Small Business & Events
We Are Here For You
The Chamber’s Small Business programs are carefully designed to provide assistance, information, networking opportunities and educational opportunities for growing and sustaining small businesses.
The following services and networking opportunities are intended especially for the Chamber’s small business members. Every aspect of the Chamber’s work supports the primary objective of growing and improving our local economy. If you have further questions about the Chamber’s offerings, please contact Pammie Jimmar, Small Business & Events Director at pjimmar@hsvchamber.org or (256) 535-2043.
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Small Business Council
The Small Business Council brings together 10-15 small business owners and educators to discuss common issues and help identify how the Chamber can develop innovative and value driven programs to meet the needs and challenges of its members. The Small Business Council exchanges ideas and information to grow business through education, sharing of experience, and solutions.
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Small Business Training SeriesThe Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County will partners with local experts to provide training for our members on a wide range of topics and emerging trends affecting businesses today. The Small Business Training Series is designed to afford small businesses the opportunity to engage in educational and informational sessions at little or no charge.
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Total Resource Campaign (TRC)
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Chamber RoundtablesAll of the Chamber's Roundtables are designed to provide participants outside perspectives from their peers about business challenges and recommended solutions.
The power of peer learning
Chamber Roundtables Program (PDF) »
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Celebration Assistance - Ribbon Cuttings, Groundbreakings, Expansions and Anniversaries
The Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County is always eager to welcome new businesses to Huntsville/Madison County or to celebrate the expansion of existing businesses.
The Chamber is here to serve you in a supporting role for the event – this celebration is the time to showcase what your business has to offer our community.
To make the most of this special celebration, assure availability of the Chamber staff, and avoid conflicts with other Chamber programs or functions, please schedule your event with the Chamber as early as possible. Remember: the earlier you contact us, the better.
The event can be as simple or elaborate as you choose. Contact Pammie Jimmar at pjimmar@hsvchamber.org for more information.
Special Ceremony Informaiton »
Upcoming Ribbon Cutting Events »
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The Women’s Business Council
The Women’s Business Council is the advocate for women-owned businesses with the Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County. Our vision is to be the leader in developing and sustaining a fertile, creative environment in which diverse women-owned businesses realize a high level of success and make a significant contribution to the economic well-being of our community.
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Member NewsThis service offers small businesses an opportunity to promote special events or major announcements regarding their organization and is located on the Chamber website. All submissions must be directed to Patricia McCarter, Communications Director at pmccarter@hsvchamber.org
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Annual Membership Meeting
The Chamber of Commerce Annual Membership Meeting is the largest corporate event of the year. This event is the changing of the guard for Chamber leadership and features a review of the Chamber’s previous year’s successes and milestones. The meeting serves as a platform to review the past and look toward the future of Chamber initiatives. A well-known speaker will provide the luncheon’s keynote address. With over 1,100 attendees, the Annual Membership Meeting provides your company with the opportunity to network with community leaders as well as business leaders.
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Annual Small Business Awards
The Small Business Awards Celebration is held yearly and celebrates the outstanding accomplishments of local small businesses, nonprofits and young professionals. The awards currently have seven categories and is one of the Chamber’s largest member events.
2012 Winners / finalists / Contenders / Sponsors » 2012 Small Business Awards Celebration Photos » 2010 SBA Finalists and Winners » 2009 SBA Finalists and Winners » 2008 SBA Finalists and Winners »
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Annual Business EXPOThe Business Expo is the Chamber's premiere annual event designed for members to showcase their products and services both locally and regionally to other businesses as well as consumers. The Expo provides exhibitors the opportunity for business to business networking and marketing while showcasing the diverse business base of the Huntsville/Madison County community.
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Best Places to Work Awards Luncheon
Starting with the 2013 event, Best Places to Work will be open to companies who employ 10 or more full time employees. Employee count categories will be reorganized in order to recognize companies with 10 – 1000 employees allowing for a broader representation of “best” company recognition. Companies will still be recognized in 4 – 5 categories (based on employee count) as Best Places to Work in Huntsville, and individuals from the contender companies will be eligible to compete as Most Valuable Employees. There will be three (3) winners in each category. Winners will not be announced until the luncheon event.
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Women's Business Council Event Series
The Women’s Business Council is best known for its Quarterly Forum Luncheons, however, 2013 is a new year with new events planned. While the WBC still plans to host Forum Luncheons, the plan will extend beyond that to encompass new and exciting events that will bring the top executives of women-owned businesses to the table. Attendance for WBC events has skyrocketed in the last 12 months with an average attendance of near 100 at each luncheon. Attendees are a diverse group of small business owners, executives, community leaders and key employees of women-owned small businesses. The 2013 event series will feature keynote speakers, panel discussions, discussion forums and women-only networking opportunities. Topics of interest and importance will be presented and discussed that will help the woman-owned business sustain, grow and strengthen. Show your support for women-owned businesses by attending an event this year.
