Lake Area Chamber Happenings

The 3rd Annual Lake Area Chamber Business Academy is nearing! Registration for the Academy is open through January 5th, but the class is limited to 20 participants from non-competing businesses so it's important to register soon! Check out what previous participants have said about attending the Academy! Academy Participant Testimonials: "This was one of the best things I have done to improve as a business owner. It forced me to think about my business, my future, and take action. Thank You!" "It was a great mix of topics to benefit business owners and employees. VERY eye opening to dive deeper into various segments." "I thought the academy was amazing. I will definitely encourage others to participate in the next session!" "Wow - this did not disappoint! As a business owner of 19 years, I still took away valuable information from every single session. Thank you, thank you!" About Business Academy: Our goal with Business Academy is to provid...

The Lake Area Chamber Business Academy is right around the corner & now's the time to reserve your spot! There is limited seating and the class is for non-competing businesses so reserve your spot today. The Lake Area Chamber has provided a sneak peak of the awesome sessions we have in store for attendees. Check them out: Session 1 | January 6, 2021 Cyber Security for Your Business & Your Responsibility (Liability) for Employee and Customer Data Protection Randall Cowan, OakStar Bank It's not a matter of if, it's when. At some point, your system will be compromised. Cyber fraud, phishing attempts, malware, DDOS, bots, trojan horses, ransomware, viruses … all put a business at significant risk. A compromised system or network can be catastrophic for a business on many levels. What you don't know, can hurt you. In this session, an IT Expert will detail some of the most common techniques used by hackers to compromise computers and POS systems, as well as some of ...

Registration is open for the 3rd annual Lake Area Chamber Business Academy ! Whether you're a seasoned business owner, starting up a new business, entrepreneur, or there is someone in your company you want to develop, this is the perfect opportunity. Registration is first come, first serve so hurry & get registered today by visiting our website or calling the Lake Area Chamber of Commerce .  Lake Area Chamber Business Academy Details: 6 SESSIONS - 12 WORKSHOPS Jan 6, Jan 20, Feb 10, Feb 24, Mar 10, Mar 24 (Mar 31 - Make Up Day If Needed) 8:30 AM - 12: 30 PM Location: Willmore Lodge CLASS SIZE LIMITED TO 20 PEOPLE IN NON-COMPETING BUSINESSES TUITION Chamber Members : $300 Non-members :$450 SESSIONS: Session 1 Cyber Security for your Business & Your Responsibility (Liability) for Employee and Customer Data Protection A Great Company Handbook is Critical for your Business Session 2 Be Intention About Your Business Structure 10 Business Ratios Any Business Owner Should Know Ses...

Ribbon cuttings are just one of the many benefits of joining the Lake Area Chamber . Our chamber prides itself on providing amazing opportunities for our members to gain exposure and build their brands. Whether you've been thinking about hosting a ribbon cutting for your business or you're looking for a great way to meet new businesses in town, ribbon cuttings are the perfect place for all! Learn more of the perks of hosting and attending ribbon cuttings: Benefits of Hosting a Ribbon Cutting Gain Exposure Your business is in the spotlight during a ribbon cutting. This is your chance to showcase your business and what you're all about. It's also a fun way to invite friends, family, and other business leaders in the community to check out your business.  Meet Involved Community Leaders Many area leaders and chamber members attend ribbon cuttings. That means you get a chance to meet many local people who are involved in our amazing community. The connections formed at rib...

Small Business Saturday is right around the corner but we encourage everyone to shop local all holiday season! Local businesses offer a unique set of gift items for everyone on your list! From home made goods to grabbing a bite to eat at a local restaurant, our Lake Area Chamber of Commerce is here to showcase a few of the fun & easy ways you can support local businesses at the Lake of the Ozarks this time of year.  Find Unique Gifts There are a ton of local shops in which you can find the perfect item for everyone on your list. From homemade goodies to home décor to clothing, shopping small has a BIG impact! Another fun gift idea is a season pass to a local attraction. Your gift recipient will have some excitement to look forward to as they unwrap their experience based gift! Purchase Gift Cards Who doesn't love gift cards?! Whether it's their favorite restaurant or a place they would enjoy visiting, a gift card is the perfect way to check some of those hard to shop for ...

As a consumer, it's a blessing to be able to choose where we spend our money. This time of year, many gifts and other items are being purchased for the holiday season. Our Lake of the Ozarks chamber is honored to see the positive impact of shopping local businesses and that's why we're here to point out some of the lesser-known positive impacts shopping small can lead to. Check them out and strive to purchase more gifts from local vendors this holiday season! Keep Money Circulating Many local businesses utilize local vendors and other businesses to meet their needs. When you purchase locally, they are able to hire or purchase from a different local business, who can then turn around and support another local business. It truly is the circle of life in a small community like ours.  Support Local Economy The economy at a local level is stimulated every time a purchase is made in our area. We all are impacted by the economy of our area and supporting it only leads to positive...

The Lake Area Chamber of Commerce is proud to host monthly networking socials at the Lake of the Ozarks. This gives our member businesses the chance to mingle with fellow members and other community leaders. Networking can seem intimidating but we're providing you with some tips to make you feel more at ease as you join us for our next social on November 17th.  November Networking Social Details: Our next social is an exciting one at JB Hooks on November 17th from 5:00 - 7:00 pm. We invite you and anyone you would like to bring to our social! You should also bring any young professionals you know to check out our Young Professionals at the Lake membership drive. We look forward to seeing you there! Top Networking Tips: Arrive Early Walking into a crowded room full of people already networking and chatting with others can seem very intimidating. That's why arriving early is key! If you are one of the first people to arrive, you can start greeting other attendees as they enter th...

