How to Create a “Power Panel”

By Angela Marie Franco, April 13, 2015

When I joined the Manhattan Chamber of Commerce five years ago, I joined for all the basic reasons – network and connect with other companies and create more business for myself.  That is what I set out to accomplish.

However I can say that my membership became so much more as I got more involved in the functions of the Chamber.  First I went to as many events as I could and met different groups and business owners.  Then I decided to focus my time on my specific interests and where I could meet intelligent and motivated people that I could learn from.  So I joined the Green Committees – design and construction, green energy, green financing and social responsibility, the Global Business Committee and a Business Referral Group.  Each committee within the Chamber brought me to new contacts, new interests and new prospects and customers.

I learned that the Chamber not only advocates to government on behalf of businesses, but is also open to new ideas, innovation and forming new committees that would benefit the membership and expand the mission of the chamber.  So it was that I joined the MCC Ambassadors and the Entrepreneurship Committee. Three years ago, my colleague and I came up with a plan for a forum for members that were in the marketing trade.  We pitched it to the Chamber and so the Marketing Professionals Group was formed.

This year we are announcing our third annual Marketing WeekNYC that will take place during the week of June 8-12, 2015.  We have a grand launch event on June 8^th created by the Chamber Committee, and then individual members of the committee will hold their own events during that week. 

I am producing an event on June 9th from 6-8pm that is hosted by Wix.com at 235 West 23^rd Street, NYC. The topic is “5 Key Pillars to Winning More Business.”  My “power panel” of marketing experts have all been sourced through the chamber membership – Jimmy Newson, filmmaker and founder of A Billion Entrepreneurs, Ramon Ray, technology evangelist and Publisher of Smart Hustle Magazine, Louise Angelino, SEO specialist and owner of Little Angel Media Group, Beverly Stacy, website developer and owner of Façade Interactive and myself Angela Marie Franco, owner of AMF Direct and marketing instructor to help business owners find new customers.

This educational panel of experts could not become possible without the connection and camaraderie of the chamber.  Here I meet like-minded business owners who know that when you give you also receive.

I hope you will join us during Marketing Week NYC and sign up for my event at http://www.manhattancc.org/External/WCPages/WCEvents/EventDetail.aspx?EventID=1639.