Through his active membership with the Greater Arlington Chamber of Commerce, Bryant Griffith, owner of JAWS – Junk and Waste Solutions, built a collaborative network that opened doors to resources and leadership opportunities.

“The value of this particular Chamber is relationships,” Griffith said. “There’s a great atmosphere for building business relationships, learning about other people’s businesses and how our businesses can work together to create efficiencies and opportunities for one another.”

Before joining the Chamber, owning a business felt like living on an island: alone. 

“Resources were hard to navigate and utilize,” he said. “Early on in my Chamber experience, connecting to the community and knowing I wasn’t alone as a startup, or even as a veteran in business, was a huge benefit for me.”

At the Chamber, Griffith said relationships are the focus. Along with monthly Chamber-wide events, the Chamber’s five Member Groups each host monthly networking and professional development events, providing a space for deeper member connections.

“The one thing I love about the Greater Arlington Chamber is that there’s something for everyone,” he said. “Each one of these Member Groups has a specific mission and focus.”

Through Member Groups, members can also strengthen their leadership skills. Each group has an advisory council who works together to plan the group’s events.

“The various Member Groups create opportunities for people to learn how to lead in a different capacity and help you learn how to lead in your business,” Griffith said. “You learn how to broaden your horizons as a leader and how to work with other people.”

For Griffith, it gave him an opportunity to apply the leadership aptitudes he developed in the military, which directly impacted his business’s capacity to grow.

After joining the Chamber, he quickly got involved with the Veterans Business Council, and now, he chairs the group. The Chamber provides a niche connection opportunity for veterans in business, he said.

As a veteran business owner, it can be difficult to navigate the resources available to them.

“Being a member of a group of veteran entrepreneurs and being connected to the resources the Chamber has and the veteran business resources available in our community is huge,” Griffith said. “The VBC creates a bridge and support system to help us get what we need to be successful.”

Building connections to other veteran business owners helped Griffith find a sense of camaraderie outside of the military. 

“There’s a closeness or intimacy that’s shared between service members because we’ve walked through similar life experiences,” Griffith said. “For a lot of people who serve, it’s really hard to find those connections.”

The Chamber functions as a connector, he said. Through networking events, Business Resource Sessions and so much more, members are connected to each other and essential resources in the city.

“Not only is the Chamber the voice and representation of the business community, but anytime there’s a business opportunity in the community, the Chamber’s amplifying that as well,” Griffith said. “LiftdFund is a perfect example of that.”

In 2024, the Arlington Economic Development Corporation (EDC) launched an Interest Buydown Program in partnership with LiftFund, offering local small businesses zero-percent interest loans.

After hearing about LiftFund through the Chamber, Griffith applied to the program and was the first local business to be approved for a loan. He later shared his experience in a Business Resource Session with LiftFund and Arlington EDC, helping other members take advantage of the program.

“Here we are as a city coming together to use resources and relationships to bring an opportunity for businesses to thrive,” Griffith said. “Being a recipient of that, there’s no amount of gratitude or words I can say to explain what it means to me.”

Griffith’s biggest advice to new members is to step outside their comfort zone and try every event.

“Get comfortable being uncomfortable,” he said. “Maximize the full potential of your membership. Don’t come in and try to do it all. Find what works for you in this season right now and plant roots. Nurture them, and let those relationships grow.”

The Greater Arlington Chamber of Commerce is the catalyst for growing our members’ businesses, fostering economic prosperity, amplifying the voice of business and developing our community’s future. Through year-round events, members build lasting relationships and learn crucial strategies to grow their business. Interested in becoming a member? Contact Bryan Weatherford, Director of Member Recruitment.

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