Here is where you can learn more about the business insights, trends, and perspectives directly from the small business community’s leaders and changemakers. The Southwest Michigan First Chamber is proud to share the voice and expertise of our members. With new posts weekly, this blog is now your source to stay up-to-date and in-the-know on a variety of topics whether at home or at work. We invite you to read, share, and get to know these local expert contributors, support their work, and shop local whenever possible. Why? Because a strong local economy starts with the businesses in our own backyard.
When I started Jeannie Cleaning ten years ago, I thought excellent customer service was enough. I quickly learned it went beyond that. Coming from a restaurant background, I assumed my leadership...
If you run a small or mid-sized business in Southwest Michigan, you’ve probably heard some version of this sentence lately: “AI is going to change everything.” That part is probably true. What’s...
Over the past few months, while meeting with business owners across Michigan, Northern Indiana, and the Chicago region, one comment keeps coming up: "We have a website… but we're not sure if it's...
As the Southwest Michigan housing market continues to grow and evolve, so does the role of property management. What was once viewed as a largely administrative function has become a strategic...
Google search results never stop evolving. And, as a small business, it can be a huge challenge to stay on top of new updates, understand new features, and explore the new opportunities they offer....
In the world of family business, there is a haunting proverb often whispered in boardrooms: “Shirtsleeves to shirtsleeves in three generations”. The first generation builds the business through grit...
Introduction We’ve all been there: sitting across the table, or the screen, in a crucial business meeting, feeling the pressure to make a great impression. You have your pitch perfected, your slides...
Main Street businesses have long been the foundation of Kalamazoo’s economy. They provide stable jobs, long-standing customer relationships, and a sense of place that national chains are unable to...