APRIL 2015

City to
put Small
Business
First

www.sibiztrends.com

BITS & BYTES

A dozen very useful websites.
PAGE 6

MONTHLY UPDATE
NASE expands grant growth program.
PAGE 21

TAX TALK

By TIM RONALDSON
Business Trends
The city of New York has listened to the rumblings of business organizations in all five boroughs and is attempting to make
it easier for small businesses to
interact with city organizations.
With the announcement of its
new Small Business First initiative, the city said it would change
the way city agencies interact
with small business owners and
reduce the burden of regulation
on them. The initiative will cost
the city $27 million, but will ultimately save small businesses
time and money by making it easier to comply with city regulations.
Small Business First is about
changing the way the city of New
York interacts with small business owners, Mayor Bill de Blasio said. When a representative
of the city walks through the
door of a small business for the
first time, we want the owner to
see a partner. From streamlining
the permitting process to increasing accessibility to resources online and in multiple languages to
providing more one-on-one counseling so business owners can increase compliance and avoid
fines, this is a concerted effort
across the administration to ensure our small business owners
have the resources and support
please see CITY, page 12

Are you missing deductions?

PAGE 2

Staten Island Mental Health Society gala

STEVE WHITE/Business Trends

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

Franchises could fit with development

By TIM RONALDSON
Business Trends
New development throughout the Island,
particularly on the North Shore, has people
thinking about how they can grab a piece of
the pie. Existing businesses are ramping up

Business Calendar
Check out our monthly listing and
attend an event on Staten Island.
PAGE 4

planning and marketing efforts, and people

are thinking about starting new businesses
to support the projected influx of tourists.
But starting a business from scratch doesnt just take a lot of work and significant investment of time, money and knowledge; it
also takes a fresh idea.
Conversely, owning a franchise doesnt re-

quire that fresh idea, because that work is

done and proven.
Its why franchising has become more popular recently, and why some say owning a
franchise could be a good fit to support the
development on Staten Island.
please see FRANCHISE page 19

2 BUSINESS TRENDS APRIL 2015

Are you missing deductions?

!
$

$ "

Phone: 718-354-4026
#

By JOHN J. VENTO
If you choose to itemize on
your federal income tax return
instead of using the standard deduction, every eligible expense
you find can save money. Heres a
list 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 refinance your home mortgage (typically deductible pro rata over the
life of the loan).
Remaining undeducted points
on a prior refinancing when you
refinance again.
Actual out-of-pocket expenses
or a standard rate of 14 cents a
mile for use of your vehicle while
volunteering for a charity.
Disaster losses not reimbursed by insurance.
Job-hunting travel and telephone expenses.
Employment agency and job
counseling fees.
Costs for rsum preparation.
Union or professional association dues.
Specialized work clothing and
small tools used at work.

Fees paid for the preparation

of your tax return.
Gambling losses to the extent
of your winnings.
Be aware that special rules
apply to different categories of
itemized deductions. For example, certain miscellaneous itemized deductions must exceed 2%
of your adjusted gross income before you benefit. Similarly, medical expenses are deductible only
to the extent your out-of-pocket
costs are greater than 10% of
your AGI when youre under age
65.
In addition, overall itemized
deductions may be limited when
your income exceeds certain
thresholds.
John J. Vento is a certified public
accountant in private practice and
president of Comprehensive Wealth
Management, Ltd. He may be
reached at (718) 980-9000 or via
email at john@ventocpa.com.

YMCA hosts fundraising gala

Special to Business Trends

The YMCAs annual fundraising gala was co-chaired by Jerry

Amerosi of Gerald Peters Gold Mine and Angela Mirizzi Olsen. Pictured are Amerosi (left) and Olsen (second from right) with the
Harold Melvin Blue Notes who performed at the event.

4 BUSINESS TRENDS APRIL 2015

Business Calendar
POWERFUL
YOU! (NORTH)
TUESDAY, APRIL 7

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!

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Time: 7:00 p.m.

Location: Kings Arms, 500 Forest
Ave.
For information, call 917-592-7241

RICHMOND CNTY.
BANKERS ASSOC.
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 8

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+),(& * "
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Location: Mikes 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 Caf, 1919 Hylan
Blvd.
For information, call 718-816-5991

POWERFUL
YOU! (SOUTH)
THURSDAY, APRIL 9

Visit us on the Web at www.sibiztrends.com

Time: 7:00 p.m.

Location: Giulianas, 4105 Hylan
Blvd.

