Happy 40th Anniversary, Kimberling City! Celebrate with TIM MCGRAW!

Special Kimberling City 40th Anniversary concert with
Tim McGraw:

Celebration Concert Package

* Deluxe Motor Coach ride to and from Black Oak AMP.

* Leave from Kimberling Shopping Center @ 4:15PM

* Barbeque dinner catered by Wild Fork catering + beverage in our private tent

* Great upper center section seat for concert.

Package cost: Only $125.00 per person!

Call NOW: Limited number of tickets available!

Table Rock Lake Chamber of Commerce: (417)-739-2564

Are You an Entrepreneur?

Wikipedia defines an entrepreneur as an individual who organizes and operates a business or businesses, taking on financial risk to do so. If you aren’t operating a business just yet, don’t worry, you can be an entrepreneur in heart and mind while still feeling a little stuck on getting that business going. Whether you are a wee budding entrepreneur just learning to take your first few baby steps or an entrepreneurial guru racing through the land of risks, fun, and adventure that is entrepreneurship, the following 11 traits of a successful entrepreneur can help you on your way! How many of these traits do you possess? 1. Limitless Imagination: Entrepreneurs are creative by nature and full of imagination. All self employed entrepreneurs possess and value imagination.  The founders of google could have worked for any technology company in the world, but they saw a new way to search for things on the Internet.  They imagined something that didn’t exist and made it a reality (and a verb, for that matter)! “Imagination is more important than knowledge" – Albert Einstein 2. Visionary Genius: This one is tough to teach.  You can show people how to open their minds to it but then it’s up to them to see it! Any article you read on how to become a great entrepreneur will include vision on it’s list. In some cases, you could be an entrepreneur following someone else’s vision, like in the franchise or network marketing. You still need to have clarity and passion around that vision to make it your reality. 3. Invest in Yourself Daily: Top entrepreneurs educate themselves by reading books relevant toentrepreneurship, leadership, self-help and anything else they can get their hands on including newsletters, websites and industry publications! Self employed entrepreneurs attend business and marketing seminars, workshops and training courses, even if they have already mastered the subject matter of the event. They do this because they know that education is an ongoing process. There are usually ways to do things better, in less time, and with less effort. In short, self employed entrepreneurs never stop investing in the most powerful, effective and best business and marketing tool at their immediate disposal–their mind! 4. Risk + Action = Self Employed Entrepreneur: Success Swimming with sharks. Taking the highest bungee jump in the world. Running with the bulls. Speaking in front of thousands. Risk! Entrepreneurs LOVE, or at least embrace risk.  You wanna know how to be a great entrepreneur, you gotta learn to exercise your risk muscle and take subsequent action! Mitigating risk is good. Successful entrepreneurs don’t run in with guns blazing all the time. They assess the risk (with a high tolerance level for it) then they take action. Each one may have a slightly different risk meter, but when the time comes; they step out of their comfort zone and take massive action.

