Winter-2006

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Your Chamber
At Work For You
The first Wednesday of every month, at
7:00 a.m., while others are still sleeping or
getting ready for work, 60+ Chamber members
are gathering at the Chocolate Café in
downtown Valparaiso, eager to make a business
connection. Hosted by the Valpo Chamber for
the past two years, AM Valpo is one of the most
successful FREE early morning networking
events in Valparaiso. Unlike typical networking
programs, AM Valpo guarantees that all
attendees will be individually introduced to every
one of the other business professionals in the
room. Everyone receives thirty-seconds of “stage
time” to stand and present information about
their business. At the conclusion of the program,
one feature business card is drawn. The selected
business is granted five to ten minutes of time the
following month, giving that business more time
for an in-depth “commercial” of their products
and services. Therefore, the hour-long AM Valpo
concludes each month with a different business
profile. Following the event, the Chamber sends
each attendee a contact list of everyone who
attended that morning’s AM Valpo, thereby
encouraging connections to continue beyond the
confines of the cafe.
Here’s what a few AM Valpo attendees have
to say about the event: “AM Valpo is Valparaiso's
best kept secret. It has been our best leads club
with no fees, no requirements, no obligations and
if you miss one you are not kicked out. We get all
the benefits of a leads club without the pressure.”
- Donna Flanagin, Flanagin's Bulk Mail Service
“Bob Johnson and Nationwide Floors did an
excellent job installing our new hardwood flooring
in our home. I met Bob at AM Valpo and he
came out to our home and gave us a very
competitive bid. He saved me time, money and
best of all, my wife Dawn loves the floor!”
- Paul Sciarra, Bartholomew and Son Insurance
“One of my best experiences with AM Valpo
has nothing to do with selling anyone my
services, but in learning about someone else’s
service and then utilizing that service to help my
business. I started about two years ago mailing a
monthly newsletter to my customer base.
I personally would stamp, label, and tab the
newsletters every month. Why? Because I didn’t
have enough time to research bulk mailers and
how they could save me money. And then one
month, at AM Valpo, I approached Donna from
Flanagin’s Bulk Mailing Service, and she
explained in simple terms how they could do the
work and save me money. They have been doing
my newsletter ever since.” - Gary Taylor, Kenpro
Cleaning Services
“As a first- time business owner, I was looking
for a good way to reach the community. I joined
the chamber before we even opened for business.
I have attended the AM Valpo meeting almost
every month since joining.
From the very beginning I felt supported by
the other attendees. Everyone was friendly and
welcoming to me. Numerous customers have
come into my store as a direct result of my
involvement with AM Valpo. The 30-second
opportunity we each have to share our
business is the perfect way to let everyone know
what sales or special events are coming up.
I would recommend the Valparaiso Chamber
of Commerce to any service-related business as
a valuable tool to help grow business.”
- Diane Haines, Au Naturel Market
EXCEPTIONAL PEOPLE
EXCEPTIONAL MEDICINE
The Duneland Health & Wellness Institute
810 Michael Drive • Chesterton, Indiana
Charles Tattersall, MD
is now scheduling patients
in Chesterton. Board
Certified in Vascular Surgery,
Dr.Tattersall specializes in
vascular surgery, endovascular
procedures and varicose veins.
To make an appointment
with Dr. Tattersall, please
call 219-395-2197.
Zeba Ali, MD is now scheduling
January appointments. Board Certified
in Family Practice, Dr. Ali is the Medical
Director of the Women’s Comprehensive
Health Center and is interested in
hypertension, diabetes, and obesity.
To make an appointment with
Dr. Ali, please call 219-395-2195.
20 Valpo Magazine Winter 2006 ww