[Fredslist] Another "hopping" joint breakfast meeting featuring Gotham Power Breakfast and Business Breakfast Groups

[Vincent Chirico]

The Manhattan Business Breakfast Group and the Gotham Power Breakfast group "had breakfast" together virtually this morning.  Group Chair Corey Bearak moderated a lively discussion featuring four Gotham group coordinators, several group co-chairs, a Gotham Floridian member, and multiple guests.

Fred Klein started us out, informing of Gotham's current effort to set up a Gotham drive-in movie, and to highlight the beginning of our annual Gotham Giving effort to begin next week.  Business Breakfast GC and past Networker of the Year recipient Shelley Simpson followed with a description of how Gotham successfully blends social, business, and philanthropic endeavors.

Two members, Jayne Latz and Stephanie Shalofsky, discussed how the Covid-19 pandemic resulted in a shift in their respective businesses.   Jayne described how her business, Corporate Speech Solutions, provides training to C-Suite executives in perfecting their virtual presentations, and offered a free, one-hour seminar in divulging the secrets of the confident speaker (thank you Jayne!)  Stephanie described how the pandemic provided an opportunity for her company (The Organizing Zone) works to create and organize productive virtual work spaces.  Stephanie also gave a "thank you" shout out to Ray Walcott, Senior Business Banker at Capital One, for utilizing her services to create a stand-up design model for his virtual work space, allowing Ray to provide uninterrupted help in managing private banking services for a wealth of clients.

Gotham Queens GC Dan Schwartz described how his company (Xerox) is now providing printer, laptop, and copier services to virtual office professionals, and invited all to ride the circuit to that group's next meeting (third week of each month).  Gotham Real Estate GC and bank of America residential mortgage banker Alan Kreit also issued invitations to that group's upcoming meeting next Thursday.  And Gotham Nutmegger GC (also a prior Networker of the Year award recipient) Marc Halpert discussed his work customizing electronic payment systems.

Dominick Bencivegna discussed the growth in outsourced accounting and bookkeeping services, offering to assist small businesses and nonprofits in managing their day-to-day finances and in consulting on accounting reporting via his company's technology division.

David Perry of Brown Harris Stephens advised that real estate brokers are now once again able to show properties, provided that certain Covid-related protocols are followed.

Brad Scherer of Clara Financial Services provided an update regarding how well-thought-out financial planning helps small to mid-size businesses save money in taxes, provide solid benefits to employees and ensures that individuals live their preferred lifestyle through retirement. Brad also advised the group that if you withdrew money from your retirement plan, you now have until August to redeposit it without any tax repercussions.

New Business Breakfast Member Ben De Angelis outlined his firm (the Fortress Group at Morgan Stanley) focuses on socially responsible investing, including environmentally-friendly or faith-based opportunities.  And Ben's guest, Niseema Dyan Diemer, explained how her massage and trauma therapy services helped many of her clients "move back into their bodies" after traumatic events as well as Covid-related anxiety.

Our participating Floridian (who had the easiest Atlantic coast commute) announced that his 30-year old New York-based interior architecture firm (office interiors, hospitality space) recently expanded to Florida and Puerto Rico.

GPB attorneys Carmine Goncalves and yours truly described how Covid-related court shutdowns led to positive results in representing litigation clients more efficiently by avoiding travel costs and in-person court appearances, resulting in cost-savings to clients.  And in the transactional sphere, we addressed how the pandemic resulted in out-of-work individuals creating new business ventures.

Corey closed out the introductions by describing his recent work in representing labor unions navigate through the pandemic and the brave new world as New York awakens from its "long spring nap."

Special shout out to Nancy Schess for her wonderful Zoom coordination efforts!





Vincent Chirico, Esq.
Chirico Law PLLC
8804 4th Avenue
Brooklyn, New York 11209
Tel:  (718) 921-1401
Fax:  (347) 412-3046
vchirico at chiricolaw.com<mailto:vchirico at chiricolaw.com>

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