LOVELAND MAGAZINE

News and Events from the Loveland, Ohio Area

Without fear or favor
Since 2004

Tag: chamber of commerce

  • One of the best parts of my job

    One of the best parts of my job

    July’s newsletter shares some excellent basics of starting your own business. Every chamber is different, but the Little Miami River Chamber Alliance’s membership base is mostly made up of smaller businesses with less than 50 employees. This often requires us to offer coaching and resources to the area businesses we serve.

    I mentioned in the June newsletter that one of the best parts of my job is to sit down with new business owners and listen to their plans for their business. I often hear the passion for what the business is selling, but the details on how to operate the business are often missing. We want to see them succeed.

    We do our best at the chamber to advise new business owners, connect them to affordable resources in our community and within our membership base. We work to secure their success in every way possible.

    This article really breaks down in simple language what every new business owner needs to consider when starting their business: What makes your business unique, are you needed? Are you filling a gap or need in your community, are you staying on top of your finances? (This was a must when I started working at the chamber)!

    The last point in the article advises that business owners use their instincts. You know your business best. You will get to know your service area and community. Tap into that.  I know I asked a lot of questions when I started at the chamber. So many people were trying to sell us trainings, media, and services. To be honest, we couldn’t afford any of it, but I listened to them all and took it up the chain until I felt I had my footing. The board of directors would say to me, what are your instincts on this? I would say, well, I don’t understand why we would need that (or, I can see how this would help our members)…and they said that’s your answer. Obviously, this has a lot to do with confidence in what you are selling or producing.

    I hope you take a minute to read this article, it’s not long and keeps the message pretty on point.

    __________________________

    CeeCee Collins is President of the Little Miami River Chamber Alliance.

    She was born and raised in Beavercreek, Ohio, CeeCee Collins attended Carroll High School and has been a swimmer her entire life. She received her undergraduate degree at Xavier University where she also participated on the swim team for four years. She graduated from college in 1989 and began working at USA Today Newspaper as a Regional Marketing Manager. After marrying James Collins IV, they moved to Tampa, FL where she worked for the Tampa Metropolitan Area YMCA for 6 years as an Executive Director.

    CeeCee and her family moved back to the tri-state area after her second child’s birth. She continued to work for the Greater Cincinnati YMCA for 10 years part-time. CeeCee then pursued full-time work and became the Development Director at Ohio Valley Voices for 6 years. Throughout her years at the YMCA and Ohio Valley Voices she was active in the Little Miami River Chamber Alliance (formerly the Loveland Area Chamber of Commerce). She became the President of the Chamber in 2013.

    CeeCee continues to enjoy working at the chamber and keeping up with her three children.  She and Jim live in Miami Township.

  • Watch Now – Loveland Council Candidate Forum

    Watch Now – Loveland Council Candidate Forum

    CeeCee Collins, President of the  Little Miami River Chamber Alliance said she was very pleased with the number of residents who turned out to hear from City Council candidates.

    Loveland, Ohio – “Our hope was to allow the Loveland voters an opportunity to meet each of the candidates that are running for Loveland City Council and hear their position on specifics issues and topics. We were pleased to see the largest crowd ever at a City of Loveland Candidate Forum,” said CeeCee Collins, President of the  Little Miami River Chamber Alliance. On Thursday, October 26 The the Chamber and Loveland Magazine sponsored a Meet the Candidate Night at the Loveland Intermediate School.

    Moderator for the evening was Judge Brad Greenberg a former Loveland Mayor and now a resident of Symmes Township. Pastor Bill Hounsell selected the questions that Greenberg asked of the candidates. The questions were submitted by the more than eighty residents who attended. “We would have liked to get to more questions asked to each candidate, however, it is invaluable to put a face, personality, and position in context with their yard-signs before going to the polls on November 7.” 

    The forum was broadcast live on Loveland Magazine’s Facebook Page and 24-hours later, more than 1,500 people have viewed portions or all of the forum.

    Collins said, “In addition, thanks to Loveland Magazine, we were pleased to offer the forum to those unable to attend in person via Facebook Live. Overall, the Little Miami River Chamber Alliance feels that the voters in the city are better prepared to vote because of the forum.”

    Many of the audience had to stand when chairs ran out at the forum to meet the Loveland City Council candidates.