 The Lake of the Ozarks chambers have come together to help support our local businesses who have been affected by the pandemic. The Lake Area Chamber is proud to be a part of this amazing grant program that helps support a number of area businesses in many ways. Your small business at the Lake of the Ozarks may qualify for grant assistance! Check out the details: CARES ACT Funding – Business Assistance Grant Application Application period is October 1 to October 31, 2020 **Please note: Payroll and Loss of Revenue are not eligible expenses in the grant program The Camden County Commission is providing a small business assistance program up to $10,000 in grant funding per business to provide economic support to small businesses in connection with COVID-19 and as provided through the Federal CARES Act. Camden County has received Coronavirus Relief Funds that it is making available, on an application basis, to eligible entities for necessary expenditures incurred due to the public h...

It's that time of year again and we're excited as we near our Lake Area Chamber Annual Dinner . This dinner is one of our most highly anticipated events of the year as we come together to celebrate all the great things that have happened with the Lake Area Chamber in the past year! Learn about the event & the sponsorship opportunities we have available! Lake Area Chamber Annual Dinner -- The Show Must Go On October 22, 2020 5:30pm-8:00pm Regalia Hotel & Conference Center Annual Dinner Details: Join us for our Annual Membership Meeting and Fall Dinner on Thursday, October 22nd, 2020. Attendees will have the opportunity to network with fellow chamber members, enjoy a delicious meal, learn what the Chamber's been up to this past year and help recognize and congratulate businesses and individuals during the Annual Business Awards. Sponsorship Opportunities Available- contact the Lake Area Chamber to learn more! Sponsorship Opportunities: Platinum Sponsor - $1,000 Ticke...

The Lake Area Chamber of Commerce is proud to be housed at the beautiful and historic Willmore Lodge. The rich history of the area is showcased at the lodge. If you've never been to check it out, we highly recommend stopping by for a tour to learn the amazing story about the evolution of our area. While you plan your trip to Willmore Lodge, check out these quick interesting facts:  In 2017, Willmore Lodge received a Certificate of Excellence from TripAdvisor due to consistent great reviews and it is featured in TripAdvisor’s top six things to do at the Lake of the Ozarks.  Located right before you cross Bagnell Dam, Willmore Lodge boasts a view of the first seven and a half miles of the lake Willmore Lodge hosts events! Our members can rent out the facility to host business meetings and other events.  In addition to housing the Lake Area Chamber of Commerce, the Willmore also houses a museum that provides information about The Great Osage River Project, which was the con...

 The Magic Dragon Car Show is almost here! As our Lake Area Chamber of Commerce is busy preparing for the awesome annual event, we want to share some of the event details with you AND feature our sponsors! Check out the details below:  All About the Magic Dragon Street Meet Nationals: The Magic Dragon Street Meet Nationals is a unique show for all makes, models, and years of cars, trucks and motorcycles. The show celebrated its 30th year in 2018 with phenomenal weather, 1,000 participants and close to 10,000 spectators. Located in Central Missouri, we bring 30 years of show experience to the historic Bagnell Dam Strip at the Lake of the Ozarks. The strip is closed to normal traffic during show hours, so we only have show vehicles within the boundaries. This creates and absolutely electric atmosphere! Some say it's like being on the set of "American Graffiti". Recognized as one of the largest car shows in the Midwest, we cap our registration at 1,000 participants. The ca...

Our chamber at the Lake of the Ozarks is busy preparing for the Lake Area Chamber Annual Dinner this fall. As we gear up for another memorable gathering with our members, we're asking for your help in shining a light on businesses and individuals who have stood out this year for the chamber! This year has presented unique challenges for all businesses around the area and this is your chance to give recognition to businesses and individuals who have make a positive impact on our chamber and community!  Each year at the Annual Dinner, the Lake Area Chamber of Commerce presents member business awards in multiple categories. Nominations are taken in the late summer for the awards presentation in October. CATEGORY ELIGIBILITY AND JUDGING CRITERIA Listed below is information regarding categories, eligibility and judging criteria for the Lake Area Chamber of Commerce’s Annual Awards. The chamber invites its members to identify nominees for these awards in each of the following categorie...

The  Lake Area Chamber of Commerce  is proud to present  Missouri's legendary car show , the 32nd Annual Magic Dragon Street Meet Nationals. After the initial reschedule, the date has been set for September 11th-13th. We invite you to this amazing event located on the historic Bagnell Dam Strip. Read on to see just why this event is the perfect weekend plan for you and your car lovin' crew. 1. Check Out the Sweet Rides What is the first key component in a great car show? The sweet rides, of course! With over 30 years running, this one of a kind car show draws in the beautiful cars. In the past, the Magic Dragon Street Meet Nationals has boasted up to 1,000 participants from all over Missouri, as well as surrounding states to the Bagnell Dam Strip. A large variety of show vehicles come out every year & we're sure to have something that strikes a chord with your inner auto enthusiast! 2. Chat with Car Owners During the event, the strip is closed to normal traffic, so on...