| THE BUSINESS MENTOR MONTHLY: APRIL 2015 |
| A Division of Empire State Development |
| Ready, Set, Mentor!
On the heels of the success of our first-ever Speed Mentoring event in February, Business Mentor NY will hold two speed mentoring events this summer on Long Island, partnering with LISTnet, Launchpad and TMA-Long Island/TMA-NYC for two exciting events on May 19th and June 23rd.
These events will give entrepreneurs the opportunity to participate in three 20-minute, high-impact sessions with mentors whose expertise range from accounting, finance and legal to marketing and human resources. Entrepreneurs will come prepared with questions around specific challenges they are facing in their business as well as collateral for real-time problem solving and advice.
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| Participants at Business Mentor NY’s February Speed Mentoring event. |
Entrepreneurs that participated in the February speed mentoring event continue to reap the benefits from the evening. In the short two months since Betsy Helmuth of Affordable Interior Design met with mentor Karen Park of Schulte Roth & Zabel LLP, Betsy has moved her business into an office space in Dumbo, Brooklyn, and is currently hiring an office manager. Betsy says she would have done things differently if it hadn’t been for her speed mentoring meeting: “I definitely would not have moved into the new space as quickly without her guidance.” She also benefited from a business-focused ego boost. “Speaking with her gave me confidence in my own visions for the business,” Helmuth says.
Want to get in on the fun?
Our Long Island events kick off in Huntington on May 19th:
- Click here to register as an entrepreneur.
- Click here to register as a mentor.
Stay tuned – registration details and links for our June 23rd event in Uniondale will be forthcoming!
Is your organization interested in partnering on a speed business mentoring event? Contact Amy Greenstein. |
| Calling All Mentors: Sailing and Water Sports Company Seeks Marketing Boost
Eric Skilbred is a Sag Harbor native who grew up sailing, yachting, and surfing on Long Island’s East End. With more than 20 years exploring the area by boat, including work with Hampton Watersports and the Town of Southampton, he has an intimate knowledge of the area’s best beaches and sailing locations. Eric decided to use that expertise to start his own Sag Harbor-based company, Sea Escapes, focused on introducing people to the joys of sailing and water sports.
Eric is searching for a mentor who can provide guidance on effective marketing techniques with a focus on digital ad placements and search engine optimization. Eric is currently active on social media (Twitter, Instagram, Facebook), but would like to speak with someone who can share best practices in using Google AdWords and other digital marketing streams. If you’re a professional with experience in digital marketing, your expertise will be immensely valuable in helping Sea Escapes get the word out.
Eric first learned about Business Mentor NY through his business advisor at the Hofstra Entrepreneurial Assistance Program (EAP). The EAPs are a statewide network of 24
technical assistance centers that provide instruction, training, and technical assistance to individuals who have recently started their own business or are interested in starting a business help small business owners with issues that they are facing. Business Mentor NY has teamed up with the EAP network to provide business mentorship services to their clients across the state.
Learn more about Sea Escapes by clicking the orange “Learn More” button on Eric’s
mentoring request page. To become Eric’s mentor, click the orange “Offer to Help” button. If you are not yet a registered Business Mentor NY user, you will be prompted to register.
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| Legal Shout Out
Do you need help deciding whether you should be an LLC or an S-corp? Or maybe you’d like a legal expert to review a contract or help you create one?
Reach out to the Business Mentor NY legal provider network, a network of over 30 law firms with expertise in a range of legal matters including: entity formation, contract/lease review, intellectual property, commercial real estate, business acquisition, employment law, franchising, among others. After speaking with a Business Mentor NY legal administrator, we’ll work to connect you with one of the pro bono attorneys in our network.
Click here for more information. |
| Help Us Grow the Business Mentor NY Community!
Lend a hand (or two).
You have the knowledge to help entrepreneurs succeed! Can you make time to mentor a small business owner? Check out the open mentoring requests on Business Mentor NY. See someone you can help? Simply click on the orange “Offer to help” button on her or his mentoring request page.
Bring a friend.
Do you have colleagues who would be great mentors and are looking for volunteer opportunities? Forward this email or send them directly to BusinessMentor.ny.gov. Each mentor who volunteers makes Business Mentor NY a better service for entrepreneurs.
Spread the word.
Help us get the word out to local small business owners in your community that they can receive free guidance by visiting BusinessMentor.ny.gov. |
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| Upcoming Events
Join ESD’s Division for Small Business at the U.S. Small Business Association’s (SBA) Small Business Week Government Resources event, featuring four expert panels geared towards helping entrepreneurs and small business owners.
RSVP to man-li.lin@sba.gov by Friday, May 1st.
When: May 2, 2015 8:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Where: 26 Federal Plaza Conference Center, Room A/B, NY, NY 10278
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Click here to view additional small business support events from our partners that can help your business. |
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