Calendar of Events

Join us for our July Pub Club at The Draftsman Bar + Lounge Asheville on July 25th at 5:30 PM. It’s the perfect opportunity to socialize, unwind, and enjoy the vibrant atmosphere of one of Asheville’s newest hotspots.

Pub Club is our monthly casual happy hour, designed to bring young professionals like yourself together in a relaxed and enjoyable setting and explore one of Asheville’s many bars and restaurants. As a special treat, your first drink on us! It’s our way of saying thank you for being part of AYPROS.

The Draftsman Bar + Lounge Asheville, located at The Restoration Hotel, provides the perfect backdrop for an evening of connection and camaraderie. They’ve got Golden Tee, Buck Hunter, Pinball Machines and Skee Ball! Whether you’re new to Asheville, a recent returnee, or a lifelong local, you’re sure to meet like-minded professionals and forge valuable relationships.

To keep your taste buds satisfied, The Draftsman kitchen will be serving up a delectable selection of food throughout the event, including vegetarian options. You won’t have to worry about going hungry while you mingle and make new friends! Menu is here

So mark your calendar and get ready for an evening filled with laughter, good times, and the opportunity to expand your friendships. We kindly ask that you RSVP, as it helps us ensure that their staff and kitchen are fully prepared to make this a memorable experience for everyone.

Upcoming Pub Clubs:

8/22 Pub Club: The Easy Tiki Bar

9/26 Pub Club: Mudpuppies Sports & Sushi Bar

New Member Onboarding:

Psst! Are you interested in joining AYPROS and taking your involvement to the next level? We invite you to attend our New Member Onboarding at 5:00 p.m., just before Pub Club begins. It’s a fantastic opportunity to learn more about our community, initiatives, crews and how we support our city by making it a better place for young professionals to live, work and play. It’s also the final step in completing your membership initiation. Be sure to RSVP to secure your spot!

Thanks for registering and we are looking forward to seeing you!

Note: Please drink responsibly 🚫🍻 and arrange for a safe and sober means of transportation. 🚗💨

AYPROS IS POWERED BY FIRST BANK .

AYPROS is committed to providing accessible and inclusive programming for all members of our community. For questions about accessibility, requests for accommodations, or to inform about dietary restrictions, please contact [email protected] at least 48 hours in advance of the event.

Celebrate the women in your life with women-centric networking. Athena of Henderson County presents this unique and informal networking opportunity designed to inspire and connect women. No entrance fee – just bring your business cards and enjoy expanding your network! Join us this month at the Henderson County EMS Center with host, Kathy Morgan, 2021 Athena Recipient and first female Henderson County Rescue Squad Chief. Along with networking, we’ll have the chance to tour this facility and learn about the services and support the Henderson County Emergency Medical Services provides throughout our community! 2023 Empower Hours are Presented by Beverly-Hanks & Associates – Ali Thomas.

Employers today face many new, and newly enforced, workplace challenges. This presentation will help employers navigate the employment relationship. The Hiring Process – Stop Problems Before they Begin Employee Handbooks – Stop Creating Unnecessary Headaches for Yourself At-Will Employment – Stop Making It Complicated Wage and Hour Basics – Stop Making Compliance Mistakes Our speaker: Stephen Williamson, Attorney, The Van Winkle Law Firm Stephen Williamson is a principal at The Van Winkle Law Firm where he specializes in assisting employers with employment issues and disputes before a multitude of regulatory agencies and in both state and federal court. He is known for helping employers resolve workplace conflicts and avoid litigation and for providing a vigorous defense when litigation occurs.

Networking and Lunch: 11:30 a.m. Meeting: Noon – 1 p.m. Location: A-B Tech Asheville Campus – Mission Health/A-B Tech Conference Center, 16 Fernihurst Drive, Asheville. Garage parking is available immediately behind the conference center. Click here to view the campus map. Topic: Why Community Partners Matter Keynote Presentation: Dr. John Gossett,  A-B Tech President and Goodwill Board Member We look forward to seeing all our community partners on Aug. 3. Please register to attend; space is limited.