For information, call 718-608-1640

SALVATION ARMY
SPRING BENEFIT

SATURDAY, APRIL 18
Time: 12:00 p.m.
Location: LiGrecis Staaten, 697
Forest Ave.
For information, call 718-984-3294

THURSDAY, APRIL 9
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Location: LiGrecis Staaten, 697 Forest Ave.
For information, call 718-448-8480

SI NOT-FOR-PROFIT
ASSOC. CONFERENCE

SI CHAMBER: BUS.
AFTER HOURS
TUESDAY, APRIL 21
Time: 6:00 8:00 p.m.
Location: Remedi Day Spa, 4906
Arthur Kill Rd.
For information, call 718-727-1900

FRIDAY, APRIL 10
Time: 8:00 a.m. 3:00 p.m.
Location: CSI, Ctr. For Arts
For information, call 718-355-6228

SIBOC WORKSHOP:
SELLING TO GOVT.
TUESDAY, APRIL 24

ITALIAN CLUB OF SI
FOUNDATION GALA

Time: 3:00 5:00 p.m.

Location: 705 Forest Ave., 2nd Fl.
Rear
For information, call 718-816-4775

FRIDAY, APRIL 10
Time: 7:00 11:00 p.m.
Location: Hilton Garden Inn
For information, call 917-609-3966

CHAMBER GALA
SPEAKEASY
SATURDAY, APRIL 25

NYS WOMEN, INC.

(STATEN ISLAND)
WOMEN OF
DISTINCTION LUNCH

Time: 7:00 p.m.

Location: Grand Oaks Country Club
For information, call 718-727-1900

please see EVENTS, page 20

APRIL 2015 BUSINESS TRENDS 5

WEEKLY MEETINGS
MONDAY

WEDNESDAY

Bus. Outreach Ctr of SI/WBCLDC

Small Bus. Counseling
MWBE/BOC Capital: WBCLDC, 705
Forest Ave., 2nd Fl. By appointment
only. For info, call 718-816-4775.
Kiwanis Club of Richmond Co.:
LaFontana Restaurant, 2879 Amboy
Rd. 7 p.m. Call 718-420-1966.
College of S.I., Small Bus. Dev. Ctr.
Business Counseling: CSI, 2800
Victory Blvd. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. No
charge. For info, call the SBDC at
718-982-2560.

Bus. Outreach Ctr of SI/WBCLDC

Small Bus. Counseling
MWBE/BOC Capital: WBCLDC, 705
Forest Ave., 2nd Fl. By appointment
only. For info, call 718-816-4775.
Richmond County Referral Source:
Comfort Inn. 7:00 to 8:15 a.m. For

TUESDAY
Greater New Dorp Networking
Group: 8 a.m. Perkins, 1409 Hylan
Blvd. For information, call Steve
Lombardo at 718-702-8623.
SI Business Friends: 7:30 - 8:45
a.m. Hilton Garden Inn, 1100 South
Ave. For information, call Dr. Richard
Bove at 718-938-5978 or visit
www.sibfnetwork.com.
Bus. Outreach Ctr of SI/WBCLDC
Small Bus. Counseling
MWBE/BOC Capital: WBCLDC, 705
Forest Ave., 2nd Fl. By appointment
only. For info, call 718-816-4775.
Direct120.com, Ultimate Think
Tank: Lorenzos, 1100 South Ave. For
info, visit www.direct120.com.
Kiwanis Club of South Shore:
LaFontana, 2879 Amboy Rd. 7:30
p.m. For info, call 718-370-2770.
SCORE Business Counseling: S.I.
Bank & Trust, 1550 Richmond Rd. 9
a.m. to noon. No appointment necessary. No charge. For info, call 718727-1221.
Business Guild I of the S.I. Chamber of Commerce: Hilton Garden
Inn, 1100 South Ave. 7:45 a.m. Members and invited guests only. Call
Michael Anicito at 646-606-2111.
Business Network Intl. (BNI) Network Alliance Chapter: Z-One
Lounge, 1821 Richmond Ave. 7 to
8:30 a.m. For info, call Timothy
Houston at 718-981-8600.
Rotary Club Staten Island: LiGrecis Staten, 697 Forest Ave. 12:30 to
1:30 p.m. Members and guests welcome. 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. No
charge. Call 718-982-2560.
College of S.I., Small Bus. Dev. Ctr.
Business Counseling: CSI, 2800
Victory Blvd. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. No
charge. Call the SBDC at 982-2560.

