On June 30, my year as chairman of the Southlake Chamber of Commerce concluded as I handed the gavel to my friend, Chuck Hulett. It was an eventful year with many positives, particularly with the return of Oktoberfest to record crowds.

I’d like to share the lessons that I learned over this past year:

For every leader who receives any credit, countless other individuals help make everything happen. 

I should call them heroes because they are so vital to overall success. In the case of Oktoberfest, for example, our committee starts regularly meeting nine months in advance. I want to again thank every volunteer that has helped the chamber this past year.  We could never succeed without the hundreds of volunteers and vendors.

Successful organizations and events offer the same appearance as a swan.

Graceful and smoothly operating from the perspective of the crowd, while paddling frantically below the surface that nobody can see.

There are no inconsequential volunteers.

Everybody who serves on a committee plays a crucial role in either operations or helping to serve as we make our participants feel welcomed and appreciated.

Committees and Leadership Southlake foster the next generation of leaders. 

Southlake is a small community filled with tremendous people. This program has become a resource that helps fill key positions within our community — not only for the chamber but also for Carroll ISD and the city of Southlake. 

Pivoting has become the defining word ever since the start of the pandemic.

Due to a conflicting event, last year's Oktoberfest was moved back one week. The result was a far more successful event than in the past. Lesson learned: if your plan is forced into a new direction, don’t waste time. Instead, focus your attention on the alternate path.  Maybe this new direction has a much more positive perspective you need to be aware of for a more beneficial future.

The Southlake Chamber is fortunate to have a cohesive and resourceful staff that generates smart ideas and knows how to make them shine. This was best seen as the staff quickly shifted from a successful annual awards banquet to then running an entirely new event just days later at Stars & Stripes.

Our chamber team, made up of CEO Mark Guilbert, Maurine Grant, Tracy Matlock and Victoria Sommer created events this past year that attendees are still praising. Speaking of pivoting, I continue to pray and be thankful for how Tracy bravely fights a cancer diagnosis with more strength, positivity, and grace than I could imagine.

I’m thankful for the opportunity to have gotten involved in the Southlake Chamber. Since my Leadership class in 2015, the relationships I have fostered with fellow members have been true blessings for me both personally and professionally. 

My recommendation to you: Get involved. Grow your relationships by serving on committees or taking Leadership Southlake, which can help you establish powerful relationships.

Call the chamber today at 817.481.8200 and ask about participating in Leadership Southlake.

1200 S Main St., Suite 1600 , Grapevine , Texas 76051

520 E. Southlake Blvd. Suite 100 Southlake, TX 76092 817.416.4500

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