Long Island Small Business issue

Vol. 2 Issue 02

Once in a Blu Chip Moon Karin Caro – Up Close and Personal

Roslyn Goldmacher “Where’s The Money?”

From Farm to Vineyard Long Island’s Agribusiness Diversifies

Cornerstone Interview Neil Kaufman, Chairman of the Long Island Capital Alliance Is a Mega-Million$ Clean Energy Technology Incubating at Stony Brook?

LIFT Teaming Up to Win!

Small Biz Entrepreneurs: The Mom & Pop, The One Woman Show, The Corporation and The Serial Entrepreneur SAVE the DATE! 12TH ANNUAL SMART GROWTH SUMMIT Sponsorships are available! Friday, November 22nd Contact Vision Long Island Phone: 631-261-0242 8:00am-4:00pm Email: [email protected] stay tuned for event details! Melville Marriott www.visionlongisland.org

Register Today! Sponsorships are available! 631-261-0242 [ ] Visionary ($15,000) [ ] Leader ($10,000) [ ] Gold Sponsor ($5,000) [ ] Sponsor ($2,000) [ ] ___ seats ($125/person | $150 at the door) Method of Payment: [ ] Check enclosed [ ] Check sent (faxed replies only) [ ] Pay at the door [ ] Credit Card

Attendee Name(s): ______Affiliation: ______Address: ______City, State, Zip: ______Email: ______Phone: ______Fax: ______Credit Card: [ ] Visa [ ] MasterCard [ ] American Express Name, as it appears on card: ______Credit Card Number: ______Expiration Date: ______Please return this form to: 24 Woodbine ave., suite tWo, northPort, nY 11768 or fax to 631-754-4452 WWW.visionlongisland.org - vision long island is a 501(c)3 not-for-Profit organization. all donations over the fair market value of $45 Per ticket are tax-deductible. checks can be made PaYable to vision long island. Editorial p.4 Great Ideas p.6 Cornerstone Interview, with Neil Kaufman p.10 Welcome to Long Island’s Barbara Kent New Business of Businesses p.12 Publisher/Editor-in-Chief --LaunchPad [email protected] Vivian Leber, Editor-at-Large Economic Engines [email protected] Biz.org p.14 LIFT Teaming Up For Chris Kent, Creative Director p.18 Success [email protected] Private Sector Sales Contributors p.19 Vivian Leber, M.B.A. Affordable Health Care John P. Wilson, Ph.D. p Act—What Long Islanders Shari Peyser .20 Need to Know, Walter Oden Umit Sami Anthony Manetta Where’s The Money?, Roz Walter Oden p.21 Goldmacher Carlene Afetian Is a Mega-Million$/ Jaci Clelment World-Changing Clean Tom Scarda Energy Technology p.22 Patti Bloom Incubating here, at Stony Brook U? Maria Prieto John Hill Cover Story, Karin Walter Oden Caro-Once in a Blu p.24 Chip Moon Roslyn D. Goldmacher Homegrown-LI [email protected] p.28 Agri-Business Diversifies Pamela Winnikoff Cornerstone Interview PAW Communications p.31 with Gloria Glowacki [email protected] Entrepreneurs Photography p.32 Cover, Len Marks Trade Show Tips, www.LenmarksPhoto.com p.34 John Hill 631-367-1219 Vivian Leber Reaching the Barbara Kent p.36 Hispanic Market Thank you to our sponsors: The Franchise Perspective, Blu Chip Marketing Tom Scarda p Abrams Fensterman .40 Carter, DeLuca, Your Business Farrel & Schmidt, LLP and the Media, LIDC p.39 Melville Chamber Jaci Clement Vision Long Island What if it Happens again? p.38 LIFT Tips for Contingency Planning, Patti Bloom www.TheCorridorLI.com From the Editor’s Desk

Our inner beast is pleased with victory at any cost and trembles with fear at the thought of competition. Fortunately the “inner beast” in the very best cases has a “civilized intellect” over-lord, whose name is “Collaboration”. Great for business. LIFT’s federally funded Small Business Pilot Teaming project enables Long Island small businesses to broaden their talent base and their market through collaboration and diversification.

We were very fortunate to have a close exchange with Karin Caro, CEO of BluChip Marketing and owner or part-owner in eight other small businesses. Our frank conversation is heart-warming and inspirational. Barbara Kent Welcome to her Blu Chip world. Publisher/Editor-in-Chief I hope you find this issue as informative and exciting as I do. There is never enough room or time to cover everyone so we try to choose topics you might want to know a little more about. We found three people with Great Ideas who are ready to find a manufacturer, expand a market and develop a product further. It is our great hope that they find success with this, their first-time publication.

The Entrepreneur is a special hybrid comprised of equal parts salesperson, creator, and production manager. We asked four different genres of entrepreneur-Sole Proprietor, Corporation, Serial Entrepreneur and Mom & Pop what works for them and why they did it.

We took a road trip to the East End to talk to the farmers and vintners who consistently produce highest yield in the state in some crops and award winning wines. Agriculture is big business on Long Island, both in crop production and tourism.

We’ll introduce you to a lot of people in this issue, and give you a rundown of business organizations, chambers of commerce and economic engines. This issue’s cornerstone interviews are fittingly, Neil Kaufman, current Chairman of the Long Island Capital Alliance and Gloria Glowacki, outgoing Associate Regional Director of the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) at Stony Brook University.

We welcome LaunchPad, less than a year old, to the LI business community.

In addition to contributions by top guest columnists Roz Goldmacher, Anthony Manetta, Walter Oden and Jaci Clement; tips, tools, advice, resources, contacts and much more. Welcome to the Long Island Small Business issue of the Corridor. I hope you enjoy it.

This issue of The Corridor is dedicated to the memory of Lawrence Kushnick, Esq., close friend of thousands, proud steward of the Town of Huntington and graduate from and strong supporter of Leadership Huntington. His legacy will live on with the Lawrence A. Kushnick Memorial Fund for Leadership Huntington. To donate please go to www.LeadershipHuntington.org. 4 The Susan Satriano Memorial Scholarship Foundation 3012 Waverly Avenue Oceanside, NY 11572

The Susan Satriano Memorial Foundation 516-603-5520 www.susansatrianofoundation.com

~ Presents ~ Strawberry Fields Benefit Concert Featuring the best Beatles tribute band in the country! The “fab four” had their debut performance in Broadway’s hit musical, Beatlemania. The group will perform on Oct. 26, 2013, 8:00 p.m. ~ Tickets, $25 each Oceanside High School, 3160 Skillman Avenue, Oceanside, NY Raffles, 50/50, snacks and refreshments will be available - doors open at 6:45 p.m. For information, call 516-603-5520 or visit www.susansatrianofoundation.com.

The Susan Satriano Memorial Foundation is a nonprofit organization launched in 2006 by Oceanside resident and author, Joseph Satriano in tribute to his wife, Susan, who battled breast cancer for thirteen-years. The Susan Satriano Memorial Scholarship Foundation provides high school seniors with scholarships when a parent has suffered with cancer. Since its inception, the foundation has awarded $300,000 to over 450 students across Long Island and the nation. The foundation is funded by donations from family, friends, businesses, as well as the net proceeds of Joe Satriano’s book, In Sickness and in Health: A Memoir of Love. Melt and the Clean Sponge JOHN P. WILSON, Ph.D. I’m a problem solver and the things I’ve developed are simply solutions First is Melt™, a proprietary chemistry which melts away all those very to problems I encounter going through life. Maybe more importantly, my sticky things that won’t otherwise come off like adhesive or permanent values imbue these products. It’s really important to me that if you’re marker, while not damaging what you’re cleaning. I developed Melt™ going to do something – anything really – then you have to do the job after I used Goof Off™ on plastic. In this case it was my Petri dishes, and honestly and “do it right.” I can’t stand half-baked results, poor effort or it just completely destroyed the surface. Apparently I’m not alone: if you laziness in general yet it seems I’m surrounded by exactly that topped off Google “Goof Off damage” you get 170,000 hits. Melt™ hasn’t damaged with an extensive lack of integrity to boot. While that both any surface I’ve tried it on yet including finished wood, Plexiglas and other disappoints and upsets me, it also has some really clear plastics. It comes in convenient small bottles for your house and worrisome consequences: I have to automatically garage and it’s available in pine, citrus and lemongrass scents. It removes assume that all product claims are BS, that things are adhesives (and thus stickers!), oils, waxes, permanent marker, greasy probably toxic (so I keep them away from my family) smears and more. Put on a few drops and gently pull, on a price tag for and, at great expense of money and time, I have to example, or rub with a soft rag or tissue paper. Any remaining Melt™ will determine what actually works and what’s safe to evaporate, leaving a clean surface. use. Why is knowing that a product is safe and will work too much to ask? Unfortunately, it seems we The second is a solution to your home’s biggest biohazard: your kitchen don’t really have that choice very often. sponge. Your sponge contains 200,000 more bacteria than your toilet seat[1] and 64% of sponges harbor medically serious pathogens[2] like For this reason, all my products share the simple MURSA, E. coli O157, Salmonella, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Proteus, characteristics of social and commercial Staphylococcus and even Campylobacter, which causes Guillain-Barre responsibility: they are real syndrome and can lead to paralysis. Even if you think your sponge is new solutions to real problems that you or clean, there’s a 25% chance that it will still fail a hygiene test.[3] Despite and I can rely on. I have designed these real dangers, we somehow still keep this veritable household them using knowledge from a biohazard under our noses, literally! We smear it on the surfaces we eat very broad array of fields and from and cook on and unsurprisingly, 1 of 6 Americans get food poisoning I only release things that work every year at a whopping cost of $77 billion with 3,000 people dying.[4] as well as I can make them. If Actually, I learned all these facts only after I solved the problem. I began I don’t use a product at home with genuine concerned for my family when I looked at our really scary, with my own kids and family, really disgusting kitchen sponge. or if I’m unsatisfied with its performance, I won’t release Unfortunately, our sponge sometimes sits at the bottom of the sink and an invention. Very simply, one night when cleaning up, I was genuinely revulsed as I grabbed it: my products are a job well at least if I were cleaning up after a dog, there’d be a plastic bag over done, or at least as well as my hand yet my bare skin was in contact with that nasty smelly thing. I can do it, and they work. Annoyed, I decided to solve that problem. Many iterations later including lots and lots of failed attempts at new chemistry, I invented Nanogreen™, While I have many an integrated, patent-pending technology that kills >99.99% of bacteria prototypes, I’ve begun with through a unique chemical composition of safe, non-toxic and 100% two. Please let me describe natural ingredients (Fig. 1). Note that it’s not just microbiostatic (stops them. things from growing), it’s actually microbiocidal: it actively kills bacteria, mold, viruses and fungi dead.

Your Sponge Nanogreen

Figure 1 >99.99% of bacteria are killed by Nanogreen™. I left a Nanogreen™ (right) and normal sponge (left) right next to it in the bottom of our sink for a week. Plating the same 6 quantity of sponge juice, the answer was clear and striking. Like all the products I make, Nanogreen™ sticks to the principles of social In my house, Nanogreen™ has worked really well for us: months later our and commercial responsibility. First of all, it really works (see Fig. 1). The sponges get tattered but don’t smell (and are sterile!). I made Nanogreen™ anti-bacterial sponges I tested didn’t actually kill bacteria. Second, if you look to protect my family and I suggest you do the same. So protect your family. carefully at most anti-bacterial sponges, they’re marked “not for aquarium Get Nanogreen™. use” because they contain toxic chemicals. In contrast, Nanogreen™ is completely safe and nontoxic to you and the environment. You and your kids Dr. John P. Wilson is a Biochemist and Biophysicist officially working can grab it without worry; you can even chew on it if you really want to. The as a Postdoctoral Researcher at the Pappin Laboratory of Protein sponge lasts just as long as other sponges and you use your Nanogreen™ Analysis and Mass Spectrometry at the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory. sponge like any other. Nanogreen™ sponges simply won’t turn all stinky He also founded and runs NYC Bio, a 501(c)3 with the mission of smelly and yes, they’re just fine for fishbowls. fostering a thriving biotech cluster in the Greater NYC region. He can be reached at [email protected]. Clever Cocoon Closet Cards Shari Peyser Clever Cocoon Closet Cards began when I joined a business networking group that met every single week, and I realized that I was going to have a problem with my clothes. The men wore suits and ties, and the few women in the group were very well dressed. My business is home-based, and while I do go out to see clients, I don’t have a big wardrobe. I didn’t want to show up every week wearing the same clothes. It was that simple.

The first thing I thought of was using index cards, so I punched a hole in a card, wrote the name of the outfit and the date that I wore it, and stuck it on a hangar. First problem – ink smudges. Second problem – index cards aren’t that strong. I wanted to create something that would have a little window, like an envelope, where you could see the information easily but without getting ink or pencil marks on other clothes. It had to be strong so it wouldn’t pull off of the hanger. It also had to lie flat, so it wouldn’t take up a lot of space. And it had to be easy enough to use, so that I could read it and decide what to wear at 6:00 AM. I ended up with a desk covered in scraps of paper, clear plastic, envelopes and packaging with windows and five different kinds of glue. My prototype looked like a bad arts and crafts project, but it worked. A design professional helped refine how it looks, and taught me about manufacturing. I hired a patent attorney, who helped me get a patent and a trademark.

Clever Cocoon is really just starting. The next step is going after companies that sell products for closets and housewares, setting up a national media program, and attending trade shows. I know that getting this off the ground is not going to be easy, but I believe that Clever Cocoon solves a problem and that is what’s at the heart of a successful invention.

Shari can be reached at 631-595-7150 Clever Cocoon Closet Cards, LLC www.CleverCocoon.com, [email protected] 7 GPSat the Mall Umit D. Sami LBS software systems (Location Based Services) that work seamlessly in junction with indoor navigation hardware systems provide a unique set of opportunities for the future of the retail industry.

