Inside The Chamber

Join Chamber President Darien Marion-Burton and Chamber Vice President Rob Gunthener as they host a conversation with the candidates for Oak Park Village Trustee.

Our final episode on gifting is all about consumables. Today we have Shana Taveras of Blackout Baking Co. talking to us about the gift of food. Food and drink are not complicated, but it is from the heart and it lets people know that you are thinking about them. By baking the perfect bite of cookie, she creates deliciousness for all who receive them. Let's get some great consumable gift ideas for this holiday season or any time of the year.

Part 2 of our multi-part series on Gifting. We know gifting can be difficult. Who do we gift? When do we gift? How much do we spend? Get some great insights on gifting from Oak Park's Trusted Realtor, Swati Saxena, as she shares with Darien some of her secrets on cultivating strong relationships and finding the perfect gift for all of our different associations, clients, friends, family, and more. She makes gift-giving local, to support our local economy and personal, to show her appreciation and joy during this holiday season and all year long.

The holiday season is synonymous with gifts. And just in time, Darien chats with some of our amazing business mavens to share their take on gifting ideas to help us maneuver through this holiday season. Today as part of our multi-part series, we have Lisa Munro of Elle Belle Box. Founded during the height of Covid-19 to support local vendors and women-owned businesses, she creates beautifully wrapped themed gift boxes for all who need help finding the perfect gift. Listen to some of her great gift ideas for this season to bring a smile to all who receive them and support Local.

We all know and love our local independent retailers but they have been hit hard by this darn pandemic - overnight closures, limited numbers in their stores, and no touching of beautiful things! So how can you help to ensure the survival of our Village gems? Come and spend some time with three owners of some of the most visible businesses in Oak Park and learn right from these business warriors how you can help them weather the storm and why they love to hate pivots in each of their businesses.

Join us as we welcome Anne Pezalla from Lively Athletics, Kim Humphrey from Bead in Hand, and Cheryl Vargas from Studio 928! Let Anne tell you about her favorite item in her store and how you can help Lively survive this pandemic. Find out how Cheryl's virtual painting parties are attracting bookings from Netflix to Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and help connect you with friends and family across the country. She even enlightens us about Google Business. And let Kim's plans for at-home beading projects save your family holidays in lock-down. Nothing is predictable anymore in the retail world and these women know it. It's going to take a Village to make sure our shops are around next year - listen-in so you can do your part this holiday season.

Who is dreaming of a beach vacation or some time away with friends? We are all craving to get out of our Covid bubble and see the world again, and with the holidays around the corner, is it safe to travel yet? Can you book family vacations? Should you travel? Is Spring break even going to be a thing next year? We checked in with our local travel expert, Lydia Villanueva-Soto from Tan Travel to bring you the inside scoop on everything from middle seats, getting your credits & refunds, and where you can still travel in Mexico! And don't miss the tips and tricks to find the perfect Mimosa in a deserted airport. Our crystal ball says there could be a return of the Travel Agent - get ahead of the curve and meet Lydia! Hear it here first and get connected!

Latina business owners are a rising demographic in this country and with over 4 million businesses in the US being Hispanic-owned, we want to shine a light on our Hispanic entrepreneurs. As we close out Hispanic Heritage Month, join us to get to know one of our newest Chamber members, Esther Grachan. It's been a long journey from dreams of Flamenco on the west side of Chicago to owning her own insurance agency here in south Oak Park. Proving herself in a male-dominated world, supporting her Latino community, and being too social to fit the corporate mold, Esther has landed on her feet with her passion for community. Her dedication to her insurance family and her journey of caring for her clients will inspire you to see insurance in a whole new light!

Welcome to Membership Month, where we celebrate all things Chamber! And what better way to kick off October than to learn from the Chamber experts. Join Darien in the studio for a chat with our Board President, Dr. Mary Ann Bender - two veteran entrepreneurs, who started their businesses from scratch - an empty schedule, no clients, and a dream. But we know that teamwork makes the dream work, and these two have made use of every ounce of the secret cause that makes this Chamber special. Want to know what that is? Tune in to find out!

Did you know that your local village potter can school you on juggling ping pong balls, Nigerian jazz, and the entrepreneurship of craft? We speak the truth and we captured it right here on the Chamber airwaves. Listen in as two of our youngest Chamber members ruminate on the joys of hiring staff and bringing pretty things to the masses. And yes, they will also convince you that successfully adulting does include bespoke dishware on a weeknight!

What do tires, Oh- boy moments, and the pioneering spirit of selling women's undergarments have in common? All this and more is happening for the magnanimous Trent Stoner, who flew the coop from an accidental career in Corporate America to seize his third-generation entrepreneurial spirit here in Oak Park. Join us on location at the historic Boulevard Arcade as we talk with Trent about how making tires sexy set him up for his real passion - creating a community for entrepreneurs at CrossFunction Flexible Workspace. Need an oasis from the home office - listen in, we can tell you how!