Saratoga Business Journal

Three Area Banks Are On Small Business Association’s List Of Top Performers In 2018

November 8, 2018November 8, 2018

The Small Business Association’s Syracuse District announced that Adirondack Trust Co., Saratoga National Bank and TD Bank were among the top performers in the Capital Region.

SBA Regional Director Bernard J. Paprocki released the fiscal year 2018 lending report, with 670 7(a) and 504 loan approvals valued at $177 million across the 34-county Syracuse district.

“Small businesses in Upstate New York are accessing the affordable capital they need to start and expand with SBA-backed loans,” he said.

Paprocki said Adirondack Trust and Saratoga National Bank had the highest number of 7(a) approvals in their respective categories based on asset size.

TD Bank was the top Capital Region large commercial lender, with 29 loans at a value of $7.5 million.

City Center Will Host Saratoga Comic Con, Featuring Artists, Celebrities And Displays

November 8, 2018November 8, 2018

This is a scene from last year Saratoga Comic Con at Saratoga Springs City Center.
Courtesy Saratoga Comic Con

The eighth annual Saratoga Comic Con, a convention about all things comic book super heroes and pop culture, will be held Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 17-18, at Saratoga Springs City Center, 522 Broadway.

The event will run Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. VIPs get early access at 9:30 a.m. each day. An after-party is scheduled 6-10 p.m. Saturday at City Center, catered by Distinctive Catering.

The show floor will include: vendor and artist dealers from all over the world, guest artists, celebrities, gaming, Super Smash Bros. tournaments, Magic: The Gathering Table Top Gaming, cosplay contests, panels, events, tattooing, live podcasts, the 1966 Batmobile, a bouncey house, and other pop culture fun.

Personnel Briefs – November 2018

November 8, 2018November 8, 2018

The Wesley Community announced that Jeff Cohn has been appointed chief information officer at the senior living campus in Saratoga Springs.

Cohn will be responsible for supporting and facilitating the needs and strategic growth of The Wesley Community’s technology and business functions. This includes the enhancement of Wesley’s information technology plan; maintenance and operation of information security; operating various business applications; and developing technology solutions throughout the campus.

Cohn has nearly 40 years of experience working in the information technology field and was one of the first certified netware engineers in New York state. He is the co-founder of SAGE Computer Associates. Cohn served as the principal for ADNET’s Albany location for the past three years.

He is a graduate of SUNY Oneonta, where he received a degree in geography and double minored in computer graphics and business.

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The Patient Experience Project (PEP) announced the addition of Kristen Scannell as a patient experience coordinator and Elizabeth Stauffer as director of strategic planning.

Scannell has more than five years of educational experience as a school counselor at a number of school districts. In her new role, she will coordinate and support the successful execution of the agency’s patient relationship management activities, including PEP’s patient mentor, speaking, and adviser programs.

Scannell received a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, Conn., and a master’s degree in education and school counseling from the College of Saint Rose in Albany.

Saratoga CoWorks Second Location Offers Modern Work Space To Business People

November 8, 2018November 21, 2018

Saratoga CoWorks has opened new innovative space at 462 Broadway in Saratoga Springs. The 3,300-square-foot collaborative space is on the second floor, above BurgerFi restaurant.
Courtesy Saratoga Coworks

Article Updated November 21, 2018

By Maureen Werther

Nickolas Goupil, an engineer employed by Jeffords Steel and Engineering, sits in his private office with two large computer screens lit up in front of him, displaying engineering drawings and designs he is working on for his Plattsburgh-based company.

He works remotely from his office in Saratoga CoWorks at 462 Broadway, part of an expansive 3,300-square-foot space above BurgerFi restaurant.

Goupil and his wife moved from Plattsburgh to Saratoga Springs in August and they’ve been working out of Saratoga CoWorks ever since.

“With technology the way it is, this makes working remotely very easy for me,” said Goupil, whose wife, Sarah Merkel, occupies another one of the seven private office spaces rented by her company, ETS Staffing, on a yearly basis.

The CoWorks location on Broadway is the second space of its kind. The first Saratoga CoWorks at 153 Regent St., in an historic building owned by drb Business Interiors, is currently bustling with activity from entrepreneurs and professionals in industries ranging from creative to accounting, to thoroughbred racing and “green” technology firms, and software developers to nonprofit organizations.

A Juice Made By Local Company Is Finalist For Major International ‘Best Juice’ Award

November 8, 2018November 8, 2018

These are some of the juices made by Legacy Juice Works in Saratoga Springs. Its Organic Tart Cherry juice is a finalist for the Best Juice category in an international competition.
Courtesy Legacy Juice Works

A product made by Legacy Juice Works, a Saratoga Springs-based wellness brand specializing in cold pressed juice and functional beverages, has been named a finalist in the 2018 World Beverage Innovation Awards for Best Juice.

The awards are sponsored by UK-based FoodBev Media and BrauBeviale in Germany.

Since 2000, FoodBev Media has specialized in reporting and analyzing change, trends and innovation in the international food and beverage industry. It is a multi-media business, delivering content through magazines, a website and across the world’s most relevant social media channels.

“We are so excited that the judges selected our Organic Tart Cherry juice as a finalist for the Best Juice category in this important global competition,” said co-founder, Christel MacLean.

