On your behalf

The Brooklyn Chamber is a part of

the Community Health Advocates.
PAGE 5
MAY 2012
BITS & BYTES
Eliminate phones - improve business.
PAGE 6
BUSINESS CALENDAR
See this months events.
PAGE 2
COACHS CORNER
Leaders lead, or do they?
PAGE 4
www.brooklynbiztrends.com
JANET DUGO/Business Trends
Cafe Remy on Third Avenue in Bay Ridge was the setting for a business networking event presented by Flush-
ing Bank. Among the many making connections were, from left, J. L. Sessum of Helpsolveit.com, Brian Leidy of
the Brooklyn Public Library and Andres Navarro of the banks Bay Ridge branch.
Networking at Cafe Remy
P r e - s o r t e d
S t a n d a r d
U S P o s t a g e
P A I D
W i l k e s - B a r r e , P A
P e r m i t 9 0
By TIM RONALDSON
Business Trends
Most of us draw inspiration
from family members. We model
our lives after the lessons and val-
ues our elders instill in us.
Saudia Davis took that state-
ment one step further, turning a
tragic family event into a career
that would help improve not only
her quality of life, but that of her
future employees and customers
as well.
In 2006, Davis was a public rela-
tions professional working with
celebrities in the film industry
when her grandmother passed
away after a battle with cancer.
Harmful chemicals that her
grandmother inhaled as a profes-
sional cleaner in a hospital were
speculated to have caused the
cancer, Davis said.
It was a life event that shook
her and made her realize that,
even though she was only in her
20s, the time for her to take major
career risks was coming to an
end. She started her business,
GreenHouse Eco-Cleaning, that
year, splitting time between that
and her full-time PR job. But in
2007, after being laid off, she dedi-
cated herself fully to the new
business venture.
Davis began to market her
business the old-fashioned way,
Saudia Davis runs
her business,
GreenHouse
Eco-Cleaning, with
that tenet, and the
memory of her
grandmother,
in mind
please see CLEAN, page 8
Its all
about
quality
of life
By TIM RONALDSON
Business Trends
It seems that every other day, another man-
ufacturing business flees from New York
City. The high cost of doing business here
from taxes to tolls to worker salaries is
often prohibitive.
But over in Flatbush, one third-genera-
tion, family-owned and operated manufac-
turer is bucking that trend. By maintaining a
high quality product, high level of customer
service and constantly adapting to their
changing industry, Mercury Paint has not
only survived but has been able to thrive.
We pull from a very good workforce here,
which is great and helps make us competi-
tive, said owner Freddy Tichner, who has
been with the company for 25 years.
Since it opened as a simple paint store in
1947, Mercury Paints has been constantly
changing as a company. Tichners father-in-
laws father began the business, which he
eventually moved to a location where they
could start manufacturing paint behind the
storefront. Fifty years later, the company
Manufacturing in Brooklyn? Yes, it works
Where others have struggled to survive, Mercury Paints has been able to thrive
please see PAINT, page 5
RESUME WRITING
HELP AT BROOKLYNS
BUSINESS LIBRARY
EVERY TUESDAY
Time: 6:00 p.m. 7:30 p.m.
Location: Business Library, 280
Cadman Plaza W. at Tillary St.
For information, call 718-623-7000
BNI PROSPERITY
EVERY TUESDAY
Time: 7:00 a.m. 8:30 a.m.
Location: Floridian Diner, 2301 Flat-
bush Ave.
For information, call 718-981-8600
BNI MONEY MAKERS
EVERY WEDNESDAY
Time: 7:00 a.m. 8:30 a.m.
Location: Bridgeview Diner, 9011 3rd
Avenue
For information, call 718-981-8600
BNI BROWNSTONE
BUSINESS
CONNECTIONS
EVERY THURSDAY
Time: 7:00 a.m. 8:30 a.m.
