Chamber Connection- Issue 1006

The Chamber Connection is the official newsletter magazine of the Hartselle Area Chamber of Commerce, designed to keep our business community informed, engaged, and connected. Each issue features valuable insights on local economic development, business spotlights, upcoming events, and community initiatives. From advocacy updates to networking opportunities, The Chamber Connection serves as your go-to resource for staying ahead in Hartselle’s thriving business landscape. Whether you're a seasoned entrepreneur or a new member, this publication is your link to success, innovation, and community growth. Stay connected, stay informed, and stay inspired with The Chamber Connection!

SCENE FROM THE THE 2025 CINDERELLA BALL

256-773-4370

ISSUE 1006

APRIL 2025

ELEVATE. EMPOWER. ENGAGE. At the Hartselle Area Chamber of Commerce, we are committed to fostering a thriving business community, strengthening our lo- cal economy, and creating opportunities for growth. To guide our efforts, we are proud to introduce our three strategic pathways—de- signed to elevate businesses, empower indi- viduals, and engage our community like never before. ENGAGE – Strengthening our communi- ty through philanthropy, collaboration, and meaningful connections. From networking opportunities to community initiatives, this pathway builds bridges between businesses and the people they serve.

Through these pathways, we are setting the foundation for a prosperous future—one where businesses flourish, individuals achieve their full potential, and Hartselle remains a vibrant place to live, work, and grow. Thank you for being part of this journey. To- gether, we are shaping the future!

ELEVATE – Focused on advocacy and eco- nomic development, this pathway ensures that our businesses have a strong voice and the resources needed to succeed. We cham- pion policies and initiatives that foster busi- ness-friendly environments and drive eco- nomic growth. EMPOWER – Workforce development, busi- ness support, and innovation are at the heart of this pathway. We equip businesses and professionals with the tools, training, and connections necessary to thrive in an evolving marketplace.

“Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful.” – Albert Schweitzer

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Rise & Resolve L A U N C H

Tuesday, April 1, 2025

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COMMUNITY PARTNERS

THANK YOU Morgan County Commission

THANK YOU City of Hartselle

MILESTONE MOMENTS • El Portal #2 Celebrating 20 years • Hartselle City Schools Celebrating 50 years • Go Far Park Celebrating 5 years •  Buy Rite Drugs Celebrating 100 years

CHAMBER PARTNERS

50

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New Members Welcome A warm welcome to our newest members

• Burgett Cleaning Services • University of Phoenix • Revive Design Consulting Firm • Pet Supplies Plus • By.JesiB • Rest Nest Mattress • Rocket City Trash Pandas • LUX Power & Utility Services • Kristen Allard, Realtor at BrickDriven Realty

• 36 West • Hidden Rivers Farm • Falkville Animal Health • Alpha One Plumbing, LLC • Emotiquest • EB5 investors • ProGuard Pest Services • Liona Fence, LLC

• Born and Bread • Aesonova LLC

The Drone Pros • Carol West- eXp Realty LLC

BUSINESS & LEGISLATIVE U P D A T E S

Hartselle Area Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce our inaugral online edition of Business and Legislative Updates which impact area businesses. Below are a few highlights from this edition. Click on the link below for a downloadable PDF like the one shown above.

Tariff Uncertainty Impacts All Businesses: Companies of all sizes are facing challenges due to shifting tariff policies. What’s happening: • President Trump announced a 50% tariff on Canadian steel and aluminum, with a 25% tariff on other trading partners, effective March 12. • The Canadian tariff may revert to 25%, but ad- ditional duties on certain goods mean real costs could be much higher. Why it matters: • Tariffs raise costs for businesses and consumers •  Supply chains can be disrupted, impacting production and pricing.

