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STAY CONNECTED WITH US
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Rising Tide Capital's News, Events, and Community Voices
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VOL 49 August 2014
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NEWS:
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CBA Graduates on the Rise
RTC In the News
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EVENTS:
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Our September Calendar
Upcoming CBA Information Sessions
September 6, 2014 @ 10AM- 369 Main Street, Orange, NJ
Spanish Sessions
September 2, 2014 @ 6:30PM- 317 Elm Street, Newark, NJ
September 3, 2014 @ 6:30PM- 800 31st Street, Union City, NJ
Probono Legal Services Webinar
September 11, 2014 @ 7PM
Seats are limited. For questions or to RSVP contact Miles Roman at 201-432-4316 x 113
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COMMUNITY:
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- Getting Refocused: How the Challenge Helped 10 Entrepreneurs Focus on their Businesses
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 And The Winners of the Start Something Challenge Are...
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 After 8 weeks of grueling competition, three NJ entrepreneurs became Start Something Challenge Champions after pitching live at the Grand Finale on August 4 at NJCU.
Joanna Chmarzewska, owner of Crazy for Italia won third place ($5,000); Kimberly Sumpter of Wax Kandy won second place ($7,500) and Ninotchka Johnson pitched her way to first place winning $10,000 for her business Top Notch by Design. Read more here.While only three entrepreneurs won cash prizes that evening, the remaining finalists will receive iPads. All 10 finalists will be awarded a 12-month subscription to Animoto Pro, a free 1-hour webinar on how to utilize video to market their businesses, as well as a free ticket to the 9th Annual Small Business Summit in New York City. All of the finalists will be recognized at a reception held at the Morgan Stanley headquarters in New York City! Join us in recognizing these champions and many others at the Champions Gala on November 13, click here to RSVP. |
From Artist to Entrepreneur: Meet SSC Champion Ninotchka Johnson
 From passionate artist to dedicated business owner, Ninotchka Johnson grew her self-taught sewing hobby into a bustling business, Top Notch by Design, which offers hand-made accessories with unique designs. For four years she relied solely on her Facebook business page to build her client base and conduct sales, however that all came to an end with the recent launch of her new e-commerce website. What sets her apart from other accessory retailers is her mobile storefront aptly named Bus 'n Boutique, which allows her to host "bag parties" and reach a wider base of customers in person.
"Participating in the Start Something Challenge allowed me to, for the first time, interact with other business owners who had tons of resources and were so willing to share them." She added, "I plan on using the free Animoto platform I gained from winning the Challenge to incorporate video into my marketing tactics, with video walk-throughs of the bus and bag parties."
Read more about Ninotchka here
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Live Art, Entertainment, Vendors and More!
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Imagine arriving to the Grove Street PATH station after a long day and being surprised with live art, food and entertainment! Many Jersey City residents had this experience on August 18 at the 5th Annual ARTfest! we hosted with Creative Grove Designer Market. This year we had even more local entertainment and vendors. From Rising Tide Entrepreneurs vending their hand-made products to lively tunes from live band Satorri, locals were able to enjoy a wide range of entertainment at the 5th annual ARTfest! Read More.
Missed ARTfest! 2014? Visit our Facebook page to view photos!
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Catch RTC and Rising Tide Entrepreneur Corin Wright on Chase ATMs Starting September 1!
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Don't be surprised if you see Rising Tide Entrepreneur Corin Wright, owner of vintage boutique Style Haven, on a Chase ATM screen in the next two months! Through our partnership with JPMorgan Chase we will be featured on ATMs throughout New York City and New Jersey starting on September 1 and ending October 30.
Corin is encouraging individuals to post a picture of themselves with the ATM ad and tag her using #ChaseStyleHaven. Participants will be placed in a drawing, with a winner chosen every two weeks. Prizes include two tickets to Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, a Style Haven gift bag, and a spa bag. Learn More
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CBA Graduates on the Rise
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Endless Possibilities: Rising Tide Entrepreneurs Receive Free Office Space
Entrepreneurs Nia Reid-Allen of Myrtle and Flossie, Birdell Fitch of Fitch Food and Alcohol Safety and Edna Rashid owner of NF Insulations won free 6-month residencies at incubators across Northern New Jersey. These residencies, each worth more than $3,000, include unlimited access to meeting and conference rooms, free Wi-Fi, printing capabilities and the opportunity to network with other small business owners.
Myani Lawson Hosts Open House for Bergen-Lafayette Montesori School
The Bergen-Lafayette Montessori School, founded by CBA grad Myani Lawson, will soon open its doors at 324 Communipaw Avenue in Jersey City, NJ. The school will provide high-quality, early-childhood education to children 18 months - 6 years old in English and Spanish. She held her Open House this past Saturday morning.
To learn more about this preschool and Kindergarten center call 201-706-3403 or e-mail [email protected].  Want to know how Charnelle saved $5,000 in one year? Through our partnership with United Way, CBA grad Charnelle Bain was able to participate in the IDA savings matching program. After one year, Charnelle was able to save $1,000 on her own, which was then matched four times by the United Way of Essex and West Hudson, for a total of $5,000 to put toward her business. Read more "It feels amazing to know that I can check off at least two or maybe three projects that will push my business forward, like a website and rebranding," she says.
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RTC In the News
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Getting Refocused
How The Challenge helped 10 SSC Finalists refocus on their business
"After the Start Something Challenge, I had time to reflect. I realized that I needed to refocus on my health. Sometimes as entrepreneurs, we become so passionate and driven while building our brand that we often forget to take care of ourselves. I know that I'll be able to manage my business more effectively when I focus on living a healthier lifestyle." - Kimberly Sumpter, Wax Kandy "The SSC made me realize that I need to focus on getting my name out there! Everyone knows that networking is important, but it's scary! SSC is a living example of how throwing in a shameless plug every now and then can make a world of a difference. You can offer the best product or service in the world, but if you don't market it correctly, you are doing yourself and potential clients an injustice." -Alysis Vasquez, The Chill Town Kitchen
Read the remaining finalists testimonials on our Facebook page. Feel free to join in on the conversation.
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What's New on MLK Drive?
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Get To Know Alex Forrester Chief Operating Officer
1) Who/what inspires you?
Gandhi. His life's work was the outward expression of an inward spiritual journey that pursued truth as something you do, not something you know.
2) What do you love to do on the weekends? I love to read and write. My ideal day would be to find a beautiful spot in the woods with a good book, a pen, and my notebook.
3) What's your hidden passion? Much of the work I do during the week involves sitting at meetings or in front of a computer, so I've found that I really enjoy working with my hands and have discovered a love for doing DIY projects in our home workshop.
4) What's one song that belongs on the playlist to your life?
An amazing song called"Hear Me Lord" by a Zimbabwean guitarist named Oliver Mtukudzi.
5) What's an RTC product or service you can't live without? Greenshave! With Moira Brett's all natural shaving cream, I can arrive to my Monday meetings freshly shaven after a fun weekend out in the woods or in our workshop.
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