Location: Juniors Famous Restau-
rant, 386 Flatbush Ave
For information, call 718-981-8600
SCORE BUSINESS
ASSISTANCE FOR
ENTREPRENEURS
MONDAY- FRIDAY
Time: Monday, Wednesday, Friday 10
a.m. 2 p.m., Tuesday, Thursday 1
p.m. 3 p.m.
Location: Business Library, 280
Cadman Plaza W. at Tillary St.
For information, call 718-623-7000
BROOKLYN HEIGHTS
TOASTMASTERS
FIRST, THIRD THURSDAYS
Time: 7-9 p.m.
Location: Historic Plymouth Church
For information, call 718-797-2246
BROOKLYN BUSINESS
BASE BUSINESS
EXCHANGE
BREAKFAST
WEDNESDAY, MAY 9
Time: 7:45 a.m. 9:15 a.m.
Location: Downtown Brooklyn
For information, visit
www.brooklynbusinessbase.com
CHAMBER BUSINESS
AFTER HOURS
THURSDAY, MAY 10
Time: 5:30 p.m. 7:30 p.m.
Location: NU Hotel, 85 Smith Street
For information, call 718-875-1000
x132
SW BROOKLYN IND.
DEV. CORP: SUNSET
SWING XII
THURSDAY, MAY 10
Time: 5:30 p.m. 10:00 p.m.
Location: Gargiulos Restaurant,
2911 West 15th St.
For information, email
sunsetswing@sbidc.org
SCORE SEMINAR:
INTERNATIONAL
TRADE - IMPORTING
AND EXPORTING
TUESDAY, MAY 15
Time: 10:15 a.m. 4:30 p.m.
Location: NYPL, 188 Madison Ave.,
NYC
For information, call 212-264-4507
NYS WOMEN BAY
RIDGE CHAPTER
TUESDAY, MAY 15
Time: 6:00 p.m.
Location: Greenhouse Restaurant,
77th St. & 3rd Ave.
For information, call 718-238-3900
TILLARY PARK
FOUNDATION: 2ND
ANNUAL JOB FAIR
THURSDAY, MAY 17
Time: 9:00 a.m. 4:00 p.m.
Location: Tillary Park
AMERICAN CANCER
SOCIETY: PINK &
BLACK TIE GALA
THURSDAY, MAY 17
Time: 6:30 p.m. 11:00 p.m.
Location: Stage 6 at Steiner Studios,
15 Washington Avenue
For information, visit the Web site
www.pinkandblacktiegala.com
LUTHERAN
HEALTHCARE: 129TH
ANNUAL DINNER
DANCE
SATURDAY, MAY 19
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Location: Pier 60, Chelsea Piers,
NYC
For information, call 914-761-7111
VETERANS
SERVICE FAIR
WEDNESDAY, MAY 23
Location: Brooklyn Borough Hall
For information, call 917-291-7215
BROOKLYN BUSINESS
BASE EVENING
NETWORKING EVENT
WEDNESDAY, MAY 23
Time: 7:00 9:00 p.m.
Location: Boerum Hill area
For information, call 212-937-7911
SCORE SEMINAR:
DEVELOPING
& IMPLEMENTING
YOUR MARKETING
STRATEGY
THURSDAY, MAY 24
Time: 1:00 5:00 p.m.
Location: NYPL, 188 Madison Ave.,
NYC
For information, call 212-264-4507
SCORE SEMINAR:
STARTING AND
OPERATING A
RESTAURANT OR FOOD
SERVICE BUSINESS
THURSDAY, MAY 31
Time: 10:15 a.m. 1:15 p.m.
Location: NYPL, 188 Madison Ave.,
NYC
For information, call 212-264-4507
2 BUSINESS TRENDS MAY 2012
Business Calendar
By BILLY SPARKLE
Leaders lead and followers fol-
low. Right? I used to think so. But
then I started to hang around a
few leaders, and I myself got
placed in a position of leadership.
An interesting thing can some-
times occur when one gets placed
in a position of leadership. The
person can think they have to
lead.
And this misconception is
what I believe is behind the adage
A person will get promoted to his
highest level of incompetence.