Come join us for Business After Hours at Rabbit Rabbit – hosted by A Look at Asheville!

Make new business connections with other Chamber members and help A Look at Asheville celebrate 20 years of business!

Online or in-print, you can’t avoid all the hype around the new AIs like ChatGPT. They are going to take over the world! But first they are going to replace lawyers, doctors, accountants, marketing departments, script writers… and on…

Or maybe… they are yet another tool that will help – in powerful ways – but not replace any of those groups or replace you. In fact, they are already helping in many fields and have been before all the press coverage started. But they are also getting people into trouble. And they can get you into trouble, or hurt your business results, if you don’t understand their limits and uses.

In this class you will learn how Large Language Models (like ChatGPT) work (and how they don’t). You will learn how they can get people into trouble so you will have a better chance to avoid that. And you will learn a few, basic, ways they can be used, after all, to help you with your small business.

If you can, please bring a laptop or tablet so you can setup a free ChatGPT account (if you don’t have one) and can tailor some of the class examples to your own business interests. However, a computer is not required to benefit from the class – we will be running examples and results on the projector screen as well.

This is not a technical class. We will not get into APIs and will only talk about the model parameters as part of showing, in a non-technical way, how the models work. We will also not debate whether they will replace all those professional groups “in a few years” because a) they won’t because they can’t by their very nature and b) we’re going to spend the class time talking about how small business owners can safely and productively use the tools today.

Instructor: Michael Truffa

Michael Truffa has been involved in a range of technology roles starting in the 1970s continuing on to today – doing application scripting, web & back-end programming, data science, error analytics, team management, and more. He also has a wide range of non-computer experience including roles in direct & b2b sales, as a mechanical & electrical technician in the oilfield, retail, and more that help inform his pragmatic view of how computers can, and sometimes can’t, help people do real-world jobs.

Young Professionals of Henderson County offer opportunities for those under the age of 40 to meet and greet with others who work/ or live in the county. Join us each quarter as we tour industries in our area. During our 3rd quarter of the year, we are touring Spectrum Reach. Throughout the tour, we will have the opportunity to engage with industry experts, asking questions and seeking advice in media advertising.

This monthly event is co-sponsored with Blue Ridge Community College’s Small Business Center, the City of Hendersonville Main Street program, and the Hendersonville Merchants & Business Association features several speakers on timely community events and issues affecting our business community. This month’s program consist of guest from: TBD Our August monthly host is Edward Jones – David Maupin

Join us for a special Business Before Hours next Wednesday, August 9 from 8 – 9 a.m. at the WNC Farmers Market – the premier destination for buying and selling the region’s best agriculture products directly from farmers & food producers to household & wholesale customers in an environ
ment that celebrates the region’s diverse culture, food & heritage.

The Market is excited to welcome guests to their newly renovated Market Shop C shops, ideal for local agribusiness and value add businesses looking for a storefront they can sell both retail and wholesale and connect with existing customers at the WNC Farmers Market.

Come hungry to enjoy the best southern biscuits and breakfast in town from the Moose Cafe, which is celebrating 30 years at the WNC Farmers Market. There will be plenty of parking and hope to have a tram to take gust on a tour and possibly to the WNC FoodWorks kitchen.

This event is offered as a benefit for Chamber membership and no registration is necessary. If you’re considering Chamber membership and would like to attend this event we welcome you to come and check us out! Please contact Jessica Kanupp, our Membership Development Specialist, at [email protected]

The YPHC’s Monthly Social offers a chance for those professionals under 40 to meet through a laid-back networking opportunity. Months will rotate with guest speakers and professional development opportunities as well. Join us each month on the 2nd Wednesday from 5:00 – 6:00 pm at Dry Falls Brewing Co. *Participation is limited to those under 40* A big thanks to AdventHealth Hendersonville and Spectrum Reach for presenting this program for the 2023 year!

