By John Safin, President/CEO, Southwest Valley Chamber of Commerce

​It's been six months since the shutdown. It might have been necessary at first to slow the spread, as it was said. It's possible the same strategy was valid at the end of June. At a certain point, common sense disappeared and politics took over. How much of what the state government did in August helped Arizona citizens? How much did it hurt our communities and our businesses? Arizonans for the most part are smart. Given honest facts, we could have figured out everything on our own. Unfortunately, the actions of a few people had an impact on the rest of us. Nothing we can do to change that now. So now it’s time to just charge forward.
 
I'll state this right up front: I think the term “new normal” is ridiculous. This phrase was coined back in 2009 During the Great Recession. The phrase implies our situation will never change.  I think we’re all too smart to fall for that scheme. Will things change? Yes; change is part of living and it happens every day. We will do what we have done throughout history: adapt.
 
Will things be like before the virus hit? Parts of our lives and society will always be what they had been. We are a community. We need each other to live, to grow, to expand, and to have fun. We’re there for each other with a shoulder to lean on or to share a laugh. It’s what humans do.
 
Start going forward with a friendly group: your fellow Chamber members. Reconnect if needed or introduce yourself to the ones you haven't met. Let’s go into the future together with common sense, common courtesy, a live and let live attitude, and a willingness to help each other as best possible. Together let's be the role model for our community.

By Danielle Brown, IOM, Vice-President, Southwest Valley Chamber of Commerce
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The pandemic has gifted us with a slew of new terms and words that are quickly being adapted into our everyday speech.  New normal, social distancing, self-isolation, and contact tracing might be terms we hope will eventually fall out of our vernacular, but none of them are as much fun as the one I just discovered.  You’ve probably already done it and I guarantee you know others who have done it.

Are you ready for it?  Mullet Outfit.  Read it again, MULLET OUTFIT.

In these fun-filled days of endless virtual meetings, a new trend has developed.  You want to look professional, but you’re at home, you want to be comfortable, and you really don’t want to wear pants.  So, maybe you’re wearing a button-down shirt with gym shorts or a silky blouse with your llama pajama bottoms.  Maybe you’re business on the top, comfy on the bottom.  A Mullet Outfit!

Let’s face it:  No one really knows what is happening outside the view of the camera.  You could have a child hanging off your leg, dirty dishes laying behind your laptop, or you could be holding a bone for your dog under the table (no? just me?). So, why wouldn’t you wear a Mullet Outfit?

Obviously, a pandemic is not fun and something we all hoped we’d never experience, but that’s why we need to take our joy where we find it.  We’ll all be back to wearing real pants soon enough. In the meantime, take a moment to enjoy the miracle that is the Mullet Outfit.

By John Safin, President/CEO, Southwest Valley Chamber of Commerce
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Hang in there! We spent the first six months adapting to dramatic changes. Now, we work to address reopening and bring some normalcy to our lives. You can do it! Because of that attitude inside each of us, I refuse to use the news media's jargon phrase “new normal.” It's a ridiculous concept to push on society. Did we think that way when the microwave oven entered our lives or everyone had to strip down to board an airplane? No, we didn't say that. We simply changed because change is part of Life. Incidentally, isolation has been the “new normal” for a third of the year. How you feel about that?

When all this started, the Southwest Valley Chamber of Commerce stayed true to its mission. We responded to ensure business and our community had guidance, resources, and support to persevere through the difficult and challenging times. 

As our community begins to reopen, at whatever pace that might be, there will be more challenges. The Chamber of Commerce will continue to be a reliable resource for everyone as we rebuild our economy. 

I have faith we will be better than we were before this began. I’m not only speaking about our economy, but us as a community. I've heard the stories of neighbors helping each other; people who have never met coming together to support a person, family, or business in need; and the acts of kindness freely given each day. The other morning I stopped for gas and a cup of coffee. The customer at the counter appeared to be buying his supplies for a hard day's work. He paused, told the cashier he was short a couple bucks, and looked to see what he could leave off his order. I was third in line and before I could get to the counter to help both people in front of me had dug into their pockets and covered the necessary balance. Three strangers ready to help another stranger in need. THAT is one example of why my faith in our community is strong, decent, and willing to be a community. 

Sadly, there have been people and businesses not so fortunate. As much as I believe there is a solution for every problem, sometimes solutions don’t show up fast enough. Are you able and ready to help? There are hundreds of charities that can use cash and material donations and volunteers. You'll find many listed in the Chamber's business directory. 

It's still a great idea to continue purchasing good and services from the companies that you used in the past. Keeps your business moving, helps to ensure your sources for supplies will continue to be around, and helps our local economy. As a business owner, you might not have a need to buy supplies or services at the moment. Take a few minutes to contact the vendors you use to see how they’re doing. It keeps your relationship active. Might even give a morale boost to hear a friendly voice. This is also a good time to start increasing your company’s name recognition and expanding your reach into new markets.

Our best solution for recovery will be for Arizonans to have honest, reliable information from government officials and the news organizations. This will help us make the best decisions for our families, our businesses, and our community.

Stay safe – stay healthy – let’s make it a great day!