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Discover how Launch Kit maximizes its Grand Rapids Chamber of Commerce membership for growth, networking, and community. From events to co-working, see how this investment fuels our team's success.
The Grand Rapids Chamber of Commerce is a downtown hub for all things business and professional development. Their physical space is at 250 Monroe Ave NW #150, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, and their impact is community-wide.
Launch Kit is a member of the chamber so I wanted to take a moment to share my perspective on what it’s like being a member. For context, we are a full-stack marketing agency located in downtown Grand Rapids, Michigan. We have six full-time employees at the time of writing this and do under a million dollars in revenue. Our office is two blocks away from the Chamber of Commerce at 89 Ionia Ave NW STE 100, Grand Rapids, MI 49503.
How we utilize the chamber most often
A primary function of the chamber is to be a hub for hosting business-related events. I say business-related because these can range in event type. Most of these events are hosted at the Chambers space in downtown Grand Rapids, and some are off-site at nearby venues. These events are the perfect opportunity for continuous learning and passive networking beyond your day-to-day activities. I enjoy attending these events because you’re there to learn about a subject and you end up passively meeting new people. As opposed to events where the only activity is networking, I don’t enjoy those events as much. Some of our favorite chamber events we’ve attended are:
CEO Round Table
I was invited to participate in a CEO round table group that meets once a month for 60 minutes at the chamber. There are ten of us in the group who all hold leadership positions at businesses here in West Michigan. We use this time to discuss complex topics that we were each facing. It’s nice to be able to present your situation to an unbiased group and get advice on what they’ve done when in similar situations. I’m incredibly thankful to be part of this group and look forward to each of our sessions.
EOS (Entrepreneurial Operating System) Preview
Grand Rapids EOS Implementer Chris Heileman is a member of the Grand Rapids chamber, and he treated us to a 90-minute workshop where we got to get an inside look at the world of EOS. Chris had the room prepared with workbooks and copies of Traction by Gino Wickman (the backbone of the EOS system). This event was completely free and left me feeling inspired to implement systems into my business that have made a significant positive impact.
Rock N Roll - SEO Workshop
A local friend of ours, Lance Beaudry from Avalanche Creative, hosted a workshop where he gave us a look at how small businesses can improve their search engine optimization online. Lance walked us through the strategies and tactics his team deploys to help businesses rank higher online.
HR workshop
Haley, Launch Kit’s HR manager, has taken the lead in attending HR-based events at the chamber and has really enjoyed them. Being the only HR based role at Launch Kit, these events are great opportunities for her to chop it up with other professionals and learn new insights. This workshop she attended was a 60-minute one that was followed up by a full-day summit that Haley attended as well.
DEI Summit
One of the big ones. Launch Kit was proud to be able to sponsor our HR manager, Haley, to attend this DEI summit at the JW Marriot in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The agenda included a day of keynote talks, workshops, feedback loops, and, of course, good food. Having the opportunity to send team members to events like this is a phenomenal way to grow your organization through continued professional development. The event was $275 to attend, well worth it for us. It’s so easy to get stuck in our own way our doing things day after day. Putting yourself out there helps bring in new perspectives and make change for the better.
We joke at Launch Kit that the Grand Rapids Chamber of Commerce co-working space is basically our second office. The actual Launch Kit office is at 89 Ionia Ave NW STE 100 - about two blocks down the road from the chamber.
Our team uses the chamber as a way to get some fresh air, go for a walk, and settle into a different work environment throughout the day. A lot of times, team members will start their day in the Launch Kit office, then in the afternoon, make their way over to the chamber for a change in scenery.
The co-working space is great because it offers such a diverse option of seating. I like the pick my seat based on the type of work I’m doing. If I’m doing lighter admin-style work, the circle tables in the cafe are a great place to be. If you’ve got more deep work to do, they even have one-person quiet rooms where you can really lock in.
The first-floor cafe is stocked with essentials such as Ferris Coffee, filtered water from Gordon Water Systems, and a beer fridge with options from around town.
We go to the Chamber of Commerce when we have solo work to do, but we also frequently host client meetings here. We love meeting with clients here because you can simply email the Chamber team ahead of time and they will reserve an appropriate sized room for you. Each of these meetings rooms have tv's for screen sharing, video conferencing camera/audio setup, whiteboards, markers, and everything you need to run a phenomenal meeting.
The meeting rooms are free to reserve. You can email ahead of time, or you can reserve a room ad-hoc style if it’s available using the panel by the door to the room (similar to how it is at a university library)
They also have larger board rooms/conference rooms that can be reserved for a reasonable fee. These rooms are ideal for when you have 10+ people joining. When you have one of these big rooms, you can even choose to have your session catered with coffee and food. Super legit.
Wednesday happy hour is the event I want to attend more often. They host Hump Day happy hour on the last Wednesday of each month from 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm. A local restaurant always caters the event and they even provide drinks. Last time I went I got to enjoy tacos from Condado and a cold beer from New Holland. Maybe I’ll make this my New Year’s resolution to attend more often (it conflicts with my ideal workout time of 4:00 pm.)
Okay last piece that I enjoy on a frequent basis is the emails. I know that sounds weird; we don’t typically enjoy getting emails. But these ones are good. The Grand Rapids chamber emails give me a good understanding of what’s going on in the city of Grand Rapids and the state legislature. If you’re someone who wants the be in the loop with what’s going on in the city, these are for you. Pro tip - my other favorite way to be in the loop is Grand Rapids Econ Club. A separate article for that.
Launch Kit has been a member of the Grand Rapids Chamber of Commerce for years, and it’s one of the best investments we make in ourselves. We pay $1,600/year and this gets us access to the co-working space, meeting rooms, and events (some events are free and some are paid separately)
Launch Kit works with local businesses here in Grand Rapids and I’m always excited to recommend they join the chamber. I believe that in an increasingly digital and artificial world, having a physical presence in your community and getting to know those around you is going to be what separates long-term, sustainable, legit businesses from short-term, shallow businesses.
Each year, we take a fresh look at the various marketing efforts a small business can make. We've built this framework to get started optimizing your business's online presence.
