june newsletter 7.3.18 feb newsletter...2018/07/03 · art of salsa dancing. fun for all ages,...

Business News HUNTERDON COUNTYCHAMBER OF COMMERCE

The Voice of Business

June 2018 Volume 43, No 6

A L E G A C Y O F L E A D E R S H I P S I N C E 1 9 1 6 . . .

New Jersey is entering a budgetshowdown for yet another year.

And while the Legislature andGovernor Murphy debate whether itwill be a steep increase on thecorporate business tax or a big hikeon the income tax for millionaires thatbuoys the final FY2019 budget, wedo know that New Jersey’s jobcreators will once again be the mostadversely affected. We cannot taxour way out of our fiscal challenges –rather we need a comprehensiveplan to address our structuraldeficiencies and we need it now.

The Corporate Business Tax (CBT)surcharge as part of the Legislature’sbudget puts New Jersey in line forthe highest corporate income tax ratein the nation – with an 11.5 percenttax rate for companies with revenuesbetween $1 million and $25 million,

and a whopping 13 percent forcompanies earning more than $25million.Many legislators justify this increasein CBT based on a premise thatcorporations have benefited from thisyear’s federal tax reform. This is, atbest, a flawed rationalization todamage the 2,000-plus companiesthat account for more than $20 billionin net allocated income in NewJersey.We have seen corporations increasereinvestment by capital spending inthe first quarter at record levels,which was the exact intent of thefederal tax reform. You can restassured that in New Jersey, however,that reinvestment will cease if theproposed CBT surcharge comes tofruition – even with a proposedtwo-year sunset. The truth is corporations have 50states to choose from. We need to

Taxing job creators is not the wayto fix New Jersey’s fiscal woes

Continued on Page 3Continued on Page 4

Booth Sales Openfor Hunterdon

Chamber’s 30thHunterdon

Business Expo &Food Showcase

The date has been set for the30th Hunterdon County BusinessExpo & Food Showcase,presented by PNC Bank and bythe Hunterdon County Chamberof Commerce for Thursday,November 8, 2018. The Expo willrun from 2:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.at the, newly renovated, NextLevel Arena on Case Boulevardin Flemington. A continuous andconvenient shuttle service willrun from the J.P. Case MiddleSchool. This year’s event, whichis free and open to the public,will feature over 130 businessesshowcasing the unique qualitiesthat make Hunterdon a greatplace to shop, work and dobusiness.While initial booth sales havebeen brisk, there is still room forbusinesses looking to meetconsumers, and otherbusinesses, thanks to the largervenue provided by Next LevelArena. The Hunterdon Chamberwelcomes all businesses inHunterdon, or those who dobusiness inside the county, toparticipate in the Expo. Boothsare available at a range of highly

This Year’s Theme“Buy Local, Buy Hunterdon”

Salsa Night2018: A festivalof music,dancing, foodand shopping!Salsa Night2018 is on itsway tobecoming thefestival of allfestivals in theCentral Jerseyarea with live

bands, food, shopping anddancing in the streets! Located rain or shine on MainStreet in Flemington, NJ, thefestival is Saturday, July 21st,from 4pm to 10pm. Two liveLatino bands, Swing Comboand Son 7, provide the musicthis year and Elvis Ruis of theAlma Montero Dance Studiowill instruct attendees on theart of Salsa dancing. Fun for allages, Salsa Night boasts foodvendors, retail vendors foradults and children andentertainment throughout theevening as well as one, hugedance party!In recent years, more than5,000 people attend this freeevent which raises funds forHunterdon Helpline’s 24-7, 365days a year “helpline” offeringhelp to people in need throughits own free services andprograms and connection andcollaboration with otherorganizations. The funds alsohelp to support the programsand services it offers throughHunterdon Hispanos. “Salsa Night is the coming

