The Gaithersburg Germantown Upcounty Chamber hosts and co-hosts workshops that are intended to help our members to grow their business.
Professional Development for Emerging Professionals:
The Emerging Professionals Group sponsors a professional development series open to all chamber members. Previous sessions have included topics such as social media marketing, strategic career planning, entrepreneurship topics, and more. Each session is placed on the Chamber website calendar and registration is typically required in advance. In 2026, an 8-part series will be offered. Sponsorships are available for these sessions – see the calendar posts for details. Often times, the group seeks Chamber member experts for presentations during these sessions.
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- March – The Authentic Professional: Navigating Boundaries, Corporate Culture and Strategic Connections
- April – The First Hire Is a Mindset: Delegation for Business Owners
- May – Part 1 Marketing Workshop Series
- June – Financial Planning Seminar
- August – Part 2 Marketing Workshop Series
- September – TBD
- October – Part 3 Marketing Workshop Series
- November – Human Resources Seminar
Member Learning and Engagement Cohorts:
Every Chamber member joins us for a different reason. Our Membership Manager brings segments of members together based on join date in learning cohorts together. These cohorts explore monthly topics of interest based on cohort feedback in order to most effectively leverage your chamber resources, including other member connections!
Direct Connect programs:
Each one of our many Direct Connect groups engages in professional development as an included benefit of membership. Those programs are generally open only to those who actively are part of that Direct Connect group. To visit or join a Direct Connect group, please contact the Chamber member who leads that group. If you cannot find a Direct Connect group that meets your needs, you can start one! Ask our staff team how!
Tables for Ten:
By bringing together leaders across industries to address the challenges keeping them up at night, the Chamber not only facilitates actionable solutions but also strengthens the business community as a whole. As the connector of these leaders, the Gaithersburg Germantown Upcounty Chamber ensures that collective knowledge and collaboration elevate every business in our network. In practical terms, participants commit to 2 in-person sessions, 4 months apart plus a virtual checkin between the sessions. Each session is professionally facilitated. Participants who attend both in-person sessions as well as the mid-point virtual checkin will receive a certificate of completion and an official seal for use on your website/LinkedIn from the Chamber.
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Coming later in 2026:
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- Cohort #2 of the Chamber’s Pathways to Success Program for Female and Minority Business Owners
This free program is designed for women and minority business owners to enhance their business by more fully engaging with formal networking opportunities through the Gaithersburg-Germantown Chamber of Commerce. Through strategic workshops, business resource groups, networking events and Chamber membership, participants will gain new skills and relationships increase the value of their business. We have two tracks available. One for business owners who are just starting out and another for new business owners who are ready to expand.
26 Business owners participated in and graduated from Cohort #1 in 2022 – Congratulations! Cohort #1 was funded by a grant from the Montgomery County Economic Development Corporation (MCEDC), and was offered in partnership with the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and the MD Womens Business Center. Cohort #2 will form in mid-2026 and GGCC is currently seeking funding sponsors.
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- 8-part series: How to write a business plan (or a better business plan!)