impact. The Boro

The economic impact of COVID-19 on local arts totals in the millions of dollars. Megan Mabry, the Chamber's director of marketing and communications, sits down with Laura Way, president and CEO of ArtsGreensboro, and Ryan Deal, Greensboro's chief creative economy officer, to discuss the Greensboro Artist Emergency Relief Fund.

Thanks for joining us!

This episode is sponsored by Truliant Federal Credit Union

Visit Truliant here

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00:58 - Megan starts the episode off with an introduction of her guests, Laura Way, President and CEO of Arts Greensboro and Ryan Deal, Chief Creative Economy Officer with the City of Greensboro, who are here to discuss the state of the arts in Greensboro

3:30 - Megan asks Ryan what his overall opinion is on the arts in Greensboro, especially considering the impact that COVID-19 has had on the community. As the “new guy” in town, Ryan has mostly experienced the arts and culture community virtually, which has actually allowed him to engage with a wider variety of artists, expressions, and projects.

5:17 - Ryan details the twice-per-week digest that the City partners with Arts Greensboro on to share virtual programs that are being produced by local creative entities. There are a large number of interactive and often free creative forums for people to engage with!

6:36 - Megan asks Laura about some of the challenges that arts organizations are facing during the pandemic. Laura describes how social distancing and lockdown have really damaged the arts infrastructure, and financially, it’s not looking good. Results from a survey Larua put out to local arts institutions detail that lost income totals about $7 million, and the impact on audience interaction is about 700,000 lost engagement opportunities.

11:41 - Megan asks Laura to elaborate on why direct payments to artists are so critically important. Laura explains that many artists work as independent contractors and are self-employed, which made them ineligible for unemployment benefits at the start of shelter-in-place, so they were in a long period of time of having no income at all. Between a generous anonymous donor and a partnership of other local organizations, Arts Greensboro and the City were able to directly support local artists survive the crisis. 

15:01 - Ryan shares a fantastic story that shows how individual people can engage with artists in their own lives and get creative while in lockdown. 

18:40 - Megan brings up that we’re moving into the Fall season, which is usually a big time for the arts. She asks Laura and Ryan what we might be able to expect and what else is needed. Ryan speaks to how future planning changes every week in response to Phase 2 extensions and adhering to safety measures. He’s hearing more planning around virtual events and recommends that people add the MUSEP concerts to their calendars.

20:52 - Laura talks about reentry and reinvent, meaning that the model that non-profits have functioned under needs to be revamped in order to be more adaptive to large change. Arts Greensboro plans on being the resource to help other arts organizations navigate this new world, figure out new and sustainable funding sources, and will continue to be the advocate for local arts. 

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Website: Arts Greensboro

https://www.artsgreensboro.org/

Facebook: Arts Greensboro

https://www.facebook.com/ArtsGreensboro

Facebook: Creative Greensboro (hosts the MUSEP concerts)

https://www.facebook.com/CreativeGreensboro/

Donate to the Artist Emergency Relief Fund:

https://www.artsgreensboro.org/artist-emergency-relief-fund/

Donate to the fund at artsgreensboro.org.

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Make sure to follow impact. The Boro on social media!

Facebook, Instagram and Twitter: @gsochamber

Visit the Chamber website at greensboro.org.

Last week, the Chamber hosted a series of virtual discussions about the movie "The Hate U Give" to give community members a common language and starting point for talking about racial inequality in our community. In this episode, we're sharing a portion of the program in which locals shared their experiences interacting with police.

Thanks for joining us!

This episode is sponsored by Truliant Federal Credit Union

Visit Truliant here

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Today’s host is Jen Hensel, the Chamber’s Assistant Director of Launch Greensboro .

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00:58 - Jen kicks off the episode by introducing her colleague Stephanie Rivers, part of the Chamber’s Member Engagement Team, and their guest Ivey Ghee, to talk about their initiative, One City One Film. 

1:27 - Jen shares some background about how the One City One Film project came about. The Chamber wanted to take a leadership role in starting a dialogue in the community around issues of structural racism. The film that was chosen for this project was “The Hate U Give” and three different community sessions followed to initiate discussions around racial inequity and systemic racism, and how it impacts our local community.

3:50 - Stephanie discloses more details about what actually took place in these community discussions, which were made up of community leaders, city employees, police, and the Mayor, and led by trained facilitators. Many white participants felt that they gained new knowledge of what their Black neighbors have to live and experience every day. 

