EONJ Members Make Progress Fighting for #NJsmall Business!

The #NJsmall Movement Gets a Bill…Taking it One Step Closer to Legislation

There May Soon Be a New Law Incentivizing NJ’s Big Businesses to Hire NJ’s Small Businesses – Thanks to Members of EONJ!

The pandemic has been devastating for businesses of all sizes, but the most severe impact has been shouldered by small business. Some (not all) small businesses were fortunate to receive financial aid from the government – and while initiatives like the Paycheck Protection Program may have provided a temporary cash injection, these limited resources will not provide the ongoing solution needed to wait out this crisis.

In order to survive, small businesses need a solution that is sustainable. One that brings in new sources of income. And one that doesn’t cost the government any additional money. That’s exactly what the #NJsmall approach provides.

Now this grassroots movement (started by EONJ members Denise Blasevick and Adam Schnitzler, co-founders of The S3 Agency) that would incentivize NJ’s large businesses to hire NJ’s small businesses is one step closer to becoming a law!

In August, New Jersey Assemblyman Gary Schaer introduced a bill that would allow a 1% Corporate Business Tax Credit on work contracted to NJ businesses with fewer than 50 employees. In his press release announcing the bill, the Deputy Speaker of the Assembly specifically cited the #NJsmall movement as his inspiration. (Check out this interview where he notes #NJsmall as a “bold solution to keep small businesses running.”)

Of course, there are many more steps that need to take place before this can actually become a law…

While Blasevick and Schnitzler have been able to keep the momentum going, with PR and advertising campaigns that boost awareness among the public and the legislature, they are quick to credit their fellow entrepreneurs who have stepped up to help – providing the financial support, professional counsel, and flat-out motivation needed to continue fighting the fight.

#NJsmall would not be where it is today without EONJ,” said Blasevick. “I’m blown away by the outpouring of support we have received – at a time when everyone is dealing with the most difficult of circumstances. I’m so grateful to be part of this organization that cultivates such a strong sense of community, both professionally and personally.”

#NJsmall would like to thank the following EONJ members for their sponsorship:

  • Darlene Panzitta, CEO of DSP Clinical – a premier CRO specializing in women’s health and endocrinology / infertility
  • Scott Peloquin, CEO of benefEx – benefits consulting experts dedicated to removing the frustration from employee benefit plans
  • Kurt Olender, Founder & Managing Partner, and Howard Matalon, Partner, of OlenderFeldman – an outcome-based law firm providing big firm expertise with boutique level service

#NJsmall would also like to thank Tom Patania, CEO of Select-A-Ticket, a secondary ticket market ticket provider that provides great experiences, and current President of EONJ. When Patania first heard about the idea, he inspired Blasevick and Schnitzler to take their concept to the legislative level – and spent hours working with them on the steps needed to do so.

It Ain’t Over…

The fight for the survival of NJ’s small businesses is very real – and we need your help. Please sign the petition to Governor Murphy here. Visit the NJSmall website for more information and updates. And if you are interested in supporting the #NJsmall movement as we continue down the path to legislation, or know someone who may be, please reach out to the team at The S3 Agency.

One Small Step for Trenton, One Giant Leap for New Jersey

Introducing #NJsmall, a true “win-win-win” to hasten NJ’s economic recovery

Two entrepreneurs (who are members of Entrepreneurs’ Organization – New Jersey chapter) have come up with a no-cost way to help New Jersey’s economy recover faster.

Just how bad are things in the Garden State? As of June 1, New Jersey has seen 159,608 COVID-19 cases, with 11,634 deaths. Along with New York City, New Jersey has been one of the nation’s epicenters for the pandemic. Now, after three solid months of sheltering in place, the full scope of the economic damage is coming into view. The numbers—particularly for small business—feel like something out of a dystopian novel.

A pandemic. A lengthy, debilitating recession (with double digit unemployment). Economic uncertainty like we’ve never seen before. Getting out of this mess calls for some truly creative thinking. That’s why these two EONJ members — who usually spend their days thinking of creative campaigns for their clients — put their heads together to find a way to help the state where they work and live.

And with #NJsmall, they’ve come up with a truly “win-win-win” solution.

Will #NJsmall help small business get back on its feet? Yes.
Will #NJsmall help large corporations with a NJ presence reduce their tax burden? Yes.
Will #NJsmall help raise tax revenues for our state by speeding the recovery without spending money? Yes.  

#NJSmall is the big idea New Jersey’s small businesses and big businesses need right now.

What is #NJSmall and How Does It Work?

#NJSmall is the brainchild of Denise Blasevick and Adam Schnitzler, co-owners of The S3 Agency, the NJBIZ 2019 #1 Advertising Agency and #1 Public Relations firm in New Jersey. With high-profile clients like BMW of North America, Eight O’Clock Coffee and iconectiv (previously Telcordia), they’re used to thinking big, helping their clients break through the clutter in a crowded marketplace.

