Showing Up: How Chamber Relationships Are Growing BGO Creative Services
What started as a fun photo shoot involving several local businesses turned into a picture-perfect example of what can happen when Chamber members get to know one another.
BGO Creative Services owner Evelyn Cayetano didn’t hesitate when an opportunity came along to lend a hand. East Montgomery City Lifestyle needed volunteers for a photo shoot at Chachi’s Next Door, and Evelyn already knew City Lifestyle owner Nicole Cook and Chachi’s Next Door owner Nicole Jaimes. Volunteering seemed like a fun way to help while supporting fellow local businesses.
The result was an afternoon of food, drinks, photos and plenty of fun. Then Evelyn capped off the day by stopping at fellow Chamber member Apricot Lane Boutique to shop.
For Evelyn, seeing four Chamber members come together in one social media post made her realize there was a bigger story behind what had happened.
“That was probably my favorite part. I was really proud when I realized my post mentioned four different Chamber members. It showed me how connected our Chamber community really is.”
Although the invitation to participate in the photo shoot came through Kingwood Business Women, Evelyn’s relationship with East Montgomery City Lifestyle had already been developing through repeated connections, including an initial meeting at a Greater EMC Chamber Business Networking Breakfast.
Over time, those quick introductions became conversations. Conversations became familiarity. And eventually, the relationship turned into business.
Mike Cook with East Montgomery City Lifestyle has since hired BGO Creative Services twice to build websites for clients.
That experience is far from the only one.
Evelyn says relationships built through Chamber involvement have led to friendships, referrals, clients and collaborations. Fellow Chamber members Leo and Mel’s Gardening Services, 936-600-DUMP and Lifestyle Wellness Spa have also used BGO Creative Services.
But Evelyn admits that her understanding of networking had to change before she began seeing the real value of those relationships.
“I really thought in the beginning networking was about showing up and introducing yourself and trying to showcase and sell your services. Later I realized it’s more about sharing my knowledge and experience.”
Instead of treating every introduction as a sales opportunity, Evelyn began focusing on getting to know people, following up and allowing relationships to develop.
That shift has changed the way she approaches Chamber events.
“I may not walk away with a new client, but I don’t make that my goal,” Evelyn said. “I go there to build trust. The more I show up, and the more people see me and understand who I am, how I interact with other people, they will remember me.”
And sometimes an opportunity develops when she least expects it.
Just hours before talking with the Chamber for this story, Evelyn had attended Growth Exchange: Business Building Workshops – Business Solutions Lab. During the workshop, she connected with Joe Crosby of fellow Chamber member 936-600-DUMP about an upcoming expo in Houston where BGO Creative Services will have a booth.
By the end of their conversation, Joe had offered to come help Evelyn at the booth and support her as she promotes BGO’s services.
It is another example of something Evelyn has seen happen repeatedly: one relationship creating the opportunity for another.
For her, that is why a Chamber connection feels different from simply exchanging business cards.
Chamber events give her opportunities to see people again and again. They talk about business, but they also get to know one another as people. Familiar faces become conversations. Conversations become relationships. And relationships can eventually become clients, referrals, collaborators or simply people she knows she can turn to.
When asked what those relationships mean to the value BGO receives from Chamber membership, Evelyn didn’t hesitate.
“It’s priceless. Invaluable. It’s everything. Even if I didn’t get any business, I still feel like I’ve gained such valuable connections. People I can count on if I need help.”
That is also why her advice to members who have not yet gotten involved is simple: joining is the first step, but showing up matters.
Attend the breakfast. Go to a luncheon. Participate in a workshop. Introduce yourself. Sit next to someone you don’t know. Most importantly, don’t measure every conversation by whether it produces immediate business.
“Don’t go in thinking, ‘How can I get business from this event?’ Go in thinking, ‘Who can I get to know today?’”
For Evelyn, the answer to that question has led to clients, referrals, friendships, support and opportunities she could not necessarily have predicted when those relationships began.
The Chamber can create the opportunity for people to be in the same room. What happens afterward grows from the relationships members choose to build.
As Evelyn puts it: “Let the relationships grow first. The business will come afterward.”
That’s a Wednesday Chamber Win worth celebrating.
If you have a Wednesday Chamber Win, look for our weekly Wednesday Chamber Win Facebook post and share your story and photos in the comments.
For information about Greater EMC Chamber membership, contact us at 281-354-0051 or visit our Join page to get started.