together of people, not just inHunterdon County, butbeyond,” said HelplineExecutive Director, Susan Lax.“It is a tradition that people lookforward to every summer.” Shesaid people call her early in theyear to make sure the eventwill be happening again. “Theevening is a diversified mix ofmany kinds of vendors andfood, just like the Salsa dishitself.”ShopRite of Flemingtoncontinues its support of thefestival as “Signature Sponsor”and will be offering its usualfestive display and freegoodies. They are joined byUnilever as the Entertainmentsponsor, the FlemingtonCommunity Partnership, UnityBank, Hunterdon HealthcareSystems, The HunterdonCounty Cultural and HeritageCommission, the HunterdonChamber of Commerce,Flemington Car & Truck, PSIPrint Shop and Shout. JakesRestaurant is the Beer andWine Sponsor again, providingbeer and wine and its famousSangria.Salsa Night is always lookingfor more sponsors and morevendors. The vent is anopportunity for you toshowcase your business. Aspecial rate for nonprofits toattend is available. For moreinformation about becoming asponsor, vendor or attending,please [email protected], orcall Helpline at 908-782-4357.

908.782.7115 • www.hunterdonchamber.org 2

is a publication of the HunterdonCounty Chamber of Commerce ©2018

Christopher J. Phelan, editorAmanda Dos Santos, layout and design

Good Impressions, printer

For information contact us by phone:

908-782-7115fax: 908-782-7283

to advertise call 908-735-7309 e-mail: [email protected]

Website: www.hunterdonchamber.org

Hunterdon County Chamber of Commerce119 Main Street

Flemington, NJ 08822

WANTEDScrap Gold • Coins • American

& Foreign • Gold & SilverPaper Money • Old Jewelry

Estates • Collections

RAAB COINS56 Main Street, Flemington, NJ

Randy Block1-800-819-9875

Tues.-Fri. 10am-5pmSat. 10-3

Business News

SALSA NIGHT 2018The Hunterdon County Chamber of Commerce Is Proud To Be a Sponsor

Hunterdon Chamber Radio will be back for a Live Remote from Salsa Night

make New Jersey more attractive toretain our businesses and capture theinvestment of new ones so we cangain in our regional competitiveness.Having the highest corporate businesstax in the nation, in addition to thealready high costs of doing businessin New Jersey, will not put us on thatpath. In his support of a millionaires tax, weheard Gov. Murphy say it was a“no-brainer” to raise the rate from 8.97percent to 10.75 percent. What is being missed is that some 5,000New Jersey businesses, many ofthem sole proprietorships,partnerships and LLCs who flow theirincome taxes through personalreturns, would be impacted by thisincrease. These businesses accountfor more than $1 billion in AdjustedGross Income in New Jersey in 2015.

Whether it’s small businesses orbigger corporations impacted, thesetaxes would be on top of new legalmandates which increase the expensefor businesses by extending newbenefits (paid sick leave) andrequiring new reporting requirementsthat drive up the cost of doingbusiness (equal pay).

An expansion of the Paid FamilyLeave law, temporary disabilityinsurance laws and a sales taxincrease have all been consideredduring this budget season, in additionto a proposed mandated increase to a$15 minimum wage. The governoralso recently signed into law bills tosubsidize the state’s nuclear plantsand renewable energy programs,which will also raise costs forcompanies.

The cumulative costs of all these newmandates, on top of new taxes as partof this year’s budget, need to beconsidered. They completely solidifyNew Jersey’s unfortunate reputationof having the worst business climatein the nation.

New Jersey’s business community isbeing pushed to the brink. Our

business leaders have been urgingpolicymakers to work oncomprehensive tax and regulatoryreform. We need to fix the State’sstructural budget deficits, such as ourpublic pension, health benefits andeducation costs, rather than attemptto tax our way of our challenges.

We look forward to recommendationsto address the State’s structuraldeficiencies from the State Tax PolicyWorkgroup and Economic GrowthCouncil, assembled by SenatePresident Steve Sweeney andGovernor Murphy, respectively. Weonly wish they waited for thesesolutions before throwing moreobstacles in the difficult road toprosperity for businesses in NewJersey.

