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  • 8/9/2019 Business Trends_April 2015.pdf

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    APRIL 2015

    BITS & BYTESA dozen very useful websites.

    PAGE 6

    MONTHLY UPDATENASE expands grant growth program.

    PAGE 21

    TAX TALKAre you missing deductions?

    PAGE 2

    www.sibiztrends.com

    STEVE WHITE/Business Trends

    The Staten Island Mental Health Society honored long-time supporter Robert Cutrona Sr., president of Project-One Services, at its annual gala. Pictured, from left, are Jennifer and Robert Cutrona, gala Chairperson Victo-ria Drumbakis, SIMHS President and CEO Fern Zagor and SIMHS Board Chair John Tapinis.

    Staten Island Mental Health Society gala

    Business CalendarCheck out our monthly listing andattend an event on Staten Island.

    PAGE 4

    By TIM RONALDSON Business Trends

    The city of New York has lis-tened to the rumblings of busi-ness organizations in all five bor-oughs and is attempting to make

    it easier for small businesses tointeract with city organizations.

    With the announcement of itsnew Small Business First initia-tive, the city said it would changethe way city agencies interactwith small business owners andreduce the burden of regulationon them. The initiative will costthe city $27 million, but will ulti-mately save small businessestime and money by making it eas-ier to comply with city regula-tions.

    “Small Business First is aboutchanging the way the city of NewYork interacts with small busi-ness owners,” Mayor Bill de Bla-sio said. “When a representativeof the city walks through thedoor of a small business for thefirst time, we want the owner tosee a partner. From streamliningthe permitting process to increas-ing accessibility to resources on-line and in multiple languages toproviding more one-on-one coun-

    seling so business owners can in-crease compliance and avoidfines, this is a concerted effortacross the administration to en-sure our small business ownershave the resources and support

    City toput ‘Small

    BusinessFirst’

     please see CITY, page 12

    By TIM RONALDSON

     Business Trends

    New development throughout the Island,particularly on the North Shore, has peoplethinking about how they can grab a piece of the pie. Existing businesses are ramping up

    planning and marketing efforts, and people

    are thinking about starting new businessesto support the projected influx of tourists.

    But starting a business from scratch does-n’t just take a lot of work and significant in-vestment of time, money and knowledge; italso takes a fresh idea.

    Conversely, owning a franchise doesn’t re-

    quire that “fresh idea,” because that work is

    done and proven.It’s why franchising has become more pop-

    ular recently, and why some say owning afranchise could be a good fit to support thedevelopment on Staten Island.

     please see FRANCHISE page 19

    Franchises could fit with development

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    By JOHN J. VENTOIf you choose to itemize on

    your federal income tax returninstead of using the standard de-duction, every eligible expenseyou find can save money. Here’s alist of easily overlooked deduc-

    tions.• Points paid by you on a new

    home loan.• Points paid by a seller on your

    behalf.• Points paid when you refi-

    nance your home mortgage (typi-cally deductible pro rata over thelife of the loan).

    • Remaining undeducted pointson a prior refinancing when yourefinance again.

    • Actual out-of-pocket expensesor a standard rate of 14 cents amile for use of your vehicle whilevolunteering for a charity.

    • Disaster losses not reim-bursed by insurance.

    • Job-hunting travel and tele-phone expenses.

    • Employment agency and jobcounseling fees.

    • Costs for résumé preparation.• Union or professional associa-

    tion dues.• Specialized work clothing and

    small tools used at work.

    • Fees paid for the preparationof your tax return.

    • Gambling losses to the extentof your winnings.

    Be aware that special rulesapply to different categories of itemized deductions. For exam-ple, certain “miscellaneous” item-ized deductions must exceed 2%of your adjusted gross income be-fore you benefit. Similarly, med-ical expenses are deductible onlyto the extent your out-of-pocketcosts are greater than 10% of your AGI when you’re under age65.

    In addition, overall itemizeddeductions may be limited whenyour income exceeds certainthresholds.

    John J. Vento is a certified publicaccountant in private practice andpresident of Comprehensive WealthManagement, Ltd. He may bereached at (718) 980-9000 or viaemail at [email protected].

    2 BUSINESS TRENDS — APRIL 2015

    $ !

     

    $$"

    Phone: 718-354-4026#

    Are you missing deductions?

    Special to Business Trends

    The YMCA’s annual fundraising gala was co-chaired by JerryAmerosi of Gerald Peters Gold Mine and Angela Mirizzi Olsen. Pic-tured are Amerosi (left) and Olsen (second from right) with theHarold Melvin Blue Notes who performed at the event.

    YMCA hosts fundraising gala

    http://www.esbna.com/

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    4 BUSINESS TRENDS — APRIL 2015

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    Explore new career options this spring at Wagner College with quality lifelong learning experiences.Get the knowledge and skills you need for the job you want and the personal growth you deserve! 

    POWERFULYOU! (NORTH)

    TUESDAY, APRIL 7Time: 7:00 p.m.

    Location: King’s Arms, 500 ForestAve.

    For information, call 917-592-7241

    RICHMOND CNTY.BANKERS ASSOC.WEDNESDAY, APRIL 8

    Location: Mike’s Place, 4677 Hylan

    Blvd.For information, call 718-370-7037

    NYS WOMEN, INC.(RICHMOND CNTY.)WEDNESDAY, APRIL 8

    Time: 6:30 p.m.

    Location: Bella Vita Café, 1919 HylanBlvd.