info, email jcmexp@aol.com

Staten Island Business Council:
Andrews Diner, 4160 Hylan Blvd. 7
a.m. Members and invited guests
only. For info, call 347-855-4488 or
send an e-mail to info@sibizcouncil.com.

please see MEETINGS, page 17

6 BUSINESS TRENDS APRIL 2015

in our opinion

East Shore rising

S
ome good news out of the Governors Office of Storm Recovery: $600,000 has been allocated
to establish an East Shore Local Development Corporation here on Staten Island. 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 Staten Island Planning Committee for the
states New York Rising Community
Reconstruction Program. The committee brought together 29 local community leaders who were asked to
come up with a comprehensive, cohesive 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-

66 Willow Avenue
Staten Island, NY 10305
347-682-4867

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 economic base will be better able to withstand and recover from any potential
future threats weather-related or otherwise.
As anyone who has driven down
Hylan Boulevard in the Midland Avenue area and seen all the still-empty
storefronts can attest, the October 2012
storm knocked this island for an economic loop. So we are heartened to
hear of this step to give a leg-up to the
East Shores business districts. Increased economic activity not only
helps the business owners. It has a
positive trickle-down effect on the sur-

rounding residential neighborhoods

in the form of increased property values and improved quality of life.
We applaud our local Staten Island
committee and the governors NY Rising 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 Governors 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 economic-focused non-profits will fill the position. Staten Island is a unique borough, and an organization with a local
sensibility and understanding of the
terrain both economic and otherwise
seems indicated.

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 the

business and community leaders of Staten
Island. To be added to the mailing list, email janet@sibiztrends.com. To submit a
news release, email news@sibiztrends.com.
For advertising info, call 347-682-4867 or
email janet@sibiztrends.com.

BITS & BYTES

A dozen very useful websites

By BILL DUBOVSKY

Situation
Here are more apps and websites that clients tell us they find
useful. Some are common and
some are a bit less known. Let us
know how you like them and give
us some of your favorites for future articles.
1.) Clicky.com. Allows you to
monitor your up-to-the minute
stats on your websites. While it
uses Google Analytics, it produces a number of charts that
give you a better feel as to what
your data means. Go to website
for demo.
2.) 10minuteMail.com. To cut
down on spam or to sign-up for

on-line registration, go to this site

and get a free, temporary email
address which expires after 10
minutes. Who knew?
3.) Lostmystuff.com. If youve
lost a ring or other jewelry outdoors this website will try to get
some of its members to help find
it for you for free. Their membership use metal detectors and
apparently have a good record of
finding metal objects if you notify
them ASAP.
4.) Lostmylovey.com. For childrens toys that have been lost.
You can also get an ID tag from
the site with a member ID number and if someone finds it and
goes on the website, your child
may be able to get it back!

5.) TSA.gov. Search for lost

and found to check for contacts
to find items left at a TSA checkpoint or missing from checked
baggage.
6.) Webmd.com/pill-identification/default.htm.
To identify a prescription or
over the counter pill, go to this
website and fill in as much information as possible such as the
color, shape or imprint to find the
name of the drug, dosage, and
more.
7.) Entrepreneur.com. Gives
startup basics. What are hot startup sectors, growth strategies,
how to obtain credit, using social
media, and more.
8.) OnlineConversion.com. Will

convert any units into other

units. Great for international
clothing sizes, currency conversions and many other investment
and scientific uses.
9.) WakeUpDialer.com. Get a
wake-up call with a fun message
at the appropriate time.
10.) Radiotower.com. Free Internet radio from all over the
world and in all genres. Choose
your stations by country, language, category from more than
6,000 stations.
11.) Donotcall.gov. Sign up to
have your phone number placed
on the National Do Not Call Registry to minimize calls to landlines and cell phones.
12.) StorageTreasures.com. Re-

quires free registration to find

local storage auctions, on-line
bidding, reselling business, connect with other buyers and sellers, or get a weekly email with
tips.
Please email me any interesting, useful or fun websites or apps
and Ill put them in future
columns.
Bill Dubovsky is an entrepreneur,
educator, and technology reviewer.
He teaches at the CSI, School of
Business, CUNY, and at Wagner College, and is a telecom/network consultant with Comtel Information
Services.
Contact
him
at
billdubovsky@gmail.com or on
Linkedin.