Sincerely,

Michele N. Siekerka, Esq.President & CEO, NJBIA

Paul BoudreauPresident & CEO, Morris CountyChamber of Commerce

Laurie Ehlbeck State Director, NFIB/NJ

John Harmon,President & CEO, African AmericanChamber of Commerce of NJ

Joseph D. KellyPresident, Greater Atlantic CityChamber

Michael V. KerwinPresident & CEO, Somerset CountyBusiness Partnership

Christopher J. PhelanPresident & CEO, Hunterdon CountyChamber of Commerce

Anthony Russo President, Commerce and IndustryAssociation of New Jersey

Ralph ThomasCEO & Executive Director, NJCPA

HUNTERDON COUNTY CHAMBER OF COMMERCEBOARD OF DIRECTORS

PRESIDENT, CEOChristopher J. Phelan

OFFICERS

ChairMichelle L. Heide, CFP®, CRPC®

Patton, Heide & Associates

1st Vice ChairmanJeffrey Weinstein

Hunterdon Healthcare, LLC

2nd Vice Chairman Mary MelfiCounty Clerk

SecretaryChristopher J. Phelan

Hunterdon County Chamber of Commerce

TreasurerDJ Wright

Wright & Ford Funeral Home and Cremation Services

Ana P. GaliettaExxonMobil Research & Engineering Company

Legal CounselNicholas Pellitta, Esq.

Norris, McLaughlin & Marcus, P.A.

Advocacy Chair William Flahive, Esq.

Law Office of William P. Flahive, L.L.C.

Advancing Hunterdon ChairJim RobinsonColdwell Banker

Chairman EmeritusDonald Pinner

Hunterdon Healthcare System

DIRECTORS

Jacki BelinRaritan Valley Community College

Robert BenjaminSTARMIS Corporation

Andrea BishopPNC Bank

Bruce BlackHunterdon County YMCA

Joseph Carducci, CPABedard, Kurowicki & Co., CPA’s

Richard HallCenturyLink

Jim GanoCrown Trophy

Suzanne LagayHunterdon County Board of Chosen Freeholders

Kim MetzHunterdon County Polytech

Ryan ReepChick-fil-A

Stan PraterJersey Central Power & Light


Fiscal woesContinued from Page 1


3 Steps to Handle Market Volatility as You Approach Retirement

Swings in the stock market can causeemotions to run high, particularly for investorswho are approaching retirement. And for goodreason. Recent research from AmeripriseFinancial uncovered that the biggest financialsetbacks American investors haveexperienced in their 50s through their 70s ismarket losses. Though most respondents – 62percent – have fully recovered from theseevents, they’re still afraid of potential bumpsdown the road1.

If you share this anxiety as you approachretirement, remember that market volatilitydoes not always mean you need to makechanges to your portfolio. The following tipscan help you prevent fear from getting thebest of you:

1. Concentrate on your financial goals.

No one can say with certainty what willhappen to stocks over the next week, month,year or decade. But what may be more certainis your financial goals for those timeframes.Ensure your portfolio is designed to help youachieve those goals, rather than to achieve aspecific market outcome. Remember thattiming the markets is rarely successfulbecause there are so many unknown factorsinfluencing how stocks move.

2. Keep your emotions in check.

Market corrections, dips and swings areinevitable for investors in the short term, so it’simportant to look beyond the daily hype andheadlines. Instead, watch for broad, persistenttrends that could provide opportunities orchallenges for your overall financial situation.As you ponder adjustments to your portfolio,remember that while you can’t control themarket, you can control your reaction to it.

3. Reassess your portfolio according to

your retirement date and risk tolerance.

Two items that are more in your control areyour risk tolerance and retirement date. Keepin mind that each person has an individualcomfort level with taking risks. You may findthat your ability to handle market swingsvaries over time, particularly if you’veexperienced volatility in the past or areplanning your retirement. Big market moves ordips may be a good time to step back andevaluate your portfolio according to when youanticipate needing to generate income fromyour investments:

• If you have a decade or more beforeretirement, prioritize building your investmentsusing a diversified asset mix. Investingregularly in the market could help volatilitywork to your benefit, as you have more time toride out short-term turbulence and overcomepotential losses. As you refine your retirementplans, calculate how much money you need tolive the lifestyle you want, while also preparingfor unexpected expenses such as healthcare.Knowing how much you need to retire canhelp you stay confident in your financialstrategy amid market uncertainty.

