In order for businesses to remain viable in these competitive times, they need to regularly consider the question of how best to grow and gain more customers. While there are many ways to achieve growth, two important ones are to make contacts and gain education. Expanding your contacts and knowledge base is invaluable for every business.

On November 29, the Orthodox Jewish Builders Association (OJBA) and the North Jersey Jewish Business Alliance (NJJBA) will co-host the Construction and Management Interstate B2B Expo. The event will take place at the North Jersey Meadowlands Exposition Center in Secaucus, New Jersey, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. The B2B Expo promises to be an opportunity to help businesses achieve that necessary growth.

The OJBA was founded three years ago by Mike Weber, a 20-year veteran of the construction industry. The organization’s motto, “Building better builders. One handshake at a time,” encapsulates Weber’s goal of helping Orthodox Jews in the building industry meet each other and learn tips of the trade. The organization focuses exclusively on trade shows and does two per year, with one in the fall and one in the spring. The spring show takes place in the Catskills region while the fall event is geared toward businesses in Rockland County, Orange County and North Jersey.

Eli Ginsberg is a sales executive for OJBA. He said, “One goal of the conference is to help Jewish businesses go beyond the Jewish community and showcase their products and services to hundreds of people they might otherwise never meet.” As of this writing, over 1,600 people had registered for the November 29 event, and it is expected the final tally will be over 2,000. While Ginsberg estimated that 75 percent of the attendees of the B2B Expo will be Orthodox, it is meant for everyone, and all are welcome.

Founded with the goal of representing Jewish-owned businesses and being a unified voice for policy, the NJJBA serves as a type of chamber of commerce. David Rosenberg, executive director and founder of the 150-member strong organization, gave an example of NJJBA helping its members. Hudson County holds a sheriff’s sale on foreclosed houses on the second Thursday of the month. Due to a need for more space, the county planned on switching the sale to Friday since that is when they could get the needed space. “Because this would be difficult for observant Jews, we spoke to the county people and were able to get them to keep the sale on Thursday,” said Rosenberg.

Besides advocating for its members, NJJBA strives to give its members networking venues and opportunities in order to expand their reach. It’s in this vein that NJJBA joined OJBA to organize the B2B Expo. Rosenberg and NJJBA approached OJBA and ultimately partnered with them on the event.

The B2B Expo will feature multiple information sessions. Ginsberg said, “The goal will be to both educate and motivate.” The first sessions will kick off at 10 a.m. One session will feature Yeedle Melber, CEO of Lehasig Inc., a motivational speaker who will be speaking about business leadership. The other session will feature Tom Touhey, a senior vice president at Investors Bank and former president of the New Jersey Builders Association. The topic of Touhey’s session will be: “How to Maximize Your Construction and Real Estate Loans.” Other sessions will include a panel about renowned zoning and land use. Planning attorneys will be on hand to answer questions from the audience. Another session will be presented by a certified electrical inspector, and is titled: “Ensure That Your Project Passes Electrical Code Inspection.”

Beyond the information sessions, which should prove to be highly educational for the attendees, there will be plenty of opportunities for schmoozing. Rosenberg, who thinks local businesses can gain a great deal from attending the B2B Expo, said, “Attendees will be able to gain knowledge and make contacts.” Even more enticing, Rosenberg is confident that “a lot of business deals will come out of it.”

In addition to the sessions, B2B Expo attendees will be exposed to many other amenities that will be useful for their businesses. There will be displays of new technology, innovative techniques to help solve building issues and information about needed services. Ginsberg added, “The B2B Expo will be a time when attendees can free their mind and learn and meet others outside their comfort zone.”

Thinking about going to the B2B Expo but not sure it’s for you? Ginsberg expects a diverse crowd, from developers to contractors to property managers. Rosenberg also expects a diverse crowd because “construction works hand in hand with everything.” To preregister for the B2B Expo, go to https://ojbanewyork.com/register/. The cost to attend is $35. For those who register at the door, the fee will be $50.

By Larry Bernstein

 Larry Bernstein is a Bergen County-based freelance writer. To learn more about his services, visit his website at http://larrydbernstein.com/.