    Candidates Andy Bateman, Tim Butler, Pamela Gross, Barry Kuhn, Neal Oury, Ted Phelps, and Rob Weisgerber were there to answer voter’s questions. Candidate Stephen Zamagias did not attend.

    “We appreciate both Pastor Bill Houndshell, Judge Brad Greenberg, the staff of the Intermediate school, and Business Manager John Ames for their time in helping,” said Collins.

    The video is embedded below as a rebroadcast.

    PUBLISHER’S NOTE:

    Loveland Magazine Publisher David Miller

    Love it or hate it, Facebook served the Loveland community very well Thursday night. New technology, love it or hate it, served the Loveland community very well as well – in bringing the forum to voters that could not attend in real time. We brand our videos, LOVELAND MAGAZINE TV because residents embracing new technology can view Loveland’s “First TV station in this fairly young, 21st Century” right in their living room, whether on a smartphone, a tablet, or a smart television. Viewers could even comment in real time on how the candidates were answering questions. 

    In addition, Loveland Magazine is extremely grateful for the old-timey things that happened last night. Judge Brad Greenberg’s and Pastor Bill Hounsell’s call to duty, volunteering to stand in the spotlight putting their personal reputations on the line, making the forum fair and impartial to both the candidates and to the voters who attended. And we are very grateful for the old-timey call to duty of all of the residents who attended acting out their civic responsibility to be better-informed voters.

    We are also so very appreciative of the calm and polite demeanor both audience and candidates displayed throughout the evening.

    Personally, I want to thank CeeCee Collins, President of the  Little Miami River Chamber Alliance for all of her attention to detail in ensuring that each candidate felt comfortable with the forum’s agenda, never an easy task when interacting with candidates vying for political office.

    LOVELAND MAGAZINE TV is TV on the Go and on-demand with a smart-phone. It may not be long before you witness our videos being projected on the wall of a living room or bar by a viewer who owns one of the new phones that come with “projector adapters” that project video images onto a wall of up to 70-inches. We are pleased that readers are embracing the new technology we are using and we are always open to your suggestions on how to improve and pay for those improvements.

    – David Miller

    Fran Hendrick, PCC – coach, counselor, teacher

    Imagine the feeling of being wrapped in a wave of support that would sweep you toward a cherished aspiration. It won’t happen overnight, but this little girl won’t be alone on her path.

    [Read the full post: http://www.franhendrick.com/2011/08/well-get-you-there/]

    Image may contain: 3 people, people smiling, text and outdoor

  • Meet the Council Candidates Night on Thursday, October 26

    Meet the Council Candidates Night on Thursday, October 26

    Photo not provided by Stephen G. Zamagias

    Loveland Chamber and Loveland Magazine partner to bring you Meet the Candidates for Loveland City Council Night

    Loveland Middle School Media Center

    801 South Lebanon Rd.

    Thursday, October 26 at 7 PM

    Doors Open at 6:30 PM

     

    by David Miller, Publisher

    Will City Hall be demolished? One, two, or four-story? Who will be Loveland’s next Mayor? Who will be appointed to fill the remaining two-year term vacated by former mayor Mark Fitzgerald? Will pro-growth or slow growth protect our values and environment candidates be elected? Which candidates will be more transparent? Which candidates will have the best temperament when their actions are brought into question? Who will shorten your commute time? Who has the thickest skin and a pleasant disposition? Will new bosses be just like the old bosses?

    What would you like to ask those who want a special seat of trust at City Hall for the next four-years?

    I am pleased that Loveland Magazine can partner this year with the Little Miami River Chamber Alliance to bring the candidates for Loveland Council together in one room to face voters and their questions. Voters will have the opportunity to meet the candidates at 6:30 PM and at 7 PM the candidates will begin presenting their case and asking for your vote.

    LOVELAND MAGAZINE TV will be broadcasting the forum “live” on Loveland Magazine’s Facebook page, so, people that cannot be at the forum to meet the candidates in person, can watch it wherever they are. Folks can watch on their smartphones, tablets, computers, or even on the widescreen of their smart TV in their family room. Organize your own watch party.

    The forum will be rebroadcast on both our Facebook Page and at www.lovelandmagazine.com so folks can watch at any time leading right up to election day.