• If you are within a few years of retirement,you likely are more sensitive to short-termmarket moves. At this point, you may considergradually adjusting your portfolio to reduceyour level of risk. If you wait until retirement toadjust your investment mix, you could besurprised by untimely market volatility or adownturn. If this happens, it could leave youwith less money in retirement compared toyour plans, forcing you to modify your goals orlifestyle. If the market is experiencing acorrection, you may want to wait for it torebound (as it historically has) before makingadjustments. Making changes immediatelyamid volatility could lock in possible losses.

• If you are retired, be patient and maintainyour diversified investment strategy. If thepotential for a downturn or increased volatilitymakes you nervous, consider reallocatingyour portfolio accordingly. Keep in mind thateven in retirement it may make sense to havepart of your investment mix focused ongrowth. Today’s long life expectancies meanthat you need to be prepared for the likelihoodthat living costs, particularly healthcare, will behigher in the later decades of your retirement.

If you have concerns about the effect ofmarket volatility on your investments, you arenot alone. If you want additional support,consider consulting a financial advisor whocan review the details of your unique financialsituation. Together you can determine if yourportfolio is on track to reach your goals.

1 – The Ages, Stages & Money study wascreated by Ameriprise Financial, Inc. andconducted online by Artemis Strategy GroupDecember 8-21, 2017 among 3,019 U.S.adults between the ages of 30-79 with at least$100,000 in investable assets. For furtherinformation and details about the study,including verification of data that may not bepublished as part of this report, please contactAmeriprise Financial or go toAmeriprise.com/ages.

###Michelle L. Heide, CFP®, CRPC®, BFA™ is aPrivate Wealth Advisor with AmeripriseFinancial Services, Inc. in Annandale, NJ.Michelle specializes in fee-based financialplanning and asset management strategiesand has been in practice for 25 years. Youmay contact Michelle at 908-713-4903.Michelle’s office is located at 16 Leigh St.Units 1B & 1C, Clinton, NJ 08809.

Before you purchase insurance, be sure to considerthe policy’s features, benefits and fees, and whetherit is appropriate for you, based on your financialsituation and objectives.

Investment advisory products and services are madeavailable through Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc.,a registered investment adviser.

Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc. Member FINRAand SIPC.

© 2018 Ameriprise Financial, Inc. All rights reserved.

File # 2063915 (Approved until 03/2020)

NEED TEMPORARY STAFF THIS SUMMER!

Business Expo

affordable rates and can bebooked by calling the Chamber at908-782-7115 or visiting theirwebsite Hunterdon-Chamber.org.

The Food Showcase and will bereturning this year. The popularshowcase will take place from5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. and willfeature Hunterdon eateries servingfree samples. A limited amount ofbooths are available forrestaurants who would like toparticipate in the showcase.As always sponsors play a majorrole in helping the HunterdonCounty Business Expo and FoodShowcase come together. PNCBank has returned as a presentingsponsor this year. Additionalsponsors are also in the works. Ifbusinesses are interested in oneof these exclusive spots theyshould contact the Chamberimmediately.More information about the 30thHunterdon County Business Expo& Food Showcase can be found atthe website of the HunterdonCounty Chamber of Commerce,hunterdonchamber.org, or bycalling (908) 782-7115.

Continued from Page 1


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325 W. Washington AveWashington, NJ 07882

908-689-3071

www.good-impressions.com

Full Service Printing, Copying & Mailingchamberhappenings

Thank you to RosanneDeTorres of the DeTprres &DeGeorge Family Law andAnnemarie Simeone whopresented a very informativeprogram on using metrics togrow yoru busines to theChamber membership recently.


Date: Wednesday, August 15th

Time: 7:45 a.m.registration8:00 -9:00 a.m. program

14-B Royal Road

Flemington, NJ

Date: Wednesday, August 1st

Time: 7:45 AM registration8:00 - 9:00 AM program

111 West Main Street

Clinton, NJ

Leads Exchange CentralLeads Exchange North

Led byTom Fitzgerald

Led byJudy Gold

Develop the business relationships that can improve your bottom line. Network,exchange business cards and present your business to other Chamber members.