5:30 - Stephanie speaks to a video put together by Ivey Ghee in reaction to the One City One Film project. Ivey filmed reactions and perspectives from her fellow community members to the film, the project, and especially about systemic racism in Greensboro. The intent was to give a platform for their voices and experiences to be heard and to understand how racism impacts their daily existence. 

6:48 - We hear some audio from Ivey’s film which includes black voices, immigrants’ perspective, and input from white neighbors. They speak to policing in the community, changes that should be made, and what racist instances they have (or have not) experienced personally within the community and with the police. We should all be listening to these stories and participate in creating positive change for our community.

24:28 - After hearing the voices and stories of our fellow community members, Jen and Stephanie bring it back to thank Ivey for her work and encourage listeners to participate in the One City One Film project. The conversation doesn’t and shouldn’t end here. 

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You can follow Ivey and her work on Instagram at ivjuanvaldezg and on Facebook at Ivey Ghee.  

Keep up with updates on the One City One Film project at https://greensboro.org/onefilm/. 

Learn more about the One City, One Film initiative at greensboro.org/onefilm.

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Make sure to follow impact. The Boro on social media!

Facebook, Instagram and Twitter: @gsochamber

Visit the Chamber website at greensboro.org.

How does one complete an internship during a pandemic? Campus Greensboro Director Lizzy Tahsuda is joined by CG Fellows Malik Britton and Kelly Farmar, who are both working hybrid internships, to discuss how employers and interns can build strong relationships when they're rarely - or never - in the same room.

Thanks for joining us!

This episode is sponsored by Truliant Federal Credit Union

Visit Truliant here

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Today’s host is Lizzy Tahsuda, the Director of Campus Greensboro, a program that housed under the Action Greensboro branch of the Greensboro Chamber.

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1:02 - Lizzy welcomes listeners to the podcast and shares some background about the Campus Greensboro Program, an internship fellows program that connects local college students to great internship positions while also giving them professional development and leadership training. 

2:15 - Lizzy asks Caroline Glover, a student engagement consultant with Campus Greensboro, to introduce herself, as well as their Campus Greensboro guests, Malik Britton and Kelly Farmer. Kelly is a rising senior at Elon interning at the Eastern Music Festival, and Malik is a recent graduate from Guilford College who is currently interning with Xtern Software. 

6:10 - Lizzy asks Kelly and Malik about the pros and cons about working both in-office and remotely during the pandemic, as this is the first cohort that has had to operate virtually. They discuss the balance of working from home and keeping themselves on task, while also practicing safe and healthy measures whenever they need to be in the office around other people. 

8:33 - Malik and Kelly describe how they have used the Campus Greensboro Program to network with professionals and grow their connections in the community. It has been challenging, having to operate mostly online due to Covid-19, but both feel that they have connected with coworkers, mentors, and other Campus Greensboro Fellows. Many people seem open to meeting, virtually or in-office, which has also been a benefit.

11:22 - Lizzy asks what online tools the organizations have been using for interns to stay connected and on task. Kelly talks about Trello for project management and the Google Chat feature to communicate with each other, even if they’re in the office. Malik’s team uses x-chat to keep in touch and send updates to each other.

12:48 - Lizzy asks what they have done to make the best of their experience as a fellow during Covid-19 and the virtual platform they’ve had to work within. Kelly speaks about another fellow that she works with, as well as her mentor, who has helped connect her with other professionals who are happy to have zoom calls and informational interviews. Malik echoes Kelly’s experiences, highlighting that his mentor has been a tremendous help in his professional development and growing his network. 

15:53 - Kelly and Malik speak to how virtual work platforms, Zoom meetings, and growing technology know-how are helping their generation connect more widely with professionals in new focus areas, gain different perspectives, and develop their ability to easily work in a virtual and face-to-face world. 

18:57 - Lizzy asks if there’s been anything the Fellows have been surprised by in their experience with working virtually, and how technology can still be improved on. Kelly recommends increased flexibility for students and teams in different timezones, to improve collaboration. Malik expresses gratefulness that this pandemic has forced him to jump into new technologies and learn how to use different tools in order to get his work done. 

23:58 - Lizzy explains how Covid-19 has impacted so much of our lives, but especially the internship opportunities for students and job prospects of recent graduates; she asks the Fellows how the Greensboro Community can support them in this current situation. Kelly describes anxiety around the arts industry disappearing, but finding ways to make a community and connections around that shared interest will help keep hope going. Malik stresses showing empathy for others and employers being open to young professionals that don’t have a lot of experience. Their generation has a lot to offer to companies and organizations, and have learned so much about adaptability, technology, and teamwork through this experience.

