A technology tool has burst into the news cycle in recent months, and businesses are finding ways to use is to grow their sales, improve their marketing and cut down time spent on some tasks. Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) has come to the public mind through Chat GPT, Microsoft’s Edge Bing Chat, Canva’s “Magic Write” tool and others. There’s a race on to make this tool work for business.

Find out more about how this technology could help your business at the Chamber’s free “Chat/GPT – What’s all the fuss about?” event at the Lake Oswego Public Library on Wednesday,…

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A recent poll reported that almost half of Americans don’t know why we celebrate the 4th of July. It’s hard to imagine an adult who never learned about America’s fight for independence in school or at home.

During a trip to Philadelphia, it is possible to visit Independence Hall, where the contents of the Declaration of Independence, and in fact the very idea of whether becoming independent was a good idea, was debated. It’s quite humbling to imagine the scene and the various conflicting ideas the delegates faced,…

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The State of Oregon’s Employment Department provides regular updates on the health of Clackamas County’s and the Portland Metro Region’s economy. Recently, the Department reported on the growth of local “Gross Domestic Project” (GDP). GDP is a measure of the market value of final goods and services produced within a county area in a particular time period and adjusted for inflation. GDP is important because it gives information about the size of the economy and how an economy is performing.…

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Did you know the Lake Oswego Fire Department can help you protect your home from wildfire? The Department not only publishes important information on its website, but will also visit your property to assess your risk and advise on what actions you might take to lower that risk.

We’ve had a dry spring – are you doing everything possible to protect yourself, your neighbors and our community from wildfire? If you’d like to request a visit from LOFD please complete the form located HERE.…

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Ok, dumb question, but the US Chamber of Commerce has a current awards program that could put that cash into your business. The USCC is recognizing top businesses in seven regions across the US, and the grand prize winner will score those bucks. If you’re a regional finalist, you’ll also have the chance to travel to Washington, DC this Fall for the chance to network with other small business owners from across the country, and swap stories about the challenges you’ve faced and successes you’ve enjoyed.…

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The Oregon Employment Department regularly releases monthly data on changes in employment and population in Clackamas County and around the State. These monthly snapshots give a picture of current conditions, but also can help identify trends in the local economy.

The most recent report, which summarizes data collected in April of this year, shows that the strong employment rebound from the Covid-19 pandemic has probably reached at least a temporary zenith. Total nonfarm jobs were 171,300 in April,…

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The Lake Oswego Chamber has partnered with West Linn under the Business Recovery Center umbrella to accomplish a variety of important tasks for businesses in our area. These include such items as Covid recovery, business promotion and business education. The most recent example is the “Wander Willamette” promotional video now available. Running about 90 seconds, the video shows off some of the great attractions in our area.

This video is available for your use to forward to anyone you know who may be considering visiting our area for a vacation or business purposes.…

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Each quarter, the Oregon Employment Department performs a statewide survey of business to determine how many employers are currently hiring and specific information about each job opening, such as the job title and educational or experience requirements. They also ask whether the employer is having a difficult time filling positions, in order to report on that aspect of the hiring picture and to determine whether there are ways to make jobs easier to fill. The Department recently released its report summarizing the final quarter of 2022.…

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Chamber partner and friend the Lake Oswego Sustainability Network recently posted updated information on how businesses who are interested in purchasing new fully electric or hybrid vehicles or installing charging infrastructure can qualify for significant tax credits. Progress is being made, or being planned, for charging infrastructure in Lake Oswego and throughout Oregon. If you’d like to consider adding such a facility to your business property, there are also tax credits available! Here are some details:

Why buy an electric vehicle (EV) for your business?…

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If you’ve been wondering how you can diversify your workforce, or if you are a person of color or a member of an underserved, under-recognized community looking for a challenging position, Friday, May 26 is your day! Consider joining in the “Virtual Career Fair” to be held from 10:00 am – 4:00 pm. There is no cost for this event!

This Career Fair will feature top employers who are actively recruiting. Current and past participants include Albertsons,…

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In last week’s Portland Business Journal, The Playbook’s Senior Reporter Andy Medici detailed some updates for Small Business Administration loan programs which are coming on line. For example, under the Agency’s 7(a) and 504 programs, the SBA will now begin determining whether a business is eligible rather than burdening banks with that responsibility. This change will take place on August 1, 2023.

The SBA is also launching some new fraud prevention measures using data analytics, third-party data checks and A.I.…

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Submitted by Erik Olson CEO of Fort West – Unlock Truth. Unleash Potential.

From OpenAI’s ChatGPT to Google’s Bard, the cultural conversation surrounding the influence of artificial intelligence (AI) is exploding. It seems like everyone has a point-of-view on how AI is the manifestation of Skynet from The Terminator movie, something out of an episode of Black Mirror, or the catalyst for plugging into The Matrix. With reactions ranging from curiosity to fear, everyone is wondering how the “AI revolution” will impact their lives.As AI continues to evolve and get better,…

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In a recent article for The Playbook published in the Portland Business Journal, reporter Andy Medici provides some advice for small businesses who might be concerned about the current state of banking. Although institutions such as Silicon Valley Bank being taken over recently has been in the news and certainly a cause for some concern, business owners can take advantage of this moment to strengthen both their understanding and closeness of their banking relationship.