Admission is included in your Chamber membership.

We are now accepting applications for our 2019 Leadership Hunterdon Program

For more details, please call: 908-782-7115

The vision of Leadership Hunterdon is to transform people to become trustees of our communities,

to become leadership resources and work for the betterment of Hunterdon County.

Would you like to develop your leadership skills?

Would you like to meet key business, education& non-profit leadership?

Check the Chamber Website for Upcoming Information Sessions

The Hunterdon County Chamberof Commerce is very excited to behosting their Annual Golf Classicon Tuesday, October 2nd at HeronGlen located in Raritan Township,NJ. This is a great way for ourmembership to come together,conduct business and strengthentheir business relationships.Check in is at 8:30 am with a lightbreakfast and a shotgun start at10:00 am. The format is ascramble with a twist and thewinning foursome will claim theHunterdon Cup! The outingincludes a networking luncheon,silent auction, and announcementof the winning foursome.Golfers may participate in

foursomes or as individuals. Pergolfer Chamber member rates are$185 and general admission ratesare $225. Foursome Chambermember rates are $700 andgeneral admission rates are $800.Companies and individuals canalso participate by donating a doorprize or by participating as asponsor. Tee Sponsorships areavailable for $50 each or two for$75 and Green Sponsorships areavailable at $150 to have yourcompany logo printed on a courseflag.“The Chamber is proud to host an

Annual Golf Classic that bringstogether businesses throughoutour county and showcases one ofour member courses,” ChrisPhelan, Chamber President said.“I really want to thank all of our

sponsors and committee memberswho make this outing always asuccess,” he concluded.NOT A GOLFER? NOT A

PROBLEM! Join us for theNetworking Luncheon after theGolf Classic. Luncheon OnlyTickets are $35 for Members and$45 for General Admission. For further information or to

pre-register, contact theHunterdon County Chamber ofCommerce by Phone:908-782-7115, Fax: 908-782-7283or online atwww.hunterdon-chamber.org.

WHEN: October 2, 2018

WHERE: Heron GlenGolf CourseRaritan Twp.

TIME: 8:30amRegistration10:00amShotgun start


Would you like to be on the radio?

Whether you would like to be a host,

advertiser, or guest-- HunterdonChamber Radio provides some excellent

marketing opportunities for local

businesses.

For more information, please call:

908-782-7115

The Hunterdon Chamber Annual GolfClassic is Teeing Off on October 2nd

PRESENTING SPONSOR


National Get Out and Move Day Great Success!Highlights from Walks throughout the County, Clinton - Flemington & Readington

Why Don’t You Get Involved with the Hunterdon Healthy Worforce

Initiative for 2018! Contact the Chamber Today at 908-782-7115 or [email protected]

Thank you to our Sponsors


When Joey was asked what it meant for him and his sisterHeidi to be selected to present their invention at NICEE2018, Joey said, “Wow! I mean 110,000 kids like ussubmitted their ideas this year, so for Heidi and I to be justtwo of the mere 450 lucky kids that made it to Nationals,well that’s literally ‘Outta this World!’”, referencing Joeyand Heidi’s invention, an educational board game calledOUTTA THIS WORLD!, which teaches an acceleratedinvention process, which they created.Team inventors were judged in the age category of theoldest team participant, so that meant Heidi, age 11, wascompeting with 15-18 year olds. But was Heidi surprisedwhen she and her brother won First Place in the 10th-12thGrade Inventor Category? “No way!”, exclaimed Heidiwho then continued on saying, “It’s just proof that we canall invent and create, no matter how old we are, and thatcollaborating helps good ideas become great inventions.”But this spirited team of sibling inventors were not donecelebrating the fruits of their hard work yet. NICEE 2018offered a very prestigious award Category titled, “TheInspiring Changemaker Award”. The InspiringChangemaker Award was presented by Azi Jamalian,PhD, Head of Education Strategy at littleBits, aninnovative education company which makes technologykits that are fun, easy-to-use, and infinitely creative.“When our OUTTA THIS WORLD! Innovation Acceleratorgame won The 2018 NICEE Inspiring ChangemakerAward presented by littleBits, I just sorta froze in themoment...” reflects Joey who then continued saying, “Imean as an innovator or entrepreneur, you find a problemyou care about and you want to solve, and then you justgo for it, but winning the Inspiring Changemaker Awardreally shows me that hard work and focus really does helpyou reach for, and achieve, your dreams!’With all of this excitement, momentum is building for thisyoung team of go-getters. “We are so excited becauseteachers from across the United States, and even fromamazing places like Singapore, and China, Latin Americaand Australia, and even Europe are reaching out to usasking how they can bring our gamified education to theirstudents.”, shares Joey. “Yeah and what’s really fun is when we get to visit theirschools and speak directly to their students, and evenplay a round or two of OUTTA THIS WORLD! together,because we get to show more kids that they can be justlike us.” shares Heidi.Heidi also added some great advice to future innovators,“Just put your creativity to work at solving a problem yousee, and next year, you can be presenting your inventionat NICEE too!”.OUTTA THIS WORLD! The Game can only be purchasedat www.fizzeelabs.com/otw, for the specially discounted