Enjoy a more productive day by meeting prospective customers at the start of your day. You may find a strong referral source, a new vendor, the perfect client, or simply get a foot in the door for connecting again later at another Chamber event. AM Power Hour is great if you are an early-bird or can’t make our after-hours networking events. Thank you to We Sell WNC, for being a Presenting Sponsor of the 2023 AM Power Hours!

Dress Code: Black Tie & Black Formalwear

Join us for:

Gourmet Dinner

Drinks

Live Music

Entertainment

Exclusive Booking Opportunity

• Debra Campbell, City Manager, City of Asheville
• Jessica Hendrix or Beth Lane, Board Members, Asheville Downtown Association

All breakfasts will take place at the Crowne Plaza Expo Center. Doors open at 7:45. Breakfast and networking from 8:00 – 8:30. Program begins at 8:30 and ends at 9:45. Individual event tickets are $25, or you may purchase series tickets (all three events) for $70.

Table sponsorships are available! Individual event table sponsorships are $350, or you may purchase a series table sponsorship for $1000. Each table seats eight people. Table sponsors are recognized on all event materials and from the podium during the event.

For more information or to talk about any of these events, please email [email protected] or call 828-255-7102

Come join the Chamber for Business After Hours at Franny’s Farmacy!

Tuesday August 15th from 5:30pm to 7pm come join Franny’s Farmacy and Asheville Chamber of Commerce at 211 Merrimon Ave Asheville Suite #111 for Business After Hours! You are in for a treat as you take a tour through Franny’s Farmacy premium CBD brand and vision where Hemp and Health Merge. High Vibes, building businesses, creating invaluable community connections and having Fun while doing it! We will be enjoying music, fresh mocktails with options of CBD infusions, our bud bar, chances to win amazing door prizes and more! Top and bottom patios will be open!

We will have parking in our main lot and a big thank you to the other local businesses for opening up their lots to us:

Brown Haven Homes Parking Lot – 219 Merrimon Ave Suite #111

Across the Street from Franny’s Sachi Spa – 210 Merrimon Ave, Asheville

Across the Street Monitto Chiropractic – 206 Merrimon Ave, Asheville

Extra Parking available in the Enmarket Gas station on the curb closest to Franny’s, not blocking any pumps of air meter.

This event is offered as a benefit for Chamber membership. We welcome you to come and check us out! Please contact Jessica Kanupp, our Member Development Specialist, at [email protected] if you’re considering a Chamber membership.

Locally owned and operated Physical Therapy Practice, Physio Physical Therapy and Wellness has been steadily growing in the last few years, including opening a second location in West Asheville. A four-time Sky High Growth Award winner, Physio focuses on providing excellent customer service and has been voted the Best Physical Therapy Clinic in Asheville for 10 consecutive years.

Grand Opening celebration for the West Asheville office. They will have drinks, snacks and fingerfoods. Giveaways and a raffle will also take place.

Every business wants new customers, but networking often takes a lot of time. Whether you’re a small one-man shop or a corporate giant, one of the challenges facing all businesses is continually acquiring new clients or reaching new markets with their goods and services. What if you could get a weekly review of local business happenings from 20+ professionals during a casual one-hour meeting? Guess what? YOU CAN!        The Henderson County Chamber of Commerce offers three Leads Groups and now is your chance to see what these groups have to offer you and your business! Join us for this joint networking event and see if your industry is represented. Find out from participating members that have been there from the start, all the benefits from increasing your sales efforts to developing personal friendships.

THRIVE | Coworking provides a purpose-driven, socially engaged environment for freelancers, entrepreneurs and enterprises of all sizes, combining design-forward style and thoughtful amenities with philanthropy and community involvement. It’s a remote workspace for the contemporary, hybrid workforce set in vibrant, walkable neighborhoods and offering a curated culture that features scheduled events, 24/7/365 access, and monthly catered breakfasts, lunches and happy hours. Members have access to all THRIVE locations around the Southeast and Midwest, as well as workspaces around the country and internationally through reciprocal use of LExC coworking spaces. And THRIVE is on track to open 500 locations throughout North America in the next five years.