8 BUSINESS TRENDS APRIL 2015

Chamber presents Louis R. Miller awards

BUCKS BUSINESS

NETWORK

Improvements
ovements & Renovations
Home Impr
rovements
ove

 

KITCHENS BATHROOMS
FINISHED BASEMENTS
ENTS THEA
ATER
TER ROOMS
DOORS WINDOWS
CUSTOM WOOD WORKING CABINETR
TR
RY
Y
SHEETROCK ELECTRICAL PLUMBING




AILED
FREE DET
TAILED
A
ESTIMATES
David
Call Bob or Da
vid @ 718-761-8390
Licensed, Bonded & Insured Serving S.I. Over 30 Yeears
Bobcpr
Bobcproject1@hotmail.com
oject1@hotmail.com

STEVE WHITE/Business Trends

The Chamber of Commerce presented its annual Louis R. Miller Business Leadership Awards to local
business leaders for their outstanding contributions to the community. Pictured, from left, are honorees
CPA 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 Mercaldo
of Church at the Gateway, Salvatore Sottile of Sottile Security and Ronald Victorio of Victorio Associates.

Dome Savings Club connects businesses

to thousands of potential customers for free
ty Management manages over 100
condominium and homeowners
association communities, mostly
on Staten Island, and is the
biggest such operation in the borough. Dome provides comprehensive property management servic-

Here's a revenue-boosting
opportunity that may be flying
under the radar of your business
or professional networking circle.
Decades-old Dome Property Management, one of the largest and
most respected companies of its
kind in the New York metropoli-

likely representatives of the automotive, banking, medical, financial and restaurant industries will
soon come on board. Dome should
also expect to hear from numerous home-services businesses,
such as landscaping, contracting,

economic times, quality merchants, service providers and vendors can strengthen the loyalty of
their existing customers and
attract and build relationships
with new prospects.

agree to provide an attractive discount to club participants on the

Dome Savings Clubs Offer
Board. That's it. Nothing more. A
nominal one-time set-up fee,
which includes a place on the
clubs online Offer Board, is the
only cost. This is a winning situation for everyone involved, said
Michael Motelson, president of
Dome Property Management.
ALL PARTIES BENEFIT
Here's why:

Dome Property Management provides comprehensive property management services

to many types of properties and complexes,
from under 10 to more than 500 units, and
includes many building types and individually owned homes.

tan area, is offering an unprecedented opportunity for a limited

number of vendors and merchants to share in their success.
The newly introduced Dome
Savings Club gives businesses the
opportunity to expand their customer bases for free. Theres
absolutely no catch: You simply

(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 comprised of well over 10,000 potential
customers at over 100 Dome-managed communities, and are
included in the clubs online marketing efforts.
(2) Homeowners and communities
under Domes management benefit from the dollars they save on
top-quality products and services.
(3) Dome Property Management,
notably Staten Islands premier
property management company,
benefits from directly interacting
with the business community and
providing a greatly appreciated
advantage to the many condo communities it services.
Founded in 1987, Dome Proper-

The Tides at Charleston, the first active-adult community of its kind in metropolitan New York, is one of over 100 condominium and homeowners association communities benefitting from the extensive services provided by Dome Property Management.

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 offering preferred pricing and
enhanced services to the residents
of participating communities.
Now that the word is out, it is

plumbing, electrical, woodworking, painting, multi-service and

product suppliers, and others.
Given the assortment of communities and properties we manage, and the many goods and services they and their residents consume, businesses offering a wide
array of products and services
can benefit from participating,
said Enid Motelson, senior vice
president of Dome Property Management.
SOLID REPUTATION
IS A MUST
If you are interested in participating 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, customerservice and integrity will be considered, Michael Motelson said.
By simply providing a discount to
Domes customers in these tough

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. The
Dome Savings Clubs Offer
Board can be found at
www.DomeGroup.com/dscOffers.
The company is headquartered at
109 Winant Place,
Staten Island, NY 10309.
Current Participants:

10 BUSINESS TRENDS APRIL 2015

SI Board of Realtors expo

BARTON HOROWITZ/Special to Business Trends

The Staten Island Board of Realtors honored its best-achieving members during an awards breakfast at
the start of its annual Agent Day & Trade Show at the Hilton Garden Inn. The expo included some 500
attendees and more than 90 vendors who showcased many of the latest innovations in real estate products, services and technologies. The days 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 staffing
the Bentson Insurance Group display.

12 BUSINESS TRENDS APRIL 2015

City puts Small Business First

CITY
Continued from page 1

they need to flourish.

