Hayden Chamber: Sewing business seeds for success
![Andrea Fulks](https://hagadone.media.clients.ellingtoncms.com/img/photos/2021/01/18/0126_Fulks_Andrea_t670.jpg?b3f6a5d7692ccc373d56e40cf708e3fa67d9af9d)
Andrea Fulks
It always seems like April is that time of year that I start getting outside to see what winter left behind. I start plotting and planning my vegetable garden and make plans for getting the yard to look bright and cheery again.
Seed-starting time is always exciting for me. As with spring, those trays are full of potential. Imagine you plant one squash. One plant grows; however, I know most of you know that from that one squash plant, you can get, on average, 30 to 40 squashes? Then, from each squash, you could get hundreds more seeds. And the cycle continues… this is so amazing to me!
The same is true for your business. One seed, creative impulse, idea or action could spiral into success and potential that is simply amazing. So often we find ourselves caught up in either our own self-doubt or the negative spiral of others. It typically falls within these two categories. I have come to realize that I just do not have the time to get bogged down with any of this. I don’t want to hear the 10 reasons why it can't be done. I want to hear the one reason why it should, and then we can work on how we can.
I believe that together, through the chamber, there's a whole lot of why we should and how we can, yet to be realized. What seeds are you planting this spring? We'd like to know.
Signs of a long-awaited spring are all around us. Spring is the season of optimism and a renewal in the belief that along with challenges come opportunities. It makes me even more optimistic when I talk to our members and hear their positive, forward-thinking attitudes. Members are signing up for networking events and anything else we have going on just to get out and talk about their businesses.
As the days get longer and the sun gets brighter, take some time to consider if there are any changes you've made during the past few years that can be part of a new outlook going forward. What challenges have made you grow? What can we do for each other and how will we, ourselves, be enriched by the effort? We really are one community — here's to fresh opportunities and new horizons for all of us!
So many new members have been signing up to belong to the Hayden Chamber and with that comes ribbon cuttings and grand openings. The first week of March we celebrated NCITE Creative with its ribbon cutting ceremony. We then welcomed Metro Car Wash to the Hayden community with its ribbon cutting and watched as they donated $8,000 to the Children’s Village. After our April Networking, Business & Connections, we were excited to welcome Great Resort Vacations as a new chamber member.
As the weather is getting nicer it can only mean one thing … it's almost time for the Hayden Chamber's 4th annual Bacon, Bloodys & Brews Festival! We are currently still looking for "Sow Chefs" (bacon dish), "Mary Mixologist" (Bloody Mary concoctions) and “Beer Bartenders” (Beer makers) vendors for this event that will be held on Wednesday, May 15. You don't have to be a professional chef to enter. Any business, restaurant, bar and grill, pub, networking group, civic organization or individual is welcome to participate. We will have awards for professional and amateur. This will be an outdoor event to network, promote your business or just showcase your cooking talents. Spots are limited! Contact the Hayden Chamber at 208-762-1185 or andrea@haydenchamber.org for more information.
Do you like Bacon or Bloody Mary's or Beer? If your answer is YES, then this is the event for you! Get your tickets to come sample and vote for your favorite! Tickets are on sale now online at www.haydenchamber.org.
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Andrea Fulks is the president/CEO for the Hayden Chamber of Commerce.