Most of you reading this article have likely heard this word many times before, but what does it actually mean? In New York, probate is the process of formally petitioning the local Surrogate’s Court to accept a deceased person’s Last Will and Testament and officially appoint an executor for the estate. Depending on the situation, the complexity and cost of probate proceedings can range from fairly simple and inexpensive to extremely complicated and costly. In this article I will list some common red flags that may foreshadow a difficult probate, and I will describe some planning methods to avoid the need to probate.
One of the most common misconceptions I hear when I first meet with a client who was named as executor in a Will is that he or she has automatic authority to act according to the instructions contained in the Will. This is not true. An executor has no authority to act when the Will creator dies until such Will is admitted by Surrogate’s Court and the Court issues a document referred to as “Letters Testamentary” officially appointing the Executor. This is the probate process. Before a Court accepts the Will and issues Letters Testamentary, the following requirements must be satisfied:
These are the general requirements but depending on the situation and local rules there may be other requirements as well.
As you can begin to imagine, the probate process can be very expensive, lengthy, and difficult in certain situations. The following is a list of common situations where the probate process may be particularly complicated:
The complete class of closest living heirs is unknown and/or so remote that names and contact information for all members is unknown and/or very difficult to ascertain. Sometimes the available information can be so scarce that a genealogist may need to be hired to recreate the family tree and locate all members of the class of closest living heirs. This can be lengthy and expensive.
The Will creator intends to disinherit a member of the class of closest living heirs or designate unequal distributions among such group of individuals. Even if a member of the class of closest heirs is left out of the Will or explicitly disinherited, NY law still requires that such person receive a copy of the Will and the opportunity to contest it by simply appearing in Court in person or by written notice.
The deceased individual owned real estate in multiple states. The Court in one state does not have jurisdiction over property in another state, so the executor must commence separate probate proceedings in each state where the decedent owned property.
The deceased person was a small business owner and a delay in operations would be detrimental to the business. As noted above, the probate process can be lengthy, and the named Executor may not have authority to continue management and operation of the business until the Surrogate’s Court issues the order officially appointing the Executor.
Instead of subjecting your executor and beneficiaries to a potentially drawn out, stressful, and expensive probate proceeding, there are certain planning opportunities you can take advantage of to likely avoid the necessity of probate when you pass away. One easy way to avoid probate for financial accounts is to name beneficiaries on each account or make the account payable on death to your intended beneficiaries. This can be done by simply contacting the financial institution and following their procedure to designate beneficiaries.
Another way to avoid probate is to create and fund a living trust. A living trust, also known as an “inter vivos” trust, is a legal entity that you create by written document while you are alive. The trust only controls assets which you transfer ownership of to the trust, commonly referred to as “funding” the trust. There are different kinds of trusts depending on your goals, but one common benefit of all living trusts is that the assets owned by the trust do not need to go through the probate process when you die. The individual(s) or entity that you designate as trustee has the automatic and immediate authority to carry out the instructions set forth in the trust document upon your death. This makes a trust much more difficult to contest than a Will because the trustee is not required to notify all members of the class of closest living heirs before making distributions to the beneficiaries.
An advantage of using a trust to avoid probate for financial accounts rather than naming beneficiaries on each account is that in a trust you can include language to control the distribution of assets beyond death. For example, you can restrict a beneficiary’s control of his or her inheritance until he or she reaches a certain age specified in the trust. This feature may appeal to small business owners as a way to maintain a degree of control over what happens to the business in the event of death. Trusts are also one of the only ways to avoid probate for real estate other than adding your intended beneficiaries as joint owners on the deed for the property.
Every person’s situation is unique. Be prudent and meet with an experienced estate planning attorney to determine the type of planning that is best suited for you. Your family and friends will thank you for it.
Phillip Vacchio, Esq. is a partner at the Shivers Law Group and of Counsel to Ianniello Anderson, P.C. www.ialawny.com
It’s a new, hybrid world that will be built on the existing infrastructure of the internet but will be much more immersive, interactive, and social than what customers are used to today. As identified by Chad Beatty in the Saratoga Business Report Q1, definitions of Web 3 vary, but feature core aspects like artificial intelligence, decentralization, and mixed reality (a combination of augmented and virtual reality). As we move further into the Metaverse and Web 3, small businesses can prepare for the unfolding digital transformation through strategic initiatives like digitization, asset management, and automation.
Digitization
When embarking on a digitization initiative, consider three main factors: what assets to digitize, how to digitize them, and where to store them. A digital asset can be anything from a three-dimensional model or environment to an audio file or document. You should ask yourself: Does this asset have a legacy or potential future value for my company? While this can be tricky to sort out, your decisions can, and often should, be informed by business strategy, direct customer feedback, or market response. It’s also vital to consider the importance of digitizing assets from a compliance and regulatory standpoint for business records and certain assets. Digitized and born-digital assets are fundamental content resources that power products and services for Web 3. Without digitized assets, a small business cannot optimize opportunities that save money and time while elevating customer experiences.
As digitized assets become increasingly commonplace, especially within born-digital companies, it can be easy to overlook physical assets that can be digitized for the Metaverse. Lingering analog processes and assets exist in both digital-born and not natively digital companies. Undigitized assets could include paper business records, promotional product giveaways, signage, trade show booth exhibits, and products. Professional services may also unduly rely on physical processes and travel, which can lead to higher costs, delays, and inefficiencies.
Small business owners face many demands of managing a company with a small, dedicated team of colleagues and family or just “me, myself, and I.” It can be difficult to find time and resources to implement new processes without an immediate perceivable return on investment. But indefinitely delaying digitization or abandoning assets undermines a company’s ability to adapt in the future. Ignoring digitization leaves companies open to risks posed by natural events, public health, safety, theft, and deterioration over time. The digitization process comes with its risks and challenges, but the benefits of organizational resiliency and future readiness often outweigh the costs.
Asset Management
As digital transformation advances and more businesses are conducted in Metaverse environments, having a well-managed system of digital assets will become increasingly crucial. Digital assets, also known as digital twins, represent what might also be physical products that customers can interact with and deploy in online environments. This can include assets like a 3D rending of a product that a customer can view in virtual reality and then buy.
It’s essential to know what assets are available for what purpose and how a particular digital asset type may aid or limit your business and customers. Metaverse business readiness includes a centralized digital and physical asset management strategy. This empowers your company to effectively distribute, sell, and track products on the blockchain. In addition to having an asset management system, a company may also need the legal and technical personnel to create, implement, and manage necessary policies and procedures for good practice governance and security.
Much of Web 3 focuses on the decentralization of assets on the customer side. Small business owners will have to support the underlying technologies of the Metaverse, like digital currencies and wallets, so that transactions are completed securely and successfully. While a company may choose to sell some products and services on the blockchain, licensing and other forms of agreement will continue to be fundamental in leveraging assets.