price of $55. Community Packs which include 5 games,post game learning tools and training materials, are alsoavailable upon request at [email protected],These packs are great for classrooms and communityorganizations interested in hosting Innovation Fun &Learning Events.

New Jersey Sibling Young EntrepreneursWin Two National Inventor Awards

The Henry Ford Museum Of American Innovationhosted the 2018 National Invention Convention andEntrepreneurship Expo (NICEE 2018), where Joeyand Heidi Hudicka, now 16 and 11, won First Place inthe 10th-12th Grade Category, before beingcelebrated further through winning the prestigious2018 Inspiring Changemaker Award. Theirentrepreneurial head start has taught them valuablelife lessons about the power of their creativity, whichthey now teach to students and professionalsthrough their business, Fizzee Labs, creator ofinnovation learning tools.


Would you like to be on the radio?

Whether you would like to be a host,advertiser, or guest-- Hunterdon

Chamber Radio provides some excellentmarketing opportunities for local

businesses.For more information, please call:

908-782-7115

The Chamber is

Looking for

Volunteers

The Hunterdon County Chamberof Commerce is presently lookingfor volunteers to help out duringupcoming events. From planningto day of event details, there are

so many ways to assist andcontribute. Here are few events in

which you can be a part of:

- Hunterdon Community Day- Membership Committee

- Business Expo- Hunterdon Holiday Parade &

Much More....

For more details, please contactthe Chamber at: 908-782-7115


....That even as an existing Chamber member,you can still attend New Member Orientation,held every 3rd Thursday of the month? It’s anexcellent opportunity to get an in-depthoverview of what the Chamber has to offer aswell as address any questions or concernsyou may have.

...That you can purchase mailing addresses ofthe Chamber’s full membership for yourbusiness?

If you have any

questions, please

contact the the office

at 908-782-7115.

Did You Know?


Crusades Barbers Ribbon Cutting

The Hunterdon County Chamber of Commerce recently held a Ribbon Cutting for Crusades Barbers inFlemington. Joining us for the special occasion was Mayor Michael Mangin of the Township of Raritan,Owner JoAnn Zacios and, Chamber President Chris Phelan along with the team from CrusadesBarbers,Jess, Chrissy, Manager Stacy Zacios, Debbie and family friend Jack McDade.

Stacy Sacios, Mananger of Crusades Barbers commented, “You never get a second chance to make agood first impression” Crusades Barbers is family owned and operated. Opening in June 2017, werenovated an existing barber shop to better suit today’s man. We offer cuts, color, beard trims and hairrestoration.

Visit us on our website at: www.crusadesbarbers.com or Call us at: 908-284-0019


For the past few years,individuals were subject to an IRSpenalty if they were not coveredwith minimum essential healthinsurance for all twelve months ofthe year. Coverage must includefamily members (which mayinclude a spouse and all childrenunder age 26). There werecertain exemptions from thepenalty, which is calculated onIRS Form 8965, but they werefew and far between. However,the new Tax Cuts and Jobs Actrepealed this Federal tax penaltyfor the individual health insurancemandate, effective Januay 1,2019.

