By Sandy Eller
The fifth annual Find Success in E-commerce Conference and Expo will be an evening packed with information and advice for those hoping to succeed in the ever-growing field of e-commerce.
Taking place on Tuesday, February 6, it is being organized by Crown Heights Young Entrepreneurs (CHYE) together with the JCC of Marine Park, EPI, PTEX and the TJE.
The premier e-commerce event for members of the Jewish community, the conference will feature Seminars on four separate tracks followed by a Tradeshow and CEO Forum and will be held at The Palace from 4 to 10 PM, with on-site valet parking and dinner provided.
“E-commerce is the number one industry in the Jewish community right now and is a tremendous area of growth,” explained CHYE director Rabbi Yehoshua Werde.
“Since its inception five years ago, our organizations have been offering support to members of the Jewish community who are starting out in business, with numerous events geared to helping young entrepreneurs get on their feet in order to help them succeed in what can be an extremely lucrative field.”
A true community event, the expo is the result of a group effort by several local non-profit organizations and businesses who believe strongly in the future of e-commerce and its viability as a lucrative industry with tremendous earnings potential.
“It is rewarding to see the partnership that was forged here to really help people start selling on Amazon or become engaged in e-commerce/e-tail, because those fields have been booming and have helped a lot of people earn a good living, allowing them to support their families in a productive way,” said Shea Rubenstein, co-founder and executive vice president of the JCCMP.
Joining as sponsors are the Emergency Parnassa Initiative, the Boro Park Jewish Community Council, The Jewish Entrepreneur, PTEX, COLlive.com, Ami Magazine, PCS Wireless, SellerCloud, Ami BizTank and Sol N. Friedman and Co.
In an interview, Rabbi Werde, Shea Rubenstein, BPJCC executive director Rabbi Avi Greenstein and JCCMP assistant executive director Yitzy Weinberg share their thoughts on the upcoming expo and what participants can expect to gain from the event.
COLlive: How has the expo evolved over the years?
Rubenstein: Every year we have continued to get bigger and bigger and to expand our offerings and this time around we have set the bar even higher. Last year, more than 400 men and women joined us for an evening of educational workshops, keynote addresses and round tables, gleaning invaluable advice from extremely well known and highly successful businesspeople. This year we have upped the ante again and have grown the conference into an event that will cover 15,000 square feet, with an anticipated 50 vendors and an attendance of 750.
COLlive: What kind of additions can we expect to see this year?
Werde: I think even previous attendees will be wowed by this event, which really takes things up a notch. The expo is divided into three separate segments, kicking off with a two hour long educational component with four unique tracks: one tailored to Amazon beginners, one to more experienced Amazon sellers, another to e-tailers and the final track geared towards business development. Each of the four tracks will feature two back to back seminars presented by experts in the field, providing participants with a wealth of relevant information that will give them the knowledge and the confidence they need to either get their businesses off the ground, or in the case of those who are already in the field, take their businesses to the next level.
COLlive: What will the rest of the conference look like?
Werde: From 6 to 8 PM, participants will be able to enjoy a full buffet dinner while having a chance to network with other conference attendees and presenters and an opportunity to meet with approximately four dozen vendors representing a wide array of businesses including accounting, branding, financing, fulfillment, legal counseling, marketing, packaging, photography, shipping, software solutions, technology and information technology and wholesalers and suppliers. The final two hour portion of the evening will include a CEO roundtable Q&A period featuring prominent e-commerce leaders followed by ten breakaway sessions, giving everyone an opportunity to solidify the takeaways that will best improve their businesses.
COLlive: What is your goal for this event?
Greenstein: There are so many talented, successful entrepreneurs in our community who are happy to share their experience and offer advice that will help others succeed. This expo will give members of the Jewish community a tremendous opportunity to learn from the best in the industry so that they can see their own businesses really take off.
Werde: In addition to that, we are very confident that online sellers will be educated and inspired as they acquire the tools and the resources they need to promote their businesses and to drive sales.
COLlive: What makes this event stand out in your mind as “the one” to go to?
Weinberg: The expo is specifically geared to the needs of the frum Jewish community, so many of whom have already availed themselves of the exploding e-commerce market. We expect that many more people are going to jump on the e-commerce bandwagon and we want to be able to help them succeed.
Werde: Also, the fact that participants will have the ability to gain a wealth of knowledge and inspiration in a single evening from successful individuals in the world of e-commerce is extremely significant and makes this conference truly outstanding.
Any final thoughts?
Weinberg: It is extremely important to enable those in our community to reach their full potential in the up-and-coming industries of today and, more importantly, tomorrow. We have no doubt that expo participants will walk out of The Palace feeling confident that they are much better equipped to succeed in e-commerce than they were when they woke up that morning.
Rubinstein: Earning a living that can support a family is one of the biggest challenges of our day and so many people struggle to make ends meet. All of the organizations and businesses who are partnering in the expo understand that reality and, together, they hope to be able to help others turn their businesses dreams into real success stories.
Registration is now open at ecommerce2018.eventbrite.com with tickets priced at $65 for early registration through January 18th, $80 from January 19th through January 26th and $90 for those registering after January 27th. For information, sponsorship opportunities or to reserve a booth, contact Rabbi Werde [email protected]
Zisha Novoseller
Executive Director
Zisha comes to EPI with an extensive background in business and management both as a senior executive and as an entrepreneur. He is rare, inspired, and obsessed with a passionate desire to help others,at all levels, in the best ways possible. Zisha’s impressive background in corporate management, organizational development and human resource consulting, coupled with his upbeat and inspiring personality has afforded him the tools needed to service the community he so deeply loves.