Posts by tacrayton

Your Business Isn’t Too Small to Build a Brand Branding isn’t about size. It’s about clarity, consistency, and purpose. Small businesses with strong brands grow faster and retain more loyal customers. A brand is the promise you keep, not just the logo you use. Start with your story and values. Then build visual and verbal…

Invest in Your Team: Leadership & Workforce Development Opportunities Is your business ready to build stronger leaders and take advantage of workforce funding? The Columbia Montour Chamber and The Foundation offer two powerful professional development programs and have WEDnetPA funding help eligible businesses cover the cost. Leadership Central Penn Applications now open for the 2025–2026…

  June 30, was the end of the Fiscal Year and, technically the deadline for state lawmakers and Gov. Josh Shapiro to finalize a budget plan for the next Fiscal Year starting July 1st. As of this writing, however, negotiations are reportedly ongoing with no clear path to a finalized budget plan. Key sticking points…

Scaling Your Impact: From Doer to Delegator to Developer Businesses plateau when leaders don’t evolve. If you’re still the hub of every decision, you’re not scaling—you’re stalling. True growth happens when leaders shift from doing tasks to developing people and systems. This article walks through that essential transition: from Doer to Delegator to Developer. The payoff: a business that grows…

Chamber and Chamber Foundation Announce Strategic Realignment Columbia and Montour Counties, PA — The Foundation of the Columbia Montour Chamber of Commerce announces the departure of Tonya Smith, Foundation Director, as she prepares to pursue new opportunities. Tonya has been a dedicated leader and passionate advocate for workforce development throughout her tenure, and the Foundation…

PA Chamber to Lawmakers: Approach Childcare as a Workforce Issue Source: PA Chamber of Business and Industry The PA Chamber continued its push for comprehensive childcare reform last week, telling state lawmakers Friday that Pennsylvania must treat childcare as a core workforce issue, not just a matter of funding or social policy. Testifying before the…

Think Bigger: How Systems Thinking Gives Small Business Owners a Smarter Edge If you’re constantly putting out fires in your business, you might be treating symptoms instead of fixing systems. Systems thinking helps you connect the dots across hiring, sales, customer service, and operations. It’s not theory. It’s a practical mindset that builds efficiency, resilience,…

U.S. Chamber Commends Release of Senate Tax Proposal and Continued Momentum for Permanently Securing Pro-Growth Tax Reforms Source: US Chamber of Commerce What happened: Earlier this week, the Senate released its tax reform proposal, a major step toward making the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) permanent. ‌Why it matters: The U.S. Chamber of…

Last Week in the Legislature – 6/18/25 Source: PA Chamber of Business and Industry The General Assembly saw a flurry of legislative activity last week, with several bills considered  that could impact Pennsylvania employers. Lawmakers advanced proposals related to regulatory reform, energy access, CPA licensure, wage laws, health care transactions, tax policy, and more. The…