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Hundreds of local professionals in Elmont and New Hyde Park attended a series of seminars hosted in partnership with National Grid on new business and branding strategies.
The Power Up Sales Series was put together by the Greater New Hyde Park Chamber of Commerce and the Elmont Chamber of Commerce and held on May 7, 14 and 21. The sessions featured experienced professionals who spoke about their journeys and shared advice on growing businesses at the local level.
“These seminars are designed to do more than inform—they’re designed to ignite momentum,” said Cheryl Fajardo, president of the Greater New Hyde Park Chamber of Commerce. “Business owners walked away with real strategies they can implement immediately.”
The speaker at the first event was Susan Gatti, a strategic business advisor for Disruptive Spark, a Rockville Centre-based business consulting firm. She specializes in brand development, a topic that resonated with local business owners.
“I learned that your brand is what people say about you when you’re not in the room,” said Leon William, co-owner of Mr. Flavors Ice Cream in Elmont. “That really stuck with me.”
The second seminar featured Zaleena Schooler, an executive at American Community Bank and vice president of the Greater New Hyde Park Chamber of Commerce. John Tudisco, the president of the Interior Design Society, spoke on May 21.
National Grid sponsored the events as part of its “Grid for Good” program, which focuses on building up communities and the businesses that call them home. Yaryl Gonzalez, the utility’s public affairs manager, said the sponsorship presented an opportunity for National Grid to show its support for companies in the areas it serves.
“The Power Up Sales Series was intended to help local small businesses with their branding and with networking,” she said. “We understand that they are the backbone of our communities.”
Gonzalez said that the communal aspect of these events was important, pointing out that many small business owners met for the first time during the seminars.
“It was great networking where, if you’re a community, you can point to others and help support each other.”
Fajardo said that she saw the series having an impact beyond the events themselves.
“These meetings allowed business owners to connect in ways that wouldn’t have happened otherwise,” she said. “It’s about building a regional business ecosystem where everyone thrives.”
