2011 Schedule of Events
Click here to download a pdf version of the complete schedule.
Please contact the Small Business Development Center at The College of New Jersey with any questions:
www.sbdcnj.com events@sbdcnj.com
Telephone (609) 771-2947 Fax (609) 637-5217
Monday, October 17, 2011
Kick Off Networking Breakfast
8:00 AM - 9:30 AMTrenton Marriott, 1 West Lafayette Street
The opening event will feature a special keynote presentation by Richard Lisk, General Manager and Part-Owner of the Trenton Titans, an update on economic developments in Trenton, and the Small Business of the Year Awards presented by the Honorable Mayor Tony Mack.
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Analyzing Your Customers for Maximum Profitability
10:00 AM - 11:30 AMTrenton Marriott, 1 West Lafayette Street
Identify the customers that represent the majority of your business income & profit (Define the 80/20 rule). Know your “A-class” customers who are both easy to deal with and generate the largest proportion of profits and your “D-class” customers who are least pleasant to deal with and /or provide the lowest returns. This will allow you to manage your customer demographics for better profitability and success.
Michael Pucciarelli, Bartolomei Pucciarelli
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Small Developers Forum – How to Buy Property from the City
12:30 PM - 2:00 PMInvention Factory Science Museum, 675 South Clinton Avenue
Learn how to purchase and develop city-owned properties. Attendees will find out information on the auction process, the important of using redevelopment law, and the goals and objectives of zoning and planning law within the City of Trenton.
Henrietta Owusu, Chief of Housing Production, Department of Housing and Economic Development, City of Trenton
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HMFA: Helping House for the Workforce and Multi-family Financing for Developers
2:30 PM - 4:00 PMInvention Factory Science Museum, 675 South Clinton Avenue
Discuss Multi-family Rental Financing for Developers to develop Low and Moderate Income housing. Learn about: the HMFA’s Live Where You Work program that provides down payments and other benefits to workers buying homes in the towns, including Trenton, where they work. Learn about the mortgage loan programs and down payment and closing cost assistance available through the HMFA. Learn about the HMFA Housing Resource Center web resource for locating affordable housing and rental opportunities. Learn about the impact of foreclosure in Mercer County and the foreclosure prevention programs offered through the HMFA. Learn why Trenton is an HMFA “Live Where You Work Partner City” and how we can help with down payment assistance for people buying a home to live in the town where they are employed.
Jerry Keelen, Director, Single Family Programs, HMFA
Edward Collins, Lender Outreach & Marketing Coordinator, HMFA
Stephone Mickler, Single Family Outreach Officer, HMFA
Michael Staton, Director on Multi-family and Credit
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Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Can Your Business Grow Legs?
8:00 AM - 9:30 AMNew Jersey Economic Development Authority, 36 West State St, Conference Room
You have a great business or an idea. Everyone wants to buy your product or service. You are going to be a millionaire! Are you dreaming or planning? As the old adage goes, “if you fail to plan, you are planning to fail.” Through the benefits of creating and using the business plan as a tool: learn how you can be a success in your business by working on your business. Assess your business operations or idea. Understand the impact of your personal credit history and business financials on your ability to secure a loan. Know when the business can support an employee or new piece of equipment. Create an organizational structure that will maximize your ability to succeed. Walk away from this seminar with tools and resources to provide knowledge and assistance in creating a solid business plan for growth.
Marion Zajac, Small Business Services, NJEDA
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Financing: The Unusual Suspects - When Traditional Financing is Not Enough
10:00 AM - 11:30 AMNew Jersey Economic Development Authority, 36 West State St, Conference Room
Are you seeking bank financing but need other resources for your business financing? Come to this workshop and learn some non-bank alternative sources of financing to meet your business’s needs. Make your accounts receivable work for you. Use a purchase order to fund a contract. Learn how factoring could help your business.
John Vanaman, EVP, Allied Financial
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Business Resources for Veterans
10:00 AM - 11:30 AMNew Jersey Economic Development Authority, 36 West State St, Conference Room
As a veteran you are entitled to help with your business. Learn how to separate fact from fiction of veteran business loans; how to register as a veteran-owned business and advantages of being a vet when doing business with the federal government.
Scott Snair, Director of New Jersey Veteran Business Outreach
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Mercer Regional Chamber of Commerce General Membership “Power” Luncheon - Purchase tix through the Chamber
11:30 AM - 1:00 PMTrenton Marriott, 1 West Lafayette Street
Sponsor: Sun National Bank
For headcount purposes, you may sign up on the TSBW site but you must purchase tickets through the Chamber. Please register at www.mercerchamber.org or call Jude at 609-689-9960 x14.
Cost: $40.00 Mercer Regional Chamber members ($50.00 at the door for members); $60.00 future members.