In LBS systems, also known as proximity services, the accuracy of the distance between the shop and the shopper is a very important metric, in addition to speed reliability and the quality of the media content, simply because it allows the system to perform a better, more relevant and accurate product search and recommendation services for the customer who might be searching for a sale item on store shelves. One analogy that we use for comparison is the story of Yahoo versus Google search. One may argue that what has essentially differentiated Google search from Yahoo’s search engine was hidden in its simple webpage ranking method, a simple algorithm that has dramatically improved the accuracy of search results in web browsers. An indoor navigation system that reports a shopper half a mile away from a GAP store in the mall is not the same as the system that accurately reports that person, is only one foot or even one inch away, from the same GAP store in the mall. r2sq Inc, which stands for “retail squares” is a Long-Island based pre-seed stage multimedia technology startup that specializes in design, marketing, and delivery of information related to consumer products, such as health, location and promotional content. r2sq’s multimedia technology platform is specifically designed for shoppers who shop for sale items in retail indoor environments such as malls and supermarkets where GPS signal is not available.

One well-known approach that addresses this accuracy issue with indoor navigation system is camera based computer vision systems that are capable of identifying and tracking the shopper in indoor environments. These camera vision systems are solely based on the appearance of the shopper which might be used as unique identifiers to tag that person in the tracking software - such as the person’s clothing, facial characteristics, body shape and or accessories they might be wearing that day.

The main challenge with the computer vision approach is that all vision systems require multiple cameras, are very CPU intensive, very expensive and difficult to maintain. In most cases 100 up time is not possible. From the technical standpoint object occlusion and background clutters are some of the well-known problems that prevent vision systems to reach beyond the 70-80% accuracy threshold.

Another well-known well-studied tracking and navigation technology is radio frequency (RF), which involves installation of wireless routers on the ceiling of the building and use of wireless triangulation algorithms to track the smart-phone carrying shopper in the store (similar to L1 signal that we receive in our Smartphone from 24 GPS satellites that are located around the globe). Unfortunately years of research have proven that RF approaches are not accurate enough for tracking shoppers in indoor environments. Radio waves are subject to interference and multi-wave propagation delay and various other environmental challenges. It is also an expensive and labor-

8 intensive technology to deploy and maintain in store in early R&D (prototyping phase) and is being patented environments. and developed in private research labs in the United States with very limited resources. If everything goes well r2sq’s The best-known alternative to CV (Computer Vision) and engineering team is planning to release a commercially RF (Radio Frequency) is INS (Inertial Navigation Systems) viable version of the indoor navigation system, a hardware technology, which essentially is a 9-axis MEMS chip that is device, before the third quarter of 2014. capable of tracking your location by counting your footsteps against its own gravitational force. Despite its heavy use and Another key advantage of r2sq multimedia e-commerce adaptation in various defense and industrial applications, platform is the immersive and interactive nature of the consumer grade INS chips are still in their infancy and media content that is presented to Smartphone enabled actively being developed in commercial and academic customers. r2sq multimedia systems use the latest voice research labs. Thanks to applications of nanotechnology and vision algorithms to interact with the consumer. For and semiconductor industry in a broader sense. There instance, r2sq’s mobile augmented reality e-commerce app are also several commercial chip vendors out there who will allow the vendor to effectively communicate the value manufacture INS chips for consumer applications such of its product to the shopper in real-time with embedded as smart-phones and other related wearable electronic and interactive 3D graphics – a unique and fun shopping gadgets, STMicroelectronics and InvenSense are just a experience in itself. And while all of that is happening few names that shine in that space. However, it is also in the front-end r2sq’s back-end engine will use big data important to mention that no smart-phone manufacturer and machine learning techniques to sense the shopping has yet been able to use these INS chips to accurately track characteristics and habits of the consumer, which in turn shoppers in indoor environments. Therefore, the ultimate can arm the consumer with more actionable shopping quest for the holy grail of indoor navigation is still very much intelligence as she/he scans over the store shelves intact and alive. The main issues with the use of consumer for specific sale items. r2sq’s engineering team has grade INS chip for tracking a user in indoor environments projected that the complementary mobile and the back-end is actually in the chip’s initialization and calibration process. e-commerce software will be available for distribution in the In other words, the user who is carrying an INS chip must commercial markets at some point before the forth quarter tell the device as well as the underlying mapping software, of 2015. The following is a simple pictorial representation of where he/she is initially located in the building to activate the the r2sq multimedia technology system in action: navigation software. Only then the INS chip can initialize the user and start counting the user’s actual footsteps, In closing, by means of core innovation and superior hence, estimating his/her location, relevant to his/her initial engineering as well as the algorithmic intelligence and starting point in the building. The other problem with INC the sophisticated media and marketing content that will chips is calibration. Current INS chips that are sold in the be delivered to the end-consumers in real-time, r2sq is market tend to drift away from their calibrated specs just confident that its upcoming multimedia technology platform after a few minutes of use. Almost in all test cases they will revolutionize how shoppers in indoor environments report inaccurate location information - unless of course the interact with vendors and their products while also user is willing to manually reset them (re-calibrate the chip). fundamentally redefining how companies spend their Overlapping this INS sensory information with proper GIS advertisement dollars on marketing initiatives. Also from mapping data is also a very challenging task. The third the consumer’s prospective the value proposition is very problem, which I think is the most important one, is the fact clear. The end-customer gets access to r2sq’s multimedia that MEMS based INS chips require the user, the shopper, platform free of charge and is able to leverage its unique to carry it on their body inside some wearable gadget such information sharing platform to make more intelligent as a Smartphone, smart-watch or Google glass like device, shopping decisions, all of which is done in real-time, at which can be frustrating to wear or navigate (may or may the point of purchase. By sharing valuable side product not result in the desirable shopping experience). information such as health and safety labels, fun facts, product recommendation services and a few other things, Beside these three mainstream technologies (CV, RF and r2sq instantly improves the quality of life for the shopper – INS) there are a few other emerging technologies that can not to mention that its money saving promotional coupon be used to target this indoor navigation challenge and system has the potential to significantly affect that shopper’s r2sq is one of those startups that have been working on bottom line everyday, on a day-by-day basis. this grand challenge for a number of years. r2sq research team claims that it has found the best possible solution to Umit Sami can be reached at HYPERLINK “mailto:Umit. this indoor navigation challenge, which if proven to be a [email protected]”[email protected] or (516) 551- viable solution, will become the enabling technology for its 6599.960 Wheeler road, PO box 5081, Hauppauge, flagship retail multimedia products. The system is currently 11788 9 CORNERSTONE INTERVIEW

Neil M. Kaufman Chairman of Long Island Capital Alliance by Vivian Leber

Some years ago, one of Neil Kaufman’s clients at Abrams Fensterman, a law practice in Lake Success where he is a partner and chairs the Corporate Department, received early-stage financing from the Long Island Capital Alliance (LICA), and he thought, “what a great organization.” He soon joined its board, and in June 2012 became LICA’s chairman, succeeding Jeffrey Bass, who after serving for 25 years now is Chairman Emeritus. LICA is possibly the oldest continuously operating our workers among the most productive in the world, organization of its kind in the U.S. As a not-for-profit and with our world-class science research, I don’t group, it does not take an investment stake in companies; see why we can’t be competitive with other high tech it connects the investment community to Long Island regions.” Kaufman notes that LI has more than 20 public businesses, which may range from early-stage to companies and hundreds of successful middle-market mature companies that are seeking growth capital. LICA family and privately owned companies, not household also helps businesses form strategic relationships with names, yet generating significant economic activity. customers, suppliers or business partners, and links them to expert business advisors. A lot of investment activity on LI flies under the radar and is thus being underestimated, according to Kaufman. “In my view, we need to focus on helping our local LI has a long tradition of raising money through private companies grow through every stage in order to placements which are not counted in traditional tallies of create a more vibrant economy,” Kaufman says. LICA VC. Once pending regulatory rules for private placements is collaborating with the region’s accelerators and are written, in theory, that will open another door – it investment firms. “We want to facilitate a more integrated would be allowable then to promote such instruments to stepping-stone approach, so as to avoid situations where accredited investors. “We’ll see what the rules say before a business gets some capital in one stage, and then is we decide how to proceed,” he says. left as an orphan.” As Kaufman explains it, a company that is funded with LICA as facilitator and mentor would The four Capital Forums that LICA runs each year cover instead step directly into a structured pipeline, so that sectors deemed to have solid growth potential. Starting partners such as Accelerate Long Island and the Long with the most recent and indicating partner organizations, Island Angel Network, and in later-stages, debt funders, its forums have covered the fields of Biotech, with Cold would be available with guidance and stand ready to Spring Harbor Laboratory, Health Care, with Stony Brook continue with support at each growth step. University, Social Media, with Accelerate LI and Social Media Association, Inc., Cyber Security, with LIFT and LICA is in the process of formulating a strategic plan LISTnet, and Technology Transfer, with Brookhaven that, Kaufman says, will build on its strengths and National Laboratory. On September 13, LICA will hold a continue to address regional challenges. “We’ve seen Consumer Products Capital Forum, and on December 13, the frustration of fiefdoms doing their own thing. We are one for Manufacturing, with LIFT. A future Biotechnology committed to working closely and collectively with all Capital Forum is in store, with the Feinstein Institute of other organizations for the common purpose of building the North Shore Health System and Cold Spring Harbor the LI economy. LICA is committed to making even Laboratory as partners. further progress.” Each forum books up to six presenting companies seeking “We’re doing better as a region than people realize. A capital, who are selected from a large pool of applicants. lot of manufacturing is tucked away in Long Island’s LICA gives them a template for the presentation, provides industrial parks. Sure, it’s expensive here, but with them with a coach, and rehearses them.“ Kaufman 10 notes that the companies find the process extremely helpful in refining their business plan. Each presenting company then gets eight minutes to make its case, followed by an expert panel analyzing an issue common to many entrepreneurs seeking capital. September’s Consumer Products (and Retail) Forum reached its quota for investor-attendees long before the event. “Presenters have active discussions with investors and deals get done after each Forum,” Kaufman says. Applicants who don’t get to present are referred to other LI organizations based on their development stage and field.

A+ Technologies, an established and growing company which presented at the Cyber Security Forum, was able to raise $12 million in capital. Long Island Fiber Exchange got funded and later sold. Population Diagnostics received some funding. Kaufman sees evidence that biotech companies have strong expansion potential on Long Island.

Kaufman describes working with his legal practice’s clients to build companies as “one of the most fun and rewarding things I do.” He explains that with three decades of experience helping to buy and sell businesses, and having learned how Wall Street, financial markets and boardrooms work, it was natural for him to want to give back by helping companies and research institutions to grow on Long Island.

Back when hardly any LI law firms handled corporate and securities matters, Kaufman took a chance on an opportunity that opened, a choice that has enabled him to take on many roles and still see his family. “After working at a big Wall Street firm and living in Manhattan, I made a life choice with my wife to live and work on Long Island, where we both grew up, to have a backyard and put my kids to bed at night.” Kaufman’s daughter, now in her mid-20s, is a teacher living in Chicago, and his son will begin NYU Law School, Kaufman’s own alma mater, this fall. “I made a life choice with my wife to live and work on Long Island...”

Kaufman also serves as president of the LI Chapter of Financial Executives Institute (FEI), is on the Corporate Advisory Board of the DNA Learning Center at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, and is on the Board of Advisors of LI Invest. FEI works to influence federal regulatory policies, statutes and regulations that affect capital formation. FEI brings together comptrollers, CFOs and other financial executives to meet in private to discuss common concerns and opportunities. A separate monthly meeting brings in speakers and provides a forum for community interactions.

Neil Kaufman appears to relish wearing multiple hats to help promote Long Island growth through business and capital formation, and says, “I don’t think Long Island is as difficult as people make it out to be.”

Mr. Kaufman is a partner and chairman of the Corporate Department of the 55-lawyer firm Abrams Fensterman (Abrams, Fensterman, Fensterman, Eisman, Formato, Ferrara & Einiger, LLP). He represents early stage to mature public companies and investment firms, with respect to corporate, securities, financing, borrowing, merger & acquisition and other legal matters covering the entire life cycle of companies. Contact him at [email protected] or 516-368-9411. 11 NEW BUSINESS LaunchPad Brings the Vibe of Shark-Tank to Long Island as the

New Hub for Startups by Vivian Leber

To help startups, Long Island has venerable small business advisory agencies, and several incubators, accelerators and co-working spaces. LaunchPad is the first one-stop center to combine those elements under one roof and channel capital to nascent or early-stage companies. A number of Long Island’s business and legal luminaries mentor LaunchPad clients, serve as board directors, and bankrolled the building’s spaces and equipment. Stony Brook University and Hofstra Zarb School of Business provide speakers and advisors. All those involved are hopeful that the venture will help to leverage Long Island’s technology assets to move the needle on jobs and boost its profile as a vibrant hub where entrepreneurial zeal and brilliant innovations converge. After the gut renovation of partner, can write additional an outwardly drab three- checks for up to $2.5 million. story building in Mineola, Together they helped to next to the LIRR Train capitalize the Hauppauge- Station, LaunchPad’s doors based GroupGifting.com, opened in February with which allows social media sleek décor, meeting spaces friends to buy giftcards that invite collaboration, for other friends. Digital and a games lounge. The technology startups represent building’s features, functions 60% of LaunchPad’s and walkable downtown commitments; another 40% location won LaunchPad run the gamut. and collaborator LISTnet the Vision Long Island 2013 At the well-attended monthly Smart Growth Award for Pitch-Night, five presenters “Best Mix of Uses.” have minutes to showcase their business plan and LaunchPad is a for-profit answer a panel’s questions; June’s Pitch-Night resulted in a tie-win between Joseph Triglia of Jubilee Flooring and business that takes an Tonia Torrellas who invented It’s My Bag, shown with Richard Foster and Andrew Hazen the audience then votes. investment stake in promising Winners get a month of office companies which it also systematically nurtures; other companies as space, feedback from the co-working community, mentoring from tenants gets some services without the stake. Simply cohabitating and Hazen and Foster, and second opportunity to pitch potential investors. enjoying occasional free food with other keen minds is energizing for the entrepreneurs, and visits to a Manhattan collaborator would take only “Early stage companies can get some money from crowd-funding, but 30 minutes by train. LaunchPad charges reasonable fees for co-working then what? Through LaunchPad they get the right advisors and back space, private offices, conference rooms, and ancillary services. It holds office team,,” Foster says. Hazen adds, “Those who pitch us and don’t meetups, a summer Accelerator camp, and a speaker series. LaunchPad get selected still get tremendous feedback. We throw questions at them and LISTnet will co-present a new type of event for Long Island on that they never thought of. When we’re finished working with them, December 11th-- LAUNCH YOUR STARS. Nominated companies, some even pivot and transform their business model.” entrepreneurs and small business owners, who must be under age 35, will get to present their transformational ideas or endeavors in competing Hazen and Foster have aspirations for LaunchPad’s next few years. for 15 winners’ places and for the attention of investor groups. A second site is set to open in Huntington Village (named LaunchPad Huntington), in a collaboration with GroupGifting.com which is taking LaunchPad co-founders Andrew Hazen and Richard Foster are veteran the space and will lead the effort. The founders also envision teaming entrepreneurs and investors. Hazen, an attorney with Ruskin Moscou with more colleges, syndicating deals with other VC groups, and Faltischek, built and then sold his Melville-based digital marketing agency growing their portfolio of investments and next-level enterprises. “We’d and founded Angel Dough Ventures. Foster started his first company at also like to make deals with more women-owned companies.” Hazen age 14 and now, at age 24, holds numerous patents and equity-partner says. stakes. Hazen and Foster seeded LaunchPad with $250,000 with which to make equity picks. The Long Island Angel Network (LIAN), a key Contact LaunchPad at [email protected], or 1-855-8-Launch, and visit www.launchpadli.com. 12 JOIN THE CELEBRATION 18 years of Developing, Connecting and Engaging Community Leadership in the Town of Huntington

