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JUNE 16, 2016 | The Jewish Home
Around the Community
Innovation, Fascination and Relationship Building: The 2016 J-Biz Expo and Business Conference at a Glance By Shimmy Blum
“L
ike with the election cycle, there are a lot of [real estate] experts…,” Jason Dov Greenblatt, Executive Vice President and Chief Legal Officer of The Trump Organization, quipped. Mr. Greenblatt delivered an address and held a Q & A session at Wednesday’s J-Biz Expo and Business Conference at the New Jersey Convention and Exposition Center in Edison. Among many other things, Mr. Greenblatt was asked whether he thought the real estate market had peaked. He explained that he, along with most experts, have thought so for a while but the market kept on rising anyways – sort of like his boss’ unprecedented winning of the GOP presidential nomination.
The thousands of attendees who streamed in from across the country and beyond to attend J-Biz Expo were treated to a smorgasbord of intriguing personalities and business resources, with the opportunity to network face to face and build invaluable business relationships. Attendees came from Chicago, Cleveland, Toronto, Antwerp, Israel and more to take advantage of this. During the Q & A session with Mr. Greenblatt, moderated by Dr. David Lieberman, the top Trump aide now advising on Israel and other Jewish issues, was peppered with a range of questions. Ironically, most questions were not politically focused, but rather related to his business and negotiating experience, and how he juggles his high level position as a frum father of six.
Mr. Greenblatt was presented with an award from Duvi Honig, founder and director of J-Biz and the Orthodox Jewish Chamber of Commerce (OJC), for his dedication towards Jewish community economic development. Mr. Greenblatt related that face to face networking – the hallmark of J-Biz Expo – has been the most valuable tool for advancement his career at all stages. “There’s no substitute for networking,” he exclaimed.
point. Mr. Bernhard, a native of South Africa and highlight of elite business events around the world, shared fascinating tidbits from his life experiences and his original “Leopardology” business philosophy. The son of a rabbi, and successful diamond executive, shared details about the African leopard and how it manages to “close the deal” on 76% of its prey. He elaborated on the first pillar of his six pillar philosophy: “Know who you are.”
Intrigue and Valuable Lessons The audience at the morning business conference at the event enjoyed various other high level speakers as well. Marketing guru Rabbi Issamar Ginzberg, well-known for his elite business addresses in chassidish garb, was the opening speaker. Rabbi Ginzberg shared a range of practical tips on how to win over individuals and audiences, such as researching their backgrounds to refine a sales pitch, and understanding the different modalities of audience members and how to appeal to them. His address was followed by a legal panel featuring two prominent frum business attorneys, E. David Smith, Esq. and Dror Futter, Esq. The attorneys related their experiences on how proper professional business and accounting planning can increase the value of a business and prevent countless headaches. They also spoke of the importance of maintaining a constant relationship with investors and lenders, and keep them updated on business progress, which can pay particular dividends when the business hits a rough patch. “’No surprises’ should be the rule,” said Mr. Futter. When the screens began showcasing clips of the wild African jungle, the audience knew that they were in for something unique. And keynote speaker Kivi Bernhard did not disap-
The B2B Floor Abuzz After the conclusion of the business conference at around 1:30, the action moved onto the main expo floor where a frenzy of business-to-business – and person-to-person – networking activity took place throughout the afternoon. The diversity of both exhibitors and attendees was striking. They hailed from a cross section of the Orthodoxy, communities around the world, and all business sectors. The floor was dotted by a selection of corporations of all sizes, showcasing their products and services to curious attendees. There were names like Wells Fargo, Meridian Capital and Lyft, as well as small, medium and large community based businesses. Banks. Traditional and online marketing companies. E-Commerce resources. Accounting firms. Real estate and construction resources. Media firms. Telecommunications. Shipping. Educational resources. Oneon-one business coaching. Transportation. And much more. You felt the excitement and synergy in the air as exhibitors interacted with attendees, and attendees interacted with each other. Everyone was comfortable and confident around people they never even met before. Booths were vibrant and colorful, many of them distributing exciting souvenirs. “The event was extremely well or-