The Port Authority oversees some of the most critical infrastructure points in the nation. Appointed by Governor Christie, Senator Bill Baroni, Deputy Executive Director of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, will discuss his role in helping to strengthen our regional economy, creating jobs, and making transportation and commuting faster and easier.
Senator Bill Baroni, Deputy Executive Director of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey
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Business and Financial Government Resources: Use Them or Lose Them
1:30 PM - 3:00 PMNew Jersey Economic Development Authority, 36 West State St, Conference Room
Discover how and where to access the necessary government resources to run and grow your business from a readiness assessment to mentoring, to financing, to workforce training and taxation.
Moderator: Marion Zajac, New Jersey Economic Development Authority
Comprehensive Panel of Government Representatives & Experts
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Meet the Experts on Government Resources: Learn How to Tap into Your Greatest Business Benefit
3:00 PM - 4:30 PMNew Jersey Economic Development Authority, 36 West State St, Conference Room
Talk individually with the panel members about your specific need. These individuals will cover local, state and federal government agencies that assist businesses with business and financing needs.
Panel Moderator: Marion Zajac, New Jersey Economic Development Authority
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TD Bank Business Networking Reception
6:00 PM - 8:00 PMTD Bank - Reserve your spot by emailing tikiba.miller@td.com or jacquelyn.sheridan@td.com, 50 East State Street, Trenton, NJ 08608
Reserve your spot by emailing tikiba.miller@td.com or jacquelyn.sheridan@td.com.
The TD Bank Trenton Store is proud to host our 7th annual business networking reception. This complimentary event will feature food, fun, and a great group of dedicated Trenton business leaders.
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Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Mobile Marketing: What Your Business Needs to Know about Social Media to Maximize Your Sales and Corporate Image
8:00 AM - 9:30 AMMercer County's McDade Building, 640 S. Broad Street, Trenton NJ 08611
How Facebook Places, Texting, Groupon, Foursquare and Gowalla, etc. can put you on the map and in the face and mind of your target market. What are to do’s and don’ts of mobile marketing.
Derrick Miller, NJ Mobile Fusion, LLC
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Mercer Regional Chamber of Commerce 10th Annual Fall Expo
10:00 AM - 3:00 PMSun National Bank Center , 81 Hamilton Avenue
Visit MercerChamber.org or contact "EXPO Joe" at Joe@MercerChamber.org / 609-689-9960 ext. 12 for more information about exhibiting and sponsorship.
This is the largest B to B expo in Mercer County. It is the perfect venture to showcase your products and services to the business community throughout the Central New Jersey region.
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Destination Trenton and the Princeton Regional Chamber of Commerce present: Tourism: How Can Your Company Benefit?
10:00 AM - 11:30 AMMercer County's McDade Building, 640 S. Broad Street, Trenton NJ 08611
This session brings together two local experts on the economic impact of travel and tourism in our region. Join us to learn how every local company can take advantage of, and benefit
from, the visitors to our arts, history and attraction assets. Hear more about how important tourism is to our economy and find out how your business can profit from this industry.
Candice Frederick, Tourism Marketing Manager Destination Trenton
Adam Perle, Vice President, Princeton Regional Chamber of Commerce and
Princeton Regional Convention & Visitors Bureau
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Sustainability - What Is It and What’s In It for My Business?
12:30 PM - 2:30 PMMercer County's McDade Building, 640 S. Broad Street, Trenton NJ 08611
Come and learn about the economic, environmental and social factors of sustainability, how you can participate in this important trend, and how it can benefit your business. Hear from
several local business owners about how they successfully implemented sustainability programs, the obstacles and successes and the sustainable return on investment. The ABC’s of
an energy audit will also be covered. Then, listen to a panel discussion with business owners and staff from the Department of Environmental Protection and have your questions answered.
Panel Moderator: Jerri Lynn Weigand, CHMM, NJ Department of Environmental Protection
Xavier Walter, The Energy Team
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Small Business Internet Marketing: Building Your Business with Social Media
3:00 PM - 4:30 PMMercer County's McDade Building, 640 S. Broad Street, Trenton NJ 08611
What are the most effective internet marketing techniques for small businesses? Learn why social media is so popular and how to make money using Facebook, Linked-in, Twitter. Understand the foundational aspect of (blogging, email & video) for all social media advertising. Do you know the importance of an email marketing strategy? Learn to use social media to increase sales and build brand identity. Find out how to identify your target market and to match up your social media campaign.