To set up your business for success in the Metaverse, your company needs to be positioned to develop, make, and sell digital goods to customers. This may require you to retrain existing staff, learn new skills, hire contractors, and purchase new software and hardware. These elements contribute to a steady product pipeline that’s ready to meet customer demand. The future of Web 3 relies on customer confidence and trust. Satisfied customers are inspired to come back and participate in these new economies. Asset management sets up a company to satisfy its customers.
Automation
Like assets, work processes can also be digitized and then shifted to function automatically. Leveraging automation and AI are other key elements in preparing for the Metaverse. Utilizing automation creates spaces where customers can be responded to swiftly and frees up team members to work on other tasks. Many business processes are still done manually despite the opportunities to automate them. Automation opportunities for Web 3 include chatbots, generative media, and smart contracts.
Chatbots, hosted in a third-party or self-hosted platform, are tools for customer or community management. Chatbots can be truly available to you customer 24/7 and used to answer FAQS, gather necessary information for support teams, and provide just-in-time and scheduled notifications about product releases.
Generative media is content created by artificial intelligence algorithms within the parameters defined by a programmer. These algorithms can be tuned to aid your creative team by generating content that is diverse, attractive to your customers, and can require minimal editing or revision. This can save time and money by having the first, if not final, draft of such assets be AI-generated rather than by hand.
Smart contracts are agreements exchanged and transacted between parties through code, which can be done on the blockchain. These enable a smooth and transparent record of exchange and rights. Early adoption and investment in digital transformation and legal policy is the best way for a small business to utilize these technologies.
The rapid innovation of digital technologies will increase because of automation. It’s vital to stay tuned into how new economic and technological environments, like Web 3 and the Metaverse, can impact a company’s competitive advantage and place in the market. When prudently applied, automation can help small businesses better leverage their products and services. But it takes an investment to be successful. It would be a mistake for small businesses to ignore automation as a dynamic and powerful force. When coupled with digitization, asset management, and other strategic priorities, automation will have important implications for a company’s future. The future of your company’s business operations, products, and services should be powered by a combination of humans and machines.
How To Prepare
The Metaverse is emerging. This immersive, hybrid world is connecting us in new ways. In the Metaverse, people will interact with one another and digital objects as part of their daily lives for business, connection, and entertainment.
If your small business is not prepared for the Metaverse, you risk being left behind. But don’t worry; help is available. Take action.
Remember to be ready for the Metaverse:
Digitize your assets and operations
Manage your library of digital and physical assets
Automate your workflows and asset distribution
Seek out expert advice from strategic advisors and consultants who are immersed in these issues and technologies now. Be prepared to protect the interests of your business, assets, and people.
The Metaverse is emerging. Prepare your small business now!
The technology corridor running straight through Saratoga County has grown steadily for two decades, stretching from its Capital Region/Hudson Valley birthplace to New York State’s northern and southern borders.
Tech Valley’s success can be attributed to many sources, but none so much as the halls of higher education institutions, such as Hudson Valley Community College, which operates the TEC-SMART facility in Malta, New York. TEC-SMART is home to the Clean Technologies Early College High School, which is one of New York State’s Pathways in Technology (NYS P-TECH) programs sponsored by the college and Ballston Spa Central School District.
The six-year program prepares students for STEM careers through its partnerships between Ballston Spa high school, Hudson Valley Community College, and local industries such as GlobalFoundries.
Eligible students begin in the ninth grade and can earn both a high school diploma and an Associate of Applied Science degree in a STEM field. The program has been very successful and educates students from 19 school districts throughout the region.
Adrienne Snow, Associate Principal of Early College High School Programs with Ballston Spa Central School District, heads the P-TECH program at TEC-SMART. Having been an assistant principal at a traditional high school, she understands the needs of students today and the pressure they feel to meet the frequently changing needs of tomorrow’s workforce.
“I came to the TEC-SMART campus in 2015,” Snow says. “I enjoy being able to interact with students who come here from widely diverse backgrounds all over the state. Here, we provide state-of-the-art classrooms and laboratories. We connect them to real-life work situations and feed their natural curiosity while teaching them the skills they need for their futures.”
Deborah Shoemaker is the Associate Dean of Community & Educational Partnerships for Hudson Valley Community College. She works with Snow to get students registered, troubleshoots any issues that may arise during the school year, and coordinates with Snow on any new pathways that are added to the programs.
“These high school students must manage their secondary classwork while simultaneously stepping into the college experience,” Shoemaker says. “It is a challenging program. I support Adrienne and the students to make sure that they have every opportunity to succeed from day one. I have seen amazing work from the P-TECH students at TEC-SMART. It’s remarkable to see these 17- and 18-year-old students making their end-of-year presentations with a level of polish and professionalism that many adults struggle to achieve.”
“Collaboration is key,” adds Snow. “Our partnership with Hudson Valley Community College and local businesses helps us better build our students’ skills and knowledge base. When you think about a traditional college with big lecture halls, I don’t think you would see as close a relationship between professors and students as you see here. We’ve had consistency in our professors since I’ve been here, which promotes a safe environment for students to stretch and grow.”
In addition to Hudson Valley Community College, the program partners with the Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce, which helps with funding, events, and mentorship experiences, as well as workplace tours. GlobalFoundries sets up job shadow experiences for high school juniors through the program, as well as paid summer internships for seniors.
“Businesses provide us with feedback on what they are looking for in terms of future employees,” Snow says. “We use that information to prepare our students for the skills they need. Recently, we had partners from solar industries listening to our students pitch their solar-ideas projects. They received real-world advice from industry experts. This is how a student transforms into a professional, by learning they can’t just throw an idea out and think it will happen. They are learning how to research their ideas and how to do the legwork that will make them successful in their fields.”
Shoemaker adds, “Part of our mission here at HVCC is to make sure we are in touch with workforce needs, and we do that through business partnerships. Many of our graduates from the P-TECH program have job offers before they graduate. We are always looking for mentors for our students and businesses to give feedback on projects. Fostering those relationships is key.”
Companies that make Tech Valley their home know they can count on continuing access to some of the smartest minds in the country to join their teams, well-versed in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, right here in Tech Valley. For more information about P-TECH at TEC-SMART, visit www.hvcc.edu/tecsmart and www.bscsd.org/Page/11993.
Many SMBs (small & mid-sized businesses), and local employers, are looking to the big multi-national corporations to answer the question – “is hybrid work the new normal?”
We regularly see articles pointing toward the evolving decisions Microsoft, Amazon, Apple, Google or Tesla are taking. Perhaps they are calling their employees back to the office, maybe they have gone fully remote, or perhaps they have seemingly split things down the middle with a hybrid approach. Either way, it may be misguided to take your SMB/local business direction from the popular tech giants.
