Chamber On!

In this episode of Chamber On!, host Matt Appenzeller sits down with Frank Kenny, CEO and Co-Founder of the Chamber Pros Community. Frank has worked with hundreds of chambers of commerce over the past 16 years on staff and member training, strategic planning, board retreats and orientations, social media, digital marketing, technology, and many other areas of chamber work. 

Matt and Frank discuss ...

How do local Chambers move beyond striving for relevance and create lasting impact?

That question became the foundation for a NEW book by Matt Appenzeller, CEO & President of the Southern Ohio Chamber Alliance (SOCA) and host of the Chamber On! podcast. 

From Relevant to Impact: Building Durable Chambers of Commerce for an Era of Relentless Change is a practical guide based on data, personal experience, and conversations w...

In this episode of Chamber On!, host Matt Appenzeller sits down with Vin Zachariah, CEO of Ampica Energy Solutions, to discuss how Ohio businesses can take advantage of energy choice, better understand their utility bills, and make smarter decisions about how and when they use electricity to reduce costs and manage risk.

From navigating an increasingly complex energy landscape to preparing for growing demand driven by data centers ...

In this episode, SOCA President & CEO Matt Appenzeller sits down with David Noe of Payroll Partners to discuss how small businesses can simplify payroll while strengthening their overall HR approach.

Drawing from his experience supporting growing companies, David shares common payroll pain points, what businesses should look for in a payroll partner, and why the human connection still plays a critical role in supporting employe...

In this episode, host Matt Appenzeller sits down with SOCA’s own Chamber Relationship Manager, Will Roberts, to explore the realities of supporting chambers of commerce across Ohio.

Will shares firsthand insights on what chambers are getting right—and where they’re facing common challenges. From adopting new tech and measuring impact to leadership turnover and recruiting the next generation, this conversation high...

In this episode of Chamber On, host Matt Appenzeller sits down with Cas Maxwell, Co-Founder and CEO of AI Owl, to explore how artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping the workplace, especially for small to mid-sized businesses. 

By sharing real-world applications (including a case study from the Columbus Zoo), Cas explains how employers can gain a competitive edge through workforce training and even get reimbursed for trainin...

In this episode of Chamber On!, host Matt Appenzeller, President and CEO of the Southern Ohio Chamber Alliance (SOCA), sits down with Dave Moravec, Author and Past President & CEO of the Colerain Chamber of Commerce. 

Dave shares how he stepped into chamber leadership just weeks before the COVID shutdown, and how that challenge shaped his approach to building a thriving, value-driven chamber. Dave breaks down the strategie...

In this episode of Chamber On!, host Matt Appenzeller, President and CEO of the Southern Ohio Chamber Alliance (SOCA), sits down with John Webb, Business Development Manager with U.S. Bank.

From online ordering and QR codes to embedded payments and enhanced security, John shares how modern merchant services and payment technologies are helping small businesses reduce costs, save time, and deliver a better customer experience.&...

In this episode of Chamber On!, host Matt Appenzeller, President and CEO of the Southern Ohio Chamber Alliance (SOCA), sits down with Wendy Rodgers, President & CEO of the Beavercreek Chamber of Commerce.

We find out how Wendy used a “listening tour” to reset the chamber’s direction coming out of the pandemic, the creative ways the Beavercreek chamber is helping small businesses tell their stories (including a...

In this episode of Chamber On!, host Matt Appenzeller, President and CEO of the Southern Ohio Chamber Alliance (SOCA), sits down with Chris Kershner, President & CEO of the Dayton Area Chamber of Commerce. 

In this conversation, we dig into Dayton’s deep-rooted chamber legacy, what it means to be a true “voice for business,” how the chamber is tackling workforce challenges head-on, and why relationships r...

In this episode of Chamber On!, host Matt Appenzeller, President and CEO of the Southern Ohio Chamber Alliance (SOCA), sits down with Erica Salm Rench, Chief Marketing Officer at Sidecar AI.

Matt and Erica discuss how Sidecar AI is helping chambers, associations, and nonprofits harness the power of artificial intelligence — from upskilling staff and streamlining operations to building confidence in using AI tools responsibly.

In this episode of Chamber On!, host Matt Appenzeller, President and CEO of the Southern Ohio Chamber Alliance (SOCA), sits down with Mike Throne, President and CEO of the Chillicothe Ross County Chamber of Commerce.

Matt and Mike talk about how the Chillicothe community is coming together in the wake of a major economic change—rallying around local businesses, supporting workers, and finding creative ways to tell their commu...

In this episode of Chamber On!, host Matt Appenzeller, President and CEO of the Southern Ohio Chamber Alliance (SOCA), sits down with David Peterson, Executive Director of the Madeira Chamber of Commerce in Cincinnati.

Matt and David discuss how the Madeira Chamber is evolving to meet the needs of today’s business landscape—focusing on supporting solopreneurs, fostering connection in a work-from-home world, and leveragi...

Small businesses in Ohio face unique challenges when it comes to providing affordable, high-quality healthcare for employees. That’s where the SOCA Benefit Plan administered by Anthem comes in. 

Host Matt Appenzeller sits down with Lori Conine, Director of Individual and Small Group Sales for Anthem Ohio, and Jeff Williamson, CEO of Consoliplex Health Plan Management, to break down how the SOCA Benefit Plan gives small b...

Rising energy prices are hitting small businesses hard—but there’s a smarter way to manage costs. In this episode, we're joined by Kevin Lauterjung, Co-Founder of Community Energy Advisors (CEA) and Viridi LLC, both based in Medina, Ohio, and the infrastructure behind the Chamber Energy and Sustainability Programs.

Tune in to hear: 

• How Ohio businesses can leverage energy brokerage services, efficiency initia...

In the premiere episode of Chamber On!, we're joined by Jeff Price of Hunter Consulting Co., a Cincinnati-based third-party administrator for workers' compensation group rating insurance with decades of experience. 

This eye-opening conversation covers one of the fastest and easiest ways small businesses in Ohio can cut costs: workers’ comp group rating programs. Tune in to learn about: 

• What group r...