Celebrating 20 Years of Mighty Miramichi
Be Happy, Be Positive, Be Mighty!
Mighty Miramichi is a phrase we’ve all grown up hearing, and it not only describes our river, but also the heart of our community and region. It was for this reason that Terry Matchett chose it as the name of his new business, back in November 1999, when Mighty Miramichi Inc was born.
The intention for the business was the same then as it is now – to help small businesses get online, easily and without a big investment. And to promote the river and show people what is available in their own backyard. He saw the internet as a means of levelling the playing field, giving small businesses the same opportunity as “the big guys” to reach a global market.
In the beginning not many people knew what the internet or a website was, and certainly not everyone had home computers and internet access. Social media as we know it today was non-existent. We sold one page static online “ads” to ease businesses into embracing this new technology.
By 2001 a community portal website, www.MightyMiramichi.com was launched to promote the region and give a “home” to the websites we had created for local businesses.
Since then it has gone through several revamps and facelifts, but it still remains a hub of activity with over 11,000 visits per day – all searching for local businesses & organizations, events, funeral announcements, articles & stories, marketplace items and more!
In the years following we also created community portal websites for Grand Falls, Moncton, Fredericton, Saint John and even Armagh County Ireland, under the banner of Mighy Community Group. The portals are designed to be self-sustaining, revenue generating models that promote local regions, engage the community, and create employment.
Get Ready, Get Set, Giv’er
2002 saw the development of www.giverontheriver.com, but it served a different purpose back then, than it does today. The Giv’er site was developed as part of a motivational program we delivered in schools to grade 10 students, and at NBCC.
The program aimed to teach students basic personal and business development skills in 3 steps:
Get Ready – have a positive attitude, hang around people that bring you UP not down, dream big, decide on what you want out of life and write it down (there is power in writing it down!)
Get Set – how to set goals to achieve your dream, manage your time, and identify the skills you need and steps to take to achieve those goals
Giv’er – going after what you want, over-coming obstacles, breaking out of the comfort zone, recognizing opportunities and being willing to be unstoppable!
Just this year we heard from a local business person who remembered taking the course at NBCC and the positive impact it had on their life.
Bread’n Molasses
Where most magazines started out in print format and then moved online, we did it backwards. Bread ‘n Molasses (BnM) was originally an email newsletter and website before we began publishing the printed magazine in 2006.
BnM printed positive, uplifting stories from our region and welcomed submissions of poetry, essays, fiction and non-fiction from writers. The magazine featured writers from across the Atlantic provinces, often publishing people for the first time, helping them to gain the confidence and credits needed to go on to pursue careers in writing.
What Does “Be Mighty” Mean?
There’s always been an underlying Mighty Philosophy to everything we do. When we interview a new employee we ask, Are they Mighty? Before partnering with another business we ask, Are they Mighty?
Being Mighty means approaching life in a more positive and productive way. Enjoy the day. Find the bright side. Be optimistic! Lift people up, don’t tear them down. Tell me what you can do, not what you can’t do. Don’t engage in gossip and negative conservations – say “have a nice day” and keep walking!
Turn off the negative chatter from the news and social media, say good-bye to negative self-talk and turn your attention to what inspires and uplifts you! Having a positive outlook not only makes you feel better, it helps relieve stress and the harmful effects it has on your body, and boosts your immune system. Just be Mighty!
MCG Media
Through the years we’ve also developed Internet Basics and E-Commerce courses for businesses, offered Lunch & Learn sessions, started the Miramichi’s Biggest Loser program, and was very involved with local Tourism Associations, the Chamber of Commerce, Downtowns Miramichi and Rotary Clubs.
Today we publish the Mighty Miramichi River Guide and Giv’er Miramichi magazines and call ourselves MCG Media, which stands for Mighty Community Group. Our flagship site www.mightymiramichi.com is still going strong.
We build websites and custom applications, and offer hosting, search engine optimization and online marketing and help businesses make sense of the many advertising and e-commerce opportunities available today.
Tel: 506-352-7668
Giv’er Miramichi is about “What’s up, what’s new, what’s happening”. We are focused on building people up, supporting one another and celebrating our successes.
You can find contact information for the chamber on their website, https://www.miramichichamber.com/
Hallo, How can I reach Mr. Mike Hill President of the Miramichi Chamber of Commerce (MCC)? I was aa member of the MCC for thirty years starting in 1977. Today I am not an active member of the MCC but I have a v. sensitive issue to discuss with the president, or secretary of MCC. Please contact me by phone or e-mail.