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Campus Greensboro website: https://campusgreensboro.org/

Campus Greensboro Summer Fellows Program: https://campusgreensboro.org/apply/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CampusGreensboro/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/campusgreensboro/

Learn more about Campus Greensboro at campusgreensboro.org.

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Make sure to follow impact. The Boro on social media!

Facebook, Instagram and Twitter: @gsochamber

Visit the Chamber website at greensboro.org.

The Volunteer Center of the Triad helps tackle food insecurity and other hardships in our community - a job made even harder by the COVID-19 pandemic. Executive Director Carley Swaim Walker and Director of Volunteers & Community Engagement Hope Tyler recently sat down with the Chamber's Niketa Greene to discuss the importance of volunteerism during this time.

Thanks for joining us!

This episode is sponsored by Truliant Federal Credit Union

Visit Truliant here

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Today’s host is Niketa Greene, the Chamber’s Director for the Leadership Greensboro Program.

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1:05 - Niketa kicks off the episode by welcoming today’s guests Carly Swain and Hope Tyler from the Volunteer Center of the Triad. Carly and Hope start with an introduction of themselves and share some of their personal background. 

3:30 - Niketa asks Carly about some background about the Volunteer Center. Carly shares the mission of the organization and how they act out their mission every day. Niketa asks Hope to highlight a specific program, the Reducing Hunger Through Service Program, that the Volunteer Center helps coordinate to take on food insecurity within the community. 

6:20 - Niketa asks Carly and Hope how Covid-19 has impacted the work that they do, and more specifically, the work that they do to assist with feeding the Greensboro Community. They highlight several local organizations that are already working hard to tackle food insecurity, and it was natural that those organizations came together in the pandemic crisis to identify the need and how to respond. Guilford County Schools also jumped into action to ensure that food-insecure students were able to continue to be served. 

10:20 - Hope explains how they have worked to get the word out about what is needed of volunteers and the community. The online presence, emails, social media, and press releases have been a huge way to keep in contact with the volunteer community and ensure that needs are met. She highlights that in times of crisis, people look to help others, and the Volunteer Center’s website identifies how people can step up to assist.

12:00 - Niketa asks how the pandemic has changed the work the Volunteer Center does, and how the Reducing Hunger Through Service Program has been impacted by the crisis. Carly emphasizes that, no matter what crisis they’re faced with, it’s the Volunteer Center’s duty to become the volunteer response center to coordinate emergency efforts. For pandemic management, the team of four staff operated as all-hands-on-deck to make sure they could coordinate volunteers to give relief for those in need. 

16:32 - Niketa asks what other impact the Volunteer Center’s volunteers have had over the past few months. One Step Further has the Community Nutrition Program, which allows families to shop (online) according to their dietary needs. Backpack Beginnings coordinates weekend food distributions to ensure that students in need still have meals over the weekend. Other corporate partners are donating materials, like masks, to organizations and volunteers on the ground.

20:14 - Niketa asks Carly and Hope what they need from the community as we move forward in the new Covid-19 world. Carly thinks that they will continue to operate as the crisis volunteer response center for the foreseeable future, recruiting volunteers to make sure that resources are located and distributed to fellow community members that need help. 

21:50 - Hope details how people can get involved as volunteers in the current pandemic. Like the organizations it serves, The Volunteer Center itself is a non-profit, so fundraising and donating is critical for these organizations to survive. 

23:50 - Niketa asks Carly and Hope to end on their thoughts of the power of volunteerism. Carly emphasizes how volunteering is giving your time, which is giving your heart to the betterment of the community. Doing something good during this crisis provides a ray of hope. Hope adds that volunteering is a great way to channel the stay-at-home boredom, frustration, and loneliness that some of us are feeling, while also creating a positive impact for others. 

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Want to get involved? Check out The Volunteer Center’s website: https://volunteercentertriad.org/

And make sure to follow The Volunteer Center on their socials!

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/volunteercentertriad

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/volunteercentertriad/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-07lBHbkw37jhRJy6vJ5AA

Twitter: https://twitter.com/volunteergboro

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Make sure to follow impact. The Boro on social media!

Facebook, Instagram and Twitter: @gsochamber

Visit the Chamber website at greensboro.org.

