We are in Melbourne, Florida today because I spoke at its business summit yesterday and we attended a wonderful gala last night. The chamber of commerce here is very powerful in the community because hundreds of businesses make it so. The party last night was packed with hard-working people who were laughing and having a great time. They obviously enjoy each other and some of them were being recognized for their contributions to this great place to live and work. As I write this, I can hear the Atlantic ocean crashing on the beach and see the bright blue sky and water.
Cape Canaveral, now called Kennedy Space Center, is just up the road from our hotel. As we leave to go back to California, we will visit this site that has been famous to me since it was the scene of a satellite launch in 1962. Now you can guess how old I must be!
If you are not a member of your chamber of commerce, you should be. It is the perfect place to find mentors, customers and friends who all want to make your community better. It is also the perfect place to volunteer. You might think you don't have time to be involved but I bet if you give it a try, you'll find that the time you spend will come back in both intangible and tangible rewards to you personally and to your business.
Albert Black joined the Dallas Chamber of Commerce at the same time he opened for business in 1982. Today his business is generating $75 million in annual sales and he gives much credit to his participation in his chamber. At Small Business School you can learn more about how Albert's volunteer efforts caused doors to fly open for him.
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