Business Leaders Talk Childcare with Capitol Hill Business leaders and representatives from state and local chambers of commerce across the country went to Capitol Hill to advocate for expanded access to childcare programs. What’s happening: The U.S. Chamber of Commerce organized a fly-in event in late February for business represen- tatives and state and local chamber leaders from across the country to meet with key lawmakers on the childcare needs of American workers. Why it matters: • A robust childcare system is needed to support a strong workforce and thriving economy.

CLICK HERE FOR COMPLETE BUSINESS & LEGISLATIVE UPDATE

GUEST COLUMN MOM & POP MARKETING CORNER

EDUCATIONAL CORNER

4 Reasons Why You Need a Website and Not Just a Facebook Page in 2025 1. You would not build a house on rented land , and this applies to the digital world as well - you should not rely solely on social me- dia platforms or other “rented” online spaces to build your brand or business presence, as you don’t have full control over them or your content; instead, you should have your own website to own your online space and content fully. 2. A website is one of the lowest-cost forms of marketing you can do When you place an ad in the paper, your reach only goes as far as the circulation. On a billboard, it’s limited to the traffic that drives by every day. With the internet, there are no limits except the ones we put on ourselves. When you use your website prop- erly, it cascades onto other services, like Facebook and Pinterest, thereby enhancing your reach even more. Wouldn’t you love to be able to get your name in front of more customers? Isn’t that why we advertise in the first place? 3. The decline of organic Facebook reach. If you’ve been managing a Facebook Page over the past few years, you’ve likely noticed a drop in how many of your fans have been viewing and interacting with your organic posts. Organic reach refers to the number of people who see your content without paid promotion. 4. Facebook’s organic reach across 2024 was at just 1.37% . Engagement is also minimal, with a median rate for 2024 of 0.2%. To put this into perspective: for smaller businesses with more modest follower counts, these figures highlight how ineffective organic Facebook is as a standalone marketing strategy. Let’s break it down. If a small business has 10,000 followers on Facebook: with an average organic reach of 1.37%, you’d expect to reach only about 137 people per post. (That will see your post.) Engagement: From those 137 people, an engagement rate of 0.2% means you’d get roughly 0.27 engagements per post in other words, one engagement every 4 posts , on average. For most busi- nesses, these numbers are simply not enough to drive meaningful outcomes. This is why you would need to consider diversifying your marketing efforts or paying for ads – which is precisely the point of these low organic rates in the first place. – by Baretta Taylor

Improve your online presence by optimizing your website for mobile devices. Studies show that over 60% of internet traffic now comes from mobile users. TIP OF THE MONTH

WEBSITE DESIGN AND HOSTING

Small businesses with a small budget can still make a BIG IMPACT with a website created by INSPIRED DESIGN & GRAPHICS 256-773-6508 • www.idag.biz

Websites starting at $350

EVENT RECAP F I N D I N G YOUR FUTURE ATTENDANCE: Estimated 1,500-2,000 SPONSORS: PRESENTING: Sonoco Reels & Plugs GOLD: Cerrowire SILVER: Redstone Federal Credit Union BRONZE: Alabama Education Association

EVENT RECAP CINDERELLA BALL

ATTENDANCE: 483+

SPONSORS: PRESENTING: Decatur Pepsi Cola Bottling BRONZE: Hartselle First Assembly SUPPORTING SPONSORS: Zoey’s Downtown Redstone Electric Supply Redstone Federal Credit Union BeFrizz Hendrix Dental Empire Chimney Solution

Revive Design Apples Florist It’s Your Day Florist

Burningtree Country Club Wild Hearts Carriage Rides

EVENT RECAP STATE OF HARTSELLE SCHOOLS

ATTENDANCE: 130

SPONSORS: PRESENTING: Redstone Federal Credit Union GOLD: Decatur Coca Coa Bottling SILVER: Hartselle Utilities SUPPORTING SPONSORS: JT Ray Sonoco Alabama Education Association Warehouse Coffee Magnolia Creek Events

CHAMBER NEWS & UPDATES

Volunteer Opportunities

Join the Chamber’s Community Outreach Team! Help us organize holiday gift drives and community service events. To join the work of the Chamber as a Volunteer, simply click on the link below, fill out the online form and submit it to us. You will receive a response within a 48-hour period and will be put on our Volunteer List for upcoming events and out- reaches. Click Here to Volunteer!