Leadership Huntington Foundation Gala and Graduation of the Class of 2013 Wednesday, October 16, 2013, 6-10PM at The Huntington Country Club Please join us in celebrating the Leadership Huntington Class of 2013 Nishi Behl - Courtney Bynoe - Helen Crosson - Luann Dallojacono - Lora Gellerstein Ray Homburger - Ellen Mazzeo – Rose Molfetta – Paul Imbriale – Michael Lantier Michael Raspantini – Michael Schoolman – Peter Tonna and Honorees

Dianne Parker Les Bluestone Sara Bluestone Founders Award Outstanding Community Trustee Graduate of Distinction

Announcing Keynote Speaker: Donald Monti, Renaissance Downtowns

Tickets $125. Sponsorship and Journal Advertisement Opportunities Available. Visit www.leadershiphuntington.org for registration. Contact 516-921-4896 or [email protected] for more information. Economic Engines The Chamber of Commerce Operating a business of any size comes with a mix of challenges and is a tall order for even the most seasoned, most savvy professionals. Fortunately, there are organizations that businesses can turn to for help, whether they’re a startup, existing business looking to grow or well-established concern vying for market leader distinction.

Lynchpins for economic and community development, our Chambers of Commerce help businesses advance their mission while driving forward the collective interests of their members. Throughout history, they have served as a vital force in advancing economic and community development. Surprisingly, many were formed even before the formation of the jurisdictions they represent.

Largely self-funded, with a handful of paid staff and on serving the 110 Corridor and applied to become a groups of volunteers, they enact significant, often-needed Chamber.” community reform. Catalysts for economic development, they play a significant role in promoting our communities as As its President for over a decade, Deluise has achieved vibrant places to live, work, invest and transact commerce. some major milestones. “You can blame or praise us for the current construction aimed at traffic easing along the More than 100 operate across Nassau and Suffolk, Corridor. Our initial suggestions and ongoing requests affording members a mix of important services, programs were fast-tracked with government support and the arrival and networking opportunities. Let’s take a look at what of Canon’s move to our neighborhood.” three right in our own backyard are up to. Other missions he’s tackling include calling for the Melville resurrection of the LIRR station at Republic Airport, The Melville Chamber had its roots with humble beginnings teaming with the County (Suffolk), State and Town etched on a napkin at (Babylon) to explore a Rapid Bus Rapid Transit System for the Sweet Hollow Diner a north/south route on the Corridor and other high-traffic when Mike DeLuise and routes and promoting economic and business development a local real estate leader throughout the area. “We are most proud that as a volunteer brainstormed ways to resolve organization, we never focus on ‘getting the credit.’ Sharing a major issue along the 110 our success and efforts with the community is what we are Corridor: Business was being all about.” adversely impacted by traffic congestion. DeLuise recalls Huntington Township the timeframe as 2002. He Since its formation 85 years ago, the Huntington was reaching out to all the big Township Chamber has served members by advancing guns he knew for help. government advocacy initiatives, offering networking opportunities, community “I called local, county and development programs, public state offices. I called the policy activism and educational LIA and every chamber programs. One distinctive and business organization in the region. No organization benefit of membership in the was interested in our mission.” The mission was to ease Chamber is afforded through commuter congestion at the intersection of Route 110 its partnership with Adelphi and the Northern State Parkway. “At the time, creating University: Members can take a business organization was the furthest thing from our courses leading to the fulfillment minds.” of an MBA Degree at its office in Huntington. The unique program With continued futile attempts to engage support from enables members to advance others, he and a small group of like-minded cohorts took their careers while developing a matters into their own hands. “We contacted the State strong interconnectedness with and found there were no business organizations focused other area executives. 14 Long Island’s Film Window on the World!

The Chamber announced several new initiatives at its recent annual network meeting. Among them: a new upgraded website, 2014 Gala Event, member- to-member discounts and “Hot Deal Advertising” opportunities. Late incoming Chairman, Larry Kushnick 423 Park Avenue, Huntington, NY • 631-423-7610 said in his State of the Chamber Address on May 26th “We’ve accomplished so much within the past few years. • Celebrating 40 Years in Huntington • These accomplishments provide a great platform to launch even more initiatives to support local companies Now featuring 2K Digital Projection!!! and businesses within the Huntington Township so they Presenting the best in International can continue to stimulate business, drive innovation, and support our community. By supporting local business on and Independent movies, a grassroots level, we can build a strong foundation for Classic Revivals, Documentaries, our members to thrive and grow.” Filmmakers and Stars In Person, Three current board members, Robert Bontempi, James Silent Movies with Live Music, Kelly and Bob Scheiner, are stepping up to fill Kushnick shoes, “With the full agenda Larry put forward, we feel Cult Movies, LGBT Films, and more! that between the two past Chairmen and one Chairman- Elect, we can divide the responsibilities and the three of Enjoy our us together can achieve the job that the one Chairman Cafe Garden! would have.” Larry’s were big shoes to fill and he will be sorely missed.

Hicksville The Hicksville Chamber of Commerce was born in 1926 and has experienced a more than two hundred percent increase in membership over the last five years since current president Visit www.cinemaartscentre.org Lionell Chitty arrived at to join our mailing list, and see our program schedule its helm. With a full time staff of half a person, the Chamber is a powerhouse of community activity..

The Chamber sponsors numerous events and programs to continuously improve the quality of life residents and area employees and is a staple of progress in both Hicksville and outlying towns. Chitty urges members to take a look around and ask themselves “What the Chamber can do for them?” He observes the expansive reach of the Chamber to points east and west with members extending into Queens, Jericho and further out into Suffolk.

A key focal point of the Chamber is a revitalization initiative to increase business and commerce in downtown Hicksville. A cooperative venture with advocate and partner Vision Long Island, the program is focused on bringing new business into the area. The Chamber’s annual roster of events includes a Summer Street Fair, Golf Outing, Workshop Series and networking events. Members can participate in the Chamber’s Health Plan, banner ads, Web Banner Ads, email blasts, business to business mailers, print advertising discounts and other major benefits and perks.

15 Biz.org Business Organizations - Who Needs Them?

It can be very difficult for small business owners, who spends not have a large, corporate connection and they will not seek most of their time tending the business, to engage in anything one in the future. else. Advice and “presence” can be expensive and not a budget line-item. Some of the entrepreneur’s needs can be LIASB also maintains the lowest starting annual membership met by chambers of commerce, networking or professional dues and the most educational and free resources, ROI on organizations, all of which occasionally overlap. The Business Long Island. Perhaps most impressively 100% of membership Organization has a different role. funds are re-invested in programs and resources for small business membership. There are no high salaries, no Membership organizations offer perks, services, events, overhead and LIASB is 100% volunteer-driven. mentoring, education, networking and more. The cost is marginal considering the opportunities they provide. It requires Students: FREE an investment of your very hard earned dollars. We’ve chosen Associate-Start-Up (less than 2 years in business): $99/year three of what we consider the most cost-effective, involved and dynamic business associations on Long Island. They Regular: (1-9 employees) $199/year feature charismatic leaders, solid programs, great events and a hands-on approach to the support of your small business. Corporate: $750/year

Our first choice is The Hauppauge Industrial Association, the LIMBA, Long Island Metro Business Action, led by Ernie largest industrial association in the North East. Extremely Fazio. LIMBA’s fees are a little higher, but offer the small efficient, very cost effective, with numerous affordable business owner the same access to high profile business events through the year, and a very successful annual trade celebrities that the larger organizations do, in a more intimate show. The HIA shares a working knowledge of how small setting. Instead of watching the star over a thousand heads businesses should be run, with the tools at the ready to run at lunch, you are likely to be seated within a table or two. it with. Membership fees are scaled to the business’s sales: Guests and members alike are permitted to participate.

$475 for Companies with 200+ employees Individual $170 $400 for Companies with under 200 employees Not-for-Profit $300 $200 for Not-For-Profit Companies Small Company Sponsor Member $400 $100 for Young Entrepreneur’s under the age of 40 and in Sponsor Corporate $850 business for 5 years or less. There is no doubt that as an entrepreneur, you need a LIASB, the Long Island Advancement of Small Business led business organization to watch your back. If you can belong by Mr. John Hill, Author and Trade Show guru, is our second to two or three, you become part of a whirlwind of connections, choice. Founded in 2009 by Mr. Hill to meet professional comrades, networking, events and education. When you needs that he felt the larger associations could not, the LIASB combine these memberships with a professional organization is currently the only Not-for-Profit business association and a chamber of commerce, your business should evolve dedicated 100% to Small Business. Which means they do rapidly. 16

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Teaming Up for Success Third article in a series about LIFT, whose mission is to commercialize and gain market access for LI’s manufacturing technology companies. by Vivian Leber Opportunity came calling when the Federal Small Business risk to each party, and allows more efficient bid pricing. Administration created the Small Business Pilot Teaming Federal procurement processes have gained complexity Project. LIFT was one of only 11 economic development with the JOBS ACT of 2012. For example, stricter guidelines organizations nationwide to win the demonstration project, now apply in meeting minority- and women-owned business and has received, to date, a grant award of $700,000. Now targets (MWBE) Teaming helps to fill gaps for the bidder and ending its second year, the project is paired with LIFT’s its subcontractors. RAIL Alliance. Rail and surface transportation is a behemoth market; moreover, the One teaming success region’s MTA accounts story is that of Matrix for an estimated 40% Railway Corp., a firm of all US rail spending. located in West Babylon Long Island technology that engineers and and manufacturing firms designs LED lighting stand in the sweet spot and other subsystems given their competencies for railcars. A North and location, where even Carolina producer of a slightly larger piece of customized buses that market could produce wanted to bid for large returns. public sector bus contracts. Lacking the LIFT counted 80 Long requisite engineers and Island companies that designers on its own were already supplying staff, it approached the rail market with LIFT. Through teaming, LIFT and its branch organization, The RAILS Alliance, hosted a workshop in June controllers, switches, introducing the Small Business Pilot Teaming Project to business owners considering Matrix has adapted communications, lighting, participation. Representatives of the consulting firms Logistics Specialties and BidSpeed to this new market, and other components join LIFT staff: (1st from Left) Lois Greaux, (3rd) Terry Culhane, (4th) Diane Muscarella, generated new and services. The thinking (6th) Kenneth Bauer. revenues and avoided was, couldn’t other LI staff cutbacks. small manufacturers also diversify into surface Another Long Island transit? teaming pair formed by the RAIL Alliance, VCORE Solutions LLC and Intralogic Solutions, a Massapequa-based firm, RAIL Alliance Chairman Kenneth Bauer says, “I am blown recently started work on a contract integrating their software away by the talent and product we have among our NYS for use in the LIRR’s new Incident Command Center. aerospace and technology companies. We know they have VCORE is a growing company that was incubated by LIFT the capability to diversify into transit.” and remains its tenant in the Morrelly Center for Homeland Security, in Bethpage. Intralogic teamed again with two other In a survey, manufacturing and technology companies were LI small businesses, the woman-owned KND Electric and asked how they would wish to expand “if only we had abc” the minority-owned Big Ant Electric, to develop, install and and “if only we could compete in the xyz market.” The Pilot maintain a security fire/alarm system for LIRR stations. Teaming Project seeks to fill in some of the missing pieces by connecting small businesses with complementary skills and Small businesses may overlook requests-for-proposals (RFPs) capacities to jointly bid for contracts that neither might win using their customary parameters for search, but the teaming alone. As partners, they would have better access to bonding concept allows them to broaden their scope and raise their and insurance. Teaming also reduces overhead, mitigates sights. LIFT Executive Director Bill Wahlig explains that the 18 Private Sector Sales LIFT staff scours the procurement websites each week for suitable RFPs, identifies prospective contractors, Approach to Retaining & makes matches, mentors the clients, and develops supply chains. “Our goal is to build an opportunity pipeline for LI and NYS partners to expand in the federal Growing Business and private transportation and related security markets,” By Anthony Manetta Wahlig says. No business can survive with the premise “They know where to find us”. If you are not marketing your goods or services to gain clients or customers, LIFT and The Rail Alliance have partnered with two then you will be sure not to succeed. Whether you are a manufacturer, a consultancies: Logistics Specialties, Inc., to help firms start-up software company, a retail store or a main street business, selling interpret opaque RFPs and to shepherd them through the your brand vis-à-vis unique selling points is important. daunting federal procurement process; and BidSpeed, to help firms mine federal contracting databases using Suffolk County has unique selling points which makes us one of the most its proprietary search engine. Under the Pilot Program, desirable areas in the Country to both work and live. We certainly have LIFT held a seminar and a webinar series to brief LI our challenges too including high property taxes and high energy costs. companies on how to use these resources at no cost The combination of a talented workforce, quick access to New York City, for a trial period. LSI’s past “win rate” has been an our educational systems and regional innovation however, is what roots astonishing 85% for federal contracts that it helped its our businesses here. Government plays a critical role in fostering a pro- clients to procure. business environment, if government is pro-active in its approach and if they can provide the tools for business owners to grow locally. If not, then Thus far about 75 companies have registered by government malaise can actually fuel a negative business environment. uploading their profiles to both the databases of RAILSUSA.org and the BidSpeed. As more companies, The Suffolk County IDA has turned the page in its approach to change the both on Long Island and in NYS, populate the sites, not only LIFT staff but the site tools themselves will business climate for the better. systematically identify best matches of paired companies that should respond to RFPs for larger contracts. County Executive Steve Bellone came into office with economic development a priority of his administration. He brought on two private sector individuals Meanwhile LIFT has been meeting with other to lead the way; Joanne Minieri and myself, Anthony Manetta. The County manufacturing and economic development agencies has become more proactive in the way it communicates its message to around NYS so that they in turn will champion the project. our area companies through innovative programs, events, marketing and “The more in the system, the more good matches. We highlighting many success stories. are getting commitments.” Bauer remarks. “Our vision is to have one database for businesses producing rail, Growing our small businesses into larger employers is one of the new surface transit and security products that the primes will focuses at the IDA. This is accomplished by our Boost Program which come to rely on for their supply chain.” creates cost-effective means for companies in information technology, life and bio sciences, green and energy to build their companies here. Ideal for Regrettably, due to the federal budget constraints now in early stage and start-up’s the program provides property tax incentives and effect, funding for the program’s third year, which begins sales tax exemptions on the setting up of new space. this October, will not be forthcoming from the U.S. Small Business Administration, according to Wahlig. “We are Building off the Boost program the IDA will hold a series of events to exploring alternative paths for funding support from New showcase area start-ups and new product development through its “Start- York State agencies and from the companies themselves up Connect” initiative. The first event was held in April of 2013 that brought which benefit from this program,” he says. “Fortunately, together 300 entrepreneurs, their employees, investors and public officials we can count many friends of The RAIL Alliance who see the value of the Teaming concept, who have watched it at the Paramount in Huntington Village to build relationships and gain bear fruit this past year. We are committed to sustaining insight into the emerging tech community on the Island. that progress.” Aggressively communicating our economic development programs gained Transportation, security, emergency management, big traction by the IDA approving dozens of deals over the past year. The agency data management− according to LIFT President Frank has retained and created thousands of jobs in the County. The companies Otto, these are all linked dynamic markets where LI we work with are across industries from manufacturers, tech companies, businesses are strong. The Teaming concept should pharmaceuticals, fabricators, bio-sciences and green companies. They be in theory applicable and expandable across the range in size from 10 employees to 1500 employees. spectrum of manufacturing, technology and service businesses. One of the key elements of the IDA is the assistance we provide businesses on an array of issues. It is our new policy to ensure that companies maximize all benefits that are available to them, as well as facilitate any matters they For further information about the Teaming Project contact: LIFT may have within County Government. This new hands on approach allows Rails: 631-846-2730 or [email protected], For general business owners to gain entry into programs across government and within information contact: [email protected] or 631-969-3700. Visit http:// trade associations. www.lift.org and http://www.RailsUSA.org. LIFT’s upcoming events include “Manufacturing Day” –an Open House showcase, The IDA has become part of the business community working with small on October 4th. and large companies to retain and grow our jobs and build confidence in our local economy. 19 Affordable Healthcare Act: What Long Island Businesses Need to Know Walter Oden

