If you have ever walked into a room filled with business owners and felt both inspired and intimidated, my first day after joining the Greater Bakersfield Chamber of Commerce will feel familiar. This experience reminded me why community matters, why competition can be healthy, and why every entrepreneurial journey has seasons that shape who we become.
A Simple Meeting That Hit Much Deeper Than Expected
Today was the first official day for Gogo Marketing as a member of the Greater Bakersfield Chamber of Commerce. I expected a lunch, a few quick handshakes, and the usual “tell us what you do” introductions. As the “New Guy” in a room of unknowns (people, companies, expectations), my height notwithstanding, I fully expected to be scrutinized a little more.
What I did not expect was the moment of thankful reflection as we passed the mic from person-to-person up one side of the table and down the other for three tables of fifty to sixty fellow members. Sitting at the last table, I had a chance to listen, and what I learned hit harder than anything I have felt professionally in years. The room was filled with people from every category you could imagine. Multiple printers, bakers, florists, bankers, nonprofits, restaurants, estates, radio, and service providers from all trades. Multiple everything.
Multiple marketers.
At first glance, it felt like an intimidating room full of potential direct and adjacent competitors. Lets face it, marketing is a broad term encompassing every avenue from advertising to business consulting, digital environments, email, funnels, graphics, human influencers, joint ventures, keyword research, lead generation, market positioning, nurturing relationships, omnichannel strategy, paid traffic, qualified lead scoring, reputation managment, social content, tactical prmotions, UX and UI, video, websites, X-ray analytics, yiled analysis, and zero-party data strategy.
As you can see, covering the entire alphabet does not narrow it down. If anything, the world of marketing becomes even more convoluted, and we have not even begun talking about its impact on operations, logistics, finance, accounting, and HR. Marketing permeates every facet of an organization whether anyone wants to admit it or not. I will only speak for myself when I say marketers are not different ducks, but they may seem a little preoccupied at times.
Suffice to say, it was the kind of environment where an introverted entrepreneur instantly starts checking for exits and measuring themselves against everyone else. It is easy to think, “Who here does what I do? Who is better? Who is watching me?” The correct answer is, “Nobody.”
But after a few minutes of the mic being passed, something shifted in me. I looked around again, and what I saw was not competition. It was community. It was a room full of people trying to build something meaningful for their families, for their employees, and for their city. That small shift in perspective changed everything.
Competition Is Not the Enemy. Fear Is.
Every business owner has had that moment where they worry about how they stack up. It is natural. No one wants to look inexperienced in a room full of professionals. But here is the truth: The people you are worried about are worried about the same things you are. Everyone wonders if they sound smart enough, experienced enough, or established enough. Everyone wonders if someone will judge their business, their skills, or their presentation.
And everyone, without exception, is simply trying to contribute in their own way.
Should there be competition? Absolutely. Competition keeps markets healthy. But competition is not about fear of losing. It is about striving to do your best work so customers receive the best product or service possible.
We forget sometimes that competitors are humans with families, employees, and responsibilities. Everyone in that room built something from an idea. Everyone started somewhere, even if that somewhere looked a lot like where you are now.
A Reminder From My 2001 Beginnings
Joining the Chamber brought back memories of when I started my entrepreneurial journey in 2001 with Kern Tech Support. I was young, ambitious, and determined, but like most new entrepreneurs, life had different plans. Along the way, family responsibilities shifted my path, and I found myself pushed into more traditional corporate roles. That pivot took me places I never expected.
In addition to world travel, I helped a global ag export company adapt to the digital age back in 2008. I coded websites by hand, built export documentation systems, interfaced with RPG developers, and supported internal teams transitioning into modern tech. Those systems helped attract international buyers and built ventures that generated hundreds of millions of dollars each year. It was an incredible ride, and it was rooted in one simple idea:
Creativity plus consistency equals opportunity.
Just like fishing with the right lure, sometimes the line you cast brings back something far bigger than you ever expected. And sometimes that fish is so big you need a team to help pull it in. In fact, you might do everything yourself from preparing the rod, winding the reels, tying the hooks, loading the tackle box, heading out to sea, and casting the line. You might even catch a big old fish and start winding it in only to find yourself in a position where you have no choice but to hand over the rod, step aside, and allow another team to take over from that point forward.
Success is rarely a solo act.
Creativity Over Competition
One lesson I learned early in business is the value of staying creative instead of staying afraid. When I drift out of the creativity zone, I stop operating by faith. I fall into rote motions, checking boxes out of habit instead of purpose. It becomes muscle memory and maintenance instead of vision.
Be creative. Let others compete.
I always say, “Be creative. Let others compete.” Competition is rooted in fear. Creativity is rooted in faith.
When you stay creative and focus on improving your strengths, solving real problems, and serving people well, everything else tends to fall into place.
That is what I saw today at the Chamber meeting. People were not there to guard territory. They were there to serve their customers, support one another, and grow their businesses alongside others doing the same work. The heart of every business is service. Whether you print signs, bake pastries, develop websites, or run community programs, your business is solving a problem someone genuinely cares about.
You cannot be intimidated by the talent in the room. You should be encouraged by it and let it lift you to the same level.
When You Feel Small, Remember Why You Started
I will be honest. There was a moment where I felt like the new kid again. The guy without an office address. The guy rebuilding something from scratch after decades of building for other people. Then I remembered something important. Every business in that room began with a single decision. Someone said, “I think we can do this.” And then they did. Day after day. Year after year.
That is exactly where I am today. And you might be there too. So if you have ever walked into a room full of business owners and felt like you were at the bottom of the ladder, know this: Everyone begins at the bottom. Some people just forget what that feels like. It’s one hand up being pulled by someone who’s been there, and it’s one hand down help the person coming up from behind.
Your journey matters. Your experience matters. Your perseverance matters. And the Chamber reminded me that I am not alone in that. None of us are.
A Community Full of People Doing Their Best
What stood out to me the most today was the humility. I saw hardworking people who simply want to build meaningful businesses. I saw gratitude in the conversations. I saw openness. I saw people who care deeply about Bakersfield and the families it supports. There is something powerful about being surrounded by people who are genuinely trying to do good work. It inspires you to stay focused, stay consistent, and keep building. This is what community is supposed to feel like.
Why Joining the Chamber Matters for Entrepreneurs
If you are debating whether to join your local Chamber, here are a few takeaways from my experience:
You meet people who understand your grind.
They are living the same startup battles and the same customer challenges.
You stop feeling isolated.
Business ownership can be lonely, but community changes that.
You gain clarity about your own strengths.
Seeing what others do well helps you refine your own offerings.
You learn fast that collaboration beats competition.
There is more business out there than any of us can handle alone.
You become part of a rising tide.
Communities grow together. When one succeeds, the others follow.
What This Means for Gogo Marketing
After twenty years, world travel, corporate experience, and more lessons learned than I can count, I have returned to where my creative roots began. This time, I have the experience, the clarity, and the direction I lacked in 2001. My mission is simple:
Help entrepreneurs build, grow, and own their online presence through clarity, strategy, and long-term systems that work.
Joining the Chamber is the next step in building a company that contributes to Bakersfield’s growth, creates jobs, helps families, and strengthens local businesses that care about doing things the right way.
I left today’s meeting feeling grateful, grounded, and excited.
This town is full of good people doing great things. I am honored to be part of it.