A Community of Opportunity. The Seed.

Just 45 minutes south of the big apple, lies a community I saw from a lens of tumble weeds, Haagan Daaz, Woolworths, Steinbachs, Fantasy Zone Collectibles, and a very old Mr Pizza slice with wood panels as a kid in the late 80's early 90's. Today, lies a big opportunity for growth in 2017 with plenty of collaboration, discussion, and innovation happening to fuel small business' in a hub hip city town called Red Bank in Central New Jersey, which yes, does exist.

I grew up here in this fun little town skateboarding, playing hoops, manhunt, and collecting baseball cards. Back then, we were all listening to hair metal, rock, and rap equally on our yellow Sony boomboxes in 1987, most in khakis. We saw grey as kids, as teenagers, as athletes, as young leaders, and we were all treated equally provided with all the tools to progress ahead. Some of us still listen to rock, hair metal, and a bouncy base old rap song once and a while.

Red Bank is a special community of diversity that gives a hand always when needed and between 2008-2012 has seen it's share of business changes. The Red Bank as it was named after, is made up of many great people I call friends, family, colleagues, heritage, and many with a history of lineage. My mom and grandfather, both Gill's from Middletown, call/called them blue bloods.

Inspiration in community came early as I grew up Irish, Italian, and Scottish decent on East Bergen Place with parents and grandparents who taught me respect and anything was possible, anything. You had to see yourself in the success and then be it they would say. Lemonade stands. Selling my dad's extra inventory door to door. My own lawn business and snow shovel business. Putting newspapers together at 6am when I was 12 at 7-11. I was able to build my own collections of He-man, Star Wars, GI Joe, Voltron, and Thundercats in every corner setup outside of my birthday and Christmas. I was able to save for college because I knew it was expensive. If I wanted it, I was told I could have it, but I had to earn it, build it, and see it thru while sharing my excitement.

With an ever growing need for an entrepreneur, startup, technology, and business growth hub, the time has never been more ripe then now for a sprout of new in Red Bank. A sprout of innovation, technology, and entrepreneurship that hugs the community and embraces every great idea fueled by strategy, mission, and focus. A sprout that plants new seeds, grows new ideas, and nurtures future success in the community. It's seed planting time. Excitement time. And consider this a seed written in article form

Over the next 6 weeks this will begin to take more shape and has been building quietly for almost a year now. It's going to upstart new and existing business' thru a garden of collaboration in the greater Red Bank area that connects to the rest of the state.

This is our first of a series of articles related to fostering growth and business success. Any corporate or local business' interested in connecting, let's.

A new Community of Opportunity is coming May 2017 to Red Bank.