    For information, call 718-816-5991

    POWERFULYOU! (SOUTH)

    THURSDAY, APRIL 9

    Time: 7:00 p.m.

    Location: Giuliana’s, 4105 HylanBlvd.

    For information, call 718-608-1640

    SALVATION ARMYSPRING BENEFITTHURSDAY, APRIL 9

    Time: 7:00 p.m.

    Location: LiGreci’s Staaten, 697 For-est Ave.

    For information, call 718-448-8480

    SI NOT-FOR-PROFITASSOC. CONFERENCE

    FRIDAY, APRIL 10

    Time: 8:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

    Location: CSI, Ctr. For Arts

    For information, call 718-355-6228

    ITALIAN CLUB OF SIFOUNDATION GALA

    FRIDAY, APRIL 10

    Time: 7:00 – 11:00 p.m.

    Location: Hilton Garden Inn

    For information, call 917-609-3966

    NYS WOMEN, INC.(STATEN ISLAND)

    WOMEN OFDISTINCTION LUNCH

    SATURDAY, APRIL 18

    Time: 12:00 p.m.

    Location: LiGreci’s Staaten, 697Forest Ave.

    For information, call 718-984-3294

    SI CHAMBER: BUS.AFTER HOURS

    TUESDAY, APRIL 21

    Time: 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.

    Location: Remedi Day Spa, 4906Arthur Kill Rd.

    For information, call 718-727-1900

    SIBOC WORKSHOP:SELLING TO GOVT.

    TUESDAY, APRIL 24

    Time: 3:00 – 5:00 p.m.

    Location: 705 Forest Ave., 2nd Fl.Rear

    For information, call 718-816-4775

    CHAMBER GALA –“SPEAKEASY”

    SATURDAY, APRIL 25

    Time: 7:00 p.m.

    Location: Grand Oaks Country Club

    For information, call 718-727-1900

    Business Calendar 

     please see EVENTS, page 20Visit us on the Web at www.sibiztrends.com

    http://www.heroldinc.com/

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    MONDAYBus. Outreach Ctr of SI/WBCLDCSmall Bus. Counseling –MWBE/BOC Capital: WBCLDC, 705

    Forest Ave., 2nd Fl. By appointmentonly. For info, call 718-816-4775.

    Kiwanis Club of Richmond Co.:LaFontana Restaurant, 2879 AmboyRd. 7 p.m. Call 718-420-1966.

    College of S.I., Small Bus. Dev. Ctr.Business Counseling: CSI, 2800Victory Blvd. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Nocharge. For info, call the SBDC at718-982-2560.

    TUESDAYGreater New Dorp NetworkingGroup: 8 a.m. Perkins, 1409 HylanBlvd. For information, call SteveLombardo at 718-702-8623.

    SI Business Friends: 7:30 - 8:45a.m. Hilton Garden Inn, 1100 SouthAve. For information, call Dr. RichardBove at 718-938-5978 or visitwww.sibfnetwork.com.

    Bus. Outreach Ctr of SI/WBCLDCSmall Bus. Counseling –MWBE/BOC Capital: WBCLDC, 705Forest Ave., 2nd Fl. By appointmentonly. For info, call 718-816-4775.

    Direct120.com, Ultimate ThinkTank: Lorenzo’s, 1100 South Ave. Forinfo, visit www.direct120.com.

    Kiwanis Club of South Shore:LaFontana, 2879 Amboy Rd. 7:30p.m. For info, call 718-370-2770.

    SCORE Business Counseling: S.I.Bank & Trust, 1550 Richmond Rd. 9a.m. to noon. No appointment nec-essary. No charge. For info, call 718-727-1221.

    Business Guild I of the S.I. Cham-ber of Commerce: Hilton GardenInn, 1100 South Ave. 7:45 a.m. Mem-bers and invited guests only. CallMichael Anicito at 646-606-2111.

    Business Network Int’l. (BNI) Net-work Alliance Chapter: Z-OneLounge, 1821 Richmond Ave. 7 to8:30 a.m. For info, call TimothyHouston at 718-981-8600.

    Rotary Club Staten Island: LiGre-ci’s Staten, 697 Forest Ave. 12:30 to1:30 p.m. Members and guests wel-come. For info, call 718-370-3140.

    College of S.I., Small Bus. Dev. Ctr.Business Counseling: Chamber of

    Commerce, 130 Bay St. 9 a.m. Nocharge. Call 718-982-2560.

    College of S.I., Small Bus. Dev. Ctr.Business Counseling: CSI, 2800Victory Blvd. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Nocharge. Call the SBDC at 982-2560.

    WEDNESDAYBus. Outreach Ctr of SI/WBCLDCSmall Bus. Counseling –MWBE/BOC Capital: WBCLDC, 705

    Forest Ave., 2nd Fl. By appointmentonly. For info, call 718-816-4775.

    Richmond County Referral Source:Comfort Inn. 7:00 to 8:15 a.m. For

    info, email [email protected]

    Staten Island Business Council:Andrew’s Diner, 4160 Hylan Blvd. 7a.m. Members and invited guestsonly. For info, call 347-855-4488 or

    send an e-mail to [email protected].

    APRIL 2015 — BUSINESS TRENDS 5

    WEEKLY MEETINGS

     please see MEETINGS, page 17

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    in our opinion

    East Shore rising

    6 BUSINESS TRENDS — APRIL 2015

    Some good news out of the Gov-

    ernor’s Office of Storm Recov-

    ery: $600,000 has been allocated

    to establish an East Shore Local Devel-

    opment Corporation here on Staten Is-

    land. This LDC will cover commercial

    areas hard-hit by Superstorm Sandy

    in 2012, including Midland Avenue,

    Sand Lane, and Hylan Boulevard.