The program encompasses 30

The Small Business Development Center at CSI

presents a FREE Seminar

ROAD MAP TO FRANCHISING,
CAREERS IN FRANCHISING OWNERSHIP
Thursday, April 16th
8:30 am Registration
Seminar 9-11 am
SI MakerSpace - 450 Front Street, SI NY 10304

'%%'& %0+ * & +),+ * ',+ ) & !*!&

1 '- )&% &+ ) ,$ +!'&* ') ) & !* *
1
!%(')+ & #&'.!& 0',) ( )*'& $ ' $* & ' " +!- *
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& %, %')

Christine Purelis at 718.982.2495

U.S. Small Business Activities

Your Small Business Resource

Christine.Purelis@csi.cuny.edu

initiatives, including providing

clear information and coordinated services through one-stop sites
both online and in-person, creating an environment of education
and compliance, as opposed to
punitive enforcement, reducing
the burden of complex regulations and fines, and ensuring
equal access for all business owners.
The goals of the program, according to the city, is to reduce the
time required for a business to
open or work with the city by 50
percent and ensure 95 percent of
business-related applications are
available online.
Resources for small business
owners will include an online
space to create an account and
find the applications, permits and
information that relates specifically to a persons business; personal contacts in city government
that can help businesses navigate
multiple steps of a process, or
provide a pre-inspection walkthrough to help businesses comply before they receive a fine or
violation; one place where the
majority of fines and violations
can be settled all at once, as well
as online; and resources available
in multiple languages.

We listened to the small business community across the five

boroughs, and based on those conversations, we are excited to work
with our partner agencies on this
unprecedented collaborative effort that will make it easier for
small businesses in New York
City to start, operate and thrive in
the ways they say they need it
most, said Maria TorresSpringer, commissioner of the
city Department of Small Business Services. Over the coming
weeks, months and years, we will
work to transform the citys regulatory environment, making it
easier for small businesses to understand the rules and interact
with the city, thereby saving them
valuable time and money.
One of those active voices advocating for small businesses was
Linda Baran, the president and
CEO of the Staten Island Chamber of Commerce. She said that
while she is encouraged by Small
Business First, and happy the
city listened to what they had to
say, she is taking a wait-and-see
approach when it comes to assessing the program.
I think the intentions are
please see SMALL, page 13

APRIL 2015 BUSINESS TRENDS 13

Small Business First initiative

SMALL
Continued from page 12
good. I do think, however, that it
will take a lot to make sure the
agencies are working together
and the fact that businesses need
more education, she said. Its
going to be a huge culture shift on
the part of the city, because some
of the agencies have been operating this way for many years. The
proof will be in the pudding.
Baran said the Chamber is conveying their members feedback
to SBS, but she also realizes there
will be a learning curve because
of the expanding role of the Department of Consumer Affairs.
Baran said one of the biggest
complaints business owners have
is the city doesnt disseminate information effectively or doesnt
have that information readily
available. The new Paid Sick
Leave law has been confusing to a
lot of business owners so far, she
said, so coming up with ways to
help employers prepare their employees so they can avoid issues is
essential.
The Chamber should be there
to at least try to facilitate the conversation between the agencies
and the businesses when there is
a problem, Baran said.
Business owners often tell the
Chamber of the piling on effect
of the citys regulations. Real estate taxes, Paid Sick Leave and
the rising minimum wage all pile
on top of each other to hurt a
business owners bottom line, in
addition to fines they may face for
violating a regulation they might
not know exists. When the weather turns nice, for example, restaurants will sometimes put tables
and chairs outside their doors,
and in doing so, they may be violating a city code.
People do things with good intentions but then end up getting
fines for them, Baran said. The
city just needs to recognize that it
needs to do more to incentivize
businesses.
Baran believes strongly in incentivizing businesses to do the
right thing instead of penalizing
them without a warning when

they do not. She hopes Small

Business First will be a step in
that direction of educating and
supporting the citys business
owners.
For us, the role we need to
play as a Chamber is that voice
and bringing that back to the

business community, Baran

said.
Sometimes, business owners
are so busy that they do whatever
they have to do to get back up and
running again. The more feedback we have, the better it leverages us to make changes.

14 BUSINESS TRENDS APRIL 2015

Pier 76 wins annual Pasta Bowl

Special to Business Trends

Community Resources presented its annual Pasta Bowl during which local restaurants compete to
raise funds for the non-profit that serves people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, and/or a
mental health diagnosis. Pictured are this years Grand Prize winners, Joseph Guastavino and Jeremy
Pappalardo of Pier 76 Italian Restaurant.

