OpportunityNJ’s Upcoming “Affordability Summit” to Bring Together New Jersey Business Leaders, Residents to Propose Agenda for Next Governor

Contact: Bob Considine (609) 858-9502 Scott Goldstein (609) 989-7888 ext. 113 September 6, 2017 OpportunityNJ’s Upcoming "Affordability Summit" to Bring Together New Jersey Business Leaders, Residents to Propose Agenda for Next Governor OpportunityNJ Co-Chairs Michele Siekerka and Tom Bracken today announced the speakers, agenda and goals for the first Affordability Summit, to be held on Sept. 18 at the First Baptist Church at Lincoln Gardens in Somerset. The event, which is expected to be attended by hundreds of state business leaders and residents, will feature a keynote address by former New Jersey Secretary of State Rev. DeForest Soaries, as well as presentations from Steve Van Kuiken (Senior Partner at McKinsey & Company); Dr. James W. Hughes (University Professor and former Dean of the Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy at Rutgers University) and Tom Byrne (Founder and Managing Director of Byrne Asset Management). Following the presentations, attendees will be invited to participate in breakout sessions for brainstorming discussions centered on tax reform, workforce development and jobs, regulation reform and infrastructure. News media panels, involving several New Jersey reporters, will also be part of the program. The aim of the Affordability Summit is to synthesize the priorities and

By |2017-09-08T18:37:01+00:00September 8th, 2017|Business Advice, Chamber News, Events, Featured|Comments Off on OpportunityNJ’s Upcoming “Affordability Summit” to Bring Together New Jersey Business Leaders, Residents to Propose Agenda for Next Governor
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Ocean County Commerce Coalition Reminds All to Show The Love To Local Professional Chambers Oct 18 Ocean County’s Brick, Greater Toms River, Lakewood, Point Pleasant and Southern Ocean chambers spread the word on National Chamber of Commerce Day happening October 18

SHIP BOTTOM, N.J. - Aug. 23, 2017 - -- Support Your Local Chamber of Commerce Day is observed annually on the third Wednesday in October. Representing Ocean County's professionally staffed chambers the coalition works together to represent interests of approximately 2500 businesses that make up their combined membership. Their primary objective is to strengthen the economic climate and development for businesses of all sizes. The Ocean County Coalition suggests that the best way to honor the day is to use the services of their member businesses. If you are a business in a service of area of one of the coalition chambers, make it a point to see how you can get more involved in the work they do each day. The term "Chamber of Commerce" dates back more than 400 years. The definition of a chamber of commerce is a local network of businesses, governed by a board of directors and run by professional staff, who work to serve and advance business interests. The role of a chamber is a constant source for businesses providing professional development, networking, and communications through multiple platforms. The daily activities taking place at staffed chamber of commerce offices eases the need for the

By |2017-09-08T16:59:24+00:00September 8th, 2017|Business Advice, Chamber News, Featured|Comments Off on Ocean County Commerce Coalition Reminds All to Show The Love To Local Professional Chambers Oct 18 Ocean County’s Brick, Greater Toms River, Lakewood, Point Pleasant and Southern Ocean chambers spread the word on National Chamber of Commerce Day happening October 18
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Guides to help employers hire Veterans, Reservists and National Guard Members

Free Guides to help employers hire Veterans, Reservists and National Guard Members we have published for you to share with your Chamber members.  The Guides cover federal tax benefits, best practices for recruiting veterans, and compliance with federal contractor regulations.  The Guides are especially helpful to smaller employers which have limited HR resources.   So far, more than 125,000 copies of these free Guides have been downloaded by employers and associations across the U.S.  Sponsors of the Guides include Phillips 66, The Marcus Foundation and DaVita Corporation.  Two prestigious law firms donated their time to help us prepare the Guides – Baker & McKenzie, and Caplin & Drysdale.   There are nearly one million veterans and service members across the U.S. looking for full-time jobs that will take advantage of their training, skills and experience.  More than 200,000 service members leave the military every year to transition to civilian employment.   Center for America (CFA), a nonprofit, nonpartisan 501(c)(3) organization, has published these Guides to help employers identify and hire veterans and service members more efficiently and faster.  CFA coordinates the American Jobs for America’s Heroes campaign in which more than 2,000 U.S. employers are participating.    Please share the

By |2017-05-17T17:38:00+00:00May 17th, 2017|Business Advice, Featured|Comments Off on Guides to help employers hire Veterans, Reservists and National Guard Members
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Sometimes It’s Good to be Small

SOMETIMES IT’S GOOD TO BE SMALL                 By Ralph E. Wolff, Jersey Coast Appliance Proud to be a GTRCC member. Whether you are a one person shop working out of your home or large enough to have a brick and mortar location, it is sometimes good to be small. Small as you know is a subjective word and your definition may differ from Webster’s.  Webster defines small as “having comparatively little size.” Or minor in influence, power or rank”.  Some feel that small is a disadvantage when it comes to influence but it might just be what we need to survive. A small business is personal.  Many customers are starving for businesses that allow them to connect to something beyond the products and services they offer.  A small business has a story to tell and one that most customers can relate to.  Everyone loves a story and especially one that is honest and heartfelt.  How did you start your business?  I’ll bet that many can say that their dad or mom or someone in the family taught them the ropes and then they took over from there.  What a wonderful story, a family tradition.  It’s something to be proud of.  A