    The funding comes as a direct result

    of a recommendation by the local Stat-en Island Planning Committee for the

    state’s New York Rising Community

    Reconstruction Program. The com-

    mittee brought together 29 local com-

    munity leaders who were asked to

    come up with a comprehensive, cohe-

    sive plan to help Staten Island rebuild

    and increase resiliency post-Sandy.

    With some assistance from a team of professional consultants provided by

    the state, they concluded that sustain-

    ing a strong economic foundation in

    affected areas must be a priority.

    The project is estimated to create six

    full-time equivalent jobs, but that is

    the least of the benefits it will bring.

    Ultimately, the rationale for creating

    the LDC is that a strong, sound eco-

    nomic base will be better able to with-

    stand and recover from any potential

    future threats – weather-related or oth-

    erwise.As anyone who has driven down

    Hylan Boulevard in the Midland Av-

    enue area and seen all the still-empty

    storefronts can attest, the October 2012

    storm knocked this island for an eco-

    nomic loop. So we are heartened to

    hear of this step to give a leg-up to the

    East Shore’s business districts. In-

    creased economic activity not onlyhelps the business owners. It has a

    positive trickle-down effect on the sur-

    rounding residential neighborhoods

    in the form of increased property val-

    ues and improved quality of life.

    We applaud our local Staten Island

    committee and the governor’s NY Ris-

    ing program for getting this idea off 

    the ground. In our estimation, the fact

    that this committee was structured to

    be “bottom-up” – meaning led by the

    people in the affected area– was a big

    plus.Now, the Governor’s Office of Storm

    Recovery is seeking applications from

    existing non-profit organizations that

    would like to manage the LDC. It is

    our hope that one of our local econom-

    ic-focused non-profits will fill the posi-

    tion. Staten Island is a unique bor-

    ough, and an organization with a local

    sensibility and understanding of theterrain – both economic and otherwise

     – seems indicated.

    66 Willow Avenue

    Staten Island, NY 10305

    347-682-4867

    JANET WARREN DUGO

    Publisher

    TIM RONALDSON

    Executive Editor

    STEVE COPPOLA 

    Director

    RICHARD GRADO

    Director

    ROBERT CUTRONA 

    Director

    LAWRENCE RAMPULLA 

    Director

    DAN McDONOUGH, JR.

    Chairman

    Business Trends is mailed each month to t he

    business and community leaders of Staten

    Island. To be added to the mailing list, e-

    mail  [email protected]. To submit anews release, email [email protected].

    For advertising info, call 347-682-4867 or email [email protected].

    By BILL DUBOVSKY

    Situation

    Here are more apps and web-sites that clients tell us they finduseful. Some are common andsome are a bit less known. Let usknow how you like them and giveus some of your favorites for fu-ture articles.

    1.) Clicky.com. Allows you tomonitor your up-to-the minutestats on your websites. While ituses Google Analytics, it pro-

    duces a number of charts thatgive you a better feel as to whatyour data means. Go to websitefor demo.

    2.) 10minuteMail.com. To cutdown on spam or to sign-up for

    on-line registration, go to this siteand get a free, temporary emailaddress which expires after 10minutes. Who knew?

    3.) Lostmystuff.com. If you’velost a ring or other jewelry out-doors this website will try to getsome of its members to help findit for you – for free. Their mem-bership use metal detectors andapparently have a good record of finding metal objects if you notifythem ASAP.

    4.) Lostmylovey.com. For chil-

    dren’s toys that have been lost.You can also get an ID tag fromthe site with a member ID num-ber and if someone finds it andgoes on the website, your childmay be able to get it back!

    5.) TSA.gov. Search for “lostand found” to check for contactsto find items left at a TSA check-point or missing from checkedbaggage.

    6.) Webmd.com/pill-identifica-tion/default.htm.

    To identify a prescription orover the counter pill, go to thiswebsite and fill in as much infor-mation as possible such as thecolor, shape or imprint to find thename of the drug, dosage, andmore.

    7.) Entrepreneur.com. Givesstartup basics. What are hot start-up sectors, growth strategies,how to obtain credit, using socialmedia, and more.

    8.) OnlineConversion.com. Will

    convert any units into otherunits. Great for internationalclothing sizes, currency conver-sions and many other investmentand scientific uses.

    9.) WakeUpDialer.com. Get awake-up call with a fun messageat the appropriate time.

    10.) Radiotower.com. Free In-ternet radio from all over theworld and in all genres. Chooseyour stations by country, lan-guage, category from more than6,000 stations.

    11.) Donotcall.gov. Sign up tohave your phone number placedon the National Do Not Call Reg-istry to minimize calls to land-lines and cell phones.

    12.) StorageTreasures.com. Re-

    quires free registration to findlocal storage auctions, on-linebidding, reselling business, con-nect with other buyers and sell-ers, or get a weekly email withtips.

    Please email me any interest-ing, useful or fun websites or appsand I’ll put them in futurecolumns.

    Bill Dubovsky is an entrepreneur,educator, and technology reviewer.He teaches at the CSI, School of

    Business, CUNY, and at Wagner Col-lege, and is a telecom/network con-sultant with Comtel InformationServices. Contact him [email protected] or onLinkedin.

