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Volume 3                                                                                                                                                 July - August, 2010
 
In This Issue
Strategic Advisory Board Kicked Off
August 21 - Gillian, the Jersey City Green Team, & GOOD Mag!
Spotlight on Malhar!
RTC at the 64th Anniversary Indian Culture Celebration
Babies at RTC
Blog Teaser!
Final CBA Orientation for Fall 2010
Join Our Mailing List!
Get Involved
According to the Kauffman Foundation, there are over 550,000 new businesses launched every month in the US. Help us support more of these entrepreneurs to succeed by donating on our website, becoming a fan on Facebook or following us on Twitter.  
The Work is JUST beginning!
Ei AlfaImagine being a struggling small business owner or an entrepreneur working around the clock facing doubt, loneliness, fear and indecision. How amazing would it be to have an organization you can turn to, a consultant you can call for new strategies, someone willing to face the tough questions with you, teach you new skills, and most important of all - reassure you that you are not alone? When you support Rising Tide Capital, you are making this service possible for someone who would not have anyone to turn to for a hand-up rather than a hand-out. 
 
Please visit our website right now while you have a moment to make an extremely meaningful gift of $35, $50, or a $100. The work has only just begun - we need you to take action now. In the next three weeks, we have to choose 63 people to admit into our Community Business Academy out of over 250 new individuals who have contacted us.
 
Finally, I am excited to get this 3rd newsletter out to you despite these extremely busy times. It wouldn't be possible if it wasn't for our phenomenal part-timer Danielle, who is holding up the fort while our Communications Associate Esther is on maternity leave. We are excited to welcome not just one but two babies this season to the Rising Tide family as Esther and MJ (Programs Associate) give birth to healthy, adorable daughters. 
 
Thank you!
Alfa Demmellash
CEO of Rising Tide Capital
Sponsorship Opportunities
logo for flyer 
Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW) is coming November 15 - 21!  Last year, over 30 partners came together with 19 events that showcased our entrepreneurial spirit. Both local and national press covered our celebration, highlighting our local entrepreneurial culture to millions. This year, we want to make GEW even better! If you are interested in sponsoring the Week - contact us to learn more about this excellent opportunity to market your business.   
RTC Holds First Strategic Advisory Board Meeting
SAB MeetingAfter months of planning, Rising Tide Capital (RTC) held its first Strategic Advisory Board (SAB) meeting, an initiative that is sure to change the future of the organization.
 
The well attended meeting took place on July 14, 2010 at Michael Anthony's Restaurant on the Jersey City Waterfront, and was led by RTC board members Matthew Barnes and Anand Devendran. The SAB is looking to gather a group of committed, accomplished individuals who are interested in micro-enterprise and community development and would like to offer advice and donate their time to the RTC leadership and staff. Read more.
Gillian, the Jersey City Green Team, & GOOD Magazine
Gardening in Jersey CityLiving in an urban environment sometimes means that a healthy eating lifestyle can be impossible to have and maintain. With no locally grown food, freshness can be compromised, and smart, inexpensive food choices sometimes do not exist. Through a unique opportunity with GOOD Magazine, Jersey City is ready to tackle the issue of agriculture in an urban environment.
 
Selected out of 100 applicants, Jersey City is one of eight cities nationwide competing in GOOD Magazine's City R&D (Reinvent and Develop) contest. The cities with the best solutions to improve urban environments will be published online on the GOOD Magazine website, as well as receive invaluable support from the City R&D team to help the winning city present their ideas to the government officials on the city, state, and federal levels.
 
Jersey City will host its "Farms in the City" workshop on Saturday, August 21, 2010 at the Hudson County Community College Culinary Conference Center, 161 Newkirk Street, Jersey City, NJ.  This workshop is hosted by the Jersey City Green Team, which is a group of Jersey City organizations, including Rising Tide Capital entrepreneur Gillian Allen's Jersey City Food Coop. Gillian is a key leader in this initiative, as the Jersey City Food Coop is dedicated to bringing healthy, fresh food to Jersey City. Read more.
Intern Spotlight: Malhar Shah!
Malhar ShahDuring the month of July, Rising Tide Capital (RTC) welcomed a new member to the programs department, full-time intern Malhar Shah!
 
The Pace University graduate student from Ahmedabad, India has a passion for technology, with aspirations of one day operating his own tech startup company. Intrigued by analytics, statistics, research, and business development (just to name a few), when Malhar isn't interning, or at the movies with friends, without a doubt he can be found reading technology blogs and magazines, The Economist, the Harvard Business Review, or some work from his favorite author Michael Lewis.
 
During his time at RTC, Malhar has worked tirelessly on various projects with the programs and finance departments. He spends his time working on various projects dealing with data analysis, updating data sets, Google Analytics, Joomla, and researching practical solutions for all of RTC's data collection and analysis needs. Although his days are busy, and at times a little hectic, Malhar feels right at home at RTC. Read more.
Rising Tide Capital Reaches out to Jersey City Indian Community
64th Anniversary Indian Culture CelebrationCommitted to serving the Jersey City community in entirety, Rising Tide Capital (RTC)participated in the 64th Anniversary Indian Cultural Celebration on August 14, 2010. The festival and parade attracted Indo-Americans from all around the area, as well as several political figures including Jersey City Mayor Jerramiah T. Healy, and NJ Senator Robert Menendez.
 
The event celebrated Indian culture right in the heart of Jersey City's "Little India." RTC had the opportunity to reach out to the Indian community and share information on its programs and services. With the help of programs intern, Malhar Shah - a fluent Gujarati speaker, RTC was able to overcome language barriers and connect to a population that it has not connected with very much in the past. Read more.
Congratulations Esther & MJ
Stork
 
Congratulations to Communications Associate Esther Fraser and Programs Associate Mary J. Sansait on the birth of their first-born daughters. Best of luck to both of them! They will return to the office mid-September.
A Sneak Peek of RTC's Next Blog Entry!
Various Brand LogosDespite all of the definitions of "branding" that are out there, essentially, a brand is that "thing" that makes you stand out against everyone else. It doesn't mean that you're the best, and it doesn't mean that you no longer need traditional marketing, but it does mean that when you're around, whether it's in-person, online, or in-print, others "get it." They understand what you do, your style and your unique ability. 
 
One of the mistakes that a lot of business owners make is hopping on the bandwagon. They look at the outward signs of success for other businesses and falsely assume that imitating them will bring similar results. If you want guaranteed success I recommend that you start from the heart. By starting your communication from a point of passion you will attract the type of people that easily resonate with your brand. 
 
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August 31 - Last Orientation for Fall 2010 Community Business Academy
CBA OrientationInterested in attending the Community Business Academy? Would you like to get more information about our programs? Attend our Community Business Academy orientation to learn more about this 11-week course that offers hands-on training in business planning & management. Please RSVP by emailing Roger Cervantes at [email protected] or by calling the office at 201-432-4316. In order to participate in the Community Business Academy, attendance at an orientation is MANDATORY. Please note, this will be the last orientation before the next Community Business Academy session that begins on September 14th. The orientation will be held Tuesday, August 31, 2010 from 6:30pm to 7:30pm at the Hoboken Business Center, 50 Harrison St, Hoboken, NJ 07030.