Nearly 10 years ago, Cathy Schneider made the decision to switch careers and start her own business in Catonsville.
She joined the Greater Catonsville Chamber of Commerce and when former chamber president Jason Tawney visited her Edible Arrangements store, he encouraged her to participate in the chamber's annual Taste of Catonsville, an event that allows local eateries to offer samples of their menu items.
"He came in and he said the Taste of Catonsville is next week, you have to do it," Schneider said, seated in the office of her store, as the aroma of chocolate filled the air in the store located at 734 Frederick Road.
Schneider said she was overwhelmed with the opening of her new business, but knew she had to participate in the event in order to promote her fledgling operation.
"I told myself I had to put my big girl pants on and start giving to the community," Schneider said. "I did it, and I'm glad I had someone behind me pushing me to do it."
Since then she has expanded, opening a second franchise in Elkridge three years ago.
The Columbia resident has served as vice president of the chamber alongside Dan Swearingen. She became president of the organization on Jan. 1, when she replaced Coldwell Banker real estate agent Sally Griffin, who took on the position four years ago.
"It's a really good organization and there isn't much that needs to be revamped," Schneider said. "I'm just trying to keep the momentum going."
Schneider, who grew up in New York and moved to Montgomery County with her family as a teenager, said the chamber offers both new and established businesses a range of opportunities to help them grow.
"Anybody who is not involved is really missing out. There are so many opportunities in every area," Schneider said. "From the business, the connections, the relationships, to the marketing — there is so much that you can do."
Schneider said she has witnessed the growth along Catonsville's main business corridor, Frederick Road, over the past decade and hopes the village can be a model for other communities in southwest Baltimore County.
Teal Cary, executive director of the chamber, said Schneider is the first owner of a franchise to lead the organization.
"I think she'll be a dynamo. Cathy comes with great small business experience and is sensitive to the needs of a small business owner," Cary said.
Schneider said she decided to open the franchise when she saw an advertisement for the business in a magazine on an airplane and thought it was a good idea.
A month later, while she was in North Carolina on a trip with her family and saw a store. She learned about the business and decided it was the opportunity she was looking for.
"It's kind of different, to switch from construction management," Schneider said. "But it wound up being a natural progression because as a project manager I can run a business."
She opened the first Edible Arrangement franchise in the Baltimore area, she said.
"I had to work on getting the brand name out there and pave the way for everybody with that," Schneider said.
The business owner knows what it takes to turn a small business into a success, which will benefit the businesses represented by the chamber, Cary said.
"The chamber itself, with all the programming we have going on, is constantly growing," Schneider said. "You look at our Frederick Road Fridays, our Teacher's Awards, we have some programs that are becoming huge."
"So my goal is to keep it going," Schneider said. "I want to keep the momentum."