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What Makes a Chamber of Commerce Valuable to You?

I confess that I am a Chamber enthusiast. I can’t remember a time in the last 30 years when I wasn’t a member of and active in a variety of business organizations and certainly, at any given time, a Chamber of Commerce or two. I have served on countless committees and on the boards for Chambers and their ancillary organizations at various times in my life. So, obviously, I come to this topic with a bias in favor of Chamber participation. That said, a well-structured Chamber that understands its role to add value to its members is a great tool for the serious enterprise and serious entrepreneurs.

So where does that value come from? Well, I suppose every Chamber Board member, leader, or member may have their own response, but I think it comes from serious interaction on public policy between the Chamber and the various levels of government that it and its members must encounter and work with every day. Our firm works directly with savvy Chambers to be that relevant tool for their members – so we understand that value. While it may be of some value to mix and mingle with other Chamber members at social functions, or the annual golf tournament and, while the occasional lunch and/or dinner program offers something more than the usual chicken in any one of the possible 24 universal preparation/ sauce combinations, the real value of a membership comes when your organization is engaged in the public policy issues that affect your company’s present and future and that matter to your bottom line.

Every day, government is writing laws, passing ordinances and resolutions, creating bureaucracies, making rules and passing regulations that will affect your company, its employees, your products and/or services, your profit and your future… and it is in your interest to be involved. And because we are often busy making widgets, it is wise for us to combine those efforts with other like-minded and busy business owners and managers. Smart Chambers, the most successful Chambers, the most relevant Chambers get that and get engaged in a serious way. Seek out those engaged Chamber groups and get active…it’s the best investment you can make and it is the work you and your colleagues will do in that involvement that makes a Chamber valuable…to your business and, ultimately, to you !

Article Source:- https://fsbcorestrategies.com/what-makes-a-chamber-of-commerce-valuable-to-you/

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The Importance of Being Bilingual in Public Relations

Six thousand eight-hundred. That’s the rough number of languages spoken in the world today.

Third. That’s the place Spanish takes with a roaring 346 million-plus people speaking Spanish. In the U.S. alone there are 37.6 million Spanish-speakers, making it the second most spoken language.

Being bilingual is beneficial; I’ve never heard someone complain that fluently speaking two languages has hindered their way of life. In fact recent studies have demonstrated that a multilingual person is nimbler, quicker, better able to deal with ambiguities, resolve conflicts and even resist Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia longer.

I fully embrace my bilingualism and went as far as making sure I’d land a job that would allow me to resourcefully use my Spanish-speaking abilities to strategically deliver a message and gain a larger audience.

When I was researching which public relations/affairs agencies would be a right fit, I was shocked to learn that not many agencies were utilizing or even recruiting Spanish-speakers to broaden a client’s audience. There are more Spanish speakers than ever today, and the number will only continue to grow, until Spanish-speakers become the majority. Why not take advantage of this skill, when you can add an entirely different community to your reach?

When I was asked if I was interested in serving as part of the Ford Motor Co., California Communications Team with an emphasis on the Latino market with FSB Core Strategies, I found myself in a unique position that enabled me to live my public relations passion for both general market clients, and those looking to serve the Latino community as well.

Working primarily with Spanish-language media in Los Angeles; the capability to effortlessly communicate with others in more than one language is also an asset in the workplace and opens doors to a whole new world of public relations. I am lucky enough to partake in many events that showcase the power of bilingualism, where the measure of success is media coverage and relationships. How efficient is it to have a bilingual team that builds both general market and Latino media and influencer relationships? The ability to communicate with English and Spanish media outlets, doubles the coverage and reach for a client.

 Article Source:- https://fsbcorestrategies.com/the-importance-of-being-bilingual-in-public-relations/

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Public Relations Professionals: Key Elements We All Need

Passion and personality: two words that are essential in the Public Relations field. So often we forget the importance of a smile, kind gesture and ability to put a grin on someone’s face. This is what PR is all about. The concept that as a professional we are not only determined to be efficient, but also to make our clients happy. Working in the PR world has taught me that the nice guy (or gal in this case) does not always finish last and that passion, positive personality and flexibility will take me far as a professional.

 What differentiates a passionate person from an indifferent person is the willingness to push one’s self knowing the client will value the work ethic. As PR professionals, nothing is more rewarding than celebrating a client and their successes. The passionate person, however, will also feel disappointed when he/she knows the client could have had a better experience. Sometimes it is okay to be upset when we don’t make a deadline or we realize we could have gotten one more registrant for an event. These emotions push us to work harder the next time we need to get a reporter on site, a new registrant at an event or a new member to join a coalition. Passion is what drives us to make a client happy.