    A dozen very useful websitesBITS & BYTES

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    http://www.siedc.org/

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    8 BUSINESS TRENDS — APRIL 2015

    Home Improvements & Renovations 

     

    Call Bob or David @ 718-761-8390

    [email protected]

     

    veome Improvements & Renovations 

     

    ovements & Renovations 

    K ROW TEN

      BUSINESSBUCKS

     

    OCK • ELECTRICAL • PLSHEETR

    OOD WOM WCUST

    DOORS • WINDO

    ASEMENTS • THEAFINISHED B

    CHENS • BKIT

     

    UMBINGOCK • ELECTRICAL • PL

    ORKING • CABINETROOD W

    WSDOORS • WINDO

    OOMS•

    OOMSCHENS • B

     

    UMBING

      R 

    OOMS

    [email protected] 

     Bonded & InsuredLicensed,

    Call Bob or Da

     

    [email protected]

     Y .I. Over 30 ving S• Ser Bonded & Insured

    vid @ 718-761-8390Call Bob or Da

    TES AILED ESTIMA

     

    ears

    STEVE WHITE/Business Trends

    The Chamber of Commerce presented its annual Louis R. Miller Business Leadership Awards to localbusiness leaders for their outstanding contributions to the community. Pictured, from left, are honoreesCPA Bernard Del Rey, Claudette Duff of Integrity Senior Services, Chad Reyes of Wealth & Legacy Group,Joann Scamardella of Scamardella Funeral Home, Ryan Walsh of Walsh Electric, Rev. Dr. Daniel Mercaldoof Church at the Gateway, Salvatore Sottile of Sottile Security and Ronald Victorio of Victorio Associ-ates.

    Chamber presents Louis R. Miller awards

    http://www.sichamber.com/

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    Here's a revenue-boosting

    opportunity that may be flying

    under the radar of your business

    or professional networking circle.

    Decades-old Dome Property Man-

    agement, one of the largest and

    most respected companies of its

    kind in the New York metropoli-

    tan area, is offering an unprece-

    dented opportunity for a limited

    number of vendors and mer-

    chants to share in their success.

    The newly introduced Dome

    Savings Club gives businesses the

    opportunity to expand their cus-

    tomer bases for free. There’s

    absolutely no catch: You simply

    agree to provide an attractive dis-

    count to club participants on the

    Dome Savings Club’s “Offer

    Board.” That's it. Nothing more. A

    nominal one-time set-up fee,

    which includes a place on the

    club’s online “Offer Board,” is the

    only cost. “This is a winning situ-

    ation for everyone involved,” said

    Michael Motelson, president of 

    Dome Property Management.”

    ALL PARTIES BENEFIT

    Here's why:

    (1) The businesses in the Dome

    Savings Club may incorporate

    marketing incentives that work

    best for them, such as dollars-off 

    or percentage-savings discounts,

    free gifts or services, or other

    strategies that have successfully

    worked for them in the past. They

    will enjoy a huge audience com-

    prised of well over 10,000 potential

    customers at over 100 Dome-man-aged communities, and are

    included in the club’s online mar-

    keting efforts.

    (2) Homeowners and communities

    under Dome’s management bene-

    fit from the dollars they save on

    top-quality products and services.

    (3) Dome Property Management,

    notably Staten Island’s premier

    property management company,

    benefits from directly interacting

    with the business community and

    providing a greatly appreciated

    advantage to the many condo com-

    munities it services.

    Founded in 1987, Dome Proper-

    ty Management manages over 100

    condominium and homeowners

    association communities, mostly

    on Staten Island, and is the

    biggest such operation in the bor-

    ough. Dome provides comprehen-

    sive property management servic-

    es to many types of properties and

    complexes, from under 10 to more

    than 500 units, and includes many

    building types and individually

    owned homes. For now, the Dome

    Savings Club is being marketed

    solely to its Staten Island condo

    communities.

    DISTINGUISHED

    MEMBERS

    Time Warner Cable was the first

    to participate in the club, with an

    offer to supply participating

    condo residents a savings of more

    than $60 per month with bulk-rate

    pricing. Additional members

    include national companies, such

    as Wells Fargo Home Mortgage,

    and reputable local merchants,

    such as Jealan Fireplaces. Even

    Dome itself has joined in by offer-ing preferred pricing and

    enhanced services to the residents

    of participating communities.

    Now that the word is out, it is

    likely representatives of the auto-

    motive, banking, medical, finan-

    cial and restaurant industries will

    soon come on board. Dome should

    also expect to hear from numer-

    ous home-services businesses,

    such as landscaping, contracting,

    plumbing, electrical, woodwork-

    ing, painting, multi-service and

    product suppliers, and others.

    “Given the assortment of com-

    munities and properties we man-

    age, and the many goods and serv-

    ices they and their residents con-

    sume, businesses offering a widearray of products and services

    can benefit from participating,”

    said Enid Motelson, senior vice

    president of Dome Property Man-

    agement.

    SOLID REPUTATION

    IS A MUST

    If you are interested in participat-

    ing in the Dome Savings Club as a

    merchant or vendor, be aware that

    not every business will qualify.

    “Only businesses with a stellar

    reputation for product, customer-service and integrity will be con-

    sidered,” Michael Motelson said.

    By simply providing a discount to

    Dome’s customers in these tough

    economic times, “quality mer-

    chants, service providers and ven-

    dors can strengthen the loyalty of 

    their existing customers and

    attract and build relationships

    with new prospects.”

