Paul Szmal: Good morning, it's 8.37, it's FLX Morning Monday and we're joined in studio by Tara Sovey, FLX Area Chamber of Commerce. Good morning. Good morning, Todd. I love aware guests. It was Tara who reached out to me and said, we're not doing Thanksgiving, right?
Tara Sauve: Nope. No show that day, so we were able to move her to today from her usual time.
Paul Szmal: And I was just looking up some things on the website and remind us, your site was redone and it was actually a new member who did it. It looked sharp.
Tara Sauve: Thank you, yes, Dominguez Marketing out of Buffalo. Mark Dominguez helped us redesign it, so we are very excited. It's been, we've almost had it for a whole year, which is crazy to think about with our name change, but yeah, we love our website and we're so thankful for them that they were able to just help us build this process together and now we have a brand new website, which it's almost been a year with it.
Paul Szmal: Now tell us about the hottest ticket in Geneva. Everybody was talking about it last week at Rotary, the Business After Hours for November hosted by Finger Lakes Railway on board the train, and I understand a good time was had by all.
Tara Sauve: Yes, it was a unique experience, so thank you to Finger Lakes Railway for hosting our November Business After Hours. We had a handful of people that showed up right at four and were able to just kind of tour and see the train of people that have never been on it before. I know it's really popular with Rotary and their Santa train, so it was cool to get people, everyone on board and then actually take a train ride too. So we went almost all the way to Seneca Falls for a half an hour ride and then we came back to Geneva.
Paul Szmal: See, I haven't gone in that direction. I did the one from Clifton Springs back to Geneva. Sorry, Clifton Springs and then back to Geneva. So, because it's cool because it's just, you're right by all the roads and everything, but you've got kind of your own little world there.
Tara Sauve: Yeah, it was really interesting, so it was fun going through and seeing everything too, just along the train ride. So that was pretty cool. Very unique experience for our member, our Business After Hours. Thank you for mentioning the Rotary Santa train. Go to GenevaRotary, I'm gonna get fine now, GenevaRotary.org, I think. Let me just make sure. Yes, GenevaRotaryClub.org is the website and then click the information on the Santa train and you'll find it there. That's coming up the first Saturday in December, as always.
Paul Szmal: So, coming up for the next Business After Hours Mixer, it's a holiday open house at the office at 1 Franklin Square. If people haven't been there, haven't been there in a while, and you have a member doing professional headshots. Now everybody should be going, let's see, my last one was done, in my case, when I had hair. That's how long it's been.
Tara Sauve: Yeah, so we are pushing this mixer a week back than normal, so it'll be Wednesday, December 18th at our office, downtown Geneva, 1 Franklin Square, and it's gonna be as an open house throughout the building, as well. We are gonna have Justina Holcomb of Naturally Chic Photography taking headshots for people, so you do have to sign up for advance for those, and if you sign up before December 1st, it'll be $75. Yeah, she'll give you three options to choose from and then you'll have one as a digital file, so you can update that on your LinkedIn, your resume, but there's probably about 12 spots that will be available from that 5 to 7 time frame, so make sure you reach out to us to get you on the calendar with her and make sure that you're all set and ready to go.
Paul Szmal: And then coming soon, the 2025 schedule, and of course the season pass plan and everything, we'll be talking about that soon.
Tara Sauve: Yes, yep, that will be announced soon. We're gonna make a few little changes with that, so we're excited to kind of roll that out, but we're in the process of just finalizing everything, so that will probably be announced in the next few weeks.
Paul Szmal: Now you've been absolutely killing it this year in terms of membership. We talk about all the different kinds of businesses and business locations. New members in November, first one is Enhance of the Finger Lakes in Shortsville.
Tara Sauve: Yes, so they are a brand new member. They are located out of Shortsville. The family is from Geneva though. They go into, if you would like your new cabinets remodeled, they are able to work on your cabinets that you already have, upgrade them, and then put them back in. So it's kind of a different, unique process. I would definitely visit their Facebook page to see some of their projects, but it's awesome what they do.
Paul Szmal: Another member is Adobe Acrobat. So how did that happen, where you're like printing a PDF and something popped up? Do you want us to join your chamber?
Tara Sauve: Yeah, they reach out to us directly, so it's just a remote membership, but they wanted to kind of get involved in the community and let people know about their services that they offer. So we're excited to have them and work with them.
Paul Szmal: The next one is Finger Lakes Power Systems, located out of Penn Yan. And then we have Screen Printing by Bowers. She has two locations in Canandaigua and in Rochester. Spark Chiropractor Wellness, she also has two locations in Geneva and Victor. And then Rust Crusher Undercoating and Detailing. He's located in Farmington and Dansville. So those are kind of our new members over the next few months.