Our Other Voices program is accepting applications for the 2021 class. This leadership development and community-building experience allows participants – in frank and open dialogue – to build their insight and understanding of the roots of prejudice.

Thanks for joining us!

This episode is sponsored by Truliant Federal Credit Union

Visit Truliant here

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Today’s host is Joyce Gorham-Worsley, the Greensboro Chamber’s Vice President of Diversity and Inclusion.

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00:58 - Joyce is joined by guests four guests who introduce themselves: Katina Richmond, VP of Human Resources with Carolina Biological Supply Company; Maria Gonzales, the CEO of Health Fitness Greensboro; Curtis Chesney, an Actuary with Lincoln Financial; and Carl Jones, Senior Manager with United Way of Greater Greensboro. 

2:00 - Joyce begins with some background about the Chamber’s Other Voices Program, a diversity leadership and community-building program that teaches local leaders to be more effective in developing and practicing skills and strategies to eradicate prejudices and “-isms” on a personal and professional level. 

5:00 - Joyce asks her guests about their experiences as participants of the Other Voices Program of 2020. Katina speaks to the strength and challenge she found in speaking about taboo subjects that are usually “off limits”, explaining that being vulnerable created safe, open, and emotional dialogues with fellow participants. 

7:30 - Maria adds her perspective on her experience of Other Voices, especially as an immigrant to the US. She explains that she was able to learn so much from many different perspectives that she never would have been exposed to otherwise. 

9:10 - Curtis explains that he entered the program with a “majority culture” lens, so he wasn’t sure how he would fit in a group of many different perspectives, life experiences, accessibility, stories, cultures. He truly appreciated how welcomed he felt in the group and how he grew from the diverse, messy, raw conversations with those who are different. 

12:20 - Carl explains that his key takeaway from the program is a sense of empathy for others and a greater understanding of how to see things from others’ perspectives. As a young black man, he tells how he learned so much about the other “-isms” that he was unaware of before, and how he learned how to listen to the experiences of other people. 

15:55 - To close out the episode, Joyce asks each guest for one word to describe their time in the Other Voices Class of 2020. Katina chooses “stimulating;” Maria goes with “listening;” Curtis decides on “excited;” and Carl closes with his word, “impactful.”

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If you would like to find out more about the Other Voices Program and apply to be a participant in the next cohort, visit the Other Voices webpage on the Chamber’s website!

Make sure to follow impact. The Boro on social media!

Facebook, Instagram and Twitter: @gsochamber

Visit the Chamber website at greensboro.org.

On a recent Daily Action Call, the Chamber's Cecelia Thompson highlighted the Greensboro History Museum's History Happening Now project and the Westerwood Porch Portrait Project - two initiatives to preserve people’s stories, experiences and feelings about COVID-19. From the history museum, guests are Director Carol Ghiorsi Hart and Glenn Perkins, curator of community history. Also on the call were Betsy Blake and Anne Cassity, who are leading the Westerwood Porch Portrait Project along with Cecelia.

Thanks for joining us!

This episode is sponsored by Truliant Federal Credit Union

Visit Truliant here

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Today’s host is Cecelia Thompson, the Executive Director of Action Greensboro, a branch under the Chamber that works to strengthen collaboration in Greensboro and is a catalyst for public-private partnerships.

00:58 - Cecelia Thompson introduces the episode, which is a recording of a “Try This Tuesday” action call highlighting two projects that are documenting COVID-19 in Greensboro: The Greensboro History Museum’s History Happening Now Project and the Westerwood Porch Portraits project.  

5:32 - Today’s theme is “History in the Making,” which covers how we are capturing what people are experiencing as we collectively go through the pandemic and quarantine. Today’s guests are Carol Ghiorsi Hart, Director of the Greensboro History Museum, and Glenn Perkins, Curator of Community History at the Museum. Additionally, Betsy Blake and Ann Cassidy join us, who are leading the Westerwood Porch Portraits project, which documents the family experiences of Westerwood neighbors during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

10:00 - Cecelia asks Carol and Glenn to share more about the Greensboro History Museum’s project, History Happening Now. Glenn explains how the Museum wanted to document this time in history from a community perspective, so they reached out to the Museum members to send in their experiences, insights, photos of what is happening in their houses and neighborhoods, in order to capture a snapshot of what the last few months have felt like in a very personal sense. 

12:18 - Carol explains that the History Happening Now Project is inspired by communities across the country and by history captured by previous generations, where day-to-day experiences are recorded in letters, diary entries, photos, and recordings. This project is a way to record what is currently happening in Greensboro, how people are living through this pandemic, and how people have lived through and documented experiences like these in the past.

