Holistic Chamber of Commerce arrives in North Idaho
POST FALLS — An international movement to promote sustainable products, services and solutions has found a home in Post Falls.
Kelsey Sims opened the first Holistic Chamber of Commerce in the state and will host the chamber’s first meeting next Tuesday from 6-7:30 p.m. at the Greensferry Landing Community Center.
“I want to be a lighthouse for our city and surrounding areas,” Sims said. “I want people to come to one spot that is trusted and reviewed.”
The first meeting is free and open to the public. Sims encouraged anyone to stop by and learn about what the chamber can do for them and their business.
“Post Falls is the perfect place for the Holistic Chamber of Commerce,” Sims said. “We have a large population here and a community that really values those products and services. It’s time for us to come together and show the standard of integrity and professionalism we bring to the work we do.”
H&R Block Franchisee and owner Keri Amos-Sorenson was excited to bring her business into the Post Falls Holistic Chamber of Commerce. Since joining, she has found a supplier to source recycled paper products for her business.
“As part of the HCC there is a directory for eco-friendly ideas and products, so we can get ideas from the website,” Amos-Sorenson said. “I’m excited to be able to work with somebody to help me figure out how to reduce our footprint. We go through a ton of electricity. Maybe there is a better way to go about that; to not use as many of our resources to do our business.”
According to the HCC’s website, the organization’s chapters “represent holistic professionals, practitioners, businesses and resource providers,” while encouraging healthy living and supporting those who make it possible.
“I see association with the international organization as a natural partnership for our vibrant and growing holistic business community,” Sims said. “We are in the service business, yet we are still hidden. That marketing aspect is where I really see a need for support. The HCC offers that.”
Sims left corporate America nearly five years ago to devote her time to holistic business. She is a wellness advocate with doTERRA, an essential oil company, and owns Take Control Naturally LLC. Her heart is vested in that work, helping people, especially women, support their bodies naturally with plant medicine.
“I just want to have a real tribe here,” Sims said. “I want the most exposure to support those businesses and create beautiful relationships. It is a whole different environment and atmosphere than a traditional chamber of commerce, we are for the holistic community.”
HCC encourages businesses to think about younger generations within their communities.
“I think it’s great that we have a group of business owners that want to be more responsible as far as how we treat our planet and how we take care of our people,” Amos-Sorenson said. “It’s great that this group is trying to raise that awareness in our area. I’m excited to help with that.”
Sims wants holistic businesses in North Idaho to be visible, both to the public and to one another.
“We are going to go way above and beyond business networking,” Sims said. “I really feel that all the holistic providers around here are going to migrate to that vision.”