As the Board Chair for 2018, I would like to take this opportunity to welcome you to the 2018-2019 Lisle Area Chamber of Commerce Membership Directory & Community Profile. Within these pages, you will find a plethora of businesses and organizations that represent almost every industry and fit every business and personal need. In addition, as you browse through the pages of this book, please pay particular attention to the many programs and activities that the Chamber has to offer to businesses and residents.
As a professor and student of business and the business environment, allow me to mention the new normal that exists in business today. This new normal revolves around one word – change. I tell students and aspiring business owners alike that there has never (ever) been a better time to start a business than now. Due to the relative ease of launching and the marketing avenues available to us today, it is by no means complicated to jump into the game.
However, while it is easy to start a business, it has never been more challenging to grow one’s business as it is in this day and time. Customers have more options, prices continue to get lower, service continues to get better, competition continues to increase – and Walmart and Amazon are not helping any of us out specifically.
We, as business owners and entrepreneurs, have a tendency to keep our heads down and dig in during times of change. We have a tendency to retreat to our silos and work our butts off. Instead, during this new normal, it is more important than ever to connect, collaborate and participate in order to stay ahead of the game. Whether it is goal setting or strategy, doing so by yourself may not be all that it takes. This new normal even more so screams about the partnership with an organization such as the Lisle Area Chamber of Commerce.
So whether you are in need of business and personal development, networking, education or marketing opportunities, take heart in knowing that you have come to the right place. And lastly, if you are not taking advantage of this network, this collaboration or the many events that are geared specifically to bring more awareness to your organization, 2018 is the year to make the Chamber work for you!
Sincerely,
Peter James, Chairman