The Vail Valley Partnership, as I remind our staff on a regular basis, is relentlessly collaborative. We strive to work with organizations and interested stakeholders throughout the community, as we firmly believe that we’re better together than we are individually.
That’s especially true when it comes to the various groups throughout the valley that diligently work to promote the business community. That’s why we created the Vail Valley Merchant Alliance.
The Vail Valley Merchant Alliance is a collaborative effort led by the Vail Valley Partnership that seeks to add value to the Vail Valley business community by developing a structured relationship between the Vail Valley Partnership and individual merchant groups. Of note, there is no charge or fees or any other alternative motives related to this effort; it’s truly just to encourage local collaboration amongst the various merchant groups in the valley. As I mentioned earlier, we’re relentlessly collaborative.
The Vail Valley Partnership, in our role as the regions largest business organization, Chamber of Commerce and destination marketing organization (tourism bureau), developed the Merchant Alliance to help increase the voice of individual merchant groups by leveraging our organizational structure and in turn enhance each groups marketing outreach on a regional level.
The Merchant Alliance is a part of the VVP’s continuing effort to enhance our organizations mission, which is to serve a regional leader in sustaining & enhancing the Vail Valley as a tourism destination and as a place to do business by contributing to the identity and economic well-being of Eagle County. We take a leadership role with community and business partners to provide a business-to-business resource and voice for businesses in addition to our destination marketing & sales efforts.
The Merchant Alliance creates a valley wide voice and opportunity for input for the participating merchant communities via the Partnership’s organizational structure and regional focus. In addition, the Partnership hosts information, dues and benefits for all participating groups on VailValleyPartnership.com and hosts joint networking & educational programs with participating associations.
It’s really a win-win situation for each individual merchant group to allow them a greater voice via the Partnership’s communication channels, and as a result it also helps benefit member businesses of each organization. And that’s beneficial to the business community.
Participating merchant groups and business organizations include: Avon Business Association, Eagle Chamber of Commerce, Gypsum Chamber of Commerce, Lionshead Merchant Association, Minturn-Red Cliff Business Association and Vail Chamber & Business Association . We also work with stakeholder groups such as the Colorado Small Business Development Center and the Colorado Workforce Center to ensure all merchant groups and their members are aware of these (often free) state-wide opportunities. Other business and merchant groups that are interested in participating are more than welcome to join the Merchant Alliance.
Those of you who have been around the valley for a while might remember the days (not too far in the past) when representatives of the various chambers and merchant groups would be at each others proverbial throats, bad mouthing each other at public meetings and doing even worse in a private setting. Some of these feelings linger even today in small pockets in the business community.
What a shame. What a waste of time. What a waste of energy. Imagine using that time & energy to work together instead of putting our heads in the sand and only worrying about ourselves with no recognition of the greater good. Imagine what we, as a business community, could achieve by working together instead of against each other.
Here at the Vail Valley Partnership, we believe so much in the idea of collaboration that we’ve developed a number of other community programs designed around the theme of being “relentlessly collaborative”.
After all, we’re all in it together and the Vail Valley Merchant Alliance (along with our other signature community programs) is the “proof in the pudding” that we believe collaboration is the key to our collective success. The Partnership is proud to lead the effort and we’re proud to work with each and every merchant group/business association/chamber in the valley for the betterment of the business community.
That’s collaboration. And frankly, that’s a much more successful model of doing business.
As always, I encourage all member businesses to get engaged with the Partnership and to contact us with any suggestions you may have to help us better serve you and for non-members to join the Partnership. Call us at (970) 476-1000 or stop by our offices in Avon at Traer Creek Plaza to share your feedback.
Don’t forget to RSVP for the Vail Valley Business Forum on July 26 as we invite a regional panel to discuss economic development opportunities in Eagle County. RSVP to Jennifer at jweintraub@visitvailvalley.com or (970) 477-4001. Tickets are just $30.