Talking Business: A Conversation With...Art Zimmer

A new series of monthly began last month called Talking Business: A Conversation With... Every month, a local business owner will talk about the lessons her or she has learned while in business; lessons that others can learn from. Tips and other information will also be shared.

The April event featured Art Zimmer, who has owned 12 businesses -- in two different states -- over the course of his life. Those businesses included candy manufacturer, ski resort, newspaper, print shop, hotels and restaurants. At one time, he owned seven at once! He now owns 3 - 4 (depending on how you count them). Art is the consummate serial entrepreneur, who understands business intuitively. He is proud to note that he graduated from high grade #43 out of 43 students and that he never went to college, yet he has accomplished things that others have only dreamed of.

Art's biggest lesson to the group was about marketing. Art believes in marketing all the time and everywhere. While most of us have been taught to carefully give business cards to those with whom we want to make a connection, Art believes in giving business cards to everyone and leaving them everywhere. And his business cards are quite unique with eight different panels. He said that he gives out 500 business cards per month! (That's nearly 17 per day, including weekends.) That is a number that amazed everyone and made us realize how stingy we are with our cards.

Art gave us other examples of how he has marketed his businesses, especially his newspaper, The Syracuse New Times. In one case, the New Times sponsors one of the theaters at the New York State Fairgrounds, which means that every event held there is held in the New Times Theater and is announced as such!

The next event will be May 29 and will feature Michele Bellso and Sean Branagan, two marketers professionals. Every business needs to market itself, including marketing businesses. Whether it is developing a marketing plan, creating an online presence, using print media, or thinking out-of-the-box, Bellso and Branagan have done it for their businesses. During the event, they will discuss how they have approached marketing their own businesses and the lessons we can learn from their efforts.

It is likely people will recognize Michele Bellso's name from her most recent venture; however, her first company was Designworks Advertising and she's still involved in it. Designworks is a local company that works on a national scale. I can't wait to ask about company's logo, which is a pair of denim jeans!

Sean Branagan's company has worked with companies in many different industries, including high-tech companies. Personally, I am impressed at the places I see Communigration mentioned. How does Sean get his company associated with so many area events?

I'll be moderating this event (which is more like an interview than two people doing presentations), which means I'll ask both Michele and Sean questions about marketing and get them to tell us lessons they've learned from developing marketing strategies for their businesses. It should be an exciting event!

Co-sponsored by the WISE Center, the event -- Talking Business: A Conversation With... -- will be held at the South Side Innovation Center, 2610 S. Salina St. on May 29, from 5 – 6 p.m. Networking and light refreshments will be available before and after the event. A $5.00 donation per person is requested with proceeds used to support the series.

This project was made possible, in part, through an Enitiative award. Enitiative is funded by a grant from the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, focusing on entrepreneurship in the arts, technology, and our neighborhoods. To learn more about Enitiative, please visit www.enitiative.syr.edu.

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