Pierce Ranch

The Pierce Ranch — past, present and promising future — will be the topic of the chamber’s Next Lunch and Learn on Tuesday, Aug. 23.

The ranch is a significant part of Wharton’s history since it was founded some 150 years ago, and its significance enters a new chapter with the advent of renewable energy.

Laurance Armour, the ranch manager, will be the speaker.

Also on the program is Acciona Energy Global, which plans a major renewable energy farm at the ranch south of Wharton.

The Lunch and Learn will be from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 23, at the Simply Divine Lunch and Tea Room, 300 W. Milam St., Wharton. It will include a box lunch with tickets going on sale next week.

Website referrals — more and more of them:

Someone looked for information about a Wharton business or organization some 950 times during June at whartonchamber.com.

The referrals originate from our on-line membership directory, where people click on a member listing so they can call on the phone or click to their websites to find the business or organization, or ask for more in-formation.

These businesses or organizations received eight or more, some in the 50s to 80s include:

James Simmons Jr. Juneteenth Committee.

Caney

Creek Nursing & Rehabilitation.

Friends of Wharton Animal Control.

Boys & Girls Club of Wharton.

Burkes Outlet.

Acciona Energy Global.

Mary Louise Dobson Foundation.

Fun Town RV.

Destination Ford.

Wharton Knights of Columbus.

Bossed and Blessed.

Collaborative Communities Management Co.

Texas Vintage Chicks.

Jetstream RV Resort.

J-M Eagle.

Texas Gulf Recycling.

Johnna Sheek, CPA.

Oxygen Orchard, Inc.

Beni's Italian.

Stewart Title.

Wharton Civic Center.

CrossFit 1710.

Whmton Lions Club.

Big Country Home Inspections.

Branded Bliss Boutique.

Country Pride Real Estate.

Kristy Quijas Photography.

And, Scottish Inn and Suites.

Thank you. “Players win games, but teams win championships.”

Go with what you know

Owning and running a small business is not for the faint hearted. It takes all kinds of moxie.

And in today’s economic climate, it seems to be getting harder, not easier, with the challenges of workforce, the state of the economy, supply chains, and the mood of consumers. It ain’t easy. Today’s businesspeople are pioneers.

Free advice — well, there is plenty of it. But one thought may seem encouraging: go with what you know.

One may think it is just a matter of finding new customers, but the Experts say something a little bit different.

They say you should work with what you have, not what you have not. In other words: start with your existing customers.

This is typical of this kind of advice, this one from Forbes Magazine:

“Invest in your client relationships. Focus on your best current customers instead of investing a large amount of money to attract new clients. When you create the best results and experience for your existing customer base, they will want to do more business with you and become an important source of new clients as well.”

Forbes explains further: “Don’t underestimate your relationship currency with clients who already know, like, and trust you and your business. It’s much easier to get a repeat client, through good service and delivering on your promises.

“… Happy clients act as ambassadors for your business and share their experience with other potential customers, in turn helping you to draw in new sales for a much lower cost.”

Are these just empty words? What do you think?

Shop Wharton first. “Players win games, but teams win championships.”

Coffee With Cops Returns

Coffee with the Cops is returning. It’s been gone for several years, and the reaction to its return has been enthusiastic from the public.

It will be the first Wednesday of each month, with the first on Wednesday, July 6. The location will be the Simply Divine Lunch & Tea Room, 300 W. Milam St., from 7:30 to 9 am.

The return is the work of two people: Nedra Johnson, owner of Simply Divine Lunch & Tea Room, and Teresa Lilie, Hospice Care Consultant with Hospice Plus.

We are proud to say that the Wharton Chamber of Commerce and Agriculture is the inaugural month’s sponsor.

Coffee With Your Cops dormant several years,. started about 10 years ago at Milam Street Coffee, which was owned by Linda King.

Linda says the idea originated with Ariel Soltura, a detective with the Wharton Police Department. Linda says Ariel saw a flier for a similar event in another town when he was off doing training. He brought it to her, they talked, and the idea stuck. It was well attended all those years.

Our police officers and their fellow first responders got recognized. The rest of us can demonstrate this support by coming to event and even sponsoring the event. We all can get acquainted re-acquainted. We want to know each other, and we should know each other.

Thank you. “Players win games, but teams win championships.”