Let’s consider the decision instead from the perspective of your team/employees and the scope, costs and risks of all three approaches.
Your Team (Employees)
In 2019 the lion’s share of local businesses believed their teams needed to be in the office and most of their teammates/employees likely agreed. However, after the last two years of trial, error, observation and learning, many employees, most notably knowledge workers, have come to a new decision. Love it or hate it, many knowledge workers now require the flexibility of working from home.
As we look at both retention of great talent, and the attraction of new talent, one thing is crystal clear – a flexible work environment is nearly a requirement to attract and retain top talent.
This newly felt requirement is driven by a number of “at home” considerations such as individual productivity, rising gas prices associated with the ‘ol commute, and child care or home school concerns. These concerns seem to have been highlighted by every business magazine for the past nearly two years.
A driving factor often not spoken about is the big multi-national organizations are now more virtual than ever and attracting small town, local business, top talent. They are allowing your, now former, top employee to work from the comfort of home while commanding a salary and benefits historically only available in big city, big corporations, all while the pool of available employees in most sectors has shrunk creating a classic supply v. demand problem to boot (another article, for another day).
It’s now 100% critical for the regional SMB to consider the risk of not embracing a flexible work environment and the cost to replace employees lost to new, virtual, “big business” opportunity if slow to respond!
Your Business Structure & Systems
No sooner do we acknowledge the employee risk, and make the decision to pivot our regional SMB to a more flexible virtual environment, we are quickly faced with a very contemporary second order problem.
Business structure and systems, and I don’t mean IT structure & systems, that’s an entirely different article as well. I’m referring to the people structure and systems that allow both the virtual, and on-site teams, to have an undeniably clear view of “what success looks like” and access to the tools required to succeed? Following is a partial list of both.
What success looks like in a hybrid environment:
Ability to build competence in role(s) virtually and in-house
Clear Functional Accountabilities for each role in the business
Clear Behavioral Accountabilities for each role in the business
Key Process Indicators (KPIs) or an alternative accountability system
A system to maintain, and further, company culture
Non-virtual team members incentivized to ensure success of the hybrid environment
Tools required to succeed in a hybrid environment:
A conscious Organization (people) Design
Electronic onboarding of virtual workforce
Boundaries of virtual workforce & work environment clearly identified and managed
Budget allocation for virtual workforce needs (technical & social)
Complaint decision-making, consistency and documentation of virtual role go/no go
Leadership & business system(s)
Leadership coaching/mentoring and/or training
Your Challenges (risks)
Pivoting to a virtual or hybrid work environment comes with a host of challenges or problems, the first of which is usually the emotional decision to make the switch. The second is most often the IT considerations to make it thrive. The third is most commonly, and I’m not advocating it should be, changes in policy to combat new employee “problems” popping up.
But the fourth challenge takes a little time to manifest! For those entering their 18-24 month timeline in a new hybrid or virtual environment, you are likely beginning to see weaknesses in both people & process leadership! A pivot to virtual is one of the fastest ways to shine a light on historically mediocre leadership, and culture, hidden by a co-located team. One more pro-tip: mediocre leadership equals lower then optimal productivity, which in turn equals higher operating expense and lower margins.
This 4th challenge may become visible in a number of ways not limited to: a frustrated employee base, frustrated leaders, a change in how it feels to be at work, resignations/turnover, increased errors, late delivery, increasingly dissatisfied internal and external customers and even the feeling of “always being stuck in a meeting.”
Your Success
Your success navigating this new playing field is largely based on your businesses systems and methods to lead successfully through reasonably complex change! If your business has not been faced with this level of “complex” change prior now might be the time to ask for help.
If your business has been faced with complex change prior and has not navigated it well, this is most commonly due to your leaderships strength being based in operating, not changing, your business. This may also be a good time to ask for help while keeping your leaders focused on the day-to-day “normal” challenges of winning in your marketplace.
For the last nearly 10-years HR Resolved, Inc. has been helping lead business just like yours through complex change with its remarkable ability to tailor decades of past startup and Fortune 200 successes into happier, more aligned employees, performing where and how they are needed, driving profit into your business! Visit www.HRresolved.com.
Our region is home to a growing base of public and private businesses including many in the cutting-edge technology sectors.
On the public front (companies whose stock is publicly traded,) we explored the performance of 5 local companies: Angio Dynamics, Arrow Financial, Espey Manufacturing, Plug Power and Quad Graphics.
Angio Dynamics, Inc Symbol: ANGO 14 Plaza Drive, Latham, NY 12110 About: Creating disruptive and innovative medical devices, Angio Dynamics provides healthcare professionals with the tools they need to deliver high-quality patient care and improve patient outcomes.
Arrow Financial Corp. Symbol: AROW 250 Glen Street Glens Falls, NY 12801 About: Arrow is a multi-bank holding company based in Glens Falls, New York, which includes Saratoga National Bank. Arrow provides banking and insurance services across northeastern New York.
Espey Mfg. & Electronics Corp Symbol: ESP 233 Ballston Avenue, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866 About: Espey designs, develops, tests and manufactures specialized Military and Rugged Industrial Power Supplies and Transformers for use in harsh or severe environment applications.
Plug Power Inc. Symbol: PLUG 968 Albany Shaker Road, Latham, NY 12110 About: Plug Power is a leading provider of clean hydrogen and zero-emission fuel cell solutions that are both cost-effective and reliable.
Quad Graphics Inc. Symbol: QUAD 56 Duplainville Road, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866 (Local Plant) About: A leader in the industry, Quad Graphics is helping clients stay competitive through multi-channel integration including print, media, in-store packaging, marketing strategy and marketing management.
Did you know it is NEVER legal to pass a slow-moving farm tractor in a no-passing zone (i.e. on a double yellow line)? Yes, it can be annoying to be stuck behind one when we are rushing off to a meeting somewhere. It can also be confusing if the tractor eases over to the right as if they are letting you pass them. Perhaps the operator isn’t sure of the rules either. Or (more likely) they are so used to being passed by impatient, angry, ignorant motorists that they instinctively move as far to the right as possible out of concern for their own safety.
Such is the life of a local farmer these days. The reason they are on the roads in the first place is that very few of Saratoga County’s 591 remaining farms operate on contiguous plots of land. Farms have been broken up by various factors in recent decades, and so these tractors are moving between various sections, often interspersed among housing in residential areas. For many, especially those who are coming to this area from more urban surroundings, living amongst farms can be part of the charm and appeal of living here; for others, it’s perhaps a very unexpected nuisance.
Milton resident and Saratoga County Fair board member John Mancini makes an emphatic point before the Milton Town Board, this past February, in support of zoning revisions to bolster and encourage area farming. Photo provided.
