I am addressing you today not just as a fellow Lionheart merchant, nor as the current elected Chamber of Commerce Chairwoman, but more importantly as a hard working, Second Life business owner with the desire to see my fellow business owners and myself succeed and earn profit from our businesses.

The Lionheart Chamber of Commerce (CoC) elections are just around the corner and the opposing candidates have been officially announced. This means that you can expect a lot of campaigning as these two residents try to convince you that they are best to hold the elected position of Chamber of Commerce Chairman.

But what does this really mean for you?

The purpose of the CoC is to give Lionheart merchants a space in which they can discuss business – the ins, the outs, what’s trendy, what works, what doesn’t. It gives us an opportunity as business owners to connect with one another, collaborate and play off each other’s strengths. While the CoC is estate-owned, it is a completely resident-organized group. That means, in order for you to make the most of this group, you need to in some way involve yourselves.

The first step to getting involved will be to really read the information provided to you by each candidate and come to a decision about who you feel is best to represent the group – to manage it, mold it and provide you with the support it needs in order to be successful. The second step would be to take the initiative to support that person as well as vote for them in the upcoming election. That leads me to my own decision…

I will not be voting for my replacement Chairman this term. I feel that my judgment has been compromised because as a member of Lionheart staff, I have had the opportunity to get to know many of the residents on a level beyond what the community sees, including that of our candidates. Unfortunately, you will never have this information and I fear that in my having it, I would vote solely based on my insider information without focusing on the issues ahead. I would be voting based on bias instead of what’s best for the community.

I encourage you to ask questions of those campaigning and really get to know them not just as a business owner, but as a person. Inquire about their residency and involvement with the community. Find out what their plans are and how they are going to help you as a business owner. Take into account not just the contributions made during this election, but the contributions made overall to your community. Most importantly, select not the candidate best for you, but the one best for your fellow chamber members.

I wish best of luck to those running for election and to our merchant community.