 While passion provides the drive, a positive personality can bring out the best in any situation or obstacle presented. This positivity can be seen in something as simple as a smile or even a thank you letter. We might think a smile cannot be presented over the phone. However, tone, confidence and knowledge can make any cold call so much more than just a cold call. We can entice our listener to stay engaged and listen to what we have to say. There have been so many occasions where a smile has given me the opportunity to network and welcome another professional into a conversation at an event or in the field. No one wants to talk to a “negative Nancy”.

 Sometimes, however, it is hard to remain positive. We may feel as though we are in over our heads and want to forfeit the day’s work altogether. This is where flexibility comes in to play. In the world of PR, the phrase “roll with the punches” cannot be better related to what we experience in any given day. While mastering professional duties with one client may seem manageable, taking on two or even three clients at the same time can no doubt seem daunting. The flexible individual takes these responsibilities in and realizes this is the opportunity to learn something new. It could be time management, organization or even the courage to ask for help when it is needed.  Mostly, the flexible professional is able to adapt to their surroundings and compose their behavior in a manner that is ready to take on more challenges by not freaking out. A flexible professional will indeed “roll with the punches”, but they will also learn in the meantime.

 So, PR professionals, keep your heads up and those pearly whites showing and remember a positive attitude and smile can go a very long way. Take every day as it is comes and know that we can learn something new in the process. Try and think about how happy you are with your work and the effort you put in. But most importantly, in the words of Steve Jobs, “… the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do.”

Article Source:- https://fsbcorestrategies.com/public-relations-professionals-key-elements-we-all-need/

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TMC Financing: FSB Core Strategies Utilizes SBA 504 Loan to Purchase Historic Office Building

FSB Core Strategies purchased the historic property located at 1800 J Street in Downtown Sacramento to serve as a new home for their business. The property is perfect for this tight knit firm – giving them an added family-feel to their operations.

Cherri Spriggs Hernandez, Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer, is enthusiastic over the move. “Moving into our own building has been so incredibly exciting! Since our building is nearly a 150-year-old Victorian, it really changed our office culture quickly – and for the better! We always say we’re the most family business you’ll find, but none of us are actually family. Now we have a ‘house’ for our family!”

Founded in 2002, FSB Core Strategies is a public affairs, public relations and political consulting firm that has received many awards and accolades over the years for their impactful work. The firm is owned and operated by President and CEO, Jeff Flint, and Principals Cherri Spriggs Hernandez and Kristy Babb. The firm’s expertise expands from strategic council to research to website development and has been instrumental in many local political campaigns throughout the years.

This small business’ new home also has a history in politics. The 3,963 square foot historic Victorian building was built in 1887 and was originally the home of the Wittenbrock family, a family that was prominent in early California politics. In 1962, the home changed hands and became the headquarters for Senator Thomas Kuchel’s reelection campaign. The building is one of the last Victorian homes converted into office space on a commercial corridor in midtown Sacramento.

“The SBA [Small Business Administration] 504 Loan Program allowed this small business to go from leasing to owning with only a 10 percent down payment,” says TMC’s Senior Vice President of Business Development, Jim Azevedo. “It’s always so great to see a small business make this transition that will be so beneficial to them down the road.”

Moving into their building is the start of a new chapter for the business. “We have so much pride in our new building that each and every project we take on has even more meaning because we know we’ve made this investment. We’d like to purchase a building for our southern California office next,” said Spriggs Hernandez.

The 504 Loan Program

The 504 loan provides quality financing to small business owners for the purchase of fixed assets like commercial real estate and equipment. The SBA created the loan program to promote prosperity amongst small business in the United States and encourage job growth.

The borrower injects a small down payment starting at 10 percent, a conventional lender provides the first mortgage, and the SBA provides the second mortgage up to 40 percent of the total project cost. Conventional lenders are incentivized to participate in the program as they can finance only 50 percent of the project and remain in first lien position.

To show its support of all US veterans, the SBA incorporated an additional incentive into the SBA 504 Loan Program for veteran small business owners. The VetLoan Advantage Program offers a $3,000 cash rebate at the time of funding to offset the costs of appraisals, environmental reports and other loan expenses to veterans who own 51% or more of the business. FSB Core Strategies was eligible to participate in this program and it is considered by many to be an added benefit to an already very attractive loan program.

TMC Financing has over 35 years of experience providing 504 loans to small businesses and is a Premier Certified Lender with the SBA. TMC works with you to obtain best loan package possible in the shortest amount of time. A TMC 504 loan expert can answer all your questions and discuss your financing options. Contact TMC today to get started.

Article Source:- https://fsbcorestrategies.com/tmc-financing-fsb-core-strategies-utilizes-sba-504-loan-purchase-historic-office-building/