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Is Threads Right for Your Business?

Facebook err ...Meta does it again. We have yet another social media platform to consider. Usually when advising businesses on whether they should participate on a social media platform, I ask them who their ideal client is and then we go by demographics. If your ideal customer is on the platform, go for it. If not, skip it—unless you just really enjoy being overextended in your posts and social media attention. But threads isn’t exactly a new platform. Well, it is technically. But if you have Instagram, it feels more like an extension. Continue Reading

Adults and recent high school graduates looking to change or explore new career paths, learn some highly marketable skills, and potentially make more money as a result, will have plenty of options this summer with a new series of classes being offered at Tolles Career and Technical Center in Plain City.

Six different classes begin in June and last between one and three weeks apiece. Each class provides adult students with an easy way to gain some basic skills, industry knowledge and become employment-ready in some of the most high-demand fields in central Ohio.

They are:

  • Intro to construction, including the basics of plumbing, electrical and HVAC.
  • Automation, such as operating industrial robots, with manufacturing implications.
  • Automotive maintenance and light repair.
  • Manual arc welding and shielded metal arc welding using electrode rods.
  • Welding using metal inert gas, or MIG.
  • Welding using tungsten inert gas, or TIG

Adult Training Programs, all of which can be completed in less than a year, are available in:

  • Healthcare, specifically leading to a State Tested Nurse Aide (STNA) certification.
  • Public Safety, either as an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) or Firefighting I & II
  • Manufacturing, including four separate certification programs in which robotics and/or maintenance are the primary focus
  • Welding, specifically using the metal arc technique.

More Information

DeWine Expands State of Ohio's Skill-Based Hiring Practices

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine today signed an executive order which builds upon Ohio's nation-leading efforts to be a model employer in skill-based hiring practices. The skill-based hiring movement focuses on specific coursework, skills, experience, and training and de-emphasizes previous qualification requirements that were stated in terms of academic degrees.

"The State of Ohio has been at the forefront of recognizing the importance of hiring a diverse workforce based upon the skills they bring to an employer," said Ohio Governor Mike DeWine. "Today's Executive Order furthers Ohio's nationwide-leading work with unique initiatives to further our efforts to recruit the best talent regardless of academic degree."

Ohio was one of the first and leading states to enact administrative rules establishing skills-based hiring practices.

Read the Executive Order

BWC Approves 8% Cut in Workers’ Compensation Premiums

On Friday, February 24, 2023, the BWC Board of Directors unanimously approved an 8% reduction in private employer workers’ compensation premiums for fiscal year 2024. The move is projected to save 257,000 private employers in Ohio more than $90 million next year and it marks the sixth consecutive year of private employer rate cuts.

The continued rate cuts are possible due to shifts in the types of jobs being performed, modern manufacturing techniques, and employer investments in workplace safety. These factors have resulted in a decline in the number of injuries and severity of injuries which has enabled the BWC to collect fewer employer dollars to cover the cost of claims.

In fact, according to the BWC, average rates for private employer premiums are at a 60 year low.

If you are an employer in the Hilliard area looking to save more money on your workers’ compensation premiums, you can join the Hilliard Area Chamber of Commerce group rating program. This program is available to employers of any size and may save you more than 50% on workers’ compensation costs. You can find out more about this program by reaching out to Libby Gierach at libby@hilliardchamber.org

Hilliard Economic Development Outlook

David Meadows, Economic Development Director for the City of Hilliard presented on the forecast of Hilliard at the Chamber's January Luncheon. View the presentation.

A Region Has Risen

The diversity and scale of projects that have landed in the Columbus Region during recent years rivals that of any location in North America.

It’s not on the coasts and its name isn’t synonymous with an entire industry (here’s looking at you Silicon Valley and Wall Street). But that hasn’t mattered much as the Columbus Region has piled on major investment after major investment in recent years.

The Ohio metro used to simply lead the Midwest in GDP, population and job growth, an impressive feat on its own. But the sheer diversity and scale of corporate expansion projects that have landed here of late rivals that of any major region in North America, and there’s still plenty more yet to come. Continue Reading

Ten 2023 Trends Hand-picked for Small Business

Whether you sell food, things, or services, we’ve brought together a round-up of trends that you can incorporate into your business in 2023 for increased revenue and better market traction.

Read the top ten trends for 2023!

Husted Announces Launch of IMAP Grant Opportunity, TechCred Application Round for January

TechCred Application Period Launches for Ohio Businesses
The next round of TechCred launches today, January 5, 2023. This program helps businesses address their workforce needs by upskilling current and prospective employees. Businesses of all sizes, from any industry, are eligible for up to $30,000 per round and up to $180,00 per year.
2023 Application Periods for TechCred: January 3 – 31, 2023, March 1-31, 2023, May 1-31, 2023, July 3-31, 2023, September 1-29, 2023 and November 1-30, 2023.
As a reminder, the current application period for businesses opened January 3, 2023, and will close January 31, 2023, at 3:00 PM. Apply now at TechCred.Ohio.Gov.

Grow with Google - Showcase Your Business and Products to Shoppers Online

To help your business stand out this holiday season, this workshop brought to you in partnership with Google and American Express, offers strategies for building your online presence to reach new customers, optimizing your e-commerce site, and shows you how to list your products on Google. You will learn how to get started using Google’s Merchant Center to showcase products in search results. Plus, we’ll walk through how to set up an ad campaign just in time for the holiday shopping season. More information.

