Member Spotlight: Grapevine Communications

In good times business people want to advertise. In bad times they have to.

For 16 years, Grapevine Communications has been the Suncoast’s go-to agency for local businesses of all stripes to attract more customers, get more exposure and build a brand that resonates.

There’s a huge misconception about hiring an ad agency: Cost. With Grapevine, you select and control the amount you want to spend for the breadth of services you receive. Every project is touched with the same high-quality, results-oriented white glove service by the creative hands and minds of Grapevine’s longstanding core of 17 on-site professional writers, designers, web developers, digital strategists, account executives, and public relations experts. “Whether someone spends $500 or $5 million, we give them the same top-notch service,” said Grapevine Owner and President Allison Imre. “We hold ourselves accountable for each job we do.”

From doctors, dentists and dermatologists to self-storage facilities, sunshade manufacturers and surrogacy specialists – and everything in between – Grapevine gets to know the ins and outs of their clients’ industries. They then build strategic multi-media plans to not only target their clients’ specific audiences but reach them with a message that makes an impact.

As the region’s only full-service advertising agency, Grapevine is in the business of grabbing attention, creating awareness, and delivering on a promise of outstanding results. If you’re looking for Creativity, Strategy, and Accountability in your advertising, marketing, public relations, and social & digital media, it’s time to Grow with Grapevine.

“We’re not just your neighbors in the community, we’re your partner in ensuring a brighter future for your business.”

So, What’s Your Story?

3 Ways Storytelling Can Help Boost Your Business.

When I served as an admissions officer for the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, one thing became abundantly clear: Every year, thousands of applicants with stellar GMAT scores, strong career experience and genuine praise from their managers got rejected (and still do).

The problem, as I saw it, was that having strong credentials alone wasn’t enough to carry these candidates to the finish line. In a competitive race, they also needed to demonstrate the “fit.”

Surprisingly, though, during the many feedback sessions I led at Booth, no one asked me exactly how they could demonstrate “fit.” The answer I would have given? Successful applicants weave compelling narratives that demonstrate how their sparkling qualifications, values, and goals align with Booth’s.

That rule applies across the board: Whether you’re applying for an elite MBA program or trying to win investors and woo early adopters for your startup, it’s essential to convey that you and your audience are a perfect match. After all, as entrepreneurs, we’re all in a perpetual “competitive admissions” game. Hardly a day goes by that we aren’t trying to persuade others to join us in some effort. That means that we have to prove our “fit” day after day.

Stories create that sense of fit. Even if you have a Ph.D. or MBA from a top-tier university, even if you’ve led the most respected company in your field, even if you’ve done the most extensive market research possible, the story you have to tell is always going to be worth more than strong qualifications alone. Time and time again, the people with the most compelling stories stand out.

Stories, in short, enable you to prove your value, paving the way to accomplish your goals. How do you find those stories? Here’s how.

Storytelling connects us with what our audience needs.

Say you have a business (maybe you already do.) You love the products you’ve designed. You’re proud of the services you’ve worked so hard to offer. But, focusing on your products, your services, your company isn’t what your audience needs. If you want to persuade anyone to act on the information you give them, you have to shift perspectives.

Several years ago, I worked with a real estate investment trust hedge fund to revamp its pitch book. At the time, the fund’s leaders were having trouble raising more assets to manage. As I looked through their existing pitch book, I noticed that every slide was answering the same question: “We are SO awesome; why wouldn’t any client want to invest with us?”

Of course, that’s what most investment funds’ pitch books look like. Like most of their competitors, they were preoccupied with themselves.

So, my work with them began. And, in time,, they shifted toward anticipating prospective clients’ questions instead of focusing on themselves. Questions began to emerge for the pitch book — questions that a client would ask: “How did the fund have such stellar performance for so long?” and “Can the team continue its track record?”

The pitch book we completed used these questions to tell the firm’s story. It worked so well that the firm achieved its asset-raising goals within 18 months!

Storytelling differentiates us, giving us a competitive edge.

Unfortunately, your company’s long lists of accomplishments don’t give prospective clients a way to see how you’re different from other equally impressive startups. You need accomplishments plus an emotional incentive. When faced with many similar-sounding options, people make choices based on how they feel about a business and its leaders. So, make sure that business is yours.

