By Jeremiah Christenot
Provo and Orem business leaders continue to build a solid business network through a monthly dinner outing.
Forbes Magazine will announced the Provo/Orem area to be the 18th best place in America to do business, according to Forbes Magazine.
Last year the area was ranked 72 of 200 areas surveyed.
The significant jump in rating came about mainly because of the effort of the Chamber of Commerce in focusing on getting businesses involved with each other, said Sound Vision President Gregg Wright.
Once a month local businesses gather at a different restaurant to strengthen ties between each other by meeting in an after-hours setting.
Business After Hours, the official name of the gathering, is sponsored by the Provo/Orem Chamber of Commerce.
Getting together as local business workers brings a community together and furthers all businesses involved, said Wright, whose company produces business signs.
In regards to Forbes Magazine ranking the Provo/Orem Business area 18th in the nation, Wright said that Business After Hours promotes a feeling of openness and friendliness that makes this area a wonderful place to do business.
“People like to do business with people they know,” Wright said.
Business After Hours lets business owners get out and contact other business leaders. This keeps everyone aware of what is happening, he said.
“You can meet someone that you’ll do business with down the road,” said Romney Stewart, director of the Chamber of Commerce.
The greatest benefit of the gathering is that business workers leave feeling enthused about the community.
The opportunity to meet people in a relaxed setting is usually not found in the workplace, Steward said.
“Businesses don’t have to wine and dine to be effective leaders,” said AB Computer employee Beth Montour.
After attending her first Business After Hours meeting, Montour was able to meet other business representatives and attain leads.
There is no sales pressure from anyone — it’s just businesses interacting. This interaction strengthens the community, Montour said.