Presumably, a person who is
being promoted or elevated with-
in his particular group is being
moved up because he has demon-
strated effectiveness at his cur-
rent position.
Most likely, this is because he
has followed the mandates of
his position to such a degree that
he has exhibited excellent per-
formance. So clearly hed qualify
to effectively operate at the next
level, right?
Well on the surface it would
seem so, and it probably would be
the case if he continued to see
himself as a follower. But the
snag that a person can sometimes
get caught in occurs in the mo-
ment that he thinks he has to
lead.
Heres what Ive discovered in
my associations with Leaders and
being a Leader myself. A really
great leader doesnt lead. He fol-
lows. Think of Martin Luther
King, Gandhi, Winston Churchill,
Howard Schultz (the CEO of Star-
bucks), or any great leader that
comes to mind.
What all these leaders have in
common is their ability to follow
something that the rest of us have
a hard time seeing with the naked
eye.
While the followers are follow-
ing what they can see (the leader),
the leaders are following what
others cant see (whether that be
an idea, a corporate mission, per-
sonal principles such as honor,
freedom or peace, their God, or
their vision).
And this is what I encourage
you to do if you want to be a
leader. Follow what others cant
see.
Specifically Id encourage you
to follow your vision. (If you dont
already have one, Id suggest that
you create one.)
Follow your vision so complete-
ly that your thoughts, words and
actions will inspire those around
you.
And since they wont be able to
actually see your vision, if they
want to participate then theyll
have to follow you.
And what you then become is a
translator between the voice of
your vision and the ears of your
followers.
And this is about the only point
in my mind for a leader to ever be
speaking. Outside of using your
voice to translate your vision to
those on your team, Id suggest
that you reserve the remainder of
your communication to your ac-
tions. As a wise person once said,
Action speaks louder than
words.
Essentially, what your follow-
ers are doing is bearing witness
to your personal journey as you
follow your vision.
So let them observe you while
you dedicatedly dive into the ac-
tions that your vision is asking
you to take.
If you have a vision that truly
lights you upone that youre
deeply passionate about the
flame it will ignite will burn so
brightly that people will want to
watch.
And if youre on the move,
then people will want to follow.
And as some of those people
follow you closely, theyll develop
the capacity to tune in to what
you are following and, in turn, be-
come leaders themselves.
And that, as my former mentor
Tony Robbins used to say, is what
a true Leader does. He sur-
rounds himself with other lead-
ers (By exposing them to how
he follows).
Coach Billy works with highly com-
mitted men & women to produce un-
precedented results in their busi-
nesses and their lives. Learn more at
www.billysparkle.com or contact
Billy directly via e-mail at
billy@billysparkle.com.
4 BUSINESS TRENDS MAY 2012
Leaders lead, or do they?
COACHS CORNER
Sen. Golden hosts Womens
History Month event
State Sen. Martin J. Golden (R-
C-I, Brooklyn) hosted an event to
honor, in conjunction with
Womens History Month, out-
standing women who have made
a difference in the Brooklyn com-
munity. The event recognized
Linda Addinisio of St. Anselms
Elementary School, Dr. Lisa Eng
of the Kings County Medical So-
ciety, Elizabeth Ferraro of St. Fin-
bars Church, community activist
Katherine Khatari, Sara Nespoli
of St. Frances Cabrini, Camille
Loccisano of the Loccisano Foun-
dation, Sister Fran Piccone of the
Shore Hill Senior Program, Mary
Quinones of Lutheran Medical
Center and Elena Solitario of Pilo
Arts Day Spa and Salon.
Visit us on the Web at www.brooklynbiztrends.com
does $18 million per year in rev-
enue.
A lot has changed in the indus-
try over those 50 years. Tichner
says there are only two paint
manufacturers left in Brooklyn
today, whereas there used to be
upward of 20 to 30 at one time.
This follows a similar nationwide
trend. The last paint factory to be
built in the U.S. was about seven
years ago, Tichner says; most fac-
tories are operating at about 70
percent capacity, and sales in
paint stores are down about 30
percent.