A powerful Radio Lab episode, Overcome by Emotion, illustrates this. It tells the story of a hard-working accountant who developed a brain tumor. After having surgery, he lost his ability to make decisions. Why? The surgery cut him off from his “emotional mind,” making him “pathologically indecisive.” Emotions are critical to our decision-making capacity. As author Alan Weiss has noted, “Logic makes people think; emotion makes them act.”

Di Fan Liu, an onshore private banker in Beijing, is someone I know who uses storytelling to speak to his customers’ anxieties. Liu and his firm know that their potential customers struggle to pass their wealth to the next generation. So, when they pitch their services to ultra-rich Chinese entrepreneurs, they tell stories about multi-generational family businesses that have succeeded in handing down wealth.

The catch? All the stories come from countries other than China. The company then asks potential customers to think of a fellow Chinese entrepreneur who has successfully done the same. Most of Liu’s audience can’t name a single one. This is the point at which they’re ready to hear about what his company has to offer them.

Do what he did: Once you anticipate your audience members’ emotions, tell the story they need. As I discuss in my book, Let the Story Do the Work, plot strongly influences the emotions your audience feels. For instance, shaping your business’s story as a “quest” narrative can make your audience feel restless, ready to achieve more than what life currently offers.

Storytelling establishes our personal credibility.

People don’t just want to buy a product or engage a service; they want to know what the people leading the business are like. And, according to psychologist Robert Cialdini‘s research on social influence, we tend to like people we imagine as being like us. We’re more likely to form a stronger connection with them and more likely to find their ideas persuasive!

Leading a business provides countless opportunities to demonstrate that you are like your clients. After all, clients often ask us, “So . . . tell me about yourself.” We can answer this with a story that is universal enough to make clients consider how similar our experiences are to their own.

Entrepreneur Kelly Standing of Standing Media tells a story that, thankfully, has not happened to everyone. When asked to say something about herself, she describes how her father saved her life after a bully left her hanging from a tree. Standing’s “worst nightmare” scenario is one any parent (or anyone with a similar, personal story of resilience) could relate to. And, so, it resonates.

In the perpetual competitive admissions game, stories prove our “fit.” But that doesn’t mean only “born” storytellers can succeed as entrepreneurs. I firmly believe that anyone can learn the methods for telling a brilliant story, and that once you’ve learned these methods, you will reach goals you never thought possible.

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Article Esther Choy • Guest Writer from Entrepreneur: https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/305062

MEMBER TIP MONDAY: 4 TIPS TO MAKE YOUR BUSINESS MORE LIKEABLE

People buy from people they know, like, and trust. While you might be in the right place at the right time when someone is up against it, and they may buy from you once without knowing, liking, or trusting you, for them to return, you’ll need more than luck.

Know and trust generally come along when you establish yourself as a likeable business with a human behind it. It’s difficult for people to like you if they don’t trust you, unless you’re a villain and then being untrustworthy is your business. For most of us, that is not the case. You can’t like someone you don’t remember, so let’s get to work on establishing the like part of the sales equation.

Share Your Reason

Think of how filmmakers or storytellers get us to like the main character. One of the ways is that they place him on a quest, or up against a challenge, that we want him to succeed in. Often it’s one we identify with. Share your reason for doing what you do. There’s probably someone in your audience or potential audience who can identify with your convictions and story. Passion is contagious.

Find Commonalities

In order to find commonalities, you need to share things about yourself outside of your business and how it came to be. Share your likes, be positive. Share what you love about your community or your love for bacon. Be genuine and people who see your social media posts or read your content, will begin to identify with what you’re sharing. They’ll jump in and say “me too” and you’re one step closer to getting them to like you.

Ask Questions

If they’re in your store or business ask them their opinion on something and really listen to their answer. On social media ask what they think or what their preferences are. Involve them in your rebranding by crowdsourcing some of your marketing decisions. People like being involved and if you really listen to, and then act on, their advice, they’ll remember it and like you more because they see you as someone who values what they think. That’s all a lot of us are looking for.