14:15 - Carol shares information about a video the Greensboro History Museum has created in connection to the project that highlights diary entries which documents one woman’s experience of living through historical moments. 

15:03 - Cecelia shares a preview of the Greensboro History Museum’s video, which features passages from Mary Kelly Watson Smith’s diaries. Watson-Smith kept journals for her entire life, and her diary entries gives us a window into the experience of living in Greensboro during the 1918 Spanish Flu.

23:20 - Cecelia asks Glenn and Carol to share some interesting entries they’ve received from the current project about people’s COVID experiences. Glenn shares the range of letters and messages they’ve received, from how students and teachers are coping, to the creative neighborhood socially-distanced drinks in the evenings, to people pulling together to make masks for others, to hearing from the essential people who are working through the shutdown. 

25:41 - Cecelia follows up with a question about the different media and formats that people can submit to the History in the Making project. Glenn explains that the Museum is working with UNCG to archive different types of media, including quarantine playlists to new running routes. Carol also speaks to how the Museum is partnering with schools to capture students’ experiences through lockdown.

32:20 - Cecelia switches to speak to Betsy and Ann about the Westerwood Porch Portraits. Betsy shares background about how the project was formed and the goals of the project. She aims to capture people’s experiences during the pandemic as naturally and comfortably as possible, considering this unnatural time we’re going through together. 

36:00 - Betsy shares some sneak peeks of the photos she’s taken as part of the Porch Portraits series, explaining the context behind each scene. 

39:30 - Ann adds captions to the images that Betsy photographs. Part of her work on the team means that Ann contacts the families to hear more about their stories and add another layer of intimacy to the photos. Ann shares some of the snippets that have been shared with her. 

43:07 - Cecelia asks Betsy and Ann what their advice would be to other people who want to start a grassroots project like this in their own neighborhood. Betsy and Ann both say that this project is so worth it, that it’s been a fantastic way to connect to other human beings in quarantine, so find a team of reliable and enthusiastic volunteers and get out to do it. 

45:20 - Another question is when will the Porch Portraits project be complete and released? Betsy explains it’ll be a few more weeks of work, then there will be a public release of the project for people to engage with online. Glenn and Carol add their positive reactions to this type of recording and archival of COVID-19 experiences. 

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Find out more!

History Happening Now Project

Keep an eye on Betsy Blake’s social media for the release of

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/betsyblakephotography/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BetsyBlakeSharingLife

Greensboro Chamber of Commerce

Twitter: https://twitter.com/gsochamber/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GSOChamber/

Check out the Greensboro Chamber’s archive of previous Daily Action Calls.

Action Greensboro

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ActionGSO

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/actiongreensboro/

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Learn more about the History Happening Now project at https://greensborohistory.org/history-now.

Make sure to follow impact. The Boro on social media!

Facebook, Instagram and Twitter: @gsochamber

Visit the Chamber website at greensboro.org.

First Launch Capital Fund is a pre-seed/seed-stage venture capital fund headquartered in Greensboro that focuses on capital appreciation, economic development and job creation through investments in companies with high growth and future funding potential. The fund recently announced the closing of an investment in ThreatSketch, LLC a Winston-Salem-based cyber risk management tool.

Thanks for joining us!

This episode is sponsored by Truliant Federal Credit Union

Visit Truliant here

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Today’s host is Lou Anne Flanders-Stec, the Chamber’s Executive Vice President of Launch Greensboro, where she is responsible for programming for early-stage entrepreneurs. Lou Anne is also the Fund Executive for First Launch Capital Fund, a seed stage venture fund based in the Piedmont Triad region of North Carolina.

00:58 - Lou Anne opens with an introduction of herself and First Launch Capital Fund. She is joined by Bill Soles, an investment banker turned private investor, and Rob Arnold, the founder and CEO of Threat Sketch, a company that provides cybersecurity risk assessments for small and medium businesses.

3:32 - Lou Anne asks Rob for more on his background and what prompted him to start his own technology company. He explains how his early career enabled him to learn about many different technologies, allowing him to turn to independent consulting, and then started graduate school to learn more about the growing field of cyber security. Rob explains how this all led to the formation of Threat Sketch.