So how has Mercury Paints
survived? The keys to its success
are the diversification of its prod-
ucts, its quick turn-around time,
the skill of its workers and the
high level of customer service it
provides.
About half of Mercury Paints
business is manufacturing paints
for municipalities, for specialty
work on roads, buildings and
even bridges. The other half of
the business consists of private-
label work, sold directly to com-
panies who need a high-quality
product turned around quickly.
Because Mercury Paints em-
ploys two chemists on site, Tichn-
er said it is able to keep up with
the constantly-changing market,
staying ahead of the curve in-
stead of lagging behind. Current-
ly, the company is designated a
Go Green NY company, ensur-
ing that its environmentally
friendly coatings meet and ex-
ceed the strictest industry stan-
dards.
Weve fallen into being a very
niche company, Tichner said.
Our business has changed over
the last couple years.
Mercury Paints hasnt been
completely immune to the rising
cost of goods and the other chal-
lenges that manufacturing busi-
nesses in New York City have
faced. What the company used to
be able to charge $10 for carries a
price tag of $16 now.
The toughest part of the busi-
ness right now is the raw materi-
al cost, Tichner said. Every-
thing is commodity-driven, and
were at all-time highs now, with
pigments and oils.
Because of this, some of the
national paint companies have
halted production of specialty
items, which has worked in Mer-
cury Paints favor. The company
has been able to maneuver to ful-
fill job orders for different indus-
tries and locations, growing and
expanding the business through-
out the process.
People are starting to look
around, because paint has be-
come so expensive, so everybody
is looking for new sources, Tich-
ner said. Its ever-changing.
Sometimes its a good opportuni-
ty, and sometimes its rough. I
think were peaking now.
But Tichner is also seeing
many local jobs importing paint
from factories in Baltimore, St.
Louis and Georgia, work that he
believes he could be doing if the
borough would only come to his
aid.
While Tichner said that Brook-
lyn has done nothing to upheave
his business from the borough, he
believes that it similarly hasnt
done much to boost his industry,
like it has for restaurants and re-
tail shops. Mercury Paints is not
on Brooklyns approved list for
public work, he said, because the
borough only looks toward big,
nationwide manufacturers and
not the locals.
If it was mandated in a con-
tractI think that would help
manufacturers in Brooklyn stay
here, he said. In New York, in
general, everyones talking jobs.
More work would mean more
local jobs. While Mercury Paints
currently employs 68 workers
who Tichner said live within a
short distance of the factory, he
could easily hire up to eight more
people if he gained additional
contracts.
I find that its been a little dis-
appointing, he said of the bor-
oughs outreach efforts. I dont
think Ive seen one architect
come to us and say lets do this
project locally. It just hasnt hap-
pened. I think it will happen even-
tually, but it just hasnt yet.
Overall, Tichner is confident in
the future of his industry in gen-
eral and his companys place in
Brooklyn specifically.
Over time, he believes the bor-
ough will come around to sup-
porting his cause and, as long as
Mercury Paints is able to contin-
ue to evolve, it will continue to
thrive.
I think the market will get big-
ger and bigger, because I think I
have a competitive edge when it
comes to service and maneuver-
ing, Tichner said. I feel thats
where my market is going.
MAY 2012 BUSINESS TRENDS 5
Manufacturing in Brooklyn? Yes, it works
PAINT
Continued from page 1
Brooklyn Chamber a part of
Community Health Advocates
The Brooklyn Chamber of
Commerce is one of 13 organiza-
tions in New York State to be se-
lected by Community Health Ad-
vocates, an initiative of the Com-
munity Service Society, to take
part in a new program to provide
education and assistance to small
businesses in Brooklyn regarding
the federal health reform bill
(called the Affordable Care Act or
ACA).
The Small Business Assistance
Program, in conjunction with
CSS, will conduct outreach and
training events in order to edu-
cate small business decision-mak-
ers about health reform and
health insurance in general, and
will additionally assist individual
small businesses on a one-on-one
basis with their health insurance
questions and needs.
