NJ Business Stars

Local New Jersey Leaders Sharing How They Became… NJ Business Stars

The legendary book, "Think and Grow Rich" by Napoleon Hill is read by more business people than any other book. Napoleon Hill didn't come up with the great ideas in the book instead he profiled the lessons learned from successful leaders. On this site, we are going to grow our library with successful leaders in our own community - sharing their professional secrets which led them to their NJ Business Star status. They live and do business in New Jersey so they face the same economic challenges that we all face. Learn and grow from their stories!

NJBusinessStars.net Interview with Keith Timko, Executive Director /CEO Support Center

The Rutgers campus is a great backdrop to sit down with Keith (also an adjunct professor at Rutgers too) and discover how his steadfast career in both  leadership and nonprofit sectors provide clear focus to his mission today as CEO and Executive Director of The Support Center. Working with nonprofit leaders and managers, teaching them successful business skills that set them up for personal and organizational successes. Many will be our future NJ Business Stars!

Watch this video and learn:

  • What top advice (must do) is given to his clients that want to have a successful non-profit organization.
  • Why Keith feels it is important to focus on the emerging leader's today and well as the teams of tomorrow.
  • What defines a mentor, and how important a mentor can be to your success.
  • Watch and see why Keith is a genuine leader in his chosen field.

NJBusinessStars.net Interview with Debbie Schaeffer – 3rd Generation CEO, Mrs. Gs Appliances

A wonderful morning interview with Woman Business Leader and www.NJBusinessStars.net Deb Schaffer, 3rd Generation CEO of Mrs. Gs Appliances

Debbie and her innovative business savvy have created Mrs. Gs (in its 87th year) to become an illustrious independent home appliance and retail showroom in Lawrenceville NJ. Unmistakable is Debbie’s passion for business success and advocacy for the NJ retail community.  Her engineering background seeps through everywhere you look in the technology driven smart home entertainers’ dream appliance showroom. Watch out big-box retailer!

Watch this video and learn:

  • How her grandmother’s legacy influences her decisions everyday with community.
  • What advice does Debbie wish she was given (or even listen to) when she was beginning her entrepreneurship journey.
  • Deb shares valuable guidance and simple steps upcoming leaders should take to improve their business skills.

NJBusinessStars.net Interview with Brenda Ross-Dulan – Founder and Principal Ross Dulan Group

An incredible interview with Brenda Ross-Dulan. A stellar career that spans from West Coast to East Coast and returning to New Jersey to be a team lead in one of the largest mergers in banking history. Success continues over the past two decades with accumulation of accolades, Board of Directors, Chairwoman, and Government appointments. It’s easy to see why she is sought after by mid to large companies to guide them on a lucrative path to success with better decisions, processes, and people. An intriguing woman with a sincere perception on life and business.

Watch this Video and Learn:

  • Why understanding the two sides of decision making is important to any person in a leadership role.
  • How the three-letter word W-H-Y is so crucial to the success of business initiatives and planning outcomes. Why this word is so powerful at keeping the team on track.
  • What keeps Brenda on track for success.

NJBusinessStars.net Interview with Scott Sussman – Head of Operations and Business Development at from HERE

Today we talk with Scott Sussman, and we discover that yes, when “NJ Stars collide great things happen.” Together with Sneh Kadakia, Co-Founder they have created a new work from HERE venture. Each with their successful, yet different business experiences join forces to produce a new hybrid workplace with a distinctive delivery on service.

Watch this video and learn:

  • What Scott and Sneh are they doing that sets from HERE apart from the typical office space rental.
  • Hear what Scott feels are important lessons learned and the key to building growth in their company’s’ vision.
  • Discover how Scott keeps his productivity on track.
  • And yes, you’ll learn how these two NJ Business Stars did collide and align to create this great startup?

NJBusinessStars.net Interview With Travis Gleinig, CIO United Methodist Communities

As CIO of this multi-location senior living communities throughout NJ, Travis is responsible for leading this organization into the NexGen of technologies that directly intersect with patient care management. His dedication to the roadmap of automation is tenacious. He prides the company culture and hierarchy acceptance of IT investment to their growing future in skills for the United Methodist Communities senior living facilities.

Watch this video and learn:

  • What he feels is the most important factor to ensure that his strategic plans become reality.
  • How his focus now on data analysis is the key to optimizing their business processes for a unified transition to an innovative IT infrastructure.
  • What may surprise you to learn how he keeps his personal methodologies organized.

NJBusinessStars.net Interview With Judy Schmidt, CEO of New Jersey State Nurses Association

Judy Schmidt took over the role of CEO in 2015 and thru her steadfast leadership has more than doubled if not tripled the membership of this 120+ year institution that represents the interest of over 165,000 nurses in the State of New Jersey.

Watch this video and learn:

  • How she increased membership even through a pandemic
  • How she has created a culture in her organization that provides value for the modern nurses while keeping the tried-and-true significance in the delivery of educational support and advocacy for the careers and personal growth of nurses.
  • How her strategy to flip the traditional hierarchy provides the true ROI for the members.
  • What it takes to win legislative victories that both protect and hinder the career in the nursing field.

NJBusinessStars.com Sheri Kurdakul, CEO and Founder VictimsVoice

Sheri Kurdakul shares her inspiring journey with how she went from victim to survivor to CEO of startup VictimsVoice. Now, thanks to her vision and  business wisdom, Sheri has produced a documentation App that will give struggling victims a voice for protection that most often went dismissed.

Watch this video to learn:

  • Learn how she was able to take an idea and bring it to life.
  • How she is building a growing list of partnership currently in all but 7 states in the US.
  • The key to forming those strategic alliances to gain traction needed to grow the business.