Chamber leaders discuss method for recent successes

The Greater Jackson Chamber’s Kyle Spurgeon and Mandy White were the speakers at this week’s meeting of the Jackson Rotary Club, and their presentation was different than what they’ve typically given in the past.

“This time, instead of discussing our success, we’re going to talk about the way we’ve achieved those successes,” said Spurgeon, who is the CEO of The Chamber.

White is the chief economic development officer who is typically the person leading the cause for The Chamber in recruiting new industries to Jackson and Madison County and also maintaining relationships with the industries who are already here.

The last two major new industry announcements that have come to the county were Georgia-Pacific, which is set to open in June in making paper plates, bowls, platters and cutting boards and 6K Energy.

They said that recruiting businesses to the area is about relationships.

“You typically do business with people you know, like and trust, and not necessarily in that order,” Spurgeon said. “We may do business with people with a company we may not know, but we trust them because they come highly recommended from someone we do trust.

“Then after that, we get to know them and hopefully after that, like them.”

White said it’s not just building relationships with businesses either.

“It’s building relationships with consultants as well,” White said. “Because a business, you’re probably just dealing with recruiting them to the area one time.

“But the consultant who links us to them, that’s someone we also want to have a positive working relationship with so that when another one of their business clients is looking to locate, they’re more likely to say, ‘Hey, I’ve worked with this group in Jackson, Tennessee. They might be what you’re looking for.’”

Spurgeon said marketing Jackson and Madison County has become easier now than in the past.

“There’s a lot of great things happening in Jackson and the surrounding areas right now, and one of them is our public and private schools,” Spurgeon said. “Ten years ago, we weren’t that excited to answer the question when business leaders would ask us about our public education system.

“That’s changed now because of everything happening there right now.”

Spurgeon also urged everyone to consider what you post on social media for the good of Jackson.

“You may hear about a crime in Jackson and decide to post on Facebook about it,” Spurgeon said. “But what’s the purpose of posting that for the world to see?

“You should post the good about Jackson.”

Other aspects of the process that Spurgeon and White discussed included not discussing projects until they’re completed and signed, not having verbal gaffes while recruiting businesses, respecting the business and the consultant during the discussions and not getting discouraged when a project doesn’t happen.

“I don’t get the sports references as well as Kyle does, but you’re still doing good if you don’t have a great batting average or get a lot of home runs or whatever the metaphor would be here,” White said, causing most in the room to chuckle.

Spurgeon explained with a baseball reference that even the best will lost on most of their recruiting efforts.

“You can bat below the Mendoza Line and still make the Hall of Fame,” Spurgeon said.

Brandon Shields, brandon@jacksonpost.news