POLSON — The Polson Chamber of Commerce organized a business networking event on Saturday, allowing small businesses in a small town to come together and figure out how to better succeed as a community.
“[W]e’re already feeling the benefits from our businesses that have attended some of the symposiums and the different opportunities to network and also just realize what keys to success we do have in the Lower Flathead Valley and Mission Valleys,” said Joslyn Shackleford with the Polson Chamber of Commerce.
Watch the full story:
Business Pulse, organized by the Polson Chamber of Commerce, is in its second year of bringing small businesses from across the Lake and Mission counties together to network and learn from one another in an effort to grow their businesses as a community.
That's something that Ramah McDonald-Vulles, a peer support specialist for Montana Counseling Services, says is the key to success.
“A lot of information, a lot of encouragement, a lot of hope, a lot of connection, just networking, meeting people is super huge. Just the community support and just having that community time and getting to know friendly faces and seeing them in the community and being like, hey, it's great,” said McDonald-Vulles
According to Polson Chamber of Commerce director Brady Phenicie networking events like this one are crucial to the success of small businesses across the valley as coming together helps share knowledge.
“[L]ot of people don't get out of their office anymore. So, because they're so busy and so much paperwork and so much to do, that is a great way to do this on a weekend where they have the time, they can get away from their business and meet other businesses that they probably wouldn't have met before,” said Phenicie.
For real estate agent Jesse Vargas, events like this one are key to helping his business.
“I've been able to make connections and I would just say, getting out there with the community is really good for a real estate agent. So anyway, you can do that as a plus,” said Jesse Vargas, a member of the board of directors for the Polson Chamber of Commerce, as well as a real estate agent.
