It's no secret that chambers of commerce benefit the local business community. The chamber I represent works hard to provide members the opportunity to build, grow and connect their businesses. One misconception is that you must physically participate to get any benefit from a chamber membership, and unfortunately, decisions are made on this misconception. Want in on a secret? Your business can benefit while also benefiting your local business economy. I'm going to give you two examples of how, using our chamber, the Greater East Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce in New Caney, TX.

1. The Online Directory - There were nearly 70,000 views of our membership directory in 2020 with nearly half finding what they were looking for because they went directly to a member's page to get more information. What about the rest? Were they looking for you? If you joined for this benefit alone at our Silver Membership level of $300 per year, that's only $25 per month to be listed in a valuable and utilized directory.
   
   
2. Supporting The Local Economy - Our chamber produces events and materials with the goal of reminding consumers to shop close to home and support local businesses. We will also be revealing new programs in 2021 to continue accomplishing this.

So what's the secret? Your investment average of $25 per month does have great value even if you do not physically participate, although we love it when you do. Tell me again why you are not a member?

You'll sometimes hear me say "Don't ask me what I did yesterday or what I'm supposed to do tomorrow, I just know what I'm doing right now." Yes, I live in the moment and I'm sure there is a medical term for it. When I do say this to others, I usually get a laugh or someone is able to relate. This was not the case when I said it to Philippe Cras a few years ago. His response? "So you are like a happy dog showing up wagging its tail?" It was a great visual and we still got a good laugh! But, is that who I am or who I want to be? It really got me thinking and I'll always be thankful to Philippe for saying it.​

Living in the moment can be a beautiful happy place but I can tell you first hand, it's not helpful at all when it comes to goal setting, planning and caring about the bigger picture. What Philippe said to me that day put in motion a series of life changing decisions that helped bring me to where I am today, which is a much better place for myself, my family, and those around me. Philippe's comment really made a difference.

Did someone say something to you that made a difference in your life? I'd love to hear about it in the comments.

We've made it to the first back-to-work week Wednesday of 2021! How's that working out for you?

Today will be our chamber's first Mid-Morning Meet Up. This is a virtual event we implemented in place of our monthly luncheons. Historically, we do not have a luncheon in January so this is an added opportunity to get the year started by making connections with others and gathering information for the year. I've asked one of our Platinum Members Brian Silver of the Silver Accounting Group to provide a brief overview of the new PPP & EIDL programs that have recently passed legislation for those who are in a position of needing additional assistance for their business from the effects of the pandemic.

I always find the first week back to work exciting and challenging. Everyone is fired up and ready to make things happen! Did you set goals this year? Did you put a system in place to reach those goals and hold yourself accountable? Here is the system I use and recommend.

On the Entrepreneurial front, we just received more WHEY2 orders! It is a great feeling when you get notification on each sale. LocalMeA - The Best of Local has partners renewing for another year and we are already receiving commitments from new locally-owned businesses.

Personally, I've never been happier than where I am at right now with all aspects of my life. I will continue to do my very best to keep it that way.

I hope everyone is having a productive week and let's make the most of it! Yes, you should click the video.

So, how did the first day of 2021 go? It was a productive one for me. I

• launched my personal website & blog
• released an eBook to help others with setting goals
• worked on my SMART goals for the year
• cleaned and organized computer files with backup system
• worked on LocalMeA.com & ​WHEY2.com
• continued to exercise
• continued to monitor my nutritional intake
• spent time with family
• started watching the 3rd season of Cobra Kai on Netflix

Welcome to the first post on my brand spanking new website! I've owned the domain for years but have never done anything with it. As a marketing & promotions guy, you'll hear me talk about the importance of the three "Be's"--- Be Seen, Be Heard, Be Remembered, and self-branding is a big part of that. Do you own your name as a web domain like I do with MarkLinabury.com? See if it's available and if so, grab it now! Even if you don't use it right away, you just never know, like in this case.

​The start of a new year becomes synonymous with New Year Resolutions, which is great! People take stock in themselves and think about who they are, what they've been and what they want to become. They set goals. More often than not, the goals are set without an accountable system in place and they soon fade. Then the cycle repeats. Would you like to try and break that cycle? I've put together a short eBook that explains why goal setting is important and why you should get SMART about it. It's free but you need to register as a Charter Member of The Good Stuff to get it, which is also free to do. Understanding a systematic approach to goals is important and having a tool to stay on track is vital. Technology has made this easier than ever before. You will find a link to my favorite online goal accountability tool at the end of the book. I hope you enjoy and this helps Make A Difference for you. Happy New Year!