Southern Maryland Minority Chamber of Commerce

What Southern Maryland Minority Chamber of Commerce does

The Southern Maryland Minority Chamber of Commerce (SMMCOC) is a nonprofit membership organization that supports minority-owned businesses across four Southern Maryland jurisdictions: Calvert, Charles, and St. Mary's counties along with Southern Prince George's County. Founded in July 2012 (rebranded from the Southern Maryland Black Chamber of Commerce in January 2016), the Chamber operates from White Plains, Maryland, with a small staff of approximately five and is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors and Officers. Its core offerings consist of a tiered membership program ($25 student through $750 corporate), four-tier corporate sponsorship packages ranging from $1,000 (Silver) to $5,000 (Diamond), and fee-based training programs including the 4-week "So You Want To Be An Entrepreneur" course co-sponsored with E3 and the "Building Your Bond Capacity" workshop for contractors. The Chamber also operates the Southern Maryland Virtual Business Resources Center, a Thryv-powered online platform providing 24-hour member access to small business tools and resources. It does not employ any proprietary technology platform; all digital delivery is handled through its smmcoc.org website and the Thryv integration.

The Chamber's go-to-market motion is community-led, driven by word-of-mouth referrals, regional partnerships with the SBA, Maryland Procurement Technical Assistance Center, Maryland Department of Commerce, FSC First, the College of Southern Maryland, Bowie State University, and county economic development offices, and direct outreach to minority business owners across the four-county service area. The organization monetizes through three streams: annual membership fees (subscription), corporate sponsorships (subscription), and transaction fees on training events. Its member base comprises approximately 60 businesses across construction, IT, financial services, hospitality, telecommunications, energy, and government contracting. SMMCOC's founder Doris Jean Cammack-Spencer passed away in December 2024; executive leadership has since transitioned to President/CEO Pamela Minor.

Name

Southern Maryland Minority Chamber of Commerce

Legal name

The Southern Maryland Minority Chamber of Commerce, Inc.

Website

https://smmcoc.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Southern Maryland Minority Chamber of Commerce is a nonprofit chamber of commerce that supports minority-owned businesses across Calvert, Charles, and St. Mary's counties and Southern Prince George's County through tiered memberships, corporate sponsorships, fee-based training workshops, and a Thryv-powered virtual resource center.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Chamber of Commerce / Business Association

NAICS

Business Associations (81391), Professional Organizations (813920), Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations (8139)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Small Business & Entrepreneurship Community Education (EDAAAFAK)

Keywords

• Minority business advocacy
• Chamber of commerce
• Entrepreneur training programs
• Business networking events
• Small business development

Headquarters

HQ city

White Plains

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: Annual membership fees collected from businesses at various tiers based on employee count. Fees range from $25 for students to $750 for corporate members, providing recurring annual revenue from the member base.
2. Corporate Sponsorships: Corporate partnership sponsorships at four tiers: Diamond ($5,000), Platinum ($2,500-$4,999), Gold ($1,500-$2,499), and Silver ($1,000-$1,499). Each tier includes membership benefits plus promotional and advertising privileges at chamber events.
3. Event Revenue: Revenue generated from educational programs and events such as the 'So You Want To Be An Entrepreneur' course co-sponsored with E3, which charges participant fees for entrepreneurial training workshops.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Southern Maryland Minority Chamber of Commerce (SMMCOC) is a nonprofit membership organization that delivers tiered membership programs, networking events, educational workshops, advocacy, and mentorship to minority-owned businesses across Southern Maryland. Its core offerings include annual membership subscriptions (Student, Individual, Small Business, Mid-size, Growing, Corporate, and Affiliate tiers), corporate partnership sponsorships (Diamond, Platinum, Gold, Silver), and training programs such as the "So You Want To Be An Entrepreneur" course and "Building Your Bond Capacity Workshop."

Product overview

The Southern Maryland Minority Chamber of Commerce (SMMCOC) offers a unified portfolio of membership-based services and training programs designed to support minority-owned businesses and entrepreneurs. The core offering consists of membership programs with tiered levels (Regular, Affiliate, Individual, Student, and Corporate Partnership Sponsorships), supplemented by professional development workshops including the "Building Your Bond Capacity Workshop" for contractors seeking surety bonds, the "So You Want To Be An Entrepreneur" 4-week training course, and mental health awareness Lunch & Learn sessions. The organization also operates the Southern Maryland Virtual Business Resources Center (powered by Thryv) as a digital platform for 24-hour business resource access, and provides professional headshot services for member businesses. All services are designed to foster economic empowerment, business growth, and community wealth creation in the southern Maryland region.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• SMMCOC Membership Programs Tiered membership including Student Member ($25/year), Individual Member ($50/year), Small Business Member ($100/year for 0-10 employees), Mid-size Business Member ($150/year for 11-25 employees), Growing Business Member ($350/year for 26-50 employees), Corporate Member ($750/year for larger organizations), and Affiliate non-voting Membership. Designed for minority-owned businesses and entrepreneurs seeking networking, advocacy, and resources.
• Corporate Partnership Sponsorships Four-tier corporate sponsorship program: Diamond ($5,000), Platinum ($2,500-$4,999), Gold ($1,500-$2,499), and Silver ($1,000-$1,499). Each tier includes corporate membership plus promotional and advertising privileges at chamber events, including booth placement, logo on marketing collateral, website placement, newsletter advertising, and event tickets.
• So You Want To Be An Entrepreneur Course A 4-week entrepreneur training course co-sponsored with E3, covering business mindset development, time management, pricing strategies, marketing practices, goal setting, and real-world business challenges. Targeted at aspiring entrepreneurs and business owners in Southern Maryland, customized for the region.
• Building Your Bond Capacity Workshop A workshop designed to help contractors understand surety bonds, credit-based bond premiums, and requirements for obtaining bonds for construction projects, agricultural ventures, and other contracting needs. Targeted at contractors and minority-owned construction businesses.
• Southern Maryland Virtual Business Resources Center A 24-hour accessible online business resource center powered by Thryv, providing small business owners access to resources, tools, and support services. Targeted at SMMCOC members and small business operators in Southern Maryland.
• SMMCOC Training & Workshops Various workshops and training programs including mental health awareness (Lunch and Learn sessions) and professional development offerings for small business owners. Targeted at SMMCOC members and the broader minority business community.
• Head Shots Service Professional headshot photography services for small business owners to create positive first impressions with potential customers and clients. Targeted at SMMCOC members and small business owners.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 60 member businesses across diverse industries representing various minority statuses (African American, Women, Veteran, Disabled Veteran, Hispanic, Asian, Native American)

