Hub offers free help to NJ's new small businesses or those looking to grow

HACKENSACK — Free resources are available to small businesses just starting out or looking to grow through a partnership among the New Jersey Small Business Development Center, Fairleigh Dickinson University and the Main Street Business Alliance in Hackensack.

The Hackensack Success Hub program will provide no-cost, one-on-one consulting services to local small businesses, helping business owners with marketing, sales, finance, customer service and social media.

“We’ve got hundreds of small businesses here. When you walk into one, the person behind the counter is most likely the person who runs the place. Most people are really busy running their business and don’t have the time or resources to concentrate on growth,” said John Peters, the director of the Main Street Business Alliance. “This gives them free resources. You can go through the process and in a short amount of time be connected to experts in the area providing consulting services for free.”

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The Hackensack Success Hub, based in the Main Street Business Alliance office at 214 Main St., will serve as a satellite location of the New Jersey Small Business Development Center and bring the organization’s resources directly into the community, said Kelly Brozyna, state director and CEO of the NJSBDC.

“This is a great opportunity to partner directly with a downtown to help these businesses and be in a downtown location where business owners can walk in and access these resources,” she said. “We want to let people know, if you have a lunch break and want some consulting or training, we can help. You can pop in and get some advice.”

The Hackensack Success Hub is particularly focused on small businesses that are women-owned, minority-owned, veteran-owned, and located in underserved communities, Brozyna said.

The program is in Hackensack but is open to all New Jersey small businesses. The group is also planning a series of community events and workshops for business owners, including a legal summit in January at the Hackensack Performing Arts Center that will provide free legal advice from experts.

“We’re there to help these businesses have a support system, and have somebody to lean on," said Matt Wells, regional director of the NJSBDC at Fairleigh Dickinson University. “Typically, being a small business owner is kind of a lonely place to be. You do a lot of this yourself and there’s not many people there to help you along.”

Fairleigh Dickinson University business students will be working alongside professional consultants to help the small businesses, said Rob Pignatello, senior vice president for Government Affairs/Community Relations & Strategic Initiatives at FDU.

“It’s really a win-win for our students, for the community and for businesses that need assistance to grow and thrive,” he said. “This will benefit small businesses in the area and will give our students a great opportunity to leverage what they are learning in the classroom and put it into practice.”

Businesses that want to participate in the program can go to the Main Street Business Alliance’s website at downtownhackensack.org/successhub for more information and to fill out a qualification form. Business owners can opt for a virtual meeting or an in-person meeting at the office.

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Hub offers free help to NJ's new small businesses or those looking to grow