Here at the U.S. credits to provide Small Business insurance to two Administration, million employees. we know that SBA is continuing health care to work with our remains a top federal partners, concern for community small business Long Island Branch Manager, U.S. Small Business Administration organizations, owners across the country, and I want you to know that trade groups, and resource partners across the country the Affordable Healthcare Act takes significant steps to help small businesses understand how they can to make healthcare coverage more accessible and best benefit from the ACA. We’ve trained more than affordable. Currently small businesses pay as much 2,200 members of our field staff, federal staff from other as 18 percent more than their larger competitors for the agencies, and our SBA resource partners to be help to same coverage, and many employers who may want to inform their small business communities on what’s in provide coverage to their employees often can’t afford to. store next.

There are two critical ways that the ACA will help small Starting January 2014, coverage through the competitive businesses: by increasing access and by offering health insurance marketplaces for individuals and affordable options. The law provides access to small businesses will be in place, with open enrollment better health care options for both the employer and beginning October 1, 2013. The new employer shared employees. Additionally, the law will lower the growth of responsibility rules will take effect in 2015, and the premium costs and provides a number of key benefits for majority of small businesses will not be affected. In small businesses. These benefits include tax credits, as fact, businesses with fewer than 50 full-time or full-time well as the opportunity for small businesses to leverage equivalent employees are not subject to these rules, and their buying power with other small businesses in the that’s 96 percent of our businesses. For those businesses new Small Business Health Options Program (SHOP) with 50 or more employees, the majority already provide Marketplace, also commonly known as the Exchange. coverage that meets the health care law requirements. The ACA will also make sure that insurance companies are spending at least 80 percent of consumer premiums As these dates approach, be sure that you have all the on actual medical care, and not salaries or administrative information and resources available to you to understand costs. how the ACA will affect your business. As with any business decision, we encourage small business owners You may not know that the ACA is already helping small to learn the facts and consult their tax legal advisors businesses today, and that there are 360,000 small when making a decision about what works best for their businesses that have already taken advantage of tax business. 20 Where’s The Money? Roslyn Goldmacher, CEO - Long Island Development Corporation

Small businesses need money. That’s a fact of doing business. financing and tax abatements-contact your local IDA or see list in www. Typically, when a small business has a financial need, it heads to its lidc.org/LI resources; NYS Minority & Women Business Development bank of account. There are times, however, when the bank cannot say Loan Program-up to $500,000 for women/minority owned companies- yes in a manner that fits the needs of the business. Banks have a difficult see www.esd.ny.gov. time in lending to start ups, undercapitalized businesses, struggling businesses or certain industries. The good Micro Loans Micro loans typically go up to $50,000 but news is that there are alternatives to conventional (bank) there are varying levels depending on the lender. Active funds. Following are some of the financing resources micro lenders on LI are: SBA Micro Loan Program- available to small businesses on Long Island: up to $50,000, one year in business minimum- see www.cdcli.org; LI Small Business Assistance Corp.- Venture Capital Venture capital can be in the form of equity up to $10,000- start up or existing- see.www.lisbac. and/or debt. It is available for startups and for existing org; La Fuerza Unida CDC-up to $35,000-start companies in growth mode. The LI Angel Network, a up or existing- see www.lafuerzacdc.org;Accion- group of local investors providing equity and debt financing up to $50,000- 6 months in business or more- to entrepreneurs- www.liangels.net. Other sources of see www.accionusa.org; venture capital: US Small Business Administration Small NYBDC credit card up to $25,000 - see Business Investment Companies- debt & equity capital for www.nybdc.com; Hempstead Town RLF- up to $10,000 - high growth companies- www.sba.gov/sbic; US Small www.townofhempstead.org. Business Administration SBIR- competitive program providing grants for r&d, prototype creation, etc.- www. Geographically Targeted Programs HUD 108/CDBG sba.gov/content/small-business-innovative-research- covers grants and loans for façade improvements in program-sbir; LI Capital Alliance- capital forums to showcase products/ certain communities-contact the community development agency in services to potential investors-www.licapital.org; Tri State PIN-matches your area or see www.lidc.org/li resources for info. startup and early stage companies to financing- www.angelinvetorfunding. com; NYS Venture Capital Funds through intermediaries Other Funding Sources Financing for your business doesn’t just come –www.topspinpartners.com; www.canrockventures.com. from investor equity or loans. It may come in the form of abatements/ incentives/free or subsidized services. Reach out to your utility to see if A type of venture capital is Seed Capital- money to help start a business you are eligible for free energy audits, abatements or other incentives for or start a new division may be accessed from Accelerate LI Seed Fund/ your business or community. The federal and state departments of labor LI Emerging Technology Fund-www.accelerateli.org/funding; the New have programs designed to help employers hire and train employees York Investment Network-www.newyorkinvestmentnetwork.com; local with free or subsidized incentives. Local colleges and other institutions sources that provide seed capital and support services such as Launch have entrepreneurial training programs which may be free or low cost Pad-www.launchpadli.com. to help small business owners start and improve their businesses. Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE) provides business Another type if venture capital is found in Cloud Funding- cloud mentors and seminars to help businesses- see www.scorelongisland. based or crowd funding-online platforms to raise capital from org. Small Business Development Centers (SBDC) provide business plan multiple investors such as www.kickstarters.com, www.gust.com, help and other services for businesses- www.farmingdale.edu/sbdc; www.angeldoughventures.com. www.stonybroook.edu/sbdc.

Working Capital Working capital loans can be used for any business The first step in accessing funding for your business is to have a good purpose. Popular sources of working capital include: SBA 7A Loans- business plan. Talk with your accountant, lawyer, financial advisor or long term loans up to $5 mil from banks and nonbank lenders licensed resources such as SCORE/SBDC and make sure you have documented by US Small Business Administration. For a director of SBA lenders, the information needed by an investor or lender. Next, decide how much see www.sba.gov; LI Targeted Industry Rlf-sponsored by NYS and US money you need, for what purposes and devise a plan for repaying it if Dept. Commerce, long term fixed rate loans up to $500,000 for eligible you are looking for a loan. Then, talk to your bank of account to see if industries- see www.lidc.org; Business Growth Fund- up to $100,000 they have a product in house or a suggestion for financing. Look to your – see www.cdcli.org; Credit for Success Loans- up to $150,000- see chamber of commerce, trade association and professional association www.nybdc.com; SEEDCO Financial-up to $750,000- see www.seedco. for resource links and suggestions. Finally, review the sources of funding org; Ex-Im Bank-Global Credit Express- up to $500,000 for exporters- listed above. The most important thing is to approach the right investor or see www.exim.gov. lender for your business need.

Capital Asset Loans Such loans are for capital assets such as building Roslyn D. Goldmacher, Esq. is President/CEO of the Long Island purchases, renovations, machinery & equipment. SBA 504- fixed rate Development Corporation- a 35 year old non profit economic long term second mortgage loans up to $5.5 mil- see www.nybdc. development organization providing low cost loans, free seminars and com/504; NY Job Development Authority-fixed/variable rate long term technical assistance to LI small businesses and not for profits. See subordinate loans up to $2.5 mil- see www.esd.ny.gov/jda direct www.lidc.org or contact her at [email protected]. loan program; Industrial Development Agencies- taxable & tax exempt 21 Is a Mega-Million$/World-Changing Clean Energy Technology Incubating here, at Stony Brook U? Clean Energy Technologies Shape Up as Businesses Primed for National Markets by Vivian Leber The best of the best clean energy technologies that both are part of the SBU Economic Development effort germinate in a university laboratory or in the mind of an supervised by Dr. Yacov Shamash. entrepreneur on Long Island are finding their way to the Clean Energy Business Incubator Program (CEBIP), “The Advisory Board meets monthly with our clients established in October 2011 with funding from the to give them ‘tough love’,“ says Hamilton. It helps the state agency NYSERDA. According to CEBIP Director businesses decide how and when to enter the market, of Business Development David C. Hamilton, “Our and helps them build and ready their team. “The quality task is to work with clean energy companies that have of the team is as critical as the technology,” he says. disruptive, transformative, high-impact but early-stage CEBIP vets and prepares the client companies so that technologies that, given the right attention, will produce funders (it works mostly with and the Long Island Angel economic growth and highly skilled jobs for Long Island Network and Accelerate Long Island) see a concise —especially those in manufacturing.” business plan presented to demonstrate the company’s readiness for commercial development. Thus far, results have been impressive.

One client, Green Sulfcrete, is now a semifinalist in a prestigious contest, the Northeast Clean Tech Open. Green Sulfcrete and its CEO Bill Biamonte joined CEBIP last winter, bringing a process licensed to it by Brookhaven National Laboratory. The disruptive concept is to process sulfur, a fossil fuel waste byproduct, to make a more durable form of concrete, one which does not require any water and consumes far less electricity in its manufacture. CEBIP is helping it decide how to scale up; one option may be to first build a test plant on Long Island, and then license the product to other existing David Hamilton, CEBIP’s Director production facilities. Creating manufacturing jobs on LI is a key strategic goal of CEBIP, but hybrid solutions often Young ventures at the pre-seed stage, many with just are necessary given the prohibitive capital costs to build one or two individuals who may have partly proven their new facilities, according to Hamilton. technology’s feasibility in a lab, receive CEBIP’s intensive resources and services to help them map their pathway ThermoLift, Inc. and WATT Fuel Cell are the two most to commercialization and financing. CEBIP operates mature of CEBIP’s clients. In August, ThermoLift was out of Stony Brook University’s Advanced Energy awarded a competitive grant of $750,000 from the U.S. Research & Technology Center. Hamilton needs only his Department of Energy. notebook computer, cellphone, a cubicle, and use of a meeting rooms to bring to the incubator’s 13 start-ups ThermoLift and its founder and CEO Paul Schwartz, a (at present) all the powerful resources of Stony Brook Long Island native, joined CEBIP in April 2012. Schwartz University and the Brookhaven National Laboratory, went from having a one-man plan to amassing $1.63 the counsel of CEBIPs eminent advisory board and million in May this year through equity financing from partners, and effective mentoring programs. Four clients the Long Island Angel Network and Topspin Partners, are physically working in three of the University’s four another LI-based investment firm. The immediate goal incubator buildings, others receive services wherever is to finalize the prototype, with help from Stony Brook domiciled on the Island. Long Island’s first and largest University’s Mechanical Engineering Department. incubator, the LI High Technology Incubator at Stony ThermoLift’s energy-efficient air conditioner and heat Brook, oversees CEBIP’s funding and operations, and pump uses the chemical energy in natural gas and the 22 CEBIP clients participate in a Stony Brook University program for entrepreneurs heat in the surrounding environment to power a single efficient central system--without electricity-- that would replace a typical homeowner’s HVAC and hot water units. If the ThermoLift product were to be widely used, summertime electric load would drop steeply, cheaper NG would save consumers money, and the national market potential would be limitless. A commercially viable product will be ready in 2014; production would start in 2015, Hamilton predicts.

