By Joe Woolley
The Nashville LGBT Chamber is working hard for our members, the LGBT+ community, and Nashville as a whole, to be the best place to do business that is equal and open for all.
We are so excited that Focus asked us to contribute by talking about what the chamber is working on at the moment and anything you need to know about related to the chamber and our work. We advocate and educate on behalf of our individual, small business, corporate, and nonprofit members who share the values of promoting equality and diversity in business and society.
We also pride ourselves as being the “connector” within the community. We help connect the LGBT+ community to itself; we connect the ally community to the LGBT+ community; we connect individuals and organizations to opportunities. We hope you are already familiar with the chamber, but if not, please look at our website at nashvillelgbtchamber.org and follow us on social media to see what else we are doing. We would love for you to join as a member.
Membership Campaign – Life’s Necessities
This July and August, the chamber is driving new membership with businesses who provide life’s necessary services — daycare, pet care, automotive, home improvement, haircuts, lawn service, dry cleaners — businesses and products you need to make your life happen. Our directory is the place to go to look for LGBT+ owned and friendly businesses. You’ll want to be listed so Nashville can find you. Visit our website or email membership@nashvillelgbtchamber.org for more information about joining.
Membership Sticker
You know it’s an LGBT+ friendly business and they are members of the chamber by looking for the new membership sticker! Over 350 stickers went out in the mail and you will see them all around town at our member businesses. You know by seeing that sticker that you are spending your money with a business that supports equality!
TASTE 2019
We have sure enjoyed being at Nissan Stadium the last couple of years, but we are moving the location of TASTE this year. Our team recently secured a space for TASTE 2019 at an LGBT+ owned business. This year, River’s Edge Bar and Event Venue, owned and operated by LGBT certified business Ron Sanford Productions, will be our host on Sunday, November 17. This large, post-industrial space is the perfect venue for our 400+ guests, impressive silent auction, live entertainment, and dozens of vendors to give you a TASTE of Nashville. Visit tastenashville.org to find all the information for this event.
Brewing Up Business
Our monthly networking mixer on the third Thursday of every month continues to grow bigger and bigger. We are averaging over 100 people every month and a quarter of them are new or first-time attendees. Brewing Up Business is the most fun and professional way to network, find friends, do business, and see cool spaces. Follow our social media accounts @nashLGBTcc for information on locations.
LGBT Business Enterprises
If you are an LGBT+ business owner, now is the time to certify your business. While certification is $500, that fee is waived if you are a member of the Nashville LGBT Chamber. Join our chamber at a Copper/$300 level (or above) and certify your business now. Mayor Briley’s executive order for LGBT-owned businesses, affirming their inclusion as a recognized category for metro procurement, opened up so many doors with metro government and other quasi-governmental Nashville entities, not to mention all the corporations that have diversity spend initiatives. Our website has all the information needed to certify your business as an LGBT Business Enterprise (LGBTBE).
Nashville Entrepreneur Center Partnership
We announced it at the business awards for the first time but it is official now that we have moved. We are now located in the Entrepreneur Center, also known as the EC, at 41 Peabody St. in the Trolley Barns in downtown Nashville. This location will allow us to collaborate with members and community partners. We will be able to share our educational programming with the EC and they will be sharing theirs with us. They are still offering their amazing partnership deal where you can get 50% off their CoWork membership by being an LGBT+ chamber member. Look for many more opportunities for members as we grow this partnership even more. We are so excited to be here and we hope to see you soon.
Get involved.
We hope to see you at one, if not all, of the opportunities previously mentioned. The chamber is here for you and we look forward to continuing to work for our members. Join us!