Issues to be addressed include
but are not limited to:
nSmall business tax credits
nHealthyNY to small business-
es
nPublic coverage options
n How to understand and com-
ment upon proposed insurance
rate increases under New Yorks
new prior approval law
n How to choose a broker, and
how brokers can help them
n The pros and cons of HSAs
and other small group products
For more information, contact
Theresa Reyes at (718) 943-3884 or
treyes@brooklynchamber.com.
in our opinion
6 BUSINESS TRENDS MAY 2012
66 Willow Avenue
Staten Island, NY 10305
347-682-4867
JANET WARREN DUGO
Publisher
TIM RONALDSON
Executive Editor
STEVE COPPOLA
Director
RICHARD GRADO
Director
ROBERT CUTRONA
Director
LAWRENCE RAMPULLA
Director
DAN McDONOUGH, JR.
Chairman
Business Trends is mailed each month to the
business and community leaders of
Brooklyn. For advertising information, or to
be added to the mailing list, e-mail
janet@brooklynbiztrends.com or call 347-
682-48678. To submit a news release, please
email news@brooklynbiztrends.com.
M
oments after Rick Santorum
threw in the towel in his bid
to win the GOP presidential
nomination, the back and forth be-
tween President Obama and Mitt Rom-
ney began.
The Associated Press said the
Obama camp already is referring to
another Johnson-Goldwater cam-
paign.
The Romney folks say the president
is trying to divide the country. Obvi-
ously, these are critical issues that are
on the mind of every voter (note sar-
casm).
The bad news: We still have about
seven more months before Election
Day.
The good news: We have the
Olympics this summer to distract us
for a couple of weeks.
Maybe were being too pessimistic.
Maybe, this year, there will be a seri-
ous and thoughtful debate of the is-
sues, with both candidates presenting
their vision and ideas for the nation in
a respectful tone.
Or, maybe we get the 2012 versions
of Willie Horton, the Swift boat con-
troversy or a nuclear war scare (see
the aforementioned Johnson-Goldwa-
ter campaign). Hopefully, they wont
go all the way back to, say, 1828, when
allegations of murder and kidnapping
were bandied about.
The problem is that negative politi-
cal advertising works. It works well.
For whatever reason, voters respond
to personal attacks against candidates.
The more vicious, the better, it seems.
If it didnt work, the candidates would
stop doing it.
So thats the challenge for voters
this election year: If we want the can-
didates to act responsibly, discuss the
issues and generally treat voters with
the respect we deserve, we have to de-
mand it.
If we want more of the same, just
continue to respond to the negative
campaign ads.
Wed like to think that the candi-
dates will take the high road this year.
But were not holding our breath.
Seven months of this? Ugh
Petty shots between the president and his GOP challenger have begun
By BILL DUBOVSKY
Situation
Phil Libin, CEO of Evernote, a mobile
app that allows note-taking and archiving
on smart phones and tablets, was recently
interviewed for Corner Office in the NY
Times. He stated that to be successful, a
manager should eliminate distractions to
employees so they can focus on achieving
results. The piece of unnecessary technol-
ogy he eliminated were office phones.
We thought, why do you really need a
phone? If youre at your desk, you should
be working, he told the Times. So he took
them out of the offices and put some in the
conference room for when people really
needed to make a call. Since Evernote is
not a sales or customer service organiza-
tion where they need to make lots of calls,
and most employees have cell phones for
occasional use, this system seems to be
working well.
What is it?
The trend for many organizations is to
communicate digitally rather than over
the phone. Even cell phone calls are down
over the last few years because of texting.
With texting and email, you answer the
message at your convenience its not an
interruption. Many employees have cell
phones for personal use and some employ-
ers are paying for a mobile plan for each
employee rather than buying and in-
stalling new wired phones. However, with
mobile phones, you are connected 24/7, not
just when youre in the office! Other organ-
izations feel that sales people should not be
in the office they should be out with cus-
tomers, and having a phone at the desk
makes it too easy to not go on the call. Still
other users use a VoIP-based soft-phone so-
lution such as Skype, Google Voice, or
video conferencing using a computer in-
stead of a separate phone and line.
