamber to become an ally with everyone in our community, we can see tremendous growth. The potential is really endless, in my opinion.”
Getting Down to Business
As he talked with BusinessWest, Oulette was just returning from a rib- bon-cutting ceremony, one of many he’s been part of over the past few
months.
The giant scissors have been given
a workout, he said, thanks in part to
a surge in entrepreneurship fueled in some ways by the pandemic and the time it gave people to think about, and act on, their dreams of owning their own business.
“More than 20 businesses have opened up in the Greater Westfield area this year alone,” he said, adding that, from what he can gather, most area chambers are equally busy with those ribbon cuttings, and they represent just one of many ways chambers are show- ing up during these still-challenging times.
Indeed, with federal PPP money and other sources of funding, such as a large grant the Holyoke chamber has secured through its partnership with EforAll Holyoke, area chambers have been able to carry on — in somewhat different fashion, in some cases, and with a somewhat different mentality in others. And, yes, with fewer people at
“It has certainly not been easy, and chambers have to do more with less now. But that’s not necessarily a bad thing — I think that’s just business, and everyone needs to learn how to do that.”
many agencies.
“We’ve transitioned to be more of
a mission-driven organization than
an events-driven organization,” said Creed, noting quickly that spend-
ing less time on events, such as those monthly or quarterly breakfasts that so many area chambers are known for, has freed up time for “things that truly matter.”
Using different words and phrases, all those we spoke with said essentially the same thing — although, for many, those events are still critical as ways to serve members and raise needed oper- ating revenue.
But the pandemic has inspired all the chambers to look beyond those events and at different ways to help members, especially as they continue to battle not only the pandemic, but also a workforce crisis that is without precedent, and now new challenges to their existence, such as inflation and supply-chain woes.
While the pandemic has eased in some ways, said Pazmany, area cham- bers are still working to not only serve but save area businesses. And this work takes many forms, from supporting the
Chamber
Continued on page 15
West Springfield, MA The Big E
Northampton, MA West Hartford, CT The Big E
10 NOVEMBER 24, 2021
FEATURE
NOW SELLING
Holiday
GIFT CARDS!
BusinessWest