Ed Andriessen, BTR Business Training Resource
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Capital City Real Estate Reception - RSVP to Carmen N. Natal-Melendez 609-989-3503
5:30 PM - 7:30 PMTrenton Social, 449 South Broad Street
Come out for an up-close look at some of the commercial and industrial real estate opportunities that await you in Trenton. The evening will include commercial real estate brokers in the
region and in the City of Trenton. Light refreshments will be served. A cash bar will be available.
RSVP, Carmen N. Natal-Melendez
609-989-3503
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Thursday, October 20, 2011
Doing Business with Local Government
8:30 AM - 10:00 AMThomas Edison State College, 101 West State Street
Representatives from the city and the county will present information on both the financial and purchasing incentives offered in contracting with local government. The Trenton UEZ program will also be included.
Marchelle Marshall, City Of Trenton
Marcella Covello, County of Mercer
Tom McGough, UEZ Coordinator
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Government Procurement Certification: Doing Business with the Government, State and Federal SBE, MBE, WBE and WOSB Defined
10:30 AM - 12:00 PMThomas Edison State College, 101 West State Street
Bid process, government contracting and gaining State and Federal certification to receive priority status for designated set aside contracts, explained. 8A and Hub Zone explained. This
workshop is a one stop information session for government procurement.
Nina Mosley, Department of Treasury
Stephanie Burroughs, Director Procurement Programs, NJ Small Business Development Centers (SBDC)
Richard Zilg, Assistant District Director for 8(a) Business Development, Small Business Administration (SBA)
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Resources for Spanish Speaking Business Owners: How to Start and Finance Your Business (Session held in Spanish)
10:30 AM - 12:00 PMThomas Edison State College, 101 West State Street
Learn the ABC’s of how to start your own business. Learn the process and criteria a lender uses to evaluate and approve a loan to you and where to go to find the money your need.
Nathalia Geraldo, Director of Financial Programs Regional Business Assistance Corp (RBAC)
Luis Del A Hoz,. IntersectFund
Norma Diaz, RBAC
Donald W. Allen, VP SBA Lending, Sun Bank
Lillian Mauro, Spanish Program Coordinator, SBDC at TCNJ
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Recursos para Propietarios de Negocios Hispanos: Cómo iniciar y financiar su Empresa (Dictado en Español)
10:30 AM - 12:00 PMThomas Edison State College, 101 West State Street
Aprenda el ABC de Cómo iniciar su propio negocio. Coozca el proceso y los criterios que un prestamista utiliza para evaluar y aprobar un préstamo para Usted y Dónde puede obtener el dinero que necesita para su Empresa.
Nathalia Geraldo, Director of Financial Programs Regional Business Assistance Corp (RBAC)
Luis Del A Hoz, IntersectFund
Norma Diaz, RBAC
Donald W. Allen, VP, SBA Lending, Sun Bank
Lillian Mauro, Spanish Program Coordinator, SBDC at TCNJ
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Join us for 2 International Workshops. Part 1: The Next Frontier-Doing Business in Africa, South America, The Caribbean and Global Markets
1:00 PM - 2:30 PMThomas Edison State College, 101 West State Street
Hear stories, experiences, and tips on how to run a business and common pitfalls to avoid. What does the “The Next Frontier” really mean for your business? Discover the important factors of a “Global Perspective”. Explore economic, financial, political and legal issues. What you need to know about the world consumer; designing marketing; market entry strategies and solutions that will work and most important, using Smart Technology for Smarter Business™.
Panel Moderator, Dr. Azuka Anyiam, CEO, VICA Technologies
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International Workshop Part 2: Financing Your Projects, Exporting/Importing and Foreign Investment
3:00 PM - 4:30 PMThomas Edison State College, 101 West State Street
Learn about the financial resources available to assist small businesses in financing projects, business exporting/importing and foreign investments i.e. Export Development & Working Capital Loans, Facilities Development Financing, Insurance, Grants for Feasibility Studies and Technical Assistance, Grants and Contract Opportunities that Support U.S. Small Business Exports. Here from experts from USA and global funding organizations including: U.S. Small Business Administration, Export-Import Bank of the U.S., The Foreign Agricultural Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Overseas Private Investment Corporation, U.S. Trade and Development Agency.
Panel Moderator, Rudiger Z. Ellis, MBA
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Friday, October 21, 2011
RENAISSANCE BALL OF TRENTON - Tickets must be purchased through the Mercer Chamber
6:00 PM - 11:00 PMTrenton Marriott, 1 West Lafayette Street
Cost: $185.00 individual; $350 per couple;
$1,624 tables of 10
Info: 609-689-9960 ext. 14 or www.mercerchamber.org
The Mercer Regional Chamber of Commerce, the first chamber of commerce in New Jersey, presents its 5th annual Renaissance Ball. This is the final event held to complete Trenton Small Business Week. Over 300 guests are expected to celebrate this year’s honorees.
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