1. Member Update
January 2019

2. What we’ve been working on for 2019
We wanted to better understand your concerns and needs
We completed a member survey and we’re learning more about the issues that are impacting your business right now
Given what we’ve learned, our Board and staff are developing a plan for 2019 to address your needs and we wanted to give you an update

3. What we’ve learned from you
Member Survey Results

4. Survey findings (n=89)
A potential recession and its impacts on business and our local economy is the #1 issue across all industry sectors.
Cannabis legalization is a major concern, particularly in the Cannabis, Retail, and Food/Beverage/Restaurant sectors.
The ability to “Recruit & Retain” and “Train & Promote” was a key issue across most industry types.
The impact of the minimum wage increase was a common concern, particularly in the Consulting, Manufacturing and Food/Beverage/Restaurant sectors.
The changing technological landscape (consumer behavior, online competition) was impactful for the retail sector.

5. Survey findings (n=89, 1=minimal impact, 7=maximum impact)
Industry (% of responses)
#1 issue
#2 issue
#3 issue
Retail (22.3%)
Online competition, consumer habits (5.3)
Cannabis (5.2)
Recession (5.1)
Food/Bev/Restaurant (18.8%)
Recession (5.6)
Cannabis (5.1)
Min Wage (4.9)
Non-profit (14.3%)
Recession (5.3)
Train, Promote (4.1)
Recruit, Retain (3.9)
Consulting (9.8%)
Train, Promote (3.9)
Min wage (3.6)
Construction (8.9%)
Recruit, Retain (6)
Train, Promote (4.2)
Cannabis (4)
Cannabis (7.1%)
Cannabis (5.9)
Recession (5.4)
Recruit, Retain (5.3)
Healthcare (4.5%)
Recession (5)
Recruit, Retain (4.8)
Train, Promote (4.7)

6. What worries you most in the next five years?
Overarching issue: There are broad concerns regarding the ability of individual businesses and Humboldt County to adapt and remain competitive in an increasingly challenging business environment:
Concerns regarding the overall health of Humboldt’s economy
Less cash from cannabis legalization, possible recession, increased costs due to new regulations, insurance premiums, minimum wage, etc.
Concerns about the ability to recruit and retain a skilled workforce
Concerns regarding remaining competitive with new technologies, increased online competition and changing consumer buying habits

7. Our plan to address these issues?
We started with assessing our organization first...

8. What we aspire to be...
We believe that a collaborative, thriving, and inclusive business community is at the core of what makes Arcata and Humboldt County special. Our community is undergoing a structural transition which is localized and particularly difficult for our members who primarily rely on our local economy. This transition will likely take several years to find a new equilibrium and may be exacerbated by a recession at the state and/or national level. In this environment, many of our members need to strengthen their business models, evaluate their long-term plans, and create strategies for transitioning their businesses to the new realities of the market. We envision great opportunities for our members who:
Connect and collaborate with professional networks and support systems.
Learn and implement new core competencies for their business and themselves.
Participate and advocate for a collaborative, thriving, and inclusive business community.
The Arcata Chamber of Commerce will support you in this journey

9. How we deliver value for
How will we support you?
How we deliver value for
our members
What we offer
Collaborative Business Network
We are a community of 400+ members who support, strengthen and inspire each other.
Direct member support services
Access to large support networks and resources
Professional mixers
Marketing support
Professional development workshops
Economic development forums
Business advocacy throughout the County
Many other member-only benefits
Our mission
To be a catalyst for a thriving, collaborative and inclusive business community
Learning Community
We are a learning community that cultivates topics and skills that our members need most to thrive.
Advocates for Positive Change
We are a forum and catalyst for new ideas, new opportunities and embracing positive change in our business community.

10. Our 2019 Programming Ideas

11. 2019 Program Ideas Key issues 2019 Programs
Lower cash environment due to cannabis legalization, possible recession, regulations, changing technology
Workshops focusing on strategic planning, marketing, managing in a time of dynamic change, and making your business more productive. Also, industry-specific mixers to collaborate on solutions.
Difficulty recruiting, retaining, training and promoting a skilled workforce
Partnerships with HSU, CR, and HCOE to explore career pathways, job fairs, etc. Researching and promoting member needs with regard to jobs and skills that are most needed.
Need for a collaborative and inclusive vision for our members to help guide planning and investment
Creating a working group of members to develop a vision framework for our Chamber and business community.

12. Next steps We will formalize our 2019 schedule and share it with you
We will continue to build key partnerships in the community to create a network of support for you
As always, if you need support, please contact us and we’ll find a way to assist you!
Thank you for your time! We look forward to a productive and prosperous 2019!