My first taste of REAL Vegas heat. Wow! I keep reminding myself that you can’t shovel heat.
Since I’ve arrived in Las Vegas, the one theme that keeps coming back to me is that for Vegas' economy to recover, small businesses need to regain a firm footing. Small business is the foundation of every community in the nation. Small business is where entrepreneurism thrives. And I think that Las Vegas is a global center of entrepreneurism, where anyone with innovation coupled with hard work has a true shot at the American dream.
I have been asked on a number of occasions why I took this job. Some people want to know why this role is a good fit for me; and others simply are curious why I would purposely run towards the storm of high unemployment and high foreclosure rate.
My reason for coming to Vegas? The future is here. I truly believe that Las Vegas has the capacity to be one of the leading economic forces in the United States. We have everything we need to rise from the ashes of this recession to reinvent and rebuild our city into a leader in the new economy.
One of the things that strikes me about the uniqueness of Las Vegas is its inherent creativity. Las Vegas has always been place where people think outside of the box. Certainly, it took imagination to see that Las Vegas could become the adult playground in the middle of the desert. And it continues to require inventive thinking to keep this city fresh, continuously embracing change and innovation.
Last week, I had the opportunity to visit four Chamber members at their small businesses. I spent about 30 minutes getting to know each member, learning about their businesses, and getting their perspectives on the challenges they face and our local business climate. I also wanted to find out what the Chamber can do to better help them succeed in the struggling economy.
Well, it has been a great first week at the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce. Although I’ve been on the job only a few days, I have had the opportunity to meet with several chamber members and a few public officials. And I even found some time to visit the iconic Welcome to Las Vegas sign.
Greetings. I'm Matt Crosson, and this is my first week as the president and CEO of the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce. I am so excited to be part of the Chamber and the Las Vegas community. And to get to know you and your business.
As I transition into this role, I want to introduce myself and share with you my plans for the next few weeks. My main focus is to get to know the Chamber membership and to listen to you.
