It is seemingly rare for artists and graphic designers to be members of their local Chamber of Commerce, but I felt it was time to take another step forward in being serious about business.

To me, joining Peoria’s Chamber of Commerce means that I am committed to this community, that I’d like to continue to do business here, and that I am ready to lean in to learning even more about best practices for running a business in Central Illinois. I should also add that I am a new member of the Morton Chamber of Commerce (I’m all about the community involvement this year). As of February 2019, I have joined both organizations and am ready to see what new opportunities I can take advantage of.

According to the Peoria Area Chamber of Commerce website: “The Peoria Area Chamber of Commerce is a membership organization of over 1,000 area businesses with more than 60,000 employees, continuously delivering value to its members by cultivating a thriving business community, presenting the united voice of local business to government, offering consistently upgraded products and services for business enhancement and providing strategic business advisory services.” It is $300 a year for a Classic membership for a business with 1-5 employees. You can learn more about what the investment looks like for other businesses here.

According to the Morton Chamber of Commerce website, their mission is similar and they have core goals of “promoting [their] members, providing learning opportunities and data, advocating for [their] members, enhancing our community, and developing a strong and growing economy.”

In both Peoria and Morton, I hope to connect with new business owners and businesses that are in need of quality design services and consulting. I have already signed up to show at the first “Fourth Friday” of the season on April 26th. Learn more about Fourth Fridays and the Tazewell Art Loop here.

I am currently working on setting up a session to share my insights on branding to chamber members in Peoria and working with Morton on a series of unique Morton Pumpkin Festival Postcards (more information on those coming soon). Stay tuned for more information on new ways I am able to engage with these communities through my new Chamber memberships. Mark your calendars for lunchtime on Thursday, April 25th for a special anniversary ribbon cutting. More details on that to come soon!