March has a reputation: it barges in like a lion, then sneaks out like a lamb. The phrase has been floating around weather folklore for generations, the kind of seasonal shorthand that still nails the mood. And the month’s name doesn’t exactly argue for calm: March traces back to Martius, named for Mars, the Roman god of war, which feels weirdly appropriate when the calendar starts filling up fast.
If you work in and around the Chamber, you can feel that same “lion-to-lamb” arc in real time. March has arrived with a rush of deadlines, including program launches, events piling up, and communities gathering. It can feel a lot like the final stretch in school when everything is due at once. How is all of this supposed to happen on time? But then it does, because the only way out is through.
We started on March 10 with the second run of our Gateway Innovation Incubator Program, a seven-week sprint designed for entrepreneurs seeking mentorship from business veterans in the area. Participants clarify purpose and ideal customer, shape a sellable offer, price for profit, and build visibility through content, PR, and partnerships, then bring it home with pitch practice and a community celebration. It’s all included in a one-time $200 fee, plus a one-year Basic Connect Level Chamber membership, a value that extends well beyond the seven weeks.
Barely two weeks later, our Women in Business Event hits on March 27. This is a practical day of workshops, vendors, and expert-led classes designed to help women level up in real time, career-wise, confidence-wise, and business-wise.
The lineup is stacked and outcomes-driven: Leeta Somar (Small Business Development Centers) helps you sharpen your value proposition and clearly articulate what makes your business different so your marketing lands faster. Kecia Palmer-Cousins (Aero-Ba-Soul, Inc.) makes M/WBE certification feel doable with a straightforward roadmap, and Violeta Shala-Guerrero (M&T Bank) breaks down SBA lending so “access to capital” becomes an informed next step.
And it’s not just strategy, it’s about strength and presence. Dr. Giovanni Tamburri (Iron Health) delivers bone-health and strength guidance women can apply immediately, Alice Chin (AC Breakthrough Coaching) defines “resilient mindset” as staying steady under pressure and moving forward through setbacks, and Vanessa Cardenas brings it home with “Lead with Hello,” a grounded communication practice that builds trust in the conversations that shape your career.
Just when March starts to feel like it might finally exhale, we’ll already be looking ahead, because the lamb-like ending rolls right into a full-on spring crescendo with our Spring Festival & Car Show on Sunday, April 26 (11 a.m.–4 p.m.) at Jefferson Valley Mall, a community day built for families, fun, and local business visibility.
Carole Voisey is executive director of the Hudson Valley Gateway Chamber of Commerce.
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