THRIVE | Coworking, a stylish, community-focused workspace for freelancers, entrepreneurs and businesses of all sizes, is celebrating its Grove Arcade Grand Opening! Join in the festivities on August 17th — there will be plenty of food, catered by Huli Sue’s, as well as drinks, including the Grove Tonic, a cocktail created just for THRIVE’s opening in honor of Grove Arcade Founder E.W. Grove and his namesake “Chill Tonic.” You will also be able to tour the space and get a first-hand peek at this hybrid-work operation, which features private offices as well as shared workspaces, and have the opportunity to win some great prizes, too. We are also running a special deal for attendees on membership! THRIVE offers a curated workplace experience for a healthier work/life balance, featuring monthly events and networking opportunities, including monthly catered breakfasts, lunches and happy hours. Come check it out! If you’re tired of a long commute or working from a cramped kitchen table … this is your working solution.

The event is located in suite 280 on the 2nd floor of the Grove Arcade. The elevators are located at the center of the building. Parking is limited to around the Grove Arcade + nearby streets.

TODAY, Tuesday, August 22nd 5:00 PM – 6:30 PM

Optimize Your Cash Flow and Cash Management – presented by US Bank

As a business owner your unique vision and passion drives you to set goals to succeed. To fuel your business goals, it’s important to manage your business cash flow.

In this webinar, a panel of experts including a small business specialist and a CPA will share an industry perspective on how to help organizations optimize and improve cash flow and cash management.

In today’s ever-changing marketplace it is a challenge to find the right messaging, branding, and marketing strategy to connect with your target customer.

With the variety of digital marketing options available, it can be confusing to determine which will work the best for your business.

Items to be discussed:

• Clarifying your company’s key message to customers and prospects
• Know exactly what your customer thinks about your brand.
• Discovering what makes you better than the competition to own that market segment.
• Presenting the experience that converts prospects to customers.
• Developing effective lead generation campaigns.
• Social media & content strategies to make you a

  thought leader.

• Plus, many FREE, simple, downloadable resources

  you can use immediately in your business.

Come meet the region’s government leadership at our 2023 Elected Officials Reception on Thursday, August 24 hosted in the Visitor Center lobby!

Each year, the Chamber brings together the mayors of the region and members of the Asheville City Council and Buncombe County Board of Commissioners to meet and network with Western North Carolina’s business community. Local elected officials from Buncombe, Haywood, Henderson, Madison and Transylvania counties attend.

This event is FREE to attend. There is no need to register. We encourage guests to wear their business name badges!

Your Chance to Build Great Connections – You Don’t Want to Miss This Event! Business After Hours is the Chamber’s premier networking event and the best chance for your to make valuable connections to build your business – all while having a great time! With fantastic food and beverages compliments of our host sponsor, and the chance to win great door prizes – this event is the best combination of business and fun! There is no cost to attend but registration is required. August is hosted by Saint Paul Vineyard’s Appalachian Ridge! We’ll have tastings of their cider that just won 1st Place Governor’s Cup!

The 2023 Chamber Classic Golf Tournament will be held on Tuesday, August 29, at The Omni Grove Park Inn.

This event is always a fun opportunity for members of the business community to connect with colleagues and enjoy a beautiful day out of the office.

This Captain’s Choice tournament begins with a shotgun start at 8:30 am (one flight only). Sponsors will engage golfers with fun interaction and branded prizes at select holes on the course.

Entry fee includes breakfast provided by Bojangles of WNC, a delicious, hearty lunch catered by Bear’s Smokehouse Asheville. Two beverage stations will be set up on the course, with beer provided by Highland Brewing Company and soft drinks from Pepsi-Cola.

Registration fee is $225 per individual or $900 for a team of four players.

Every great event needs volunteers!

Anyone interested in volunteering to help with this tournament may contact Judi Willard at [email protected]

Chamber Event Refund Policy:  The Chamber requires payment in advance for admission to all Chamber events, due to commitments to our vendors. Chamber event fees (regardless of attendance) are refundable only if a cancellation notice is received at least one week prior to the event.

Ribbon Cutting: Terra Bella Hendersonville