8:58 - There are a few real keys to success in the entrepreneurial and investment world. Lou Anne asks Rob what his keys to success have been in developing his company, and what aspects he thinks provide continued success for the future of his business. Rob emphasizes the strength of the entrepreneurial resources in the Piedmont Triad, credits the Lean Startup Bootcamp put on by the Startup Factory for giving him a firm foundation, and local angel networks for continued support.

12:55 - Lou Anne asks Rob about why he decided to raise capital for his business and what made him choose First Launch Capital as his investor. Rob explains that accessing capital allows a small business to grow more quickly and with more stability, while also being able to try riskier products and markets. Good investors mean the business can have more shots to optimize the product market fit and maximize return on investment.

15:30 - Lou Anne asks Bill how he approached the fundraising process, as one of Threat Sketch’s key advisors. Bill gave the investor perspective and was able to clue Rob in to the need to “talk the talk” to investors, rather than speaking solely from an entrepreneur’s perspective.

17:10 - Lou Anne inquires why Rob accepted First Capital’s invitation for investment. Rob explains that First Launch is a bridge between the angel investment and the seed round that the company was planning later in the year. He wanted to signal to the investing community that Threat Sketch was growing and wanted to build a strong, very local company.

18:58 - Lou Anne asks Bill what his top considerations are when he makes an investment, and what he advises companies to think about when they start approaching investors. Bill explains that startups and early stage companies need a strong team with good entrepreneurial experience, ready to give 150% to the growth and success of the company. There also needs to be a big market for the product or service, multiple exit opportunities, and minimal capital to have the business succeed.

24:48 - Bill emphasizes the excellent management team that Threat Sketch has as another strong point of a good investment opportunity. A team needs to be able to pivot and adapt with strong leadership and good ideas.

25:30 - Lou Anne asks Bill what are the key goals and outcomes he has as an investor, besides the obvious return-on-investment. He sees positive results in financial return, job creation and growth, and strengthening the local and regional economy to keep the highly educated younger populations graduating from the colleges and universities. 

31:50 - Lou Anne wraps up with more information about First Launch Capital Fund, how companies can qualify for investment opportunities, and how First Launch truly helps support early stage companies grow with more than just financial resources. 

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Threat Sketch: https://threatsketch.com/

First Launch Capital Fund: https://www.firstlaunchcapital.com/

Contact Lou Anne ([email protected]) if you’re interested in learning more about 

venture capital opportunities for your business.

Learn more about First Launch Capital Fund at firstlaunchcapital.com.

Make sure to follow impact. The Boro on social media!

Facebook, Instagram and Twitter: @gsochamber

Visit the Chamber website at greensboro.org.

The Campus Greensboro Fellows Program is a competitive, 10-week summer program that includes a paid industry internship and opportunities to build your network, enhance your professional development, engage in the community and explore Greensboro as a place to thrive as a young professional.

Thanks for joining us!

This episode is sponsored by Truliant Federal Credit Union

Visit Truliant here

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Today’s host is Lizzy Tahsuda, the Director of Campus Greensboro, an initiative of Action Greensboro and part of the Greensboro Chamber of Commerce.

1:00 - Lizzy kicks off the episode by introducing two guests, Crystal Tehada, a UNCG graduate,  and James Dunell, an Elon graduate. Both guests have participated in Campus Greensboro and Lizzy shares some background about how the program helps students like them.

3:00 - Lizzy asks Crystal to share about her internship experience through the Campus Greensboro Fellows Program. Her internship with Cone Health gave her incredible access to many different learning opportunities and pushed her to grow professionally.

4:22 - James has participated twice in the Fellows Program, in 2018 and 2019. James shares about both of his internship experiences with the City of Greensboro. He was able to work in the City Manager’s Office and gain important civic leadership experience. 

5:27 - Lizzy asks Crystal and James how the Fellows Program had an impact on them. James shares how Campus Greensboro helped him build his personal brand by connecting, networking, and working with local leaders. Crystal agrees that pushing herself to make big networking connections and leveraging those people to learn what she wants to do with her future. 

7:55 - There is discussion around how the Fellows Program strives to provide equity to all students with all opportunities. Both James and Crystal are first generation college students, and this year, ⅓ of the Greensboro Fellows were first generation college students.

9:25 - Lizzy invites James and Crystal to share about their learning experiences with the Center for Creative Leadership. They explain how the CCL training gave them the tools they needed to communicate effectively, learn how to build relationships, work with others, and get the most from their internship experiences. 

12:25 - James and Crystal share examples of how networking as a tool has worked for them to improve their connections, ability to build professional relationships, and stories of how those experiences have been so important for them.