It would seem that startingJanuary 1, 2019, New Jerseyindiviual taxpayers were no longerpenalized for not having healthinsurance. However, that is notthe case. On May 30, 2018, NewJersey passed a law to become

the second state (afterMassachusetts, which wasenacted in 2006) to adopt anindividual health insurancemandate, effective January 1,2019. The New Jersey mandate,which mirrors the former federalrequirement, includes an annualpenalty of 2.5% of a household’sincome (based on the averageyearly premium of a “bronze”health insurance plan) or aper-person charge. Themaximum household penalty willbe $2,085. There will be ahardship exception for individualswho cannot afford essentialminimum health insurancecoverage.

With the election of GovernorPhil Murphy, there has been andwill be changes to New Jerseylaws that will effect businessesand individuals. You will needexpert professional advice to keep

up with these new changes. Ifyou have any questions, pleasecontact Andrew Ross, CPA ofBKC, CPAs, PC [email protected] or908-782-7900 x 113. Visit ourblog at www.bkc-cpa.com formore in depth information, andother helpful articles and alerts.

taxtidbits

This tax tidbit was provided by

New Jersey IndividualHealth Insurance Mandate

FLEMINGTON, N.J. – A 15-year-oldhigh school student, Lorenzo Sanelliof Three Bridges, won first place and$5,000 in the second annualHackHunterdon Hackathoncompetition for creating a messagingapp that allows users to anonymouslypost messages that fade away insixty seconds and are not stored.Also, no registration or passwords arerequired to use the app.The event, held at Lorenzo’s homeschool, Hunterdon Central RegionalHigh School June 9-10, was a24-hour tech product creationcompetition that attracted dozens ofcompetitors from the tri-state areaand was open to people of all ages.Judges included John Goodwin, anengineering manager at Facebook,Eric Herbel of Integrated ClinicalSystems, a Hunterdon IT company,

and Sam Napolitano, chieftechnology officer at Pond5 and a

former vice president of engineeringat Huffington Post.According to organizers, the eventwas more than twice the size of theinaugural hackathon in 2017,attracting 72 technologists to thecompetition and additional sponsors.This year’s event also had addedfeatures such as technologyeducation for the general public,presentations from Flemington-basedtech companies and the addition ofhigh schoolers as competitors.“The new features helped us providea more comprehensive experience for participants this year and the additionof the students really amped theenergy level up throughout the event,”said Marc Saluk, economicdevelopment director for HunterdonCounty. “The hackathon continues to

High School Student Wins $5,000 Grand Prize at HackHunterdon Hackathon

HackHunterdon Hackathon winner LorenzoSanelli, third from left, accepts a symbolic checkrepresenting his $5,000 grand prize from ChrisPhelan, president, Hunterdon County Chamberof Commerce; Ann Meredith, executive director,Flemington Community Partnership, and MarcSaluk, Hunterdon County economicdevelopment director.

Continued on next page

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Hackathon

be a key piece of the county’sinnovation initiative but is also reallyjust a lot of fun as well.”Second place winners, Paul John,Rohan Harish and Brian Christian, allof Basking Ridge, won $3,000 for their3D scanning app, and Sheil Naik ofLebanon, Stephanie Trimboli ofNeptune, Thomas Shweh of MorrisPlains and Alex Barbour of Belle Meadwon $2,000 for their audio app,“Walking Stories,” which allows users

to listen to stories as they stroll pasthistoric landmarks.

The event is sponsored by HunterdonCounty’s Office of EconomicDevelopment, Flemington CommunityPartnership, and the HunterdonCounty Chamber of Commerce. “The dividends that will come out ofthis very successful HackHunterdonevent are impactful and long lasting,”said Chris Phelan, president of theHunterdon County Chamber ofCommerce. “As we continue to growour workforce and welcome newbusinesses, the experience of

participants, sponsors and thoseattending the closing session confirmthat we are moving our local economyin the right direction.”Ann Meredith, executive director ofFlemington Community Partnership,added, “With the doubling of ourattendance from our first year, and theremarkable talent we attracted, we areconfident that Flemington is well on itsway to becoming a technology hub forthe region.” For more information, visitexploreflemington.com,HackHunterdon.com orhunterdon-chamber.org.