Back in March, the Chamber of Southern Saratoga County was a partner alongside the Saratoga County Farm Bureau, Cornell Cooperative Extension and Saratoga Sod Farm, to explain the ever-changing and complex regulations regarding trucks used for agricultural use, farm implements, and rules pertaining to farm tractors on roads. Education is key in any business, and the event helped area farmers understand which rules pertain to them. Now we need to educate the rest of society what rules they operate under as well.
Expanding communities grapple with the impact on legacy industries like manufacturing and farming. Agriculture is, after all, a form of industry in itself – raw materials like food, hay, straw, seeds, etc. become farm animals and vegetable plants, and then those are transformed into the steak, eggs, and veggies on our dinner tables. There is waste, there are processes and procedures, potential dangers, lots of training, employee shortages, and rules and regulations to deal with, just as any such business.
Large farm tractors like these are often seen on area roadways during the growing season. Please be patient and respect their right to share the road, after all, they may well be in the process of growing a meal for your table!
Encroachment of development on farmland is a continuing concern, especially in southern Saratoga County. Declining farmland is evident in the scores of new developments going up on what was previously fields for corn, hay, and other crops. Some town boards have enacted moratoria on new projects while formulating zoning regulations that suit the wishes of town residents and leaders.
Other communities have produced zoning rules designed to encourage the spread of farming including new farms. In late February the Town of Milton revised its R2 zoning to essentially allow unrestricted agricultural uses on properties of at least 2 acres, while smaller properties could apply for special use permits. Jamie Pettis, President of the Saratoga County Farm Bureau, noted at the meeting that half of the county’s farms gross less than $5000 in sales, and these small farms are the ones most encumbered by the cost of complying with onerous regulations. Ballston Town Councilman and accomplished area farmer Chuck Curtis noted, “In the general public there’s a huge disconnect between society and where their food comes from. Questions farmers get every day are astounding. We need to close this gap between the public at large and where their food comes from.”
Anne Morgan (center), with daughter Samantha and son Michael, of Mill Creek Farm (1019 County Road 70, Stillwater, 518- 584-9457, millcreeksaratoga.com) are an example of the thriving multigenerational farm families here in Saratoga County. Their specialty is breeding horses, and they are very busy for months at a time. Photo provided.
Farms are adapting to changing times, but it is slow. A robotic milking machine is now available to dairy farms to provide an alternative to the conventional milking “parlor,” or building that cattle are led into by workers to be hooked up to machines and milked, one at a time. The robotic system is fully automatic and the cows essentially “milk themselves,” since they are quickly trained that walking over to the machine will ease the pressure on their udders. This makes farms less susceptible to labor shortages, and just as “regular” manufacturing made big changes years ago that required less general labor and more trained technicians, this type of system promises to reform agriculture along similar lines. The challenge, though, is to bring costs down enough so that the system produces the same profit that the current, labor-intensive operations do.
Horses are, of course, a huge part of Saratoga County agriculture. And thoroughbreds mean big business for area farms. Mill Creek Farm in Stillwater, for example, breeds many horses on its 100 acres, offering a wide array of services including boarding, foaling, sales prep, breeding, layups and stallions. It is hard work, often with little rest for the weary.
2021-’22 Saratoga County Dairy Princess Caitlyn VanDeusen, pictured with her successor, 2022-‘23 Dairy Ambassador Lauren King promoted agriculture at events such as the Waterford Tugboat Roundup, Canal Festival, Saratoga County Fair & more. Photo provided.
“Foaling season takes a toll, as we are working 24 hours around the clock for 6 months of the year,” said Samantha Little, co-owner of Mill Creek Farm, which hosted the last in the annual Sundae on the Farm series aimed at introducing the general public to the farm community.
Sundae on the Farm ended because of the challenges associated with disrupting farm operations at a time when the older generations are no longer able to facilitate such events, and their children aren’t always sure they want to continue in the business. However, many young farmers such as the Saratoga County Dairy Ambassadors are eager to show they have what it takes. At the Waterford Canal Festival, held in mid-May, a Saratoga County Dairy exhibit was sponsored by Stewart’s Shops and the Saratoga County Board of Supervisors. Also present was a farm tractor, and information reminding us non-farmers of the dangers associated with acting reckless around them while they are on the road. We are blessed to live in a very farm-friendly county and would do well to remember that coexistence is a two-way street.
Strategy without tactics is the slowest route to victory. Tactics without strategy is the noise before defeat.
Sun Tzu
For centuries, military tacticians and business leaders have been studying the immortal words of Sun Tzu. But what is it about the Chinese generals philosophy that has fascinated the titans of industry? And why are the combat arts such effective and efficient preparation for the business world?
As a small business owner, few things are in your control. You can plan, prepare, and react to changing economic conditions, market trends, and consumer preferences, but at the end of the day, there is only one thing you are truly in command of—yourself. Seasoned business owners fine-tune processes and operations every day to set the conditions for success, but when is the last time you made a deliberate effort to improve yourself? If it has been too long, we have a suggestion: Head into your local Jiu-Jitsu or MMA academy!
Saratoga Business Report sat down with a few local martial arts professors to explore the combat sports and discuss the benefits they offer business leaders. The first thing that stood out to us was the diversity of the clientele. We were introduced to financial planners and business executives, car dealership owners and mechanical engineers. And leading them along their path, were the seasoned instructors. Here are their stories.
Eddie Fyvie Jiu-Jitsu Academy
CAPITAL REGION COMBAT SPORTS
Martial arts have a strong presence in and around Saratoga. Professor James Bruchac, who runs the Saratoga Kyokushin Dojo & Alliance Northeast Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Academy in Greenfield Center with his brother, Jesse, and father, Joseph, explained that the popularity of combat sports in our region has exploded over the past 15 years. Bruchac detailed the different types of martial arts now offered locally, including Kyokushin Karate, Muay Thai, Judo, and Mixed Martial Arts (MMA), but highlighted Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu as the most popular due to its practicality as a self defense technique. One of the earliest Jiu-Jitsu and MMA academies in the region is the Eddie Fyvie Jiu-Jitsu Academy with locations in Malta and Schenectady. Fyvie’s academy has a thriving youth program as well as a large adult program where they learn everything from basic self-defense and body movement to advanced mixed martial arts techniques and competitive Jiu-Jitsu. “This isn’t just training for combat, this is training for life” Fyvie stated. Rounding out the field is Matt Secor’s Jiu-Jitsu academy in South Glens Falls, and Edward Anthony’s Atlas Jiu-Jitsu with locations in Glens Falls, Albany, and Hudson.