16 BUSINESS TRENDS APRIL 2015

Council welcomes Israeli deputy consul general

RUTH LASSER/Special to Business Trends

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

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APRIL 2015 BUSINESS TRENDS 17

Weekly meetings
MEETINGS
Continued from page 5
Bucks Business Network: Hampton Inn, 1120 South Ave. 7:45 a.m.
For info, call 718-351-2557 or visit
www.sibucks.com.
Kiwanis Club of Brighton: Jodys
Club Forest, 372 Forest Ave. 7:30
p.m. For info, call 718-348-0505.
Kiwanis Club of North Central:
LiGrecis Staten, 697 Forest Ave.
7:30 p.m. Call Len Bosso at 718-4427804.
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 necessary. No charge. Call 718-727-1221.
E.L.I.T.E. (Executive, Leadership,
Interactive, Team, Effort) Networking Group: 1110 South Ave. 8
a.m. New members welcome. For
info, call 347-273-1375.
College of S.I., Small Bus. Dev. Ctr.
Business Counseling: CSI, 2800
Victory Blvd. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. For
info, call 718-982-2560.

THURSDAY
Bus. Outreach Ctr of SI/WBCLDC
Small Bus. Counseling
MWBE/BOC Capital: WBCLDC, 705
Forest Ave., 2nd Fl. By appointment
only. 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:
LiGrecis Staten, 697 Forest Ave.
7:30 p.m. For info, call 718-967-4345
or kiwanisclubofstatenisland.com.
Rotary Club of South Shore: Man-

sion Grand, 141 Mansion Ave. 12:15

p.m. For info, call 718-987-2061 or
visit southshorerotary.org.
Rotary Club Mid-Island: New Dakota Diner, 921 Richmond Ave. 7:30 to
9:00 a.m. Call 718-981-0700.
SCORE Business Counseling: SI
Bank & Trust, 1550 Richmond Rd. 9
a.m. to noon. No appointment necessary. No charge. Call 718-727-1221.
Rotary Club of North Shore: LiGrecis Staten, 697 Forest Ave. 7 p.m.
For info, call Chris Williams at 718442-9047.
Business Network Intl. (BNI) High
Achievers Chapter: PKs Restaurant,1281 Arthur Kill Rd. 7 to 8:30
a.m. For info, call Timothy Houston
at 718-981-8600.
Business Guild II of the S.I. Chamber of Commerce: Hilton Garden
Inn, 1100 South Ave. 7:45 to 8:45
a.m. Members and invited guests
only. For info, call Lou Rizzo at 718490-0057.
Business Guild III of the SI Chamber of Commerce: Hilton Garden
Inn, 1100 South Ave. 8 a.m. New
members welcome. Call Nick Testa
at 646-823-4494.
College of S.I., Small Bus. Dev. Ctr.
Business Counseling: CSI, 2800
Victory Blvd. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. For
info, call 718-982-2560.
Community Emergency Response
Team (CERT): 7 p.m. For info. and
locations, call John Tidona at 4487160 or portrichcert@yahoo.com.

SCORE Business Counseling: St.

George Library, 5 Central Ave. 10
a.m. to noon. Appointment necessary. No charge. Call 718-442-8560.
SCORE Business Counseling: Richmondtown Library, 200 Clarke Ave.
10 to 11:30 a.m. Appointment necessary. For info, call 718-668-0413.

Now Available
ASE

AS
FOR LE

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

SATURDAY
PROFESSIONAL WEBSITES.
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of St. George. Walking distance to SI Ferry & public transportation. $4,700.00 per month, heat included.

St. George - A newly renovated 4-story 80,000 sq. ft.

"Class A" mid-rise office building with an average floor
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for immediate occupancy. On-site parking & security. Call
Rob for details.

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18 BUSINESS TRENDS APRIL 2015

Staten Island Technical High School career fair

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STEVE WHITE/Business Trends

Visit us on the Web at www.sibiztrends.com

Become a

DOME SAVINGS
CLUB VENDOR
and reach thousands
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Staten Island Technical High School, in collaboration with the Chamber of Commerce, presented a Career
Fair, showcasing career and technical training programs offered at local high schools and allowing students to network with a diverse group of business professionals. Pictured is architect Genovese Anselmo
(right) with some students interested in the field of architecture.

Dome Property Management - managers of

over 100 condo and homeowners association
communities - is now accepting vendors and
merchants to participate in the Dome Savings
Club, an "offer board" of discounted services
and products for the communities it serves.

Join national companies like Time Warner

Cable, Wells Fargo Home Mortgage and local
businesses like Jealan Fireplaces and The Pool
Therapist. To learn more, visit the Offer Board
at www.DomeGroup.com/dscOffers.