By |2017-03-16T15:44:49+00:00March 16th, 2017|Business Advice, Chamber News, Featured|Comments Off on Sometimes It’s Good to be Small
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Why Collaboration is so Important

by: Kelly Fliller I recently had the opportunity of being in a room with nearly 40 leaders from all different industries and organizations, coming together to discuss ways in which we can make our community the healthiest in the state.  Businesses, non-profits, community organizations, police, township officials, school district administrators and health organizations were all represented.  Some of these people could even be considered competitors but as I watched the discussions unfold, I noticed a common theme – everyone was willing to help each other.  When one wins, we all win when it comes to making our community a better place. Groups that could possibly fight each other for a piece of the pie were talking about how they could work together to make a bigger impact.  It seemed that everyone put aside their own personal gain in order to benefit the community where they work and live.  This is collaboration. There are so many benefits of working together.  We are used to working with people inside our own organization.  When we work with people outside of our workplace, that is when the magic happens.  Here are a few of the many benefits of collaboration. 1. Creative brainstorming How many times

By |2017-03-14T16:54:49+00:00March 14th, 2017|Business Advice, Chamber News, Featured|Comments Off on Why Collaboration is so Important
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Philanthropy and Your Business

Want to make more money, give more away! Philanthropy is part of who I am and I can tell you that there is no greater feeling, no greater satisfaction, than knowing you’re making a difference. But giving back to your community is also good for your business. While giving back should not come with the expectations of a return, it is however the collateral affects, such as acquiring customers who embrace your cause, which you cannot control. Philanthropy helps build relationships with clients and potential clients. It helps build and support your brand and it promotes employee engagement. And, let’s face it: good corporate citizens want to do business with others who share their values of giving back to the community. Entrepreneur.com says: “Think of the NFL and the United Way”. The NFL has done a great job associating itself and the players with a charitable organization that does good work for communities throughout the country. It makes you feel good when you see a player giving back to his community. In other words, the act of giving back evokes emotions and fosters connections with people of like minds. So how does giving back help your bottom line? A Harvard

By |2017-01-10T18:03:00+00:00December 6th, 2016|Business Advice|Comments Off on Philanthropy and Your Business
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Things to Consider Before Signing Up for 0% Financing at the Car Dealership

0% financing is something you’ve probably heard or maybe have even done before, however - before you sign on the dotted line, here are some important things to consider. What is really your best deal? Undoubtedly you’ve heard about 0% financing offers that many auto dealers often promote. Although they seem to be incredible deals, and are certainly tempting - you should read the fine print and know the facts before you head to your local car dealership. To help you decide if 0% (aka: a low “teaser” rate) is the best deal for you, here are a few facts and restrictions you may encounter: Almost perfect credit may be needed in order to qualify for this offer. You may be required to give up a manufacturer’s rebate. It could mean shorter terms and larger monthly payments. It is usually offered on a limited number of models. You may be limited to dealer stock and not be able to choose the exact vehicle you are interested in. Research, research, research! By using First Financial’s free financial calculators located under the Resources tab at firstffcu.com, you will be better equipped when you finally make that trip to the dealership. You may

By |2017-01-04T20:40:42+00:00October 17th, 2016|Business Advice, Lifestyle|Comments Off on Things to Consider Before Signing Up for 0% Financing at the Car Dealership
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The Importance of Raising Up Our Leaders

I am sure that you have heard that our Nine + Dine/Scholarship Dinner is fast-approaching!  June 13th is just around the corner (believe it or not)! After we spend a couple of hours enjoying the splendor of the Toms River Country Club that afternoon, we will be honoring two very deserving students from our Chamber family with scholarships to aid in the continuation of their educations. These two young women stood-out among nearly two dozen applicants for this year’s Greater Toms River Chamber of Commerce Scholarships. Sarah comes to us via her father’s company, the Ocean County Vocational Technical School and is a sophomore at the University of New Hampshire where she is studying Environmental Engineering.  She is an athlete, volunteer, and mentor.  She has been named to the Dean’s List every semester since starting at UNH.   Margit, who comes to us via her mother’s company, the Toms River Regional School System, earned her way into the high honor roll every marking period of her high school career.  She is an athlete, a musician, a volunteer, and an employee.   {I have so much to share about these two students, but you’ll have to join us on June 13th

By |2017-01-04T20:40:42+00:00May 4th, 2016|Business Advice, Events, Featured|Comments Off on The Importance of Raising Up Our Leaders
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Want an empty inbox? Try this.

You may already know that I am one of those people in a daily battle when it comes to paper.  For the sake of argument, it’s fair to assume that “paper” = all things cut from trees + sent via email.   While I am proactive – I am on do-not-mail lists, I unsubscribe from countless solicitation emails, my shredder has a front-row seat in my home office and and-from-home office – more paper comes in than I know what to do with. In 2014, I took a morning to get all of my inboxes to zero (now, it's something that I do at least once a week).  I actually took a screenshot of it because my feathers were so fluffed.     Can you relate? In my experience with fellow members of group programs, clients, and even friends, I know that I’m not alone. A colleague in an online program I took a couple of years ago told our group that she had 40k emails in her inbox {I felt stress that I had 40 in my personal iCloud account – 40k is out of my scope}.   She said that she didn’t know how to tackle them and

By |2017-01-04T20:40:42+00:00April 6th, 2016|Business Advice, Productivity|Comments Off on Want an empty inbox? Try this.
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