Bruchac took care to mention that martial arts’ audience spans well beyond the “macho” image portrayed in popular media. His academy hosts students and instructors from ages 5 to 79, and his bully-proofing classes—designed to instill a sense of physical fitness, discipline, and respect in Saratoga’s schoolchildren—are some of his most popular programs. Bruchac also emphasized the growing popularity of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu among local women, again noting how the sport’s practicality and versatility make it accessible to all.
Professor Eddie Fyvie, owner and head instructor at EFJJA, spent years putting his skills to the test in the world of professional MMA. Photo courtesy of Eddie Fyvie Jiu-Jitsu Academy
BENEFITS FOR BUSINESS OWNERS
According to Bruchac, the benefits of training—or “rolling”—with a martial arts academy are uniquely applicable to small business owners. Bruchac explained that combat sports offer the same physical conditioning benefits attainable through other forms of exercise, while adding in a mental component that allows trainees to strengthen not only their bodies, but also their minds.
Resilience. Training in a sport where you are—quite literally—knocked down continually builds a sense of resilience and mental agility. This clearly can be an asset to small business leaders, helping them overcome the challenges of unpredictable regulatory, economic, and public health environments.
Strategic Thinking. Helio Gracie, one of the founding brothers of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, is quoted as saying the sport “represents the triumph of human intelligence over brute strength.” Professors like Bruchac, Fyvie, and Anthony coach their students to prioritize skill and strategy over blind aggression; deliberately training yourself to think strategically and anticipate your opponent’s reactions has obvious positive implications for business leaders and can give them a cutting edge in our competitive economic environment.
Lifestyle. Above all, Bruchac highlighted how martial arts enable practitioners to live a “positive lifestyle,” founded in discipline and goalsetting, and wrapped in a sense of belonging within a community. The COVID-19 pandemic has proven mental health and community support to be a vital part of any business plan, and combat sports offer entrepreneurs an opportunity to build those strengths.
Saratoga Kyokushin Dojo & Alliance Northeast Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Academy
BEYOND THE MAT
Outside of their four walls, martial arts academies extend their influence to be pillars of our community. In addition to being a martial arts Professor, Bruchac is an award-winning children’s author, traditional storyteller, outdoor educator, and Director of the Ndakinna Education Center. Located in Greenfield, the Ndakinna Education Center—which Bruchac runs with his brother, father, and other local leaders—is a nonprofit organization that provides team building, character development, outdoor education opportunities to community members of all ages. Importantly, the Center also shares the stories, experiences, and culture of regional Native American peoples, notably the Nulhegan Coosuk Band of the Abenaki Nation, of which Bruchac and his family are citizens.
COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP
Eddie Fyvie also serves as a leader within our local community. This March, he volunteered his time and expertise to provide free Jiu-Jitsu lessons to local U.S. Army Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) Cadets. The Cadets—representing an elite group hand-selected from the ROTC unit hosted at Siena College—were invited to participate in an international military skills competition hosted by the U.S. Military Academy; Fyvie offered free lessons and a one-month membership to all 15 Cadets to help them prepare for the hand-to-hand combat portion of the contest. More importantly, these lessons reinforced the physical, mental, and spiritual lessons of Jiu-Jitsu within the Cadets, all of whom are set to commission as Army Officers within the next two years. Fyvie’s generosity demonstrates that martial arts academies are so much more than just “gyms,” and the effects of his magnanimity will benefit our community, state, and country for years to come.
Fyvie, who fought in professional MMA events throughout the United States and Canada, sees Jiu-Jitsu as preparation for the chaos of the business world.
“In Jiu-Jitsu, the practitioner must deal with rapidly changing attacks under pressure. Wrong moves, or panicking, could result in unconsciousness from a well applied submission, and the match is over” Fyvie stated. “Remaining calm and anticipating your opponent’s moves is crucial to survival on the mats, and in the business world.”
Eddie Fyvie Jiu-Jitsu Academy
GET STARTED
When asked if he had any advice for people considering combat sports, but not quite sure if it’s for them, Bruchac responded confidently that “there is a Jiu-Jitsu gym for everybody.” Bruchac encouraged interested individuals to try out a few academies to find one where they feel “welcome and safe.” He added that many programs—including his and Fyvie’s—offer free trials to beginners.
Fyvie’s Academy reinforced that message. According to their website, you don’t need to be experienced in combat sports or “in shape” to start training. They offer programs designed for locals of “all ages, sizes, and genders—the only requirement is effort.”
If you’re a small business owner, you’ve invested time, money, and effort into your enterprise; to take your business to the next level, consider investing those same resources into yourself. Call or click below to take the first step towards becoming the leader your business deserves:
Stanley Westervelt, 27, is attempting to enter what appears to be an increasingly multiplayer segment of the regional economy.
When he’s not working at a Clifton Park dental clinic or tending his family in New Lebanon, the developer is producing a role-playing video game with friends. His start-up, Midnight Game Studios, has only crowd-sourced $25 since launching a fundraising effort in April.
But Westervelt remains hopeful the now-self-funded four-man venture will eventually funnel enough cash flow to cover promotional, studio, and overhead expenses. Long-term, he dreams of Midnight Game Studios sustaining a presence in the Albany metro area.
“I gotta wait,” Westervelt said. “It’s a long journey ahead before that happens.”
Such dreams have been lived, especially in recent years as more and more firms — from independent ventures to patent-driving corporate operations — tap into the Capital Region’s digital gaming ecosystem.
Buoyed by co-working spaces and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Downtown Troy is one of the so-called cluster’s densest hubs. It’s an inconspicuous scene, too. Many of the larger studios lack visibility. A number of the small indies operate exclusively from home.
“It’s just all online,” said Claire Thomas, co-founder of Pine Drake Games. “It’s just all hidden behind the curtain.”
Velan StudioGame Fest, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Guha BalaKarthik Bala
Here’s what you should know about the Capital Region digital gaming cluster:
THE INDUSTRY ISN’T NEW
Coleco Industries, Inc. began producing video games out of the Mohawk Valley in 1982, briefly adding 1,500 jobs in less than a year. So optimistic was a Coleco spokesperson, he told United Press International that the area could eventually rival Silicon Valley.
It didn’t. The toy manufacturer overestimated the market, took a hit, and then redirected resources towards its signature line of Cabbage Patch Dolls before filing for bankruptcy.
Having far outlived Coleco’s stint in the video game business is Colonie-based Blizzard Albany. Called Vicarious Visions until an April merger, the studio is known for developing franchise hits such as Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater, Skylander, and Guitar Hero.
Activision acquired Vicarious Visions in 2005 after 14 years in business. Co-founding brothers Karthik and Guha Bala left to start Velan Studios in 2016.
In its early years, Vicarious Visions advanced from the Bala’s Rochester home basement to RPI’s former Business Incubator program as undergraduates. Computer science alumni were often before gaming-related degree offerings in the mid-2000s.