Anticipate Your Customers’ Needs

As a business you are in a position to help, whether it’s helping someone look better, feel better, be entertained, or whatever it is you do for your customers. But you are also in a position to solve problems or answer questions. Use your content and social media to help customers with problems they face in their lives. If you run a boutique, you can create posts about unique gifts for the women in your life. If you are a CPA create helpful checklists of things people should track throughout the year for effortless taxes. Be helpful. Anticipate what your customers need and then give it to them. If they know they can count on you, they will return again and again.

In today’s competitive market place it’s hard for your product alone to set you apart. Often it’s the things behind your product that will help you make a name for yourself. It’s the service, personality, and assistance you provide. These are the things that make people like you and they are also what keeps people coming back.

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Christina R. Green teaches small businesses, chambers and associations how to connect through content. Her articles have appeared in the Midwest Society of Association Executives’ Magazine, NTEN.org, AssociationTech, and Socialfish. She is a regular blogger at Frankjkenny.comand the Event Manager’s Blog.  She’s a bookish writer on a quest to bring great storytelling to organizations everywhere.

4 BEGINNING TWITTER TIPS FOR BUSINESS

From 2014-2015 the number of Twitter users grew by 50 million, and it’s estimated that close to 1/5 of Internet users have Twitter accounts. The average Twitter user follows 5 businesses so if you’re not trying to reach your customers on Twitter you’re missing an opportunity.

Twitter is easy enough to understand, just share something 140 characters or less. You can share links, images, or videos. Here are a few other tips for businesses just starting out on Twitter:

Use Hashtags

Twitter is as hard to follow as the ticker tape on a stock page. It’s a constant barrage of messaging, particularly for those accounts that follow a lot of people. Hashtags, or pound signs (#), help people search for the information they want.

Using an appropriate hashtag can expand your business’ reach and help potential customers find what they’re looking for. Employ one specific to your business and use hashtags that are relevant. For instance, Jake’s Jewelry Store might use all, or any, of the following hashtags in tweets with images of gifts for mom: #jakes, #mothersday, #gift.

You can also use popular hashtags of trending topics, when applicable, like #marchmadness or #50shadesofgrey.

Share Images

This tip applies to most of social media but Twitter will display images prominently in the stream so it’s a good way to get your followers’ attention.

Rise Above the Noise

Find ways to stand out from others who are merely posting articles they’ve written. Ask questions. Have conversations. Thank people for sharing your content.

One of the easiest ways to create loyal followers, at least initially, is through commenting on what they share – either by providing your own opinions or asking them follow-up questions.

Avoid sending out automated thank you messages to new followers. While the concept seems nice – thanking them for following you – they come off as exactly what they are, robotic. Plus many Twitter users don’t check their messages box because of a large number of these they receive.

In addition to finding customers and potential customers on Twitter, it’s good to connect with influencers in your industry or audience such as mommy bloggers or niche bloggers.

Follow the Golden Rule

To follow back or not to follow back. That is the question and the answer for business is follow back, or do unto others as you would like them to do to you.

There are exceptions to this rule.

Twitter will cap you at 5,000 following (people you follow) if your followers (number of people who follow you) are not fairly equal. For instance, if you followed 2,000 people but only 500 followed you, Twitter will not allow you to follow any more until those numbers get within (about) 200 of each other. Twitter won’t tell you the exact number that it takes but you will be limited until those follower numbers rise.

You also don’t want your followers and following number too far off of one another because:

• If you are following too many people, and a relatively equal number is not following you back, it looks like you’re not sharing worthwhile information.

On the other hand,

• If a lot of people are following you and you’re only following a handful, you look like a bit of a jerk. That’s okay for reality TV stars but people who are using Twitter for business should be a little more congenial.

You can manage your Twitter followers through tools like ManageFlitter, Followerwonk (a Moz app) or Friend or Follow. Many of these tools can help you tell which accounts are spambots or fake accounts or inactive accounts. (You don’t want to spend time engaging those.) They also help you isolate influencers in your area.

There are pages and pages of tips written on topics like Twitter for business but the best thing to keep in mind is your humanity. Don’t make it all about your business and be gracious. Find ways to connect with people on a more personal level and imagine every tweet you’re sending could be seen by your grandmother, unless you’re in the type of business you don’t want your grandmother to know about.

