I have heard great comments on how the Chamber of Commerce in Wellington is helping local business so I booked in 30 minutes with Charles Finny – CEO of the Chamber to ask why I should join the Wellington branch.

Charles has been the CEO of the Chamber since 2005 and has enormous experience in the business sector both within New Zealand and overseas and was more than happy to answer my questions.

As a result of my discussion with Charles I have provided what I believe to be the key benefits to joining your local Chamber.

Networking

The Chamber provides many networking events that members can attend which include:

1. Breakfast and lunch events with guest speakers every month.
2. A fortnightly meeting for SME’s to discuss their current challenges with other business owners and share advice/tips/experience.
3. “Business after 5” which is a monthly after hours networking event.

It is not hard to see when scanning the Chamber’s web site how many events are on offer throughout the month. I am especially interested in the “Chamber Business Networking Forums” meetings where I can gain advice and feedback from other business owners in the community.
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Training

With a budget of over 1 million dollars for training the Chamber can offer some beneficial training programmes including the “New Zealand Trade & Enterprise – Enterprise Training Programme” which is open to owners and operators of small to medium enterprises employing less than 50 full-time staff.
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Information

The Chamber also keeps its members updated on the latest developments affecting business both in New Zealand and overseas. Surveys are frequently conducted on key business topics and the survey results published on the Chamber’s web site.
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On Your Side

Charles also mentioned that the Chamber has a strong commitment to having your voice reach the government powers through lobbying, advocacy and representation.
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Discounts!

As a member of the Chamber you are also entitled to numerous discounts with Shell New Zealand, OfficeMax, Ford Motor Company, Liquor King and First Mobile.

Some discounts can be up to 60%!
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Overall I think being a member of your local Chamber will benefit you and your business a great deal. The networking alone is worth the membership fee.