Experienced leadership working on a schedule and budget that works for your Chamber.
Sometimes you don't need another employee.
That's where fractional consulting comes in.
I step up to work alongside Chambers as part of their team through either part-time or contract leadership support, a skill-set I've built through a career journey of working in the Chamber industry, being a Certified Project Manager, Event Manager and more.
Rather than selling a long list of services, I focus on helping you make meaningful progress on the priorities that matter most.
Support when you need it, how you need it.
Where I Can Help
Every chamber is different, but much of my work falls into three key areas:
Testimonial
"As a volunteer-run Chamber, having Tara in our corner has given our board the extra set of hands we needed. She's earned our trust, become
a regular extension of our team, and, perhaps most importantly, our members have noticed our stronger presence in the community since we started working with her.
We couldn't be happier with the impact she's had and are so grateful she chose to bring Chamber-specific consulting to the Chamber network. Her passion for helping Chambers succeed shines through in everything she does."
~ Michael Broley
President, Mahone Bay Chamber of Commerce
Marketing & Communications
Whether you need to strengthen your brand, tell your story more effectively, or build a communications plan that actually gets implemented, I can help.
Examples include:
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Marketing and communications strategy
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Signature Marketing AI Tool*
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Brand messaging and positioning
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Communications planning
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Content development
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Campaign planning
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Community engagement
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Website and digital communications
* We've developed an AI Agent specifically trained in Chamber marketing methods. Find It HERE.
Strategic Planning
I'm famous for saying: "A short plan is better than no plan."
Because while it's a lovely idea for your team to do things like two-day retreats where you'll create the best plan you've ever had, we both know that's a reality for about 2% of the chamber-world.
So, I help chambers create actionable strategic plans and then support the work of putting them into action.
This can include:
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Strategic planning facilitation
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Goal setting and implementation planning
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Board and leadership workshops
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Project management and more
I'd rather see you with a short plan you can implement than no plan at all. Especially those 40-page ones that sit on the shelf.
Custom AI Workspace Development (Coming Soon)
Artificial intelligence is changing the way we work,
and I'm developing practical AI workspaces designed specifically for Chambers that want to save time, improve consistency, and work more efficiently.
Whether you're looking to streamline communications, organize knowledge, support your team, or build custom
AI tools that fit your organization's needs, I'll soon be offering AI workspace development as part of my consulting practice.
Meanwhile, visit our CHAMBER BRAND BOOSTER
to see what what's already launched!
Two Ways to Work Together
1/ Monthly Retainer
For chamber's with evolving priorities, a monthly retainer provides ongoing access to experienced strategic support.
Each month we review what's most important and adjust our focus accordingly. One month might be communications planning, another could be supporting your leadership team through a strategic initiative, helping with stakeholder engagement, or moving a priority project across the finish line.
Your needs change. Your support should too.
2/ Project-Based Consulting
Sometimes you have a specific project with a defined beginning and end.
This is a great fit for initiatives like:
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Strategic plan development
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Communications strategies
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Marketing plans
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Community engagement projects
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Grant-funded initiatives
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Organizational planning projects
Many chambers engage me when funding has been secured for a specific project and they need someone to lead the work from planning through implementation.
85% of executive leadership teams report they spend less than
one hour per month discussing their strategy,
and 50% say they spend zero time on it.
(Harvard Business Study)
Some Projects & Events I've Helped With
I look forward to sharing even more of my experience with you!
Accomplishments
Expanding the Chamber from representing one community to seven; opening a regional food hub; co-developing a regional agriculture strategic plan and shop local website; growing membership and events.
Ember
Facilitation
This is my business where
I help SME's in their growth journey, primarily through facilitating group coaching events, focus groups and idea sprints.
Concert & Public Speaking Events
With extensive event planning experience, I have created and managed several entertainment events ranging from rising stars to Juno and Grammy Award winners and public speakers such as John Cleese & Chris Hadfield.