    For additional information,

    Dome Property

    Management may be reached at

    718-605-2500,

    e-mail at DomeProp@

    DomeGroup.com, and

    visited online

    at www.DomeGroup.com. TheDome Savings Club’s “Offer

    Board” can be found at

    www.DomeGroup.com/dscOffers.

    The company is headquartered at

    109 Winant Place,

    Staten Island, NY 10309.

    Current Participants:

    Dome Savings Club connects businessesto thousands of potential customers for free

    The Tides at Charleston, the first active-adult community of its kind in metropolitan New York, is one of over 100 condominium and home-

    owners association communities benefitting from the extensive services provided by Dome Property Management.

    Dome Property Management provides com-

    prehensive property management services

    to many types of properties and complexes,

    from under 10 to more than 500 units, and

    includes many building types and individual-

    ly owned homes.

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    10 BUSINESS TRENDS — APRIL 2015

    BARTON HOROWITZ/Special to Business Trends

    The Staten Island Board of Realtors honored its best-achieving members during an awards breakfast atthe start of its annual Agent Day & Trade Show at the Hilton Garden Inn. The expo included some 500attendees and more than 90 vendors who showcased many of the latest innovations in real estate prod-ucts, services and technologies. The day’s events were sponsored by CHL Mortgage; Daniel J. Byrnes,Attorney at Law; Empire State Bank; Mike Blasi, a SIBOR director; Peoples Home Loans; Realtor.com,and EverBank. The Top Producer Committee was co-chaired by Joan Camerlengo and Kevin Swetsky.Chair of the trade show was Donna Iadorola; vice chair was Greg Sokol. Pictured are the team staffingthe Bentson Insurance Group display.

    SI Board of Realtors expo

    http://www.nicotraonline.com/

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    they need to flourish.”The program encompasses 30

    initiatives, including providingclear information and coordinat-ed services through one-stop sitesboth online and in-person, creat-

    ing an environment of educationand compliance, as opposed topunitive enforcement, reducingthe burden of complex regula-tions and fines, and ensuringequal access for all business own-ers.

    The goals of the program, ac-cording to the city, is to reduce thetime required for a business toopen or work with the city by 50percent and ensure 95 percent of business-related applications are

    available online.Resources for small businessowners will include an onlinespace to create an account andfind the applications, permits andinformation that relates specifi-cally to a person’s business; per-sonal contacts in city governmentthat can help businesses navigatemultiple steps of a process, orprovide a pre-inspection walk-through to help businesses com-ply before they receive a fine orviolation; one place where the

    majority of fines and violationscan be settled all at once, as wellas online; and resources availablein multiple languages.

    “We listened to the small busi-ness community across the fiveboroughs, and based on those con-versations, we are excited to work

    with our partner agencies on thisunprecedented collaborative ef-fort that will make it easier forsmall businesses in New YorkCity to start, operate and thrive inthe ways they say they need itmost,” said Maria Torres-Springer, commissioner of thecity Department of Small Busi-ness Services. “Over the comingweeks, months and years, we willwork to transform the city’s regu-latory environment, making it

    easier for small businesses to un-derstand the rules and interactwith the city, thereby saving themvaluable time and money.”

    One of those active voices ad-vocating for small businesses wasLinda Baran, the president andCEO of the Staten Island Cham-ber of Commerce. She said thatwhile she is encouraged by SmallBusiness First, and happy thecity listened to what they had tosay, she is taking a wait-and-seeapproach when it comes to assess-

    ing the program.“I think the intentions are

    12 BUSINESS TRENDS — APRIL 2015

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    CITYContinued from page 1

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    good. I do think, however, that itwill take a lot to make sure theagencies are working togetherand the fact that businesses needmore education,” she said. “It’sgoing to be a huge culture shift onthe part of the city, because someof the agencies have been operat-ing this way for many years. Theproof will be in the pudding.”

    Baran said the Chamber is con-

    veying their members’ feedbackto SBS, but she also realizes therewill be a learning curve becauseof the expanding role of the De-partment of Consumer Affairs.

    Baran said one of the biggestcomplaints business owners haveis the city doesn’t disseminate in-formation effectively or doesn’thave that information readilyavailable. The new Paid SickLeave law has been confusing to alot of business owners so far, shesaid, so coming up with ways to

    help employers prepare their em-ployees so they can avoid issues isessential.

    “The Chamber should be thereto at least try to facilitate the con-versation between the agenciesand the businesses when there isa problem,” Baran said.

    Business owners often tell theChamber of the “piling on effect”of the city’s regulations. Real es-tate taxes, Paid Sick Leave andthe rising minimum wage all pileon top of each other to hurt abusiness owner’s bottom line, inaddition to fines they may face forviolating a regulation they mightnot know exists. When the weath-er turns nice, for example, restau-rants will sometimes put tablesand chairs outside their doors,and in doing so, they may be vio-lating a city code.

    “People do things with good in-tentions but then end up gettingfines for them,” Baran said. “Thecity just needs to recognize that it

    needs to do more to incentivizebusinesses.”

    Baran believes strongly in in-centivizing businesses to do theright thing instead of penalizingthem without a warning when

    they do not. She hopes SmallBusiness First will be a step inthat direction of educating andsupporting the city’s business

    owners.“For us, the role we need to

    play as a Chamber is that voiceand bringing that back to the

    business community,” Baransaid.

    “Sometimes, business ownersare so busy that they do whatever

    they have to do to get back up andrunning again. The more feed-back we have, the better it lever-ages us to make changes.”