How it works
Some organizations have changed dra-
matically over the last few years because of
changes in the economy, technology, and
business models. Organizations are com-
municating more digitally, via email, social
media, texting, Web-sites, and less so by
telephone. With caller ID, call blocking,
and voice-mail, it is becoming more diffi-
cult to reach people by telephone as they
can easily blow you off if they dont know
you, or dont want to talk to you.
What you need
By doing an annual check-up of your
telephone usage, you may find many op-
portunities to not only increase the effec-
tiveness of your employees but also to save
money on telecom bills. Each line that you
can eliminate may save you about
$38/month or more if you count outgoing
calls.
How to get it
You can have your financial/accounting
staff do a check of your monthly telephone
and Internet bills for accuracy, number of
phones, usage and cramming which are
unneeded and unordered services. Walk
through your office - how many desks have
phones, but no people? You may be paying
for all those unused lines each month!
What we tried
Years ago, we noticed a large expense for
a number a client had. We called the num-
ber to see whose it was and found it to be a
fax but we couldnt find it in their build-
ing on any floor. By tracing wires, we dis-
covered it to be a forgotten fax server that
received faxes and sent them out to other
fax machines. It was sealed in a closet, in
back of a desk. We moved the desk, pried
open the door, and voila! there was this
old clunker alive and chugging away. After
reconfiguring and eliminating the box,
they were able to save over $300/month on
that one connection alone, and get the
faxes to employees faster.
Findings
Do the inventory. How many of your
Eliminate telephones - improve your business
BITS & BYTES
Telecom Tech Tip of the Month
One of our readers, Neil Levin, emailed me about his new app herematch. The applica-
tion combines detailed profiles and mobile location-based check-in services, to allow users
to match with other individuals at business events based on services offered, services
needed, and other points of commonality. The app is free for users and event planners
(chambers of commerce, producers of trade shows, seminars, conferences, conventions
and networking events) and will enhance the experience of anyone attending those
events that is looking for business. Check the free app out at
http://herematch.com/content/app-features or contact Neil at 718.786.0008 ext. 101.
please see BITS, page 7
folks really need a phone on their
desk or a separate line? For
phones that are necessary for
your business, make sure that
they are on the right service plan
for the way you do business
dont pay for unlimited outbound
calling on a call-in line.
Bottom-line
While you are evaluating your
needs, check your phone system.
Is it more than 7-8 years old? Are
you paying unnecessary monthly
fees for service that you are not
using? Would a new smaller sys-
tem allow you to use more flexible
and less expensive services?
In either case, have your IT or
financial staff check it out or con-
tact an independent telecom con-
sultant for an unbiased evalua-
tion.
Bill Dubovsky - Comtel Information
Services, has a proven track record
of business success spanning over
30 years in helping hundreds of or-
ganizations improve their profitabili-
ty. He is the principal technology
specialist with Comtel Information
Services, a New York based telecom-
munications consulting firm, and an
adjunct lecturer in business at the
College of Staten Island, C.U.N.Y.
Contact him at
billdubovsky@gmail.com.
MAY 2012 BUSINESS TRENDS 7
When the news is sweet,
We Tweet!
When the news is bitter,
We Still Twitter!
Follow us at
twitter.com/brooklynbiz
Eliminate your phones,
improve your business
BITS
Continued from page 6
Special to Business Trends
More than 2,500 people attended the opening reception for the exhi-
bition THE BOX THAT ROCKS: 30 Years of Video Music Box and the
Rise of Hip Hop Music & Culture at the Museum of Contemporary
African Diasporan Arts on Hanson Place. Pictured, clockwise from
top left, are NYC Councilmember Robert E. Cornegy, Ralph Mc-
Daniels, MoCADA Executive Director and Founder Laurie Cumbo, El
Beast and Curator Dexter Wimberly.