For more information, call

(718) 605-2500
www.domegroup.com

APRIL 2015 BUSINESS TRENDS 19

Franchises could fit with development

Parisi Rampulla & Lenza, P.C.

78 Martin Avenue | Staten Island, NY, 10314

FRANCHISE
Continued from page 1
I think that franchising has a
lot of merit in some of these developments, said John Amodio,
a board member of SCORE.
Amodio, who has 45 years experience in finance and at one time
served as a vice president of TD
Bank, has helped finance franchises through banking and
helped mentor people looking to
get into the business at SCORE.
The only difference between purchasing a franchise and starting
your own business, he said, is a
franchise helps with training and
marketing, and has a product or
service that has been proven.
Adviser Ed Brochin, owner of
FranSight, agrees, saying it will
take the same hard work and dedication that owning an independent business will.
With the economy that weve
had over the last five or 10 years,
since people havent advanced or
have left jobs, theyre looking for
alternatives,
Brochin
said.
They dont want to start a business from scratchso they look
toward a proven model to help
them get off the ground.
Brochin said owning a franchise is not for everyone. People
who are independent, dont want
to take suggestions and dont
want to commit to a long-term investment of five to 10 years
shouldnt own a franchise. On the
flipside, people who want to run a
proven business model, with a
proven brand thats good for the
consumer, and seek support with
trademarks, advertising and marketing could be a great fit.
If you go to a McDonalds on
Staten Island or San Jose, Calif.,
your experience will be the same.
The franchisor insists that the
quality standards remain the
same, Brochin said.
After being in the franchise
business himself for 20 years,
Brochin left and started FranSight five years ago to help others
who want to own a franchise. His
business is affiliated with a national company called FranServe,
which signs up franchisors that

are looking to sell their businesses to local entrepreneurs.

Brochin, then, matches potential
franchisees with those franchisors.
Because he is paid a fee from
the franchisors, Brochins services are free to the franchisee. But
that doesn't make him any less
dedicated to finding the right
match.
Brochin said a person has to
ask himself or herself a few questions to determine whether being
a franchisee is right for him or
her.
The first thing Brochin wants
to know of a potential franchisee
is why they want to own their
own business. What does his or
her family think about it? How
will he or she support himself or
herself over the first six months
to one year, when the business
will most likely lose money?
If a person passes this stage
of the interview process, Brochin
will start to investigate his or her
background, experience, desires,
needs, hobbies, finances, geography and other topics that would
help him match the franchisee to
a franchisor.
The process is very important. We go through a very extensive interview, or screening, he
said. Most people that go into a
franchise have no background in
that franchise. The franchisors
prefer that because they dont
want people to come in with preconceived notions of how things
should be done.
Thats why, even if a person
has extensive managerial background in restaurants, he or she
could make a poor owner of a
restaurant franchise.
For the most parta vast ma-

jority of the people Ive placed in

business havent had a particular
passion for the industry in which
Ive placed them, Brochin said.
Sometimes its better, if you
get into franchising, that you

(718) 761-3333
Short Sales, Mortgage Modification,
Foreclosure Defense

please see FRANCHISE page 22

Bill Bergman, Vice President, Leasing

(718) 263-3800 x 307
bbergman@muss.com
118-35 Queens Blvd., Forest Hills, NY 11375
www.muss.com

20 BUSINESS TRENDS APRIL 2015

Business Calendar
MONDAY, APRIL 27

EVENTS
Continued from page 4

24-7
NETWORKING SALES
MONDAY, APRIL 27
Time: 9:00 a.m.
Location: Z-One Restaurant, Richmond Ave.
For information, call 973-697-8872

WORLD OF WOMEN

Time: 7:00 p.m.

Location: Mansion Grand, Mansion
Ave.
For information, call 718-948-8175

NEW DAY
TOASTMASTERS
THURSDAY, APRIL 30
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Location: SI Univ. Hosp., Seaview
Ave.
For information, call Nancy at 718979-5154

When the news is sweet, We Tweet!

