NJBIA Helps Small Businesses

NJ Small Business Guide

By Steve Wilson, NJBIA Assistant Vice President On Oct 20, 2014

The challenges facing New Jersey’s small businesses are daunting.  That’s why NJBIA tailors its member services and benefits towards helping the small manufacturers, contractors, retailers and other enterprises that comprise the bulk of the association’s membership.

“Our mission is to provide information, services and advocacy for our 20,000 member companies,” says NJBIA Acting President Melanie Willoughby.  “NJBIA has a great deal of influence with our state’s policymakers, which we use to cut costs for businesses, particularly small businesses.”

When it comes to advocacy, the association pushes for policy initiatives aimed at reducing the cost of doing business and cutting bureaucratic red tape, thus making it easier for small businesses to succeed.  NJBIA’s vision to keep our economy strong calls on government at all levels to focus on creating jobs and growing the economy.

“We strive to reduce the number of intrusive laws and regulations,” Willoughby says.  “Often, we present policy alternatives to lawmakers that will accomplish their goals, but without placing more burdens on already over-taxed employers.”

As an example, NJBIA has worked closely with the Legislature and Governor’s Office to reduce business taxes by more than $1 billion over the last four years and to ensure that the unemployment insurance fund is once again solvent, benefitting our member companies’ bottom lines.

“Three-quarters of our members have fewer than 25 employees, and I am proud of how our staff fights for those companies and gets them the information and services they need,” Willoughby says.

Recently, NJBIA launched a series of free members’ only webinars covering topics like disaster preparedness and document retention.  The NJBIA website also carries the New Jersey Business’ Small Business Corner, offering tips and suggestions to help our member companies more effectively market their business, better use technology and grow their bottom lines.

Another important benefit offers our members the ability to apply for insurance coverage with New Jersey Manufacturers Insurance Company.  NJBIA also offers discount shipping, credit card processing and energy management programs.

In order to ensure our member companies are up on all of the laws and regulations required to do business in the state, the  Association offers dozens of seminars every year that provide practical solutions to the problems faced by all small businesses.

Large companies generally have HR and legal departments to handle their day-to-day tasks, while small business owners have to do it themselves.  That’s why NJBIA covers topics like “HR for the Non-HR Professional” and “Hot Legal Topics” to help business owners understand the important laws and regulations that they must follow.

“The small business owner in New Jersey wears many hats,” Willoughby says.  “They have to be HR managers, purchasing agents, environmental engineers and legal experts.  And they have to be good at their business, too. No one person can do it all, so we do all we can to ensure our members’ success.”

Visit www.njbia.org to access the resources available to member companies.

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