The Box That Rocks
8 BUSINESS TRENDS MAY 2012
posting flyers throughout the
neighborhood to see how viable
an idea it would be. She soon
landed her first job, a one-bed-
room apartment that took her
seven hours to clean and left her
fingers sore for weeks to come.
I realized how difficult it was
to do this job, she said. Working
in film and entertainment, there
is no off time. Theres that level of
workbut theres a much differ-
ent experience when you talk
about physical labor. Thats when
you actually understand the dif-
ference.
From that point on, Davis said
she knew her business would
focus on one wide reaching, yet
specific, goal improving peoples
quality of life.
When we talk about quality of
life, there are so many ways to
think about it. It was changing
the quality of life for the client
but also of the employee as well,
Davis said.
It was a concept that resonated
strongly with Davis from the very
start, when she gave her first out-
side employee that first paycheck.
To see how positively it affected
her life was a rewarding experi-
ence, she said; it made her feel
like Robin Hood taking from the
rich and giving to the poor.
GreenHouse Eco-Cleaning em-
ploys 25 workers who service the
companys private and commer-
cial clients, everything from tra-
ditional apartments to office
buildings and buildings that are
under construction.
But even though the company
is doing well today, and is primed
for further growth and expan-
sion, Davis says there was a seri-
ous learning curve and road-
blocks to her success. What she
learned almost immediately is
that her business is in a high-
turnover industry, something she
didnt anticipate back in 2006.
The harsh lesson for me was
that the only thing predictable
about people is that theyre un-
predictable, she said. How do
you scale a business with this in
mind? How do you make it the
thing that defines you as the best
company out there?
In 2010, Davis realized that her
company was in a pivotal point
in its life. The business was grow-
ing, but she was finding that they
were making mistakes from day
one that kept pushing them back-
ward. She knew she needed help,
which led her to the Goldman
Sachs 10,000 Small Business Pro-
gram.
The program, of which Davis
was a graduate of the first class,
is a mini-MBA of sorts, focusing
on different skills that people
need to function as a successful
business owner, from negotiating
to distribution to accounting and
everything in between. The pro-
gram required each student to
create a growth plan that Davis
says she continues to refer to
today.
Its about the quality of life
CLEAN
Continued from page 1
please see CLEAN, page 10
10 BUSINESS TRENDS MAY 2012
We teach your home and business how to act -- whether you're there or not --
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One button puts your home in vacation mode
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Project-One Construction Services
Youre not at the start-up
stage, but you have to figure out
how to take your business to the
next level and grow, she said. I
had to drill down to some of the
issues we were having.
Students work closely within
cohorts, sharing ideas and experi-
ences that have continued long
after graduation. It created a
strong family, Davis said, and
some of these family members
have even become clients of hers.
The experience she gained in
the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small
Business program only helped to
strengthen her core business be-
lief that quality of life was key.
Because everyones priorities are
different, Davis said GreenHouse
Eco-Cleaning creates a custom ex-
perience for each of her clients.
But Davis said the Goldman
Sachs experience also taught her
that its not just about the outside
world; focusing on the internal
aspects of her company, includ-
ing helping their employees grow
and expanding their employee
base, is vital.
You have to be able to pivot
and have expertise in multiple
layers, because you cant provide
a service without understanding
the people who provide the serv-
ice, she said.
An important aspect of Green-
House Eco-Cleanings mission is
to provide jobs for local residents,
so Davis is working hard to ex-
pand.
Shes marketing her company
to commercial clients of a specif-
ic size, because one new client
could create between three to four
new jobs, she said.
And starting later this year,
GreenHouse Eco-Cleaning will re-
design its website,
www.GreenHouseEcoCleaning.com,
to prepare for the online sale of
its environmentally-friendly
products.
For me, its important that the
clients are healthy, that our staff
is healthy and that we stay true to
the reason why I started this busi-
ness, Davis said.
