Your Voice For Business with the Southwest Michigan Regional Chamber

Your Voice for Business - Episode 5

Michigan’s Independent Citizen’s Redistricting Committee has redrawn our state’s legislative districts and, in doing so, made some drastic changes to the electoral landscape of our region. In this episode, Arthur Havlicek talks with Al Pscholka, former three-term Michigan State Representative and current Vice President of Government Affairs for the Kinexus group, about the new process for how these lines were drawn and how the boundaries they produced will affect representation for individuals – and businesses – within our communities.

The future of our business community depends on how well we prepare our young people. And in Southwest Michigan, that future of with Linda Tinsley, Director of Junior Achievement of Northern Indiana. JANI reaches thousands of students across NW Indiana and SW Michigan each year, with crucial programming teaching financial literacy, career readiness and entrepreneurial skills for students K-12. In this episode of Your Voice For Business with the Southwest Michigan Regional Chamber, Tinsley shares some of the exciting ways Junior Achievement is preparing kids for future success in business and life.

When it comes to growing a successful business, collaboration may just be the secret sauce. In this episode of the Your Voice For Business Podcast from the Southwest Michigan Regional Chamber, you’ll hear from Sarah Spoonholtz, Director of Membership and Events, about the importance of community-building in business success and how the Chamber has been keeping business leaders connected throughout the pandemic.

What would you do if you had just taken on a leadership role within a region’s business community – and then that community was abruptly shut down? That’s the situation Arthur Havlicek, President & CEO of the Southwest Michigan Regional Chamber, found himself in as of March 2020. Just a couple of months into his new role leading the Chamber, the pandemic forced shutdowns of businesses across the region, state, and nation, completely changing the pace and structure of commerce as we know it. In this episode of Your Voice For Business, Havlicek shares how he and his team at the Chamber acted as advocates for the business community during the confusion and chaos of those early days, and how, under his leadership, the Chamber has continued to evolve and adapt to serve the community as Southwest Michigan business leaders navigate a much-changed landscape.

Ignite Your Growth with the Your Voice for Business Podcast from the Southwest Michigan Regional Chamber, featuring helpful information and positive inspiration from the people who power Southwest Michigan’s business community. Listen to the trailer now, and check back soon for new episodes!