Written by Myhriah Young
West Jordan Chamber President

As I’ve been meeting with people from our community, I’ve noticed a few questions come up over and over again.

Honestly, I appreciate the questions because if people don’t understand the purpose of a Chamber, then we probably haven’t done a very good job explaining it.

So let’s start with some of the most common ones.

What is a Chamber of Commerce?

At its heart, a Chamber of Commerce is a group of businesses, organizations, and community leaders working together to create a stronger local economy and community.

While Chambers have evolved over the years, their original purpose remains surprisingly relevant today.

A Brief History of Chambers of Commerce

The Chamber story began in Marseille, France, in 1599. Merchants created an organization where they could share knowledge, represent their common interests, build trusted business relationships, and address challenges affecting their local economy.

The idea spread because communities everywhere faced the same basic truth: businesses could solve some problems individually, but others required people to work together. And that’s where and how it all began; very simple.

The first Chamber of Commerce in the United States was established in New York in 1768. As towns and cities grew, local Chambers became places where business owners could exchange information, discuss community needs, strengthen commerce, and give the business community a collective voice.

By the early 1900s, business leaders recognized that local and regional organizations also needed a way to collaborate nationally. In 1912, approximately 700 delegates from commercial and trade organizations came together to establish the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

The circumstances have changed tremendously since those early merchants gathered in Marseille, but the needs that brought them together have not.

Businesses still need trusted information, they still need meaningful relationships, and they still need visibility, resources, representation, and opportunities to collaborate. Plus, communities still face challenges that are too large for one person, business, organization, or government office to solve alone.

That is why Chambers still matter.

A healthy Chamber creates a place where people can share what they know, learn from one another, develop trust, and work together on opportunities and challenges affecting the entire community.

The tools have changed. The purpose has not.

What can a Chamber do for my business?

That depends on your goals, but some of the most common ways Chambers help businesses include:

Visibility

Many businesses do great work but struggle to get noticed. Chambers help businesses gain exposure through networking opportunities, events, business spotlights, community involvement, social media, partnerships, and referrals.

Relationships

Business is still built on trust. Chambers create opportunities to meet potential customers, referral partners, community leaders, and other business owners.

Connections

Need a contractor? An attorney? A marketing expert? A nonprofit partner? A speaker? A sponsor?
One of the greatest strengths of a Chamber is helping connect people with the right resources.

Advocacy

Chambers often serve as a bridge between businesses, community leaders, and government officials, helping ensure the voice of the business community is heard.

Growth Opportunities

From educational programs and leadership development to collaborations and community partnerships, Chambers help create opportunities that businesses may not find on their own.

At the West Jordan Chamber, we’re also exploring new ways to support businesses through initiatives like Round Tables, Business Highlights, Coffee Conversations with the Prez, Lunch Bombs, and community resource projects.

Isn’t a Chamber just a “Good Old Boys” club?

I’ll be honest—this is probably one of the most common perceptions Chambers face today. And these are my thoughts on it…Please feel free to scroll on if you don’t like my ideas:

While this may have been someone’s experience somewhere, it’s not what I believe a Chamber should be. A healthy Chamber should be one of the most welcoming organizations in a community.

It should bring together businesses of all sizes, industries, backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives and should create opportunities for people who are new to networking, as well as those who have been doing it for years.

Most importantly, it should be built on relationships, not exclusivity.

In fact, one of the reasons we’ve started Chamber Round Tables is because we want to hear from people who may not traditionally attend Chamber events. We want to listen, learn, and understand how we can better serve our community.

The Chamber should not be about who you know, it should be about helping you get to know the people who can help you succeed.

The Bottom Line

The Chamber isn’t here to sell memberships.

We’re here to help create conversations, connections, and collaborations that help businesses and communities thrive.

Because when people know the businesses, organizations, and leaders around them, trust grows.

And when trust grows, opportunities follow.

That’s why one of the philosophies guiding much of our work is:

Learn Local → Know Local → Trust Local → Support Local

I am a full believer that it takes a village to support a business, so let’s build a village, together!