    APRIL 2015 — BUSINESS TRENDS 13

    SMALLContinued from page 12

    Small Business First initiative

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    14 BUSINESS TRENDS — APRIL 2015

    Special to Business Trends

    Community Resources presented its annual “Pasta Bowl” during which local restaurants compete toraise funds for the non-profit that serves people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, and/or amental health diagnosis. Pictured are this year’s Grand Prize winners, Joseph Guastavino and JeremyPappalardo of Pier 76 Italian Restaurant.

    Pier 76 wins annual ‘Pasta Bowl’

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    16 BUSINESS TRENDS — APRIL 2015

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    The Council of Jewish Organizations of Staten Island welcomed Deputy Consul General Amir Sagie of theIsraeli Consulate to the United Nations to Staten Island for his first-ever visit to the borough. Sagiespent the day visiting representatives of the Jewish community and public officials and touring areas in-cluding Hebrew Free Burial Cemetery, Historic Richmond Town and South Beach. The day concluded witha dinner at the Jewish Community Center. Pictured, from left, are Mr. Sagie, his political advisor AndrewGross, COJO President Mendy Mirocznik, and COJO CEO and Executive Director Scott Maurer.

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    Bucks Business Network: Hamp-ton Inn, 1120 South Ave. 7:45 a.m.For info, call 718-351-2557 or visitwww.sibucks.com.

    Kiwanis Club of Brighton: Jody’sClub Forest, 372 Forest Ave. 7:30p.m. For info, call 718-348-0505.

    Kiwanis Club of North Central:LiGreci’s Staten, 697 Forest Ave.7:30 p.m. Call Len Bosso at 718-442-7804.

    Gateway Rotary Club: LaStrada,

    139 New Dorp Ln. 7:15 p.m. For info,call 718-447-1509.

    SCORE Business Counseling:Chamber of Commerce, 130 Bay St.9 to 11:30 a.m. Appointment neces-sary. No charge. Call 718-727-1221.

    E.L.I.T.E. (Executive, Leadership,Interactive, Team, Effort) Net-working Group: 1110 South Ave. 8a.m. New members welcome. Forinfo, call 347-273-1375.

    College of S.I., Small Bus. Dev. Ctr.Business Counseling:CSI, 2800Victory Blvd. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. For

    info, call 718-982-2560.

    THURSDAYBus. Outreach Ctr of SI/WBCLDCSmall Bus. Counseling –MWBE/BOC Capital: WBCLDC, 705Forest Ave., 2nd Fl. By appointmentonly. For info, call 718-816-4775.

    Richmond Business Connections:Z One, 1821 Richmond Ave. 8 a.m.For information, call Ronald P.Cutrone at (347) 258-8131.

    Kiwanis Club of Staten Island:LiGreci’s Staten, 697 Forest Ave.7:30 p.m. For info, call 718-967-4345or kiwanisclubofstatenisland.com.

    Rotary Club of South Shore: Man-

    sion Grand, 141 Mansion Ave. 12:15p.m. For info, call 718-987-2061 orvisit southshorerotary.org.

    Rotary Club Mid-Island: New Dako-ta Diner, 921 Richmond Ave. 7:30 to9:00 a.m. Call 718-981-0700.

    SCORE Business Counseling: SIBank & Trust, 1550 Richmond Rd. 9a.m. to noon. No appointment nec-essary. No charge. Call 718-727-1221.

    Rotary Club of North Shore: LiGre-ci’s Staten, 697 Forest Ave. 7 p.m.For info, call Chris Williams at 718-442-9047.

    Business Network Int’l. (BNI) HighAchievers Chapter: PK’s Restau-rant,1281 Arthur Kill Rd. 7 to 8:30a.m. For info, call Timothy Houston

    at 718-981-8600.Business Guild II of the S.I. Cham-ber of Commerce: Hilton GardenInn, 1100 South Ave. 7:45 to 8:45a.m. Members and invited guestsonly. For info, call Lou Rizzo at 718-490-0057.

    Business Guild III of the SI Cham-ber of Commerce: Hilton GardenInn, 1100 South Ave. 8 a.m. Newmembers welcome. Call Nick Testaat 646-823-4494.

    College of S.I., Small Bus. Dev. Ctr.Business Counseling:CSI, 2800

    Victory Blvd. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Forinfo, call 718-982-2560.

    Community Emergency ResponseTeam (CERT): 7 p.m. For info. andlocations, call John Tidona at 448-7160 or [email protected].

    FRIDAYBus. Outreach Ctr of SI/WBCLDCSmall Bus. Counseling –MWBE/BOC Capital: WBCLDC, 705Forest Ave., 2nd Fl. By appointment

    only. For info, call 718-816-4775.

    SATURDAY

    SCORE Business Counseling: St.George Library, 5 Central Ave. 10a.m. to noon. Appointment neces-sary. No charge. Call 718-442-8560.

    SCORE Business Counseling: Rich-mondtown Library, 200 Clarke Ave.10 to 11:30 a.m. Appointment neces-sary. For info, call 718-668-0413.

    APRIL 2015 — BUSINESS TRENDS 17

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    18 BUSINESS TRENDS — APRIL 2015

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    Staten Island Technical High School, in collaboration with the Chamber of Commerce, presented a CareerFair, showcasing career and technical training programs offered at local high schools and allowing stu-dents to network with a diverse group of business professionals. Pictured is architect Genovese Anselmo(right) with some students interested in the field of architecture.