Tara Sauve: Yeah, so we're excited to have them on board and you'll see them in our digital newsletter and then they're on their homepage. You'll see their logo kind of rotating through on our homepage there on the website.
Paul Szmal: It absolutely is the FLX Area Chamber of Commerce. Now we have, I guess we can't reveal yet, a member milestone celebration for December. We'll find out soon where that'll be.
Tara Sauve: Yes, yep, we have a bunch of them coming up. So we have one in December, we have one for January, and then we just actually scheduled one for April, which is kind of unique. So we're getting those on the calendar a lot earlier ahead of time. So if you are interested in hosting a member milestone, if you're celebrating an anniversary or relocation, something unique and you want our help celebrating it, please reach out because we'll get you on the calendar soon so we can start planning.
Paul Szmal: And the requirements aren't real strict. I mean, just to make up a good reason to host a party, that's what it's all about. And the reason of this, of course, was that the business after hours get booked so far ahead. Some business member says, can I book a business after hours? And you go, maybe in 2020, 2027.
Tara Sauve: Right, right. Yes, yes. So these are different celebrations, but we're happy to host these for our members and it has grown to be really popular. So this year was the first year, I believe, for the annual partners, right?
Paul Szmal: No, we've had these for a couple years now.
Tara Sauve: Okay, well, yeah. So anyway, how's that program gone? And how's the reception been from those partners? I would have to look back at our notes, but we've probably had this for maybe 19, but it's always like only two people and we've kind of upped the program over the last couple of years. So this one, this 2024 is probably the most annual partners that we've had. We have had 13 of them. But it's a unique experience because you get already signed up for all of our events, the golf tournament, membership, harvest celebration, and then you get the extra advertising and exposure throughout the year. So you're basically all signed up with us and our programs and events throughout the year. So then we're not reaching out to you. Do you want to do this? Do you want to participate in this? And then you get kind of special deals and discounts as well with your annual partnership.
Paul Szmal: So the 2025 signups will be coming soon. Anything you think you'll change or add on or?
Tara Sauve: There might be some few changes and tweaks as we're talking with our members about what they want to see. So you might see something a little bit different. But for most of the part, it's going to be the same. And you'll see their logo downtown on our window display there, or on our website. And then they're featured in all of our press releases. So they really are a staple of all of our programs and events. So we couldn't really do what we do without our annual partners. So just thank you to all of them for all their support.
Paul Szmal: It sounds like the members are really, really digging into what you do and loving it. Because one of the things people are busy doing business, they go, how do I get my, there's Twitter, there's Instagram, there's radio, don't forget radio, and all these ways to get your message out. And they don't know one from another. Or even if they do, they don't have time to do it all. So you can be sort of that one stop shop for all the various ways of letting the world know that you're there.
Tara Sauve: Exactly. And we have kind of just different industries with our members. So everyone kind of needs something different, or maybe we'll see the same thing. So we kind of try to tailor that to our members of what people are saying to us and how do we can make it better or helpful for them as well. And like we've talked about, we see those business to business connections at socials. If it's a business after hours or a milestone, somebody comes in, they start talking, hey, you do what I do and we'll sell to each other or whatever. And it works out for them.
Paul Szmal: Yeah. Yep. It's funny how those people make connections with different industries, or down the road, they remember a member that they met at a mixer and might need their help with something. So it's a great way to make connections and follow up with friends along the way.
Tara Sauve: So for somebody that doesn't know, maybe somebody who's new in town or something, remind us about the Season Pass program for business after hours and what that gets you.
Paul Szmal: So the Season Pass program is very unique because you get a special customized pass. And then you get into all of our business after hours network remixers throughout the year. And then you get five guest passes included with that. So if you want to bring a coworker, or maybe a potential new member that you want to get them involved or a friend, you're able to do so with those guest passes. So you're already ready to go for the year. And we tell people look at the calendar ahead of time and make sure you block off time and put it on your calendar. So you're already set to go and being able to attend the mixers because we do have a few that are unique as well this coming year. So behind the scenes stuff we're excited for.
Tara Sauve: All right. So we'll start to hear some of those details next month and kind of look back at the whole year. FLXchamber.org. I gotta write these down ahead of time. Tara, thanks as always. We appreciate it. And we'll see you in December.
Paul Szmal: Sounds good. Thank you.
Tara Sauve: All right. So it is now 847. It's FLX morning.