Named customers10 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• College of Southern MarylandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational partner with board representation. CSM provides workforce training, procurement opportunities, and the Entrepreneur and Innovation Institute. The chamber has a board member position at CSM.
• Bowie State UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational partner with board representation. Bowie State University is a historically black university that collaborates with the chamber on educational and business development initiatives.
• Charles County Economic DevelopmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment partner providing procurement opportunities and economic development resources. The chamber collaborates on business growth initiatives in Charles County.
• E3 (Empower, Educate, Elevate)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-sponsor of 'So You Want To Be An Entrepreneur' program using E3's nationally recognized approach. Provides entrepreneurial training courses in Southern Maryland at E3 CED locations.
• Eagle Soaring ManagementminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCourse provider for entrepreneur training programs utilizing E3's nationally recognized approach customized for aspiring entrepreneurs and business owners.
• FSC FirstcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFinancial services partner providing access to financing for small and minority businesses through public-private partnerships. Featured in regional resources and referral network.
• Maryland Department of CommercecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState government partner providing business resources, economic development updates, and procurement information for Maryland businesses.
• Maryland Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment contracting partner providing bid match services, procurement webinars, and contracting opportunities for small businesses.
• Small Business Administration (SBA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal government partner providing small business resources, training center, and Affordable Care Act information for small business owners.
• Pam Minor ConsultscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPTAC specialist and Executive Vice President of SMMCOC. Provides small business support including WOSB, SDVOSB, and VOSB counseling through Center for Verification and Evaluation.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• Maryland Department of Commerce - Office of Minority Business Engagement: State government program providing resources, advocacy, and procurement assistance to minority-owned businesses. Highly comparable in mission to SMMCOC, and SMMCOC is a direct partner of this entity, but it is a public-sector resource rather than a membership-based competitor.

Broad incumbents

• National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC): National corporate membership organization that certifies and connects minority-owned businesses with corporate buyers. Highly comparable in mission (advancing minority business growth) and membership/revenue model, but at national scale and with certification-based offerings SMMCOC does not provide.
• U.S. Black Chambers, Inc. National umbrella organization representing Black chambers of commerce across the U.S. SMMCOC is part of the ecosystem this incumbent aggregates; comparable in mission but operates at national scale with significantly more resources.
• Women's Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC): National organization certifying women-owned businesses and connecting them with corporate supply chains. Comparable mission (supporting underrepresented business owners) and certification/membership model, but at national scale and focused on women-owned firms.

Direct peers

• St. Mary's County Chamber of Commerce: County chamber for St. Mary's County, the third of SMMCOC's primary jurisdictions. Closely analogous membership-based, regional advocacy organization competing for the same small/mid-size business audience.
• Maryland Black Chamber of Commerce: State-level minority-focused chamber operating across Maryland with a similar advocacy, training, and membership model targeting Black-owned businesses. Closest direct competitor in mission and minority-business focus, but at a broader geographic scale.
• Prince George's County Chamber of Commerce: Regional chamber serving Southern Prince George's County, which SMMCOC explicitly expanded into in January 2016. Overlapping geographic and small-business audience, similar membership and event-based revenue model.
• Calvert County Chamber of Commerce: County chamber serving Calvert County, another core SMMCOC market. Operates with the same chamber-of-commerce playbook (membership tiers, networking events, advocacy) and competes for the same small-business members.
• Charles County Chamber of Commerce: General-purpose county chamber operating in Charles County, one of the same counties served by SMMCOC. Directly comparable in business model (membership dues, events, advocacy) and geographic market, though it is not minority-focused.

Emerging players

• Maryland Hispanic Chamber of Commerce: State-level minority-focused chamber targeting Hispanic-owned businesses in Maryland. Overlapping mission (minority business advocacy and economic empowerment) and comparable revenue model, but with a narrower demographic focus than SMMCOC.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/smmcoc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Southern Maryland Minority Chamber of Commerce