Lighthouse Project Key For Economy

Here are the latest notes and thoughts from LI Entrepreneurs.com:

Call To Action: Much has been written about the stalled Lighthouse project in recent weeks, from NHL commissioner Gary Bettman sniping at Town of Hempstead supervisor Kate Murray to the very real prospect being floated of a New York Islanders move to Queens or Brooklyn – or Kansas City.

Either way, the project clearly would have a tremendous impact on the Long Island economy. Whether you are a small fish or big player, we all have a vested interest in seeing this development get green lit in some form. From new business opportunities to the cultural implications, Long Islanders cannot afford to see this initiative fail.

That’s because more than jobs are at stake. The New York Jets abandoned Hempstead for New Jersey in 2008. The Islanders could be next. The fate of the NHL franchise is closely tied to the Lighthouse project.

Imagine an empty Nassau Coliseum as a black hole in the heart of Nassau County versus a revitalized economic zone filled with businesses and social centers. It’s a no brainer.

So LI Entrepreneurs.com encourages you to reach out to Kate Murray to weigh in – one way or another. This is potentially the biggest economic development project the Island has seen since the days of Robert Moses. 
   
To contact your town board representative, call (516) 489-5000, ext. 3200 or write to: Hempstead Town Hall, One Washington Street, Hempstead, New York 11550.

Money Mag: Attention home-based business owners. Newsday profiled a local publisher who has defied the odds with Long Island Parent magazine. Liza N. Burby was editor of Parents & Children magazine, owned by Newsday, until it was shuttered in 2008. She’s since launched Long Island Parent magazine http://www.liparentonline.com/ from her Huntington Station home with $50,000 seed money from family and friends. Burby said the magazine is already profitable. Bold move. Good move. Newsday link: http://bit.ly/ahdCcq

Part Time: Have free time or need extra cash? The U.S. Census is still screening census takers for Nassau and Suffolk counties, with a start date some time after April 1. Pay: $18 / hour. Sign up to take a test today with the office nearest you. Veterans are given preference. Check out the web site: http://2010.census.gov/2010censusjobs/
 

Networking Pulse:  I’m a regular contributor to Long Island Pulse magazine, and a fixture at the publication’s cover parties. The latest was Tuesday, Feb. 16 at the Marriott in Uniondale. I mention this because the event offers a great networking opportunity each month, and the publication is gaining traction in the community. Check out the web site http://www.lipulse.com for the next cover party in March. And pick up the magazine at your local bookstore.

Find Young Talent: If you’ve been part of this site for a while, you’ll know I love to promote LI Works. It’s about networking and unearthing young talent. This is from their latest newsletter: How can I help my business to grow in these challenging times?  How can I help my kids find their future on Long Island? Search for an intern, or post your internship opportunity on our Internship Connection. Join a School Business Advisory Board in your home or work area. Ask us about a Career Academy for your school district. Join our Speakers Bureau. http://www.liworks.org/

Biz Quiz: Should you start your own biz? Here’s an entrepreneur checklist from courtesy the Tweets of @HarvardBiz http://bit.ly/aVw1na

NYC Trending: Speaking of Twitter, we are getting ever closer to a connected consciousness. Twitter recently added local trending topics – what people are tweeting about real-time. One of the regions is New York City. Very cool stuff. And if you don’t at least have a Twitter account for your business – what are you waiting for?  http://twitter.com/

Blog originally posted at LI Entrepreneurs.com

LI Entrepreneur Ferries Supplies To Haiti

There have been so many heartwarming examples of the Long Island community extending a helping hand to the Haitian people in the wake of the tragic earthquake earlier this month. But I stumbled across this travel journal by LI Pulse publisher Nada Marjanovich and it blew me away.

My wife ran supplies to a local church. I donated $10 online. But Marjanovich personally took a plane load of supplies to the devastated island nation. Amazing! Click on each photo for details: http://www.lipulse.com/nadas-travel-journal

Full disclosure: Yes, I write for LI Pulse. But this is a great example of a local entrepreneur going above and beyond.

Blog originally posted at LI Entrepreneurs.com

Happy Anniversary LI Entrepreneurs.com

LI Entrepreneurs.com launched one year ago today. The site had no ambition other than to provide a virtual hub to network and exchange ideas. We’re now 100 members and growing.

It’s been a year of tremendous economic challenges across the globe and here on Long Island, perhaps the most demanding environment in decades. And yet we persist, and continue to chase our dreams fuelled by entrepreneurial spirit – and lots of caffeine.

So let’s celebrate our brotherhood. Because if there is someone who knows what challenges you confront on a daily basis, it’s the good people of LI Entrepreneurs.com. Local business owners empowering each other is the essence of this group. As we kick off a new year on this social network, please contribute to the conversation and bring newcomers into the fold.

+ Talk shop with a colleague? Ask that person to join.

+ Is there a debate or issue out there you have an interest in? Post a blog and get the conversation going online.

+ Know of an event that might be helpful? Add it to the calendar.

LI Entrepreneurs.com should be a resource. Use it and we’ll all prosper. Knowledge is power.

Blog originally posted at LI Entrepreneurs.com

Journey To Cutting Edge

I started Long Island Entrepreneurs in hopes of finding like-minded business owners to share the latest trends with and possibly network. After 11 years as a newspaper reporter, I left to start my own business last fall. While I’m knowledgable and skilled in online media, publishing and web design, this last year has served as a crash course in the fundamentals of business. That’s been both thrilling and challenging at the same time.

I’ve found social networks and industry-related blogs a great source of information and inspiration. The hope is we can gain the same critical mass here. I’m certainly happy to talk about the missteps and right moves I’ve made over the last year. So let’s get the conversation started. Long Island entrepreneurs unite!

Blog originally posted at LI Entrepreneurs.com