15:55 - Lizzy asks Crystal and James what advice they would give to younger college students who are navigating career exploration? James advises taking internships early, getting experience, building your personal brand, and having a strong resume! Crystal agrees, adding that taking risks are okay, saying yes more, and attending more events to get out there. 

18:25 - One of the aims of Campus Greensboro is to help young professionals love Greensboro. James and Crystal share how and why they have connected with the Greensboro community, from the corporate headquarters here to the special GSO-only gems. 

21:37 - Lizzy asks James and Crystal how the Greensboro community can best support young professionals and recent grads during the COVID-19 crisis. Crystal emphasizes empathy over sympathy, to not minimize the accomplishment of graduating from college, and realize the fear in young professionals of lost professional opportunity. James agrees that more support and flexibility in keeping opportunities open for young professionals is extremely important. 

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Learn more about Campus Greensboro.

Find them on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CampusGreensboro/

And on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/campusgreensboro/

Learn more at campusgreensboro.org

Make sure to follow impact. The Boro on social media!

Facebook, Instagram and Twitter: @gsochamber

Visit the Chamber website at greensboro.org.

During what was supposed to be Small Business Week, our member engagement team shares the stories of two local companies that have had to change the way they do business because of COVID-19.

Thanks for joining us!

This episode is sponsored by Truliant Federal Credit Union

Visit Truliant here

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Tracy Myers, the Chamber’s Executive Vice President for Member Engagement, introduces us to today’s hosts: Stephanie Rivers, Member Engagement Retention Specialist, and Heavenly Walker, Member Engagement Specialist. 

00:24 - Today, our hosts are joined by Nino Giamio, owner of GIA: Eat, Drink, Listen. Nino shares some background about GIA, which he calls Greensboro’s “most visible speakeasy.”

01:21 - Stephanie asks how GIA has had to pivot their business model since COVID-19 has hit. Nino explains how the shared plate concept of GIA had to completely change, but they were able to adapt to offer family-style meals and wine sales to keep the business open.

3:20 - Stephanie asks about any lessons that the team at GIA have learned through this process. Nino explains that they will probably keep the family-style, to-go option that has become central to operating during COVID-19, especially because “normal” will look different once the crisis has calmed down.

5:20 - Nino shares information about the GIA’s Mother’s Day package for partners and children to purchase to give mom a great Mother’s Day meal, which will also benefit Family Services of the Piedmont. You can get a fantastic meal, some bubbles, and make mom happy while helping the community too. 

6:50 - You can find GIA on Facebook, Instagram, and their website. If you’re looking to change it up for dinner, menus are posted every afternoon on social media. Call Nino to put in your order and set a pickup time!

7:55 - Heavenly introduces herself and her guest, Bill Norman, the master distiller at Fainting Goat Spirits. Bill kicks off with an introduction of his family business and how they have adapted in the COVID-19 pandemic. Early on in the crisis, Fainting Goat received permission to create hand sanitizer, so they stopped production of spirits and started to work just on creating hand sanitizer.

10:20 - Heavenly asks about the process of how Fainting Goat is making hand sanitizer. Bill explains that they currently are producing about 1200 gallons of sanitizer per week. 

11:38 - Heavenly inquires about how the hand sanitizer is distributed. Bill and his family have been giving away about 400 gallons per week for free to the community, who can come by the distillery for curbside pickup. The rest of the sanitizer is given to first responders in different counties, who will then distribute it to those that need it.

12:51 - How has COVID-19 changed the business beyond the shift from producing alcohol to producing hand sanitizer? Bill talks about how many of their clients are bars and restaurants, which are currently closed, so those sales dropped dramatically. Fortunately, Fainting Goat can sell bottles directly from the distillery and there has been an increase in sales from the community coming to the distillery.

14:33 - Heavenly asks Bill what lessons he’s learned through this pandemic experience. Bill says that he truly appreciates everything and to really appreciate your loved ones and the community around you. Bill emphasizes that the community is so genuinely appreciative of what his business is doing, which makes it all worthwhile. 

17:20 - If you need hand sanitizer, you can do curbside pickup Monday through Saturday from 10am-4pm. You can find Fainting Goat online on their website and social media. Make sure to follow them for some great cocktail inspiration!

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GIA

Website: https://www.drinkeatlisten.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/giadrinkeatlisten/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/giadrinkeatlisten

Fainting Goat Spirits

Website: https://faintinggoatspirits.com/

Make sure to follow impact. The Boro on social media!