“There were folks making games and coming through the Incubators that were starting companies well before there was a formal academic program,” said Ben Chang, director of RPI’s Games and Simulation Arts and Sciences program. “And one of the humbling things I’ve learned as a teacher is that oftentimes students are doing it first.”
Later launched were RPI start-ups Agora Games in 2003 and 1st Playable Productions in 2005. With the addition of nine other studios, the so-called digital gaming cluster formed some point between 2016 and 2018, according to the Center for Economic Growth.
THE CLUSTER HAS A ‘COMMON DENOMINATOR’
While still focused on serving a wide net of customers, Jahnel Group’s 40 recent openings cater mostly to a growing list of digital gaming partners. The Schenectady enterprise-level software firm has been building up that roster since Madglory, acquired by South Korean publisher Bluehole in 2018, handed off some clients.
Jahnel Group’s then-chief operating officer Jon Kellar was about a year removed from working at Madglory at the time. A spate of former workers from the Saratoga Springs firm went on to fill industry roles and build studios across the Capital Region.
Enter Brian Corrigan, founder of now-PUBG Madglory.
“I feel like he maybe has brought the game industry here through Madglory,” said Jessie Zweigenthal, director of employee engagement at Jahnel Group. “And just for everyone that I know who was involved in gaming, he seems to be like the common denominator.”
Corrigan worked in an executive post for the Saratoga County firm acquirer until March to take what his website described as “a short break from full-time employment.”
On the side, he still has his hands in the local game industry as a member of Wolfjaw Studios’ board and an advisor for Velan Studios. A venture capitalist, Corrigan has poured investments into local start-ups Powerspike and Rushdown Studios.
In discussion for years, former PUBG Madglory employees Kirk Becker, Andy Polidore, and Richard Hall launched Rushdown Studios last October. Between investment and growth opportunities, seizing on the industry’s momentum became increasingly difficult to pass up.
“It was tough, though because it was like, ‘Hey, I’m getting married this year so I could wait a year?’” Polidore said. “But it just felt like the right time.”
Now numbering around ten employees, Rushdown Studios hopes to bring 20 more onboard within the next year and move office functions out of Becker’s Ballston Spa house.
It’s not certain that Rushdown Studios will remain in Saratoga County.
Either way, Polidore wants the environment to recreate Madglory’s vibrant office culture.
“I think it helped both keep people happy, but also helps bring out new people,” Polidore said.
NOT ALL THE JOBS ARE LOCALLY-BASED
Salaried workers, interns, contractors, and volunteers combined, about 60 people are involved in the Capital Region’s indie gaming subsector. Development is often based out of co-working spaces such as the Tech Valley Center of Gravity, or remote.
Now remote, Queenship Games founder Muse en Lystrala has been based out of London near the home of her lead designer for two years. She hopes to eventually return to Troy.
DANG! has two formerly local employees now working from Portland, OR and Queens, respectively. The Boomerang X creator consists of five friends from RPI, three of which occasionally work at the company’s Troy office.
“When we meet in person, it isn’t someone we discovered online,” Caulkins of DANG! said. “But making the switch to doing some people full-time remotely and seeing that it’s very doable and very manageable definitely opens up the possibility of hiring people anywhere in the world.”
It’s unclear how many distant remote employees work for larger studios within the region.
“It’s our understanding many of the large studios continue to prioritize hiring talent that lives in, or will move to, [sic] the Capital Region,” CEG Spokesperson James Schlett said in an email.
Jahnel Group began offering remote opportunities as early as 2015, long before many white collar employers in the region did the same. While hoping to drive local growth, Kellar said that the company won’t rule out candidates interested in living elsewhere.
“So if somebody wants to move to the area, we would absolutely encourage that and help them do so,” said Kellar, president of Jahnel Group. “But if they want to stay put where they are – where they built their life and career where they stand – we’ll meet them there as well.”
WB Games New York, acquired Agora Studios in 2016, The studio’s website promotes Northeast Corridor living and also states it’s “open to hiring for remote work anywhere in the United States.” WB Games New York didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
Large studios within the region collectively boasted 460 jobs as of early 2022, a 5.5% increase from last year, the CEG reported in March. The 2021 survey indicated 16% growth.
Guha believes that the aggregate slowdown in job growth may be fueled by turnover.
“At least when I talk to my peers about it, a lot of it has to do with does a company really have much of a culture?” Guha said. “Does it have a sense of belonging and are so many people added that are remote that don’t have any strong interpersonal links?”
MULTIPLAYER IS ‘WHERE WE LIVE’
Rushdown Studios is currently working on online battle arena games, role-playing games, and party games. All titles share at least one element in common.
“So obviously, they’re all multiplayer,” Polidore said. “Yeah, because that’s kind of where we live.”
He’s referring to the rise of multiplayer gaming resulting from World of Warcraft’s popularity in the mid-2000s. Notable is the massively multiplayer online subgenre, which includes Capital Region-assisted titles such as Skylanders, Vainglory, and League of Legends.
Polidore’s former employer has exclusively focused on providing backend services for multiplayer PUBG: Battlegrounds since acquired four years ago. It’s the fifth best-selling game and the fourth highest-grossing mobile game of all time at $12.65 billion.
Bluehole in January switched PUBG: Battlegrounds to free-to-play, an increasingly popular gaming style reliant on in-app purchases for revenue.
Also embracing free-to-play is Velan Studios, intent on splitting from multiplayer action hit Knockout City’s publisher, Electronic Arts, come June.
“We’re really building out publishing capability ourselves so we have the ability to go to market directly as well and that allowed us to take more creative experiments direct-to-consumer,” Guha said.
GAME DEVELOPMENT HAS A NUMBER OF USES
Chang of RPI believes the digital gaming boom could lead to opportunities for building so-called smart communities. The latter term, mocked by some as a buzzword, refers to the integration of sensory immersive, sustainable and wireless infrastructure to bolster area quality of life.
“The kinds of things that we do in games have to do with taking large amounts of data and then making them into something that the user can understand and interact with very quickly and very intuitively,” Chang said. “So I think there’s a lot of potential for a kind of crossover right there.”
A few start-ups already apply industry skills beyond traditional development. RPI-born Eco Resilience Games last fall released an aquatic habitat simulation game, which directs users to find solutions against harmful algae blooms. Schenectady-based Catapult Games plans to release a virtual reality police de-escalation training tool in under 10 months.
iPACES, a locally developed tablet game designed to treat cognitive ailments, is undergoing what’s hoped to be the last in a decade of clinical trials. Union College neurologist and project lead Cay Anderson-Hanley plans to bring it to market should results prove fruitful.
Pedaling through maps originally developed by contractual partner 1st Playable Productions, users are given tasks and challenged to retrace their steps. This process is designed to connect body and mind.