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Christina R. Green teaches small businesses, chambers, and associations how to connect through content. Her articles have appeared in the Midwest Society of Association Executives’ Magazine, NTEN.org, AssociationTech, and Socialfish. She is a regular blogger at Frankjkenny.com and Memberclicks.

Member Tip Monday: HOW TO FIND TIME FOR SOCIAL MEDIA

Build Your Visibility

Small business owners, especially those businesses with under 10 employees, find it extremely difficult to justify the time on social media because it doesn’t lead to predictable, measurable cost savings or revenue.

Social media and content marketing is about becoming an engaging resource for your customers. What’s the yield of a relationship? If you can figure out what a relationship is worth in revenue dollars, you should be blogging about it.

The truth is, we can’t. Not exactly at least. But we know people buy from people they know, like, and trust and that’s why it’s important to invest time in building these connections and affections.

Finding that time is easier said than done. Still here are a couple of suggestions on how to carve out some time to increase your efforts on social media.

Keep Content Handy

The first thing you’ll need is a place to keep content you find. Not all content will be applicable for sharing the moment you come across it. We’ve all seen people on Twitter who post 10 tweets at a time and figure they are done for the day. It is better to deal out your posts at multiple times than all at once. Often you’ll find content that you’ll want to share later so select a system in which you can easily access your content gems in the future.

Upload content to DropBox, use Evernote or keep a notepad handy (paper or electronic). Doesn’t matter if you keep fortune cookie messages in a shoe box. Never let what you deem to be a valuable piece of content escape. Keep it somewhere handy and build a cache of it.

Find a Scheduler You Like

There are many options to help you pre-schedule posts. Scheduling is important because you can’t spend your whole day posting, nor do you want to be that person who bombards others with a firehose worth of content once a day.

Find a scheduler you’re comfortable with. Many systems allow you to control when you post and often give you the ability to do it several days out. One of the most basic is Buffer. It allows you to schedule across multiple platforms. It offers a free and paid version, but even the paid is only about $10 a month.

The most popular is Hootsuite, and while I use it occasionally because it offers greater capabilities than Buffer, I do prefer Buffer’s minimalist design. Hootsuite’s interface is busy but allows you to monitor in real time. If you’re developing relationships, this is a powerful ability to have.

Multi-task

I’m not telling you to turn off the TV when you get home, but there is no reason if you’re “vegging out” that you can’t use that time to schedule a few posts for the next day. Don’t let mindless tasks, like television watching, steal your productivity.

“Steal” Time

We all have moments where we’re waiting – before doctor’s appointments, before meetings, on the phone, while the kids finish up with practice, you get the idea. Many of us fill this time with other mindless tasks like scanning pictures of our friends’ pets on Facebook. Instead, use this time to be productive by finding content, scheduling it, or responding to people on social media.

I am a firm believer in scheduling posts but the interacting cannot be scheduled, so use this stolen time to reach out and connect with people.

Look for Content Everywhere

Content ideas are everywhere – airplane magazines, overheard conversations, commercials, popular TV shows, as well as all over social media. Use the many messages that bombard you daily to find gems you’d like to share. Retweets are only the beginning.

Take Pictures

Along that line, take pictures of everything that moves you and some ordinary things that don’t. Pictures you take can be used in blogs, memes, and image quotes without concern over cost or copyright. Links with pics are more likely to get shared and clicked. Encourage staff to do the same.

You don’t need huge chunks of time to make connections on social media. The key to success in this area is the same in most business- or relationship-building. Give people what they want/find valuable; do so without expectation. Become a resource for them and help them. Be consistent in your efforts so they know they can count on you. This takes minutes a day. Schedule good content and steal time for interacting. Then watch your relationships grow as people share your resources with others.

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Christina R. Green teaches small businesses, chambers, and associations how to connect through content. Her articles have appeared in the Midwest Society of Association Executives’ Magazine, NTEN.org, AssociationTech, and Socialfish. She is a regular blogger at Frankjkenny.com and the Event Manager Blog. She’s a bookish writer on a quest to bring great storytelling to organizations everywhere.

6 Ways to Make the Most of Small Business Week

National Small Business Week 2017 is right around the corner… literally as we turn over our calendars to start May. Now, you’re probably asking yourself how you can support our local small business in Sarasota (at least that’s what I’m hoping you’re asking yourself!). We’ve come up with six simple ways for you get involved in National Small Business Week, April 30 through May 6, whether you own and operate a small business, employed by one, or just enjoy shopping locally!

