For the past number of years, New Jersey Business magazine has been dedicating its October issue to helping entrepreneurs survive and flourish in the state. We have been doing this via a collection of features that help small business owners operate more efficiently and cost-effectively. In this, our in-depth “NJ Small Business Guide,” we are certain that fledgling entrepreneurs and seasoned small business owners will find the right agencies or the illuminating advice that will take their ventures to the next level of success.

We start this section with an article written by Lt. Governor Kim Guadagno, which focuses on how the state is helping small businesses through a variety of initiatives, including the New Jersey Partnership for Action: the state’s four-pronged approach in helping businesses grow and prosper.

This article is followed by a spotlight on how the New Jersey Business & Industry Association (NJBIA) recognizes the needs of small businesses and how it has tailored its member services and benefits toward helping the small manufacturers, contractors, retailers and other enterprises that comprise the bulk of the association’s 20,000 member businesses.

Of great assistance to entrepreneurs is the New Jersey district office of the US Small Business Administration and the entities under its umbrella: the New Jersey Small Business Development Centers and SCORE: Counselors to America’s Small Business. We present an article on how these three organizations are providing: lending assistance, business plan writing, marketing and sales strategies, accounting and financial analysis, exporting opportunities, public/private procurement assistance and more.

We round out the Small Business Resource Guide with articles on real estate location, bank lending, government contracting and franchising.

We go Q&A heavy this month with three additional stories. One is our HealthCare Institute of New Jersey (HINJ) Roundtable, in which Managing Editor George Saliba sits down with HINJ members to discuss challenges in the biopharmaceutical and medical technology industries. The other two are profiles on Senatorial candidates Cory Booker (D) and Jeffery Bell (R). The two men have pro-business growth agendas, but the way they approach economic growth is vastly different.

Finally, we and NJBIA are happy to announce the naming of Michele Siekerka as the new NJBIA president. Michele will take the helm of the association early this month. We introduce her to our readership with a profile.