Upcoming Event: WBC Women's Networking Breakfast, Thursday, June 20 »
For more information contact Mitzi Floyd at mfloyd@hsvchamber.org
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Business after Hours
Meet business people and leaders in your area by attending a Business After Hours! This networking event allows you to meet new people and build business relationships. You can sponsor a Business After Hours or just come to one and enjoy good company and great food from one of our many Chamber Member Restaurants. Each Business After Hours is held from 5-7pm .For more information contact Pammie Jimmar at pjimmar@hsvchamber.org
Upcoming Event: Business After Hours hosted and located at The Atrium at Main Street, Thursday, June 6 »
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Breakfast & Biz
Breakfast & Biz is a speed networking event. Participants will be given the opportunity to meet other business individuals, one-on-one, resulting in a fast-paced, exciting, and extremely effective networking experience. In these crucial minutes, attendees can describe their respective business, product and/0r services, exchange business cards, and/or pass on referrals. When the event facilitator rings the bell, it is time for attendees to move to another seat and meet someone new. Speed networking is the most efficient way to network! Take advantage of this unique networking paradigm designed to help build relationships and generate revenue. Build your client base! And don’t forget to bring plenty of business cards.
Breakfast & Biz events are held bi-monthly at the Chamber of Commerce from 7-9 am..
Upcoming Event: Breakfast and Biz, Thursday, June 27 »
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Annual Chamber Golf Classic
Held each spring and fall this event gives participants the opportunity to enjoy a round of golf and networking at one of Huntsville/Madison County's beautiful golf courses. The Chamber's Classics are excellent opportunities for networking in a relaxed atmosphere with fellow Chamber members and potential business associates.
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Fabulous Foods
The Small Business Division of The Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County invites you to join in a special event designed for our members who are caterers and restaurateurs. There is no cost for you to participate. The chamber will provide the guests and in return requests that you bring tasty sample items to facilitate a tasty event for 60 of our most valued volunteers and business leaders.
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Holiday Open House
The Chamber’s annual holiday open house welcomes the holiday season with fabulous food, wonderful entertainment, festive decorations and the perfect opportunity to greet and meet other Chamber members. The holiday event boasts an annual attendance of more than 400 Chamber members, community leaders and elected officials and is the place to celebrate the season.
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Connect For Lunch
Connect for Lunch offers what every businessperson is hoping to achieve: up-close, personal, relationship-building opportunities on a regular basis that let you connect more intimately. Each week, you’ll have the opportunity to go to lunch with two or three different Chamber members. You’ll be the only one in your industry or profession at the table. The Connect for Lunch program takes care of everything for you: Connect for Lunch selects your lunch partners, selects the restaurant, provides you with a map to the restaurant, and even makes the reservations for you…all for a nominal fee of only $9.95 for two lunches per month or $17.95 for four lunches per month (you pay for your meal). Coming Soon!!! For more information contact: Amanda Bishop at abishop@hsvchamber.org
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7 Key Terms in the Affordable Care Act that Small Businesses Should Know
By Meredith K. Olafson, Community Moderator, April 23
The Affordable Care Act includes new health care reform terms used to describe parts of the law that affect small business. Understanding what these terms mean can help both self-employed individuals and small employers better navigate the law and take advantage of reforms that are helping to lower premium costs and increase access to quality, affordable health insurance.
Here are seven terms in the Affordable Care Act that small businesses should know.
1. Affordable Insurance Exchange
Also known as the health insurance “Marketplace,” theAffordable Insurance Exchange is a new transparent, competitive insurance marketplace where individuals and small businesses can purchase affordable and qualified health benefit plans. The Marketplace for small employers, known as the Small Business Health Options Program (SHOP), and the Individual Marketplace for consumers and those who are self-employed, will open in all states on January 1, 2014. Enrollment begins on October 1, 2013. To get the latest updates on enrollment, sign up for email and text alerts today.
2. Employer Shared Responsibility
Although employers are not required to provide health coverage to their employees under the Affordable Care Act, employers of a certain size will be subject to the Employer Shared Responsibility provision of the law. Under this provision, beginning in 2014, business owners with at least 50 full-time or full-time equivalent (FTE) employees that do not offer health coverage to their full-time employees may be subject to a shared responsibility payment under the health care law. A full-time employee is generally one who is employed an average of 30 or more hours per week. Businesses with fewer than 50 full-time or FTE employees are generally not affected by these provisions. To assist you, the IRS has developed a helpful set of Q&As.
Continue »
Small Business Development Services
The Small Business Division, in conjunction with the Alabama A&M University Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Supportive Services, the UAHuntsville Small Business Development Center and the Women’s Business Center of North Alabama, provides training in the form of workshops and seminars targeted toward new business owners and the small business community as a whole.
For more information, please contact:
Alabama A&M University
Disadvantaged Business Enterprise
Supportive Services
School of Business, Room 113,
P.O. Box 429, Normal, AL 35762
Phone: (256) 372-8018
Fax: (256) 372-5683
UAHuntsville Small Business Development Center
College of Administrative Science,
ASB 126-A, 301 Sparkman Drive
Huntsville, AL 35899
Phone: (256) 824-6422
Fax: (256) 824-4339
Women's Business Center of North Alabama (WBCNA)
225 Church Street NW
Huntsville, AL 35801
P: 256-535-2038
F: 256-535-2015
Email: info@wbcna.org
Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County Small Business Division
225 Church Street, P.O. Box 408,
Huntsville, AL 35801-0408
Phone: (256) 535-2043
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