The Federal government provides a level of security by insuring deposits up to a certain amount.…

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Most businesses carry many different kinds of insurance – fire, flood, general liability, perhaps vehicle if they have trucks or cars in the field. However, as Chamber Member Oak Tree Insurance reminds us, your business may still be vulnerable to “Employment Practices” lawsuits. This area is often a “gap” in your business insurance coverage.

No business should be discriminating against employees, customers, clients, vendors or suppliers but the day may come when a member of one of these important groups files a claim or lawsuit against your business.…

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Our economy has undergone many changes as a result of the Covid-19 Pandemic. Business owners and managers need to understand these changes as they react to new challenges in attracting and retaining employees. To help us track and understand these changes Oregon’s Employment Department has begun releasing figures defining the employment picture just prior to Covid, giving us a baseline to better evaluate how the workplace has changed and consider if policy changes might be entertained.…

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Andy Medici of The Playbook reported in the Portland Business Journal this week that the Covid pandemic has led to a significant depletion of available funds for unemployment. As a result, unemployment tax rates among the States have already been increased from 1.72% in 2020 to 2.3% in 2022. For some historical perspective, UI rates rose to about 3.5% in 2013, following the “Great Recession.”

Oregon’s unemployment system came under tremendous pressure during the sudden onset of claims due to Covid-19.…

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Delta will offer nonstop PDX-Amsterdam service this summer

As Lake Oswegans join the national “return to traveling” movement following the Covid-19 pandemic, the Port of Portland announced it has negotiated an expansion of the availability of non-stop flights from Portland International Airport to Europe. Details are still being finalized, but four destinations for European travel will now be available. Delta Air Lines will offer daily non-stops to Amsterdam and British Airways daily non-stops to London Heathrow.…

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In my high school biology class, one of our first assignments was to gather examples of local wild plants, or “weeds” as my father called them. That was quite a bit easier to do in those days – we had a large open field just down the block from my house and “vacant lots” seemed more prevalent in suburbia at the time. The one thing that stuck with me all these years was the teacher’s prohibition against including an example of a trillium.…

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The Lake Oswego Chamber of Commerce is presenting a one-hour Webinar entitled “Trade Resources for Businesses Thinking about Going Global.” It goes without saying that if you have the appropriate product or service, “the world” is about as big a market as you can get. If you’ve been considering how you can market your business more broadly, this Webinar will identify trade resources available to small business wanting to sell to customers outside the United States.…

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Courtesy of SCORE

It’s a business axiom that people do business with people they know, like and trust.

So when I started my own business (almost 15 years ago), I was inspired by and took advice from my many friends and connections already in the trenches of entrepreneurship. And I found many of those friends and forged connections by networking at numerous events. So whether I was speaking at conferences, covering events as a journalist, or attending to soak up as much knowledge as possible,…

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Dr. Thomas Potiowsky will be the guest speaker at the Spring Kruse Way Economic Forum. Dr. Potiowsky is a Senior Advisor and former Director of the Northwest Economic Research Center at Portland State University. Dr. Potiowsky will discuss the current economic forecast for 2023, whether the economy can experience a soft landing…or a hard one, and what plans businesses ought to be making now. Recent events in the banking industry having given the Federal Reserve and the FDIC something to think about,…

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Courtesy of the US Chamber of CommerceMost people understand the importance of good habits — the right habits increase productivity and minimize decision fatigue. This is critical for entrepreneurs who have to make quick decisions and juggle multiple tasks at once. Here are five habits you should adopt in 2023.NetworkingThe Lake Oswego Chamber provides weekly networking opportunities because building and maintaining professional relationships is crucial. It’s a good idea to develop the habit of networking on a regular basis.…

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Has the recovery of your business from the chaos of the Covid-19 Pandemic been slow? Do you feel as though you could use an “outside eye” to help you get things back on track? The Oregon Business Recovery Center (OBRC) is offering important classwork and in-person business counseling to help you do just that! Create Resiliency and Profitability in 2023! is available to Lake Oswego small business owners. This course provides you with a unique 3-month class series that combines classroom learning,…

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Regional public transportation agency Tri-Met is holding a series of “open houses” to gather citizen input on service levels and possible fare increases. The agency is considering eliminating 3 lines it currently operates serving Lake Oswego. This represents almost half the service line reductions in the current proposal.

Current Lake Oswego lines facing the ax include the South Shore, Lake Grove and Boones Ferry Road lines. This represents a pretty dramatic reduction of public transit availability in our area which could negatively impact businesses who rely on customer and employee mobility,…

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Oregon’s economy is more interconnected today than ever before. When we can work together as a City, as a County, as a Region or even Statewide, we can accomplish more – create more jobs, start more businesses, grow employment and revenue. Our efforts can provide a “positive feedback loop” where Lake Oswego businesses benefit from general growth in our part of Oregon by creating more customers and vendors.

One unique way Lake Oswego Chamber Members can work to create a growing regional economy is through the Mt.…

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Employers with 25 employees or more must now participate in this program or provide benefits outside the program. For more information click here. Please contact your benefits advisor, CPA or tax preparer for information specific to your business.

taking care of mom

new family 1…

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