Chilkat Valley News - Serving Haines and Klukwan, Alaska since 1966

The Haines Chamber of Commerce is hosting a “Business Boot Camp” luncheon training series focused on business skill development which is open to the public.

Every Friday at noon, First National Bank manager Wendell Herran or Chamber assistant director Andrew Letchworth will speak via Zoom on topics including strategic planning, business finance, leadership and employee development and marketing. The first training kicked off on March 25 where speakers from the Alaska Small Business Development Center discussed business start-up basics. Recordings of the sessions will be available on the chamber website a week after they occur.

“We want to encourage new entrepreneurs so we can have more services in town,” chamber director Tracy Harmon said.

Harmon said she recently started her own business and found it to be a tiresome and difficult process. She said she hopes the bootcamp classes will reduce common hurdles aspiring business owners must overcome.

“Those are the kinds of resources we’re here for, to walk people through the steps they need to not only start their business but grow their business,” Harmon said. “We wanted to go back to the drawing board.”

The final session, led by Corey Bradberry from Aasman Brand Communications on the subject of marketing post covid, is scheduled for April 22.

Zoom links can be found at the chamber’s website at haineschamber.org.