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Business After Hours a good opportunity for all

Gabi Kautz

It’s been a while since we’ve talked about Business After Hours events. Since our calendar is filling up, I thought I’d take this opportunity to do a little refresher on them and how you can benefit.

Hosting a Business After Hours event with GINCC is a great opportunity to show the community just who you are and what you do. They go beyond just an evening of networking and exchanging business cards. While they are great for that, they’re a chance to get people through the doors of your business who may not have otherwise. They’re also a chance to meet the community in a different setting than the typical day-to-day business operation. No matter who you are, you can’t deny that connecting with people and getting to know them while sharing some laughs is a great feeling.

Business After Hours are typically from 5-7 p.m. on a Wednesday during the week and include drinks, appetizers and a couple of prize drawings. Sometimes however, a hosting business will put their own twist to it and switch it up from the usual. For example, Hilltop RV Superstore in Ishpeming hosts an annual event that includes a bonfire, a cookout, live music, multiple prize drawings and a fundraiser for a charity of their choice. It’s a total party, and so much fun! One great thing about these BAH events is the fact that you get freedom to express your business exactly how you want to.

A misconception some people have regarding BAH events is that they are exclusive to chamber members to attend. The public is welcome and encouraged to attend, because you just never know what you may learn from a hosting business. The events are also completely free for guests to attend, so there is no need to worry about a financial commitment. Another misconception on the business side is that if you don’t have a physical retail location, you can’t host an event. We are happy to say that’s not true, either. You are more than welcome to partner up with another business and co-host a BAH event. An example of this is an upcoming event we have hosted by Paw-rific Pet Grooming and new business Compassionate Pet Care of the U.P. You know what they say, we work better when we work together. (Kidding, I made that up but I bet someone has said it before.)

We’re proud to facilitate these events with businesses and give them the chance to show what they work so hard at, day in and day out. Coming up in August are the events I mentioned earlier in the article. Paw-rific Pet Grooming and Compassionate Pet Care of the U.P. will co-host an event from 5-7 p.m. on Aug. 15 at Paw-rific Pet Grooming’s location at 658 Palms Ave. in Ishpeming. The annual Hilltop RV Business After Hours outdoor bash will be on Aug. 28 at their Ishpeming location, 600 U.S. 41.

If you’re familiar with Business After Hours and frequently attend, thank you! We love seeing you and are so glad that you enjoy them. If you’ve never been to one but are interested, please do come check them out. You will be pleasantly surprised at the information and connections you walk away with.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Gabi Kautz is the communications & marketing assistant for GINCC. She currently resides in Ishpeming. She enjoys traveling, yoga and photography.

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