FLOW AREA , Time to Get Back to In-Person Networking

We all can admit this has been an interesting year and although challenges were present, it definitively made us stronger and more resilient than ever before. Wear a mask here, wear a mask there, watch for five feet here, observe five feet there, remember to give five feet over here and finally arrive home. Don't forget about cleaning all your boxes off with a Lysol cloth to ensure no COVID germs were brought into the home. That moment you have been waiting for all day to have that pleasure of taking off your mask to get that awaited time to fully breathe and deeply relax.

Whether it was waiting for our government to pass rules, test vaccines, impose new restrictions, or just trying to understand the current regulations, it seemed like a full-time job. Remember I’m a serial entrepreneur and I don’t consider what I do work but this was definitely work. Then how about getting to your grocery store, cleaning off the cart, and avoiding those people that threatened to spray you when all you tried to do was pick up something they dropped. Remember when then the lady tried to tackle your to the ground when you took the last roll of paper towels, seriously.

Many Restaurants had to close temporarily but the one’s that later opened were permitted to do delivery and curbside only. Although it did cost them more money to keep the place COVID free, several managed to keep going while others were forced to close. Going out to any store became so tiring as it took much more effort than normal. Every time we went to a store it felt like we were suiting up to go into battle.

Company's had no choice to work virtually, costing them even more money which didn’t work out so well for some and others did more business than they ever dreamed. Between hearing common phrases each day such as you’re on mute, test, 1,2,3 I think zoom is working now. Meeting people from all around the world in a virtual environment was a nice placeholder but many will agree it is time to get back to in-person networking. Arriving to meetings with a postive attitude seemed to be the answer but within seconds many were pitching you things you didn't need or want like the Brooklyn Bridge, or Evaporated Water. Thus they were so desperate to pitch anything that the call seemed to be never ending.

This year even Flow Follies wasn't able to be in person but had an online auction and sold virtual ticket to watch the play on-line. Getting people from Franklin Lakes, Wyckoff & Oakland to do something different was easy but we managed.

Free Events didn’t work for many as it was a haven for people looking to spam you. Just look at what LinkedIn did in response to this by altering its policy’s. That's right LinkedIn set restrictions on the number of people a person could connect with per week and the number of allowed pending connection invites allowed . Unfortunately during this time many of the people from Frankin Lakes, Wyckoff, & Oakland were not coming together as they usually did and meeting others from around the globe that discredited the value of what integrity should be. Now I am happy to announce that more on-site events are starting to be planned and people are starting to feel comfortable again.

If you live in the Northern NJ, I invite you to RSVP and get a ticket to The Franklin Lakes Chamber’s Professional Speed Networking Event coming up in August. We strive to connect high caliber people that understand the value of people, their relationships and the mutual positive potentials they may bring to each other. Did you know that we are a true 501c(3) Charity organization thus all donations, tickets minus the processing fee are considered a full charitable donation as per the IRS.

Our chamber is working hard to create a dichotomy of events that will inspire, entertain and connect each other with others that have a similar mindset to network and take a genuine interest in the other person, not people looking to pitch you. We know that when you make an event free, it opens it everyone as only the professionals will pay for a ticket as they understand the value of how to network and what it takes to build long term business relationships. We are happy to announce that our philanthropy efforts will be resuming immediately and our Thanksgiving Food Drive is already in the works. Although we welcome any business owner or employee form a company in NJ we find that those in Bergen, Passaic, Morris & Essex Counties will actually stay involved and attend our events on a regular basis.

Warmest, regards with gratitude

John C. Morley

Franklin Lakes Chamber President

Get your Tickets Now to our Aug 19, 2021 Event:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/i...