Hamilton calls WATT Fuel Cell ‘a rock star.’ The of CO2, a greenhouse gas, and cleanly redeploys it for company has developed a compact, cost-effective industrial applications. Solar Cool Technologies (profiled solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) product that operates in the CORRIDOR’s last issue) employs a solar-powered cleanly and quietly on readily available fuels such as refrigeration technology, which CEO Ryan McCann is natural gas and propane. Initial commercial products working to commercialize for large-scale commercial are destined for the marine and recreational (RV) refrigeration, for medical and disaster needs, and as a markets, and, starting in 2014, the technology will portable cooler for consumer use. be incorporated into the products of Parker Hannifin Corporation. WATT also has an eye on military CEBIP’s Advisory Board includes Kevin Law, Long applications. Its office and manufacturing facility is Island Association President, attorneys, technology located in Port Washington, where president and and business experts, Stony Brook and Brookhaven CEO Dr. Caine Finnerty leads the WATT team. National Lab department chiefs and professors, and CEBIP has helped WATT secure financial benefits other arms of Stony Brook’s economic development from LIPA that reduce its operational costs and enterprise. Hamilton notes that Stony Brook University is working with the company to identify contract is commercialization-friendly. Inside the incubator, while manufacturers and partners within New York State. Stony Brook or BNL professors and the laboratories are providing it with valuable services, a venture’s intellectual property is retained and owned by the client. Jubilee Flooring, a CEBIP client for two years, and its founder Joseph Triglia, will move into the Another benefit of joining an incubator, even for AERTC building this fall. The company’s patented companies that do not encamp, is the opportunity to microwave technology dries and straightens lumber mingle and develop a common culture. With that intent, used in flooring and cabinetry, but requires only a Hamilton announces, in the coming months a 1,000 fraction of the time and energy needed by machines square foot shared co-working space will open at the currently in use. Jubilee has won private placements nearby LI High Technology Incubator, with rented desk and is in talks with CEBIP’s capital partners for more space made available to nascent CEBIP clients. Other funding that would allow it to scale up. enrichments enjoyed by clients include the annual three- day SBU-hosted Long Island Innovation Boot Camp COAWAY LLC, led by George Hendry, offers a (where the majority of participants have been CEBIP system that captures from the air large quantities clients), and the Entrepreneur in Residence program, CEBIP clients take part in SBU’s Innovation Boot Camp. which pairs clients with successful business owners and executives who serve as mentors. Additionally, students from Dr. Gerrit Wolf’s MBA entrepreneurship program at the University provide consulting services free of charge, in particular helping some clients to develop their marketing plans.

Taking stock of changes over the past three to five years in the world’s aspirations regarding clean energy, Hamilton views solar technologies as having improved “by leaps and bounds, operationally and in cost,” and also sees progress in load management and conservation. CEBIP’s clients are indicative of the progress yet to come in improved technologies for alternative and fossil fuels. “Good commercial products are here now, they just need to keep getting better,” he says.

For further information, visit www.cebip.org; contact David Hamilton at [email protected]. 23 24 Karin Caro, Up Close and Personal Once In a Blu Chip Moon By Barbara Kent

Karin Caro, wildly successful by any standard, is owner of and partner, with her husband, AJ Caro, of nine independent, stand-alone businesses based on Long Island, several of which have a national reach: Knight Security, Central Insurance Agency, Community Care Companions, Bridge Business & Property Brokers, Arrow Security, Strategic Healthcare Staffing, Blu Chip Marketing, Blu Chip SEO and Daily Blu, in addition to CharitaBlu, a non-profit organization that utilizes the resources of Blu Chip marketing techniques to increase the efficiency and presence of non-profit organizations.

Several years shy of 40, Karin Caro stands on the massive construction site of what will be the new home for some of these independent small businesses. How did she get here, from a very humble background compromised by homelessness, which forced her to live in her car at age 17?

25 “I came from a family that I don’t think was very motivated, determined or entrepreneurial. In spite of that I felt deep inside that I wanted to do great things to help people -- that was clear to me at a very early age. I once asked my mom “How come we don’t have our own business? How come we don’t do volunteer work?” Her answer was curt, as she explained that she didn’t want liability issues to deal with. Karin continued dreaming of someday owning a business and helping others.

It is however, one thing to have the desire to DO something and another to actually accomplish it. “The first business I was involved in was probably ballroom dancing. My mom and dad enrolled me in dance school at a very early age and by nine I learned ballroom dancing. I was always “the boy” because I was really tall. It really annoyed me, but after leaving home at 17 years old, the education of “being the boy” was critical to my development. I immediately got a job at Arthur Murray, and was able to make a lot of money.”

A shy teen-ager, Karin was “discovered” by her Centereach High School Principal, Martin Bedowski, who saw something inside her that she didn’t realize existed, and asked her to “Do the morning announcements and spread your charm!” She did the morning announcements for three years and loved it. Aware of her family situation, Principal Bedowski encouraged her to apply for a college scholarship. “If I hadn’t won that scholarship,” Karin said, “I think I would have pursued the dance career because I was good at it. I was good at “being the boy”, I was good at teaching it and I was good at relating to people. I was one of the top three worldwide at selling dance programs. It helped put me through college along with the scholarship that Mr. Bedowski helped me obtain.”

It was a television commercial by the notorious Carleton Sheets, author of the “No Down Payment” home study course, that struck a chord in Karin, which propelled her into her first entrepreneurial move. “I sat up nights thinking about how I could make a lot of money fast. Here I was on my own with bills at 19 years old. I enjoyed the dancing but I knew that I wanted to own a business. One night I saw a commercial on TV. It was for a $150.00 program that taught how to buy a house with no money down, and how to purchase foreclosures. The author promised that anyone could make money if they followed his instructions. I needed a house and I needed money so this made perfect sense to me. I followed his method and at the age of 19 bought my first house. It was a foreclosure at auction, and I had to go to the auction to fight for it! The bidding started at $37,000 and I won it at $72,000! I wasn’t going to lose it! I wanted this house! I was in love with it! It was a little cape in Centereach, and I’m really fortunate because that put me in a home, 26 made me feel secure and proud, and eventually I made Karin. “He’d come home at night and say “I started a great deal of money from that house. There’s nothing a cleaning company!”… “I started a construction as empowering as going to Home Depot and doing company!” Karin was used to the spotlight, but took tile and learning how to spackle a wall. There’s a great a backseat and devoted herself to her young family. feeling and a sense of pride…” “While the children napped,” she said, “I’d make sales calls for the new companies.” At age 19 she was not old enough to drink and still was a student. Coming from a tumultuous childhood, AJ, the ultimate entrepreneur, leapt up the ladder of she chose to declare her major and earn her degree in success. He was among the first on Long Island to child psychology. “I wanted to help kids who came from purchase a fleet of environmentally friendly vehicles and precarious or abusive situations. Unfortunately I found won the LIBN’s 40 under 40 award. It is no surprise it very hard to work in that field, dealing with people that the concept of “Blu Chip Marketing” was his. He who reminded me where of where I came from.” This suggested to Karin that since she did so well marketing was the foundation for her eventual creation of “Tikkun their many businesses, that she should try marketing for Mentoring,” a program to assist low level offenders other companies as well. Karin realized in a flash that get back on their feet and break the cycle of violence. he was right. He knew she was serious, he knew she This is accomplished by matching the individual with was smart and he knew she was capable. He knew she a mentor who will help, guide and even go to court in was blue chip stock all the way. Today, Karin owns The support of the offender. Daily Blu and Blu Chip marketing.

Karin overcame her childhood and was still teaching at Arthur Murray when on July 7, 1997, at 7:30 pm a man danced into her life who was destined to partner with her, although not exactly in the way she thought. He wanted to learn to dance and Karin sold him a program. He said to her “…I’ll learn to dance but it won’t be with anyone but you.” “I didn’t see any love interest at all” said Karin, but after working with him for a while, I thought he’d be a good business partner-- so I asked him if he wanted to buy houses. He said “yes” right away and I thought this is a man I can invest with!”

“I didn’t have romantic feelings for him at first, but I knew I wanted to partner with him so we looked at foreclosures and bought a few together. Then came the whirlwind. He swept me off my feet. We met in July 1997 and married in May 1998. Then we had four We asked Karin where she sees herself in five years, kids, one year after another. I had all my kids before I when she actually is 40? “I see my kids working with was 25 and before he was 30.” us”, she said. It’s not just wishful thinking either. Karin’s children help in the “shop” as many other children of Marriage and almost-instant parenthood changed the entrepreneurs do. Her talented children are skilled at young couple’s life dramatically. With a wife and four social media, video and charity. They have also learned children to support, AJ rapidly advanced and expanded their mother’s proclivity for philanthropy and have his own business interests. Unlike Karin who was teamed their talents. Alex, the eldest, created sister homeless at 17, Caro, at that age controlled the largest Brielle’s website to sell jewelry online for charity, and transportation company on Long Island, with more than son Brendon collects food for the local food pantry. “I… 100 employees. At age twenty-three, he purchased the have a burning desire to make a difference,” says Karin. struggling Arrow Security and built it into one of the “I have not come even near to doing what I want to. I’m most recognized global brands in the industry. “I didn’t just getting started.” realize what he had in him, what he was capable of, until we bought a number of businesses together,” said Long may you run. 27 Long Islan n on d’s E row as eg t E m n o d : H

Farms & Vineyards Agri-business adapts, with specialization, organic labels, and award winning brands by Pamela Winikoff

Agriculture, along with fishing, Long Island’s oldest industry, produces over $1 billion in annual sales, provides 10,000 jobs, and generates considerable tourism, travel and hospitality revenues. A moderate climate, adequate rainfall and well-drained soil allow for an extended growing season. Proximity to New York City’s retail and wholesale markets and day-trippers add to the sector’s enduring health and vibrance. East End farms, which include some family farms dating back to the 1800s, also whip up homemade jams, pies, dressings, precut vegetable assortments and mouth-watering baked goods. Legendary drives out to the “U pick” orchards –from early strawberries to late season pumpkins—are a memorable day away from suburban density. At least 45 wineries, vineyards and tasting rooms on the North Fork offer visitors tours and tastings.

The Corridor visited five East End growers to learn how they got their start, what challenges they have had to overcome and what spurs them to get up every morning before sunrise and toil long hours. Davis Peach Farm Christine recounted how David’s mom supported them by breeding 284 Boyle Road, Port Jefferson Station, 631-509-5033 irises, starting her day at 3:00 AM. “They lived on $1,000 a year for roughly 15 years and did whatever they could to survive.” One In her farm-stand shop, standing near a display of freshly-picked Christmas, David and his mother received letters from several peaches, Christine Davis recounts how her former husband David, creditors releasing them from the debt David’s father had accrued. now in his 80’s, took over the family farm at age 14 after his father “Who does this today?” she said. passed away, to work seven days a week. After a while, he phased out crops that were time- and labor-intensive and focused on more Long days at the farm stand and early morning hours baking are profitable ones, eventually perfecting the art of peach growing. taking their toll on Christine, who manages the operation with her daughter and a small staff. She travels every day between the 28 As the former owner of a wholesale import wine business in Atlanta, Russell McCall developed a formidable education in the wine business that he applies to managing his 22-acre vineyard in Cutchogue. He and his wife Nicola produce several varieties of Merlot and Pinot Noir, reserve varieties of each, Bordeaux Blends, Chardonnays, Sauvignon Blancs, Rose Pinot Noirs and others, many of which have received high acclaim.

The McCall’s got their start in the wine making business in the mid 90’s, Russ told us. “We planted 28 acres of vineyard here at that time while I working in Atlanta. We waited 10-12 years for the grapes to mature. In 2007, our eleventh year, we had our first vintage. If you stay small you can have these long time lines and they work fine,” he added. Russ sold his successful business of 40 years and moved North. “We knew we didn’t want to put our name on a bottle unless we had a great product.” While many larger wineries produce and homestead where David lives and the farm in Mt. Sinai, to her home market as many varieties as possible, “We found one or two things and commercial kitchen in Farmingville where she bakes, to the we’re good at and we continue to strive to do them well,” he explains. preserve farmland and orchard in Wading River, to the farm stand in Long Island wine makers had a strong year in 2007. “Our wines Port Jefferson. “It’s a lot of driving and it’s exhausting.” turned out really well.” McCall Pinot Noir, Pinot Noir Reserve, Ben’s “During the economic downturn money was tight and we were hit Blend and Merlot were all hits. He explains, “We got a great write-up hard. We depend on tourists and with high gas prices, we lost a good in the Wine Spectator and our Merlot was poured exclusively by the part of our sales. That’s when I got the idea to extend our offerings glass at New York’s Gramercy Tavern. Our Pinot Noir was described and started our homemade line, with sangria, jams, jellies and salsas by Howard Goldberg in the New York Times as ‘star quality’ and in addition to pies.” ‘world class.’ In the space of a few years I accomplished everything I could have wanted. Once you’ve done it once, the problem is to do Davis grows peaches, apricots, cherries, strawberries, blueberries, it again. It’s a trick.” blackberries, raspberries, persimmons, figs, kiwi and irises. “I grow the irises to connect with David’s mother.” The farm produces over 80 “We work very hard. All vintages aren’t the same.” Luckily, 2010 varieties of peaches across its 64 acres as well as innovative offerings came along and it was another great year for McCall. “The work of like plumcots (cross between a plum and apricot), apriums (cross a small company like most companies is in the details. If you get the between a plum and apricot) and donuts (flat peaches). Visitors details right, everything will work out.” are welcome to enjoy the Davis family orchard and visit the farm animals on Hulse Landing Road in Wading River. McCall Wines continues to impress - On August 13th, with Gov. Andrew Cuomo on hand, it was named as the 2013 NYS Winery of McCall Wines the Year based on the quality of its entries at the New York Wine & 22600 Main Road, Cutchogue, 631-734-5764 Food Classic, held in Watkins Glen.

