Through her active membership with the Greater Arlington Chamber of Commerce, Brittney Garcia-Dumas, owner of BGD Digital Marketing, forged life-giving friendships and learned important business skills. 

“Arlington business owners set the tone for what it’s like to live in Arlington,” Garcia-Dumas said. “That’s why we call it the Dream City because anybody can have their dream here, and that’s really reflected in the Chamber.”

Garcia-Dumas started BGD Digital Marketing in 2020 to amplify businesses through community-based branding. At the time, she lived in Fort Worth, but Garcia-Dumas is a born and raised Arlington resident. While visiting Arlington for a women in small business workshop, she met Cindy Salter of Curnett & Hafer. Salter encouraged Garcia-Dumas to check out the Greater Arlington Chamber, inviting her to Chamber After Hours, a monthly happy hour networking event.

“The Greater Arlington Chamber of Commerce is the reason I moved back to Arlington,” Garcia-Dumas said. “I saw how successful Arlington had become, the resources that were available and the small business community that was here.” 

She immediately joined the Chamber as a General Member and plugged into the Women’s Alliance, the Latino Business Alliance and the Veteran’s Business Council, three of the six Member Groups. For Garcia-Dumas, Member Groups function similarly to small groups, providing a more intimate setting to build relationships and connect with people who are often experiencing the same things she is. 

“Having those connections has been the lifeblood of the reason why I plug into the Chamber,” Garcia-Dumas said. “Nobody has success on their own. To me, that is Together, We Succeed. That connection to other small business owners who know exactly what you’re going through has been so life giving.”

Through monthly Business Resource Sessions and Coaching Hours, the Chamber equips business owners with the hard skills needed to run a business.

“The Chamber, in my opinion, gets better every year with the resources they provide and their ability to equip businesses,” Garcia-Dumas said. “So many people don’t start a business because it feels so overwhelming. The Chamber demystifies some of those challenges and helps business owners run a business well.”

She gained valuable knowledge about forming a LLC, legally binding contracts and more from a recent Business Resource Session led by Kelly Curnutt of Curnutt & Hafer, LLP. He shared 10 ways to avoid a lawsuit. 

“I will never be a Kelly Curnutt,” Garcia-Dumas said. “I will never have that legal expertise, but I don’t have to. He gave a really clear path forward on certain hard skills.”

She’s even led her own session on marketing, providing insights on marketing for businesses to take actionable and achievable steps towards success.

When Garcia-Dumas invested in a Corporate Leadership Council (CLC) membership, it took her business to the next level, putting her in the room with the key players in Arlington. At Major Investor Events, she’s held conversations and built partnerships with these significant individuals while staying informed about what’s going on in Arlington.

“Truly, going from a General Member to a CLC Member made an astronomical difference,” Garcia-Dumas said. “It’s truly been night and day.”

Business Over Breakfast (BOB) and Chamber After Hours, monthly Chamber-wide events, provide another fantastic opportunity to make business connections. Garcia-Dumas said some of the first business she did in Arlington were a direct result from sharing her 30-second elevator pitch at BOB.

“I think BOB and Chamber After Hours are the most underutilized resources of the Chamber,” she said. “These two capstone events are free, and they are ginormous. You will meet someone; you will make a connection. It’s 1000% worth it every time.”

Garcia-Dumas’ biggest advice to new members is to sign up for the newsletter, register and attend every free event available to members, get plugged into a Member Group, and to upgrade to a Major Investor membership when their budget allows for it.

“As a new member, it’s up to you what you get out of your membership,” she said. “If you really want to succeed, the Chamber is the place to do it. The Chamber’s got all the ingredients for you, but you have to bake the cake.”

The Greater Arlington Chamber of Commerce is the catalyst for growing our members’ business, fostering economic prosperity, amplifying the voice of business and developing our community’s future. Through year-round events, members build lasting relationships and learn crucial strategies to grow their business. Interested in becoming a member? Contact Bryan Weatherford, Director of Member Recruitment.

Learn more about how BGD Digital Marketing can build your business’ brand and meet your marketing needs here.