The new year started with a new networking group focusing on a smaller, more intimate approach to help businesspeople connect and build relationships along with concierge services and PR.
Around 50 people braved the cold and snow to attend the year’s first networking breakfast held by the Schneps Connects Club, a member-driven group. The morning was a mix of breakfast and business, discussions and learning.
Wealth advisors from Wilmington Trust, M&T Bank’s private wealth management arm, provided economic projections and guidance January 28 at The Hamlet Golf & Country Club, in Commack, as businesspeople connected and began building new relationships.
“Our biggest goal here is for you to meet someone new this morning,” Schneps Media CEO Joshua Schneps greeted the group. “Please do walk up to people and just say hello. Meet people and get informed.”
Founded in 1985 with the Queens Courier, Schneps Media has grown to over 100 media outlets, including many on Long Island, New York City and Palm Beach, the Long Island Press among them. In addition to covering news and providing key marketing vehicles, Schneps Media serves businesses through networking, helping build business as well as report on them.
“There’s value in the larger programs, but the intimacy, the relationship building that takes place, the private conversation versus the paradigm of sitting on stage while you’re just an audience member, that’s priceless,” said Wilmington Trust Senior Wealth Advisor and Team Leader Daniel C. Shaughnessy, who led a panel. “I think this is an awesome concept. Hopefully, you can all do business together.”
CREATING COMMUNITY
The group seeks to create a business community, where people work together and find ways to benefit each other, meeting regularly over breakfast.
“We’re trying to help build a community of businesspeople who connect with each other and build their business,” said Schneps Media Senior Vice President of Events Elizabeth Schneps Aloni.
Attendees also liked the idea of a smaller group, as well as larger events, where people spend more time with each other.
“I find it much easier to connect with people at something smaller. You can get in front of more people at something bigger, but I find the smaller one to be more personal,” said Jessica Madden, director of internal operations at Melville-based Norco Construction. “I have the opportunity to sit down and have a conversation.”
The idea is to bring businesspeople together to their mutual benefit who already interact with the media company.
“The ability to get to know people and share my brand with people is extremely important in today’s world,” said Mid island Y JCC and Suffolk Y JCC CEO Rick Lewis, a Schneps Connects Club member. “You can’t just sit behind a computer and expect to get to know people. You’ve got to get out, face people, get to know people.”
An advertising executive said in a digital world where many interactions are done electronically through screens, nothing beats being there.
“The quality of the attendees. They come from a lot of well-known and respected businesses,” said EGC Group Director of Growth Chris Canadeo, who also attends LIA and HIA-LI events. “It’s more important than ever to be in person. You need a face to the name. That’s how you build relationships.”
While some networking groups focus on one profession, this group attracts businesspeople from nearly every industry, providing encyclopedic expertise.
Executives from vineyards (Pindar and Duckwalk), trust and estate and matrimonial attorneys, wealth planners, advertising executives, healthcare providers, Medicare specialists, technology providers, event space representatives, accountants, people from real estate, nonprofits and human resources met under one roof.
“At a large event, you can’t really touch anybody,” said Phil Fierro, managing director of Risk Strategies and Schneps Connects Club member. “For me, it’s all about meeting people and networking, trying to find my next clients, my next prospects. We’re trying to get the Risk Strategies name out on Long Island more.”
While many were C-suite leaders, marketing, financial and operations executives also circulated.
“I don’t only need to speak to the CEO,” Lewis said. “I’m happy to talk to anybody in the sales, marketing departments. They might control the philanthropy.”
FINANCIAL FORECAST
In addition to the networking, Wilmington Trust advisors talked about the Fed, expected to cut rates three times this year, inflation, tariffs, employment, job creation, government debt, international versus domestic stocks and a changing labor market.
“The world’s a crazy place,” Schneps Aloni said of the importance of financial advice. “We always need to know what to do with our money.”
Wilmington Trust Senior Wealth Investment Advisor Carly A. Nathanson discussed demographic changes, immigration policy and AI all impacting labor.
“The labor market’s undergoing a major transformation,” Nathanson said. “Overall the labor supply is shrinking.”
Nathanson sees AI as continuing to influence business, although bigger companies like bigger ships take longer to turn.
“Right now, it’s easier for smaller companies to change and adopt this type of technology,” Nathanson said. “We’re seeing AI take over some roles in jobs. Long-term we see technology evolving from supplementing to complementing labor.”
Nathanson said Wilmington Trust expects the U.S. economy to continue to expand at a more moderate pace with gross domestic product rising 1 percent, rather than an average of 2 percent and more in recent years.
“We’re in a new era of economic experimentation, including trade policy, government debt where tariffs put pressure on margins,” Nathanson said.
Senior Wealth Advisor Louis Porta said they haven’t added crypto to portfolios yet, but it is becoming a bigger financial force and investment option. “Crypto as a substitute for cash is off the table,” Porta said. “It’s an asset class.”
Porta said they expect double-digit earnings growth amid a lower interest rate environment, but that volatility isn’t likely to vanish. “You’ll get some volatility,” Porta said. “When clients embrace volatility, our job shifts from being an investment advisor to a psychologist.”
Wilmington Trust Managing Director and Senior Investment Advisor Steven M. Sanders said they see growth from international stocks as an important part of asset mixes along with financial companies.
“We don’t know exactly where inflation will head,” Sanders added. “Inflation concerns could be here a little longer. And the fiscal deficit could have an effect on the longer end.”
DISCUSSIONS TO INFORM
Although Wilmington Trust advisors talked finance, upcoming speakers are slated to cover a wide range of topics.
1-800-Flowers founder Jim McCann at the first such event talked about his rise and the impact of AI on business.
Grassi Advisory Group CEO Louis C. Grassi is slated to speak in February, Nassau County Executive and Republican gubernatorial candidate Bruce Blakeman in March followed by Tritec and Beachwood Homes in April and Michael Lessing of Lessing’s Hospitality Group in May.
Schneps Media Events also hosts over 30 B2B events across New York and Palm Beach Florida where top level executives are recognized for their achievements while enjoying large Ultimate Networking gatherings. Schneps Connects Club is the way business leaders can stay connected between the larger events and deepen their relationships while enjoying media visibility across Long Island.
