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Marketing your small business doesn't have to mean spending a fortune or constantly chasing the latest social media trends.

As businesses wrap up 2026 and start planning for 2027, Alicia Giangiordano of APM Marketing joins Chamber Amplified to share practical advice for building a more effective marketing strategy, even with a limited budget.

We discuss why understanding your audience matters more than simply posting consistently, how authentic content and community involvement can help businesses stand out, and why social media should be just one part of your overall marketing plan.

Alicia also shares her thoughts on using AI for marketing, common social media mistakes businesses should avoid, and how to prioritize marketing opportunities when planning for the coming year.

Whether you're a small business owner managing your own social media or looking for ways to make your marketing dollars go further, this conversation offers a practical starting point for 2027.

Topics include:

• Social media marketing strategies for small businesses
• Reaching the right audience without chasing every trend
• Using AI without losing your brand's identity
• Community involvement and relationship-based marketing
• Building a realistic marketing plan and budget for 2027

Chamber Amplified is a production of the Findlay-Hancock County Chamber of Commerce.

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What does it take to build the machines that manufacturers rely on every day? And what does a small-town Ohio machine-building company have to do with the Indianapolis 500?

In this episode of Chamber Amplified from the Findlay-Hancock County Chamber of Commerce, we're continuing our Day in the Life series with Neal Boyd of Buckeye Machine Fabricators in Forest, Ohio.

For more than 50 years, Buckeye Machine Fabricators has designed and built specialized machinery, automated equipment, and robotic systems for manufacturers. Along the way, the company even developed inspection equipment used at the Indianapolis 500 for years.

Neal shares his journey from taking a part-time job at Buckeye while still in high school to spending 46 years with the company. We also discuss how automation and robotics have transformed manufacturing, why skilled trades remain in high demand, and the importance of developing employees who take pride in their work.

It's a behind-the-scenes look at a local business helping other businesses make the products we use every day.

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What happens to a local business when its owner is ready to retire? For many communities, the answer could mean losing jobs, local investment, and businesses that have been part of the community for generations.

But what if the next owners are already working there?

On this episode of Chamber Amplified, Doug Jenkins talks with Chris Cooper of the Ohio Employee Ownership Center at Kent State University and Ginny Vanderslice, co-founder of Praxis Consulting Group and a leader in employee-owned business leadership development.

Inspired by the Ohio Employee Ownership Center's publication Selling Your Business to Employees, the conversation explores how employee ownership can provide an alternative to selling to an outside buyer or closing a business entirely.

They discuss:

• Why retiring business owners present a growing challenge for local economies
• How Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs) and other employee ownership models work
• How employees can become owners without personally financing the purchase
• Why developing future leaders is essential to a successful ownership transition
• Whether employee ownership can work for smaller businesses
• How early business owners should begin succession planning

Whether you're a business owner thinking about retirement, an employee interested in ownership opportunities, or someone concerned about the future of local businesses, this conversation offers a different way to think about business succession.

Learn more about the Ohio Employee Ownership Center: https://www.oeockent.org

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What does it take to help older adults remain independent, active, and connected to their community?

On this episode of Chamber Amplified, Doug Jenkins welcomes Carolyn Copus, Director of 50 North, to explore the many ways the organization supports older adults and families throughout Hancock County, Ohio.

From home repairs and meal delivery to fitness programs, Medicare assistance, and opportunities for social connection, 50 North provides far more than many people realize.

Carolyn also explains the 2026 Hancock County senior services levy renewal, what the funding supports, and why these programs matter not just to older adults, but also to working families caring for aging parents.

Plus, hear the story behind the 50 North name and how the organization has grown from approximately 2,000 members to more than 6,000.

Topics include:

• What the 1.2-mill senior services levy renewal would support
• Helping older adults age safely and independently at home
• Meals, fitness, Medicare assistance, and other 50 North services
• Combating loneliness and social isolation
• Resources for families caring for aging parents
• The remarkable growth and transformation of 50 North

Learn more at 50North.org.

Chamber Amplified is a production of the Findlay-Hancock County Chamber of Commerce, featuring conversations about the people, organizations, and ideas shaping our community.

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Hancock County's approach to mental health, addiction and recovery has changed dramatically over the past decade, and there are measurable results.

On this episode of Chamber Amplified, Doug Jenkins is joined by Zach Thomas of the Hancock County ADAMHS Board to discuss the county's behavioral health system, the decline in overdose fatalities, efforts to connect more people with treatment and recovery services, and how attitudes surrounding addiction and recovery have evolved.