“We’re not promising that people are going to improve in their cognition,” Andersen-Hanley said. “But these studies focus on that slippery slope for a very slow drop off like an airplane pulling up the wheel so that we all live longer with the best [mental] capacity] we have.”
Andersen-Hanley doesn’t expect trouble attracting older audiences to embrace the technology. While thirty-somethings remain the industry’s most active demographic, an AARP study found 10 million new 50-plus gamers between 2016 to 2019.
“We have people who think it’s totally a novel experience to people who are really intense gamers are trying to jockey their position,” Anderson-Hanley said.
COLLEGES ARE BANKING ON ESPORTS, VIRTUAL REALITY
Nine regional colleges are involved in four esports conferences, respectively.
“The teamwork, the execution — it’s just like the huddle you see on the court in the NBA,” said Michael Leczinsky, founding director and head coach of UAlbany’s esports program. “It’s just like the huddle you see in traditional sports.”
Boasting the largest co-ed roster with more than 140 players, UAlbany is one of two schools with teams for all eight games offered by the Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference.
More than 600 students applied to join the league when it started out of Draper Hall on the downtown campus in 2019. Now ranked nationally, UAlbany vies to upgrade into a 4,000-square-foot space within the ETEC building by 2023.
Game development classes have been facilitated out of the uptown campus building since the discipline in the study within the informatics program last August. A minor is also in the works.
Sharing ETEC with startup booster Innovate 518, Leczinsky hankers to widen the industry’s local pipeline — a pipeline long dominated by RPI. (SUNY Schenectady and Capital Region BOCES also offer digital gaming programs)
“Maybe we have this discussion a few years down the line and we can say, ‘Wow, look at these great startups coming from our area,’” said Leczinsky.
PHOTOS BY LINDSEY FISH, SUPER SOURCE MEDIA UNLESS NOTED
The Capital Region’s status as a “brain belt” in the country’s industrial and scientific innovation economy wouldn’t hold up without the connections the Tech Valley Center of Gravity (TVCOG) makerspace has been facilitating for the past decade.
How We Became a Brain Belt
In the 1800’s the region was a hub for manufacturing everything from paper to iron and clothing.
Two hundred years took its toll on the industry however, and by the early 2000’s only a small fraction of those living in the region were employed in manufacturing.
To offset the job losses, between 2004 and 2008 more than 4,000 jobs in high tech industries were created in the Capital Region. The growing technology sector was attracted to the area’s pool of skilled workers educated by a system of advanced universities.
Every Belt Needs a Buckle
By 2013, the region had become known as the Tech Valley. We were a brain belt without a buckle.
To continue funneling in the skilled workforce that these companies were looking for, while also creating the next generation of entrepreneurs needed to rebuild a robust economy, it was vital people connect with each other.
That’s when the Tech Valley Center of Gravity opened, expanding into their current location in 2015. The 15,000 sq. ft. building in Troy houses nine maker zones filled with $200,000 of fabrication equipment, meeting areas, and office space. The electronics equipment, 3D printers and CNC machines here are joined by a wood shop, metal shop, and fiber arts studio that give their more than 200 members the opportunity to mend the skills gap between education and real-world applications.
“A lot of people at the time were talking about the ‘skills gap’ because the hands-on experience graduates needed was not there. We still need to improve that,” said Dan Falkenstrom, Facilities and Incubator Director, about the Center’s growth.
Making Progress Practical
In an increasingly digital world, remembering that it is also a physical world is vital to solving today’s most pressing problems.
“We still live in a world of physical things and need to know how to create physical things,” said Falkenstrom. “Someone who is studying engineering, for example, can still have no idea how to solder. They have the knowledge and the ideas but they need to connect with people who know how to physically bring things to life.”
Others, like Daryian Rhysing, had hands-on experience but needed business know-how. With assistance from TVCOG, Rhysing, a former aircraft mechanic who invented a new electrical Interconnecting Clamp, went on to open United Aircraft Technologies and was recently awarded $1.1 million from the US Army for his clamps’ usage in vertical lift aircraft.
Innovation for All
The TVCOG incubator program provides targeted mentorship, coaching, and guidance (in the form of risk-mitigation strategies and referrals) so startup projects can get off the ground.
“Going it alone, people may not realize they’re going down the wrong path,” said Falkenstrom.
Through initiatives like Innovate 518 , TVCOG also helps inventors find funding and tax incentives.
Their “Maker-in-Residence” scholarship program gives those who might otherwise find the costs prohibitive, free access to equipment and resources, while also awarding them a financial stipend and free training.
Hatching Next Gen Entrepreneurs
In her newly appointed position, Executive Director Michele Madigan is planning to open access to TVCOG’s resources to even more in the community.
Before taking the post, Madigan was Saratoga Spring’s Commissioner of Finance and the Financial Literacy Coordinator at the Saratoga Springs Public Library.
A firm believer that the city was “ripe for an industry-led non-profit makerspace,” during her tenure, COVID threw a wrench in things.
At TVCOG, the increase in the use of virtual communications that has resulted however, has helped keep technological progress in the region moving forward.
This year, TVCOG was again awarded a $625,000 grant from the Empire State Development Division of Science, Technology, and Innovation (NYSTAR). With potential additional funds from the American Rescue Plan, they are looking to add another full-time employee and a mobile makerspace program for kids in K-12.
Currently at TVCOG’s “THINQubater” kids’ zone, there are STEAM-powered activities for kids ages 4 to 12.
For more information on membership, incubators, and programs go towww.tvcog.net.
Google was founded as a search engine in 1998. Mannix Marketing – a regional giant in search engine optimization – was founded in 1996. Talk about being ahead of the curve!
Sara Mannix was on to something enormous when she conceived of a marketing company that could help her clients connect with new customers in what was then a unique method: a keyword was entered into a search box and scads of options for further research jumped onto the screen. Mannix’s superpower is being able to predict which keywords will bring her clients’ specific sites to potential customers’ attention.
But even Mannix couldn’t have predicted the impact of a business venture that began in a small Lake George office as a part-time passion project and grew into its Glens Falls headquarters — with remote offices around the country and overseas — employing more than two dozen marketing, creative, and computer programming specialists.
“People told me that internet searches were a fad and that I was quitting a good job for a bad reason,” Mannix remembers. After studying at The University at Albany and abroad – assuming she’d become a teacher – Mannix veered from that course and instead took a position in marketing for Benetton in New York City, a privately held Italian fashion brand with 5,000 stores worldwide. Best known for its “United Colors of Benetton” campaigns, the iconic company was an early corporate proponent of promoting diversity awareness in advertising.
“I had taken Basic (a computer programming code language) in high school, but thought, ‘Who wants to be stuck with a black screen all day?’” Mannix says now. “But in college, I started to relate to the computer as an end-user and I could see its power to reach out. I was no longer just coding, I was using the computer to solve problems.”