When the news is bitter, We Still Twitter!
Visit us on the Web at www.sibiztrends.com

Follow us at twitter.com/sibiztrends

APRIL 2015 BUSINESS TRENDS 21

MONTHLY UPDATE
NASE expands its grant
growth program
The National Association for
the Self-Employed, an advocate
and resource for the self-employed and micro-business community, announced the expansion
of its Growth Grant program to
help small businesses increase capacity and grow their company to
the next level. In 2015, NASE will
award more than $48,000 in small
business grants, an increase from
the $20,000 awarded in 2014.
Since 2006, NASE has awarded
more than half a million dollars
to members through the Growth
Grant program. It provides available capital for small businesses
and sole proprietors to be able to
hire and train additional employees, market their business in new
and existing ways or invest in
new equipment or software.
Applications for the 2015
Growth Grant program are being
accepted through Dec. 10. Applications are considered on a

rolling basis throughout the year

and winning small businesses
will be awarded $4,000 grants
monthly throughout 2015. Visit
https://www.nase.org/Membership/Benefits/Growth_Grants.as
px for more information.

Northfield foundation
awards $20,000 grant
The Northfield Bank Foundation awarded the New York Center for Interpersonal Development a $20,000 grant to provide
operational support for the Supervised Visitation Program.
Supervised visits become necessary when the court requires
that visits between a child and
their non-custodial parent be supervised by a third neutral party.
The visits are overseen by professional observers whose job it is to
provide information to the court
on the visit and insure the safety
of all involved in the visit. Currently, the New York Center program charges participating families on a sliding scale in accor-

dance with federal poverty guidelines. The program offers services to families referred by the
Richmond County Integrated Domestic Violence Court, Family
Court, and Supreme Court. The
program can accommodate 18
family visits per Saturday.

Santander Bank
launches new program
Santander Bank, N.A., announced the launch of its I Love
My Bank initiative. The colleague engagement and customer
service program is part of the
banks broader 2015 effort to
strengthen its connection to its
customers and colleagues.
The initiative offers eligible
employees the chance to sign up
for a subsidized lease on a branded 2015 Fiat 500 Sport HB. Additionally, Santander is conducting
an in-branch listening tour across
its Northeast footprint, which includes Staten Island, to solicit
customer feedback on their experience with the bank.

Visit us on the Web at www.sibiztrends.com

22 BUSINESS TRENDS APRIL 2015

Weddings
Sweet 16s
Anniversaries
Birthday Parties
Much much more!
..................................

statenarts

Steve White
6 Genesee Avenue
Staten Island, NY 10308
Phone: 718.317.5025
Cell: 917.446.4029
Email: statenarts@aol.com

FRANCHISE
Continued from page 19

Staten Arts Photography

www.statenartsphotography.com

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Franchises could be a good fit

dont know the specifics about

(that industry), Amodio said.
Amodio likened the concept to
the Army, which often takes a
barber and makes him a cook, or
takes an engineer and makes him
a barber.
The Army doesnt want to assign you a job in which you are
trained, because they want to
train you in the Army way.
After his interview process is
complete, Brochin presents possible franchise matches to clients,
realizing his role is as much to
tell people what not to consider as

it is to tell people what to consider. Franchisors will go through

the same interview process with
potential franchisees to ensure
they are a good fit.
Brochin is based in Staten Island, and even though he does
business nationwide, he has a
good pulse on the local market.
He believes there will be a good
number of national franchises
that will support the new development on the waterfront, and
thinks anything to do with food
will do well, if its good food.
For Amodio, he said one of the
keys to running a successful franchise, or any business in general,
is location. And that will be particularly true for the waterfront
support businesses.
People often think the fran-

chisor will do all the work for

them, and while theyll help, they
probably wont have the local
knowledge the franchisee will.
Someone in California can provide statistics and demographics
of an area, for example, but might
not know the lay of the land of,
say, Richmond Road.
The business has to be located
where there will be foot traffic, or
have ample parking, and not be in
an area where cars just whip by.
The location is key. People
sometimes dont have enough
money, and they say, I dont have
enough money to rent near the
Wheel, so Ill rent 10 blocks away.
But 10 blocks isnt going to work
for you. Its important that you
pick a location that works,
Amodio said.

Local Company Offers Unique Financial Services

The 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 nothing new. It has
been prevalent for a long time, and
yet there are still only a very few viable financing methods available for
businesses.
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 requiring $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 established some equity in the form of
capital and retained earnings before
the bank can accommodate their
needs. By its very nature, small business 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 opportunity.
Where does all this leave the small
business owner? Simon Shkolyar,
owner of the local Interface Financial 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 administration of the collection process. The

Interface invoice discounting program operates on a "use it as you

need it" arrangement designed
specifically to act as a bridge in
meeting the needs of small businesses during their formative years.
The system is both cost effective and
very user friendly. 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 together we can determine if our invoice discounting program is right
for them. Simon Shkolyar said.
When asked about The Interface
Financial Group Shkolyar said that
IFG has been providing working
capital 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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