Airlines, banks and the GLBT community; one of these things is not like the other.

Last week’s Dallas Morning News had no less than three notable aviation articles. On Wednesday there was a report on Southwest Airlines’ $54 million second quarter profits, although chairman and chief executive Gary Kelly warned that he could not predict third-quarter profits. On Thursday another article noted lower debt ratings for American Airlines and Southwest Airlines.

In these tough economic times, small businesses need to tap the resources that are available in their communities to weather the storm. They need to look no further than their local chambers for help.

Local chambers advocate for small businesses at the local, regional, state, and national levels. Every day, they work to keep government at bay so that you can focus on running your business. They also introduce you to potential customers through business referral programs, market your business online and in their directories, and offer special discounts through various affinity programs such as insurance, shipping, and office supplies.

I just returned from the US Chamber Institute in Los Angeles. There was so much good information that it will take me weeks if not longer to sort through it all. So today, I’d like to reflect on what can only be described as five days in paradise, and it’s not LA. I know that we tend to throw ‘fabulous’ around for little or no reason sometimes, but in the case of Puerto Vallarta fabulous (or fabuloso) is an understatement.

Trust me the remainder of this piece is not going to be ‘what I did on my summer vacation’.