The Bottom Line

We all know that shopping local is vital for our local economy. We don't just preach shopping local here at the Hudson County Chamber of Commerce, we also practice it. In fact, it is core to our values as stated on our website : " Our policy is to shop and seek services locally before considering vendors outside of Hudson County. Further, we will consider conducting business with our Members first, before considering a local, non-member vendor." Over the years, we've shopped a number of our Members. We find it's kind of contagious! Why do we shop local? According to Local First (see graphic above), for every $100 spent at a locally ...

The United States is changing. Fast. Nearly 38% of Americans are multicultural — there are, according to Forbes, 131 multicultural groups in the U.S. By far, the largest ethnic group in the United States is the Hispanic/Latino population. With nearly 60 million people identifying as Hispanic, Latinos account for 18.3 percent of the population according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Here in Hudson County, the number of Hispanics/Latinos is more than 290,000 residents; that represents a whopping 42.9 percent of the County's population! While the pace of growth in the U.S. among Hispanics has slowed to 2.0 percent/year since 2010, ...

Giving Days are 24-hour fundraising events, where a community rallies together to donate resources – money, time or services – to causes that matter to them.   These days of giving are typically hosted by Community or Civic Foundations, United Ways, large nonprofit organizations, and higher-education institutions. So why are we hosting #HudsonGives on May 17? After all, it's not typical for a chamber to host a Giving Day. According to GIveGab, we're the only chamber they know of to host a Giving Day in the entire country.  As a chamber, we realize how critical the nonprofit sector is to our local economy.  According to the Center for Nonprofits, ...

By Jessica F. Gonzalez, Esq.,  Founding Partner of Moyeno Gonzalez & Associates PC; a female and minority owned law firm helping clients in NJ/NY navigate the legal landscape of medicinal and adult use cannabis.  As of February 2019, 33 states and the District of Columbia have legalized Medical Cannabis and 10 states have legalized “Adult Use” cannabis (more commonly referred to as “recreational” cannabis). The difference between the accessibility of Adult Use and Medical Cannabis is akin to the difference between over-the-counter medication and prescription medication.  To obtain Medical Cannabis, a patient must: (1) have a qualifying condition, ...

HarrisonRand Know-How: The 10 Best Reasons to Use Instagram to Build Your Business By Jason Rand, Creative Director, HarrisonRand Once a trendy teen hangout, last year Instagram reached a new milestone of one billion users and has surpassed Facebook in advertising revenue . As a marketing hotspot, the cost-effective channel offers huge potential for businesses seeking to connect with target audiences, reach new customers and grow their brand with engaging content. According to a recent study, 77% of the U.S. population has a social media profile and active users spend more than five years of their lives on social media which breaks down to 8 ...