The 18th Annual Trenton Small Business Week is set: a weeklong celebration of activities for business owners, entrepreneurs and individuals, especially those starting or changing careers.
The event, which attracts nearly 5,000 people to the capital city, will be held Oct. 17 to 21. It will feature 17 free seminars, the Mayor’s Awards during the Kick Off Networking Breakfast, a special Mercer Regional Chamber of Commerce Power Luncheon as well as its popular Business EXPO and Renaissance Ball, a TD Bank Networking Reception, a Capital City Real Estate Reception and more.
“The free workshops and networking events all are held in downtown Trenton, but it’s really become a regional event,” said Marsha Stoltman of The Stoltman Group Event Planners. “We draw from throughout New Jersey, parts of New York and eastern Pennsylvania.”
Stoltman credits a good part of the success of the week and its enduring popularity to a committee of dedicated volunteers and the event’s sponsors. In particular, TD Bank is one of the “Chief Executive Officer/Major General Level Sponsors,” joined by the City of Trenton, the New Jersey Small Business Development Centers, Mercer Regional Chamber of Commerce and Mercer County.
“There are so many wonderful area businesses and organizations that support this event,” Stoltman explained. “And our volunteer committee puts it all together, from fundraising to marketing, programs to awards. They are a busy group who live and work in Mercer County, many right in Trenton.”
The free seminars and workshops are carefully researched and targeted to reach diverse audiences. There is a seminar in Spanish, and a focus on doing business internationally. Other topics cover profitability, financing, resources for veterans, tips for small developers, making the most of government resources, mobile marketing and social media, tourism sponsored by Destination Trenton and the Princeton Regional Chamber of Commerce, sustainability, government procurement certification and more.
“On Monday, Oct. 17, the week starts with a Kick Off Networking Breakfast featuring the Mayor’s Small Business of the Year Awards,” Stoltman noted. “There will be a special keynote by Richard Lisk, president and CEO of the Trenton Titans, as well as an economic update.”
A full description of the schedule, current news and registration may be found online at www.smallbizweek.com. Participants are urged to register in advance as events fill quickly. More information also may be obtained by calling (609) 771-2947.
18th Annual Trenton Small Business Week. Carmen Natal-Melendez or Tom McGough. City of Trenton, Division of Economic Development, 319 East State Street, Trenton. 609-989-3508. SmallBizWeek@yahoo.com. www.smallbizweek.com
