CHAMBER NEWS & UPDATES

Welcome New Member Forever Slender MedSpa
Forever Slender MedSpa
85 E. Main Street
Norton, MA
508-212-7714

Please join us in welcoming new URCC member Forever Slender MedSpa, a full-service medical spa providing procedures selected to give patients tremendous results while relaxing in their warm, inviting environment.

They are an inclusive practice and proud to serve the LGBTQ+ community. Their patients become their friends. Stop in to see how great they will make you feel!

For more information, visit their website or call them at 508-212-7714.

Welcome to the United Regional Chamber of Commerce, Forever Slender MedSpa! We are looking forward to seeing you at upcoming events.

Lunch and Learn
Today at 110 Grill
Goal Setting that Actually Matters

Tuesday, January 9
110 Grill
25 Ledgeview Way
Wrentham
11:45 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

Facilitated by URCC Board of Directors Chairman and Strategic Advisor and Business Coach Josh Vanada, our Lunch and Learn series meets monthly in member restaurants to provide a forum for business leaders to address the most pressing issues they are facing.

It's a time to break bread, learn from each other, and return to our businesses with the clarity and tools to help us continue to grow.

Join us on January 9 at URCC member 110 Grill in Wrentham when we talk about Goal Setting that Actually Matters.

We all have goals and dreams that we want to turn into reality. How do we set them up so that we are likely to realize them?

As we make our way into 2024, let's discuss what we have found to be most effective.

Attendees are responsible for paying for their lunches.

Download the Handout Here

Help Customers Find You
Why is it so important to be listed on Google and Apple Maps?

Scott Abrahamson
URCC Member The Music Wagon
715 E. Washington St. (Rte. 1)
North Attleboro, MA

Are you reaching all of your customers via Maps? First, you need to check if your business is even listed! If you are an Android user, you likely use Google Maps. But have you considered Apple Maps? And the same goes for Apple users. Have you considered using Google Maps?

What do you do if you do not already manage your business listing on either platform? Start with Google first. Go to maps.Google.com online and search for your business listing. If it is there and you have not claimed it, you can claim it with a Gmail account. If your business does not appear, create a listing. When you have claimed and verified your business, you can add photos, information about your business and operation, and provide routine updates.

For Apple, ask a friend or family member who has an Apple device if you do not have one to search for your business on Apple Maps. If it is not there or if you have not claimed it, go to businessconnect.apple.com and create an account. Submit or claim your business listing. Just like with Google, you will be able to add information about your business.

It is important to be listed on these apps because Google and Apple Maps come preloaded on Android and Apple devices respectively. Therefore, with millions of users daily, they dominate over other map apps. Google is the most downloaded app with the widest reach of all. With both apps, users often search for a business type during their daily travels. This means that they may discover YOU! Be certain that your listing is up to date with attractive photos and clear information. Let them navigate to your location and discover what you have to offer!

Host an Alive After Five Networking Event in 2024

Interested in getting your name out there or making additional business connections? Consider hosting an Alive After Five with the Chamber in 2024! We'd love to help you  network with local business professionals at your place of business.

Hosting an Alive After Five event gives you the opportunity to open your doors to fellow Chamber members to showcase your business and services. You supply the light refreshments, and we'll invite the guests.

Contact URCC President Jack Lank at [email protected] to schedule an event.

MEMBER NEWS AND UPDATES

Rockland Trust Recognized as the #1 504 Third-Party Lender in 2023

URCC member Rockland Trust was recently recognized by the U.S. Small Business Administration’s (SBA) Massachusetts District Office as the number one 504 Third Party Lender in 2023.

The SBA 504 program provides businesses with fixed-rate financing to assist with the purchases of large assets including land, buildings, or long-term machinery and equipment.

“As a bank built by business owners, we remain steadfast in our commitment to provide local business owners with the resources and advice they need to flourish,” said Jeffrey Hansel, First Vice President and SBA Market Executive at Rockland Trust. “This recognition is a testament to the meaningful relationships that our colleagues build within the communities we serve. Working alongside the SBA, we’re honored to continue investing in small businesses, thereby creating opportunities for our local economies to grow.”