Run Small Business Week Promotions

Need some inspiration? Here are a few ideas to get your creative juices flowing:

Reward Loyalty: offer coupons and discounts to your most loyal customers during this week. You can add coupons to your Chamber Directory listing here!

Seasonal Themed Promotions: make this week extra relevant by making spring/summer and outdoor items on sale or by offering warm weather services at a discount (such as A/C Repair or Landscaping).

Special Holiday & Fun Observance Promotions: Get ahead of the game by making Mother’s Day (5/14) & Father’s Day (6/18) gift packages or coupons with purchase that can be redeemed on fun observance days like Bike to Work Day (5/18) or Martini Day (6/19).

Support Other Local Businesses

Take a couple minutes on your way to work to stop into a local small business, snap a photo to share on social media and tag them in it (also, send your photos to communications@sarasotachamber.com so we can share your photos, too!).  Offer special discounts or service to other Small Business Owners. Strengthening your support for another small business will strengthen your messaging to your target audience and will encourage them to support you, too.

Don’t Dip Your Toe In, Jump In

Showing up is 50% of winning. Don’t just promote the week, participate in the week! Google is hosting free webinars and workshops all throughout the week focused on topics important to small businesses. So remember, there is an educational component to the week, as well.

Team Up

Team up with other local businesses to cross-promote each other. Expand your reach by hosting a joint sale, offer to put their business cards or coupons in your storefront for yours in theirs. For maximum success, think of a complementary business to partner with, like fitness centers with nutrition stores or hair salons with boutiques, for example.

Update Your Listings

With more focus on small business during this week, in addition to any promotions you may run, you’re likely to see increased traffic to your website and social media accounts. It’s so simple to update your listings. This means your Chamber Listing, Google listing, Yelp, Social Media Pages (Facebook, Twitter, Google Plus, etc.), need to have accurate information displayed for customers to find you.

As a small business owner, the last thing you want is a person learning of a promotion you’re running, but not being able to find your business or get the information to be able to make a purchase. Don’t let misinformation deter your customers!

Leverage Your Social Media

SOCIAL MEDIA IS FREE! Use it. There are countless ways to utilize social media to your benefit business during Small Business Week!

Use popular hashtags like #ShopSmall and #SmallBusinessWeek.

Follow the U.S. Small Business Administration on social media for updates during the week: Twitter @SBAgov and Facebook facebook.com/sbagov

Create a custom hashtag for your business or a promotion you are running.

Tag neighboring small businesses and use local hashtags to spark conversation.

Establish a theme for your Small Business Week social media posts.

While your out shopping at your favorite Chamber Member small businesses, snap a picture and send it to Communications@SarasotaChamber.com to be featured on our social media!

Encouraging awareness, building community, and expressing your passion for small business is the mission for National Small Business Week! Showing passion for small business will encourage your target audience to support you and other small businesses, as well. Have fun with the week and remember to put your money where your home is!

To search The Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce’s Membership Directory, please click here.

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Partnering to Build Your Business

The Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce

1945 Fruitville Road | Sarasota, FL 34236

http://www.SarasotaChamber.com

“See and Be Scene” at Sarasota Film Festival

The Sarasota Film Festival (SFF) is recognized as a world-class platform for thought-provoking films from some of the best-known and emerging independent voices. Although the Sarasota Film Festival is one of nearly 850 film festivals in North America, they continually rank in the top ten percent.

In February, the Sarasota Film Festival unveiled their new campaign artwork created by Tyler Mathis, a Motion Design student at Ringling College of Art and Design. The annual celebration of film returns to Downtown Sarasota March 31st – April 9th, and the theme is a multidimensional play on words: See & Be Seen, Sea & Be Seen, and See & Be Scene. “For that reason, we are excited to share an artwork triptych, each of which captures the different iterations. Which one is your Festival?”

This year’s Festival will welcome some celebrity star power, as well. Oscar-nominated actor Stanley Tucci, Golden Globe-nominated actress Rosanna Arquette, actress Diane Lane, documentarian Rory Kennedy and actress-filmmaker Aisha Tyler are set to attend this year’s festival.

