Small Business in Need of Help? Here's Some Info!

Last week, the Greater Monmouth Chamber of Commerce hosted their 2012 Business Resource Road Show at in Manalapan.

Business owners registered to attend the free event and listened to presentations put on by the State of New Jersey Business Action Center, Monmouth County Department of Economic Development, Monmouth County Planning, Monmouth County Division of Workforce Development, Board of Public Utilities, and the U.S. Small Business Administration.

Below is a compilation of information that these facilities can offer to local businesses:

State of New Jersey Business Action Center
Contact: Joseph Constance, Domestic Business Advocate
609-984-6922, joseph.constance@sos.state.nj.us

• helps small businesses get the money they need to become profitable
• any question a small business has about any aspect of running a business-contact the Business Action Center and they will direct you to the right outlet to get the information you need (e.g. training employees, getting certified, needing financing)
• international trade unit - spends time with companies that want to do foreign and direct investment or create a product in new jersey and ship it overseas
• Business Action Center Call Center - geared towards small business- and designed to answer simple questions (e.g. how do I start a small business? Should I be an LLC? Do I need a license? What kind of financing incentives are available? Are there any tax credits? etc.) The call center can be reached at 1-866-534-7789 and are open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• training assistance is available and resources starting at $1,000 and go up to $4,000 grants.

 For more information visit their Web site.

Monmouth County Workforce Investment Board
Contact: Lawrence Sternbach, Job Developer
732-683-8850 ext. 3711,  lawrence.sternbach@dol.state.nj.us

Helps local businesses in three ways:

1. Recruitment

• helps you recruit employees at no cost
• post jobs on www.jobs4jersey.com
• proactive e-mail blasts to our database of 3,000 job seekers
• individualized open house recruitment events

2. Hiring Incentives and Grants

• “new hire” and “green jobs” incentives
• youth and summer youth funding
• Veteran’s tax credits

3. Training

• Metrix learning (6000 free online courses)
• Basic Skills (free through NJBIA)
• Customized Training (subsidized by NJLWD)

Board of Public Utilities - Smart Start Energy Program
Contact: Roger Kliemisch
732-885-2897, rkliemisch@trcsolutions.com

• focuses on commercial and industrial program facilities
• NJ SmartStart Incentives: prescriptive and custom, applicable to new consruction, rehab and retrofit projects
• offsets the incremental high efficiency cost
• prescriptive incentive technologies include: electric chillers, natural gas cooling, HVAC Systems and controls, ground source heat pumps, gas heating, water heating, LED lighting, variable frequency drives, motors, lighting, lighting controls, refrigerator doors, covers, and controls
• custom electric and gas projects
• Direct Install - starts with a detailed no cost measure assessment
• Pay for Performance Program - addresses energy needs of both existing buidlings and new construction
• recommends businesses start with a free benchmark report, which is a building energy performance assessment

U.S. Small Business Administration
Contact: Richard Zilg, Assistant District Director
973-645-2531, richard.zilg@sba.gov

• loan guarantee programs —key source of financing for viable small businesses unable to qualify for loans from traditional sources
• counseling and training, small business development centers, SCORE
• government contracting, 8(a) Business Development Program/Women Owned Small Business Contracting Program