‘Mathnasium,’ A Center To Help Students Improve Math Skills, Opens In Clifton Park

November 8, 2018November 8, 2018

Jeremy Morrison, owner and director of Mathnasium of Clifton Park.
©2018 Saratoga Photographer.com

By Jennifer Farnsworth

For many parents, the idea of a place that will provide assistance to their child in the area of math is welcome news. Jeremy Morrison, owner and director of Mathnasium of Clifton Park, said his math-only center can provide help to kids in grades 2 through 12.

The center is located at 309 Clifton Park Center Road, Suite 4.

“I have spent a few years trying to figure out what type of business to start and I happened upon Mathnasium, which is a national franchise, and really liked everything about it. I liked the focus on math—something I have always been very good at and have been tutoring my daughters in math for years I liked the focus on education and I loved the idea I could work with kids and make a difference in their lives,” said Morrison.

Lincoln Rug Gallery Opens In Halfmoon, Specializing In Wood Flooring And Area Rugs

November 8, 2018November 8, 2018

Shiv Hari was the owner and manager of two gas stations in the area but decided to open a new business, Lincoln Rug Gallery, on Route 9 at St. John’s Plaza in Halfmoon.
©2018 Saratoga Photographer.com

By Susan E. Campbell

Lincoln Rug Gallery has opened at 1683 Route 9 at St. John’s Plaza in Halfmoon.

Sole proprietor Shiv Hari was the owner and manager of two gas stations in the area for the past six years, but decided to make a career change into retailing.

“Two years ago I visited an uncle in Australia. He has a rug business there,” Hari said. “I saw how he ran it and did research on the market.”

His research revealed a demand for hardwood flooring and area rugs of high quality, he said.

“There is a trend for hardwood floors in both new construction and renovation,” he said. “An area rug adds color and texture and designs the space, as well as absorbs noise.”

Effie’s Boutique In Halfmoon Becomes Fulfillment Of A Lifetime Dream For Owner

November 8, 2018November 8, 2018

Efithia “Effie” Vasilakos recently opened Effie’s Boutique in Halfmoon. It sells formal gowns, dresses, shoes, purses, coats, that and accessories.

by Christine Graf

The opening of Effie’s Boutique in Halfmoon was a dream come true for Montreal native Efithia “Effie” Vasilakos.

The 32-year-old has loved fashion for as long as she can remember. As a child, she would walk into her mother’s walk-in closet to admire her stylish clothes. As she got older, she developed a passion for helping people put outfits together.

“I enjoyed getting people to try things on that they wouldn’t normally wear,” she said.

In Montreal, she owned a bookkeeping company and also worked in real estate. Her love of fashion continued. She kept up with trends by reading fashion magazines and visiting boutiques.

She later married Halfmoon resident Jimmy Vasilakos. The couple settled in Halfmoon, where Jimmy and his brother, Teddy, operate the Halfmoon Diner. The diner was started 30 years ago by their father, Peter. It was her father-in-law who suggested that Effie’s Boutique be built on a parcel of land across from the diner.

She decided to take his advice.

‘By The Bottle’ Liquor Store Opens On Spring Street In Saratoga, Specializing In Wine

November 8, 2018November 8, 2018

By the Bottle, at 11 Spring St., Saratoga Springs, offers a variety of wines and spirits from New York and California wineries, as well as vineyards from France, Italy and beyond.
©2018 Saratoga Photographer.com

By Greg Hitchcock

Annmarie Guglielmo is a native of Saratoga Springs and pilates instructor with a bent for business.

“I had been working at another wine shop just outside of Saratoga when I got the idea to open my own wine and spirits business,” she said.

By the Bottle, at 11 Spring St., Saratoga Springs, across from Congress Park, is a boutique wine and spirits shop that opened on Oct. 26. It offers a variety of wines and spirits from New York and California wineries, as well as vineyards from France, Italy and beyond.

“It’s not the same as even five years ago,” Guglielmo said. “Better quality products are coming from New York state including cabernets and delicious sparkling wines.”

Other products are spirits including moonshine, whiskey, gin, vodka, and bourbon.

Business Advisor Michael Cruz Pens Book That Guides People Through Hiring Process

November 8, 2018November 8, 2018

Michael Cruz of Lighthouse Advisors LLC has written a book, “Hire The People You Want (And The Questions You Must Ask To Get Them),” that is available at Amazon.com.

By Susan E. Campbell

A new book by local business advisor Michael Cruz is aimed at helping managers at all levels acquire the skills to employ the best people and retain them longer.

“Hire The People You Want (And The Questions You Must Ask To Get Them)” aggregates the insights and tips Cruz has acquired helping clients of his consulting firm, Lighthouse Advisors LLC out of Queensbury, to manage their rapid growth, for which building infrastructure, support and an executive team are key components.

“Most people don’t have the skills to hire the best candidates and no one wants to take the time to learn,” said Cruz.

Before founding his firm in 1999, Cruz ran marketing departments in the corporate sector and honed his skills as a communicator.

Self-published and sold exclusively at Amazon, the 100-page book s priced at $9.99 for the digital edition and under $15 for the soft cover edition.

“This book helps companies develop a methodology and encourages making time to do this job right,” he said. “If the business owner or manager can’t find the time now, when will they find the time when they have to hire again?”