Sep 10, 2018
We all have seen and experienced the significant economic growth on Staten Island in the past few years. The NYS Small Business Development Center (SBDC) at the College of Staten Island (CSI) has played an important supporting role to local small business owners.
On August 22nd, the NYS SBDC celebrated its 25th anniversary serving the local business community through the economic development arm of the College of Staten Island. The CSI SBDC hosted a brand building workshop during Small Business Day at the Richmond County Bank Ballpark.
CSI Vice President Ken Iwama presented CSI SBDC Director Dean Balsamini with a plaque denoting the 25 years of success for the center’s contributions to the Staten Island small business community.
“Our presence in the Staten Island and South Brooklyn business communities continues to thrive in supporting many business owners and entrepreneurs,” Director Balsamini stated. “In fact, since the inception at CSI in 1993, we have worked with over 8,800 businesses, helping them invest over $187 million in the area’s economy, while creating/saving about 5,800 jobs.”
Director Balsamini also presented Joseph Bottega with an award celebrating five years of service with the SBDC and for achieving his certification as a NYS Certified Business Advisor. Joseph joins a team of three other certified advisors, Director Balsamini, and Senior Advisors Ed Piszko and George Telmany. Marketing Business Advisor and social media expert, Megan Ernst, Business Advisor Joe Muller and Office Manager Angela Chuppe add their skills to provide the CSI SBDC with a well-rounded team.
In celebrating Small Business Day at the Ballpark, the focal point was team building, brand building, and networking with the 70+ business owners and professionals from Staten Island, Brooklyn, and Manhattan that were in attendance. Seventeen local businesses contributed as sponsors to create this informative event.
The guest speaker Matthew Quint, Director of the Center on Global Brand Leadership at Columbia Business School, presented “The Core of a Brand Strategy”. The seminar emphasized the importance of building an intentionally aware reputation for the brand of your business through its many operational functions. By effectively creating a positive image across customer and staffing interfaces, the brands favorable attributes can more clearly penetrate to the consumer consciousness. Dean, speaking of the presenter, stated, “Matthew hit a ‘grand slam’ out of the ballpark.”
Known as the “go-to network for small business,” the SBDC at CSI presents over 40 seminars annually, aside from providing confidential counseling on business planning, marketing, financial advisement, and more.
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If you are an entrepreneur, reach out to the NYS SBDC at CSI for no cost assistance as you work to start, grow, or expand your business and dream for success.
Call 718-982-2560 or click below to make your appointment.