For more information and tickets to the Sarasota Film Festival, please visit their website here!

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The Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce is a Proud Supporter of the 2017 Sarasota Film Festival!

 

Meet Our Members: Tri County Air Conditioning and Heating, Inc.

Give us a brief history of your business/organization.

Tri County Air is a Christian, 2nd generation family-owned air conditioning and heating company. William Swanson, Jr., known by colleagues, staff, and customers as Billy, is president and owner of the company founded by his father in 1977. He began working full time at Tri County in 1987 and took over the business in 2001 following the death of his father. Billy holds a degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Florida and is a ministry leader in our local community.

What are your business/organization’s core values, goals, and overall mission?

The mission of Tri County Air is: “To comfort all in such a way that (1) they are compelled to tell others about their experience, and (2) it honors the Great Comforter, Jesus Christ.”

The mission statement is inspired by 2 Corinthians 1:3-5 “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as we share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too.”

How long have you been in business in the Greater Sarasota Community?

Tri County Air is pleased to have faithfully served the Sarasota, Florida area since 1977.

In a nutshell, what does your business/organization provide its customers/clients?

Tri County Air provides customers with air conditioning and heating maintenance, service, sales, and installation. Beyond simply providing comfort through HVAC and indoor air quality, the non-profit arm of Tri County Air, the Tri County Community Foundation, works to further complete the mission by providing emotional and spiritual comfort to our community by meeting the needs of the people they serve.

Complete this sentence: “When a customer/client walks into my business/office, they can expect…”

When a customer calls Tri County Air, they can expect to speak with a live Customer Service Representative who is kind, knowledgeable, and respectful of the customer’s needs.

When a technician or Comfort Adviser walks into a customer’s home, that customer can expect to see a Tri County Air employee who is clean, in uniform, on time and respectful.They will put on booties, inform the customer of what they are doing, and answer any questions along the way. They are not pushy or rude, they will listen to the customer’s needs and offer advice accordingly.

What makes your business/organization unique?

Tri County Air is unlike any other HVAC company because it is their goal to provide more than simply the comfort that comes with a working air conditioning and heating system. Every employee is trained to go the extra mile when they answer a call or enter a home. If a customer expresses distress, employees are trained to speak to them about the Tri County Community Foundation and all of the resources offered through Tri County Air’s non-profit. If they need help paying their bills, finding affordable childcare, or even need counseling, the Foundation is able to either meet the need right then and there or connect them with local resources in our community who would be able to do so. The comfort of the customer, in every area of life, is Tri County Air’s heartbeat.

What benefit(s) attracted you to The Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce?

Tri County Air joined The Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce to get to know the people who represent the many businesses in the Sarasota area and to give back to our community.

Is your company/organization involved in any community/civic activities?

In addition to the everyday community service provided by the Tri County Community Foundation, Tri County Air is responsible for putting on Make a Difference Day in Venice, FL. This past October for Make a Difference Day, over 400 people from 24 different organizations came together to beautify the city of Venice.

Where do you see your organization in five years?

In 5 years, Tri County Air is poised to make over $20 million in revenues, have over 125 employees, and donate over $500,000 per year to charitable organizations.

What are three things your business/organization can’t live without?

1 – Our Ambassadors: The mark of a good company is that it has customers who are so happy that they turn into customer-making-customers. Tri County Air Ambassadors are customers who tell others about us and the great service they received. Each Ambassador who refers a new customer to Tri County Air receives giftcard(s) as a thank-you (and may even be invited to exclusive Tri County Air Ambassador events).

2 – Our Employees: We are so thankful for each and every employee who has chosen to be a part of our Tri County Air family. Without them, we wouldn’t be able to serve our community like we have been able to for the past 39 years. Not only do our employees perform their jobs with excellence and respect, but they also take on our mission and work to comfort our customers and each other on a daily basis.

3 – Our Community: Tri County Air would not be able to survive without the people and businesses who make up our community. Over the years, we have served our community and have been served by our community. Southwest Florida is not only made up of a beautiful landscape but also of beautiful people who work together to help each other when they are in need. We are so thankful that we have been blessed to serve the Sarasota area for what will be 40 years in 2017.

