Trenton Small Business Week Set

Mercer Business, Sep 01, 2000 by Schragger, Arlene

A week long event, Oct. 2 through October 7, dedicated to the needs of small businesses in the greater Trenton area, Trenton Small Business Week 2000 represents a true coming together of many of the area's most influential business resources as either sponsors or presenters of information and counseling.

Continuing to make a major commitment to Trenton Small Business Week, now in its seventh year, are the Small Business Development Center of Mercer County Community Gollege and the City of Trenton. The Greater Mercer County Chamber of Commerce is also a major force in this year's planning, as is The County of Mercer.

This year's theme and the focus of the volunteer planning committee, made up of individuals from both the private and public sector, is helping the small business owner "Explore, Connect, Partner & Grow." What follows are the highlights of the Week which can be explored in depth in the registration brochure available from the Small Business Development Center by calling 609-396-7246.

The Kick-Off Networking Breakfast, a popular event which is the official launch of Trenton Small Business Week 2000, is sponsored this year by the EPA-supported Sustainable Trenton Project at New Jersey Institute of Technology(NJIT). The goal of the project is to identify opportunities to advance the economy of Trenton and the region through the application of pollution prevention and other environmental and energy saving techniques and technology.

In addition to a speaker addressing these issues, Trenton Mayor Douglas Pairner and Mercer County Executive Robert Prunetti will give updates on the latest business opportunities in the capital region. The breakfast will be held on Monday, Oct. 2 from 8 to 10 a.m. at New Jersey Network, 25 South Stockton Street. The event is free with advanced reservations; a fee of $10 will be charged at the door.

On Wednesday, Oct. 4, the Greater Mercer County Chamber of Commerce and the Trenton War Memorial will sponsor the Chamber's October general membership luncheon at the Trenton War Memorial. Trenton Mayor Douglas Palmer will speak about the many business opportunities which the new Marriott Hotel and the renaissance of downtown Trenton will bring to the area. Networking among representatives of a cross section of the business community is an important part of this event.

The Small Business Week Celebration held on Thursday, Oct. 5 after business hours, will feature the presentation of Mayor Palmer's Trenton Small Business of the Year award and certificates. The region's biggest networking party and a great opportunity to meet old friends and make new contacts, the event will be held at Maxine's on Warren Street. This free event will feature food from a variety of Trenton's famous, ethnically diverse restaurants, door prizes and live music. Don't miss this great evening.

Managing E-Commerce; Marketing for Government & Corporate Contract Bid Opportunities; NJ Department of Labor Business Services Seminar; Business Law for Business Owners; Heritage Tourism & You; Business Financing & Entrepreneurial Training Workshop; International Business; Are You an Entrepreneur?; The Voice of Small Business in the Legislature; The ABC's of Automating a Small Business; Contacts for Contracts, and Treating Your Art As a Business are some of the seminars and hands-on workshops taking place in a variety of venues throughout the week.

Networking events are being sponsored by the Latino Chamber of Commerce in partnership with The City of Trenton and the Metropolitan Trenton African-American Chamber of Commerce. Consulting sessions with advisors from the Trenton Business Assistance Corporation will he held on Monday and Tuesday.

As an added bonus, area business experts will offer free one-on-one consulting to answer your business questions and help you take your business to the next level. Learn about minority or women owned business certification; writing a business plan; securing financing; marketing your business on the Internet; advertising; tax strategies; managing an urban business; legal issues and more. Coordinated by the Mercer County Community College Small Business Development Center, the one hour consulting sessions must be scheduled in advance throughout the week by calling the SBDC at 609-3967246.

The Trenton Small Business Week 2000 Planing Committee invites each business owner to take the time to register and participate in this premiere business event in the capital region. Call the Smalt Business Hotline at 609 396-7246 or check out the website at www.smallbizweek.com. Last year's record attendance and this year's truly worthwhile events and seminars insure another successful week. It is a time for learning, networking, getting help, making new contacts, finding partners, celebrating and growing your business.

Planning Committee Members are (in alphabetical order) Don Addison, Mercer County Office of Economic Opportunity; Wenona Brooks, Notes From Nona; Jill Edwards, City of Trenton Principal Planner, Cathy Frank-White, Greater Mercer County Chamber of Cormmerce president; Mari Galvez de Cerdas, MCCCSmall Business Development Center assistant director; John Harmon, Metropolitan Trenton African American Chamber of Commerce; Jim Harveson, City of Trenton director of Division of Economic Development, Linda Hollinghead, Metropolitan Trenton African American Chamber of Commerce; Rose Nini, MCCC Dean of Corporate & Community Programs; Vivian Pepe, Trenton Business Assistance Corporation business mentor; Lavern Rice, Summit Bank branch manager; Marvin Ross, Marvin Ross & Associates Visual Design; Carol Royal, Trenton Waste Exchange; Valerie Rushmore, The Times; Beth Scannella, Greater Mercer County Chamber of Commerce; Arlene Schragger, ads Public Relations & Marketing; Lisa Snyder, Kistler Tiffany Companies; Jacqueline Stacey, MCCC- Small Business Development Center secretary; Hank Wierzbicki, Capital City Redevelopment Corporation executive director.