Facebook, Instagram and Twitter: @gsochamber

Visit the Chamber website at greensboro.org.

Leadership Greensboro Director Niketa Greene and two of this year's program chairs talk about how they've moved the program to an online format. LG is the Chamber's signature leadership program, producing leaders committed to inclusivity, collaboration, and the common good.

Thanks for joining us!

This episode is sponsored by Truliant Federal Credit Union

Visit Truliant here

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00:58 - Niketa kicks off the episode by introducing Brandon Inscore and Elizabeth Paul to discuss the Leadership Greensboro, what the program consists of, and how the program has changed to adapt to the COVID-19 pandemic. Leadership Greensboro is a three-part, nine-month leadership curriculum that brings together a cohort of 45 diverse professionals from a range of industries and experience levels. 

2:56 - Elizabeth and Brandon introduce themselves and share how and why they got involved with Leadership Greensboro. They were both part of the 2019 Leadership Greensboro cohort and are involved in helping the 2020 cohort as chairs of the program.

6:00 - Niketa asks Brandon and Elizabeth to explain what they do in the program chair role and how the chairs contribute to continuing improvement in the program. Niketa emphasizes the importance of having the chairs’ input and influence into the program, as Niketa is the only paid staff member for Leadership Greensboro, so the assistance of the chairs is critical. 

10:00 - Niketa asks her guests to reflect on what Leadership Greensboro was like as a participant. Elizabeth remembers the first day she met the other participants and how they all jumped right into the experience together. Brandon shares his memories from Day 1 as well, appreciating the many different people he was able to meet and the opportunity to expand his professional network. 

15:13 - When asked about their favorite moments, Elizabeth praises Niketa for her leadership, her encouragement, and her invitation for the Leadership Greensboro participants to bring their whole selves into the program. Niketa lay the foundation for great engagement, education and bonding for the whole cohort. Elizabeth remembers the impact that Diversity and Inclusion Day had on her cohort and the emotions that were shared between participants. 

19:35 - Brandon echoes Elizabeth’s highlight moments of CCL and the Diversity and Inclusion Day that the cohort experienced together. Leadership Greensboro allows participants to sit down and talk about their life experiences, and create a safe space to understand how policy and assumptions affect others differently. This was a powerful experience for Brandon. 

21:35 - Niketa asks how Brandon and Elizabeth took on the time commitment of Leadership Greensboro in balance with their work responsibilities. Brandon explains that Leadership Greensboro fit in with his company values of community and he took full advantage of what was offered to him through the program, while also making sure that he was putting in extra time at work. Elizabeth’s experience was the same, always looking forward to the program days, learning everything she could, and appreciating that her workplace sees the value of Leadership Greensboro.

25:20 - Niketa asks her guests for a word that describes how the program has translated to value for them personally and professionally. Elizabeth chooses “transformational” as her word, explaining how the Leadership Greensboro experience has transformed her in so many ways. Brandon says he also felt so much transformation, but also gained hope. Leadership Greensboro allowed him to have open and honest conversations about difficult and complicated topics, where respectful disagreement and understanding could happen. 

28:40 - Niketa brings up when the world changed with the outbreak of COVID-19 and how this interrupted so many plans (including graduation) for Leadership Greensboro’s class of 2020. Ultimately, the leadership team decided to move the program days online, which is a first. Niketa asks what apprehensions Elizabeth and Brandon had about helping the program move to a virtual platform. Overall, engagement was still high even though the program had to be online.

37:00 - Niketa asks “What advice would you give to next year’s program chairs, especially if we are still affected by quarantine?” Brandon says there’s always a benefit in being prepared, especially if COVID-19 comes back in a second wave. Preparing great programming that can be flexible and adapt to an online forum is critical for the current situation and moving forward. Elizabeth seconds Brandon’s suggestion, planning for in-person events with a backup plan for online situations and also figuring out ways to create the bonds between the cohort members if the program goes virtual. 

41:25 - Niketa closes out by reminding listeners that Leadership Greensboro will start recruiting for the next cohort in late May 2020, so follow the Chamber on social media to keep up with those dates and how to apply to the program!

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Visit the Leadership Greensboro webpage for more details about the program!

Find Leadership Greensboro on Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/leadershipgreensboro/

Make sure to follow impact. The Boro on social media!

Facebook, Instagram and Twitter: @gsochamber

Visit the Chamber website at greensboro.org.