BY MELLISA L. MAGYAR
Of Suburbanite
Small business owners now have a network of partners and training programs to help increase the success of their business. Circles of Color, LLC (COC) is a new organization Isaiah Jefferson and his wife Kayellen, founded to help small business owners take advantage of a networking system while helping the community. "This is an all-in-one place for charity and networking," Jefferson the founder and CEO, said.
The main goal behind COC is to "foster relationships with small business owners," according to Darrell James chairman of the organization. "We have taken a holistic approach to how we do business," James said. We want to teach business owners how to help their businesses succeed to get involved in the community. "We service the minority and serve all businesses as well." Since the "total business networking" organization was created in 2003 seven chapters have opened throughout northern New Jersey and New York City. The first chapter was open in Hackensack and has grown from there. There are two chapters in Hackensack and one in Englewood, Tenafly, Teaneck, Newark and Harlem. Each member must go through an application process, a background check and screening by a membership committee. Once a small business becomes a member of COC it begins to pay dues and must follow guidelines to maintain membership. Chapter meetings are weekly. Jefferson and James said if members do not attend the majority of the meeting or get a certain number of referrals for other businesses in the group they could have their membership revoked. Each member must go through training in which he or she learns how to network and get referrals for other businesses in the chapter. For instance, each member carries business cards of the other members in the chapter. If the member talks to someone and they are interested in buying property the member would hand out a card for the member who sells real estate. Every chapter has one small business member in a specific field, such as a real estate firm of a restaurant. Jefferson said the chapters use exclusivity as a way to attract members so rather than creating competition the members can concentrate on promoting each other's businesses.
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"We provide a professional service and we want to know how we can help small businesses grow financially and in the community," James said. "We treat our members like clients." James is trying to develop a loan center for the organization with area banks. He said businesses that have not been in operation for two year or more have trouble getting loans. James said, "by developing a loan center for the organization business owners would be able to get loans while the business is getting started. Small businesses do not always have the resources to deal with municipalities when it comes to going out for a bid or working as a vendor". James has met with the city and town mangers in the municipalities with chapters to set up a conference. During the conference, the mangers will explain to business owners how to do business with the municipalities in which they do business. James said the municipalities will also be furnished with a list of members from the chapters in their town or city so they can be contacted when a bidding process begins or vendor position becomes available.
"We are putting together a partnership with the cities," James said. "The whole purpose is to help a business person succeed while looking at needs of the community," he said. Jefferson, a member of the Englewood Rotary Club, participated in activities at Dwight Morrow High School after which he felt the students needed access to the corporate world. "I want to bridge that gap," Jefferson said. COC is also designed to get young adults and children involved in the corporate world by having the chapter members act as mentors and open their doors for internships. Jefferson said, "through internships children can gain hands-on experience that will help them in the future and will allow them to build relationships with local business owners".
COC also reaches out to the community through monthly events organized by Craig Brown who handles marking for the company. These events provide chapter members the opportunity to reach out to the community and become more involved. The organization also holds events to showcase its members services. An art show is in the works that will provide members with businesses dealing with art to showcase their collections while giving community members the chance to buy them.
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