McCall’s is one of the smaller wineries on the North Fork, and offers Pindar & Duck Walk Vineyards a truly idyllic setting. An old barn overlooking the vineyards serves Pindar as the rustic, stylishly-done tasting room. A slab of wood stretched 37645 Main Road, Peconic 631-734-6200 across two barrels serves as the bar and stalls converted into tasting 117 Main Street, Port Jefferson 631-331-7070 rooms comprise the sampling area. Visitors can also sample the vintages outdoors, at picnic tables overlooking their expansive fields. Duck Walk Stalls on the backside of the barn are tenanted by handsome polo 44535 Main Road, Southold, 631-765-3500 ponies. 231 Montauk Highway, Water Mill 631-, S726-7555

Nicola McCall, who with her husband Russ, produces some of LI’s top wines The best known and largest winemaker on the East End, Pindar harvests 17 varieties of grapes across its 500 acre vineyard. While producing 75,000 cases that bear the Pindar label, the winery is still run as a family business, according to Alexander Damianos. Damianos is general manager at Pindar and their sister vineyard, Duck Walk-- a smaller operation that produces about 35,000 cases a year.

We sat with Alex in Duck Walk’s tasting room to learn more about both operations. Pindar was the vision of Alex’s father, a physician by trade, who had a passion for agriculture and grapes in particular. In 1979, he bought a parcel of farmland in Peconic and within three years harvested and marketed his first wines. The elder Damianos continued buying more land and is credited with being one of the earliest pioneers in Long Island’s winemaking industry.

“Our success is the culmination of hard work, commitment and capital investment,” Damianos says. One investment paying high family acquired acreage in Florida to support growing operations dividends is the integration of sustainable farming technologies in during the winter months and over a span of decades, expanded their the operations of both Pindar and Duck Walk. In December 2011, distribution to points between Montreal and Miami, becoming the Pindar commissioned South Hampton based GreenLogic Energy, in largest wholesaler of Asian vegetables on the East coast. partnership with LIPA, to install a 150 foot tall wind turbine at its A city girl who grew up in Boston, Karen helped run the business North Fork Winery location. According to Damianos, the turbine after her father-in-law passed away and Frederick took over. “It’s is the largest in Southold and produces electric power for 80% of been a lot of learning for me and a lot of hard work. I felt very the winery’s operations, generating over 100,000 KWH. The winery strongly about growing our crops organically and so, gradually, as sells back excess electricity to the power company. we added new crops, we applied organic growing methodologies to each of them.” Pindar also has a significant composting operation, thus avoids the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides in the vineyards. Clippings The impetus behind the organic certification came out of challenges from local landscapers, refuse from wholesalers and grape skins the couple experienced labeling their produce “naturally grown.” are composted in massive piles referred to as “The Himalayas.” Customers continually asked what those words meant. They finally Empty bottles from the tasting rooms are also recycled and compact bit the bullet to initiate the paperwork, have the inspections and go fluorescent bulbs replace higher-wattage incandescent bulbs through the expense of getting certified. The process is complex. throughout the retail space. “When you become certified organic you have to have the land Damianos, in his earlier days, pruned the vines, drove the tractor cleaned of all pesticides, and there are many specific restrictions and helped to run the wine making business. While still in school, he and regulations to comply with. Also, the certifying agency takes a regularly put in 8-10 hours a day, not just during summers. When he percentage of the sales of each product,” Karen explains. had the opportunity to acquire an operational winery that was being Karen and Fredrick operate the farm with their children and a small staff. “Fresh-Lee-Cut” vegetables are sold at their farm stand, local farmer’s markets and a Community Supported Agriculture program. The farm also sells homemade dressings, dips, pickled items and cooking sauces. Cheese and meats as well as a wide variety of garden plants are delivered from other farmers and are sold in the farm’s shop. Public tours operate on Saturdays.

Satur Farms 4195 Middle Country Road ,Calverton, 631-734-4219

Growing up on a farm in Central Pennsylvania, Paulette Satur Müller was a natural at growing things. She pursued agriculture academically, earning degrees in horticulture and plant physiology and went on to run a successful wine distribution business in New York City. Feeling isolated from the land, she and husband Eberhard, a transplant from Germany’s Black Forest, bought their first piece of farmland on the East End in 1997.

Eberhard had been the chef and a partner at New York’s one-time famed Lutèce restaurant. He grew up eating frisée in Germany, but had trouble finding it and other fresh, locally grown produce and (Cont’d on pg 41) sold, he jumped at it. “We began operations under the new name, Duck Walk Vineyards, in 1994, and built it to what it is today.” Between their two operations, the Damianos family produces many sought-after labels like Mythology, Sauvignon Blanc and Winter White.

Sang Lee Farms 25180 County Road 48, Peconic, 631-734-7001

Frederick and Karen Lee didn’t start out as certified organic farmers, but today they are committed to organic growing practices and complying with NOFA-NY (Northeast Organic Farming Association) certification requirements. Family-owned and managed from its earliest days, Sang Lee Farms grows over 100 varieties of specialty vegetables and herbs that can be found at its retail stand in Peconic and the three farmers markets its seasonally attends.

Sang Lee Farms started as a conventional farm in the 1940’s, run by Frederick’s dad and uncles, who grew only Asian vegetables, which they initially supplied to buyers in Chinatown. In the late 1950’s the 30 CORNERSTONE INTERVIEW Gloria Glowacki, Champion of the Entrepreneur, Retires

Gloria Glowacki, shortly before her retirement (4th from left), shown with SBDC-Stony Brook Business Advisors and by Vivian Leber other staff: Ritu Wacket, Ronni Rosen, Pierre Lespinasse, Glowacki, Intake Coordinator Leslie Rurup, and Bernie Ryba. Gloria Glowacki’s retirement announcement in July produced an outpouring About half of the SBDC’s clients are existing firms and the other half are startups. of praise and good wishes. For 18 years she managed many of the critical Asked to identify the currently fastest-growing small business sector, Glowacki services that offer a lifeline to small business through the New York State Small points out that all aspects of health care—products, services, instruments, home Business Development Center (SBDC) at Stony Brook University. Glowacki , care—are seeing new business formation and expansion. as Associate Regional Director, chiefly interacted with the NYS Small Business Administration, which, together with the University and the federal SBA, provides Clients tend to return over the years, Glowacki says, first using the program as a support to the SBDC. Dr. Jeffrey Saelens is the center’s Regional Director and startup and return when seeking capital, new premises or an expansion strategy. has worked closely with the economic development projects of Stony Brook Stafford Associates is a family-run, certified woman-owned provider of cloud University. computing and network integration services, with 32 employees. It has expanded its market by building a state-of-the-art data center that opened in Setauket in “Small business owners are too busy just running their businesses, ” Glowacki 2010. Glowacki and staff reviewed their business plan, smoothed their path to says, “So now, in retirement, I’ll have the time to be an advocate for them as securing SBA and bank financing, and helped them navigate municipal approvals a writer and in other ways.” Known as a vocal and effective champion of the before the Gold-LEED center could commence construction. Tragically, Delores independent business owner, she had been named three times as New York Stafford’s husband, Eugene, who performed the firm’s R&D and was a computer State Business Advisor of the Year. science professor, passed away before the building opened.

“The business outlook now is slightly better but when small businesses were Glowacki nominated and in 2012 Delores was awarded the title of NYS-SBA slammed by Sandy…that put a wrench in everything,” Glowacki says, adding Small Business Person of The Year. “Gloria was our guardian angel. Whatever that it will take close to two more years to fully emerge from “this mess.” our need, she helped us or directed us to the right person at every step. She knows everyone and is very much respected,” Stafford says. The SBDC at Stony Brook never turns away businesses needing services. At most they will wait two weeks for an appointment with a certified advisor, Glowacki’s mission to become an advocate is fueled in part by frustration. including specialists on staff in exporting, technology, manufacturing, food “I’d like to see us have better public-private partnerships that help individual services, government certification, and women-owned businesses. Two more small businesses. We have enough organizations already, but we should have staff were added after Sandy deluged the office with urgent requests for loans, the technology leaders and companies that have gone the whole path and grants and advice. All SBDC services are confidential and cost-free. succeeded share their know-how one-to-one. They don’t have to give away their trade secrets to help small businesses explore new opportunities.” For now, she “We are the unemotional force that helps businesses improve their planning admires the incubators and accelerators that are getting at least some of this process to succeed and grow as well as to navigate the obstacles,” Glowacki job done. notes. “We know so much already; why start at square one, we can get you 50% there.” There are other irksome problems for Long Island that require more energetic focus, she says, including the plight of older workers who have been downsized. Recognizing that Hispanic-owned businesses needed a bridge to expand beyond “You don’t walk away from these highly educated and smart people. We should marketing to one another, Glowacki developed an “English for Entrepreneurs” have better resources for cross training.” The youth-exodus is another area Saturday program, started production of bilingual publications, and added a where she thinks we’re not doing enough to keep businesses and a workforce full-time bilingual advisor. The successful program has attracted many partner here. “Downtown revitalization I think it’s absolutely brilliant, but it’s a slow organizations and business opportunities for its clients. process.”

Many Long Island banks, because of the SBDC’s outreach, now, instead of “I don’t have all the answers, But I think there should be a group to put together taking in, processing, but in the end declining small business loan applications, more solutions,” Glowacki says. will immediately redirect applicants who aren’t quite ready for bank credit to the SBDC. After being guided to develop a business plan, research the market, Contact the SBDC at Stony Brook University at [email protected], or 631- identify all available resources, only then will the SBDC help them prepare 631-9070. Contact the SBDC at Farmingdale State College (Lucille Wesnofske, qualified applications for borrowing, equity or grant financing. Advisors also help Regional Director), which generally serves Nassau County businesses. at clients understand the new Affordable Health Care law, minority contracting [email protected], or 631-.420-2765. Both SBDC offices also operate (MWBE) requirements, and the employee-versus-contract-agent legal standard satellite centers. in hiring. “It’s easier to do the right thing the first time than to untangle your 31 mistakes later on,” she tells clients. Entrepreneurs...

The One Woman Show 2M Technologies By Manny Morales 2M Technologies is a Computer and IT Solutions provider. We make customer pain-points go away, generally although not necessarily, through the application of some kind of a technology solution. Our primary strengths are in application development and integration, and we are a Microsoft Silver Level Partner.

At a time when you could make money on computer hardware, and software was secondary, we saw an opportunity to provide software development and support to the Long Island and NYC business community. I was 27 at the time, and my feeling was – if I tried and succeeded, GREAT! If I tried and failed, I’d never have to say “I wish By Carlene Afetian that I had…”.

Veronica Rayne is a contemporary women’s boutique, which I’ve been in business Since 1987. The computer industry carries clothing, footwear with an urban edge, outerwear, and has changed a lot, and we say that we are a lot like accessories from select lines and designers. My merchandise Madonna – we reinvent ourselves every few years. We put is item driven not trendy. a high value on the customer, and that’s probably helped to differentiate us in the long run. I help my clients shop, style and build their wardrobes. I opened my business in 2003, when my son was 8 months old We were self-funded to start. We worked on projects and I needed clothes! The shops in my area didn’t carry what after hours and on weekends to build a little cash before I wanted so decided to do what i do best --shop! I worked in going at it full time. We used cast-off equipment that we the fashion district for years for DKNY, Polo jeans, RL, among could come up with as our platforms. We worked at the others, producing & styling visuals for print/web. customer site quite often and setup offices in my partner’s basement and in mine; we were like rebels, living out in I started 10 years ago in a small location and started buying the hills. the lines I wanted to wear with my credit card, no loan, and just kept flipping my merchandise. It took off… There were two economic downturns – one in the early 2000s, the DOTCOM bust, and the more recent one I carry lots of indie designers & made in the USA brands, that is really still going on. The downturns were both because I think it’s important to support the US economy and instrumental in affecting the way we did things. We had the quality of the garments are amazing. I mix in plenty of well to lay off workers in the earlier downturn – something know lines also. that nobody enjoys, but we probably wouldn’t be here if we did not. Every dollar is tougher to come by, so The economic downturn allowed me to negotiate a new, we’ve needed to demonstrate real value in projects – true larger retail space. I brought in lines with a lower price point. savings, improvement of efficiencies, etc – a real ROI. The competition was also eliminated--other clothing stores Also – take nothing for granted; if you’re not listening to were dropping like flies. your customers and talking with them – someone else is. If you value them, show it. Veronica Rayne Boutique 66 Main St. 2M Technologies, Inc. Northport Village, NU 700 Veterans Memorial Highway 631.261.2080 Suite LL05 32 Hauppauge, NY 11788 Entrepreneurs... Tru Salon By Cheryl Duignan Tru Salon is a hair only, high-end boutique salon with a unique hair- care line called “Tru The Product.” Our salon is “Earth friendly!”