    Staten Island Technical High School career fair

    Visit us on the Web at www.sibiztrends.com

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    “I think that franchising has alot of merit in some of these de-velopments,” said John Amodio,a board member of SCORE.

    Amodio, who has 45 years expe-rience in finance and at one timeserved as a vice president of TDBank, has helped finance fran-chises through banking andhelped mentor people looking toget into the business at SCORE.The only difference between pur-chasing a franchise and startingyour own business, he said, is afranchise helps with training andmarketing, and has a product orservice that has been proven.

    Adviser Ed Brochin, owner of FranSight, agrees, saying it willtake the same hard work and ded-ication that owning an independ-ent business will.

    “With the economy that we’vehad over the last five or 10 years,since people haven’t advanced or

    have left jobs, they’re looking foralternatives,” Brochin said.“They don’t want to start a busi-ness from scratch…so they looktoward a proven model to helpthem get off the ground.”

    Brochin said owning a fran-chise is not for everyone. Peoplewho are independent, don’t wantto take suggestions and don’twant to commit to a long-term in-vestment of five to 10 yearsshouldn’t own a franchise. On theflipside, people who want to run a

    proven business model, with aproven brand that’s good for theconsumer, and seek support withtrademarks, advertising and mar-keting could be a great fit.

    “If you go to a McDonald’s onStaten Island or San Jose, Calif.,your experience will be the same.The franchisor insists that thequality standards remain thesame,” Brochin said.

    After being in the franchisebusiness himself for 20 years,

    Brochin left and started Fran-Sight five years ago to help otherswho want to own a franchise. Hisbusiness is affiliated with a na-tional company called FranServe,which signs up franchisors that

    are looking to sell their business-es to local entrepreneurs.Brochin, then, matches potentialfranchisees with those fran-

    chisors.Because he is paid a fee from

    the franchisors, Brochin’s servic-es are free to the franchisee. Butthat doesn't make him any lessdedicated to finding the rightmatch.

    Brochin said a person has toask himself or herself a few ques-tions to determine whether beinga franchisee is right for him orher.

    The first thing Brochin wantsto know of a potential franchiseeis why they want to own theirown business. What does his orher family think about it? Howwill he or she support himself orherself over the first six monthsto one year, when the businesswill most likely lose money?

    If a person “passes” this stageof the interview process, Brochinwill start to investigate his or herbackground, experience, desires,needs, hobbies, finances, geogra-phy and other topics that would

    help him match the franchisee toa franchisor.“The process is very impor-

    tant. We go through a very exten-sive interview, or screening,” hesaid. “Most people that go into afranchise have no background inthat franchise. The franchisorsprefer that because they don’twant people to come in with pre-conceived notions of how thingsshould be done.”

    That’s why, even if a personhas extensive managerial back-

    ground in restaurants, he or shecould make a poor owner of arestaurant franchise.

    “For the most part…a vast ma-

     jority of the people I’ve placed inbusiness haven’t had a particularpassion for the industry in whichI’ve placed them,” Brochin said.

    “Sometimes it’s better, if youget into franchising, that you

    APRIL 2015 — BUSINESS TRENDS 19

    Bill Bergman, Vice President, Leasing 

    (718) 263-3800 x 307

    [email protected]

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    FRANCHISEContinued from page 1

    Franchises could fit with development

     please see FRANCHISE page 22

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    20 BUSINESS TRENDS — APRIL 2015

    When the news is sweet, We Tweet!

    When the news is bitter, We Still Twitter!

    Follow us at twitter.com/sibiztrends

    24-7NETWORKING SALES

    MONDAY, APRIL 27

    Time: 9:00 a.m.

    Location: Z-One Restaurant, Rich-mond Ave.

    For information, call 973-697-8872

    WORLD OF WOMEN

    MONDAY, APRIL 27

    Time: 7:00 p.m.

    Location: Mansion Grand, MansionAve.

    For information, call 718-948-8175

    NEW DAYTOASTMASTERS

    THURSDAY, APRIL 30

    Time: 7:00 p.m.

    Location: SI Univ. Hosp., SeaviewAve.

    For information, call Nancy at 718-979-5154

    EVENTSContinued from page 4

    Business Calendar

    Visit us on the Web at www.sibiztrends.com

    APRIL 2015 BUSINESS TRENDS 21

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    APRIL 2015 — BUSINESS TRENDS 21

     

    NASE expands its grantgrowth program

    The National Association forthe Self-Employed, an advocateand resource for the self-em-ployed and micro-business com-munity, announced the expansionof its Growth Grant program tohelp small businesses increase ca-pacity and grow their company tothe next level. In 2015, NASE willaward more than $48,000 in smallbusiness grants, an increase fromthe $20,000 awarded in 2014.

    Since 2006, NASE has awardedmore than half a million dollars

    to members through the GrowthGrant program. It provides avail-able capital for small businessesand sole proprietors to be able tohire and train additional employ-ees, market their business in newand existing ways or invest innew equipment or software.

    Applications for the 2015Growth Grant program are beingaccepted through Dec. 10. Appli-cations are considered on a

    rolling basis throughout the yearand winning small businesseswill be awarded $4,000 grantsmonthly throughout 2015. Visit

    https://www.nase.org/Member-ship/Benefits/Growth_Grants.aspx for more information.

    Northfield foundationawards $20,000 grantThe Northfield Bank Founda-

    tion awarded the New York Cen-ter for Interpersonal Develop-ment a $20,000 grant to provideoperational support for the Su-pervised Visitation Program.