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For more information about Tri County Air Conditioning and Heating, Inc., visit their website, follow Tri County Air on Facebook and Twitter.

Your business or organization could be featured in The Chamber Buzz. “Meet Our Members” is a member spotlight feature on The Chamber Buzz blog and e-newsletter, showcasing our member businesses, their products, and services. To be considered for the spotlight, simply complete this form.

Meet Our Members: X 30 Fit Bootcamp

Give us a brief history of your business/organization.

We opened up with Free Community Sessions June 2016. We are using the exact same program that has helped members lose over 50,000 lbs and 50,000 inches in under 3 years. We are committed to the success of SRQ residents.

What are your business/organization’s core values, goals, and overall mission?

Results, Community, and Relationships.

Our goal is for our members to lose 20,000 lbs by the year 2020. We love to be community involved and give back. We have partnered with Sweat Angels and have a different cause every month. Our goal this holiday season is to help support up to 5 families in need through the local school system.

How long have you been in business in the Greater Sarasota Community?

We opened our doors July 11, 2016.

In a nutshell, what does your business/organization provide its customers/clients?

Our specialized After Burn workouts use a combination of (HIIT) High-Intensity Interval Training and Active Rest Training to get your body to burn more fat and calories than traditional workouts that are twice as long.

Every group training session is led by experienced and certified personal trainers and is designed to be fun, high energy and challenging all while burning maximum fat and toning your muscles.

Our customized nutrition program will have you eating healthier than you have in years. We believe in eating whole foods that are good and tasty for you. You will not be hungry on our program.

Complete this sentence: “When a customer/client walks into my business/office, they can expect…”

A fitness family Including Full-time Coaches and Trainers who care about YOUR GOALS and YOUR WHYS!

What makes your business/organization unique?

We are using the exact same program that has helped members lose over 50,000 lbs and 50,000 inches in under 3 years. We are committed to the success of SRQ residents. Our goal is to help SRQ shed 20,000 Lbs of fat by the year 2020! We know that nutrition is the key and have a fabulous program eating lots of real food. The plan is customized to each person and their needs. All of our coaches/trainers are full-time with benefits.

What benefit(s) attracted you to The Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce?

Like minded community benefits and vested interest in each company. Love all the events!

Is your company/organization involved in any community/civic activities?

Sweat Angels daily and we tie months cause to a local cause. For instance, September was helping pets and we accepted donations of pet food and bedding for local humane society.

We are hosting our 1st Holiday Families in Need project. It is our goal to support up to 5 families in need this holiday. This next week every new membership is gifting $50 is going towards this cause!

Where do you see your organization in five years?

3-5 locations in SRQ.

A work family of 25 full-time coaches, trainers and Admins Having exceeded our goal of 20,000 pounds and 20,000 inches. Working on our 40,000 lbs goal

What does your business/organization do to keep office culture fun and exciting?

Every client is a part of our FIT Family and we rock out different themes from Super Sock Saturday to Super Hero day to 80’s Rock on workouts. It’s always FUN! Our office is the Fitness workout floor! What could be more fun!?

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For more information about X 30 Fit Bootcamp, visit their website and like them on Facebook.

Your business or organization could be featured in The Chamber Buzz. “Meet Our Members” is a member spotlight feature on The Chamber Buzz blog and e-newsletter, showcasing our member businesses, their products, and services. To be considered for the spotlight, simply complete this form.

Congratulations to Phil Mott, Chamber Ambassador of the Quarter

Congratulations to our Ambassador of the Quarter, Phil Mott! Mr. Mott is a financial advisor in the Wealth Management group at Morgan Stanley focusing on retirement income; investment management; asset allocation; education funding; lending, liquidity, and cash flow planning; and in life, disability, and long term care insurance. Prior to joining Morgan Stanley, Mr. Mott served in the US Navy as a surface warfare and intelligence officer for 29 plus years involving deployments and assignments to the Mediterranean and Norwegian Seas, Persian Gulf, Haiti, Germany, and Iraq. His final assignment was as the US Navy’s liaison officer to the Central Intelligence Agency. Mr. Mott has a B.A. in Government from the College of William and Mary and a M.A. in National Security Affairs from Georgetown University. He is a Certified Financial Planner™ and holds Series 7, 63, and 66 registrations.