What they’re less used to is coming up with economic stimulus ideas — which may be why #NJsmall feels so refreshing. It wasn’t dreamed up in an out-of-touch think tank or academic consortium. This inspired idea is the natural by-product of entrepreneurial thinking, which has been further cultivated by their experiences as members of EO, where they are constantly learning new approaches from industry experts and other entrepreneurs.

Here’s how #NJSmall works:

  1. NJ’s big businesses are encouraged to hire NJ’s small business instead of opting for out-of-state vendors.
  2. In turn, these large corporations get a 1% corporate tax rebate for keeping their business in-state.
  3. The results: More small businesses recover faster. Big businesses save on taxes. More business stays in New Jersey. And New Jersey’s employment numbers stabilize, raising the tax base for the entire state.

“Some of the nation’s smartest, most innovative thinkers are working right here in New Jersey for small businesses,” said Blasevick, The S3 Agency’s CEO and Founding Partner. “Whether it’s technology, logistics, marketing, HR, finance, food service, hospitality, or any other field, contracting with #NJsmall businesses can provide tremendous value to big corporations. How often does the opportunity come along to simultaneously do good for the community and your bottom line?

Ultimately, the goal for #NJsmall is to get it in front of Governor Murphy so he can sign off on the tax incentives. If successful — and many are optimistic — it could even become a permanent part of New Jersey’s business culture.

This would go a long way towards debunking New Jersey’s reputation as a state unhospitable to business. Unfortunately, the numbers bear that out. In an updated 2020 Business Climate Analysis, New Jersey was ranked as the least competitive business climate in the region, with the highest corporate tax, state sales tax, income tax, and property taxes compared to six nearby states.

“Right now, New Jersey’s small businesses are really hurting,” said Schnitzler, The S3 Agency’s Chief Creative Officer and Founding Partner. “What makes #NJsmall such a dynamic idea is that it doesn’t require any extra spending, from companies or from the government. This is money that corporations had budgeted to spend anyway—we’re just giving them a reason to spend it here, and to spend it with small businesses like ours and the hundreds of thousands of others that abound in NJ. And the tax incentive will result in more business being done in NJ, which ultimately yields more tax revenue for our state.”

Hiring Small Is Better for All

Despite living in one of the most polarizing eras in American history, when finding consensus on virtually anything feels impossible, the importance of small business to our economy is one thing that everyone seems to agree on. According to a 2018 Gallup poll, 70% of Americans have confidence in small businesses, compared to just 21% for large businesses. The continuing popularity of the American Express Small Business Saturday is further proof

“We don’t need to sell New Jersey on small business — they’re already sold,” said Blasevick. “People want to support their local businesses. And I’m confident that same sentiment exists for large corporations. Incentivizing big business to patronize local small businesses instead of large out-of-state vendors has the potential to change everything. Plus, if it works here, it’s easy to imagine it working everywhere else as well. Hiring small is better for all.”

What’s Next for #NJSmall

The #NJsmall is catching on, with significant interest from state governmental departments and legislators. You can lend your support to the initiative by signing the petition asking Governor Murphy to support #NJsmall here. In addition, you can visit the NJSmall website for more information, updates, and other ways you can get involved.

Active on social media? Be sure to spread the word using the #NJsmall hashtag, with a post like:

Help NJ’s economy recover quicker! Sign the NJsmall.com petition asking @GovMurphy to incentivize NJ’s big biz to hire #NJsmall!

Members in the News

Somerset County Law Firm Offers Gift Of Adoption In Pro Bono Case (Terry Lyons, Lyons and Associates, P.C.) Click here to read more.

Women’s panel: Strengthen your network, speak up (Sejal Lakhani Bhatt, Techwerxe) Click here to read more.

 

GSEA Competition

The EONJ GSEA competition took place on November 11 in Livingston, NJ. Kwaku Agyemang was awarded first place for his entrepreneurship with a business   Click here to read more.

Welcome!

Welcome to our newest member form our October Test Drive

  • Wallace Santos – MAINGEAR

Thank you to our members for their referrals!

  • Jessica Gonzalez

Chapter News

The Justice League went on their Forum Retreat in Utah, only to run into a Forum from EO Arizona!

Chapter News

FY2017/2018 PEAK Winners Announced

Congratulations to the entire membership of EONJ for an outstanding job reaching for the stars to achieve that which only 7 out of 181 chapters globally achieved, the second highest level of PEAK and the $5,000 award that comes with it!

EONJ was also one of two chapters in the US East to achieve PEAK at the payout level from the entire US East Region!

Charity Event

EONJ is looking for volunteers to organize, host and plan this years volunteer/charity event for the holiday season – please reach out to Brian MacClaren

Members in the News

Call of the Entrepreneur (Chris Rigassio, Jersey Mike’s Subs) Click here to read more and turn to page 50.

Certification Underutilized in Fight Against Technology Aversion and High Turnover (Darlene Panzitta, DSP Clinical Research) Click here to read more.

Avoiding yes-no questions (Cayrn Kopp, Kopp Consulting) Click here to read more.