    Supervised visits become nec-

    essary when the court requiresthat visits between a child andtheir non-custodial parent be su-pervised by a third neutral party.The visits are overseen by profes-sional observers whose job it is toprovide information to the courton the visit and insure the safetyof all involved in the visit. Cur-rently, the New York Center pro-gram charges participating fami-lies on a sliding scale in accor-

    dance with federal poverty guide-lines. The program offers servic-es to families referred by theRichmond County Integrated Do-

    mestic Violence Court, FamilyCourt, and Supreme Court. Theprogram can accommodate 18family visits per Saturday.

    Santander Banklaunches new programSantander Bank, N.A., an-

    nounced the launch of its “I LoveMy Bank” initiative. The col-league engagement and customerservice program is part of thebank’s broader 2015 effort to

    strengthen its connection to itscustomers and colleagues.

    The initiative offers eligibleemployees the chance to sign upfor a subsidized lease on a brand-ed 2015 Fiat 500 Sport HB. Addi-tionally, Santander is conductingan in-branch listening tour acrossits Northeast footprint, which in-cludes Staten Island, to solicitcustomer feedback on their expe-rience with the bank.

    MONTHLY UPDATE

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    22 BUSINESS TRENDS APRIL 2015

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    22 BUSINESS TRENDS — APRIL 2015

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    don’t know the specifics about(that industry),” Amodio said.

    Amodio likened the concept tothe Army, which often takes abarber and makes him a cook, ortakes an engineer and makes hima barber.

    The Army doesn’t want to as-sign you a job in which you aretrained, because they want totrain you in the “Army way.”

    After his interview process is

    complete, Brochin presents possi-ble franchise matches to clients,realizing his role is “as much totell people what not to consider as

    it is to tell people what to consid-er.” Franchisors will go throughthe same interview process withpotential franchisees to ensure

    they are a good fit.Brochin is based in Staten Is-

    land, and even though he doesbusiness nationwide, he has agood pulse on the local market.He believes there will be a goodnumber of national franchisesthat will support the new develop-ment on the waterfront, andthinks “anything to do with foodwill do well, if it’s good food.”

    For Amodio, he said one of thekeys to running a successful fran-chise, or any business in general,

    is location. And that will be par-ticularly true for the waterfrontsupport businesses.

    People often think the fran-

    chisor will do all the work forthem, and while they’ll help, theyprobably won’t have the localknowledge the franchisee will.

    Someone in California can pro-vide statistics and demographicsof an area, for example, but mightnot know the lay of the land of,say, Richmond Road.

    The business has to be locatedwhere there will be foot traffic, orhave ample parking, and not be inan area where cars just whip by.

    “The location is key. Peoplesometimes don’t have enoughmoney, and they say, ‘I don’t haveenough money to rent near theWheel, so I’ll rent 10 blocks away.’

    But 10 blocks isn’t going to workfor you. It’s important that youpick a location that works,”Amodio said.

    FRANCHISEContinued from page 19

    Franchises could be a good fit

    Local Company Offers Unique Financial ServicesThe main ongoing issue facing the majority of small business owners today is the perennial

    problem of how to make the cash flow stretch to accommodate the growth plans.

    This problem is no thing new. It has

    been prevalent for a long time, and

    yet there are still only a very few vi-

    able financing methods available forbusinesses.

    When we think of financing and

    capital for expansion, the natural

    tendency is to approach one's bank

    for assistance. There is reluctance

    among the banking fraternity to

    offer loans to small businesses re-

    quiring $20,000 - $50,000. In the main,

    the reasons seem to be two-fold.

    First, banks are "equity" lenders and

    expect their customers to have estab-

    lished some equity in the form of 

    capital and retained earnings beforethe bank can accommodate their

    needs. By its very nature, small busi-

    ness is usually undercapitalized.

    Most of the companies requiring

    this level of financial help are not

    likely to have been in business for

    more than two or three years, and

    therefore, are at a point where they

    are just becoming profitable. Banks

    do not usually look favorably on

    these situations.

    Second, for banks to make small

    business loans, they must do so on a

    profitable basis. Lending $10,000 to a

    small business probably has the

    same administrative costs to the

    lender as lending $100,000 - $200,000.

    It is natural, therefore, that the

    lender will choose the larger oppor-

    tunity.Where does all this leave the small

    business owner? Simon Shkolyar,

    owner of the local Interface Finan-

    cial office says he has the answer. “I

    offer a financial service known as

    ‘Invoice Discounting.’ This service

    immediately turns quality, current

    accounts receivable into cash our

    client. Their business becomes "cash

    and carry".

    “This is not factoring” Simon

    Shkolyar said. Shkolyar went on to

    say that factoring is a system that

    generally includes all receivables,

    minimum sales levels and adminis-

    tration of the collection process. The

    Interface invoice discounting pro-

    gram operates on a "use it as you

    need it" arrangement designed

    specifically to act as a bridge inmeeting the needs of small busi-

    nesses during their formative years.

    The system is both cost effective and

    very user friendl y. When the bank

    says ‘no’ or ‘no more’, there is no

    need for the business owner to give

    up, “they can just call me and to-

    gether we can determine if our in-

    voice discounting program is right

    for them.” Simon Shkolyar said.

    When asked about The Interface

    Financial Group Shkolyar said that

    IFG has been providing workingcapital to small businesses for more

    than 44 years, and has offices

    throughout the US and Canada

    along with offices in New Zealand

    and Australia. “It is the sense of 

    community and our focus on the

    needs of small business owners that

    makes it work for me.”

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