They also discuss why access to behavioral health services matters to local employers and the workforce, the role employment can play in a successful recovery, and the reach of ADAMHS-supported prevention programs throughout Hancock County.

With a 1.3-mill ADAMHS renewal levy on the November ballot, Zach also explains how the organization is funded, what local levy dollars support and why those dollars provide flexibility that state and federal funding often cannot.

Learn more about ADAMHS and the levy at YourPathToHealth.org.

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What does a day in the life of an attorney really look like, and how does someone go from studying particle physics to practicing law?

In this episode of Chamber Amplified, Doug Jenkins talks with Pat Sadowski of Eastman & Smith as part of our Day in the Life series.

Pat shares his path into the legal profession, including studying physics and mathematics, conducting research at Columbia University and discovering that the career he originally envisioned wasn't actually the right fit. He also explains what his work in estate planning and transactional law looks like today.

The conversation also explores how artificial intelligence is changing the practice of law, why AI-generated answers still require context and professional judgment, and what Pat recommends to students considering a legal career.

It's a conversation about law, AI, career exploration and why you don't necessarily need to have your future figured out from the beginning.

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Is Inbox Zero really the goal, or are we measuring productivity the wrong way?

Dan Gonder of Strategic In/Sight Partners joins Chamber Amplified to rethink what efficiency should look like in the workplace. We talk about managing an overflowing email inbox, setting realistic expectations for response times, using AI to organize work and knowing when efficiency starts getting in the way of effectiveness.

The conversation also tackles a bigger productivity challenge: priorities. Dan explains why trying to do everything can contribute to burnout, how businesses and employees can create a framework for deciding what matters most, and why learning to say “no” or “not now” can ultimately lead to better work.

If you've ever ended a busy day wondering how you accomplished so much without getting to the things that really mattered, this conversation is for you.

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Food insecurity doesn't always look the way you might expect - and demand for food assistance across northwest and west central Ohio is now higher than it was at the height of the pandemic.

Tommie Harner of West Ohio Food Bank joins Chamber Amplified to talk about the growing need for hunger relief, rising food and transportation costs, and the important role businesses and volunteers can play in supporting their communities.

West Ohio Food Bank distributes between 8 and 9 million pounds of food each year across an 11-county service area, working with food pantries, soup kitchens, shelters, schools and other community partners. Tommie explains how that network works, why an aging volunteer base is creating another challenge for nonprofits, and how businesses can help through volunteering, donations and connections.

We also talk about food insecurity among working families and seniors, creative partnerships involving agriculture and schools, and Hunger Action Month in September.

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AI can create a logo, flyer or social media graphic in seconds - but when everyone has access to the same tools, how do you keep your business from looking like everyone else?

Krystin Brecheisen, Senior Graphic Designer at AR Marketing, joins Chamber Amplified to talk about the rapidly changing relationship between artificial intelligence, graphic design and business marketing.

Krystin explains how AR Marketing uses AI as a productivity and brainstorming tool without allowing it to replace the human creative process. We also talk about why so much AI-generated design has developed a recognizable look, the importance of white space and simplicity, and why businesses shouldn't automatically settle for the first design AI generates.

You'll also hear practical advice for small businesses using AI and Canva, how better prompting can produce better creative work, why consistent branding matters, and what human designers still bring to the table that AI can't easily replicate.

Plus, are people already developing AI fatigue - and could distinctly human design become even more valuable as AI-generated marketing becomes more common?

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Best Of Chamber Amplified: Baby Boomers, Gen X, Millennials and Gen Z can all bring different communication styles, expectations and approaches to work. So how can managers effectively lead a multigenerational workforce?

Doug Jenkins revisits a favorite conversation with Kristin Scroggin, founder of Gen Y Communication Strategies, about understanding generational differences in the workplace without falling into the trap of deciding one generation is better than another.

Kristin explains how different generations were shaped by the world around them and how those experiences can influence everything from feedback and management preferences to knowledge sharing and career expectations.

The conversation covers managing Baby Boomers, Gen X, Millennials and Gen Z; transferring institutional knowledge before experienced employees retire; why younger employees may need more frequent feedback and clearer expectations; what Gen Alpha could mean for workforce development, apprenticeships and skilled trades; and Kristin's simple “struggle time” technique for helping employees become more independent problem-solvers.

Whether you're a business owner, manager, HR professional or team leader, this episode offers practical ideas for building a workplace where multiple generations can succeed together.

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