5. Tenacity of a Pit-bull: Of all the traits of a successful entrepreneur, this may be the BIGGEST of all. They never quit... NEVER quit! Things are going to look un-winnable with obstacles at every corner that would make most just throw in the towel. Entrepreneurship can be a daunting thing! Do you have what it takes to never, never give up? Ever watch a pit-bull play ball? 6. Constant Curiosity: True entrepreneurs can't help but question EVERYTHING. They're sitting at a football game wondering what the demographics of the audience are for marketing purposes. They're wondering how things work and have to read up on it immediately or just take things apart to look at it. The curiosity is insatiable and drives them to ask why we keep doing things the way we do, come up with ways to do it better, faster, cheaper, and take action. 7. Sales Professional: Being a great salesperson isn’t always about the “hard sell.” In fact, great entrepreneurs promote the benefits of the sale and let the service or product sell itself. Do you know how to develop your customers, present them with the right product or service at the right time, and follow up to build your business? Self employed entrepreneurs work on this one until they master it! 8. Technology & Social Media Savvy: All of the most successful entrepreneurs of recent years have used technology to their advantage, from Microsoft’s Bill Gates to Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg. You don’t have to invent new technology, but using tech trends to save time and increase profit can give your business a huge advantage!  Ignoring technology and social media can cost you millions! 9. Unwavering Passion: You don’t have to adore every aspect of your business to be a successful entrepreneur. But it’s absolutely necessary for you to have a deep passion for making your business a success, because this passion will take you through all the crap you have to go through to make it a massive success.  Your entrepreneurial journey will be unique to you but you’ll only get to your destination with unwavering passion! 10. Leadership, Leadership, Leadership:Great news is that leadership can be learned and honed and improved. You may be thinking I’m self employed and don’t need employees to be successful.  That could be true but you do need customers, vendors, team members, partners... you will cross paths with those who you’ll need to lead so don’t push this to the wayside. 11. Work Hard, Play Hard: I bet you’re surprised to see this one on here. If you really want to know how to become a great entrepreneur, you got to know when to play hard an when to unplug!Taking time to recharge those batteries is important. True entrepreneurs know the importance of keeping that passion alive.  The curious, risk-taking adventurous side of the entrepreneur can’t be neglected or it will shrivel up and die!  They follow all their passions and live life to the fullest! So how did you do? How many of the traits of a successful entrepreneur do you have? Are you ready to develop the others? (By Matt Morris at MattMorris.com)

In the Spotlight: Suzanne Carlson

This is our third installment of "In the Spotlight," part of our series in educating each of you about our Chamber staff!  This week we will feature Suzanne Carlson, Finance Manager for the Chamber.

We asked her a few questions and here's what we found out about Suzanne!

  

1.) Where did you grow up? 

I was born and raised in Minnesota and lived there until nine years ago, then I moved to the Lake region! I also started College when I was 29, divorced with two sons and graduated with a BS in Business Administration.

2.) What do you love the most about this area/region? 

The Ozarks and Table Rock Lake in general.  The people - God Loving & friendly.

3.) What do you enjoy most about your job?

Meeting new people.  Making new friends and seeing old ones.

4.) Tell us something interesting about yourself that no one else knows about! 

Most people don't know this, but, I love creating/designing art and lighting pieces using kiln formed glass as my art medium.

Visitor Market Research Study

Does your business conduct a market research study on a yearly basis?  Good news, as a chamber member your business can benefit from our yearly market research study.  Here are a few interesting facts regarding visitors to Table Rock Lake from 2012’s study, which was performed by H2R Market Research:

• Table Rock Lake has strong brand awareness
• What factors play the biggest roles in the destinations travelers choose to visit?

                * Relaxation

                * Value for the dollar

                * Safety

                * Variety of things to do

                * Unique

• Most regional travelers say they enjoy shopping, touring historic sites and visiting museums / cultural events.
• Importance of amenities for overnight stays:

                * Food Service

                * Size of  the bed

                * Location / on the Lake

                * Wireless Internet access

                * Flat screen TV in room

• Functional Drivers in addition to boating & fishing: Table Rock Lake visitors say that Silver Dollar City, Shows & Shopping are also among their most important functional drivers that motivate them to visit the area.

The world is changing more rapidly than at any point in history.  The Chamber is working for our members to help you understand market trends, and who and what potential guests are looking for.  Our purpose is to promote tourism and provide information and resources to enhance our members success.

If you are not a Chamber member and would like to find out more about how you could become one, contact:

Heather Cognito - (417) 257-4941

hcognito@visittablerocklake.com

In the Spotlight: Heather Cognito, Membership Director

This is our second installment of "In the Spotlight," part of our series in educating each of you about our Chamber staff!  This week we will feature the Chamber's Membership Director, Heather Cognito.  

Here are a few questions we asked her:

1.) Where did you grow up?  And how did you find yourself working at the Chamber?