    Residents can comment in “real-time” on the Loveland Magazine Facebook page during the live broadcast or afterward by watching the re-broadcast.

    Judge Brad Greenberg is the Presiding and Administrative Judge for the Hamilton County Municipal Court.

    At the Forum, residents will be putting their questions into a “hat,” and all questions will be screened for duplicates by Pastor Bill Hounshell. Hamilton County Municipal Court Judge and former Loveland Mayor Brad Greenberg will be the moderator for the evening and ask as many questions as time allows.

    CeeCee Collins, President of the Little Miami River Chamber Alliance said, “I feel it is important to allow the residents and voters to meet and ask questions prior to going to vote on November 7. Our intent is to provide the community the opportunity to ask questions and make an informed choice when voting.”

    There will be a similar Meet the Candidates Night for  voters on, October 25, at 7 PM at the Loveland Middle School Media Center. The School Board Meet the Candidate Night will be moderated by former Board President Dr. Judy McClanahan. 

    The doors will open at 6:30 PM on both nights.


  • An Apology from Ryan Kulik

    An Apology from Ryan Kulik

    I feel like the time is now to make an apology.

    by Ryan Kulik,

    Recently I spoke to council and submitted my prepared statement to David Miller at Loveland Magazine. (Ryan Kulik: Political motivated amateurs have taken over) (Loveland Community Heartbeat PAC responds to Mr. Kulik) In the days that followed, it was brought to my attention that part of my spoken statement was not one hundred percent factual. I also reflected on my demeanor, and the words I chose in trying to get my larger point across to council, the audience, and anyone watching online. I accepted that I had misspoken on something in my remarks, and proceeded to apologize in the Facebook comment feed in Loveland Magazine. I had planned on making a public mea culpa when the opportunity presented itself. My conscience will not allow me to wait for that moment, I feel like the time is now to make an apology.

    Ryan Kulik

    I’m sorry.

    I am sorry for not having my facts correct when I was trying to ask council why our economic development was in limbo. When I spoke at public forum, I was incorrect when I said the former economic developer had brought a certain amount of money into our community. That was a misstatement. Intentional or not, when someone does not make their point clear, and correct, the larger narrative will always suffer.  I wanted to talk about something of great importance, positive economic growth, and my slip-up cost me the chance to move any meaningful conversation forward. I owe an apology to council for wasting their time, the community for having to double check my words, and to myself for not being professional.

    I am sorry for calling people amateurs. I can clearly see that I was the one playing amateur politics. My ego, coupled with my frustration are all excuses I give myself for trying to claim the mantle of professionalism. Those excuses do not portray the skill of a professional. I am just one Loveland resident who tried to make a personal point on growth and economic prosperity. By letting my ego work in concert with my frustration towards our council, I used baseless adjectives in describing the politically active in our community That means I sought the refuge of a political amateur.

    I owe an apology to council for wasting their time, the community for having to double check my words, and to myself for not being professional.

    I am sorry that my greater point was lost in the all the noise generated about my inarticulate comments to council. I do believe members of our council have been acting in a manner that has stalled the positive economic growth Loveland has been experiencing the last few years. I do think it is wrong for a local Chamber of Commerce to work in conjunction with a Political Action Committee who has openly advocated for the stalling of economic development projects. I do not believe we need an extra layer of bureaucracy added to the required rules for moving any new economic development forward. Extra bureaucracy has always been a hurdle many new businesses would prefer not to jump over. I believe Loveland is a desirable community, and new residential developments would expand the tax base. New residents can help ease the economic burden, and make it less likely that council will approach the residents of Loveland with a tax increase. I believe the city of Loveland needs a proper economic development consultant, whomever that person may be. I am sorry I was not able to engage our council, and our community on my vision for an economically prosperous Loveland.

    With words like amateur, illegal, and corruption being thrown around, Loveland politics has become a lot of noise and has lacked substantive debate. I added to the climate with my poor statement at public forum. I hope the people running for city council, the groups politically mobilized for the election, and the concerned residents like myself can come together and focus on the issues that make Loveland great. I know that is what I am going to do.

    We promise the best customer service, and beyond a doubt, the best selection of merchandise in the area Pizazz Studio is a whimsical gift shop in downtown Loveland.