Its about the quality of life
CLEAN
Continued from page 8
Drop us a line
Email: news@brooklynbiztrends.com
Mail: Business Trends, 66 Willow Avenue, Staten Island, NY 10305
MAY 2012 BUSINESS TRENDS 11
Advertising programs in BROOKLYN BUSINESS TRENDS are a fraction of
the cost of the alternative of direct mail campaigns. And we can give
you verified statements from the US Postal Service to prove that we
reach your market.
Each month, BROOKLYN BUSINESS TRENDS is mailed to all of the bor-
oughs business and community leaders using a mailing list that weve
developed from a number of leading Brooklyn business and community
institutions as well as top-rated list vendors. By advertising with us, you
get to communicate your message to that entire audience.
To download our current media kit, visit
www.brooklynbiztrends.com. Or call us today
to discuss your marketing and advertising needs.
Janet Warren Dugo, Publisher
janet@brooklynbiztrends.com
347-682-4867
Editor-In-Chief- Dan McDonough, Jr.
(dan@brooklynbiztrends.com)
Publisher- Janet Warren Dugo
(janet@brooklynbiztrends.com)
66 Willow Ave. | Staten Island, NY 10305
Phone 347-682-4867 | Fax 866-745-9380
www.brooklynbiztrends.com
WEVE
GOT YOUR FUTURE CUSTOMER
Fact is, weve probably got a few hundred or thousand of your future customers.
And we could be telling them all about you every month!
JANET DUGO/Business Trends
The Southwest Brooklyn Industrial Development Corp. and LaGuardia Community College presented a
Small Business & Procurement Expo at the Cruise Terminal. Along with a day of exhibiting and network-
ing, participants were treated to talks by economic development experts and elected officials. Pictured,
from left, are Linda Mellon of LaGuardia, David Meade of SWBIDC, Borough President Marty Markowitz,
Seth Pinsky of the NYC Economic Development Corp., NYC Council Member Diana Reyna, Miquela Cray-
tor of NYCEDC and Edgard Hernandez of LaGuardias Procurement Technical Assistance Center.
Joint networking event
GREGORY TAGUE
St. Francis College
With the goal of helping to
make better sense of our place in
an evolving world, St. Francis
College English Professor Grego-
ry Tague edited his latest collec-
tion, Being Human:Wild, an an-
thology featuring 15 stories by 12
authors.
Among the questions tackled
in Being Human are:
n Why do we kill certain crea-
tures while nurturing others?
n Why do we have rituals, and
why do we create and sometimes
destroy relationships?
n What drives people to kill
others to protect their land?
Tague has authored and edited
numerous books including: as au-
thor, Ethos And Behavior: The
English Novel from Jane Austen
to Henry James; as co-editor and
contributor, Origins of English
Dramatic Modernism, 1870-1914;
and as author, Character And
Consciousness. He also publishes
The Association for the Study of
Ethical Behavior in Literature
Journal.
NICOLE MALLIOTAKIS
New York State Assembly
Assemblywoman Nicole
Malliotakis (R,C-Brooklyn, Staten
Island) has been named to the
2012 Class of Greek Americas 40
Under 40 list, comprised of up-
and-comers from across the state.
The group of rising, young
Greek-American leaders from
across the country will be hon-
ored at the organizations Nation-
al Innovation Conference in New
York City.
Malliotakis father hails from
Greece.
The Greek America Founda-
tion is a not-for-profit that was
founded by Gregory C. Pappas in
1997.
The Foundation seeks to bring
elements of Greek culture, histo-
ry and heritage also known as
Hellenism to the forefront of
mainstream America, making it
a relevant component of follow-
ers everyday life.
on the job
JANET DUGO/Business Trends
Cardinal Trade Groups Jonathan Levin welcomed Borough President
Marty Markowitz to the Trade Brooklyn expo at Steiner Studios in
the Brooklyn Navy Yard, where hundreds of exhibitors and attendees
networked, attended seminars and gathered information about doing
business in Brooklyn.
Trade Brooklyn
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