Brian my husband and partner of Tru salon and I decided to create these businesses so we can put our visions to work - this line called “Tru The Product” consists of about 25 products from shampoos La-Cook-a Racka, LTD. and conditioners to styling and finishing products. We use a lab in By Nicolas Stanco California to produce the product I have always owned businesses, but the Taco Rack was born out of line. necessity. My family got tired of all the stress and mess of making tacos, so I designed and patented the Taco Rack and formed the company La Cook-a We have been in business for 10 Rack-a LTD. The Taco Rack is stainless steel taco cookware that allows the years and all our funding was from commercial or home chef the ease of preparing cooking and serving hot savings, lines of credit and family . crisp oven baked tacos that stand straight-up and not flat on the plate with the ingredients spilling out. The best part of making oven tacos on the Taco We started the salon and the Rack is after you bake the shells and fill them with your favorite chicken, product line because we had our meat or fish, you top them with cheese and place them back in the oven to own vision of what this industry melt the cheese.” needed. We were tired of the big companies using our ideas without La-Cook-a Racka was funded personally, which allowed them to purchase giving credit where credit was due. their first set of stamping dies and to hire the marketing firm Luce Creative, The industry is losing the boutique Inc. whose principal is Elaine De Luca Byrnes. Elaine did such a great job… lines and businesses to big chains taking a real diamond in the rough and made it shine with a new web site, and we wanted some of that back new packaging and media coverage, I decided to offer her shares in my . All our artists specialize in one business. area of hair-care and our products are hand-picked and created for The bad economy never affected our business, we have grown steadily the comfort of both the stylist and each year. I think the reason for that is because tacos are very inexpensive the client. to make and they have become as American as hamburgers and hot dogs. When restaurants like the Cheesecake Factory started to offer tacos The economy down turn affected us on their menu you knew they were no longer just for Mexican restaurants. because people really embraced Matter of fact, not only have our web sales increased, Amazon.com has the chains. We had to scale back ramped up their orders consistently each year, Whole Food Markets in the a little just like everyone else. We Northeast region placed a big order of Home Series Taco Racks and chefs started to focus our advertising in from all over the world are ordering our Chef Series product line. We are on social media. We eventually want Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines, in Dave and Busters on the West Coast, in a Hampton location, and are just restaurants throughout the South and Southwestern states as well and New waiting for the timing to be right. York City, Las Vegas and throughout Canada, England and Australia. We just placed an order with a chef in Sweden… I can only imagine they will be 437A North Country Rd., serving a lot of fish tacos in that restaurant. St. James, NY (631)584-2210 La Cook-a Rack-a, LTD [email protected] [email protected] Phone: 631-265-5975 Web: www.TacoRack.com 33 Trade Show Tips

By John Hill Companies that play “Trade Show Roulette” do not have successful trade shows. Companies develop business plans, marketing plans, new product development plans, but when it comes to trade show marketing, in many cases they prefer to play “Trade Show Roulette,” spending for the space, then just standing in the booth hoping that someone will stop by and see their products or services. Their pre-show effort too is at best half-hearted, accompanied by logic such as, “Well, I sent them an e-mail and they didn’t come to the show,” or “This is only a local show so it’s nothing to get excited about if we don’t get any leads,” or the best that I’ve heard, “We’re only in it to support the organization.”

My question for companies that say such things is, ”How much is your time and effort worth?” Every show is important whether it’s a global expo, an association show or chamber trade show. Your company is on display. What type of impression do you give to the attendees if your display is not up to date, or your booth personnel are less than enthusiastic in presenting products or services? Businesses should abide by the rule that if they are going to do a show then they must give it 110%. Otherwise, why waste the time, effort and money at all? When I interview a company interested in doing A trade show is like an Iceberg. The trade show a trade show, we interview each other, with my itself is only a small but important part. This is initial goal being to determine if I will take them where the exhibitor is on stage, as the tip of the on as a client. Considering that only one out of iceberg. The Pre-Show and Post Show efforts are seven companies that take part in a trade show where a company will work to insure trade show will be successful, I only work with companies success.--the behind the scenes effort, or what that want to be that company, successful in you don’t see, below the water. The following are their effort. The first thing that we talk about is the steps that should be taken to insure Trade their plan and what they want to accomplish. If Show success: a company does not have a plan or they have no intention of developing a plan, and they still • Make sure that that the show you have want to exhibit at a show, they really are just an chosen is the right one for your company. attendee with a booth. “If you fail to plan, you • If you are going to exhibit in a trade show, plan to fail” I am sure we have all heard that give yourself at least 6 months to plan and before, but it is still true. When you do a show execute the effort for success. regardless of the size or location you should develop a plan. Once the plan is in place, you • Develop a plan, detailing what you can start delegating the requirements. When a want to accomplish at this show, such small company participates in a trade show, all as to contact a number of strategic of the company departments should be involved. partners, or develop a number of leads. You want, and need a total commitment and total support. 34 The • Then you must let everyone know that you are going to be in this trade show: Clients, Networ Prospects and Suspects. • Target 10 companies that you want to do business with. That is, you have checked out KING these companies and you have determined David Gussin is the hyperkinetic, ever energetic Host/ that they can use your products or services. Toastmaster/Innovator of 516ads.com. In the course Then invite them to the show. There was a of five years he has racked up awards and honors, study done by a university in New England, most recently the ‘Champion for a Cause’ Award which asked: “Why didn’t you attend that trade from the Hispanic Network, and raised thousands of show.” Over 40% responded, “Because no dollars and thousands of articles for various charities. one invited me.” People want to be asked. If AMONG his very solid contributions to society are the they are asked, and they go, now they are on a “invention” of the “Everything Bagel” and author of mission. They have a destination and someone the rapidly growing movement L.E.A.R.N., Let’s End to see. Now it makes the trade show for both All Racism Now…and more. He has written for The the attendee and the exhibitor worthwhile. Corridor, has been featured in Newsday and The New • Call, write and even visit these 10 companies Yorker and “roared” at his televised CNN interview. to insure that you have done everything He is one of us, and we follow him around as if he necessary to see that they will be attending were the Pied Piper. and visiting your booth. His method is simple. Have a heart with infinite • Write the copy for your e-mail blasts, and capacity, invest every corpuscle of your being, scream plan to send out these e-mails at least 6 times until your throat is raw and give selflessly to all who before the show. need you. • Also use social media to get the word out. David not quite demurely states that what he does is • Develop a script for your booth personnel to “The only thing I even remotely have a skillset for! make sure that everyone is on the same page. It’s a great idea! A beautiful mixture of business. Include answers to questions such as: When community, web and warmth. will the product be available, how much does it cost, how many can you deliver? The idea of building a business-community network • Questions that you should be prepared to would be good for any region. We happen to be on ask visitors to your booth may include: Do Long Island, NY, a great place to do it. On one end, you have a budget? How much were you the business community comes together, building looking to invest? How many are you looking their own “resource” in the community. In addition to purchase? When do you need them? Who to dramatically cutting costs, this resource offers else is involved with the buying decision? businesses a variety of unlimited tools to help them market their services. Since it’s community based, • Once you have leads from a trade show, follow in addition to the web; the warmth is created when up is critical. Without follow up, all of your business owners and professionals come together in time and effort has been wasted. Your mission a variety of formats. should be to follow up until all of your leads have been accounted for. In addition to what I call ‘igniting business’, which is to create smart business activity and proactively This list is a good start but each small business should make things happen, we or any business-community develop a plan customized to its target market. Once network can seamlessly mix in and raise awareness of and supplies for charities. A wonderful combination!!!” you have a detailed plan, you should find it easier next time to adjust it to each new trade show. You will Branding matters too! The idea of building a business- be on your way to trade show success! community network is smart no matter what the name. But, for it to work, you have to capture the attention John Hill, President & CEO and memory of the community. Name recognition Long Island Advancement of Small Business matters! On Long Island the 516/ 631 LI area codes One Hewitt Square #217 work. In NYC it could be 212Ads, in Westchester 914, East Northport, NY 11731 and so on. The choice of a name within the community T:516.473.7202 has to be unforgettable. It’s the business community Email: [email protected] that puts great products and resources behind it.” Website: www.liasb.com 35 The Hispanic Market: A Tale of Two Cities

Maria Morales-Prieto, President & CEO of The Hispanic Network LLC By now most every business owner is aware that the Hispanic market is growing exponentially so its spending power is also naturally increasing with each passing year. Ignoring this fact is what I call the “Ostrich Factor,” which is detrimental to business growth. Just because you ignore it, doesn’t mean it will go away. Any business owner with vision knows they have to come up with a strategic plan to target this lucrative market. But how does one go about doing this? You may be surprised to learn that the Hispanic market is a you need to reach the Spanish dominant Latinos too, who are “Tale of Two Cities” in that there are really only two distinct undoubtedly clients. types of Latinos. Yes, there are many ethnicities, colors, dialects and cultural traditions but most importantly there is If you have a product or service that is not used by the masses a “Bilingual Barrier.” such as a boutique, a car dealership, printing company, office supplies, graphic designs, alarms and surveillance, you The majority of Hispanics in America have been here for should be targeting the affluent Hispanic market who really many years and generations so even though their last name only needs to see a Latin looking family in your English is Fernandez, they watch TV, listen to radio, read and speak language marketing materials - a simple nod acknowledging predominantly in English, using Spanish only when dealing respect for the market and its ever-growing numbers. with an older relative or when coming across Spanish dominant Latinos, our “Second City.” They are the more Keep in mind, though, that if you’re planning to target the recent arrivals and most likely grew up during their formative Spanish speaking population by translating your marketing years in their mother country. So, the former group, being materials, you need to have staff on board who speak the affluent, English dominant Latinos, really controls the purse language fluently. You can’t have marketing materials strings while the latter is making huge strides in the small designed to bring in a target group you’re not ready to service. business world in search of their “American dream.” Hiring someone bilingual should be your first priority.

Keep in mind that the daughter of the Latino mowing your After all, it is only natural for a consumer to feel more lawn today will be your grandson’s pediatrician tomorrow. comfortable making a sales transaction with someone who Immigrants aren’t coming here to have their future speaks their language especially if the product or service is generations struggling doing manual labor. Just like every one of an intimate nature like financial planning, banking, other immigrant group that has come to America, Hispanics accounting, legal issues and medical procedures. come for the future of their families and the great rewards that come with a higher education. “Within the Hispanic community being fluent in Spanish earns their trust,” explains Mike Diaz of Nationwide Credit Affluent Hispanics, who have been here for generations, now Counseling & Buenos Diaz BBQ, “Conversely, though, a total 15 million, which is about 12% of all U.S. households thick Spanish accent makes it difficult to earn the confidence according to a study conducted by Nielsen and released by of non-Hispanics. The new immigrant community needs The Association of Hispanic Advertising Agencies (AHAA). to learn that they can indeed trust government entities such Representing close to $500 billion in current Hispanic as the SBA, which holds business development classes in consumer spending power, the affluent Hispanic market is Spanish,” which brings us to the other side of the coin - how expected to grow to 18 million by 2015 and to 35 million by does the Hispanic business owner make inroads into the non- 2050. Latino market?

How does this translate to Long Island numbers? According “Easy,” explains Helen Zagaro of Star Promoz. “Spanish to a study by Adelphi University, there are approximately dominant Hispanics need greater access to English as a 20,000 Hispanic owned business on Long Island and more Second Language (ESL) classes so they can do business than half a million consumers! with their non Hispanic counterparts. It is their only hope to growing their company and happily assimilating into A common misconception by non Latinos forming a American society.” marketing plan to target Hispanics is that they need to translate their marketing materials and website. Sometime One thing is for certain. Both markets need each other in you do but many times you don’t. It totally depends on what order to keep the American economy growing. So if you’re you’re selling. If it’s a product or service everyone uses such an “Ostrich,” pull your head out of the sand, open your eyes, as a grocery store or bank, then it’s prudent to do so because get with the program and stop passing on doing business with a market share that will certainly help your business expand. 36 Sandy Recovery Continues-- Lesson Learned: “You Need a Contingency Plan”by Vivian Leber A Conversation with Lucille Wesnofske, Regional Director NYS Small Business Development Center at Farmingdale State College Lucille Wesnofske, Regional Director of the NYS Small Business unmet needs in the recovery process, including reimbursement of Development Center (SBDC) at Farmingdale State College, started the business owners’ cash outlays. “Long Islanders are resilient in that position three days before 9-11-2001, after working for 14 and are like bulldozers, so businesses patched things up and got years as a business advisor and as Associate Regional Director running again in any way they could,” Wesnofske says. To date, at Long Island’s other SBDC office at Stony Brook University— so her office has facilitated nearly 1,000 New York Rising applications. she is no stranger to disaster response and recovery. After Superstorm Sandy, Wesnofske’s staff of 11 includes Erica Wesnofske served on the Small Chase, Associate Regional Director, Walter Business Administration’s task force Reed, a business advisor who works charged with taking stock of lessons with inventors and importers/exporters, learned from this latest disaster to Michael Gragg, who helps Veterans start improve disaster planning and response businesses, and others who have expertise for “the next time.” in writing business and marketing plans or in bank lending. “If we don’t have a Wesnofske wishes that more small particular expertise here, I can post a businesses would do contingency request to our LISTSERVE to reach every planning both by taking common- SBDC business advisor in the state and sense measures and seeking expert they will have an answer or a referral,” advice. That includes but isn’t limited Wesnofske notes. Earlier in her career with to disaster planning. Does the business the SBDC, Wesnofske developed business have a contingency marketing plan plan software for and advised child care if a sales strategy doesn’t pan out? centers, which is a key service industry for What is the business interruption plan? Long Island. Has the owner read the fine print in insurance policies? In addition, she “The people who work for the SBDC advises business owners to ask their all through our state are a very special accountant, “Based on my tax return, group. They truly care about their clients am I bankable?” When disaster hits, in and want them to succeed,” Wesnofske other words, does the small business emphasizes. Her office also works show enough profit over several years closely with Farmingdale State College’s to qualify for favorable government- economic development and business backed loans or has it expensed every education programs. SBDC advisors have last dollar to the point that it will appear guest-lectured to classes and judged to be a poor lending risk? the business plans of students studying entrepreneurship. The College, as part of In a typical year approximately 1,100 small business clients receive SUNY, provides the SBDC with administrative services and space. the Center’s free, confidential business consulting services, 40% of those being startups. Since the storm, with additional staff members Wesnofske has more advice for small business owners that aspire and emergency centers that were opened (those in Island Park to grow. “Technology is changing how small businesses operate. and Lindenhurst remain open), the Center has guided hundreds of By using it smartly, you can expand your markets and be more impacted businesses along the South Shore coastal communities productive. Learn all you can about technology, software and social of Nassau and Western Suffolk in applying for NYS Emergency media, identify what you don’t know, and get what you need in the Loan Fund and SBA Disaster Loan applications. “The SBDC’s way of help.” In addition to free one-on-one advising, the SBDC reputation for excellence is such, that the SBA came to us after offers low-cost workshops for small businesses in QuickBooks, 9-11 and the state designated us right after Sandy to administer how to market through E-mail and social media, how to write a their respective grant programs for recovery.” business plan and more. “You are not alone, we are here to help.”