Continued from previous page


Most of us aren't simply creatingbusiness content for fun. We have areason for doing so. Maybe it's: • Wanting to rank higher in organicsearch • Improving word of mouth marketing • Becoming an industry expert orthought leader • Increasing your reach • Entering a new market

Whatever your business goal behindcontent creation, if your shares beginto diminish (or they never took off inthe first place), you need to dosomething or you're just wasting yourtime.

Check Your Analytics and InventoryYour ContentThe very first thing you want to dowhen you notice a drop off in shares isto find out what has changed. Are youposting in the same way you alwayshave, at the same times, days, andfrequency? What has changed? Haveyou changed the way you lead intoeach post? Are you sharing differenttypes of content? Has your tonechanged?

Review Your TopicsNext, review your topics. Are yousharing the same sorts of topics? Ifyou are, maybe your audience wantssomething more in-depth than whatyou’ve been providing. Try creating a"complete guide" to your businessproduct or service. If they want morein-depth content, you should seeshares increase with that sort of post.If not, try a beginner’s guide to yourservice or product. How does that

perform? Ideally, you will have contentfor every level of the buyer’s cycle.

If you’ve switched the types of topicsyou cover, try going back to the formerrange of topics and see if shares pickup again.

Ditch the Dream of the Free Lunch If you’ve been producing content for afew years now, you may remember thedays of creating good content that gotseen and shared freely. Thenbusinesses like Facebook decidedthey wanted to monetize and thedream of a free lunch quickly came toan end. They started off slowly andquietly offering businesses paid forcontent if they chose to do so.

It’s no longer a choice.

Only a fraction of your audience willsee your content, if you’re not payingfor it. On my personal page I like about100 businesses/pages. Unless I go tomy pages feed, I rarely see them. Mystream is filled with friends info andgroups I belong to. I’ve even asked tosee some of these pages but youknow how that goes...Zuckerbergknows best.

Speaking of which...if people aren’tseeing your content posting it to afitting Facebook group or starting yourown is a better way to get seen thansimply posting it to your page. If youdon’t have the time or inclination tostart your own Facebook group, startpaying to get seen.

End of discussion.

Look for New Share SourcesIt may be time to start sharing yourcontent on a new site such as Mediumor a new Facebook group that couldhelp you reach your ideal market. By“new” I’m referring to new to you. Ifyou’re old referral sites aren’t bringingyou much traffic, try something thatmight be better aligned with whereyour audience is. For instance, a lot ofyounger people are leaving Facebookfor Instagram. If your market is teensand early twenties, you’ll want toconsider sites like Instagram andSnapchat.

No social site’s audience remains thesame forever. Today’s rock song istomorrow’s elevator music.

Understand Content Is ChangingIn a recent report released byBuzzSumo, they found that there is“immense saturation” as more andmore businesses embrace contentmarketing. There’s been a decline insocial shares (even in viral posts). The“median for content shares” fell 50% in2017. In order to stand out in anoversaturated market, you need to dosomething to stand out like becomingan expert in your industry or providinga resource that others don’t. For many,that includes “complete guides” and“everything you need to know” posts.These can be time-consuming. Somesites have found considerable successwith posting fewer, high-quality piecesas opposed to quick, frequently postedarticles. Today’s content demands arechanging and businesses need tokeep up with them if they expect theircontent to continue to be shared. Ifyou are noticing a difference in yourcontent shares, it’s likely time to revisityour production and posting strategy.

Christina R. Green teaches smallbusinesses, chambers, andassociations how to connect throughcontent. Her articles have appeared inthe Midwest Society of AssociationExecutives’ Magazine, NTEN.org,AssociationTech, and Socialfish. She isa regular blogger at Frankjkenny.comand the Event Manager Blog.

She’s a bookish writer on a quest tobring great storytelling to organizationseverywhere.

Creating amazing content on your website is the surest way to incentivize your audience to share your content.But what happens when they stop doing it or what if they never did? What do you do to turn things around?

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