Depot Days Celebrates 45 Years This Year An estimated crowd of around 20,000 people filled the streets of Hartselle during the 2024 Depot Days Festival.

Thousands of people will fill the streets of downtown Hartselle on September 20, 2025 to celebrate the 45th anniversary of Depot Days. There will be hundreds of vendor booths and dozens of en- tertainment options throughout

the day. Festivities for the week will kick off on Saturday, Septem- ber 13 with the “Rails to Recovery 5K Run” (with a focus on addiction awareness & prevention) followed by the Community Worship Ser- vice on Sunday, September 14th.

Launch of New Navigator Program

Coming in May of 2025, The Hartselle Area Chamber of Commerce announces the “Navigator Program” which

will be replacing the Am- bassador Program. Want to be part of this new venture? Sign up today!

Click for Navigator Application

Sponsors:

Depot Days Festival 3RD SATURDAY OF SEPTEMBER

Presents

VISIT OUR FACEBOOK PAGE: HARTSELLE DEPOT DAYS

Depot Days 2024: A Record-Breaking Celebration of Hartselle’s Heritage Hartselle’s Depot Days Festival reached new heights in 2024, marking the largest and most successful event in its history! With over 11,000 visitors flooding the streets of downtown Hartselle, the festival brought the commu- nity together for a day of fun, tradition, and local pride. From the lively vendor market to the music-filled stages, Depot Days delivered something for everyone. Local businesses thrived, reporting some of their best sales of the year, while festival-goers enjoyed an un- forgettable experience filled with food, crafts, enter - tainment, and family activities. A Special Thanks to Our Sponsors Depot Days would not be possible without the incred- ible support of our sponsors. Their generosity and commitment to the community helped make this event a resounding success. Your support allowed us to create an unforgettable experience for our attendees and continue the legacy of Depot Days in Hartselle! As we look ahead to Depot Days 2025, we’re excited to celebrate the festival’s 45th anniversary with the theme “Where Heritage Comes Alive.” We’ll be working closely with the Hartselle Historical Society to spotlight the rich stories and people who have made Depot Days a cher- ished tradition. Stay tuned for exciting announcements, including details on the Rails to Recover 5K and other new additions! A huge thank you to everyone who made Depot Days 2024 a success—from our volunteers and vendors to our sponsors and attendees. Your support keeps this beloved festival growing, and we can’t wait to make next year even better!

FEEDBACK SURVEY We value your input!

Your feedback is essential to helping us improve and grow the Hartselle Area Chamber of Com- merce. This short survey is designed to gather your thoughts on the value of your membership, the effectiveness of our programs, and areas where we can better serve you. Your input will guide our efforts to enhance benefits, events, and advocacy for our business community. Please click the tab below to take our 2-minute survey to help us better serve your needs and improve future events.

TAKE THE SURVEY

At the Hartselle Area Chamber of Commerce , our strength comes from YOU— our dedicated members who invest in our community, support local businesses, and drive growth in Hartselle. Whether you’re a small business owner, a corporate partner, a nonprofit leader, or a pas- sionate entrepreneur, your commitment makes a lasting impact. Because of you, we continue to Elevate, Empower, and Engage—building a stronger, more vibrant community together. Thank you for your support, your partnership, and your belief in what we can accomplish as a united business community. We are honored to serve you and look forward to an exciting year ahead!

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PRIVACY POLICY: To learn more about our privacy practices, click below Our Privacy Policy Contact Information: Phone: 256-773-4370 Email: admin@hartsellechamber.com Address: 110 Railroad St Sw, Hartselle, AL 35640

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