Rockland Trust earned the highest recognition among banks in Massachusetts for the number of loans originated through the SBA’s 504 program during the federal fiscal year ending September 30, 2023. In that time period, the bank provided over $21.8 million in 504 loans across Massachusetts.

A Message from Bridgewater State University's

Senior College

Are you ready?

Join us today for the opening of the Winter-Spring 2024 semester!

A new season of discovery is upon us and we can't wait to dive in with you. Take a deep dive into politics, music, literature, musical theater, and so much more.

Learn how to garden, the ancient practice of Tai Chi, a foreign language (French, Spanish, or Italian), and how to play the Ukulele.

If you are ready to explore diverse topics taught by our expert faculty and others who share your passion for learning, adventure, and deeper ways of understanding our world, then please join us!

Registration is OPEN

Download our Course Catalog and handy Quick Glance Schedule

Or if you are ready to claim your spot, please click "register now" below. Some courses are filling up very quickly.

REGISTER NOW

The New Sportsbook, the Loft, the Revolution Lounge, Entertainment, and, of Course, Slots and Table Games
Wow!

If you're looking for excitement and winning at a New England casino, URCC Chairman's Circle member Plainridge Park Casino, the hometown casino, is for you. You can play at over 1,200 slots or electronic table games, enjoy live local entertainment, choose from seven outstanding dining outlets, or hold your meeting or reception at one of their event venues. And they simulcast horse races around the country. You'll find an exciting experience and hometown hospitality every time you visit.

Plainridge Park Casino is proud of its PENN Heroes program and is excited to keep growing. The PENN Heroes rewards program gives our nation’s active-duty military, veterans, and first responders access to special discounts, promotions, and events. It’s PENN National's way to offer thanks for their commitment to our country and communities.

Here Are the Casino's Current Promotions

Check out all the dining options here.

You can make reservations on the Plainridge Park Casino home page.

The sportsbook you've been craving is here - and it's about to change the game day scene forever. At Plainridge Park Casino's new Sportsbook Bar and Restaurant, every play is intensified by pure adrenaline. With a massive 49-foot video wall delivering action in crystal clarity, you'll feel like you're on the field surrounded by giants. Their jumbotron is unmatched. It is the largest indoor restaurant display in all New England!

The Loft features a wide variety of entertainment from stand-up comedians and comic hypnotists to live swing bands and musicians. Looking for an intimate night out? Come to The Loft and see what everyone is talking about.

Friday and Saturday nights from 8:00 p.m. to midnight, the Revolution Lounge features the area's best live bands and DJs. Whether you want to dance the night away or relax and hang out with friends, the Revolution Lounge is a great place to unwind after a long week. Best of all, all shows at the Revolution Lounge are completely FREE with no cover charge. No ticket or reservation required!

Here's the lineup for the Revolution Lounge for January and February.

The Revolution Lounge's hours are 11:00 a.m. - 12:45 a.m. daily.

URCC Corporate Partner 

An Unlikely Story

Visit their home page for upcoming events.

MEMBER OPPORTUNITIES

Massachusetts Small Business Development Center
Meetings Conducted via Phone and Conference Call

Nancy Lowd, Senior Business Advisor at the Massachusetts Small Business Development Center (MSBDC), will be conducting meetings by phone and conference call for the foreseeable future.

Call 508-673-9783 for a virtual appointment

The MSBDC is committed to helping your business succeed in Massachusetts. They provide free, confidential, one-to-one business assistance, and free or low-cost educational training programs to prospective and existing small businesses throughout the Commonwealth. The MSBDC fosters the start, growth, and sustainability of small business by providing high-quality, in-depth advising, training, and capital access.

JOIN US
URCC MONTHLY MEETINGS

Our Extreme Networking group, hosted by Marcie Rappa of URCC member Marcie Rappa Home and Associates, meets on the second and fourth Wednesday of every month at 11:45 a.m. - 1:00 p.m., at member Springhill Suites/Townplace Suites in Wrentham. This exclusive group focuses on providing referrals so only one person from each profession is invited to attend.

Executive Express-O, hosted by URCC Chairman of the Board Josh Vanada, meets in our office the first Wednesday of every month.

Small Business Advising with the Small Business Administration is available remotely.