Demographic Drought EMSI Report

The Demographic Drought - How the approaching sansdemic will transform the labor market for the rest of our lives.

Free Worksite Wellness for Employees

Ohio Department of Health is offering a free worksite wellness opportunity offered by the cancer program.  They are currently offering free worksite wellness technical assistance through the Connect to Wellness program, which is aimed at helping small and medium sized businesses to improve their worksite wellness programs.  Connect to Wellness is an evidence-based program that can help employers to improve the health of their workforce.  More information.

Monthly Chamber Meetings

September Chamber Meeting - Why Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Should Be Part of Your Business

 

January Chamber Virtual Meeting - JobsOhio What is it and What is its Impact?

 

December Chamber Virtual Meeting - The Outlook for the Economy and Financial Markets in 2021.
David W. Berson, Ph. D, Nationwide Senior Vice President & Chief Economist, was our guest speaker.  Dr. Berson leads a team delivering economic forecasts and analyses that are used to strengthen the company’s business strategies and operating plans.

August Chamber Luncheon - Columbus Metropolitan Library (Hilliard Branch) 

View the presentation here.

Mobile Minutes: Member-Focused Videos

Blog Posts

4 Things Your Business Should Continue Post-COVID

At some point COVID will be relegated to the same level of concern the flu gets every year. It won’t shutter businesses, alter family celebrations, and be the fuel behind contentious court cases.

Someday.

Let’s pretend we’re there now. Let’s Move Hilliard Forward.

There are certain conveniences (and necessities) that businesses adapted during COVID that customers have become accustomed to. So, if you’re making plans for a “return to normal” you may just want to reevaluate what that looks like based on your customers’ newly developed expectations. 4 Things Your Business Should Continue Post-Covid

 

25 Marketing Questions You Need to Ask Yourself Today

Hope seems to be a big word these days. It’s taken the place of pivot. People are hopeful about recovery. People are hopeful about things returning to normal in the foreseeable future. And people are hopeful they can soon travel and visit loved ones they haven’t seen for a while.

If recovery is right around the corner, now is the ideal time to revisit your marketing strategy and plan. Making critical changes now can bring you into alignment to make the most of recovery. Plus, it’s possible the needs and desires of your target audience have changed.

Asking yourself the following questions about your business and marketing can help ensure that you have the data and information you need to make the most of the looming recovery. Marketing Questions You Need to Ask Yourself.

 

25 Ways to Become a Fun Business

Do you want to appeal to a younger demographic? Want to get people talking about you? Maybe you want to attract an ultra-cool influencer or celebrity customer? If you do, rebranding and becoming a “fun” company may be just the way to get more attention.

Why are we suggesting “fun”? With Gen Y being the largest generation in the U.S. in 2019, with an estimated population of 72.1 million, they have strong purchasing power. They also enjoy experiences and tend to tell others about products and businesses they like.

If you want more customers, becoming a “fun” business with an identifiable tone and brand, can help you build a loyal audience that enjoys talking about you.  How to Become More “Fun” in Your Business.

Think You have a Great Product or Service Idea?  Here's How to Know for Sure

The world is full of gurus who will tell you to set some goals, drive action, make it happen. And that’s good advice.  But just because you can, doesn’t always mean you should.  Launching a new product or service is not something you want to do because you had a wild idea one morning over coffee or in the shower. There’s a lot more that goes into the launching of that product or service. But research and development can be pricey.

What if you have a business idea you want to run with but don’t have the money to hire someone to crunch numbers and present data? Should you launch without it? If you do, that could prove to be even more costly.  So how can you test an idea without a huge investment?  Here are 5 (mostly) free ways to test your next product or service offering.

 

4 New Year's Resolutions for you Small Business 

This year has been a little more difficult to figure out new year’s resolutions. Part of that is because we’re all still reeling from the “lessons” we learned in 2020. Even the best prepared businesses lacked preparation for a global pandemic. Still, the new year is a great time to reexamine what you’ve been doing and how it can get better. Here are a few ideas.

 

Move Your Business Story Off of the About Page

Stories are more memorable than marketing or sales copy. But if you’re keeping your business story imprisoned in your About Us page, you’re losing an opportunity for a larger, more loyal audience. If you’re hoping that telling your business story will create more sales, you need to use it everywhere.  4 Places You Should Be Telling Your Business Story.

 

Start Selling Through Social with 3 Awesome Post Examples

E-commerce is the way to go. We know not everyone feels confident enough to implement e-commerce and certainly not mid-way through December or later. But we do have an easy way to get online and start selling there this afternoon.  In the long-term, you should be implementing an e-commerce system on your website if you have goods or services to sell. For one, people will likely be shopping online a lot and that probably won’t change. Plus, the suggestion we have below is a short-term one. With social media, you’re investing time in a property you don’t own and that can be problematic.  But for now, to meet the needs of holiday shoppers, you want to get up and running “yesterday.” If you don’t have a time machine, here’s how you can do it quickly with no techie know-how.

Additional Resources

Vaccines and the Workplace
As vaccine distribution plans are being developed and rolled out, Insperity recently hosted a webinar that reviewed the most recent governmental guidance and addressed questions surrounding an employer's responsibilities when it comes to encouraging, or even mandating, employee vaccination. Watch the recording

ActionSprout - Powerful tools for Facebook page managers to engage and call people to action.  Free!

 

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