It rocked her world.
“I said, ‘This is where it’s at,’” Mannix recalls.
Snapshot of a Mannix Marketing company zoom meeting; their team members ranging in location from as far as Texas and Scotland. Photo provided.
Although Benetton was a spectacular learning experience for Mannix, the Burnt Hills native yearned for upstate New York, so she migrated back, drawn to promote the region’s robust tourism industry, “and I was just thriving,” she says. “I loved it more than anything.” Indeed, today Mannix Marketing continues to serve the tourism industry as one of its key targeted areas of marketing expertise. The company’s other specialty areas are senior living and manufacturing, although its client roster spans many other businesses and her firm’s website (www.MannixMarketing.com) recounts diverse success stories to illustrate the achievements that search engine optimization (SEO) and social media presence can germinate and sustain.
Ever-prescient, at the outset, once she understood the direction the web-based information explosion was headed, Mannix reserved and paid for website domains such as Saratoga.com, GlensFalls.com, Saratogawedding.com, LakeGeorge.com, and others, making her a formidable force and resource for clients whose livelihoods are anchored by her drive to creatively, masterfully aggregate and disseminate relevant information.
Sara Mannix has always been determined to work hard for what she wanted:
At age 13, Mannix was named Parade Magazine’s New York State Paper Carrier of the Year for selling more than 300 subscriptions to the Times Union and delivering them all over Burnt Hills every Saturday and Sunday. Her prize was a trip to Spain with 50 other newspaper carrier winners from across the nation.
At age 14, Mannix was the youngest exchange student in the history of highly selective, nonprofit AFS Intercultural Programs, receiving a full scholarship to spend the summer in Bogota, Colombia.
Throughout high school, Mannix picked blueberries, then made blueberry pies with her mom and sat at the end of the driveway, selling them to help fund college.
At age 19, Mannix funded her studies abroad by working three summer jobs in Lake George, rising at 5 a.m. to waitress at a breakfast cafe, then walking across the street to work the ticket booth for Parasail Joe’s from 11 a.m.-3 p.m., and finally heading to Lucille’s to wait tables in the evening.
Sara Mannix’s Tips for New Entrepreneurs:
Find mentors through your local chamber or join a CEO-specific group of peers in your industry through a coach or network.
Attend seminars and conferences and listen to industry podcasts. Make sure you are learning every single day.
Invest in marketing channels where your potential clients are most likely to look for your product or service.
Invest in an Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant website and get the tax credit for it.
Talk to multiple marketing professionals before hiring one. You will learn from each one, as everyone has a different approach and specialty.
Sara Mannix Explains Search Engine Optimization (SEO):
SEO is a multifaceted strategy focused on increasing your business’ organic visibility on the web. It involves a variety of tactics, including developing consumer- and search-engine-friendly website content, assigning accurate and thorough metadata, implementing concise, fast-loading code, and more to help your site outperform your competitors’.
Build your brand and profits with search engine optimization (SEO) and an Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)-compliant website that grows your sales. Your website needs to stand out from the crowd and showcase what your business has to offer. You need a site that will turn browsers into buyers, encouraging and capturing leads from interested customers to fuel your sales and grow your profits.
Sara Mannix unpacks social media marketing strategy:
Reach and engagement are the two main reasons that social media is important for your business. Traditional advertising like print, TV, and radio simply aren’t as effective as the permission-based marketing available on social media.
Your customers want choice, and they don’t want to be interrupted.
With Facebook marketing, Instagram ads, Pinterest ads, LinkedIn optimization, and other social media marketing, your engagements with customers are much more valuable, because customers chose to interact with your brand and are more likely to convert to buyers.
Mannix Marketing offers branding and website marketing services:
Branding and logo design.
Building ADA-compliant websites that are accessible to people of all abilities.
All sites have built-in search engine optimization so that the sites rank better and drive more traffic and leads.
Sites are built with the latest conversion rate optimization techniques, which increase the likelihood of leads and sales.
Customers are trained to edit their own websites easily.
“I was fortunate to have a marketing background before starting my company,” says Mannix Marketing’s founding CEO. “I had a different perspective than a coder or a creative and was certain getting found in the search engine was the key to success. Figuring out how to do it was the fun part. It’s intuitive for me. I’ve lived and breathed it now for 25 years. I even get up Saturday mornings and work while it’s still quiet.”
(Of course, it doesn’t stay quiet, Mannix and her husband, Mark, have three children with plenty of their own energy and activities. Mark, who has a background in technology, now works alongside Sara for Mannix Marketing. Together, the duo juggles a dizzying mix of home and work demands.)
But it’s not all fun and games. Mannix Marketing and Mannix personally have faced and overcome hurdles as well. For example, Mannix cites having to convert all the websites the company creates to be ADA-compliant so that hearing and visually impaired individuals, as well as people with other disabilities, can use them.
“Tears were shed,” she admits. “But I became obsessed with it and now we’re a leader in ADA compliance. I have staff dedicated to making it happen.”
Too, the pandemic brought unprecedented challenges to her tourism-industry clients, whose businesses were threatened by shutdowns and reduced traffic to their venues. She found herself working pro bono or at reduced rates to help the community. She knew Mannix Marketing could offer ways to reach audiences that needed information about what to do and where to stay safely, which benefited businesses and visitors alike. And she’s been rightfully hailed as a hero, with many awards to her name, including, among others, a Summit Creative Award for B2B Website Design, a Warren County Top Women Award, a coveted Ethics in Business Award, Women of Influence Award from SARATOGA TODAY, a U.S. Search Award for Best Use of Content Marketing – Real Estate Division Adirondack Mountain Land, and, for the past decade, many other top industry awards for SEO, creative, and digital marketing. But she doesn’t take all the credit. Mannix has high praise for her company’s staff and her own mentors: Mark Behan, CEO of prestigious Behan Communications in Glens Falls, and Todd Shimkus, president of the Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce.
And she’s a collaborator. Mannix views former staffers as “alumni,” not “exes,” and they sometimes take on Mannix Marketing projects; she sees other marketers as potential partners, not competition; and she works closely with clients’ materials produced by other PR or design firms, without trying to eclipse their work.
However entrenched in her business, Mannix is not a slave to work. She refuels by listening to podcasts on long walks, interacting with inspiring industry leaders, spending “amazing family time,” playing pickleball, and sharing laughter with girlfriends. It also “just makes me feel good,” she says, “to help others, however I can, especially the senior population.”
Current kudos notwithstanding, in retrospect Mannix remembers times when she had one problem to contend with, or seven, or even 20 at a time, but she came away from every one of those situations flourishing.
“It’s okay to cry,” she advises, “But then you dig your heels in and meet every challenge.”
