Apparently, some of the same ideas that are true with security, civic causes and tugs-of-war also tend to be true in business: There's power in unity, and we are all stronger together.

For the Northern Lancaster Chamber of Commerce (NLCC), it's not an official motto or anything like that. But they are words that NLCC thrives by.

"When businesses are able to interact with one another, businesses are stronger and communities are stronger," said Liz Ackerman, who's been NLCC's executive director for five years. "I've seen time and time again businesses, even competitors, come together for the betterment of the community. You want all businesses to be thriving. Our mission is to connect and advance businesses throughout northern Lancaster County. We achieve our mission by providing multiple opportunities to come together and grow."

Headquartered at 124 E. Main St., Ephrata, NLCC promotes entrepreneurship and economic growth for businesses located north of Route 30 and east of Route 72, within the school districts of Warwick, Ephrata, Cocalico, Garden Spot and parts of Conestoga Valley. NLCC, which also works with nonprofits and schools, conducts nearly 100 annual events, for the purposes of education, networking, training and support.

"We have become known for our white-glove service," said Ackerman. "We know all of our members. We know your name. We know your business and we know your challenges. When you come to an event, people will talk to you. Our businesses truly get to know each other. When you have really good relationships, you'll be willing to refer them."

NLCC's current roster of mostly small to medium-size businesses stands at 532 members. It's a number that has grown by 106 over the last year.

"For the areas we cover, there are hundreds and hundreds of businesses," said Ackerman. "We're just hitting the tip of the iceberg. One of the things we focus on is organic growth. Our growth has been through our members. They are the ones saying, 'You need to check out Northern Lancaster Chamber of Commerce.' Our members have been a result of our growth."

While each industry is different and every enterprise is unique, there are some common challenges currently facing businesses in northern Lancaster County, including a lack of qualified and skilled employees, available child care for workers, affordable housing and public transportation.

"Businesses are having problems securing the talent they need, and they've actually been struggling with that for years," said Ackerman. "We have a lot of employees who are close to retirement age, and we don't have the number of younger people to take their places. We need the workers, but if we don't have anywhere for them to live, it's hard to bring them in."

Located in the city, the Lancaster Chamber of Commerce oversees the affairs of businesses in the entire county. NLCC, which was founded in 1922 as the Ephrata Chamber of Commerce, is one of six local business promoters in the county - along with the Lancaster Chamber, the Southern Lancaster Chamber, the Manheim Area Chamber, the Mount Joy Chamber and the Elizabethtown Area Chamber.

"I think the best thing about our Chamber is our members, the diversity of businesses we have represented and all the different age groups," said Ackerman. "Our members have a drive to work together and connect. We really are a Chamber that listens to our members."

For additional information about the NLCC, go to http://www.northernlancasterchamber.org.