Recovery funds are still flowing. The most recent program to come Contact the SBDC at Farmingdale State College at 631.420.2765 online is New York Rising, which offers both loans and grants; grants or e-mail [email protected]. The office operates weekdays are for $50,000 or more depending on the business’s qualifications, 8 AM to 4:30 PM. Satellite offices are in Brookville, Hempstead, with coastal and seasonal businesses, such as fishermen or Lindenhurst, and Island Park. For Veterans’ business services, marinas eligible for higher amounts. The funds are available to fill contact 631.370.8891. Photo: Lucille Wesnofske, Regional Director and Erica Chase, Associate Director, helping small businesses recover, one business at a time. 37 What if it Happens Again? Contingency Planning in Uncertain Times by Patti Bloom

“Superstorm Sandy” hit Long Island on October 30-31, 2012 and has been recorded as one of the most destructive and second costliest hurricanes next to Katrina, with economic losses estimated at $100 billion, in United States history. The economic impact of Superstorm Sandy has cost the country $65 billion in lost business and killed 159 Americans. Sandy disrupted more than 265,000 businesses and destroyed 14th 2012; the August 15th Blackout of 2003; an outbreak of a flu 305,000 housing units in New York. In addition, Federal Emergency virus that spirals into a pandemic; a key employee suddenly falls Management Agency disclosed that Superstorm Sandy damaged ill or dies; or an internet provider or your server “goes down” are or destroyed 95,534 buildings in Nassau and Suffolk Counties all examples of “unexpected business interruptions.” and left behind 4.4 million cubic yards of debris. To date, the U.S. Small Business Administration has approved loans in the amount C-level executives need to prepare for any potential disruption that of $18.4 million to 208 small to mid size businesses in Suffolk can affect the ability to sustain business operations. “Resiliency” County. That amount does not include Nassau County statistics begins with opening a collaborative dialogue among trusted or private insurance disbursements made to business owners of advisors, Crisis Management Teams and Subject Matter Experts both counties. to assess the corporate risks and financial costs associated with a business interruption. Business Continuity Institute reports that The 2013 hurricane season began June 1st and will officially end 82% of organizations with Business Continuity Management in November 30th. Extreme weather events like the devastating place mitigated the impact of disruptions, 77% recovered faster, tornado which tore through North-Central Texas, May 15th 2013; 55% saved money and protected their revenue stream. Recent the terrorist bombs that exploded at the Boston Marathon, April events have proven that small and mid-size business owners 15th 2013; active shooter incidents in the workplace, Virginia Tech, cannot afford to wait! April 16th 2007 and Sandy Hook Elementary School, December The following is a brief “to do” list as you begin your journey toward a business continuity plan and disaster recovery strategy:

1. Recognize the need to have a plan! 2. Perform a Business Impact Analysis to identify critical functions and financial systems that must be sustained during and after a disaster and to develop strategies for recovery. 3. Include a Risk Assessment, which would identify vulnerabilities affecting your operations or those of your suppliers. 4. Evaluate communication systems with your employees, vendors and customers; authorize a spokesperson to handle the press/media 5. Document work-flow procedures of employee job functions 6. Back-up important documents in a remote location 7. Implement redundant systems to maintain access to the Internet 8. Determine technology recovery point objectives and recovery times Bloom Resource Group, Inc. 9. Have systems in place to meet payroll obligations 700 Hicksville Rd, Suite 104 10. Consider a contract at an alternate location where key employees Bethpage, NY 11714 can work V: 516-777-0-BRG (274) F: 631-427-0757 11. Update and modify the plan regularly E: [email protected] 12. Practice the plan frequently! www.BloomResourceGroup.com

The lesson learned from “Sandy” provides business owners the opportunity to transform their approach to business continuity. Advance preparation and planning results in a faster recovery. Most of the time rebuilding antiquated systems is not the best solution. “Best in class” methodologies keep you ahead of the competition and allow you to gain the competitive advantage

Ms. Bloom is President of Bloom Resource Group, Inc. and sits on the following Boards of Directors: ACP Long Island Chapter, LIFT-IT and SCWBEC. 38 HOW ARE YOU MEDIA- WISE?

By Jaci Clement Is your organization one of the “Best-kept Secrets on Long service, then it’s not what sets you apart from the pack. It Island”? is, in fact, what makes you the same. The bigger problem? The majority of the businesses I interviewed were out of I hear that one all the time from nonprofit bosses, eager business by year three. The moral of this story: Know your startups and established local businesses. Some even strengths. It’s a vital first step to defining your brand and wear the moniker like a badge of honor. Others, though, carving out your niche. use it to express their frustration at not being able to grow their organizations. You know all those companies in the news today, the ones generating all the buzz? The ones finding ways to stay top If you’re among the latter, take heart: We can help. Here’s of mind with their customers -- even in an age when the an executive summary of what you need to know right now. average attention span is a mere five minutes? They place Just as every enterprise needs a business plan, you a premium on communications being a business driver. should also have a communication plan in place. It Traditionally, organizations have treated communications should align with your organizational goals, and hold your as an afterthought. If your key communicator doesn’t communication professionals accountable. Yes, you read have a seat at the senior management table, you’re losing that right. Communicators should have definable goals, so business. Welcome to the Information Age. they know how they’re doing their jobs – and you know why you’re paying them. Last but not least, media changes constantly. As it does, it takes your audience with it, fragmenting it and making Realize that not all communicators are created equal. it harder for you to reach the people who would be your Before investing in people to help market, brand and raise customers or clients. And not only does media change, but awareness of your organization, you need to know how the people working in the media often turnover even faster. you want to do that and hire people with the right skill sets. That means to get your stories in the news – read: free Media relations is not the same as public relations, which publicity – you always, always have to work it. By staying is not the same as marketing, which is not the same as in touch, you’ll remain on top. branding, investor relations or event management. Now, there are lots of communicators that will bill themselves as There’s lots more to getting media savvy, but how much jacks-of-all-trades, so beware. you’re willing to invest comes down to one thing: How much do you want to succeed? When I was a business reporter, I spent two years covering startups. There was one question I asked them all: What Jaci Clement is executive director of the Fair Media makes you different? Every one of them had an answer Council, a 501c3 nonprofit with 200-plus businesses and – and it was the same answer. ‘Our customer service is nonprofits from the New York metro area as members. To what sets us apart,’ I was told, each and every time. The get media savvy, log on to www.fairmediacouncil.org, call problem? If everyone actually had excellent customer 516-224-1860 or email [email protected]

39 So You Want to Work for Yourself...

Franchising on Long Island

By Tom Scarda, Franchise Consultant Franchise outlets have dotted the American landscape for openings around the country. As a reference point, in decades but didn’t gain popularity until the mid-fifties when 2012 there 825,000 franchise businesses across 300 automobile ownership skyrocketed. Perhaps the American business lines, which supported nearly 22 million jobs auto culture drove the growth of franchises in America? and generate $2.1 trillion of economic output to the U.S. Actually, what fueled the franchise industry’s growth was economy. The Franchise trade is the largest employer by the Federal Trade Commission that stepped in to regulate industry second only to the US Military. For Long Island it in the 1970’s. Franchise laws in America make buying a last year, we had more than 56,000 people employed by a franchise a much safer investment than in previous years franchise operation somewhere on the Island within 4,579 when some unscrupulous people ran business scams and franchised business units. called it franchising. Franchise sometimes still suffers from a bad rap because of the past, unregulated times. Route 110 alone is experiencing a franchise growth spurt of it’s own. You can patronize everything from household I think a franchise business can be looked at like a business brand name such as Dunkin Donuts, 7-Eleven and Subway with training wheels. For folks who have been downsized, to newer entries into franchising such as The Melting Pot outplaced and aged-out of great jobs, franchising could be and Buffalo Wild Wings. On other parts of the Island we an alternative to trading their time for money. Some view are seeing personal care and health and fitness concepts business ownership as an opportunity to take their career open their doors. These particular two industry segments into their own hands, invest in themselves and not worry are anticipated to expand this year throughout the country about the next round of layoffs. This has been a trend and Long Island according to the International Franchise we have seen in franchising since the 2008 economic Association. downturn. Franchising often gets a bad rap because the belief is that Because of the disgruntled corporate refugees and the they are huge conglomerates that put the mom and pops grand opportunity here in Long Island’s two Counties, the out of business. However, the franchise that opens in your number of franchises has been growing on Long Island town is typically owned by a Long Islander, so, in a way, faster than dandelions on a summer lawn. Long Island has it’s still a local business. The good news is that for every always been a sought after area for growing franchised franchise unit that is opened, an average of 10 jobs are outfits. Long Island is a bubble of more than three million created in that local community. That sounds like a special people who drive, have houses, kids and dogs that all need sauce to me. to be repaired, maintained and fed. In terms of business, an entrepreneur couldn’t ask for a better demographic. Tom Scarda is a FranChoice Consultant and a writer. He can be reached at 866-545-6191. www.FranChoice.com/ The International Franchise Association in Washington, Tscarda DC projects that 2013 will see a 2% increase in new unit

40 Serving the Small Business Community of Long Island for Thirty Two Years With Low Cost Loans & Technical Assistance

1980 - 2013

LONG ISLAND DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION 400 Post Avenue, Suite 201A Westbury, NY 11590 516-433-5000 www.lidc.org

(Farms - Cont’d from pg 30) quality herbs when he moved to New York. Frisée was one of several Today Satur Farms products can be found in Gourmet Garage, Dean produce items and herbs that the Müllers decided to grow themselves & DeLuca and other high- end markets. They added Whole Foods for Eberhard’s restaurant business because they couldn’t get them eight years ago. Paulette recalls how one evening at the end of a through domestic channels. long day and exhausted, an idea for a line extension came to her. “I was getting ready to go home and make dinner when I spotted three Friends in the restaurant business wanted to buy their produce. “We different heads of vegetables. I asked one of my kitchen staff to cut me would leave the city on a Friday night after work and drive out to Long up one of each. Seeing them laid out, the light bulb went off--I could Island, water and feed the produce all weekend, then wake up before sell a new product, our Hearty Vegetable Mix.” dawn to drive back into the City, make deliveries up Park Avenue to Gramercy Tavern, the Four Seasons and other stops and head off to “Everything was serendipitous, from starting the farm to the line our respective jobs on Monday morning,” Paulette explains. extensions we’ve added over the years.” Their success, however, was also more strategic. “We chose crops that would do well growing here With a network of restaurateurs as customers, the business grew. and which were easy to automate. Baby leaf salads for instance, have “When we first started, there was no ‘locally- grown’ movement,” she many rotations in the year. If you grow varieties like grapes or corn recalled. “We eventually hired someone to weed, feed and harvest. that have a single rotation, one mishap and you’re knocked out for We tried to get a distributor and no one was interested. So we sold the year. That’s why we stick with spring mix, wild arugula, spinach wine and produce out of taxi cabs.” and others.”

Paulette left her job in 2000 to focus full time on the business. From The Müllers use conventional growing methods. “We don’t grow an eight-acre planting footprint the operation has grown today to 180. organically. It’s too complicated. If you’re next to a vineyard you They tried selling direct to stores and found that they were pioneers. need a 200-foot buffer. There would be nothing left for us with that “We didn’t know anything about retailing and retailers didn’t know requirement.” how to stock and display fresh produce. They would put it on an end display with a sign ‘local grown’ and at the end of the day it was From baby beets and eggplant, to edible flowers, tomatoes and wilted. They didn’t know the produce needed to be refrigerated.” cauliflower, the menus at top restaurants and fast-serve chain The Saturs placed a call to Fresh Direct, whose business model restaurants alike, in NYC and Long Island, boast of the Satur Farm made sense to them. With a few tweaks the relationship has worked name on their menus. beautifully. “At first, we didn’t know how to pack for retail but we mutually educated one another. We wanted to deliver at least three Photos by Vivian Leber days a week, which was not common back then. Now we deliver fresh six days a week.” 41 Your Industry, Your Market, Your Story First Anniversary Issue REAL ESTATE AND BUILDING ARTS ISSUE

THE MONEY ISSUE

Energy and the Environment KING OF THE Closing the Books CORRIDOR Long Island law Issue Reflections of a WHEN THE FAMILY BUSINESS GOES DOWN lifetimelifetime onon Rt.110Rt.110 MidSummer Arts Issue with Joe Gazza The Financial Vigilante A Debtor’s Solution Also in this issue: Building Arts and Real Property Issue Real Estate Charge Large Round Table Turn Credit into Discussion Child’s Play What happened? What’s going to happen? Top Making it Work residential and commercial Taking Advantage of a realtors discuss the industry. Weak Economy Energy & The Environment Issue Also in this Issue Is it Spring yet? This Man saves Spring 2010 Sidewalk Café Architect Hundreds of People Restaurant Row Feb. - Mar. 2009 MillionsVol. 1 Issue of 002 Dollars a Year Robke’s of Northport Inside this issue: The Long Island Network The Smart Grid Defined, The Wind April - May 2009 Vol. 2 Issue 01 Industry On Long Island (No we Vol. 1 Issue 003 don’t mean politics!) andThe articlesCinema Arts Centre by LIPA CEO, Kevin Law,Long Dr. Island’s John Favorite Cinema Heroes Marburger, Dr. Yacov Shamash, Our Island Paradise January-February 2010 Robert Catell and more… Vol. 1 Issue 006 Staycationing on a Tank-full of gas

Guide to the Arts Visual and Performing Arts

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Leviton— The Big Idea! The Next Hundred Years Bringing Markets to Technology Marketing the Legal Profession Long Island Forum for Technology,

Closing the Skills Gap: Inside this issue: New Business on the “Hauppauge Corridor”! Education from S.T.E.M. to Real Estate Round Table: Adult Ed, High School Robotics— Vol. 1 Issue 008 Breakfast Conversation with the School-Business Partnerships of Professionals. Long Island

Rt. 110: April-May 2010 Anne Shybunko— GSE Dynamics The Heart of Long Island’s Vol. 1 Issue 007 Rides Composites Wave, Wins Economy High-Value Contracts

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