I grew up in Southern California.  Close to a perfect childhood between the orange groves, the beach, snow skiing in the winter and glorious sunshine.

During my 10 years at Ripley's Believe It or Not! I was involved with the Branson Chamber & Table Rock Lake Chamber and Branson Believers and found that community based work was my passion.  So I jumped at the opportunity when the membership position opened up!

2.) What do you love the most about the Lake region?

The people without a doubt!  Then of course the beauty of this area.

3.) What do you enjoy most about your job?  

Now you have me on my soap box!  Our chamber members!  They are the best! 

Our mission statement says it all: To promote business and success and quality of life by being a leader in economic and community development in the Table Rock Lake area.  I love having the privilege of working within the lake communities to help promote and grow member's businesses and the Table Rock Lake area.  I rarely think of what I do as a job.

4.) Tell us something interesting about yourself that noone else knows about!

I was raised in the city but became a farmer/rancher and love it!  We have a family farm and have a cow/calf operation. 

In the Spotlight: Meet Your Chamber Director

The TRL Chamber Marketing Team recently sat down with Chamber Executive Director, Dave Liebenow.  We asked him a few questions about himself--personally and professionally, how he became the Executive Director, what he loves about this area, and what he sees for the future of the Chamber.  

We also asked him to tell us something about himself that no-one knows, well, at least until now!  Enjoy.

1.) How did you become the Chamber Director?  Where did you come from?  I retired from 3M in St. Paul, MN June 2009 and we moved to the lake in April 2010.  My background and experience with 3M was in business development and marketing.  I managed a few key businesses at 3M.  "Scotchgard" fabric protector for retail business, first aid products for retail, animal health products, and an acne product line called Buf-Puf.  My last job at 3M was to manage the relationship between 22 divisions of 3M and WW Grainger.  Grainger is the largest industrial distributor in the world.

My plan was to start small business consulting, so I joined the chamber to get connected with the businesses in the area.  My wife, Bev, and I got very involved volunteering and becoming Ambassadors for the chamber.  When the Executive Director position became vacant my wife encouraged me to apply for the job.  Seven months later I was asked to be the Executive Director and started in March of 2011.  

Dave with wife, Bev

2.) What do you love most about this area?  It's all about the lake.  That's what brought Bev and I to the area, and that's what we fell in love with.

3.) What do you see for the future of this Chamber?  I see a much stronger Chamber going forward.  We have spent considerable time in rebuilding, as well as setting, our strategy for the future.  The three largest challenges are; 1.)  financial stability, 2.) bringing "value" to our members and 3.) membership growth.  We continue to look for ideas to raise funds to keep our Chamber liquid.  We also recently hired Robb Stark as Director of Sales.  His focus will be to sell Chamber programs to our members that will help them connect to our visitors.  This will help in building financial stability for the organization.

I believe our business development workshop breakfasts have brought much "value" to our members as well as our continued focus on economic development for the area.  Heather Cognito will now be focused on membership development.  She will not only focus on gaining new members, but she will also work with our existing members to help educate them on identifying and connecting to the programs the Chamber offers that will help them better manage and grow their business.  I'm always looking for new ideas to help our businesses do a better job and bring more value for their investment.  We have put together a full year of half-day and full-day seminars that will be held in the Kimberling City area,  We are bringing these seminars to our members so that our members don't have to travel to Springfield or other places.

The other major "value" our Chamber brings is the fact that we are the Designated Marketing Organization for Stone County.  With this designation we qualify for state and local funds to promote the lake area.  This year we will receive about $285,000 that will be used to promote the lake in four major markets; Tulsa, Little Rock, Des Moines and Kansas City.  Bringing more people to the area helps everyone in the lake region.

4.) Tell us something that no one knows about you!  I sang lead and was the Assistant Director in a Barbershop Chorus in Minnesota for almost 20 years.